This is legit the longest chapter yet. It's about triple the size of normal. I told some of you some content that would be in this chapter that my muse and I did not end up putting in this one. It will however be in the next and I'm tying in some lore from the book and my own research to try and meld some of the story together more thoroughly. Happy Reading lovelies!

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The next day passed quickly for Tauriel and near the evening meal she received a summons from the king. She made her way to the King's throne pedestal and as she ascended the stairs she realized that Legolas was with his father and immediately felt suspicious. As she crested the last few steps she heard Thranduil's voice, "Ah, Tauriel, thank you for coming."

"Yes, my king." Tauriel bent her head to the King and Prince. "What is it that you wish of me?"

"My son tells me that you have a desire to travel to Dul Goldur and investigate the evil that pours from the fortress and perhaps even lead a force to destroy said evil?"

"I…yes, my king. The forest has started to become dark and it is spreading from that place. You would allow me to do this now? After commanding that no one should go near that place?" She was suspicious of his motives but allowed none of that suspicion to color her tone.

"My son was very persuasive, but before I allow this I want you to patrol the border and do a full sweep of the Mirkwood."

"That will take at least two full days, if not more." Tauriel protested. "Who knows what will happen in that time?"

"Then you should leave as soon as possible, should you not? And if nothing has come to pass until now, I am certain it will not do so in the next few days."

"I will leave in the morning. I request that Legolas be allowed to join me."

"Legolas? Why?" Thranduil did not hide his displeasure at her request.

"He is part of the guard, is he not?" And if you are making me do this menial task I will make it inconvenient as possible for you. She knew that Thranduil did not want her socializing anymore with Legolas but she had no intention of wishing to be courted or to marry him. Denying her would look suspicious to her friend as well and Thranduil would have to come up with an excuse or possibly even a lie to cover up the real reason.

"I will go with her. It is no hardship for me and it will not take long. You wouldn't send your Captain out on a mission that would take her away from you too long, would you?"

"No, of course not. I give you leave to go with Tauriel. And Tauriel, you are dismissed."

Tauriel bowed to Thranduil and took her leave of the father and son. After he could no longer hear her he turned to Legolas. "I have a task for you before your journey. I have reflected upon my orders to imprison the dwarves and have come to the conclusion that if they are together they might come up with a plan to escape in such close quarters. I want half of them moved to cells on the other side of the city. And space the remainder further apart."

"Would they not attempt to escape during the transfer?"

"They could, excellent point. I will have the food drugged as to put them to sleep. The transfer should be simple enough then and they would have no recollection of where they were taken so escaping would not be so uncomplicated."

"Yes, father. I will see to it gladly."

Thranduil inclined his head in answer to his son, "This also might help Thorin to come to the correct decision about our people's heirlooms."

Legolas nodded and turned from his father and as he was about to walk away his father's voice caused him to turn around, "And Legolas. My guards tell me that Tauriel has been going to the prisoners nearly every night since they have arrived. Do you know why? She has no need to venture down there so often."

Legolas's first instinct was to tell his father about the dwarf, but he quickly decided against it. Thranduil had the dwarf in his captivity and save torture or starvation would do nothing to him. Tauriel on the other hand would face punishment and that was not what Legolas wanted for her. He did not wish for her to lose face, position or face possible banishment for socializing such as she had with a dwarf. His father did not look kindly onto things that might be perceived as disloyalty even though Legolas himself did not think she would be disloyal. "No. I do not."

Thranduil regarded him with his cold stare, "Very well. I want you to find out why she has been doing this. Whatever the reason, bring the information to me and I shall decide if it is worth further action."

Legolas nodded at his father and took his leave of him. Perhaps he could dissuade her from her current path. He cared for her and did not wish to see her punished or possibly even hurt from her association with the dwarf.

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Tauriel ran the washcloth over her skin with efficient strokes while soaking in the bath. If she was to go about the entire forest in a time wasting task she would be clean for it. She leaned back into the warm tub and sighed, placing the washcloth on the side of the tub. At least she would be in good company with Legolas, even though she would be upset…yes, upset…Tauriel pondered this new feeling and wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing to feel this way. She would be upset at leaving for two days because it would keep her from her prisoner. And now she wondered if Kili will be upset at the news as well but she was going to find out soon.

The elf submerged her head underneath the warm water then sat back up, letting her long hair fan out around her. Tauriel studied the dark red locks as they moved gently in the water while she thought about the color, or rather what Kili had said about the color. She felt her cheeks warm as she recalled his words that were much like a simple kind of poetry. He found her attractive, attractive enough that he would try and court and compliment her without expecting to receive anything in return. His manner was not one of deception but earnest enjoyment and no one had ever been so candid with her. Her promotion to Captain above others had not won her any friends but as elves they still respected and followed her as a leader even if most of them thought that she didn't deserve the honor. Sometimes she did not either.

She stood up out of the tub and wrapped her body with a soft towel before stepping onto the cool floor and walking over to the clothes that she had laid out onto her bed. The green forest garb that she wore every single day stared back at her and again Kili's words flowed through her mind like a tune one could not rid themselves of. She had many of the same outfit as all she usually did was patrol or go about the King's palace and had no need of more elegant outfits most of the time. But she did have them and she had found a possible reason to wear one now and that brought her to her closet and pick a dress, one that was still green, for she had only purples, whites, blues and greens in dresses.

As she pulled the silken material over her head it felt odd against her skin, and almost like she was wearing nothing at all. It felt illicit and intimate and like she should not go out in public with such clothing on. She had a preference to her tight fitting armor but she could see the appeal that many of the elven ladies had to such garments.

She couldn't hide the smile as she turned in the mirror. He would be surprised tonight.

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Kili's eyes were drifting shut as he stared out of the grated cell door. It was getting late and he was tired. He was growing concerned again that she wouldn't come and that concerned him. This was supposed to be a fun and slightly frivolous thing that they were doing and getting feelings involved complicated things in ways that he didn't think either of them were ready for.

The dark haired dwarf was about to shut his eyes when a shadow fell over the light of his cell and he jumped up, spotting a cloaked figure in front of him, "Who are….you…." His voice faded off as the figure flipped back the hood to the cloak and a familiar face appeared from underneath it. With practiced hands the clasp over the cloak was undone and the dark, heavy fabric pool at the figure's feet. "Oh." Kili's eyes grew wide and his jaw opened in a fool's manner as he stared at the figure.

The elf's hair was completely loose and flowed around her face and shoulders in a river of light red that patterned over the dark green gown made of silk. The gown itself dipped in the front to expose her collarbones and the tops of her shoulders where the fabric was clasped together with silver and green leaf broaches. The sleeves were nonexistent as the clasps held the pieces of sheer fabric that exposed her arms and fell to each side which ended at the hem of the dress that barely covered her feet which were bare and cool on the stone floor.

Tauriel watched the dwarf's eyes light up and widen at her before they started a slow descent down her body and ended at her feet before going back up and settling on her face. He blinked once, twice, and then a third time before he realized that his jaw was open like some sort of mutt staring at a piece of meat and he closed it with a thud that was barely unable to be heard. "Tauriel?" Even though it was a statement, there was also a question to his tone.

"Yes, Kili?"

"What did you do?" His voice and manner came across as distracted and he had not taken his eyes off of her since she revealed herself and it was starting to make her feel self-conscious as she felt her face begin to warm at his careful perusal.

"Nothing. I always look like this."

Kili's expression, which had begun to relax suddenly turned into something else as a small grin started to form, "And it's still green." The grin that had tugged at the corners of his mouth turned into a full smirk as his eyes filled with mischief.

Tauriel resisted the entirely childish urge to stick her tongue out at him, but only barely. "But it's different."

"I know." And it makes you look incredibly beautiful. But he held his tongue. "I thought all you owned was armor and only one outfit as well." He stepped closer to the gate as he continued to look her over. I would bet her skin is as soft as the dress looks. It glows like the full moon.

Tauriel watched his body language carefully. He stared at her like a potential lover would, not with the jovial nature of a friend. But surely that could not be because she was an elf, not a dwarf maid. "Do you like it?"

"You look very nice….for an elf that is." He said the last part lightly, jokingly.

"That was almost a compliment, dwarf." Tauriel's tone was also light and teasing. "I'm curious then what applies as beauty to you. What do dwarven females look like?" Tauriel was curious and it diverted the conversation for a time where they could look at each other under the pretense of conversation.

Kili chuckled, "I have a lot of people ask that, more Men than you would believe actually. Most of them think we spring up from the ground fully formed."

"Who would think that? One must always be born, even orcs are born, as vile as they are."

"I think so too, but dwarrow maids look much like dwarves, but more feminine. They have all the parts that you do but just with a dwarven flourish to them."

Tauriel chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "Dwarven flourish?"

"Hush, woman. I don't know any other way to put it." He chided her with a finger and paused before continuing, "The only difference between the race of man and dwarves as to females is the fact that dwarven females grow beards after becoming an adult."

"Beards?" Tauriel gaped, "Surely that's just a tale."

"Some of the eldest dwarrowdams have beards like our male elders and sometimes you can't tell the difference. Some women can't wait until they can grow their own beards; it's a symbol of age."

"Is that true for all dwarves? Beard size for age?"

"Most of the time yes, the dwarves with the longest, thickest beards are often older but sometimes younger dwarves can grow such beards in little time and elder dwarves can grow beards no longer than a pinky, and some choose to keep their beards short though they could have it longer."

Tauriel observed Kili's facial hair, "You are young then?"

"I'm an adult," Kili objected, "I'm just not efficient at growing my own beard yet." A topic that was somewhat sore for Kili and he had been able to come on this trip by barely a few months. If he had been but a month younger his mother would have forbidden him and he did not wish to have had that argument with her.

"I see. So why does no one see dwarven females then?"

"Most of the time they are mistaken for men, but we dwarves like to keep the women close. Only about a third of all dwarves are females. Father's covet daughters and some of them find themselves betrothed to a wealthy husband before they turn one year old. But some choose not to marry at all, instead finding time for a craft rather than a family."

"So being a prince you must have a betrothed already, yes?"

"Ha." Kili snorted, "No. I'm not ready to get married and settle down, maybe someday but definitely not right now. Besides that, I will never get a woman without a proper beard."

"I see."

"Well if I ever do get married it will probably be for politics."

"Politics? What about love?" Tauriel was puzzled at the idea of not loving the person you married. For elves marriage and love were sacred and celebrated in unions. To not love your partner was something of an impossibility.

"Love? If I'm lucky we will fall in love, but it's not about love when you have royal blood in you. I have to marry someone who might be a queen one day when we get back Erebor. I'm third in line but if both my Uncle and brother die without an heir I will be the next king." Kili explained in a matter-of-fact way.

Tauriel knew about the sting of being unacceptable for marriage to royalty. "You don't want to be king." It was a statement, not a question that came next. He did not seem eager at the prospect of more power like she had been told about most dwarves.

"Not really. I love my brother and uncle and for me to be king both of them would have to be dead and that is something I would never want, but that's really an impossible wish because I know that everyone dies eventually, even elves." His smile changed from untroubled to grim but only for a moment then the grim look disappeared just as quickly.

Every instinct in Tauriel rose to the surface to reach out and touch him, but she held back and just as she was about to try to offer words of comfort she was cut off.

His smile did not quite reach his eyes when he spoke again. "So what about you? Any husband or suitor or betrothed?" She had asked him first and it was only right he gather such information about her as well. Not that he wanted to know…not at all….It was only for conversation. Not.

Tauriel shook her head, "No and even if I wanted to, most of my kind does not marry after a certain age, although it is possible to do so."

"How old are you that marriage would be unlikely?"

"Most elves who will marry do so around the age of one hundred or so and as to my age I've been told that it is very rude to ask how old a woman is." She chided.

"It is rude, shameful even, you know." But he sounded and looked quite unrepentant as he looked her up and down again, "Should I guess?"

"If you wish, but I don't think you will."

"1,500."

Tauriel gaped at him, "That's the first number you guess? That's closer to Legolas's age than mine."

"Higher, lower?" He grinned at her glare.

"Shameful." She laughed, despite her glare, and his answering grin made her heart quicken.

"3000, but don't' think I should guess anymore from the way you look, even though I don't see any weapons on you I think you might stab me with something. You elves are immortal and you all look the same after a while, even if you are 4,000 years old. Dwarves and Men look old when they are old, so it's really unfair or me to have to guess."

"Unfair? Well, if you must know I'm only 600 years old."

"Only? You've already lived two dwarven lifetimes."

"Our king is considerably older than that. Many of the elves were alive during the War of the Last Alliance against Sauron, though most did not return from that."

"Elven familial lines are not long."

"Many elven lines are only three or four generations."

"Dwarves have long familial lines and we are taught to memorize them from the time we are able to talk. If you ask any dwarf their patriarchal line they will tell you without pause or break the entire line back to the first dwarf male." Kili sounded proud of that fact.

"Could you tell me yours?"

"How much time do you have? It would take a while. I have many ancestors."

Tauriel looked at the sky and made a distressed sound, "Not long. In fact I should have been gone long before now."

"How is it that you can come down here whenever you wish and not be punished for it?"

"There is no guard, at least not tonight. They don't see you escaping any time soon and your cell is in a place that a guard cannot see easily. I am also the Captain of the Guard and may go where I wish."

"How is that? From the way you speak you are very young for such an important position."

"I shall tell you, but not tonight. I must get back before they do see me. I should not be walking around talking to dwarven prisoners in such attire."

"But it is a nice piece of attire. You should wear dresses more often." The compliment came easily to Kili as he smiled at her while the urge to touch her welled up once again but he quelled it and stepped back from her.

"You can't fight very well in a dress." Tauriel felt her heart quicken again and admonished the organ in question within her mind.

"I think you could make it work."

"I do not and it will not be something that you see me do, ever. Losto vae, Kili." Just as she was about to turn away she glanced back at him, "I will not be coming to see you for a few nights. I have business outside the city."

Kili nodded and Tauriel disappeared from his sight, "Goodnight, Tauriel." He called after her. He did not ask what those elvish words meant but he had gathered the general idea of them He picked up the hunk of cheese from his plate and bit into it, wondering why he hadn't done so before. It was going to be a long few days.

Tauriel passed by the cells one by one and found sleeping dwarves in them all but one. Thorin Oakenshield was staring out of his cell and his eyes landed on her with curiosity beneath contempt. His eyes glanced over her open cloak and dress. He looked as if he was about to speak but she fled before he could begin. Kili clearly did not share his uncle's pure undisguised hatred of elves but she feared for him if his uncle were to really know about his association with her. But from the way he was really looking at her maybe he already did.

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Tauriel pulled on her swords and bow as she exited her home and found Legolas waiting for her, "Shall we go, nethig?"

Tauriel nodded and they approached the gates together with a small company of elves following. "Standard patrol." She announced to them as they exited the gates. "Can you keep up einior anu?" She asked Legolas before the started to move faster, leaving the elven city and its prisoners behind.

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Nethig-little sister

Old man- einior anu

Losto vae-sleep well

Tell me what you think! The next chapter will have Tauriel and Thorin speaking. I was going to fit in this one but I didn't want to put too much in here. And also some Tauriel and Legolas stuff as well. Happy weekend!