Chapter One: Their Meeting

It wasn't that other elves necessarily did something wrong, it was just that they didn't do it in Tauriel's definition of right. Other women begged for Tauriel's attention but she never gave them the pleasure. She was the top of the Mirkwood guard, a mere six hundred years old, and she had worked hard to get there. No one looked down at her and kept their job positions. She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, and she'd even shoot a few arrows in the direction of someone's head to prove it.

The women called her beautiful and complimented her, but she warned them not to give their hearts to her unless they could truly prove themselves. When they heard of what she asked for, many moved on. Others tried, and always failed, to win her affections but failed. If they could not reach Tauriel's level then they simply were not going to have her.

And here was a human, a mortal, stealing her heart! She was tall, with long brown hair and dep brown eyes the color of wood. She was strong and muscular from years of serving as a bowman for the master of Lake Town. Her daughter stood beside her dressed in older looking clothes. From what Tauriel had heard, Bard's daughter was named Bain, and if rumor was true, Bard's husband had died years before. Bain too had her own bow. She was similar to her mother, though much smaller. Next to her mother she stood with pride.

The body of the dragon drifted near the lake's surface, half of it drowning and the other half fighting to float. A former monstrosity and thief of Erebor, now Smaug was nothing but a pathetic shell. If Tsuriel hadn't seen how the dwarves' had reacted to their home being stolen then Tauriel might just feel the tiniest bit of pity for the beast.

Might.

But as much as relations with dwarves were strained, she didn't believe that they deserved their home to be stolen from them. Well, they had it back now.

The battle had been bloody, but somehow all of the royal line of Durin had survived. The gold had been paid.

Tauriel wondered into the healing tents and looked at her close friend Legolas. He was wounded, but surely he would live. She wished him luck and left.

Tauriel saw Bard and her daughter again with Thrnaduil. They were deep in conversation.

The conversation must have been rather boring, as Bain wondered away from her mother and the elven king and walked towards Tauriel.

"You're like my mama," she said.

Tauriel nodded. "Though I can't say that I have killed a dragon."

"When I grow up I want to kill a dragon." Bain grinned. "Do you think I can?"

Tauriel smirked. "Show me how you shoot." She gave the girl an arrow.

It took a moment for the girl to adjust to using an elvish style arrow, but she got used to it. "Where should I shoot?"

Tauriel pointed at an ancient looking oak tree. "At the very center of that tree where most of the bark has fallen off."

Bain fired. She hit the very center.

"Amazing," Tauriel said.

The girl grinned. "Really?"

Tauriel nodded. "Really."

They discussed archery for a while before Bard walked over. She looked tired.

"You must be Tauriel." Bard gave a weak smile, which emphasized the wrinkles underneath her eyes and on her chin. She didn't even look that old, but this mortal had clearly seen hardship. "Thranduil mentioned you."

"And you are Bard," Tauriel said, "though everyone knows of you. I was busy having a little fun with your daughter. She is quite skilled."

"Mama taught me!" Bain said.

Bard nodded, and then yawned. There were dark circles under her eyes.

"If you would like," Tauriel said, "you two may sleep in my tent. It is close."

Bard smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "What would we owe you?"

"I'd simply like to look at your bow," Tauriel said.

"Truly?"

"Truly," Tauriel said. "Archery is my passion."

"Alright," Bard said. She pulled Bain to her side. "Let's get some sleep, little one."

Tauriel led the two to her tent.

I would really appreciate if you'd review. This will update at random times when I get ideas for it, so sorry if the series takes forever. I apologize in advance.