Please note whilst reading that Tauriel is 17 years old by the beginning of the story. That makes her about 5 to 6 years old in human years. Just keep in mind elves are no humans meaning elflings are a lot more mature than human children who physically appear to be about the same age. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story and have fun reading!
Winter of TA 2340
Tauriel ran as fast through the snowy woods as her feet could carry her. Close behind her was her mother telling her to run faster and to look for a place to hide. Tauriel could sense the evil that was following them. She had never felt anything like it before and was so scared she wanted to scream but instead she bit her lip and kept running. At last she noticed a tree. Some of its roots were exposed thus creating a small hollow barely noticable except to keen elven eyes. She was small enough to crawl inside and only then she realised that her mother was nowhere to be seen.
However, as she hid under the roots she could sense the evil creature approaching and instinctivly knew that she had to be quiet. She held her breath. Shivers kept running down her spine as she felt pure evilness creeping up on her. She heard the creature's footsteps, its heavy breath, grunts and growls. Through the roots of the tree she was able to see its two big feet. It stood still for a while, then she heard it sniffing around. She started to shake and thought it might smell her and find her in her hiding place. As Tauriel saw the creature lowering its huge bloodstained axt, letting it sit lazily on the ground, she felt as though her heartbeat stopped and she closed her eyes.
When Tauriel finally opened her eyes again the creature was gone. She could sense no more evil around her, just the smell of earth and the fresh winter air tickling her skin.
Eventually as time went by, she dared to slowly stick her head out of the little hollow. Something cold landed on her nose and she flinched slightly. It had started to snow again. Suddenly it struck her that not only could she sense no more evil but also no living creature within her closer surroundings. She looked around but didn't know where to go to. Tauriel knew it would be no use to call for her naneth now as she would not be able to hear her, but as Tauriel grew more and more anxious wandering through the forest on her own she did so anyway.
Tauriel had been born in this forest of the Woodland Realm. This was the only place she knew. She had always felt safe being surrounded by the big old trees, embracing her with their shadows which they cast onto the forest floor. She had felt protected – up until now. Tauriel kept calling for her naneth but the only thing she could hear in response was her echo and the sounds of the trees; heavily burdened by the snow gathered on their branches. As night started to fall on the forest, she could not hold back her tears any longer and started to cry yet she kept walking on and on, calling for her naneth and her adar.
Suddenly she bumped into something hard even though she could have sworn there had been no tree before her a few second ago. She fell backwards into the snow but quickly got back up on her feet whilst wiping her tears away to face the thing she had ran into.
Just then she realised it had been no tree but an elf. A tall, muscular elf with long silver-blond hair stood in front of her. He was dressed in armour and looked down into her face with piercing blue eyes.
As he looked down at the little elfling his gaze gradually became more gentle.
`Don't be frightened, little one. You are out of danger now.´
His voice was deep yet clear and strong. Tauriel did not recognise it so she was sure she had never met him before, although his face seemed somewhat familiar to her. As the elf observed what a weary and distraught state she was in, he leaned down towards her, reaching out his arms but the elfling instantly shied away from him.
`Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. You are safe with me!´
Judging by the expression in his eyes, Tauriel could tell that he was telling the truth. Still, the only thing she wanted was to be cradled in the arms of her naneth and adar so she asked the elf if he had seen them. Tauriel's voice was shaky and she spoke so low, only the elf could hear what she was saying.
`You can not go to your parents now. But do not worry, I will look after you and no harm will come to you!´
When he realised the little one would not let herself be touched by him, he told her to follow him. Despite feeling desperate grief about the fact that she was parted from her parents, she was quite relieved not to be on her own any longer. Her parents had told her the forest could become quite dangerous if you walked off the safe elven paths or were too far off the elven king's halls.
She kept close to the elf, feeling strangely protected by his tall and graceful figure. Every once in a while he would look over his shoulder to see if she was following, even though it was clear he could sense that, whether or not he turned around to reassure himself.
Finally they reached a small clearing where the snow had fallen especially high, though both of the elves barely even left footprints on the snow cover. Then Tauriel noticed a tall elk standing near them in the shadows of a tree. It was not a wild elk for he was wearing a saddle and a bridle similar to those of the riding horses she had seen before.
The elf raised his hand and the elk instantly came trotting towards them.
`I will take you to the king's halls. But to reach them before night falls, we will have to ride my elk.´
Tauriel silently nodded and he was quite surprised to see the little one stretching out her arms in order for him to place her into the saddle. He did so whilst telling her not to be scared, assuring her that his elk would not hurt her. After he had sat himself into the saddle, he told Tauriel to hold onto him tightly. She wraped her arms around his torso as best as she could, pressing her small body against his. He faintly smiled at her in response and once he felt that she was ready he let his elk gallop through the forest into the direction of the gates of the king's halls. He felt Tauriel's grip tighten around him even more so and noticed that she kept her eyes shut. He used his long silver cloak to shield her from the sharp and icy wind.
As they arrived at the gates, he lifted Tauriel carefully off his elk and told her to wait for a moment while he went to talk to the two guards standing at the huge doors. While she was waiting for him, she felt another overwhelming wave of grief wash over her and thick tears started running down her face. Suddenly she felt something warm nestling her cheek. It was the elk's nose. He had lowered his head towards her and she reached out her arm to stroke his head, fascinated by the animal's gentleness and great antlers.
`You can visit him tomorrow if you want to!´
Tauriel flinched as she heard the elf's voice who was suddenly standing beside her again. She thought it was strange that she never noticed him coming. One of the guards came over.
`My Lord Thranduil, I will bring your elk to the stables if you so wish?´
As she heard the name it struck Tauriel that she did know the elf who had saved her. It was the elven king Thranduil himself. Her king. Tauriel was 17 years of age and she had been to the king's halls several times before with her naneth and adar, and once she had even been able to catch a glimpse of the king during a feast, although he had been dressed much differently back then. Thranduil felt that his sudden revealed identity had put her even more at unease as she struggled for words with a baffled expression on her face.
Thranduil chuckled. `Don't worry, it's alright. Follow me inside!´
He waved his hand at the guard, ordering him to take his elk while the other guard opened the doors for them. He led her through his halls although Tauriel was now much too confused and tired to notice her magnificent surroundings. They walked several staircases up and down until they reached a big wooden door. It were the king's private chambers.
Thranduil led her inside, telling her to sit down on one of the big and soft couches while he disappeared into another room to take off his armour. When he returned he was wearing a long silver robe. Soothed by the warm and comfortable chambers, Tauriel allowed him to take her hand and he led her into yet another room that was his bedchamber. Thranduil placed Tauriel onto his huge bed and covered her with a few blankets. He sat beside her, humming softly in his deep voice so that she might fall asleep.
When he noticed that her breath had slowed down and her eyes had fallen shut, he raised himself off the bed, however, he did not go very far as Tauriel instantly opened her eyes and grabbed his robes with her little hands, refusing to let him go. Thranduil gently smiled at her, took her hands into his own and layed himself beside her into the bed. Tauriel intently watched him and his every move and when she was sure that he would not get up again and leave her all alone, she closed her eyes and finally went to sleep.
Thranduil grently stroked the little elfling's red hair. In response, Tauriel unconciously nestled herself closer to his chest. He wraped an arm around her as he noticed how cold her body had become.
`Such grief this little elfling had to endure and has yet to go through...´ he thought to himself. After all he knew what had happened had been his fault.
`Sleep well, Tauriel...´ he whispered and watched over her for the rest of the night.