Tauriel faced the day with an air of trepidation, instead of rising early, as she did almost everyday, to watch the stars fade into the warming light of day, she remained in her cramped little room, wishing time stood as still for her friends as it did for her. At only six hundred and sixty, she was still considered an adolescent among her kin. Thinking back to another life she remembered: Thranduil, stoic, cold, living through so many ages time seemed endless, if only it were so for her Halfling friends. Today was Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday, an age almost unheard of for hobbits, but only a blink to the years that seemed to stretch out before her. Immortality, the gift of her kind more and more felt like a curse, watching those she cared for pass on while she remained motionless.
Her life in the shire was quaint, most still not trusting her presence, always waiting for a sign of trouble she may bring, even after all this time. She spent most of her hours with Bilbo, and sometimes with his nephew Frodo, reading or helping run the house Bilbo owned in Bag-End. Often however she would sneak away, often at night. All types of combat were frowned upon amongst such a peaceful folk, however the notion of not using her skills, ones honed after years as captain of the Mirkwood guard did not sit well with Tauriel. The only trait she seemed to have in common with hobbits was a love of the earth. Sam, Bilbo's gardener often talked to her of his work, conversations she found most interesting. Sharing his knowledge of how to harvest crops, the best time to plant roses, even how to take care of trees bordering Bag-End, the place she felt most at home in the shire.
However, she feared this peaceful age of her life would soon be coming to an end, Bilbo was becoming restless, his book no longer bringing him the peace it once did, like her the shire was beginning to become to small, to closed off from the other wonders of middle-earth. Yet she did not want to leave, the shire had provided her with some of the most peaceful years of her long life, no fear of punishment, no crushing social hierarchy, just freedom to make her own decisions. Yet she still felt a longing in her heart for her kin, someone she wouldn't have to eventually part ways with as they journeyed to the Halls of Mandos and left her, alone and solitary on the plains of middle-earth. She'd had that once, but had thrown it away for the chance to leave her stagnant life, entrapped in the dark airs of Mirkwood. To see the stars for more than a brief moment, stolen from her duty.
Now Bilbo was going on holiday, never to return. She wasn't supposed to know yet, as Bilbo wished to slip quietly from the shire after his birthday party. However her senses always seemed to pick up on what they should not, and now emptiness began to fill her heart at the idea of it. Who would hold bag-end together? Take care of the barley of age Frodo? Especially not her, recently she had barley been able to decide on what she wanted, never mind the youthful Frodo.
The sky was just fading to twilight when Tauriel decide to leave for the party, dressed in her every day attire of a plain green cotton dress; she'd had to get it made from a tailor in Bree, on account of no hobbit seamstress being willing to make a dress so long. The clearing was lit up with lanterns, the warm light bringing her peace nothing else could. In the distance she could make out smoke outside of Bag-End, Bilbo must be enjoying some pipe weed with Gandalf, the wizard always seemed to show up every once in a while, bringing Bilbo out of his hermit like behaviors and enrapturing Frodo with his tales. Gandalf had been able to gain acceptance into the shire in a way she never could, with his beautiful fireworks, each one set the sky ablaze in spectrums of pure light. She couldn't blame the hobbits; they enchanted her just as much.
As the night went on Tauriel danced with some of the younger hobbits, ones whom she had know their entire lives and as such were in know way put out by her presence, unlike the generations before them. Pippin, a friend of Frodo's asked her to dance first, then as if a chain reaction had occurred so had his friend Merry, then eventually Bilbo,
"You'll do this old hobbit a fine service lady Tauriel"
"Bilbo… how many times? I'm as much of a lady as you are a dragon!"
"Then I must be as mighty as Smaug! For I have never seen a lady as fair as you in my entire life!"
Tauriel laughed, they'd had this argument many times before, and no matter how hard she tried Bilbo would never relent.
"Now, my dear Tauriel, I have something I must ask of you."
"Please say you do not need my help with your maps again, I've honestly told you everything I know about all the distances I've travelled on middle earth, which is sadly too few"
"No, no, its about Frodo, I know this may seem strange but I want you to keep an eye on the boy if I'm ever not around like I am now"
"Are you expecting something to happen? Why ask me this now?" Tauriel mused, knowing full well Bilbo's intentions.
"I'm an old man now Tauriel, I do not possess the eternal life of your kin. I just wish Frodo to be kept an eye on, and for you to finally find your place in this world, I know you've been restless of late and I think you've stayed in the shire long enough, you need to see the world Tauriel, all of the stars and more." Bilbo pleaded.
"Of course I will take care of Frodo, I love you both as if you were my own kin. You last request seems more difficult to me though, I do not have another place in the world I wish to be, and nowhere I can return too, not after… well you already know."
Her heart felt heavy at the thought of her old home, she missed it sometimes, the deep green, the comfort and safety of the high trees, well before the darkness of Dol Guldur had set upon the woods. Bilbo, bidding his thanks then ventured off in search of Frodo, Tauriel knowing his wish to say goodbye, in a indirect way like he had just done with her before he left.
All at once there was a loud band, and brilliant red light filled the sky, mesmerizing all around. They're mirth was short lived however, as the light began to transmute into a dragon, one she knew composed of Gandalf's magic light, however the rest of the hobbit community began to run in fear as the dragon swooped down upon them. Tauriel herself managing to duck down before the light could hit her, before the light then exploded outwards into the biggest starburst she had ever seen. Causing the hobbits to return to their feet and begin applauding, from her spot, she could hear Gandalf berating Merry and Pippin for they're misdeed.
Bilbo, following this fiery introduction then took to the stage, erected just under his birthday sign. Whatever Bilbo had planned, this was going to be it. After his insult, of which half the hobbits were still unaware of, it was these she supposed the comment was directed at to begin with, Bilbo suddenly became melancholic, she saw him, fiddling with his ring again, he never told her where he had got it, and she had never asked. Its presence, for some unknown reason only served to fill her with uneasiness, something she could live without. Suddenly he sipped it on, disappearing in a sudden flash, leaving the party around him in uproar. Tauriel sought out Bilbo, as quickly as she could pulling him back along to Bag-End, in search of anyone who could the unexpected disappearance.