Return to Mirkwood
Chapter 4
Nima sensed the presence of someone approaching his cavern, he knew who it was. Ohla entered the dark, stone room.
"You summoned me, my lord," He rasped.
Nima looked down at the bowing Orc, his face twisted into a broken smile
"How are my soldiers doing, Ohla?" He asked, a small hint of excitment in his crackling voice.
"They will be ready soon my lord, the elves will not stand a chance against us!"
Nima grinned, showing his rotting teeth. Then Ohla asked him a question
"What do we do after we have destroyed the elves?"
Nima laughed, it sounded like metal scraping on metal. "After the elves are dead, or they have fled, we will kill the king. We will show all of Middle Earth that we are not afraid, Sauron may have fallen but we are still strong!" He gave a triumphant yell, filling every tunnel with a battle cry.
"Be safe, and galu mellon nin," Elrond wished the pair good luck as they got Haldir ready for the long journey.
"Those mountains are very dangerous, please be careful," He told Legolas, he was scared for the younger elf. He turned to Gimli, making sure that Legolas was out of earshot.
"Gimli, take care of Legolas, make sure he doesn't carry his heavy burden always, it is dangerous for elves to become saddened." Elrond remembered how Arwen had suffered greatly from worry for Aragorn.
The dwarf nodded solemly, "Aye, I will be with him always."
"Gimli!" They both turned as Legolas called for his companion. The dwarf mounted the white stallion and began to adjust his jeweled axe, on his belt. Legolas turned, about to pull himself onto the horse but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to Elrond.
"Legolas, be careful, an ngell nîn." Worry and concern was all emotion his words contained.
"Do not fear, we shall be safe." And without another word he pulled himself onto the stallion and they rode away, out of Rivendell.
The sun had risen high, and Gimli was feeling very bored, everything had been so confusing to him, but he dared not ask the question he longed to be answered. But soon, his curiosity got the better of the dwarf.
"Who is this 'she' you spoke of lad?" He asked, Legolas turned his head a little and Gimli saw a pained expression on his friend's face. Gimli suddenly felt bad that he had asked.
"Her name is Tauriel, she is captain of the guard" he paused, "I love her, I always have but she never felt the same way."
Gimli suddenly remembered a story his father, Gloin, had told him.
"Tauriel? She was one of the elves that saved him and his friends from spiders in Mirkwood. Aye! And she fell for young Kili, my father told me all about when she saved his life!" Gimli realised he had said too much, but it was too late.
"Yes, she chose a dwarf!" Legolas spat out the words with a hatred that Gimli had never before heard in an elf. "She knew that I loved her, yet she tormented me with this false love!"
Haldir stopped, sensing something was wrong; he snorted loudly. The two friends ignored him.
"But, you still love her?" Asked Gimli, he felt awful for bringing up his friend's dispair.
"Yes, yes I do, none other will mean more to me then her, and I fear my heart will break if I never see her again" Legolas turned to face the anxious dwarf behing him. He gave a weak smile as he saw Gimli's worried eyes.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, my friend." He said, Gimli could see his friend trying to hold back his tears yet again.
"Hush now laddy, it's ok, I will always understand."
Legolas thanked his friend as they began to move on, back along the winding road on the hill. He spoke about his love as the sun moved across the blue sky.
"She is so beautiful, with hair the colour of the setting sun and eyes like emeralds, her voice always comforts me. The king banished her for a time, when she left in search of that dwarf, but he let her back into the kingdom after the war of five armies. But she would not talk to me, I don't know why." Legolas sighed as he remembered the way his heart had ached with her silence.
"Then, then it happened and I was banished. I went to Rivendell and that is where I joined the quest for the ring and met one of the best friends I have ever had."
Gimli beamed with happiness, the elf too was one of the closest friends he had ever had.
Legolas talked for hours of all the adventures he had had with Tauriel, he soon slipped into talking about his father.
"He used to be so happy, so filled with joy until mother died." He was very young when she had died, and his father had never been the same since.
"But now, I doubt he will even recognise me" The elf felt a deep sadness inside his heart.
They traveled for many weeks over rocky, silent hills and through deep rushing brooks. The days shortened and Gimli found the wind became colder and harsher, even on his rough skin.
Winter was coming.
"Ah, that should be enough to last the night!" Said Gimli, dropping a bundle of firewood onto the rocky ground.
"Are you ok Gimli, the weather must be very cold and it will be colder in the mountains," Legolas shouted over to him. He worried about his friend; unlike elves he felt the harsh stinging of cold air and icy drops of rain.
"Oh yes, I'm perfectly fine laddy!" Gimli called, Legolas laughed at his stubborness.
They slept under the stars that night. "They are beautiful," Gimli exclaimed, staring up at the deep blue sky.
"I remember a night much like this, when I still lived in Mirkwood." Legolas smiled to himself. He turned to Gimli.
"We were having a huge feast under the stars, with music and dancing, it was wonderful."
"I almost kissed her that night, under the stars." He breathed, remembering the wonderful night...
'The beautiful sound of music could be heard throughout the forest, as the Mirkwood elves had their feast under the stars. In the centre of a clearing surrounded by golden trees were the elves, they sat at long silver tables, laiden with food. At one end of the clearing were elven musicians, with their silver harps and wooden flutes.
Sitting at the head of one of the tables was King Thranduil, his silver hair fell over his shoulders. He was dressed in his finest robes, the deep red and shimmering gold made his piercing blue eyes even brighter. On the king's head sat a crown of gold, it glittered with diamonds, rubies and many other precious gems. Beside him was his brother, on his other was Legolas. The elven prince was dressed in sparkling silver robes, his golden hair was not braided but held back by a glistening crown, around his head. It was not as regal as his father's; just two strips of silver twisted together, but it was as beautiful.
Legolas longed to speak to Tauriel, he loved her greatly but he knew that she did not. He kept glancing at her every now and again, she was not far from him; she was standing by tall tree, talking to one of her friends.
"Go and talk to her!" Said a chuckling voice.
"Uncle! She doesn't even like me." Said Legolas, annoyed that his uncle had figured out what he had tried so hard to disguise. He looked over to his father, hoping he would tell his brother to be quiet. But he was engaged in conversation with one his friends.
Legolas bit his lip, she was after all the captain of the guard so it wasn't like he never saw her but every time he tried to tell her how he felt he just didn't know what to say. Finally he plucked up the courage to go and talk to her.
"Ok! I will go talk to her." Legolas declared, walking away from his annoying uncle.
He was in luck as he walked, anxiously, over to the she elf; her friend had walked away leaving it easy for Legolas to talk without interruption. 'Right!' He said to himself, looking at the ground 'I will say Tauriel, I really really ahhhoh umm...' He trailed off as he walked right into her!
"Hi." He said. Uuh! He thought to himself, is that all I could think of?!
"I mean, um , you look great!" He blushed as the words tumbled out of his mouth. But it was true; Tauriel wore a long, flowing white and silver dress and her red hair was tied into a single plait behind her, braided with silver flowers.
"Thankyou, I have to go, I- " Tauriel was about to walk away when Legolas grabbed her arm.
"Please, will you dance with me?" He expected her to say no, but to his surprise she agreed.
The musicians had begun to play a sweet melody, and other elves had begun to dance in the moonlit clearing.
Legolas took Tauriel's hand in his and placed his other on her waist, he smiled at her as they danced to the slow, beautiful song. Suddenly it quickened and they danced faster, among the many other elves. Legolas held her close as they moved amoung the other couples of elves, this was a dance the Mirkwood elves knew well. In unison the graceful dancers spun around their partners, catching them in their arms. Tauriel looked up at the prince, she felt a connection with him as their eyes met. He smiled at her, and found herself smiling back.
After the dance had finished they stood together, under the quiet of an old tree. They watched the other dances together, but they didn't speak. Legolas suddenly took Tauriel's pale hands in his and looked deep into her emerald eyes.
"Thank you for the dance, Tauriel." He heard his own voice shaking. Then he pulled her closer, and neared his face to her's, she moved her's closer to his...
"Tauriel?!" A she elf called her name loudly. She quickly pulled away, an almost embarrassed look on her face.
"Sorry, I have to go," she said quietly as she walked over to her friend who had called her name. Legolas stayed, staring at the spot where she had just been, for the rest of the night.'
"She never spoke of that night to anyone, not even me, it was as though it never happened." Gimli looked sadly at his friend, he had suffered so much.
"I'm sure you'll find her again lad," He said comfortingly.
Soon, the pair were sleeping, the stars watching over them.