Eternal Star

Summary: Almost a year ago the battle took place at the gates of Erabor, there were many casualties, but the king of Mirkwood all but lost his son on that day due to how Legolas, the prince of Mirkwood, saw firsthand that closing oneself off from the world did not erase the troubles that plagued it. That and how Legolas after the battle saw the woman he loved, Tauriel, holding the lifeless body of Kili, the dwarf that she had fallen in love with in the short time they had known one another. It broke Legolas' heart even more due to how he and Tauriel had once had an intimate moment together not long before the dwarf had come into the picture, something he knew his father would never accept due to how Tauriel was a lowly elf in the eyes of the king.

But now Tauriel has delivered a small child that she named Tinu which holds special meaning to the elves. Though she only got to hold her daughter for a few brief moments before the King intervened and stole the child away and banished Tauriel to never again return to Mirkwood. So she flees to the north in search of the Prince who fathered her child to seek his help in rescuing the child from his father.

Though is there more to why Thranduil seeks to lock away his own grandchild?

Prologue

What was time but a concept dreamt up by man and others like man who did not have life everlasting? Though was it really a blessing or a curse to live a thousand or more lifetimes on this earth, to see the things around one change only for those with this life, this curse, to remain the same. That is how it had been for the elven king of Mirkwood ever since the battle that had led to his son not returning home.

As the elven king sat on his throne he reflected back on that battle, how everything had happened so fast, at least until he had seen those who had fallen that were his kin. 'Was it really worth all of that blood just for the sake of what was promised to me and then denied?' he thought to himself as it seemed like more life was lost that day than there had been in a while due to how he had contented himself to keep his lands safe within his own domain never caring of the troubles of the outside world.

'And now my one and only son has left and there is no telling if or when he will return to me.' The elven king thought as he seemed to be staring off into space not listening even as another elf approached, one that was a general of his that he did not care to remember the name of since they were new to the ranks. Perhaps he would learn their name in time. "What is it?" the elven king asked as the elf brought their right hand up across their chest and bowed their head to their king before they spoke.

"My lord, it is Tauriel…"

/

Tauriel lay in a room full of elves who specialized with treating injuries and within some cases, the delivery of a new elf into the world. However she had been forced to conceal the pregnancy due to how if the child was an elf, she knew that the child would not be accepted by the grandfather, all due to how the grandfather in question was none other than Thranduil, elven king of Mirkwood and the father of the prince Legolas. Time and time again, the king had told Tauriel that he would never bless a union between her and his only son even though the two were in love. And so in a way she never expected her heart had sought love elsewhere only for that love to leave this earth before her.

'Kili…' Tauriel thought as she lay on the bed as she was still in labor but between contractions. 'All I have to remember you by is the mere memory due to how you died in that battle and I could not get to you in time…' she thought as her heart still did ache for the dwarf who had died. Though at the same time her heart ached for the prince who had left after the battle, the one who in some ways was the image of his father, but with a far more sympathetic heart, her Lord Legolas.

'I lost both of the ones my heart has ever loved and now I am to deliver a new life into this world and there is no concealing who the child belongs to…' Tauriel thought as another contraction hit as her brow was drenched in sweat as she cried out but she tried even in the pain to stifle her own screams as she did not wish for it to draw the attention of one in particular, though her fear was soon intensified.

"Cuin…go inform the king." One of the elves tending to Tauriel said as she looked toward them with an emotion not ever before seen by them in the eyes of one that was head of the elven guard. For within those green eyes was the emotion of fear.

"Please, Cuin! Do not go to the king!" Tauriel pleaded since she was sure that if the king found out about the child she was about to bring into the world, that he would have both of them killed or her exiled and the child killed or imprisoned just for having Tauriel as a mother.

"I have to. You know he has been worried about your condition." Cuin said before he turned to leave, his long brown hair moving with him as he turned and walked from the area as yet another contraction hit Tauriel as her screams could be heard through that area of the Elven palace due to how she was now crying out for worry and pain.

/

Several hours later it had happened. Tauriel was blessed with a small infant daughter who was crying after being brought into the world while the spent mother lay on the bed with a look of relief on her face at how she had actually brought the child into the world and the child's grandfather had not yet shown. Just as the one who helped in delivering the baby had asked what name Tauriel wished to give the baby girl a male voice called as Tauriel felt her heart sink to the lowest she had ever felt it besides when Kili had died and when her Lord had left her alone. It was the voice of Thranduil. And the tone of his voice hinted at his anger and frustration even as he came into view and saw the child that the other elf was holding.

"That child is a disgrace, and will bring nothing but misfortune." He said taking away the child despite Tauriel crying and pleading for her king to not take her child, but he did not listen as he held the child that was crying alongside its mother as it the elven king looked down at what he thought was a pitiful creature only to see something in the child as he found some reason he could not destroy the child even though with his other hand he had grasped a small knife that was at his side, as his hesitation was further fueled by what Tauriel yelled at him.

"If you harm the child, Legolas will never return to you!" she yelled as she knew her outburst could well seal her own fate but she did not care so long as it spared her child.

"How do I know this thing is not a spawn from you having relations with that dwarf?" Thranduil asked in a low tone as he glared at the disgraced elf on the bed before him.

"Because you can tell by looking at her that she is not the daughter of me and Kili. But…" Tauriel hesitated for a slight second before she continued. "She is the daughter of myself and your son, Legolas. And her name is Tinu!" Tauriel declared since she just felt that when she had laid eyes on her daughter that the name suited the new born who she just hoped would live long enough to see her name sake.

Thranduil looked even more enraged as he thought for a brief moment before he looked to Tauriel and had a cold look in his eyes. "I will not lose the chance of regaining my son due to you and this child. You will be banished from my lands under penalty of death should you dare cross the border again after you leave." He said turning his back as Tauriel cried out begging him to spare the child as Thranduil stopped. "This child will live by my grace, but she will not exist, except as my prisoner." He said walking out with the child who had quieted her crying to soft whimpers.

A/N: This is a new story I have been thinking on for a while and seeing the most recent Hobbit movie helped fuel me to write it after having it in my mind for a few years. Though I want to dedicate this chapter to Myra K Kuran because she was the one who encouraged me to write this story.