Broken Souls

A Wonder

It was morning. Very early morning, the sun had only risen above the horizon and still the birds sang quietly before everyone would wake and start the day. Though Kiera didn't care if the King was asleep or not as she stormed towards his chambers. She doubted he was in the throne room at this time, Legolas had only just woken from what she saw.

She ignored the two guards, who eyed her suspiciously and reached out to stop her as they informed that the King was not to be disturbed. "Well, he is now." She scowled at them, pushing past as she went for the door. Her fist knocked harshly on the wood twice, crossing her arms as she waited. "Your Majesty!" she yelled, pointing an angry finger at the guard as he approached to take her away. "Do not dare." She hissed coldly and glared at him when he opened his mouth to protest.

"Don't bother. Return to your post." Kiera heard the King speak, turning to see him stand in the door opening. He clearly had been up for some time, wearing a comfortable tunic and boots, but no crown.

The guard bowed and obeyed his command silently while Kiera looked up at Thranduil, waiting for him to speak. He looked back at her. "I assume you have a reason to disturb my peace?"

"Yes. May I come in?" Kiera asked bluntly, emanating no sense of warmth.

"Since you ask so kindly." Thranduil replied coldly, then opened the door wider to let her in.

Kiera brushed past him and planted herself amidst the room, watching him return to his seat at his desk. They were in his study it seemed, decorated with the said desk, a few book-hoarded shelves, a sitting area and a window offering a view of the realm. She realized this was where she had first told them about Earth and where she had shown him some of her tattoos.

"May I ask what that reason is?" The King questioned, folding his hands as he leaned back in his seat. Kiera looked at him searingly.

"You lied. You are the reason why your son was injured." Kiera declared, placing her hands on the desk as she looked down at him. His eyes narrowed.

"Are you accusing me of risking my son's safety, when it was something you did?" He asked in such a cold whisper, that Kiera barely heard. She could feel her heart beating fast and loud in her chest, either from nerves or anger.

She was angry that she had poured so much blame on Legolas, when he only did something he was told to do – even if it was a stupid choice to obey. It was Thranduil that had wanted to provoke her and push her to the brink. And somehow, oddly and incomprehensively, it made things much worse in her opinion.

"If you had not given him an order to push me so far to fucking shoot him, then I believe nothing would have happened at all! Why did you not just leave me alone and let me practice?" Kiera asked, glaring at him as he got back up from his seat to tower over her.

"I wanted to see what you were capable of, to show what you may not want us to see." Thranduil snapped back. "How could I trust someone that hides such information from me?!" He thundered, and Kiera shook her head as she stepped back to pace in the room.

"If you had asked, I would have told you." She scowled, breathing rapidly as she threw her hand in the air. She fought to control herself as she paced, trying to stay calm and speak with him in a normal manner.

"And you want me to trust that?" Thranduil asked coldly.

Kiera sighed, rubbing her forehead as she sat down in the chair on the other side of the desk, facing Thranduil. "I understand that you don't trust me. I'm a stranger in your eyes. I can see that I pose a threat to you if shit like that happens." She said, inhaling sharply before she let the air seep out of her, finding a softer voice within herself. "But it doesn't change the fact that you told your own son to provoke me until I snapped. How could you do that?" she asked quietly, watching the moment play over in her head.