The Hobbit Imagines

3. Thranduil x Reader

Hey! This was requested by Twag53 - I really hope you enjoy it, I had a great time writing it! So here you go :D

Thranduil's POV

A cool breeze swept over my skin as I glided through the gates of my palace and out into the dense forest. Very rarely was I given the opportunity to get away from the tremendous pressure of ruling a kingdom, so when the moment arrived, I was quick to flee from my hall. It seemed as though recently every being on Middle Earth was trying their utmost to irritate me; the Captain of the Guard brought me daily reports of spiders moving down through the canopy of trees, the servants felt the need to constantly remind me how important the upcoming Feast of Moonlight is, and Legolas continued to inquire about his mother. It felt wrong to deny him of such information, but I could not bring myself to utter her name just yet.

Batting vines and leaves away, I traversed the forest floor, relaxed for the first time in a long time. To be out here, alone with my thoughts, brought me unimaginable relief. No responsibility, no ordering people about, no making mistakes. Sometimes the strife of being king was overwhelming, it made me lash out. Lamentably, it resulted in my son distancing himself from me. I wished I could make him see the world the way I saw it- if we did not look after ourselves and our people first and foremost, all would be lost.

As I came to a halt at a narrow, winding river, I heard the snap of a twig. Whirling round instantly, my eyes darted in all directions to spy the source of the noise. Though, the area was completely clear. My eyebrows drew together as I scrutinized into the trees. When no other sound could be heard, I turned back to the river. Knowing I would otherwise be wandering aimlessly, I decided to follow the river downstream for a while.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, I noticed a slight discolouration in the water. I knelt down to see that the water, which once was crystal clear, had lost its diamond sheen and become a dirty, copper colour. Curiously, I continued further downstream for a few steps and realised the colour became more solid as I went. Crouching down once again, I slowly dipped my hand in the river. When I pulled away, my pale skin was stained red. It struck me then. The river was tainted with blood.

Hurriedly, I sprinted to the bottom of the river where a deep puddle of blood pooled on the bank. A trail of crimson droplets led away from the river and further into the forest. With apprehension, I neared an opening, where the blood had led. Carefully peering through the cover of the trees, I saw it.

I saw it in all its beauty. A marvellous creature, so regal and enchanting, leant against a boulder. Its pure white coat a contrast to the dull grey and green of the forest. I had never seen anything so magnificent- a white elk. It was truly breath-taking. Though something was wrong. On its hind leg, vermilion painted its fur, tarnishing its perfect coat. When I looked closer, I spied an arrow shaft protruding from its leg. Who would dare to harm such a graceful creature? In horror, I rushed forward to its aid. At the sight of me, it snorted warningly. Raising my hands to show no threat, I paused and allowed the being to assess me. When it seemed to have calmed, I approached it. Though its breathing was still heavy and it watched me intently, it did not try to stop me. Gently, I pressed my hand to its back and whispered "Calm now, I am here to help you." While the elk was incredible to behold, I had seen many which were much larger and muscular. As my hand drifted closer to its injury, it grunted angrily at me- clearly it was in a lot of pain. "What did those awful people do to you?" I muttered disappointedly. Knowing that it would do no good to stay out here in the forest any longer, I coaxed the elk up from the ground and began to lead it away through the forest.

My heart ached to see it limping so pitifully, its head hanging low. At one point I feared it may not even make it to the clearing, as it tripped over a root and hit the floor roughly. When I tried to help it up again, it simply whimpered and closed its eyes. Frantically, I pulled at it, hauling it up "Come on, if we can just make it to the palace." I prayed that this creature would find its strength. Staring into its eyes, I noticed they were an eerie amber colour. Strange, I had never seen anything like that before. It looked back at me, almost as though it were trying to tell me something. There was such intelligence in those eyes, I felt chills run up my spine. Once it had found its footing, we continued to the palace. Almost an hour later, we arrived at the gates where I called for guards to help me carry the being to an isolated chamber so it could be looked after. I watched it being taken away, worried for its health.