Chapter 4

TA 2941

Legolas supervised as the Dwarves were brought into the cells. The leader of the group had been taken to his father for questioning, while the others were to be kept here until further notice.

The guard in front of him grumbled. "This one's still got weapons," he muttered in Elvish. He removed a small sword from the Dwarf's coat and shoved him into a cell.

Legolas heard the sound of gates creaking shut ringing through his ears. It had been a long time since they'd had this many prisoners in the cells.

Then he saw something strange. Tauriel having a small conversation with one of the Dwarves.

"Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers." Legolas picked up a hint of something in his voice that certainly wasn't just a question.

"Or nothing." Tauriel responded, shutting his cage door closed. The Dwarf stuck his head between the bars, longingly gazing at Tauriel as she walked away.

Legolas bristled. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all. It seemed too much like banter to him.

"Why does the Dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?" Legolas asked her in Elvish so that the Dwarf would not overhear.

"Who can say?" she responded, back in Elvish. She suddenly got a strange look on her face, and would not meet Legolas's eyes. "He's quite tall for a Dwarf. Do you not think?"

"Taller than some…" Legolas responded, "but no less ugly."

If he didn't know better, he would have said that Tauriel rolled her eyes. "I have to meet with your father, Legolas. He wishes to speak to me after he talks with the Dwarf. But I suspect it shall be awhile."

"Then come join us in celebration, Tauriel. I know you weren't planning to, but you should come. Really."

"Perhaps I will."

But Legolas knew that tone of voice. She wasn't planning to.

.

The celebration was marvelous. All the greatest food in Mirkwood compiled into one room. The most beautiful music resonating against the walls. The chatter and laughter as the Elves celebrated.

Legolas had convinced Tauriel to come. He had to practically beg her. She probably would not have come otherwise. But she enjoyed herself; Legolas could see it. She talked, she laughed. Her eyes sparkled, her laugh rang like a soft bell. Her hair shined in the light of the halls. She was probably the most beautiful thing he had set his eyes on.

"Have you met with my father yet?" Legolas asked after she had recovered from someone's joke, genuinely curious.

Her eyes hardened. "Yes, I have."

"What did he have to say?"

"He asked for my report of today's patrol. He wasn't too happy about the reports of more spiders. And he wasn't willing to go beyond our borders to destroy them at the source." She pursed her lips, unwilling to say more on the subject.

But Legolas, naturally perceptive, knew that wasn't all. There was something else, something that she wasn't telling him. He wasn't going to pry her for the information.

"Here, have another ale." He passed another cup towards Tauriel and picked up one for himself. He raised it, in some form of a toast. "To the best Guard Captain I have ever known, who can drive spiders from the kingdom without a hair out of place, and can still be the greatest friend."

Seeming a bit reluctant, Tauriel clinked her ale to his and took a drink, a hesitant smile coming to her lips.

.

"Tauriel? Tauriel, where are you?"

He had turned away for one minute and she was gone. He pardoned himself from the group he was with and went off to go find her. But even though he searched the room, every nook and cranny, he could not find her. She was gone. She must have slipped away from the celebration.

He sighed. He should've known something like this would happen. Tauriel was a carefree Elf and loved the little things, but she was not one for parties.

Wherever she may be, Legolas decided to go find her, even if only to ask her why she left. He made sure no one was watching; everyone was too busy with their conversations and festivities to notice him slip out the door.

The halls of Mirkwood were eerily quiet. Muffled behind doors, the chatter and laughter penetrated the air. Legolas took a deep breath. Where would Tauriel go to be alone, to think? His first thought was outside, and she certainly would go there, were it not for the threat of more spiders. He would check outside if he could not find her inside.

First he went to her chambers. He felt strange heading there without invitation, as if he was invading her privacy. But he would knock. If she was there, she would understand.

But the door to her chambers was open, and she was not inside. Her room was pristine, neat, as if no one ever went inside. Tauriel was not very fond of staying inside. She preferred to be active, to be in nature. Even so, Legolas did not dare venture inside.

He passed by and rounded a corner, ducking into other rooms to check for her. Where could she be?

On his way toward the armory, he passed the cell block where the prisoners were being held. He didn't expect to hear much from them; it was past the point of anger and screaming; most of them were sulking. At least, that was what it was for prisoners in his experience.

But he heard something from the cells. Voices. Voices talking. At first he was simply confused, but then he heard a female voice and alarms went off in his head. There were no female Dwarves in the group they'd brought in. Someone else was in there with them, and he had a sinking feeling he knew who it was.

Footsteps not making any noise, he slunk into the cell block. As he approached, he could pick out individual words, and eventually he could hear the entire conversation. They were discussing stars. Stars.

He rounded the corner. It was as he feared. Tauriel, talking with the young dark-haired Dwarf who had been staring at her earlier. And they were talking about the stars. Legolas felt a pang. The stars were their thing.

Then he heard Tauriel chuckle. That's when it hit him. Not only were they talking to each other, they were flirting. Flirting. He could hear their tone; playful, intent on listening to what the other had to say.

Legolas felt his heart being stabbed a thousand times over.

.

He couldn't bear to stand there any longer. He listened to enough of their conversation to know that his heart was no longer in one piece; it was in two, or perhaps five or six. As quiet as he entered, he left, not wanting to deal with anything or anyone.

He needed to let off steam. He couldn't go back to the festivities; he was no longer in the mood, and he didn't want to have to explain himself to anyone. Instead, he went to the armory, picked up his bow, and slipped outside. Trudging through the leaves, he went looking for a target. Any moving thing would become his prey. He was deadly with a bow.

He saw movement. His keen eyes focused in on it. Stalking it, he advanced, bow outstretched, ready to take it down.

It moved again, coming closer. He stopped, still as a tree, readying himself for the right shot.

"Legolas."

He relaxed. It was only Tauriel. Possibly the last person he wanted to see right now.

"Tauriel."

"What is the matter? Why have you vanished off into the woods?"

Legolas did not feel obligated to answer. "Why did you follow me?"

"I was worried."

Legolas finally brought himself to look at her. "Why did you come looking for me?"

"I took a small break from the festivities, and when I went back I was told that you had left. So I figured you'd be here."

Legolas couldn't help but smile. "You know me well, Tauriel."

"Well enough to know when there is something wrong," Tauriel said. She took a step closer. "Tell me."

He felt conflicted. He didn't know what to say to her. He most certainly didn't want to reveal his true feelings, not at the current moment. "Why were you talking to that Dwarf?" He figured this was the safest question to ask.

A look of betrayal entered her eyes. "You followed me?"

"I saw you were gone, and I went to find you," Legolas answered. "Now answer me."

This time, it was Tauriel who would not meet Legolas's eyes. "The Dwarf intrigues me. He is sweet and kind, though reckless and arrogant. And he has plenty of stories to tell. Have you never wanted to learn about Dwarf culture, Legolas? It is so very different from ours, yet so interesting."

A stone settled in the pit of his stomach. No, he had never wanted to learn about Dwarf culture. He had never wanted to learn anything about Dwarves. Yet here he was.

His throat tightening, he noticed the gleam in Tauriel's eyes when she spoke of the Dwarf.

It was the same look his father's eyes got when he spoke of his mother.

Legolas smiled. He understood now.

There wasn't a thing he could do about it.

"Come, Tauriel," he said, trying his hardest to prevent his voice from cracking. "Let's head back. If we're out too long, they'll come looking for us."