She doesn't sleep that night. Just lies on her mat, staring upward, feeling slightly empty without the direct light of the stars.
And when the sun crests, she refuses to lay there another second.
She runs. Knows Legolas' sleeping patterns well enough that he won't wake for another quarter hour.
And the wind's in her hair, letting the auburn stands flow behind her.
The tears threaten her eyes, hot and sharp.
And she's inhaling jaggedly, the air piercing and uncomfortably stiff.
So she grits her teeth. Because she's strong. Stronger than these emotions ravaging her body. And slowly she calms.
When she opens her eyes, his blond hair is trembling in the breeze. And he's holding out his hand to her. "Thank you," she whispers, taking the bread he offers. Relishes the feeling of it on her tongue.
"We should keep moving," he says quietly, soothingly.
She stands, brushing away the grime. "Yes, we should." And for the next four hours she tries to avoid conversation, but she can tell he's dying to say something. "What is it?" And she can't stop the cracking of her voice.
Beat.
"Why are we doing this, Tauriel?"
And she knows what he's implying, but she hasn't admitted it to herself yet, let alone out loud.
To him.
Legolas, who might possibly love her with a love she can never return.
"Because it's right," she finally says.
"Damnit Tauriel! You know this isn't about war ravaging Middle Earth! No, no this is about that dwarf-"
"Legolas-"
"You love him, don't you?"
"Legolas don't-"
"I see it in your eyes!"
"Legolas, it's not that simple!"
He doesn't respond right away.
"How do you know he's worth it?"
"Because..." She's at a bit of a loss. "Because it feels right."
He doesn't answer her. Just shifts his pace so she falls behind him.
And when the night grows long, they break again. She refuses to meet his eyes. "Tauriel," he murmurs.
"Don't try to fix this. Not yet." And she's especially proud that she's managed to keep up her trademarked mask. Retreats to her tent.
And tastes the blood from biting her lip to keep her emotions in check.
And later, after sleeping and another day of trekking, they've reached the outskirts of Laketown.
And she can smell the pungent odor of orc. "They've been here," he says.
"I know," she replies.
"Kill them all."
"With pleasure."
She lets the sunlight caress her golden skin. And she hopes with everything she has that the raven-haired dwarf is safe.
They slip carefully along the skirts of the main streets. And it's not long before she hears some sort of a skirmish.
And she's jumping through an open window, Legolas not far behind her. And swiftly kills every single one of them.
A couple of human girls cower in the corner, but she pays them no mind.
Because he's lying there, eyes rolled back into his head, convulsing on the table.
And she feels something inside her break.
