Chapter 1:

Tauriel

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, allowing herself to absorb all that was comforting about the forest; the musky scent of the earth beneath her feet, the rustling of the crisp changing leaves, the warmth of sunlight that gently lit her face as the cool wind playfully teased at her hair and tickled her ears. Such peace had almost made her forget the ever-present threat of darkness that spilled into their boarders. She breathed in deeply again, allowing her thoughts to settle on the task at hand: the spiders. They had been coming more frequently now and while King Thranduil did not see the encroaching filth as a threat, she could not ignore the distressing feeling that a dangerous shadow was on the precipice of engulfing all of Mirkwood.

The spiders were coming from the South and were venturing down from the Grey Mountains into the Kingdom of the Woodland Elves. Never before had they been so bold as to enter into the forest, but now their presence was a daily occurrence and she believed that today would be no different. As Captain of the Guard, it was her responsibility to drive the creatures away and protect the kingdom from outside perils. She knew in her heart that until they were able to kill the spiders where they spawned, more would continue to come and nest closer and closer to their gates.

"The spiders are gathered near the path. They are not alone." Legolas said in a hushed tone to Hatharal and Nremyn, their elven companions. She could smell and hear them long before her eyes would distinguish their shapes; there were dwarves in the forest. She had seen their kind before many years ago. She remembered climbing high into the trees to watch them as they wandered near the boarders of the forest after the fall of their home under the mountain. Sorrow lay heavy in their eyes and their wails echoed with despair as they cried out in their strange language. King Thranduil would not grant them passage through his kingdom, for he harbored a deep grudge against their king, and refused them aid. She knew well of the feud, but could not understand how Thranduil could easily harden himself against such terrible suffering.

The dwarves were heavily engaged in battle against the spiders when they came upon them. Legolas and Nremyn swiftly and unseen, circled around the larger group of dwarves while Hatharal shot at spiders descending from the canopy of trees. Her eyes grazed over the company of dwarves until they settled on one figure. His hair was black as the night, and the spider webbing still caught in the thick strands twinkled in the light of the sun. The silver reflection shined like the evening stars and the delicate beams of light danced in her eyes. He was greater in stature than the others and he was not nearly as stout or hairy. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw what he carried in his hand: a bow unlike any she had seen. His accuracy with the weapon showcased his tremendous skill and power, and he fought with as much grace and strength as any of her kind. She could not help but allow her eyes to linger on this dwarf as he drew a blade and thwarted the advance of a spider.

Legolas, Nremyn and Hatharal made their presence known as they burst from the trees with ferocious speed and easily dispensed the few remaining spiders. Soon there were more elves emerging from the wood, bows drawn in unison against the dwarves, forcing their surrender. She remained hidden, watching the dark haired dwarf with great intent. The commotion of the surrender recklessly caused him to drop his guard, and he was not aware of the behemoth creeping behind him until the beast was upon him, slamming him to the ground with a forceful thud. His blade fell from his hand upon impact, leaving him defenseless against the spider. He let out a startled cry as he attempted to break free. A voice desperately cried out "Kili" as the archer struggled to reach his weapon. Heaving herself forward, she shot an arrow into the abdomen of another approaching spider then she drove her own knife into its head, ensuring the kill. His voice yelled out to her, "Throw me a dagger! Quick" as the spider loomed over him, ready to strike. "If you think I'm giving you a weapon dwarf, your mistaken." She said calmly before hurling a knife into the spider's head. The monster toppled over, no longer a threat to the dwarf. His startled eyes shot up to find the mystery figure from the woods. He was confused and surprised at the sudden appearance of the scarlet haired elf. She turned to meet his gaze. Her green eyes locked with his and for a moment, she felt the earth fall away from her and her ears heard no other sounds besides her own furiously beating heart. The deep brown pools of light, still wide with amazement, reflected his intensity and passion that erupted within her a spark she had not known existed. He looked through her, as if she was merely flame and shadow and yet she was so much more herself than ever before.

"Tauriel, bring him here." She heard Legolas call to her, but she felt so far away from him, as if he were speaking to her through a dream. Forcing her composure, she led the dwarf towards the others, eyeing his every step with a renewed caution. He stood near his companion with the golden hair, and watched as they whispered to each other. The fair-haired dwarf stood scowling while the archer burst into a grin; all the while never taking his eyes off of her.

Legolas began insulting one of the dwarves now, his lip sneering, turning his face into something ugly as he formed the hateful words. She had never seen him like this in all the years she had known him, and watching his contempt for the dwarves transform him into something hideous turned her stomach. "Gather their weapons. Let King Thranduil deal with this filth. Guard them closely, for they are a treacherous race." Legolas ordered. The other elves normally looked to her for commands, but all moved quickly at the Prince's words.

Kili

The sprawling Kingdom of the Woodland Elves elicited an involuntary gasp from him, if only in admiration of its beauty and grandeur. Long had he heard the story of how King Thranduil turned his back on the dwarves in their hour of great need; how he stood by and did nothing as the dragon smote his home and kin. His Uncle Thorin hated elves above all other manner of beings, and had raised him and Fili to share his opinion. Being captured in the Woodland Realm by the very elves who betrayed his people so many years ago should have elicited anger, but all of his thoughts were consumed by the crimson-haired elf. When their eyes had met in the woods, he felt a curious sensation come over him. He felt as if he were on fire; a fire that consumed all of him so quickly and deeply that he could scarcely breathe. He felt powerless yet so fully alive in that moment, as if there was a great unseen rope binding and pulling them towards each other. The feeling left him both confused and excited.

He turned back to steal a glance at her: she was too engaged in discussion with the ill-tempered silver haired elf to acknowledge his presence. He watched her mouth form the melodious words of her intricate language and her eyes meet those of the silver haired elf. An unfamiliar fury burned through him as he pondered the relationship between the two elves, and he felt his chest tighten as he pictured them together. What chance did he have with her? How could he be so foolish? Suddenly her eyes drifted from the elves' and into his own, and the tightening he felt in his chest melted and filled him with a warm glow. He winked at her, and for a moment, he thought he saw a hint of a smile appear on her face. Perhaps he had a chance after all.

He felt a shove in his back that could only have come from his older brother; he knew it was meant to draw his attention away from the she-elf. "You need to stop staring." Fili hissed. "She is an enemy! Do not forget what her kind did to ours, brother."

"Aye I know." He growled at Fili. "Besides, you know I do not find elf-maids attractive." He said as he shrugged, desperately trying to deceive his brother.

"Sure you don't, that's why you've been grinning like an idiot since you saw her." Fili mocked as he shook his head. "Mahal Kili, only you."

Kili said nothing, but the smile never left his face.