The Sun's Fire
Legolas had left the past behind him, under the guise of obligation that came with his crown and title. He had left the safety of the Woodland Realm and confines of his Mirkwood Kingdom, left the tyrannical rule of his King and father in order to protect the bearer of the one ring that would rule them all. At least that's what he had thought he had done but what happens when his past comes back to haunt him? When he is forced to confront the very feelings he had spent so much time and effort trying to run from as they sit on his door step once more. When Tauriel, Capitan of the Mirkwood guard, comes back into his life. Will he be able to help the med of Rohan, his friends Aragorn and Gimli, and the whole of Middle Earth, or will he be so overwhelmed with these emotions that he'll lose his friends, himself, and even the love that he had thought he had rid himself of long ago.
Chapter one
The moonlight scattered itself through the intertwining tree branches. They scattered like shards of a broken mirror across the heavily trodden dirt path. The forest was still, eerily silent for only a moment before the sound of galloping horse hooves broke the silence. A party of four black chargers raced ahead along the dirt path led by a pure white courser. The five on horseback were all similarly clad in green armor that was light, flexible, and made them seem as though they were born from the forest itself. They traveled light and armed, some had long silver wood bows and quivers full of arrows strapped to their backs while others sported long, thin blades that curved delicately as they hung at their hips. The steel shone wickedly in the cold moonlight.
Just as suddenly as they had raced down the dirt path way they were stopping at the signal of the rider at the head of the pack. A woman with hair spiraling down past her waist in a river the color of sun kissed bronze. It gleamed in hues of copper and gold even in the dimness of the moonlight. She wore to lose, save for the simple braids meant to pull the fiery tresses away from her face. Her ears shone, large and pronounced, they curved into elegant points. Her emerald eyes were as hard as the stone that they had stolen their color from. The she-elf searched the darkness before them, her ethereal beauty marred by the look of concern on her face, a wariness in her eyes like that of a hunted animal. Something was wrong, she could feel it. There was a small chill ran up her spine and in her mind's eye she saw flashes of violence, blades slicing through the night, and blood falling like rain. She blinked and the vision was gone leaving nothing but a pale sheen of sweat that chilled her as the night air touched her skin with its icy breath.
"Stop." She hissed in elven tongue pulling the reins of her horse sharply. The others pulled up to a halt beside the elven woman, their horses whickering nervously padding their hooves on the tightly packed dirt beneath them. She could feel an edginess begin to creep into her chest, she couldn't tell if
"What is wrong Tauriel? What have you seen?" a voice as gentle as the whisper from the wind came from the slim hooded rider to Tauriel's left. They drew closer until their horses were neck and neck before the rider dropped her hood. As it fell away, beneath the hood revealed another she-elf. Her eyes were the same shade of emerald green as Tauriel's, their faces were reflections of each other, being interrupted only by the raven tresses that pooled around the woman's delicate features giving a dark and fair beauty to her. For a moment it seemed as though Tauriel couldn't catch her breath, the vision had shaken her to her core. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts, trying to chase away the violent visions that had scarred her mind.
"Look how the forest trembles Faelwen, it trembles yet there is no sound. The forest has lost it's voice tonight, this silence is unnatural." She whispered, her fingers trailing to the thin blades at her hips. She found comfort in the feel of their smooth hilts at her finger tips; it soothed the nervousness that fluttered frantically in her heart.
"We must make hast. We have to make sure Lord Elrond's scroll makes it to Mithrandir before it is too late. We cannot afford to dally here Tauriel." Faelwen spoke urgently wringing her horse's reins in her gloved hands anxiously. Tauriel knew how important this mission was for Faelwen it was one of her first that took her outside the boundaries of the Mirkwood. She had trained tirelessly for this, it was a great honor to be chosen for this mission.
"Faelwen is right Captain, we must press on." One of the other rider asserted, his voice was deep and warm and he had the same dark looks as Faelwen but his eyes were a piercing blue the color of ice as the sun was shown through it, clear and sharp. The other two, both blonde with equally bright eyes were surveying the perimeter, their heads scanning the thick underbrush for signs of danger, Tauriel noticed their hands straying towards their sides, and she smiled at the fact that she was not the only one who felt uneasy in the darkness of these woods. She was also not the only who found a sense of comfort when their weapons were within their reach.
"Take heart my friends, our mission will be completed. I swore by the light of the stars and my own blade and bow that I would see it through." She said with a confident smile, pushing her misgivings to the back of her mind, or at least trying to. As the others turned away, seemingly reassured by what Tauriel had said she reached out and took hold of Faelwen's wrist in a gentle but firm grip.
"Sister, stay close to me. I still fear something may be wrong." She whispered urgently under her breath. Faelwen pulled her arm away out of her sister's grip, green eyes a flame with outrage.
"I am not a doe eyed apprentice anymore Tauriel, I do not need you to protect me." She hissed back, not even bothering to disguise the anger in her voice. Tauriel may be the Capitan of the guard but in her sister's eyes all she could see ways on overbearing older sister, shielding her from the world beyond. There was nothing more that Tauriel could do to convince her sister to stay close, so instead of trying to fight with her hard headed sister she snapped the reins gently and her horse trotted on, the small party following suit. They walked on in silence for a few moments until once again Faelwen pulled up next to her, the anger that was there only moments ago was replaced now with something much stronger; curiosity.
"So are the rumors are true?" she whispered, keeping her voice low to keep the others from over hearing. Tauriel had to fight to keep her grin from showing, she knew that her sister was going to bring this subject up sooner or later. She remembered how surprised she had been when she had received Lord Elrond's summons to Rivendell. She remembered the look King Thranduil had given her as he handed her the scroll, the look of disinterest, almost disdain. The king had been the only father figure that Faelwen and Tauriel had ever known but when he found out of his son's love for her a gap had formed between her and the elf king, and as the years passed that gap had grown into canyon so vast that she could no longer see the man she had once thought to be like her father. He was lost to her and that only made her realize that he was never really on her side to begin with. She had saddled her horse, sheathed her blade and never looked back. The pain of leaving had hurt but it only made her welcome into Rivendell that much more warm. She had met with Lord Elrond that very same evening and that is when he told her of the fellowship and of his vision.
"You understand child that this scroll must reach Mithrandir before the sun sets on the sixth day. This above all else is of the utmost importance." His voice was deep and despite the warmth of his dark eyes, his face was set in stone, the seriousness enough to stop the flowing of a waterfall. Tauriel bowed her head in respect.
"I understand Lord Elrond, you have my word that your message will be delivered." She spoke, her head still bowed in respect.
"You will find Gandalf in the company of the Théoden King of Rohan. It is there that you must give the message to him. You will find him traveling with the Dwarf Gimli, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and one of our own kin, Legolas of the woodland realm." At the mention of his name Tauriel froze, she could feel her breath caught in her throat. Legolas? He was with the fellowship now, but how? How did he managed to get out from underneath Thranduil's grasp, out from the reaches of the Mirkwood? It was different for Tauriel having been born a Silvan Elf she held more freedom to wander, to leave. After all it wasn't she that was to inherit the throne, she was disposable and he was not; it was simple, the way of her world and she had accepted that, she had to. She had left, she had been the one to get away, but now here she was again getting drug right back into the very place she had tried to run from.
"Is that going to be a problem Tauriel?" Lord Elrond asked, his eyes searching her face and she knew that there was no excuse to not fulfill this mission. She had to remember her place, and keep to the path that it led.
"No my Lord Elrond, I swear that I will carry out your request. Gandalf shall have your message before the sixth sunrise.
Tauriel sighed, biting at her lips hesitantly before she relented to her sister.
"Yes, Legolas has joined the fellowship, he is with Mithrandir even as we speak." She said stiffly, trying to put off an air of indifference, ignoring the uncomfortable tightness in the pit of her stomach.
"And what do you think of that my dear sister?" she inquired quietly, her curiosity barely contained. The blatant manner of her sister irked Tauriel, the questions making her uncomfortable. She merely shrugged her shoulders, still chewing mercilessly on her bottom lip, a habit she had had for longer than she could remember.
"I think it doesn't effect this mission so that means that I do not have the time to spend dwelling on it. That is what I think dear sister." She spoke, there was an edge to her tone, sharp like a knife that made Faelwen recoil slightly. She shifted in her seat and bowed her head in respect before pulling her horse back to allow Tauriel to take the lead. This only made Tauriel regret her words, she hadn't meant to be harsh with her sister's inquiries but she couldn't help but feel defensive. Tauriel opened her mouth, about to make some sort of apology or explanation for her behavior when there was a sudden and loud crack, like a branch had been snapped clear off a tree. The hairs on the back of Tauriel's neck stood straight up and one of the horses whinnied, the whites of their eyes shone in the darkness, as bright as day light.
"Thorontur, Londian ready your bows." Tauriel whispered, notching an arrow in her own. She pulled it taunt, her fingers sure and strong, pulling the string of a bow was as familiar to her now as it was to breath air into her lungs and blink her eyes against the sun's unyielding glare. With her hand anchored to her mouth, she scanned the underbrush from on top of her horse, her body coiled in and ready to strike. The two fair haired elves had strung their bows in silent unison, their faces solemn masks, waiting.
"Orcs." The dark haired elf spoke, anger bubbling just beneath the surface, like a volcano ready to burst forth. He pushed his horse forward and stood next to Tauriel with his blade drawn and waiting. The way the elven steel gleamed in the moonlight it almost seemed to take on a life of its own.
"It's a three day ride to Rohan, we'll never out run them; we won't even make it out of the forest before they overtake us. " She murmured her mind racing as she evaluated their options which were bleak at best.
"Then Glandur and I will stay behind and hold them off and you will take Thorontur and Londian on with you. Their marksmanship will keep the Uruk-Kai at bay while you make your way to Rohan." Faelwen spoke up, her twin blades unsheathed and posed at the ready. Tauriel balked at the idea of splitting up. She shook her head stubbornly.
"No, we entered this forest together I'm not leaving without everyone." There was a deep throaty chuckle that echoed around them in the darkness, half snarl half malice.
"Well you're right about one thing, none of you are leaving this forest tonight." Slowly a large mass come out from the shadows until it stood on the path, barring the elves way. The creature wore dented armor across its torso, it was splattered by white clay in the form of a hand.
The white hand of Saruman? Tauriel thought in shock, but the moment was brief, there wasn't time to spend on these thoughts as more and more orcs emerged from the darkness of the forest and surrounded the small party of elves. It was a small company in measure but still large enough to outnumber Tauriel and her companions three to one. She had always been a fan of challenges but right now they were running out of time that they didn't have the luxury of wasting in a fight.
"Give us the scroll she elf." The monster snarled, its molted skin pulled tightly across its misshapen skull.
"Come and take it from me if you dare." She said drawing back her arrow to emphasis her threat. The monster growled in anger and the night's air was filled with the howls of the Uruk-kia and the clash of steel on steel. The arrow flew from Tauriel's grasp, whizzing from her bow with a twang, the feathers brushed her cheek and buried itself into the skull of an orc on the Uruk-kai's right. Two more hitting another with such strength it severed its sword arm from the rest of its filthy body. She heard a scream and turned in time to see Londian fall from his saddle, his hand to his face as blood spilled forth from a deep slash that ran from temple to chin. Another stroke from an orc blade and he screamed no more. An orc clawed at her leg, its blade swinging wildly caught her shoulder. Pain erupted on contact as blood flowed freely, drenching the sleeve of her armor and tunic and pouring over her hands. Quickly she buried her blade deep into the monsters throat before kicking him off the side of her horse. The vial holding the scroll hung around Tauriel's neck it swung madly in the midst of the battle as Tauriel swung and slashed at the advancing orcs, parrying their blows from atop her horse. She saw one of the black chargers race past her, a body slumped in the saddle, blood drenching the horses flank. So much blood. She thought as the metallic smell seemed to envelop them, it was in the air as she fought for breath. The wound on her shoulder was making her arm grow numb but she was also becoming dizzy, the forest swimming before her eyes. Bright dots were popping in and out of her vision as she fought on. All of a sudden a hand closed itself around her throat, closing off her air almost completely. The large Uruk-kia pulled her close to his face. Its breath smelled of rotten meat and blood as it spoke to her.
"The scroll she elf and I shall end your life quickly. " It snarled, not knowing the scroll was within its filthy grasp. She gritted her teeth in defiance and spat in the monster face in reply. The Uruk roared in anger and raised its rusted blade in the air. "Then die." Tauriel did not flinch, she stared her death in the face unwavering.
"No!" a shout shot up into the air and the Uruk released Tauriel, clawing at his back he turned and Tauriel saw Faelwen cling to the blade embedded deep into the creatures shoulder. The Uruk grabbed hold of her and threw her to the ground in front of Tauriel. She landed hard at his feet. In one swift motion he brought down his sword and buried it deep into Faelwen's chest. For a moment everything seemed to slow down as Tauriel watched in horror as her sister's blood sprayed up the way the sea sprays when it crests upon a rock. Without thinking she drew back her own blade and drove it through the Uruk's right eye. It screamed and howled with pain as she wrenched the blade with all her strength across the creature's face leaving a jagged canyon of flesh and bone from his right eye to the left side of his chin. Blinded by pain the monster fell back, fleeing into the safety of forest. Tauriel fell from her saddle to her knees next to her sister. She cradled her head in her lap. Faelwen's face was bruised and cut, her hair mused by the chaos of battle. She looked into her sister's eyes, but only half saw Tauriel's face in front of her as her breath came in short, watery gasps, blood was bubbling at the corners of her lips.
"Run Tauriel, you must get to Rohan…" She said in a ragged breath, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth and running down the side of her face. Tauriel shook her head, eyes swimming in tears. She looked around her to see the forest path was strewn with bodies, orc and elf alike. Glandur lay not more than a few feet away, his throat had been slit into a bleeding smile while his sword had split an orc almost in two, while another had been skewered into the ground.
"You will be hailed as heroes, songs will be sung in your memory." She spoke choking on her tears. Her shoulder twinge painfully reminding her of her wound but there would be time to take care of it later, Tauriel couldn't tear herself away, not now.
"Make sure in the end there is someone left to sing them Tauriel..." she whispered, and then her eyes brighten for a moment and a ghost of a smile crossed her paling lips. "Be strong Tauriel, I can see the stars." Faelwen whispered gripping her sister's hand fiercely before her chest seized violent, breath catching in her throat and then before Tauriel could say another word, she was gone. She had slipped right through Tauriel's grasp, and was far beyond her reach. Tauriel wasn't sure if only a few moments or if an entire life time had passed before she was able to let go of her sister's body and struggle back to her feet. She knew that she couldn't spend any more time grieving, that she couldn't even give her fallen companions their final honors. The orcs had been driven off but they were still close by and they were still without their quarry; they'd double back for her. Tauriel had no choice but to carry on alone. She mounted her horse once more and cantered off at a break neck speed never seeing the lone orc archer with his bow strung and arrow nocked aimed at her shrinking figure.