Hello, so this FanFiction will follow both the movie and book. All elvish words and phrases will be listed with their meanings at the end of each chapter. I plan to update this story until it is complete every couple of days but you are going to have to excuse me if I am late on an update.

I hope you enjoy it...


Chapter 1:

"Kill the she-elf!" I hear the spiders hiss as I run and jump over tree trunks. "Kill the she-elf!" The scampering of at least five of the eight-legged creatures hits my overly-sensitive ears and I look over my shoulder to see them coming at me from all angles. I need back up - at least one other elf would be greatly appreciated at this point.

I see one of the spiders jump at me in my peripheral vision, and, with quick-as-lighting reflexes, I shoot the beast in one of it's eyes. I don't have time to see it hit the ground before another jumps at me, quicker than the last. I thrust one of my many daggers at it's mouth. It lands perfectly, hitting the arachnid squarely in the oesophagus. It screams before falling to the ground.

I keep running through the Mirkwood Forest, jumping over tree roots and swinging on the tree's branches until I stumble onto the ground clumsily. The spiders hiss joyfully at my failing and scurry up to me. I shot my arrows almost blindly, some hitting their targets but most missing. One creature clambers onto of me and I throw another dagger into it's abdomen. The spider screams and falls on top of me.

It's lighter than I first anticipated but it is still quite heavy. I haul the repulsive thing off me and reach for my bow, which was still in my grip, and ready an arrow. And at that moment I see how truly outnumbered I am - almost ten to one - and I calculate the chance I may live through this. It's not the greatest statistic. At least I'll go out swinging.

In a flurry, I fire my arrows, one after the other. The spiders that haven't been hit jump at me. One that is to my back launches itself at me. I fall onto my front and struggle to turn over. "This one's not as big as the others." Poison drips onto my neck and down to the ground. It's going to bite me.

With one last attempt, I try to roll over - I do - only to see the creatures fangs poised for attack. Just as I reach for an arrow the spider screams and turns it's head. That's all I need. My arrow is fired. It goes straight through it's skull. It falls onto of me and knocks the wind out of me. I get up none-the- less...

... only to find that I'm surrounded once again though this time not by spiders. Elves with arrows ready to fly at any given moment make a protective circle around me. I turn around, assessing my opponents. There are at least twenty male elves with the exception of one female with blazing red hair that reaches below her bottom. She eyes me cautiously before stepping forward. I hear a collective tightening of arrows to their strings. I put my hands up to show I mean no harm.

The red head stands before me and just stares into my eyes before shouting: "Search her!" Five other elves drop their strained bows to their sides and step forward. I feel my bow and quiver - half-full - ripped from my back forcefully. Hands reach down my body, searching for knives and daggers. One of the elves reach into my robes and I pull away quickly.

I hear the other stationary elves take up arms again. I raise my hands in the air for a few seconds before reaching into my robes. Once again, the sound of bow strings tightening hits my ears. I immediately halt and wait for a few seconds before pulling out the three daggers I conceal inside my clothing. I place them on the ground in front of me, not taking my eyes off of the she-elf. Kicking them over to the her, I say: "Don't touch me. I will surrender all of my weapons to you. I will not flee, I will not fight. I wish to do you no wrong."

There are a few seconds of silence before the red head nods her head at me. I acknowledged her as best I can with my arms raised. Slowly but surely, I feel safe enough to lower them and begin stripping myself off all my weapons. I take off my outer robes and toss them in front the elves. They land with a clatter seeing as there's a long sword and two other daggers in it. I reach up to take the small blade out of my hair which holds it together. Bending over, I grab the knives that are strapped to my ankles. Last of all, I reach into my cleavage to fish out the two freshly sharpened arrow heads in there. I toss them with my other artillery.

"Are we done?" I ask and cross my hands over my chest. The elves around me stare with neutral expressions on their faces. Their eyes asses me, looking for anything else I may be hiding. Finally, the she-elf picks up my robes - after emptying them - and gives them back. She thrusts them at me, ordering them to be put back on. The other elves seem to return to themselves and usher each other into a formation that flanks me at all angles - five elves on each side of me. The she-elf stays in front of me and watches my face intently.

"I am Tauriel." She says, her back straight. "What may I call you?"

"Do not speak to her, Tauriel." A male elf says. I turn my gaze to him and stare. He eyes me. "You," he points at me, "look familiar."

"I should, Legolas Greenleaf." I say plainly. "I journey from the House of Elrond." 'Journey' was laying it on thickly but I have no other words to describe my situation without sounding suspicious. "I remember you very well." The other elves ears seemed to have pricked up at my words, eager to hear what I have to say about the prince. "You'd come play in the water with my sister and I when you came and visited Rivendell. You would run around afterwards stark naked."

"I would do no such thing." He growls as a blush creeps to his cheeks. I see Tauriel smile slightly at my words. I look at her directly. "Nadriel, daughter of Nathriel." He spits my name venomously.

"Don't be like that, my prince." I say. "You used to be so much fun. You've gone hard as a rock, Legolas." I look at the elves around me. They eye me curiously. "You were such a mischievous child."

"You hold your tongue, Nadriel." Legolas seethes. I see the tension in his shoulders as he turns his back to me. "Lye auta a' atar he umbar!" Legolas yells. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tauriel lower her head a smile shamelessly before composing herself moments later.

The group moves through the Mirkwood Forest with ease. No threats show while we stroll over the forest floor. The forest used to be much livelier, greener. Now though, it has become almost like a cemetery for the trees. Nothing grows, so nothing reproduces. I heard that Radagast the Brown was meant to be looking out for this forest but since the spiders have come there has been nothing he can do, at least that is what the people in Rivendell say.

We slow down as Legolas's guards reach the doors of the Elvenking's domain. It is a fortress, built to survive through all things. The only way in and out is through these large doors or down the river, but even on the Running River you have to get past a gate that is guarded by more elves.

"Take her to the Elvenking." Legolas orders. As I pass him, his expression changes to one of annoyance. Two elves from our party take me by my arms and practically drag me to where we are going. I've never actually been inside of the Thranduil's kingdom, not ever, so all this is new to me. I look up at the extraordinarily high ceiling and see large root-like structures adorning the roof.

"Is it true?" One of the guards whisper to me. "About prince Legolas? About..." I turn to face him. He does not look at me but I see a smile playing at his lips.

"Very. He was never a big one for clothes. At least at that age." I say. "Is he always such a..." I don't quite know how to describe Legolas the way he is now.

"The only time I haven't seen him... like this is when he's with Tauriel."

"As in, Tauriel who order you to search me?"

"I do not believe I know another Tauriel." The second guardsman says. They both slow their pace. We're not anywhere near the throne so I suspect they want to hear more.

"Are they together? Has there been an arranged marriage?" I do not expect so but then again I never expected Legolas to love anyone other that my dead sister.

"No," the first guardsman informs me. "No, King Thranduil would never allow his son to have any kind of relations with someone of her level."

"Her level?" I inquire. I did not think that elves were that prejudice about anything, but I am comparing Mirkwood elves to Rivendell elves. I heard from Lord Elrond that the Mirkwood elves were not as wise and were far pettier than the ones of his kin.

"She is but a border guard and solider, a silvan elf. She is not of any royal elvish blood."

"I didn't think so but... she seems like a nice person and an excellent warrior." And I believe that this is true. I search both the guard's faces for something, some kind of agreement.

"I have to agree on both those terms." Replies the second guardsman. "Her skills are beyond someone twice her age and she is a very caring soul. Very different than most of the elves here."

This is where our conversation ends. Silence hangs in the air as we continue to walk. Along the way the guardsmen have let my arms go. They seem to trust that I will not run, and even if I did, where would I go? I do not know the way back to the doors and if I got that far, then what? I'd have more guards to deal with and all of them had seen my face on the way in.

"I would prepare yourself." The first guardsman says. "We've had some unwanted visitors today. The Elvenking isn't in the greatest of moods. Don't talk back if you value your freedom." I nod at his words and say thank you for the advice.

The first I see of the great ElvenkingThranduil are his slick silver robes and boots. A heavy-looking shall hangs around his waist, supported by his forearms. I have seen Thranduil only once before when I was younger when he had come to Rivendell with Legolas and his dead wife. He looked much happier then.

On the second guard's instruction, I keep my head down until I am spoken to, so the furthest my eyes get to see are his hips.

"What is this?" The Elvenking's light, velvety voice reaches my ears and I dare to lift my head the tiniest bit. I see surprise on his features for a split second before he masks it again. "What is one of Lord Elrond's servants doing so far from home?"

"I am no servant, My King." I say.

"Lift your head, my dear." Thranduil orders. "Let me see your face." I follow his command and raise my head. Surprise flashes over his features again and his eyes go wide for a second.

"Is something wrong, My King?" I ask. "Do I displease you?"

"Why is it you travel into my domain, Nadriel daughter of Nathriel?" The elven king descends from a throne to the ground I stand on. Legolas joins his father in the corner of my eye.

"Why not, My King?"

"Answer me properly, Nadriel." Thranduil says. "That's an order."

"Is it?" I smile. "I don't take orders from anyone, My King." Thranduil's face contorts in anger.

"You have passed into my kingdom. My domain." Thranduil fumes. "You are under my mercy and my control here, Nadriel. Do not anger me."

"I am under no one's control but my own." I growl. Thranduil moves forward and begins to circle me, his breath brushing my neck.

"You have no power here, my dear." Thranduil's breathy voice drawls on. "At my command, one of my guards would have your head. If I tell them to strip you bare, they will do so. If I tell them throw you into the river below, they will do so." I glance up at Legolas and I see his expression is one of indifference. "Though I know you would fight them every step of the way."

The Elvenking and I stare at each other for a couple of seconds. I evaluate my escape again, and I come to the same result as before: impossible.

"I heard you have a few unwanted guests here, My King." I say, staring up into Thranduil's mist-coloured eyes. "May I inquire about who these 'guests' are?" Elves do not have many feuds with other races among Middle-Earth apart from the dwarves. This mostly just applies to the Mirkwood elves and to neither of the ones of Rivendell and Lothlórien.

Thranduil smiles. "We intercepted a company of thirteen dwarves after they disturbed our merry-making. Their leader, Thorin Oakenshield, claims they only wished to ask for food." Thorin Oakenshield. So, they're trapped. Well, that's not good. They are the reason I travelled to the Mirkwood forest.

"I know of whom you speak. They passed through Rivendell not to long ago to this day. He is of the line of Durin, the son of Thrain and grandson of Thror."

"What do you know of their travels, Nadriel." Legolas asks. Thranduil's face contorts somewhat into an expression I cannot name. He knows what the dwarves intend on accomplishing.

"Enough." I say quickly. "More than you obviously. Does your father not trust you enough to let you know the details of their journey." Legolas's jaw clenches at my words. "Struck a cord, did I?"

"Throw her in a cell like her equivalents." Thranduil orders and almost immediately I feel strong grips on my arms, dragging me away. I do not thrash but keep my stare fixed on the father and son. Legolas's expression holds slight anger, unlike his father's which only portrays indifference. I hear a quick exchange of words between the two before they drop out of view.

The guards have an iron grip around my arms. If I look there tomorrow I know I will see bruises, but elves heal quickly so I do not really care. We reach the dungeons, if you could call them that, and one of the guards thrusts the barred doors of one of the cells open while the other pushes me into it. I hit the floor with a thud and I cry out in surprise.

"Hey!" I yell as I get to my feet and run to the bars. "Hey! You can not imprison me without a charge!" I yell after the guards. One of them turns back to me.

"Trespassing." He says before continuing to walk back to his station. "That is your charge." I growl lowly and kick the bars a couple of times.

After taking a couple of deep breaths my anger doesn't diminish. I back away from the bars before ramming into them. Once. Twice. Thrice. They won't budge. I growl again and walk to the bars. I hang my arms there and look down at the floor. One more time. My body moves back and bounds towards the door one last time. I groan as an ache begins to swell in my shoulder.

"You're wasting you energy." I look up and search for the source of those words. I see Legolas staring at me from above. "You won't break free, Nadriel. At least, not without the keys."

"And I don't suppose you will give them up to me, will you, Legolas?" I stare at him head on. He's made his way down to my cell and looks at me through the bars. I see movement out of the corner of my eye but ignore it.

"I do not have the keys, but I do have some power over them. So, I would recommend behaving whilst you are here, Nadriel. Keep your feisty temper to yourself." He says and I glare at him. "While you are here, Nadriel, we are not equals. Your equivalent right now are your fellow prisoners. You may be some where near the top of your hierarchy back in Rivendell but not here."

"Your talk bores me, Legolas. I do not see why you would waste your royal breath on me and not you beloved, Tauriel." Legolas's expression drys is replaced by anger.

"Do not speak of things you do not understand, Nadriel." Legolas seethes.

"Oh, I think I understand perfectly well. You desire her. You want her to be yours and nobody else's." My words are loaded and smooth. "It is a pity though, that you will never have her."

Legolas reaches through the bars and grabs my throat and I laugh. His grip tightens slightly.

"You watch you tongue if you wish to keep it, Nadriel." He grits out. "Do not toy with me. I have much more then you ever will." And with that he lets me go and walks away.

"Perhaps I will tell her!" I yell gleefully at his back.

"You will do no such thing, Nadriel, if you value your life."

"Is that a threat, Your Highness?" I taunt. "Because I'm sure I'm meant to feel the slightest bit of fear at your words."

I hear Legolas breathe heavily, trying to control himself, before he continues to walk away. I laugh at him. "You truly are pathetic, Legolas." I say softly so he will not hear. I chuckle as movement once again catches my eye. I look up and see that I have thirteen pairs of eyes trained on me. The Company.

"You are very bold, milady, if I dare say." I look through my bars at a young looking blond dwarf.

"When you've known someone as long as I've known Legolas there is no such thing as boundaries, Master Dwarf." I say, looking over the small men. "You all look ragged. And I am no lady. Nadriel will do."

"My apologies, Nadriel." The blond one replies.

"You're quite handsome, I must say." He smiles. "I like your beard. Very nice."

"Thank you, mila- Nadriel." He says. He pauses for a moment. "Do you not wish to hear our names? They are almost as nice as my beard." I smile slightly.

"That is not necessary. I come from Rivendell, from the House of Elrond. I saw you all come through not too long ago." I inform him. "But let me see if I remember you all-" I point to the blond one. "Fili and Kili. Both equally handsome brothers." I point to the next block of cells. "Ori, Dori and Nori." Then to the next block. "Dwalin and Balin. The strength and the brains." The next. "Bifur, Bofur and Bombur. The fat one, the jolly one and the one with the axe in his head." I pause and look over the next cell. "Oin and Gloin." I shift my eyes to the last cell. "And the great leader of this company, Thorin Oakenshield."

I stare at Thorin and he meets my gaze. "I must admit, you are handsome just like your nephews. It must run in the family." He smiles slightly. "Forgive me for my bold words."

"You come from Rivendell?" Thorin asks and I nod. "You do not act as though you do."

"Reason one of why it was a relief to leave Rivendell for a little while."

"You left?" Balin asks. "Why would you do so?"

"I found an... interest in this quest of yours." I say careful. "When I say interest..." Trailing off, I look at the dwarves face's. "It doesn't matter."

There's a slight pause. I look back down at my feet before walking backwards to sit down.

"If I may ask, my dear," Dwalin begins. "But how does a lady, such as yourself, end up in a prison cell such as this?" I turn to face him and chuckle.

"You say my words are bold, Master Dwarf." I say. "Perhaps you can make an assumption. Though, apparently, I was trespassing. Can I assume you are here for the same reasons? A wrong footing and a loud mouth?"

"Yes and no," says Throin. "According to the Great Elvenking Thranduil we attacked his people during they're merry-making."

"And did you?" I ask

"No," Thorin says. "We simply wished to ask for some food. We were very hungry, milady."

"Are you hungry now, little Masters?" I ask.

"Very." They all state. I smile and tell them to wait.

Reaching into my robes once again I feel around more my prize. I look back at the dwarves.

"One second." And in that moment I find what I am looking for. Wrapped in leaves is the Lembas bread I brought with me. I still have plenty left and I did not remove any of it when I gave up my weapons. "Will this do?" I inquire as I hold up the bread. They all nod and I throw one package to Thorin and the other to Bofur. "It's not meat but it fills the stomachs of even the hungriest of men."

Each dwarf takes one piece before passing it onto the next cell. Each of them examine the bread sceptically before taking a bite. None of them complain but don't look very fulfilled by their meal. I frown slightly. "I hope that stunts your hunger for a moment."

"Thank you, Nadriel." Balin says. I smile.

"Now, I really like your beard." Balin laughs at my words. They all seem jolly given the circumstances and I say as much.

"You all seem quite... upbeat all things considered." I look back at Thorin. "Did Thranduil offer you a deal? It wouldn't surprise me if he did."

"He did."

"And what did you say?" What follows is a whole string of curse words explaining what Thranduil could do with his offer. "First stupid move. I would not underestimate the lengths Thranduil will go to to get what he wants. He has no care for anyone but his own self."

There's silence for a few seconds. I look down at my clutched knees and feet. I hear someone clear their throat and I look back up to see Fili looking at me.

"If I may ask, Nadriel," he begins. "How old are you?" I smile at him.

"Well, I was born just a bit before The Last Alliance - in the year 3423 during the second age - Master Dwarf. Truly, I have forgotten how old I am. How old are you?" He laughs.

"Much younger than you." He says with a laugh. "You know the Elvenking well then?"

"You could say that." I say and grimace. "He isn't particularly open."

"But you know things about him, don't you?" Fili insists. I nod.

"Though it is only things that I've picked up over the years." I say. "He wasn't always so... closed up."

"You must understand if we find this hard to believe." Dwalin says. "But what changed?" I grimace before beginning my words.

"You must understand what grief does to someone." I look over at Thorin

"What grief has he bared?" Throin growls.

"One that you all are accustom to." I say. "Elves grow up quickly until about the age of thirteen, from there it is normal ageing until we reach the ages between twenty-one and thirty. Around the time I had reached the maturity of a thirteen-year-old, Thranduil and his queen rode to Rivendell. I have never seen a man so in love with a woman before. The way he looked at her was as if... she were some kind of sacred jewel. There was a gleam in his eyes and it was something every girl wants to see. For someone to look at them that way." I smile at my words as I remember Thranduil's face at the time.

"Their son, Legolas, had also joined them in their travels and stayed in Rivendell. We played together, him, my sister and I. They travelled back to the Greenwood after a while but on the way they were ambushed by orcs. There were very few casualties but out of those few, Thranduil's wife was one. Many of the lords of Rivendell travelled to mourn her and I remember seeing Thranduil sitting on his throne clutching Legolas. There was such sadness in his eyes, such pain though it was hard to see.

"After mourning his loss, Thranduil closed up. He became bitter and arrogant. He ruled with a firmer hand and became quite dangerous. His moral standards lowered and he refused to consider anyone else who was below him. He cared for Legolas as any father would and Legolas was the only thing he would let himself truly care for and love."

My eyes scan over the dwarves and I see they're taking in my words, even Thorin. I see his hands clench around the bars of his cell and I grimace. He looks as though he's debating something, though I see no understanding in any of their eyes. "I must ask, and forgive my words, but have any of you been in love?" Only Gloin nods. He has a wife at home and a young son, Gimli. "Apart from Gloin, none of you know the feeling of losing someone so close to you. For an elf to find someone of that respect it is astoundingly hard. The difficulty of remaining loyal to someone for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years takes it's toll. Thranduil had been with his wife for near two thousand years before they had a single child. He was absolutely devoted to her and then in the blink of an eye she was taken from him. I ask you to imagine what you would do if that happened to you."

The dwarves look at me, unresponsive. I sigh. "I do not blame you for your hatred towards him. To be quite honest I don't particularly like him either. But I understand his pain. When the dragon took your home from you and Thranduil refused to help, it was because he did not want to risk the lives of his remaining kin. In some ways, I'm glad that he didn't fight and then in others I'm absolutely disgusted that he would not lift a finger."

"How do you understand him exactly? What do you know of loss?" Throin asks spitefully. I lower my eyes.

"Like I said before, I was born slightly prior to The Last Alliance, Master Dwarf. You remember that elves age quickly until they're thirteen, yes?" He nods. "I knew both my parents and loved them immensely." I feel anger alight in my stomach as I speak. "My father went off to war when I had reached the maturity of a ten-year-old mortal. My mother sang to me every night, saying that father would come home soon. But when the war was over he never did. Lord Elrond came to where we lived in Rivendell and informed my mother of our loss. I saw my mother shut down completely for a very long time. She closed herself off from people who cared for her." I look back up to the dwarves.

"Not long after that, I lost my older sister to orcs, big ones. She had to have been my best friend. She was astoundingly beautiful. Long dark hair, tall, slim... Agonisingly stunning green-blue eyes. Very skilled in combat and extraordinarily smart. I loved her with all of my heart and after losing our father, she was my rock. She was flawless from the inside-out." I look back up at Thorin. "I would not accuse me of not knowing what loss is, Thorin Oakenshield. When you have lived as long as I have it is something that you experience regularly."

"I beg your pardon, milady." He says. "I did not mean to offend you." Sighing, I stretch my arms a over my head and yawn.

"I did not mean to get worked up, Master Dwarf." I huff. "I only wished for you to see things from a different perspective. I dislike Thranduil almost as much as you do but I feel sympathy towards him." There's silence for a very long time after that. I have nothing more to say so I stand and walk through my cell.

It's not wet but it is dark. The only light source is that of which comes from the outside of my cell. It is carved out like a cave. There is nothing as much a mattress or a chamber pot in sight. I don't particularly find the idea of going to the bathroom on the floor that appealing. I take off my outer robes and bundle them up into a makeshift pillow. With a grunt, I lay down with my head on my robes and fall asleep.


Hello again, if you're reading this then you have made it through the first chapter! Gold star for you... As you can probably tell, this is very AU, but their is still Tolkien lore in here.

Lye auta a' atar he umbar! - Take her to my father.

Update will be in a couple of days. Love you all.