Chapter 22
The Elvenking's Halls of the Woodland Realm were tall and imposing. The arches of pale stone had much the same grace as the elven architecture in Rivendale. In a rather fitting departure from the serene atmosphere the lines were sharper and more austere than Elrond's Realm. Even before entering the stronghold the difference between the two groups of elves became very clear. As they drew closer to the bridge and gates Tauriel drew ahead to explain the rather tense situation. The many watchful eyes moved from casual disregard to something far more confused and hostile when their prince was once more taken in hand.
While prince Legolas riding Alric in like a conquered mount was deemed below him, it seemed the reversal of perceived position and the reluctant allowance of Legolas seemed to break several elves. They fumed and sputtered, one passing elf even tripping as Legolas willingly let Alric hold him like a twelve-year-old child holding their favorite Barbie.
Alric for his part walked with confidence as if he couldn't even imagine being stopped. As it turned out the many elves who would have loved nothing more than to end this debacle were still rebooting their world views.
"It's nice…Not quite as homie as my personal cave. Still, it is all very…Imposing."
"Your compliment is neither desired nor flattering…I have no doubt you would be more at home in whatever hole you crawled out of."
Legolas' comment was rather accurate as Alric had indeed found his journey starting with crawling out of a hole in the ground. Alric briefly pictured the oddly nostalgic cave in his mind for a moment.
"Yes, well having now seen a grand total of two elven strongholds I regret to inform you that on all fronts from hospitality to interior decoration, Elrond has you lot beat by a landslide."
The elven side eye made a dramatic reappearance as the exasperated elf squinted at Alric past his massive hand. Despite having made it much farther than he had expected a group of guards were gathering ahead. They eyed the captured Legolas, unwilling to engage while he was in danger. Alric, who in fact had no idea where he was going, figured the disappeared Tauriel was likely reporting the situation to the big papa elf.
As he stopped in the massive antechamber, the dwarves huddle hurriedly rejoined him after falling behind his confident stride. The Elves now done re-evaluating the validity of reality fell into row after row of angry guards in a complete circle around them. Joining the already present elves who were pointing arrows at the Dwarves and Troll. Even Legolas tensed at the sheer level of rage pointed inward at them. The Dwarves, refusing to show fear verbally or otherwise huddled together in a defensive and just as angry mass. Alric caught a brief glimpse of a rather panicked-looking Bilbo inside the nearby ball of short angry muttering.
"See what I mean…No welcome, No pretty elven maidens with beautiful harps, No feast, just a lot of emo geriatrics with a bow addiction."
The silence that followed Alric's completely irreverent appraisal of the situation was absolute. Even the Dwarves all turned to stare at him with disbelief. Before anyone could get over the absurd comment Tauriel made a timely return.
"King Thranduil will see you!" The terse woman barely spat out the sentence before turning on a heel and stalking away."
The attention had mostly transferred to her abrupt interruption. Kili seemed particularly fixated on watching the pretty elf as she walked away. Alric smirked to himself as he caught the young man staring.
"NOW!"
The echoing shout had the impromptu escort battalion, shifting formation and hurrying to push them after Tauriel.
After a short and silent walk through the massively oversized halls had them approaching the throne room. Alric sticking with his attitude of pure confidence strode directly inside like the elaborate throne elevated above them was only being kept warm for him.
"Thranduil! I've come to bargain!"
"Do you have to be so loud?" Legolas half whispered at Alric.
"Sorry." Alric gave the resigned prince a quick smile.
Thranduil was just as Alric remembered from the movies. He radiated a cold arrogance and a majestic yet predatory gaze. That gaze locked onto Alric and his son for a few evaluating seconds before scrutinizing the trailing Thorin and company.
"Bargain…you say? Why then is my son being treated like luggage?"
"Ahh. That." Alric lifted the prince slightly as if to let him join the conversation before continuing.
"He is probably the only leverage I can imagine might get you not to kill me immediately out of sheer vanity."
The king of wood elves continued to stare at Alric's crude face as he spoke once more.
"What say you…Thorin? Does this beast speak for you?"
Thorin stepped forward as the mocking words of Thranduil called out crisp and clear.
"He does! And I'm proud to call that beast, as you call him, friend. At least he doesn't leave his allies to die...like a coward."
The kings' gaze finally stopped boring into the unfazed Troll to focus on the bitter Thorin.
Alric was touched by how quickly Thorin had come around to his natural charm but wished he hadn't unavoidably heaped in his own baggage with the elves into this.
Before things could become a matter of which king was more angry and stubborn Alric decided he needed to do something drastic.
Alric began walking up the stairs to the throne. Instantly Thranduil and his guards were hyper vigilant. As Alric closed the distance, he continued talking.
"It is simple. You have two choices you give your word on your honor that you will let me, and all my friends go fight Smaug without interference from you or yours… Or do anything else and up with red goo for an heir."
At this point Alric had gotten close enough to look the king in the eye.
"I will be taking more than your son hostage Thranduil. You might look down on me as a beast, but if you think you can give your word and double cross us I warn you. You will lose something else you hold just as dear…your pride. You sneer and mock? You believe yourself above us? Then I'm sure you a proud Elven king has no need to concern yourself with us at all…much less go back on your word before all these witnesses."
Alric had dropped into a rumbling whisper as he glared into the Elf kings face from a foot away.
The king glared back with cold eyes, his face not showing fear or anger but calculation.
"You are quite right. I have no need to play games with an animal…even if a marginally clever one."
"Was that a complement?" Alric smiled big and dumb.
"No." the kings face went utterly flat.
"Take your Troll and leave my halls. I will not stop your foolish venture. If you wish to taste dragons fire, I will not stop you…you have my word as King."
Alric continued to smile like he was at a tea party as he gently placed Legolas beside his father.
"Well then! Glad this all worked out."
Alric calmly strolled back down to the dwarves.
"One last thing on the way out…If you march your army to our aid, I'll make sure Stubborn-King number two over there, gives back a certain necklace I hear holds some sentimental value."
"…I will not send my people to face the dragons wrath you strange creature."
"I'm not talking about Smaug…leave that to me. I'm talking about what happens after I eat him."
"Your insane."
The King clearly wasn't alone in the judgment as even Thorin looked at him like he wasn't sure where he was going. Tauriel even laughed a little. Alric had to admit the sound was nice even as she mocked him. Alric couldn't help but sigh, as yet another elven beauty was struck from the possible wife material list. Admittedly she was already off the table thanks to a certain blushing Kili, who was one of the few beings too preoccupied with blushing at Tauriel to give Alric a bewildered stare.
"Absolutely…but regardless when I win and the dragon is dead, remember what I said."