The Sisters [A Hobbit Fanfiction]

Chapter 47

Runa had found a top notch hiding spot. After running though many corridors, she’d discovered a way to drop down onto a narrow ledge above the main balcony from an upper window. Ivy screened her, but still left her with a view to the lower balcony.

The sun was warm and she began to feel a little sleepy as she stared at the mountain. She couldn’t help thinking she deserved an award for this one. No one would ever--

“Runa.”

Poop. She looked down to an irritated elven king eyeing her from the balcony below. Poop. Poop. Poop. Poop. Poop. Poop.

Instinctively, Runa froze. She figured if she didn’t move or show signs of live maybe he’d just go away. It was like playing dead--

“Runa, get down here.”

Or not.

“I’m good thank you,” Runa replied.

“I wasn’t giving you an option.” Runa sighed, changing tactics.

“I don’t know how to get down, sorry.” She wasn’t sorry in the slightest. Technically she didn’t know how to get ‘down’; she knew how to get ‘up’.

“Jump.”

“WHAT?!” Runa looked at Thranduil, shocked. The elven king rolled his eyes, repeating himself grudgingly,

“I said jump.”

“Do you want me to die?” asked Runa in concern, eyeing the distance down. He must be angrier than she thought…

“No you little idiot. I’ll catch you.” He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but his bluntess made Runa flush red. Him? Catch her? As in she would end up in his arms?

“No thanks,” Runa said as politely as she could, happy to hear her voice didn’t shake.

“If you don’t jump,” Thranduil said, his voice firm. “I will come up there to get you. And you will regret it.” Runa did not doubt that he would carry this out, so she stood gingerly, ready to jump.

It wasn’t that Runa had an issue with heights. What she had an issue with was the maddening elf waiting for her, arms ready to catch her.

“Runa, will you just jump. I’m not going to let you fall.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Runa muttered with an exasperated sigh. Then, she jumped. There was a moment of heart stopping exhilaration where Runa felt gravity begin kick in, and then she fell.

It was lucky, in this case, that Runa was a trained warrior and that Thranduil was a graceful elf with quick reflexes. Where that not the case, the entire scenario might have turned out very differently.

As it was, Runa found herself in the air one moment and the next, cradled in Thranduil’s arm. Both seemed surprised by the sudden closeness of their predicament and stared at each other for a long moment.

“How did you find me?” asked Runa, hoping to ward off the dangerous silence. Thranduil set her down before replying dryly,

“Your hair. It lights up like a beacon in the sunlight.” Runa instinctively tried to look at her hair, but restrained herself, realizing she looked ridiculous as she went crosseyed to examine a single curl falling in her face.

Thranduil, amused for a moment, then grew serious and Runa missed her safe perch.

“Where were we before we were interrupted?” he mused, the question clearly rhetorical.

“Leaving,” said Runa making a beeline for the door. It was locked.

Confused she turned to see Thranduil examining a key with a smug look. Oh for crying out loud…