Tauriel was worried. She hadn't heard from Kili in months. They were lovers in Laketown and friends everywhere else. They had been corresponding secretly before the Battle, but now that the battle was past, she had heard nothing. This was worrying to her, since he had promised that he would write to her. It had been five months now, and she had heard nothing. It hurt. She thought that he had loved her. After all, he married her. It was just the two of them in the ceremony. They put marriage braids and beads in each other's hair, and then they were married according to Dwarven tradition. According to Kili, the beads were carved with runes of love and promise. None of the Elves would have recognized it as a legitimate marriage though. Nor would they recognize the child that was to come of it. Yes, Tauriel was pregnant. She had been carefully concealing it for months. She found herbs to quell her nausea in the beginning of the pregnancy, and avoided seeing a healer for fear that they would know. So far, the only truly noticeable sign was her slowly expanding waistline. She rubbed her slightly swollen stomach as she sat on her bed, hoping that Kili would at least write to her, even if he told her in the letter that he did not love her. Anything would be better then this constant unsure worrying, with no word. None of the other Elves knew anything of him. In the few times that she asked, no one knew his fate. After the Battle, the Elves stabilized their wounded, then took them back to Mirkwood in the short span of a day. The gates had been closed since then, with none allowed in or out except for messengers. Still, no news of Kili.
Tauriel couldn't bear to stay in this pit of anguish. She had to get out of the Halls, see her forest and her stars once more, and find Kili. He would not know of the child, but she had to tell him. He had to know of his child. She had to tell someone. She couldn't keep the child a secret for long. She was Captain of the Guard and would have to appoint someone to take over her duties when she could no longer fight, and besides, in a matter of weeks the child would start to show. People would question her, asking who the father of her child was, and she would have to tell them Kili. They would ask if she were married, and she would say yes, but they would ask where her ring was, and she had none. She would be an outcast, the child treated as though it didn't exist. Maybe Thranduil would exile her, demote her, or Valar forbid, kill her! Once people knew, it would not be safe for her. She had to find Kili and get out of Mirkwood, but the gates to the outside were sealed.
Though the gates were sealed, there were some feasts that were conducted outside, and had been so for thousands of years. Thranduil would not break tradition, and the Feast of the Blood Moon would be held outside. It would be at night, which would be ideal for sneaking out of the feast. She could disappear into the woods, and no one would know she had left until the next day,or the day after that, depending on how heavily hung over some of the Elves were. The wine was not diluted at this particular Feast, as the color of the wine was to match the moon, as tradition demanded. As such, the Elves would get drunk much quicker and she could escape and cover more distance. Distance being the distance to Erebor. If Kili would not write to her or contact her, then she would go to him.
It was the night of the feast. Guards had been assigned to ensure the feast was free from any unwelcome intruders, tables had been set, food was prepared and musicians were tuning their instruments. Most other Elves were dressing themselves in finery, and Tauriel was as well, though she was preparing for an entirely different occasion. She put her usual clothes, dark green traveling cloak, her weapons, lembas, Kili's runestone, and her marriage beads into a bag, and took it outside. Putting it under a tree near where the feast would be held, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw it was Legolas. She hadn't told him that she was leaving, or that she was in love with a dwarf, or that she was pregnant with said dwarfs' child.
"What are you doing?" Legolas asked.
"Nothing." Tauriel said nervously. Legolas gave her a suspicious look, but proceeded as normal.
"Can we go over the plan for the Guards tonight? I do not wish to have any unexpected intruders interrupt the feast. My father will not be pleased." Tauriel heard the implied threat. If there were intruders tonight then she would be punished. After Laketown, it would not end well for her.
Night fell, and the blood moon rose. The party had been in full swing for a few hours, with most elves consuming copious amounts of alcohol, meaning Tauriel could now make her escape. She went to the tree where she had left her clothes, slipped behind the tree, and changed. She grabbed her stuff, and left the party. She went in the direction of Erebor. It was a pitch black night, but her keen elf eyes were able to keep her from running into from trees. She didn't run into any spiders, and as such was able to create a sizable distance from her and the Hall. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, she climbed a tree and rested. She would need her strength to confront Kili about not contacting her, and leaving her alone. He had practically been her whole world. She hadn't ever felt love, or passion so much as she had when she was with Kili. None of her Elven suitors made her feel like she had felt with Kili. She wanted to see him, to kiss him and hold him in his arms, but she also wanted to yell at him for not writing to her, and not responding to her letters.
The sun rose. Tauriel woke, and continued on to Erebor. Tauriel made it there in time to get in line to petition the king. It was the first time that she had seen Erebor from the inside. Kili had promised to show her the halls in its entirety and splendor when they were in Laketown. The halls were just like he had said. Grand, with sweeping arches, covered in gold and gems. She waited in line for a few hours, then it was her turn. "Tauriel of the Woodland Realm" the herald said. Quite a few people stared at her as she made her way to the dais.
"Are you here of your own free will, elf?" King Dain asked.
"Yes. I come of my own free will and not as an associate of King Thranduil." Tauriel said.
"Very well. Why do you come here?" Dain asked.
"I seek news of Kili, son of Dis, of Durin's line." Tauriel stated.
"Kili is dead. He died a noble death, defending his fallen uncle in the Battle." Dain said. Tauriel stopped hearing Dain after he said Kili was dead. That was the only thing that mattered. He was her whole world. She had been waiting for him to write to her, to come to her, so they could start a new life in Erebor together, raise their child, and be happy. The expression on her face showed what she was thinking. She looked like her world had been destroyed, and it had. She had to leave before her composure broke further, and she let the tears that were swimming in her eyes flow.
"Thank you." Tauriel said, then bowed her head as she left the throne room. She exited the Mountain, and let the tears flow. She couldn't believe he was dead. Only five months ago, he was alive, and with her, and they were happy, but now...none of that.
Kili...dead...now what was she to do? She loved him, and didn't know how she could go on without him. The sun was near setting. Her absence would be noted by now, and she would probably be demoted after this. Her actions had been too rash as of late, but she could not help them, and would pay for them. She couldn't return to the Hall. She couldn't be locked up again, unable to escape to her forest or see the stars.
Lost in grief, she walked to the edge of the forest once more. Again, she climbed a tree and tried to sleep. Sleep did not come to her. She was too worried, too scared. Tauriel was fearless in battle, a whirl of red hair and silver blades, but now she was terrified. She could not return to Mirkwood, nor could she go to Erebor. Laketown was still being rebuilt, and the child would come before she could reach Rivendell, the Shire, or the Blue Mountains. She had no place to go, no friends, and no Kili. She was alone in the world.
Yup, another Kiliel story. Shocker. I own nothing. Also shocking. Unlike the Kiliel fics I've written, this one is actually long! As in 18 pages long! So get ready for a long ride folks, because here we go again! What do you think? Let me know by favoriting, reviewing, and following! Starship T.A.R.D.I.S. out!