AN: I realize that some of the elf-horse relationship in the stories may be confusing at times. It is not a romantic bond. We shall start where the Fellowship begins. Legolas and Tauriel will accompany Aragorn to Bree. All respect to Mr Tolkien. This is also in the movie world, with some book-based items. Some events will not be in either. I used the Angelfire elvish translator. The events in the books/movies may be altered.

I had known Tauriel for many years. She was my only friend among many elves at my disposal. I was entitled to whatever I wished, as Prince of Mirkwood. The only thing I ever asked of her was to be my friend. She was a Captain of the Guard until she denied my father's orders and went after the dwarves. Now she is only Tauriel, the Prince of Mirkwood's only friend. Sometimes I wonder if she regretted her choice to travel with me to find Strider.

"Legolas!" Aragorn said, striding toward me. I turned from gazing out across the lands, searching for anything that moved. He was clothed in the usual Ranger's garb- simple yet very effective in the weather that they lived in. "Gandalf has arrived with a message. He wants us to travel to Bree to watch over four hobbits when they arrive and accompany them to Rivendell."

"Hobbits?" I asked. I only knew one hobbit. Bilbo Baggins was one of the company sixty years ago, traveling with the dwarf king, Thorin. "What business do they have in Rivendell? Have they violated the elf law, somehow?"

"No. They carry a ring. A very powerful ring. One that Sauron will stop at nothing to seize once more." Aragorn replied sharply. "I am asking you to travel with me."

"Is this at Gandalf's request?"

"I am sure that he would never prevent you from coming. He trusts you and Tauriel." Aragorn answered. It made sense. Gandalf had known me ever since I ran into him during the Battle of the Five Armies. We had exchanged pleasantries and then parted, but I never forgot the words that he had said to me. They were wise words, filled with meaning that I knew I could not ignore if the time came.

"Tauriel?" I repeated. "He has never spoken to Tauriel. He does not know of her personality, her hotheadedness, or her lack of common sense." I regretted the words almost at once. All of those traits had saved me once. More than once in the forest.

"I trust her, and I know you do too. It should be enough for him." Aragorn finally said. "Pack your things and find Tauriel. We ride at dawn." I bowed my head and strode away to find the fiery haired elf that I called friend.

I saddled my horse. There was a special bond between an elf and their horse, one that none of us could explain. We felt the horse's pain as much as they felt ours. When the horse was hurt, we felt it deep inside. But when the elf was injured, the horse would show the exact injury in the exact place the elf had received it. It would be about a split second between the real injury and the horse's injury. The horse was bonded to us, and therefore, they lived as long as we lived. When the rider died, then the horse would, too. If the horse died, the rider would be consumed by almost unbearable pain. They would not die, but they would be left with a deep, emotional scar. I hoped that Mori Val and I would never go through that.

"When will the hobbits arrive?" Tauriel asked, swinging up onto her own horse. I looked over at her. She was silhouetted in moonlight, but I could still see the flaming red hair that was so unique to her. No other elf had as vibrantly red hair as she did.

"Hopefully the night after we arrive." Aragorn replied. Elen Dome, Tauriel's horse, whinnied. I knew that both horse and ride were anxious to be going. I mounted my horse and without a word, we kicked our horses into motion, flying fluidly over the plains and through forests. It was midday when we arrived at Bree.

Tauriel and I pulled our hoods over our ears and we strode into the Prancing Pony. Aragorn went to reserve us rooms while Tauriel and I scanned the room for any signs of the hobbits, or other things that we didn't want to run into. I had the sudden urge to clasp Tauriel's hand, but I knew she would immediately shun me away. She hated all contact now- I thought it was because of her first tragedy- Kili.

"See any hobbits?" I asked her.

"Nothing." she replied. Aragorn returned to us and he led us up to where our room was. It was right across from another, but no one was inside. I lit the candles and we all sat there for a few minutes. Tauriel was very still, and I knew she was listening.

"I'm going downstairs." Aragorn said abruptly. Tauriel rose to follow him.

"Stay here." he ordered. "I need you two to keep an eye out for the hobbits. Warn me if there are any signs of danger." Tauriel nodded. I watched Aragorn leave and then I turned to Tauriel to plan our tactics.

"You watch the road. I'll stand watch on the roof." There was no point in standing guard over our room- anything important was with us, and our horses were safely locked in the Prancing Pony's stable.

"Wait for a half hour on the road, then we'll return here." Tauriel suggested. I inclined my head. I knew it was her way of making sure that I wasn't dead. Despite her lost position as Captain of the Guard, I knew her first instinct was to protect me.

I waited for a half an hour and then picked my way back to the room. I had seen no sudden movement, nor heard any clip-clop of the Nazgul's horses. Tauriel was late, and I was beginning to worry when she returned.

"The hobbits arrived. They are pursued by the Nine." she said. I walked over to the window. I could see the dark shapes moving on the road outside. Tauriel wrung out her cloak and stared at me, her eyes filled with worry.

"There is no way that our horses can outrun the animals of Mordor." she told me. "If we're cornered, then we will surely die."

"Mori Val and Elen Dome would rather die than be cornered by one of those fell beasts." I said firmly. "They will never get close to us, not while we are still together. Not while we have Aragorn. I will not let us die before reaching Rivendell."

"You may not let us, but perhaps they will not let us slip through their fingers." Tauriel said slowly. "They are cunning. They have the orcs and the goblins on their side. Who is to say that this is our last battle, Legolas? When it is over, which one of us will die?"

"Neither will die, but live to see the end of this evil." I replied. Tauriel was begin stubborn and she knew it. Yet there was truth to her words. We did not have servants to bend to our will, nor would we ever force anyone to join our cause. It was our fight and ours alone.

"If it would come, I would rather you live rather than I." Tauriel said almost too quiet for me to hear. I gave no indication that I had heard her. I didn't want to hear it, and I knew she would stop at nothing to keep me alive, even if it meant that she didn't.

Aragorn burst through the door of the room herding four, ragged, wet hobbits. They all looked slightly awed and anxious at the sight of Tauriel and I. Aragorn extinguished all the candles in the room, leaving the crack under the door to be the only source of light. He shoved the hobbits into the bed.

"What are you doing?" the fattest hobbit asked. "Who are you? Why are we in the dark?"

"We are in the dark so that the Nine will not kill you this night!" Aragorn snarled. "You were too reckless. There were spies in that tavern tonight, and the Nine are coming as we speak. You must stay quiet."

"Who are they?" the darkest haired one asked. "The elves?"

"Their names are not important, not now." Aragorn responded. "Se ego! Q'nor an Rivendell, Legolas." I nodded. I could see Tauriel immediately stiffen. I ran my hand along her cheek with my finger. We could see in the dark, and I saw her eyes glisten with tears.

"I will come back." I told her. The hiss of steel, and Tauriel murmured a few words in Elvish. They were words that made an object unbreakable and unable to be lost by whoever she wanted. Then she placed a bracelet of what I thought was rope.

"Goodbye, my prince." she whispered. Then I was gone.

I obeyed Aragorn and rode to Rivendell. I warned Arwen, Elrond's daughter, to meet Aragorn at the river entering Rivendell. I returned to the forest, and waited for sign of Sam, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Aragorn, and Tauriel. I hoped that they would arrive all together. First I heard the sound of one, single rider. Then, suddenly, there was a stampede of horses. I still clenched in my hand the rope that Tauriel had given me. I was sure that it held some importance. I mounted my horse and chased the noise. I was relieved at first to see Tauriel's streaming red hair, flying behind her as she raced to the river. Then I noticed the small hobbit mounted in front of her and the urgency of which she rode. There were eight riders behind her, cloaked in black. I knew my arrows would do nothing to them. I considered distracting them, but where would I go? No. Elen Dome was faster than the other horses, I was sure. Tauriel urged her horse on in Elvish. She drew nearer the forge. I knew she could see Arwen waiting.

Suddenly, something whistled out of nowhere. A horse reared in front of Tauriel's horse, who reared. Tauriel's eyes met mine as she hurtled to the ground. I instinctively raced out on Mori Val and hoisted the prone form of Frodo onto my horse. When Frodo was settled, I glanced around for Tauriel. A black rider had her by the throat. Her eyes were terrified, but she could do nothing. Then the rider lifted her in front of him and all nine riders vanished. I sat there, shocked. Tauriel was gone. Elen Dome pawed nervously at the ground. I seized her empty reins and galloped to Arwen. We switched burdens. I rode back to where Tauriel had fallen. There were only scuff marks to be proof of Tauriel's landing, and only hoof-prints to stand for the dark enemy that had captured her. I wanted to find her. I kicked Mori Val into action and we followed the nine into the darkness.

I rode to Weathertop. There was only trampled grass to show any sign of the rider's passing. Tauriel was gone. There were many places she could be now. She could be halfway to Mordor. They could have taken her to Angmar. The Lonely Mountain. Anywhere. Perhaps even to Saruman, who was corrupted and was no longer our ally. My friend was missing. My hand loosened from the reins and something fell to the hard-packed ground. I bent over and picked it up.

A braid. It wasn't a rope, as I had first thought. It was red in color, with my father's leaf seal keeping the braid in a single loop. I put it on, and then, tentatively, put the blade of my knife on it. I ran it up and down, but the braid didn't break. I knew what Tauriel had done. In Bree, she had enchanted the bracelet so that it would never fray, never age, and never be able to be lost or destroyed. In a sense, it was like the Ring of Power. But it was hers. She had never willingly cut her hair. Only when it reached to her knees would she cut it so that it hung to her lower back. I didn't know when she had cut it. Perhaps in the very room with me, in the dark. I clutched the bracelet to my chest.

"I will find you, Tauriel."

AN: Ooh, cliffhanger. Sorry 'bout that. R&R, please.