Lady Galadriel and King Thranduil sat watching the other elves dance merrily on the dance floor. "Who is that dancing with your son?" She asked and Thranduil's eyes scanned the floor for his silver-blond hair amongst the crowd.
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. He had told the boy to not fall for the Captain, but from the looks of it he couldn't help it. Legolas' head tossed back with laughter at something that she had said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "That is Tauriel, captain of my guard." He said, taking a sip of his wine. "I am sure you have met her before."
The Lady of Lorien shook her head. "I do not believe so, though she looks very familiar." She answered as she raked her thoughts for where she had seen the young elleth before.
Thranduil turned his attention to her. "She is the youngest one in the realm, still under seven centuries old." He commented. "I raised her from an elfling, she was found in the woods at the northern border, the company she was with were slaughtered by orcs."
"That is terrible." She said, she knew the pain of losing someone to the fowl beasts, her own daughter Celebrian.
He nodded somberly. "We did not find any other survivors." He said. "I can't believe that I hadn't mentioned it before, I raised her in my home until she was her first century and then she started training to be a soldier." He thought back to the times he had gone up to Lothlorien or Rivendell, either alone or with his son but had never thought to bring Tauriel along with him.
She shrugged her shoulders. "It has been a long time since we have been able to relax enough to not discuss strategy and it has been ages since I have stepped foot in your halls, Thranduil." She commented lightly.
He agreed. "That is very true." He said with a small chuckle, taking another sip of his wine and turning to watch his son dance the traditional waltz with the most carefree smile he had ever seen on him. Tauriel matched him step for step on the floor as if it was a competition. The pair laughed heartily together amongst the crowd of stoned faced couples as the music changed into a new tempo and by the look of it, it was Tauriel's favorite. She caught Legolas' arm before he could escape off the dance floor, batting her eyelashes to get him to stay for one more.
"It seems like your son is quite taken with her." The lady said lightly.
Thranduil sat back and sighed. "Yes, I am aware. I've told them both that he was not allowed to pledge himself to her. . . "
The other high elf's face fell as she interrupted him. "Why not? She is beautiful and poised."
"She is but a Silvan elf." Thranduil started and again sighed, he had not drank enough wine for this type of conversation. "But watching them, it is already too late. He has fallen in love with her and I just want my son to be happy."
She placed a hand on his arm and smiled. "And that is all any parent could ask for." She said before her voice turned into a whisper. "Celeborn was not too keen on Elrond at first, but that did not last long. It was the same with Arwen and Aragorn, I think it is a father thing, really."
Thranduil could only chuckle as the song ended and both Legolas and Tauriel looked up at him, she waved him down in hopes of sneaking a dance from the king and with the king of eye rolls, he allowed himself to get up and walked down to them.
The path cleared as he made his way to the middle of the dance floor. "Legolas doesn't want to dance with me anymore." She said with a playful glare in the direction of his son. "Would you care to dance with me?
He couldn't help but smile, this young elleth was probably the craziest of them all, the only one brave enough to ask the king for a dance. "I cannot turn down an offer."
Her face lit up as he swept her up into his arms as a face paced salsa played through the air. Legolas could hear her laughter as he exited the dance floor and took his father's vacated seat next to Lady Galadriel, but not before pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"I do not believe I've ever seen you dance for so long, young one." She said with a big smile.
"I have not had a dance partner with such skill as Tauriel." He said breathlessly, pouring himself some water. "Please don't tell Arwen I said that."
She chuckled, Arwen was a figment of grace in everything but dancing. "Your secret is safe with me." She promised. "Your skill though, it's quite impeccable."
He gave her a look. "Have you met my father?" He asked jokingly. "He loves dancing, but hasn't since my mother has gone west and I think most of it is because nobody had the never to ask him."
"Did you talk her into dancing with him?" She asked, genuinely curious as they watched the king dip her low to the floor. Her hair pooled below her and the look on her face was filled with delight as he pulled her back to her feet, holding her tightly. Thranduil's face glowed with paternal pride in the young elleth.
He shook his head. "We had a bet, I said he would decline her offer." He said with a laugh and took another sip of his water. "I owe her a set of blades." The song ended and they both watched the king press an affectionate kiss to her forehead. "If you will excuse me. . ." He said trotting back to the dance floor with his glass that he offered her to drink from.
King Thranduil clapped his son on the shoulder and went back to sit down. "You still have all the grace from your youth, Thranduil." Galadriel said with a chuckle.
He shook his head and laughed. "That was all Tauriel." He said lightly. "Where she found the time to study dance is beyond me."
He sat back and sipped from his glass as Celeborn returned to his seat, having spent some time catching up with old acquaintances.
"That elf-maid with your son, is she one of your subjects?" He asked, referring to Tauriel's not so wood elf features-her flaming red hair, her stunning blue eyes and she was generally smaller than his other subjects. Thranduil nodded as Celeborn leaned over to his wife. "You know who she resembles? Esta."
His wife's face fell as she made the connection. "Who?" Thranduil asked.
"A woman I would assume to be her mother." Lady Galadriel said flatly and he turned to her as if she had gone crazy.
He shook his head. "There was no survivors when we found Tauriel. We searched for hours in all directions." He explained. "The whole area had been lit up in flames, it was a miracle that we found her when we did."
Celeborn looked at his wife as if to explain himself. "The resemblance is uncanny." He said before he looked at Thranduil with is brow raised. "You said you found her in the woods?"
"Yes over six hundred years ago, she was only a few seasons old." He said with a glance at the elf of their discussion.
"The story fits!" Celeborn said. "Esta and Nelder were traveling back to Lothlorien when they were attacked by Orcs. They shoved the baby into a basket to keep her hidden and safe, but the basket was taken along with their supplies."
Thranduil looked at him skeptically, that didn't explain where and how they found her. "The company traced the orcs to the forest near Dol Guldor and they confronted them, but when they found the basket, it was empty. The baby was lost as well as the majority of their company."
Thranduil looked at her again and a wave of sadness flushed through his arm, the same feeling when they could not find her parents. "Is there a way we can tell for sure?" He asked softly, not wanting to uproot everything that she had built for herself.
"I can read her." Said the Lady softly. "I wish to meet with her as soon as possible. This will be wonderful news." She got to her feet and so did her husband.
"Let's take this somewhere private." Celeborn suggest and took the hand of his wife.
Thranduil nodded hesitantly and motioned for one of the guards to fetch his captain and meet him in the throne room at once.
/
Tauriel walked up the steps with a light step. The festival was winding down and could've danced all night if they would let her.
She reached the throne room with anticipation, unsure what the king had for her. But when she arrived she realized that the king wasn't alone. She recognized the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, but had never been formally introduced to them. "Thank you for coming in such haste." The king said and she looked him over, trying to find the source of his discomfort.
"Yes, my king." She said with her hands to her sides and bowed her head.
"Let me introduce you to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel." The king said, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her closer to the heads of the other elf kingdom.
She bowed formally. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She said as she stood up again. She could sense Thranduil's uneasiness and it was making her uneasy.
"King Thranduil thinks very highly of you, Captain of the Guard at such a young age." Galadriel said softly, trying to put her at ease. "We've been watching you all night, it seems like you are quite the dancer."
She blushed at the praise. "I do enjoy dancing." She said meekly. "But I assume that you did not call me here to discuss my dancing."
Lord Celeborn chuckled. "You are wise, young Tauriel." He commented.
Thranduil's hand pressed harder into her back and she was getting more nervous. "We've asked you here to discuss personal business that we think you would like to know regarding your parents." Lady Galadriel informed her and Tauriel looked at her for a moment confused.
Her face fell and she turned to look at her king, whose face conveyed pain. "You are quite mistaken, my parents are dead." She said her voice strained and she stepped away from the king as if his hand was burning her. "You told me that they were dead."
The king opened his mouth to speak, but he was beaten. "If what we believe is correct, they are very much alive and living in Lothlorien."
Her face fell and her knees wobbled underneath her, the king grabbed her by the arms to hold her steady. "They believe the bodies we found were not those of your parents, but others in their company." He said forcing her to look up at him. Her eyes were dripping with betrayal. "We searched the forest for hours looking for survivors."
"If they are still alive, how did we become separated? How have they not looked for me, it has been over six hundred years." Her voice was raising as anger filled her.
They shared a look. "They have searched for you, for hundreds of years, we all have! And here you are, right under our noses." Celeborn said.
"I haven't been hiding!" She cried, she was glad that the king held her tightly on her feet. "I have been here for over six hundred years."
The king tried to hush her as her tone grew harsher, but she was angry and she had every right to be. "I can read your thoughts, to the day you were separated from your parents to confirm if they are truly your parents." Galadriel said softly, Tauriel's breathing sped up and the room started to get fuzzy.
"No! I don't want to know." She cried before she tore herself away from the king's grip and rushed out of the throne room.
The king watched her helplessly. "Give her time, I sense the curiosity will win her over." Said the lord with folded arms.
Thranduil glared at him. "Really?" He asked sarcastically.
Galadriel stepped between them before an argument could break out. "It is her choice, I know it's hard and I will respect her wishes on whatever she chooses." She said firmly, Thranduil nodded agreeing to the terms before going to search for her.