Thranduil's POV

As the autumn weather became colder and colder with every day, the Sun still had the power to make the afternoon pretty warm. It was pleasant, how the smell of the flowers was still lingering in the air of the throne room. I was sitting with crossed legs, as always, and was playing with a red berry, what fell down from my crown. This day was absolutely a boring one, not showing, we were right before one of our biggest fests of the year. Everything was quiet. Not a miracle, after I commanded my guards not to let anybody enter here, till I said something else. The way I'v said that made everybody silent.

Finally, after some peaceful hours, I waved to them. As I imagined, a little blonde head appeared in the door, immediately.

A young servant stepped toward me nervously, and stopped very far. She bowed deeply, and stayed there for a little while.

'My King, Freya Yldirien, for your service...' she started on a trembling voice, and I lifted my eyebrow. 'I am here to tell you, everything is ready for the beginning of the celebration. The wine is in the fountain, and the dinner will be served at sunset, as it was planned.' She looked up at me finally. I'v never seen this elleth before, but it was not strange. I didn't care who was working in the kitchen at all.

'If you allowed me, I'd go back and prepare the dress of my lady for the evening.' That made me curious.

'Who's your lady, Freya Yldirien?'

'Lady Noira'

Lady Noira...

It was funny to hear her name with a title, but still, as the words left her mouth, the mentioned lady appeared in front of my eyes with dark, braided hair, silky white skin and a shy smile, wearing an enchanting light dress. Nearing in the moonlight. In the garden.

I closed my eyes tightly. It was not right. I was not allowed to imagine her. I was not a young ellon anymore, who was free in mind, words and actions. Not to mention in feelings. I was a king, a father, and even if that relationship tragically ended, I was a husband. I was. A long time ago.

I could never betray my wife's memory, what was so precious to me and Legolas as well. Everything became so difficult. I'v never planned to continue my life after she passed away, but I did, because I had to. I had a son. I'v never planned to let anybody enter my realm again, but I did, and I've never planned to let anybody enter my life, and my mind, but I did, and she just didn't want to leave my thoughts anymore. I'v never planned all these things, and now I feel like, it was just happening, and I was not asked about it. I can not tell you, how maddening it was!

That trespasser! She broke every single rule she met. She destroyed not only the borders of my realm, but borders, what were much more protected. I am afraid of the things I would do, if she stayed so close, but what have I just done? I moved her into a chamber instead of sending her as far as I could. Genius, Thranduil.

And now, I was hiding, as a stupid elfling. In my own palace. And made a fool of myself in front of my servants. Gave reason to them to create gossips. It could not continue in this way!

For the Valar, what may my son think?

Another picture's lines appeared slowly, but it was older, and felt heavy. A beautiful blonde elleth was running in the summer woods laughing and holding my little elfling in her arms. Silivren threw him up a little, and Legolas opened his short arms, trying to reach the blue sky. Of course, he could not, and his eyes went tearful.

'It looks like, you need to grow a little more, my little leaf' she hugged him gently, and my son's eyes brightened up. He knew now, once, he would reach it.

She turned around once and twice, and their laughs filled the woods with life, as filled my heart with warmth. I could not stop smiling. Her silvery tresses were flying around them, as it was just the ray of the Sun. A beautiful illusion.

'Your Highness' a weak voice broke the long forgotten picture into a thousand pieces, and as my sight cleared once again, I saw the maiden standing right in front of my throne, leaning toward me. I waved, and she stepped back.

'Tell Lady Noira, I wish her to visit me before the Fest would begin'

Her look landed on the ground.

'My apologies, King Thranduil, but my lady is not in her chamber, or in the palace at the moment' she said quietly, and I took a nervous breath, before she continued.

'She is in the woods'

'In the what?!'

Noira's POV

When the prince gave the sign, we climbed up to the old boles, while the enemy was fighting with something below. I mean, I could swear, some kind of noise of a fight came from there, even if we were upthere. I took a short look toward them, but couldn't see anything clearly from the trees. Then, I closed my eyes tightly. I knew, the thing what was running toward me was nothing else, but a giant spider, but it was totally enough for me to hear it. There was no way, I would have stayed there, if I saw it nearing too.

With closed eyes, as always. That would help.

The sharp voice came from closer and closer, and when the perfect moment came, I lifted my blades and let go of the bole. As I was falling, I murmured a short pray, like please, please, pleeease, and smiled widely, when I landed on the beast's back. I leaned forward, cut its neck immediately, and jumped aside. I opened one eyes, and saw, as it was lying on its back with legs pointing at the sky.

Ough! I hated it... dead or alive.

I heard, as the others shot them on my right with eternal energy, and as the horrific voice neared again, I killed two spiders by pushing my blades right into their stomach.

Or what the hell they had in the middle.

The sounds ended slowly, I just heard Tauriel shout something while attacking. I looked around. Eight beautiful shiny little black eyes looked back at me. I almost got a heart attack. Or not almost. Everything started to go black. Suddenly, the monster let out a bloodfreezing scream, and collapsed to my feet. Legolas grabbed my shoulders.

'You got hurt?' he asked quickly. I shook my head.

He turned and walked back to the little group, I'd not noticed before. Who were those short ones in the middle? Elflings? I stepped closer.

'Do not think I won't kill you dwarf! It would be my pleasure' said the prince coldly and the head of his arrow showed to the face of the short one. When I arrived, I blinked in surprise. They were men. Very short men. With furry heads, dirty clothes and rough weapons in the hand. I've never seen so strange creatures before. Were they some kind of halflings between goblins and men?

'Dwarf' I repeated the new word to myself. I looked up at Legolas. The honest disgust on his face reminded me of the king's reaction, when he took the very first look at me. Father and son, that was out of question. If I were this dwarf, I'd have started to worry. The guards stood in a circle, and took everything away from the trespassers. I glimpsed at Tauriel as she was nearing with another short one, and I run to her. She just waved, that everything was alright. That dwarf was quite handsome, I had to confess. Short, but handsome. Legolas's voice sounded from behind.

'Are the spiders dead?'

'Yes' Tauriel nodded 'But more will come. They're growing bolder.' The prince didn't respond, just turned back to the others. He lifted a sword, what was taken away from the dwarf in front of him. His look darkened.

'This is an ancient Elvish blade. Forged by my kin' he said in Sindarin, then continued it on the common language again 'Where did you get this?'

'It was given to me.' he said simply. There was something in this man. Even if I had to look down to him, I could say, he was a noble of his kind.

'Not just a chief, but a liar aswell.' hissed Legolas, and gave the sign to his guards to bring them back to the castle. I run back to the place, where the horses were left, and with the two beautiful animal, I continued my way next to the noble one.

'Where is Bilbo?' one of them whispered, but he just looked around quickly, and stayed silent.

What could that mean? I was thinking about this for some time, when heard the command, and the gates closed behind our back.

°°

'Please, come with me' sounded Fräynn's voice from behind. I looked at him in surprise. I honestly hoped I could follow them into the throne room. I could not enter all day, and after their business, I could say thank you to the king for everything I've got.

'Where?'

'I'll take my position at the side, but only after I led you to your chamber' he smiled. I made a smirk. After what he has said in the afternoon, I was a little bit nervous in his presence.

'I'm glad, but I can reach it alone' I bowed, and acted like I was leaving. The group took the way down, the noble dwarf was led to the room, the captain took his way up on another stair, and I followed him without a sound. Soon, he stopped, and turned to me.

'You can not be here' he looked at me kindly, but I knew, it was not an ask. It was a command. As I thought, from here, we could see the whole room below. There were no walls to hide it. Thranduil was walking with crossed arms behind his back, and was speaking to the dwarf, but I could not hear it from here clearly. Fräynn cleared his throat. I took a longer look at the king, since that was why I was here, and nodded to the captain, showing, that I understood him. I took the first steps down, when I heard a loud male voice coming from the room.

'I would not trust, Thranduil, the great King, to only his word. Till the end of all days be upon us!' I stopped and turned there. I could not believe I heard it clearly. How dared anybody say something like that to him? The shock on Thranduil's face told me, he was as surprised, as I was. The short man continued angrily, pointing to the ellon.

'You, lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends! We came to you once, starving, homeless; seeking your help. But you turned your back! You, turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us! May you die in dragon fire!'

What was he speaking about? I was just standing there with open mouth, and almost screamed, when Thranduil suddenly jumped right in front of him. I thought, he would slain him, because his anger was touchable in the air.

'Do not talk to me of dragon fire! I know it's wrath and ruin' he hissed, and at the next moment, his eyes closed in pain. I unconsciously stepped one forward to try to help him, when the skin on his cheek started to disappear.

What is happening to him?!

I could not find my breath from the panic. The scar grew, and all the meat and muscles were visible. His eye was white, blind, and froze the blood in my veins. Then, it stopped. He didn't ask for help. Just kept speaking. This would have been the face I knew? The one I looked at all the time? It looked like, I really knew nothing about him. What was he, for God's sake? I felt Fräynn's arms around me, maybe I was not standing on my feet anymore.

'I have faced the great serpents of the North.' he stepped back, and his face returned to its normal state, if nothing has happened.

'Noira' I heard Fräynn calling me, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Thranduil.

'I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen' he walked up to his throne slowly. 'You are just like him.'

The other man moved, but the elven king motioned, and the guards started to take him away.

'Stay here if you will, and rot.' sounded his cold voice 'A hundred years is a mere blink in a life of an Elf. I'm patient. I can wait.'

I was waiting there unmoving, not knowing if my legs would work or not. I saw Thranduil sitting down to the throne with a satisfied smile on his face, and that was the moment, he looked to the side, and realized, that I was also there. He recalled the last movements in his head, and a clear shock run through his face, destroying that previously bright smile. I saw, his mouth opened, but after a time, he closed it again.

A guard stepped to him and said something. The king was still just glaring at me. After a minute of suffering, when the ellon leaned to him for the second time, he stood up and followed him.

'Come' the captain held my hand, and led me down on the stairs.

°°

The soft blanket felt rough under my palms, as I was unconsciously stroking it. I was sitting at the end of my bed, and was glaring at the wall blankly. There was not a single thought in my mind, I just tried to breathe normally, but with every inhalation, my lungs hurt as much as I was crying. But I was not. I guess, I was in a state, I could not believe what happened. If I was thinking a little more, I could believe, nothing happened at all, it was just in my head.

With a sudden movement, I jumped, and left the chamber. I needed to ask some questions, before I would actually go insane.

My silent steps led down, to the lowest floor. It looked like everybody was busy for the fest, nobody cared, that I entered the well guarded area, and reached the dungeons. My heart skipped a beat, when I glimpsed at a leaving Tauriel, and in another situation, I would have been curious, what she has done here, but now, I just continued my way, and took a look into every cage, searching for our little guests. Hopefully, they were still alive. Soon, a strange voice hit my ears. Someone was speaking in a language, I'v never heard. I stepped to the little cell, and looked down to the dwarves. They were standing, and were quite angry, when I appeared. Not all of them, the handsome one was sitting and smiling at a simple stone. One of them shook his shaggy head.

'Will all of the elleths in this cursed place visit us tonight?'

I didn't answer, since didn't even understand, what he was talking about. When I found the one, I saw arguing with the king, I realized, he was staring at my ears.

'You are not from here' he stated.

'No, I am not' I agreed. 'That's why I think, you would help me'

'And how could a dwarf help an elleth in the Mirkwood Realm?' he asked calmly. He thought I was playing a game with him.

'Tell me how you meant all those cruel things, you've said to King Thranduil' He made a little smile for this, grabbed the grid, and leaned forward. His voice was only a whisper.

'Perhaps, you don't know your own king, elleth? You were not here, when your kin showed its back to mine? Wherever you were, you better open your famous elven eyes, little girl! You're living in the cage of a monster! Don't let him mislead you with that pretty face, while in the inside, he is rotting!' he hissed.

My look hardened, as I recalled his scary face in my mind again.

'Why have you said, that you would never trust in his word? I have to know!' I whispered, and he took a meaningful look at me. Then, another short man stepped to me with red hair and beard. His face was round, and I found it very kind.

'There was an alliance once, a long time ago. Between dwarves, elves and men' he started 'But when it was time to keep our word, this ellon on the throne...' he pointed up '... the unworthy son of the great King Oropher betrayed us. Our home got place in the great mountains, what gave protection and riches to our people for a very long time. But on that dark day, dragonfire made us run out and leave everything behind. We asked help from the Mirkwood Elves, and when we glimpsed at the army in golden armor on the hill, it looked like we could defeat the beast, what attacked us' he made a false smile.

'But your king suddenly turned back, his army followed him, and they had never come back to us. We had to run, without any food or protection from the bitter cold.'

'Who hasn't died from fire, those died of starvation some days later' the noble one finished quietly. 'Women, children, elders, most of my kin. That's why I would not trust in your king's word, little elleth. Even if he was still trying to make cheap deals after all this time. Like one king to another...' he laughed. My eyes widened.

'You say, you are the king of the dwarves?'

I heard the sound of steps coming from the stairs, and I jumped away from the cell immediately. When I looked at Aleros at the entrance, after a deep breath, I started off with manly steps, not looking at him, and it worked. He didn't stop me.

°°

I run up, and planned to take some deep breaths on the fresh air in the garden. I could not accept I was so naive all this time! There was a hundred kind ellons here, and I was thinking of the one, who... Who...

I run next to the throne room, and let out a sigh for nothing happened, but some steps later, a familiar deep voice stopped me.

'We need to speak'

Damn.

I did not turn back, avoiding the nearing conversation, but the ellon stepped in front of me. I could not control it, I immediately got the same feeling I had when I've seen his face not so long ago. I was shivering from fear. He caught the moment, when I unconsciously lifted my look at his previously scarred cheek, and he let out a sigh. I could not choose between being afraid or being mad at him for all the cruel things he has done. I just wanted to run.

'There are...' he started quietly, because we were not alone in the hall 'There are several things you don't know about me, since you know nearly nothing about my past. As I know nothing about yours. I will answer your questions-'

'Don't ask me now to speak about myself, Your Highness! You would never get that gift! And you're wrong. I've heard a lot about you!' I hissed, and his look hardened. 'And I'm not sure, I have any questions' I finally straightened and saw, as he froze. Slowly, his face went to a frightening dark shade of red, so I stepped back, but he grabbed my arms.

'You've visited that dwarf' he stated with disgust.

'He told me how you left them, when they were in need. He told me how you betrayed the alliance, and let his kin starve. I visited him, yes. And?' I asked, and felt his grab tightening. Those blue eyes were literally black from anger.

'You'd like to join him instead?' he hissed. I tried to leave him, but he was much stronger. I could not sustain his close presence, I wanted to hit him! He just let go of me, when I finally stopped fighting against him.

'Truths can be different, Noira. From my perspective-'

He was still speaking, when I suddenly started to run and left him there in midsentece.

'Where do you think you're going?' he asked irritated.

'I'VE NO IDEA!' that was true. 'BUT THAT NEVER STOPPED ME BEFORE!'

'COME BACK. NOW.' he shouted, and every single soul fell silent in the great hall. I didn't even slow down, just run out of the castle.

'DON'T DARE TO ENTER THE WOODS, NOIRA, I WARN YOU!' he roared. Well, I didn't plan it earlier, but after this, I entered. Without any weapon. It would be his sin, if I ended up in the stomach of a spider...

How dared he?! How the hell could he do that with the them?! He let them die, when he could save them all! And now he is speaking to me about different versions of the truth! How many versions death could have?!

I was deep in the forest, while thinking of the cruelty and selfishness of the man, I thought, I could maybe love, when suddenly, something grabbed me from behind, and the soil disappeared from under my feet. I screamed.

What the hell? Wha....

Then I glimpsed at the familiar silver hair in front of me.

'YOU?! PUT ME DOWN, IMMEDIATELY!' I yelled to the king, who was bringing me on his shoulder, and walked back to the castle with long steps. Nothing happened.

'IF YOU WON'T PUT ME DOWN, I SWEAR MY HEELS WILL BREAK THAT PRETTY NOSE OF YOURS!'

'Dare you' he hissed, and since I didn't plan to actually break his face, I chose to hang there on his back without a sound for the rest of our way, with crossed arms.

We entered the gates, went up on the stairs, and met some elves, who thought, we were comic, if I saw it right upside down. He pushed the doors of my room, threw me onto the bed, and turned back. I run after him.

'YOU ARE CHILDISH!' I shouted, but he stepped out and slapped the doors noisly.

'YOU REALLY THINK THIS DOOR CAN STOP ME?' I continued, and the doors opened a little. I jumped back.

'No' I saw his red face through the gap 'But that twenty guards on its sides surely will.' He slapped them again.

'MONSTER!' was the last thing I wanted him to know. There was no response and soon I heard his footsteps, as he was leaving. I sat down onto a chair, and looked into the small mirror. My face went snow white earlier, as I thought. A ghost would have been envious. From the window, I could hear the sounds of the first guest and the hundreds of busy servants, and I finally came back to the reality. The Starlight Fest, I totally forgot it.

After some lonely minutes, the doors opened, and for my surprise, Freya stepped in, holding a huge red thing in her arms.

Oh, don't say that...

'Your dress, my lady. We have to hurry a little' she made a little smirk. Yes, I knew... She had to hurry all the time, when she had some business with me. But I was a prisoner again, as after my arrival. My cell was just bigger. Why did she bring that dress? Didn't they know about it?

'Freya, I am sorry, but...' she turned to me again with big eyes. I remembered how happy she was, when I told her, we could walk together to the entrance, and now, I felt guilty. She braided her hair, and took a little blue flower into it, even if she would not be allowed to enter with me.

'I mean, I am sorry for I was late. Now, help me, we will be late.' The little blondy smiled and led me to the bath chamber.

Well, I have that feeling, this fest will be unforgettable!