Thranduil and Josie Pt. 136- Rival Within
Summary: Legolas and company make their way inside Jareth's lair where the dead awaits them. Legolas tells a tale of horror. Thranduil warns Legolas of something far more sinister than Jareth... A King arises. Charles powers up. Narcisse scolds the curious young warlock. Evidence is collected. Garrett and Jo hash it out. A kiss is witnessed. Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli have a close call with death. A voice leads them to safety. Legolas and Josie connect. A prophetic dream occurs.
*Warnings* poisoning, death, angst, language
Stories Stories Stories Masterlist
After an hour of heeding through the dark forest, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli arrived at one of the many doors of the dead leading to Jareth's kingdom of caverns inside the Misty Mountains.
They dismounted their horses and slowly walked up to the dark entrance with vigilance. Legolas eyed the markings that surrounded the stone doorway and then read the eerie translation aloud.
"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead."
"Legolas, Jareth's kingdom is miles long. Did Thranduil reveal his location?" Aragon quietly asked.
"No...but this is the right way. I can feel him."
Just then, a low deathly howl arose from within the blackness and a foul gust of smokey wind rushed at them, startling their horses off into the forest.
"Percy!" Legolas called.
"Let them go. They will stay near and wait." Aragorn claimed. "The dead know we are here and I do not fear death."
Aragorn marched off through the black hole in the mountainside and then Legolas quickly followed as Gimli stood frozen for a moment, staring at the gateway to hell.
"Speak for yourself." Gimli muttered as he then reluctantly went in after them.
Once inside, Aragorn lit a torch and studied the narrow cave like passageways, in which one was filled with mounds of skulls.
"I knew it to be true, but have not witnessed it with my own eyes." Legolas softly spoke as he gazed around with a ghastly expression.
'What is it Legolas?" Gimli inquired from behind him, readily holding his axe.
Legolas then began the tale of Jareth's rise to the goblin King as they crept along.
"Jareth. He executed them all. Armies of men, his two older brothers and father included, King Jasper. The mountain was his and he was ruthless just like Jareth, but Jareth was by far more cruel and wanted this kingdom for himself. He barricaded them all inside and released a deadly poison that filled and burned their lungs. Their cries could be heard from Rivendell, carried in the wind as far as Mirkwood and this mountain soon became their tomb. Jareth then took his unrightful place as King and created the Goblin city. Jasper was an extremely powerful warlock, as were his army, but even they could not fight the air they breathed, for they only had moments of it left."
"They are still here." Legolas continued as his eyes locked on to something in the distance. "Full of vengeance and hate, and they do not want us here."
"Legolas, what do you see?" Gimli whispered.
"I see shapes of men and I hear their wailing voices. The dead are following, and they have been summoned."
"Keep moving. We have a long ways to go...and don't look down." Aragorn commanded...but of course, Gimli halted and looked down after he heard the crunching beneath his feet.
As the fog like smoke on the ground cleared in random spots, he could see that they were walking over the dead.
"Gimli, keep going. We have no choice." Legolas ordered.
"Yes we do. We can leave."
Legolas side eyed the dwarf and trekked on. Gimli huffed and swiftly tailed the Prince, for he would never leave his great elven friend, or even the King of Mirkwood.
Legolas called to his father as they carried on through the path of dismantled skeletons.
"Adar...are you there?"
"Legolas! I am here. Where are you now?"
"We are inside the mountain, on the South end, West side near the high pass. It may be some time before we can get to you. Are you safe? Where are you?"
"I am working my way through the old deserted dungeons which places me further North. Jareth has alerted his goblin guard of my escape and it will not be long before they trace my scent."
"Yes, the mountain is aware of our presence as well which is delaying us. Keep moving quickly. We will locate you."
"Legolas...beware of King Jasper, for you are in the deathly hollows. He will show himself and will not let you pass. He is more deadly now than he ever was for he loathes the living."
"Legolas?" Aragorn curiously asked.
"Father is a mile North in the dungeon tunnels. He also warns of Jasper's deadly wrath of the living. It will not be easy to pass through into the black heart of Goblin Town."
"I could not agree more." Gimli quipped as he stared behind the Prince.
Ghostly hands rose up out of the foggy layer beneath the three warriors and began circling around all of them in a taunting manner. Legolas respectfully tried not to touch them while Aragorn calmly moved about, watching the hands creepily caress his body as Gimli tried blowing them away with an annoyed attitude.
"Over here!" Aragorn shouted as he found a clear exit, which unknowingly led them right up to Jasper's front porch.
"Uhh, I think we took a wrong turn." Gimli announced with a fretful tone as their eyes all wandered around the massive ruins.
"There is no other way at this point." Aragorn explained.
"The way is shut remember? And I don't see a welcome mat beneath those steps. I have a really bad feeling about this." Gimli concluded.
"You and me both." Legolas concurred.
An eerie howl made it's way up the mammoth sized abyss in the ground that most likely led straight to hell. An ominous green fog began to arise from it and then Aragorn sensed a presence. As he whipped around, there, at the foot of the way, stood the apparition of King Jasper....
Charles headed to Claude's room after learning she had given birth, but as he arrived, the halls were occupied with his father's men, coming and going from the room. He then rushed off in worry to see what was happening. Upon his arrival, he was immediately stopped by the guards.
"What is going on?? Where is my sister??"
"She has been moved to another room. This room has been ceased by the orders of Lord Narcisse to be searched."
"Searched?? Searched for what??"
"I am not with authority to relay that information."
"But I am his son!"
"That you may be, but I was given orders of strict confidentiality with no exceptions."
"Well, I am an exception. Isn't that right??" Charles deviously smiled as he magically forced the powerless guard to allow him entry. He had to see what all the fuss was about.
"Yes my Lord Charles. You may enter."
Charles entered the room and began to look around at the disarray left behind from the rummaging. Something caught his eye on the desk. A doll like object made out of hay from the stables which gave off the distinct scent of Arion, Narcisse's now dead horse. The other was a black leather book, bound by simple twine. Charles was just about to open it out of sheer curiosity.
"I'll take that!" Narcisse snapped as he yanked the book from his son's hands. "What are you doing in here? Better yet, how did you get in here?"
Charles tried to speak but all that came out was a bunch of stuttering.
"As I suspected. You used your magic on my men, didn't you?"
"Y..yes but.."
"But nothing. You know of my rules. Your magic is only to be used when necessary and being a stickybeak is of no necessity. What happened to your charm? Did I not teach you well?"
'My apologies Narcisse. I was looking for Claude and I just wanted to see why her room was being searched."
"It is being searched for the same reason your mother's is. The use of black magic is not permitted in my realm and yet it has been displayed on more than one occasion, with the intent to kill." Narcisse explained as he picked up the little hay figure, gazing at it with sad eyes.
"This...this is how you think my mother...killed Arion?"
"I do..and she's done much more with this book you almost stupidly opened. It is bound for a reason. Your mother stole it from Jo's room."
"The why, if I may ask, are these in my sister's room? and why would Jo have a book of black magic here if it is not permitted?"
"The book was Jo's mother's. She was trying to keep it out of the wrong hands. Mind you, that if in the right hands, it can be used for good, just as that other book.."
"What other book?"
"That's not of any importance to you. Now, as far as Claude, she is suspected of assisting your mother with these evil tasks, which explains why she has the objects among her possessions. I feel Catherine had her take them and continue what she could not after she had been imprisoned. Claude's diary was confiscated as well, so only time will tell."
"Narcisse...if Claude was involved...w..what are you going to..do? She..she just had a child..."
"Contrary to what Claude thinks of me, I am not a monster. If she is indeed guilty of these crimes, she will be banished from here when she is well enough."
"And my mother?"
Bash then swiftly interrupted, carrying something of importance.
"Lord Narcisse, this was found in the fireplace in Catherine's room."
He handed Stephane a half burnt similar doll. Narcisse's eyes darkened in fury as he smelled his own scent on it.
"Well, to answer your question Charles, Catherine deserves a far worse punishment than your sister. What that is, has yet to be determined. Bash, has Jo's previous chambers been searched as well for the items I described, specifically....a letter or...letters?"
"It has. Three of the four items were located and placed in your office for safe keeping for the Queen."
"Very well. Carry on with your duties. None of this is to be mentioned to Catherine when you look in on her."
"Narcisse...answer me. You're not going to hurt my mother are you?? I know she has done bad things and we certainly do not see eye to eye but..."
"It is not my intentions to harm the woman that gave me such a wonderful gift. If it were not for you, she would have been disposed of some time ago, but with that said, this investigation has only begun. Her future actions as well depend on her fate. No one, not even her, is immune to my wrath of harming those I love."
Narcisse then left with the spell book and dolls, leaving Charles in a worried state, and headed straight to his office to see what three objects were found...hoping one to be Thranduil's letter.
What he found were the exact three items you described to him. The dreamcatcher, a record and...a letter, but not the letter he was hoping to find. This was one you had written to Thranduil, which meant Thranduil's letter to you was a ticking time bomb waiting to be stepped on and so was Catherine with her knowledge of it. Charles was his only leverage in finding it and keeping her quiet instead of doing what he wanted to do... dispose of her in the black sea.
You sat with Lola, Leean and Haldir in the dining hall eating some lunch since you didn't eat in Narcisse's room that morning. Haldir rarely spoke and when he did, it was to Lola or Leean. He wouldn't even make eye contact with you. You couldn't believe how truly upset he was and worried you may have pushed him too far this time.
It was too much, Haldir ignoring you, so you called out to Garrett in your mind and told him you were coming early and he had better show up.
"Lola..I'm going out for a ride. I need some air and I haven't rode Stygian in awhile. He deserves my attention after he rode all the way back here to alert Narcisse of the trouble on Lestat's mountain."
Haldir stopped mid chew and his eyes raised to you.
"What?" you flatly asked.
He then swallowed and sat back. "You are going out by yourself after Harker was just here?"
"Yes...I am. I'm not going near the dark forest and I will not leave the grounds. I'm sick and freaking tired of living in fear. My powers are back and I am going to take control of my life. I am going to be the warrior Thranduil helped me to be. I'm done playing nice. I found out a long time ago that it's more fun to be the wicked witch than the helpless Queen. You have a problem with that?"
"N...no...I just..."
"Well then, I'll be back...when I get back."
You gave Leean a kiss, took your hair out of it's bun and shook it about, then swirled around and marched out.
Haldir had a bad feeling of where you were going, so he went to find Narcisse. He didn't care how tough you thought you were, Haldir didn't trust Garrett one single bit.
You got to the stables and stroked Stygian's long snout, who in turn bobbed his head and made a soft huff, telling you he was very happy to see you.
"Would you like to go for a ride my friend?"
The stallion swiftly bobbed his head multiple times and scuffed his foot in anticipation.
You saddled up the sleek and lustrous black beauty and climbed up, then off you went, trotting out to the open lands behind the castle. If Harker was still around, you would surely see him coming.
After about twenty minutes, you were near Narcisse's villa, so you stopped there and dismounted, giving the horse a drink of the water you brought.
A breeze of air rushed over you, filled of maple syrup. Your lips pursed in anger and you whirled around, giving Garrett a hefty shove.
"You!!!" you snapped.
'Whoa, hey, what the hell Josephine??? I came like you asked."
"Don't what the hell me Garrett Lee. You know what the hell!"
"This wouldn't have anything to do with...your steamy dream would it?" he grinned.
"Oh you son of a..."
"Hey now! No need for name calling. I cannot help what you dream...and I can't help seeing it either...we share each other's blood remember? Not even your shield can keep me out...And you little one, by the way, invited me into your mind once upon a time. You know the saying, don't ever invite a vampire into your home....well in this case, mind...same thing."
"I'll show you little!"
You rushed at him again and he chuckled, grabbing your wrists and pulling you against him.
"Face it little one...you want me." he smugly said with a curled smirk.
'Aaarrgh!!! Let me go you big jerk or I'll...!" you huffed as you peered up into his dazzling blue eyes from the sunlight.
Garrett flung his fingers out and held them there. "Or you'll what?? Do to me what your eyes are screaming to do? Funny how your words don't match the desire I smell. You are turned the fuck on right now, and frankly, so am I. Little firecracker."
'God damn it Garrett, did you do it???? Don't lie to me. Did you enter my dreams like you did once before and make me do that??"
He folded his arms over his chest stared straight down at you.
"You did it. You pulled me into your dream. I had absolutely nothing to do with it...well I mean I did, after you sucked me in. I mean, it wasn't like I wasn't going to participate."
You began to tremble because you knew he was telling the truth. Tears began to burn your eyes as you looked away from him.
"This is bullshit..." you muttered.
"Why? because you acted out how you really feel? because you TOLD me how you really feel? I didn't make you do or say any of it Josephine. I'm not that monster anymore and you know it. In fact, you're the only one who believes that and I would never do anything to jeopardize the progress I have made with you. Not ever."
"Is that so? because correct me if I'm wrong, but you fucked Raven."
'And you told me you forgave me and yet here you are, throwing it in my face. I regret that with every ounce of my being and you know it. Fuck Josephine, what are you so afraid of???"
"You damn it. I didn't ask for this and I don't want it!! I am not supposed to feel this way. I can't feel this way!"
He walked up to you with a serious expression. "But you do. You felt it in the forest yesterday and you felt it when you tried to save me from Amara...and from Julian..and you felt in when you kissed me in Amara's little game....and you felt it in your dream...and you feel it right fucking now."
Your eyes slowly met his and fixated there as you stood in silence.
He then placed his cool hand on your cheek. "I know you will always love Thranduil. I'm not trying to take that away from you because I know that I never could...and even if I could, I would never do it. You and I have come so far Josephine and god help me, I fell in love with you...and I know that you're scared and you feel guilty, I get it. I really do...I'm fucking scared too. That's why I keep running away from you...because I know I'll never mean anything to you like he did. You're the only person that's ever given a shit about me. Even when I was alive, no one did."
He removed his hand from your face and folded his arms again, lowering his head and looking away.
"Garrett....you are alive. Your heart may not beat, but I still hear it...in your words, in your actions...in the way you look at me....in the way you're hurting right now. I'''I'm so sorry I lashed out at you. I mean, I knew it...I knew in my own heart that you didn't force that dream on me and it scared the hell out of me."
"You didn't seem scared. In fact, you didn't seem scared one single bit." he said with an almost grin and devious eyes.
"You're impossible, you know that! IMPOSSIBLE!" you sarcastically chuckled and threw your hands up, shaking your head. "You know, I used to never be able to get you to talk, about anything, especially your feelings and now you don't shut up about them."
"Do you want me to shut up?"
"I can't believe I'm going to say this but....Yes. I want you to shut the hell up ....and kiss me already."
"I'll shut up any day for that my little one."
He placed his hands on each side of your face and slowly lowered his mouth to yours, stopping just before he touched them.
"I don't want you to say anything. Just let me say something ok?"
"O..ok..."
"I love you Josephine, always." he whispered.
You swear your heart stopped for a moment, and then you just pushed up on your tippy toes and kissed him fully and deeply. Your tongues softly united in each kiss that began again after one ended.
"Jo???"
Haldir's voice questioned in a sour tone from behind you. You gasped as your feet snapped flat on the ground. There sat both the befuddled Marchwarden and Stephane on their horses. Narcisse stared at you while Haldir glowered at Garrett with his bow drawn at him. You never even heard them ride up and surprisingly, neither did Garrett.
"I...I...umm..."
You looked back up at Garrett and mouthed to him as you squeezed his hand..."Go..."
Your hair and dress blew back as he vanished in the air and then you turned to the elf and warlock with a look that could kill.
As King Jasper's ghost stood before Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, he spoke.
"The dead do not suffer the living to pass."
"You will suffer me." Aragorn affirmed.
Jasper released a sinister laugh as his skeletal face formed through his decayed skin.
Out of the green gas like fog that crawled up from the black abyss in the ground, there arose an army of the dead that circled around the three warriors.
"The way is shut. Now you must die." the late warlock King attested as he walked towards them.
Legolas quickly drew his bow and shot an arrow straight between his eyes, which went clean through his skull as if it were dust.
Jasper continued walking, unphased and unthreatened by their presence as the dead began to close in on them.
Aragorn raised his sword as Jasper charged at him with his. The dead King's transparent sword clashed with Aragorn's, incredulously surprising Jasper.
"That blade was broken!" Jasper contested.
"It has been remade." the ranger confirmed as he held it to the dead man's throat and then shoved him back.
"Fight for us and regain your mountain. What say you?"
Jasper began to wickedly laugh again as he and his legion began to back away, obviously intimidated by the powerful ranger of the North who held the only sword that could destroy him.
"What say you?!!! You have my word. I will release you from your living deaths!!"
The vast army and the nefarious warlock lord all dissolved into thin air and merely moments later, the ground began to atrociously shake. Within seconds, the walls began to crumble and millions of skulls came gushing out almost faster than Aragorn could shout..."RUN!! NOW!!"
The skeletal remains began to consume the three combatants and Legolas was sucked under the raging skull pit.
"Legolas!!" Aragorn shouted as he frantically fought against what felt like falling bricks...and then he found the Elvenprince's hand and pulled him up.
"Hi té!!!" (Over here) a woman's voice shouted. There stood Tauriel in an opening to the outside that would soon be caved in.
Aragorn led the way with Legolas in fast pursuit, making sure that Gimli was pushed out before the falling boulders could crush them.
The trio bolted out the exit, smothered in a cloud of smoke to see Tauriel awaiting them with their horses.
"Tauriel! You should not have come!" Legolas scolded her.
"Yes she should have." Gimli quipped. "Or we would be buried in a pile of rubble, eventually becoming one of the skull family....and she found our horses."
Tauriel grinned at Legolas. "You are welcome."
"I did not thank you. I ordered you not to follow."
"Legolas Greenleaf, you do not order me to do anything. Gimli is right. I showed you the way out or all of you would be trapped inside right now."
"Thank you Tauriel." Gimli smiled, giving her a wink.
"Yes, thank you Tauriel. Legolas is just a bit discombobulated right now." Aragorn said as he gave the Prince a look of disbelief to his attitude.
"I have the phial of starlight. We would have gotten out." Legolas scowled and marched off to his horse.
As he stood there drinking from his canteen, for some reason he heard your voice inside his head calling his name.
"Josie??" he whispered as his eyes darted all around.
You rode back to the castle with Narcisse and Haldir trailing behind you, for you wanted to get away from them both. You couldn't believe Haldir tattled on you and brought Stephane to find you like you were some child.
A strange feeling came over you, something you couldn't place. Yoour intuition maybe? but you felt...afraid....for...Legolas.
"Legolas?" you said in your head with confusion, wondering why you suddenly thought of him. Was he in trouble?
"Josie??" you then heard inside your head.
You were startled so bad that you gasped and fell from your horse, landing with a thud right on your back.
"Jo!!" Haldir shouted and leaped from his horse, rushing to your side.
Narcisse raced to your side as well.
"Jo! Speak to me. Are you alright??"
You laid there in shock for a moment, trying to take in the air that was knocked clean from your lungs, then you found it.
"Legolas???!" you belted out in a heavy breath as you sat up.
Haldir's eyes widened and he began to look all around for his godson.
"Jo...why are you calling to Legolas?? He is not here. Did you hit your head my lady?" Haldir asked in great concern.
"I....I heard him!! In my head...he...he said my name..."
You sprung up to your feet and spun all around, looking for him. "Legolas??? Where are you??"
There was nothing but silence now. "Legolas!!" you called again, and again... all was silent.
"This...makes no sense! I know what I heard!"
"Jo, come on, let's get you back to the castle. Haldir is right, you may have hit your head."
"Do not handle me Narcisse!" you snapped and pushed his hand away from your arm. "I did not hit my head. I heard him!"
You climbed back on your horse and galloped off with the two of them chasing after you.
All the way back to the castle, you kept saying his name in your head, but you never heard him again.
Once inside, you went and got Leean, then headed off with Lola to her room, for you didn't want to talk to anyone for at least a few hours, especially Haldir and Stephane.
You laid on the sofa with her, just staring at the ceiling, wondering what the hell just happened. How was it possible? To hear him in that way? You knew you were not imagining it because you felt him before you fell. This was only ever possible with Thranduil.
"Josie...would you like a cup of hot chamomile tea to relax you?"
You sat up and laid your sleeping bay girl in her crib and then teared up. Chamomile tea made you think of your dad and you needed him so bad right now, but he was god knows where and not in his right mind.
Lola handed you the tea. "Here...drink this. Be careful, it's ho...."
You already sipped it and surely burnt your tongue. In anger, you lashed out.
"Vampires, warlocks and elves, oh my fucking god!"
You then began to sob and curled up on the couch. Lola got a blanket and covered you. "Rest my lady. I will be here when you wake."
Lola sat down beside you and stroked your hair as you cried yourself to sleep.
"Thranduil...." you whimpered before everything went black.
The fucked up random dreams came again. You saw Matthew once more. This time he was holding Leean as a baby, at least you believed it was her. If it wasn't, who was it? Were you seeing the future of his and Leean's child? Could an elf carry a vampire's baby??
He was lightly bouncing her, singing a song...and then he saw you.
"Josephine. There's something you should know. You will walk among us one day. I've seen it...."
The next thing you knew, Garrett walked in and stood beside you, smiling as he took your hand......
@redeemer46
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Thranduil and Josie- Pt. 121 Reign of Fire
Summary: Raven awakens to her worst nightmare, or so she believes. Jareth and the dhampir kiss and make up and fight to survive. Thranduil meets and old foe, then officially meets an old friend who bears a gift for the King. Thranduil mails a letter. Josie, Legolas and Garrett enter the Seelie Court. The elf rescues the vampire. Thranduil's escape plan is thwarted.
*Warnings* Angst, violence, language, destruction
Stories Stories Stories Masterlist
Raven awoke with a splitting headache and blood trickling down the side of her head where Thranduil had struck her with the violin. She made her way up into a sitting position and tried to focus. After her vision began to clear, she wobbled to her knees and fumbled along the ground looking for something to aid her in standing up. She froze and gasped when her hands came across a pair of boots. She swore to herself that if it was Thranduil, she was going to sucker punch him straight in his junk. Her eyes slowly rolled up the legs and to the face, meeting the brown and blue eyes of Jareth.
"Well what do we have here? It looks to me what one would call a traitorous bitch. Your fire beam hurt me Raven. What ever shall I do with you now?"
"I think my fire should be the least of your concerns goblin freak. Have you seen the sky?"
"Yes...I have."
Jareth looked up with a glare at the swarm of dragons circling his kingdom.
She began hysterically laughing. "You are so fucked, especially now without your ring. You are nothing but a simple man!! They will burn it all, including you. Where's your balrog now warlock??"
Jareth grabbed her by her hair and began dragging her into the castle as she kicked and screamed.
"I believe it is you who is fucked my love. You're injured, leaving you weak and powerless as well. Tell me, how did you think this was going to go? Thranduil betrayed you. Surely you had to have known he would. All of this? It is your doing and you will pay for it dearly."
He tossed her against the wall and grabbed her hands fiercely, but his eyes widened at what he saw...or didn't see.
"Where is it?? Where is my ring?!"
Raven gasped and gawked at her fingers, then her face turned into a a furious frown.
"Thranduil..." she whispered angrily. "He..he must have taken it! or....ohhhh that little weasel!!!" she hissed when she figured it out.
She was sure it was Gollum, willing to bet he followed her and the Elvenking up the mountain and took it after Thranduil left.
"Well, guess what Jareth...we are both fucked! This castle will not protect us! There are hundreds of those monsters out there. All we have now is each other....Jareth...I...I still love you. Even after everything because...you...you were the only one who ever loved me. And...I have a feeling, I am the only one who has ever loved you. Am I wrong?"
Her words affected him deeply. He did love her...still.
"I...I know about Ravenna...and...I don't care. I want to be your Queen Jareth, your ONLY Queen. We can fight all this and everyone...together."
"Is what you say true?"
"Or are you playing with my heart just so I will not kill you? You have betrayed me beyond measure Raven. I cannot easily forgive or forget what you have done. Does your heart beat only for me?"
"We have hurt each other terribly. But yes, since the moment I first saw you, my heart has only beat for you. I..I only did what I did because...I..I was confused...you had hurt me."
"And the others have not? Thranduil, Garrett, they do not want you. They despise you and yet you were unfaithful to me with them both. All I ever asked was for you to love me. Love is forbidden in my world but I did not care when I met you."
Raven went to him and placed her hand on his cheek.
"Kiss me...and you will know." she whispered with a smile.
A single tear fell from his eye and he pushed her away.
"I cannot...for I cannot trust you." he said as he wept.
Raven was mind blown to see that the goblin King actually did have a heart and it wasn't all just a control thing to him. He really did love her.
Just as she went to comfort him, something moved outside the window.
"Get down!" Jareth shouted and threw Raven under him on the ground as dragon fire exploded into the room.
Raven and Jareth both coughed and choked from the smoke and heat as they crawled their way out.
"We must get underground. It is our only chance of survival!" Jareth shouted as the castle began taking fireball hits on every corner of the massive structure.
"Oh great, where the goblins go, below below below." she sang sarcastically.
Jareth smiled and pulled her into a deep kiss, taking her breath away.
"I do love you my fire angel." Jareth professed and then down the winding stairs they went into Goblin Town.
All the goblins were in panic mode and cramming the pathways inside of the mountains underground labyrinth.
Jareth and Raven made it just in time as a godzilla sized dragon lit up the entire castle in one fiery blow.
Thranduil had almost made it to the forest where he could disappear from the dragons' view and smell, but was trapped by a dragon that crawled out from behind the now broken fortress as it locked it's wicked eyes upon the King. He may have summoned them, but he did not, nor could not control them.
"Well well, if it isn't the Elvenking Thranduil." the beast spoke as it snarled and salivated. "The word of your demise seems to be untrue, but I can correct that little problem. You are responsible for our King's death, Smaug. I do believe that an eye for an eye is feasible, or shall I say, a king for a king."
"Glaurung." Thranduil replied through gritted teeth as his nose flared. "Take you best shot beast."
"As you wish."
The dragon sucked in a breath and spit his poisonous flames at the Elvenking, who dove into a somersault behind a large stone fixture.
Glaurung crept up to the giant rock as he growled.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." he taunted.
"As you wish." Thranduil snarked and jumped on top of the rock, then sprung onto the dragon's wing and ran up it's neck, piercing each of his swords fully into the dragon's arm pits where there was no armor. His blades sliced right through the serpent's heart. The beast swung his head, throwing Thranduil to the ground as it roared an earth shattering screech, then collapsed.....dead.
Other dragons responded to their kin's cries and raced through the air to come to his aid. Thranduil sprinted off before he was seen and made it to the forest's edge, where he briefly stopped and turned to watch Jareth's kingdom fall.
A dragon, bigger than the castle itself, landed on top of it and scorched the interior of the remaining walls. Thranduil could feel the heat of the fireball as it glowed about his hair, so he knew it was time to go.
As Thranduil made his way down the mountain through the dark forest, he got the distinct feeling he was being watched. He slowly moved in a 360 with his twin swords clutched tightly in his hands while he eyed all of his surroundings.
"CAW!" the crow called form a tree above.
Thranduil gasped and flung his head up to see the giant black bird gazing down at him.
"You..." Thranduil whispered and walked towards his wife's feathered friend who held something shiny in his talons.
"CAW!!!" the crow shouted and dropped the object at Thranduil's feet. The King could not believe his eyes. It was his moonstone ring. Gasping, he picked it up and gaped at it, then at the bird.
"This was in my halls when I had last seen it. Is that where you found it?"
"Caw!" he answered once for yes. SInce Thranduil had the gift of speaking to animals, he understood everything the bird spoke just by looking into it's eyes.
The crow told him he had given you your moonstone necklace as well.
"You have seen her? My Queen? Is she alright? Where is she?"
The bird gazed at the Elvenking in silence, informing him of what he asked.
"She is in Dorwinion... and...Legolas and Haldir are with her and my daughter..." Thranduil muttered as he stared at the ground.
The crow continued to tell him of your grief and that you had lost your powers.
"It is no wonder she cannot hear me. Will you do something for me?"
Thranduil pulled the letter he wrote you out of his pocket and stretched his hand up.
"Will you take this to her?"
The crow bowed to the Elvenking and took the sealed letter into his beak, then flew away.
Thranduil smiled, knowing that you would soon know he was alive. He then slipped his ring onto his left index finger and it instantaneously lit up, sending all of his powers back into him. The King closed his eyes and sucked in a a deep breath as his magic coursed through him, making his entire body tremble.
"Josephine, my sweet girl, can you hear me?"
The King stroked the moonstone with his thumb as he ambitiously stared into it. Minutes went by and all was a deafening silence. He sighed heavily in sadness, knowing how broken you must be, but he still held onto hope that you would soon receive his letter and know the truth. Onward and downwards he continued to escape the dark enchanted realm.
"Legolas, how much further is it?"
"Just up the way my lady. Are you alright?"
"Yes...I..I just don't like the way this forest looks. It's almost as if we are in the dark forest."
"That is because we are." Legolas stopped and looked down at you.
You immediately took his hand and he happily laced his fingers through yours.
"Jesus, Legolas...I should have known! I really have lost all of my power...it..it feels like the night I escaped Peter's cabin and ended up in the dark forest without having a clue that any of this existed."
Legolas could feel you trembling. "My lady. I will let no harm come to you. You are safe with me."
"And me! I'm still here...in case anyone was wondering." Garrett snarked.
"Why does that not surprise me."
You glanced back at Garrett and softly smiled. He sheepishly looked away and then back at you with a small grin, wishing he was the one holding your hand.
"There..." Legolas halted and pointed at a dark opening in a stone wall.
"Y...yyyyou're kidding right? That is the portal to the Seelie Queen's realm... in...there?" you asked Legolas as you burrowed up against the elf.
"Yes. One of them. It only appears this way to ward off intruders. Very few know what it actually is. The other side will be much more appealing. I promise. You trust me do you not?"
"Of course I do Legolas, with my life."
You gazed up at him with a smile and Legolas sweetly smiled back while Garrett rolled his eyes from behind the both of you.
You clutched the new King tight as you all walked through it. Legolas was right, the dark gateway became an enchanted forest once coming out the other side. The ground was frosted and there were orbs floating everywhere.
You quickly turned to Garrett.
"Garrett...the orbs! They were at Lestat's remember? Inside the library."
"Yes, you're right. I remember that time so very well, like it was only yesterday."
His reminiscent gaze at you made you briefly think of your time spent with him there too.
"But why were they there Legolas? Raven tried to tell me they were souls of the dead or some crap because it was almost Halloween."
"I believe they are souls of lost faeries. We know the Seelie Queen was there because you saw her. They seem to follow her wherever she goes."
"Well I don't know what's creepier, floating dead faerie dust or that tree over there. What the hell is that dripping down it? Is that blood?" Garrett asked as he walked over and leaned on the branch to get a better look. There were gnats all around it in which Garrett unintentionally smashed some on his glove.
Legolas quickly turned to see what Garrett was doing.
"Garrett, get away from the tree!
Legolas grabbed the vampire and threw him to the ground as you watched in disbelief.
Garrett whipped right back up. "What the fuck are you doing sprite?!"
"This time I am saving you!"
"From a tree??!"
"That is called a kill tree. It would have wrapped it's vine's around you and torn you limb from limb."
"Legolas, what the hell are you talking about?"
"That tree almost tore Garrett's pretty face off."
"You think I'm pretty?" Garrett grinned at the serious elf.
"Look, in the Seelie realm, it's not just creatures that are deadly, it's everything. If you want to survive, do not touch, eat or smell anything, no matter how small." Legolas explained and walked off. You and Garrett stared at each other in bewilderment and then followed Legolas.
You all arrived in view of Amara's Court and stopped to take in the astonishing sight.
"It's so beautiful." you said as your eyes traveled over the castle's entirety.
Legolas glimpsed back at you. "Do not let it blind you. Let's go."
"Yes. It is." Garrett softly said as he looked at you. You noticed his tone and felt his eyes upon you. You glanced at him in acknowledgement of his double meaning as he shyly smiled at you, then you both trekked on after Legolas.
The dark forest was becoming darker, playing it's wicked tricks on Thranduil as he desperately tried to make his way to the salubrious side....Lorien. The return of his moonstone and powers would assist him, but not for long in Jareth's warped and noxious atmosphere for even the air itself was poisonous to those of light.
The Elvenking could see the light at the end of the tunnel through the trees.
He picked up the pace as adrenaline rushed through his veins at the thought of freedom just minutes away, only to be abruptly forestalled by an evil presence appearing in his path.
"Leaving so soon?"
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