My feet pommeled the earth in a frenzied beat, my hair whipped the winds in a maddened dare for more, and my heart struck its drum until the tight skin was near to burst. The forest became naught but a mesh of greens to my darting eyes. It seemed to have taken me a tenth the time of my aborted travels to reach the walls I had left. I gave no heed at any chancing existence upon my path. The wall, I flew over, smoothly and easily like seabirds taunting the waves higher. I could see the palace structures.

I was there.

The sound of his steps thundered against his walls. With every resounding stride, his aura poured to drown the halls. Like a soul laid bare for the eye to see, timeless, powerful, wise, and an all-encompassing existence. King Thranduil strode down his halls, silver-blond hair entwining with the molten crystal crown, the sharp glint of a sword resting in his hand, the drape about his shoulders fanning out behind him in reverence, and a perfect white carven face, set in stone. The blue of his eyes turned to shards of ice, cold and cruel. Steady was his stature as he floated along the polished floors. Let it be said, that word later spread, of a valar's presence mingling in the King's great halls. Long did this appearance carve itself in the people's hearts, swell their pride, and enhance their cloak of mystery.

So did their King walk to these intruders, clad in the very essence of his being, oozing greatness and power.

It was in the deepest part of their caverned dungeons that he found them treading the dust.

"I will ask you one more time to leave the palace grounds. If you are still disobliging to comply, then I shall have to force your way out."

The threat hung in the air like a poison ready to be breathed. None moved. Whether none dared, or simply wished to withhold the upcoming clash, none could tell for both party's faces were empty of any expression. The cloaked figure, now with his hood down upon his shoulders, pivoted smoothly on his heels to face the interrupter of his search. His gaze was hollow and steady, yet a spark of irritation rimmed his steely irises. He answered not, but offered the same dominating stare as before.

This time, Thranduil didn't so much as flinch. Instead his eyes became colder, wilder, and if at all possible, fiercer.

Was that a doubt in the stranger's action? A pause to reconsider? Or simply a wait in order to better plan the next assault? Whichever the cause, King Thranduil readied his sword, his body arranged to pounce at any given moment. The other cloaked figures stood behind their leader like ominous ghosts haunting their delectable host. A wordless debate stagnated between the two protagonists, with each passing second rendering the tension crueller and crueller. The situation could bend either way. A deadly fight with an unknown force, or a calmed parley in search for common goods.

The stranger however seemed too stubborn to give way to such an endless manoeuvre. The good of the King's kingdom, or the King himself, was of no importance to him.

"You will not wish to take up arms against me. King." Came the much awaited answer. Thranduil had more than enough of this, and his eyes showed that he was ready to do just that. With a barely perceivable narrow of his gaze, the stranger lowered from the bend of his articulations, ready to pounce, and disappeared from Thranduil's field of vision.

I wasn't surprised to see, as I neared the palace walls, every door, every window and every crevice guarded with sharp elven sentinels. I swallowed my panic and mustered what calm I had left to go speak to one of the captains. As soon as I came into sight, their elegant lances were aimed at me, and every gaze seemed eager to tear at my flesh. To my luck, I knew the captain towards which I was going.

"I am here to see the King on urgent matters, let me through." He stepped closer and furrowed his thin brows at me.

-our orders are to stop anything from getting in, or out of the palace. Including you.

-EX-cluding me." I corrected sternly. "This matter pertains me solely. What is happening inside can be avoided, thanks to and because of me".

-I cannot let you walk through our doors under some pitiful explanation of an excuse.

-Your think I would willingly walk back into my prison just to nag you?" the rhetorical question was left to hang as he gave me a very dubious look. ….blame myself for that one…. I gave an exasperated sigh. "Why would anyone sane of mind want to go back where they were kept against their will?" Not completely against my will….but anyway!

"That is not my issue to handle." He countered stubbornly. The guards loyally standing at his side took a step further, jabbing their silver tips in my direction. My eyes looked up searchingly along the walls above the entrance door. Wherever there could have been a place to slip through unseen, an elf stood there, melting out of the environment. I could not see another way through, and going around the walls would be a waste of precious time. I lowered my gaze to the man I had just spoken to, wordlessly conveying a silent excuse. He caught my soundless messengers, and a look of panicked surprise shifted his features. The walls once heavy with silent tension now clamoured with fallen lances and helms, grunts and surprised breaths.

Thranduil was violently thrown back against the wall, momentarily knocking the air out of his lungs. He landed at the ready, swirling on himself in a whirlwind of silks to strike on the left side of his opponent. Alas again the stranger seemed to dissipate into the air only to reappear at another place of the dungeons, striking with a leisurely arm, and with a force out of ancient legends. A malevolent glint adorned his eyes as he moved about the room. Like a cat cruelly playing with a helpless mouse, so was the pleasure he seemed to be taking at the given moment. Annoyance and confusion were dominating the King's heart, tempting him further in risky manoeuvres. Wars and fights were fields he knew all too well, reminding him to remain strictly reigned in with his emotions.

The stranger now jumped about with excessive speed, explaining his "disappearances" earlier. His taunt was of an ugly nature, almost begging for the King to charge in blindly. Thranduil stood his ground proudly, now waiting for his opponent to dare an assault. As a frontal charge didn't seem to work in this situation, he would let the other come to him. Relying solely on his reflexes, agility and smoothness in swordsmanship. His eyes settled, placid like the surface of a lake, ready to detect the smallest ripple to come. His body equally became a receptacle to outside changes such as air shifts and whispered sounds. His muscles relaxed, ready to tense at the given command. A shift, a patter. The stranger still moved about with relentless effort. Patter. Swish. Still waiting was the King in the room. Swish. Patter…!

There. Thought Thranduil, and like a rehearsed dance, he slid aside, raising his arm as he slightly pivoted. The man missed his assault upon the King's back. The arm fell, and silver light drank incarnadine.

The gash wasn't great, as the opponent whisked away as quickly as the blow had fallen. His cloak was torn at the left shoulder, leaving the material to fall pitifully to the ground. Soon the clothes drank upon the man's blood like parched bats yearning for more. Of the revealed skin, more markings could be seen, as dark as the ones upon his face. The glint, the spark of amusement that had been there, was now drowned under cold hatred, biting at the King's eyes with every ounce of rage.

Indifference greeted the ugly demons, letting them platter about Thranduil's feet harmlessly. Once again, the King stood tall, waiting patiently for his opponent.

Now the stranger also stood as if mimicking the royal's gestures. But his body said a complete other speech… A faint glow emanated from the markings on the man's body, his eyes lost their pupils and irises, and became steel-coloured pools. A whole other aura seemed to ooze from his skin, like dark mist thirsty for light. The shadow at his feet danced in eerie moves as if it had a mind of its own. It stretched out to the lights, the lanterns, the golds and the whites, blocking out every ray it could touch. The room dove into cold darkness, permitting only the shine of the silver blade in the elf King's hand.

No panic overcame him. Only subtle calm and wariness. The stranger melted away in the surrounding shadows with an uncomfortable hiss.

Sounds were choked to silence. Air was frozen to a stop. Light was murdered in dark claws. And in the midst of it all, the King of Mirkwood stood, high and tall.

The onslaught came like a crashing wave, drawing the air from the elf's slim chest, tearing at his silks like shredding wind, biting at his limbs with vicious jaws, perforating skin where claws could find. Lost in the cold blades of shadows, joining the maddened orchestra, blood rivulets now sang in shy breathed voices. No hushed or panicked breath was muttered. No stamp, clamp or thumps were sputtered. No helping cry was uttered.

In the black swirls of a cold, dead whirlwind, there once stood a woodland King, high and tall.

I walked through the gates, barely a sweat trickling down my brow. The insides of the palace seemed deserted of any life. The great cavernous walls stood as sentinels, ominous and tall, staring down upon my small form, judging my every step. The sound of my feet was the only intervention in the silence of the great halls. I crept along, eager to get to a smaller passageway and leave the dominating silence. As my head darted about a thin pressure came to my neck on the opposite side I was watching. Slowly turning my way back to the source, its smooth voice resonated on the transfixed walls. "What are you doing here? You should be gone." He was harsh and unkind, clearly showing his dislike in me, which I suppose I could understand… The Prince of Mirkwood stood clad in light armour, bow and arrows in the back, a sword in hand and the other at my neck.

"I came here to rid you of your disagreeable guests." I snapped, getting very irritated at being interrupted again. "Now let me go, and better yet, tell me where they went so things can move along faster.

-My father is already cleaning up your mess. I don't see why I should let you go and make things any worse than they already are. You're-

-I know we got off on a bad start, but this is not the time to be selfish about your goddamn preferences!" I cut off, utterly raging now. I slapped the flat of his blade away, and started walking again. A silver flash danced before my eyes and two blades now crossed before my neck. Defying, cold eyes glared at mine.

My patience, had reached its limit.

Suddenly bending backwards, I put my hands to the ground, shifting my weight to them, and sent my feet to kick into his chest. I gave him no respite and jumped after whilst he was still in mid-air. Catching him by the collar, I swung the thin body about, throwing him twice the initial speed, into the near wall. Having rapid reactions, he managed to bring his feet up, in order to land perpendicular to the surface. He took advantage of the force I gave him, to push off and dash back at me. Patience having crumbled to nothing, I clamped my right fist shut, and when he came to my level, punched his face down to the ground. The lithe body of the elf slumped down without further sound or movement.

Jerking my head back up, I quickly targeted the source of disturbances coming from the hallway facing my current position. I knew, whatever was happening, it was bad, I had to hurry. The sound of my footsteps cracking the silence no longer registered in my over-worried brain. The walls raced by in blur of smooth colours, and my senses clutched down on that distortion of aura ahead. I'm late! I'm late! I'm too late! I mentally panicked.

The rectangle of light to the next room grew wider and wider, and the components depicted themselves all too slowly, all too shyly. I felt like I was kicking the ground as helplessly as a swimmer going against an ocean's current. Went I thought I would finally know what held the room I was going to, the scene hit me harder than a brick wall would have done.

The darkness was still inching away as I came in, back to the figure that was striding towards the immobile body upon the floor. Scrapes of silk now littered the floor like helpless butterflies having run out of life, tainted with scarlet pinpricks. The man standing had his hand raised, ready to strike the other upon the floor.

Thranduil's eyes looked up in defiance, displaying his determination, but his body lay, rung, tired and beaten. As the strike was about to fall, I dashed to intercept the unseen blade with the silver one I had picked up from the floor. Our gazes clashed and cringed as savagely as the swords had exchanged that one blow. Cold satisfaction lit his steel pools at my sight, and an unholy grin pulled at his lips. All I did then was greet his reaction with a raised upper lip in a near snarl, and eyes aflame from anger and hatred.

He stepped back, relieving the pressure upon my blade, but not on his sickly grin. Slowly his eyes changed back to showing his irises and pupils, and the markings smothered their glow to a barely seen glimmer. "You took your time coming back" he teased. I spared a look at the man on the floor behind me, seeing the blood show more vehemently. His eyes were confused, and blame and reproach jabbed its dart on my heart. Whatever apology or worry I tried to give him were unseen and ignored. I looked back at the figure in front of me, glaring coldly. I gave him no answer, and my voice seemed determined to shut down there and then. "Have you finally decided on stopping your little volatile behaviour?" he demanded. I arched up a brow. You're joking right?

Quickly catching upon my mood, his grin disappeared and a fierce frown adorned his face instead. The other shadows, until now ignored and useless, crept up behind him as if to reaffirm his words. Albeit their faces being unseen, the threatening aura was difficult to misread. I stood, unfazed. Take me back? Over my dead body. I thought defiantly.

They may be bound by few rules, but those that do bind them, I know all too well. With a twitch of the lips, I spun about and grabbed Thranduil by the collar, holding him in front of me and positioning the sword at his neck. "Do anything I don't like, and I'll send him to the other world." I dared with a possibly evil and insane grin plastered on my lips. I felt Thranduil freeze and stop his breathing in shock at my words, but he wasn't the only one who had that reaction then. The man paled, and hatred rekindled his eyes. "You couldn't possibly be that desperate!" he spat.

"Oh, I want my freedom. And if you think I'll stop here for it, I'll let you take that chance and pay the price later" I intoned in a maniacal voice. Oh yes. I liked to play the crazy one.

The man stood as if my words had cursed his ability to move. That was my high sign to go. Using the same ability as he did previously, I swished out of the room like a gust of wind, Thranduil still held tight against myself. Every ability I now possessed had to be made the most of for the escape.

I didn't go for the front gate, but for the gardens, where I had made my first runaway. The King was silent and seemed to just go with the flow. His breathing became more or less shallow, but to my reassurance it remained even.

Using magic, I channelled it in my legs to boost the speed and agility. I then moved Thranduil so his arm was draped over my shoulders, helping him stand, despite my shorter form.

We ran for nigh over five hours before our first stop. Long gone was the border to his halls, but the forest remained dense and wild about us. After travelling north, I opted for heading west, and finding the Forest River that wound its way back up to the Grey Mountains (Ered Mithrin). Once there we would sort out what we would do next, though I feared the choices that would be made.

I turned to consider my "hostage", who sat silently on a rocky outcropping, looking out into the woods. I approached him to study his wounds with better care. They were superfluous to my relief, and now only bled in small rivulets. He sat straight and proud, as if none of the antecedents had ever happened. Smoothly turning his head to me, his eyes were distant and unresponsive, and somewhere, deep in there, I knew he pondered on it all. "I'll tend to your wounds" I stated, as I already started pushing ruined fabrics away from the cicatrizing cuts. He didn't answer but only stared at my face, as if rediscovering an entirely new person. Which in some way, he was. I laid my palm on one of the more serious wounds, going along and around his side, and muttered a few words under my breath. Patterns drew themselves on my hand and glowed in soft light. He exhaled sharply at the sensation of the magic on his skin, and as flesh shyly kneaded together again. I cared for the harshest wounds, but had to keep my strength in case of urgent matters. The others would be tended to tomorrow.

"We should find a place to rest for the night" I commented as I looked out at the fading light in the west. Once more he proceeded wordlessly, getting to his feet and following me up a narrow deer track. We didn't need to travel very far before a small cave-in to a dead tree was decided to be our resting place for the night. The tree in question was enormous, and the truck was big enough that it would need several people to go around it.

Thranduil settled in a corner, eyes now gazing at the wood. I eyed his status with sadness, blaming myself for the outcome. I sat, not quite in front of him, not wanting to withstand his gaze. Resting my head on the rough material behind, I closed my eyes to a sleepless Thranduil, and worrying about the days to come. It felt like I had betrayed him, despite never having made any promises. The gap I had managed to close up with time, now crumbled further than it had ever been.

A/N: I apologize for my tardiness. A new life is starting for me, and I'm still getting used to it.

Anyhoo! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next one! ;-)

Lots of love! HR

PS: I can't wait for the next Hobbit movie in December! XD