Thorin Oakenshield Imagine: Healer.

Thorin Imagine: Healer. Part Seven

(Y/N) awoke in a warm and fleecy bed, swaddled in woollen blankets and thick feather pillows. She allowed herself to enjoy the comfort for a moment before slowly blinking her eyes and rubbing at her lashes, remembering where she was. Thranduil had toyed with her after Thorin had been locked up, questioning her for hours on why she was with the band of dwarves and what connection she had with the king. (Y/N) had played her part well, claiming that she was just an innocent healer who had been paid to join them on their quest and received extra coin if she did not inquire as to where they were going. The Elf King knew this to be a lie and eyed her suspiciously but did not ask anything else as he motioned for his remaining guard to come forward.

"Take her to one of the small guest rooms. Make sure she has all that she needs." Thranduil waved them off and wagged a finger for an adviser to follow him back to the throne room with speed.

(Y/N) had her bounds cut and was then promptly lead off to a humble chamber in the east of the castle. The space held nothing more than a bed, a smooth beech night-table and a single wooden stool. The walls were rich in elegant hanging tapestries, telling intricate tales of mighty elves in battle, and a small window let in the remaining afternoon sunlight, giving the room a warm, tainted glow of comfort. She was asked to settle in and if she would be requiring anything. The girl replied by shaking her head violently, her cheeks now rosy and tear-stained, before she sat down on the bed heavily while staring nonchalantly out of the pane of glass and onto the dark forest. The soldiers told her that they would bring her some food and drink when the kitchen had prepared supper and that she was not to attempt anything untoward, as guards had been placed on the other side of the door as a precaution. Still she said nothing of an acknowledged answer, only shrugged her shoulders and then lay herself down flat on the mattress, turning herself away from them and signalling for the pair of them to leave. 

(Y/N) then wept for hours, worrying over Thorin and the company while desperately trying to formulate a plan to get them all out of Mirkwood. It would be suicide to attempt any degree of magic in a kingdom full of elves and all her belongings were now being searched thoroughly by Thranduil himself, as he hopelessly hunted for confirmation that his theories about the mountain were correct. There was nothing around her that she could use as any sort of weapon, and she certainly was not willing to try and take down an army of highly trained warriors with only her bare balled fists.

(Y/N) had been so lost in thought that she did not realise when the light in the chambers had gradually faded away, only breaking from her thoughts when a female elf had tapped on the door holding a lantern in one willowy hand and a cold plate of food in the other. "My king Thranduil will need to speak to you further. He will come to you when he sees fit-" The dark haired maid stated without looking to (Y/N), placing her meal on the stool before rushing back outside to bring in a pitcher of fresh river water. "-Do you need anything else?" (Y/N) did not bother to answer, instead choosing to listen as the elleth huffed out of the room and whispered her complaints to the guards outside. Nor did (Y/N) bother to even glance at the food that was on offer, instead choosing to curl up in the many blankets and slowly dipped into suspended dreams of being wrapped in the tender safety of Thorin's broad arms and nuzzling herself into his dense beard. 

But now, as the girl gathered her baring and shuffled to the edge of the bed, the room was filled with the glorious sunlight of early morning, the very air seemed almost ethereal. The strong feeling of refreshment and invigoration washed over her in crashing waves, and she found herself walking to open the window while taking in a deep lungful of a gentle heated breeze. When she had had her fill, (Y/N) then turned to eye the rest of her temporary chambers and noticed that the tray of crisp salad leaves had disappeared and a glittering silver goblet of clean water stood in its place, waiting to drink down. 

Just as she had finished guzzling the cool liquid, and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, a light knocking rang out around the room followed by a sharp announcement that the elven king was waiting to enter. A Mirkwood maid then flung open the door once again and there stood Thranduil, flanked by his dutiful guardians. He was dressed in a striking metallic gown of deep gold, his stark white hair neatly tied at the nape of his neck. On his head sat a small crown of juicy maroon coloured berries, which contrasted handsomely with the porcelain skin of his forehead. "Ah-" His voice was gentle and soothing, a much more inviting tone than when (Y/N) was being interrogated the previous day. "-You are awake. I came to you last night, but you were already sleeping. I thought it would be best to leave you as yesterday was quite an ordeal, to say the least."

"Yes, it was." She agreed sharply, crossing her arms in a show of defiance and scowling.

"Leave us..." Thranduil ordered of his soldiers, who politely nodded to their mater as they left the room. The elf waited for the rich sound of silence before continuing his conversation. "Look, I want those jewels. I am afraid that to guarantee their return to me you have become a pawn in this little game between myself and King Thorin." He smirked as he placed himself down up the seat of the oaken stool, now glaring at her directly.

"I know nothing of jewels and diamonds, I have already told you that. I am there to heal the injured, nothing more."

"In a way, I almost want to believe you-" He continued to stare at her uncomfortably, his features now expressionless and set. "-Only I know that there is more to this than a sovereign and his maid." He paused for a brief moment, an unusual envious cast in his eyes. "-I saw the way he looked at you. And you to him."

(Y/N) turned her attention to her hands, having had enough of his intolerable gaze. "I have nothing else to tell you." She stated simply, trying to turn away.

"Do not test my patience! It will be much easier for us all if you start to be honest with me, for I will extract the information that you know one way or another. Do I make myself clear?" Thranduil drew his eyebrows together, flashing her a stern and powerful frown. "-Well?!"

"Please-" She felt herself getting panicked again and rubbed at her watery eyes with the palm of her hand. "-If you take me to Thorin, I could ask him to reconsider. I could convince him. Just let me see him? I beg of you, just five minutes."

An exasperated displeasure seeped into the room. Thranduil suddenly rose to his feet and crossed the length of it in two easy strides, leaning himself lightly upon the sill of the window as his eyes darted around the landscape outside. "That would not be a bad idea, if the dwarves had not escaped during the night" He spat, cursing under his breath in his rich elvish tongue.

"They have escaped?" (Y/N) grinned, hiding her face at being unable to contain her glee. 

"Yes. Even my dungeons could not keep the dwarven king from following the path to the Arkenstone." Rage was now plastered all over his elegant face, his pupils growing dark and threatening.

"Indeed it would seem so." (Y/N) sighed deeply, relieved at the latest developments.

The elven king turned on his heel, whirring around angrily to bring his face inches from her own. "Oh, but I would not be so happy with this news, not if I was in your situation. They appear to have forgotten about you. Left you behind, as it were. They obviously do not have the same loyalty to you as you do to their king." Thranduil smirked as he teasingly hissed at the girl, watching as she motionlessly started to cry.

(Y/N) considered his words for a moment before daring to respond. "They are not bound to me. They must do what is needed for their quest."

"It hurts, doesn't it? The loneliness. A deep sense of dread knotting at your stomach while you think about the future nights that you have to spend alone. Thorin Oakenshield thinks of no-one but himself. He is a loner, a ranger of the lands. It is how it has always been. He has no time for love stories or happy endings. You will do well to remember that." Thranduil smirked, watching her tears now falling steadily into her lap. "Enjoy your solitude." And he glided out of the room, closing the door silently behind himself, still grinning.

***