Chapter 7

"Tauriel, come with me".

Thranduil grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards him just before she took the turn that led to her chambers.

She looked at him with a startle, and then glanced around for passers-by. Thankfully, there was none.

"Thranduil?" she uttered with a slightly creased forehead, wondering whether there was any reason she should feel alerted.

"Come with me", he repeated. "I cannot stand the air here. It is stifling; it suffocates me. Walk with me to the rampart".

She examined his face. He looked distraught and unwell. "Alright", she assented.

Soon the two elves were outside the mountain and standing on a high but narrow terrace that overlooked the valley. The lit torches of Dale were visible in the distance, for it was dark already, and the stars were shining up in the sky.

"I could find no rest after the meeting", he confessed and leaned against the cold wall. A chill wind was blowing, tousling their hair and causing stray strands to fall on their faces. "It was disastrous", he sighed.

Tauriel looked around before moving close to him. There was only a dwarven guard at the far end of the rampart, and he was facing away from them, apparently very disinterested in their presence. Feeling quite safe, she brought her body close to his and raised her hand to push the hair from his face.

"I know. I hope it will be better tomorrow", she murmured.

He took a deep breath. "I needed the air. I needed to breathe. This place is killing me, Tauriel. There is so much hate here, so much animosity… and so much memory…" he muttered and turned his eyes to the sky. "Why can we not be free of burden and sorrow? Why must our lives be dark and ruled by evil?" he whispered hopelessly into the night.

"Our lives are not ruled by evil", Tauriel countered.

"Oh, but they are! We live under the constant presence of the Shadow. It has forced us to abandon our forest and retreat into caves like rats… We plan our lives and make our decisions with the fear of evil in our hearts. We will never be free from its claws", he lamented and hung his head. He was almost brought to tears.

"No, mell nin, no… Evil may be present, but it controls neither our lives nor our decisions. Light does. Our free spirits do. And this is why we choose to fight back, and never yield", she spoke fervently, touching and squeezing his arm lightly.

He lifted his eyes and took in her image. She looked like a mirage at that hour, with the light of the stars captured in her emerald eyes and her wild reddish hair dancing around her shoulders with the wind.

Could it be that she was right?

He reached and barely touched the outline of her form with his fingertips, as if he was afraid not to disrupt the vision before him, and it was gone from his eyes.

"Tauriel…" he breathed.

"I am here, my love", she spoke softly and took a step closer to him. "Do not be afraid. You must not lose heart now… We all look to you for strength and courage. And you have never failed us", she told him with a small smile and came closer still, allowing his arms to wound about her body, and herself to disappear in his embrace.

"And who do I look to for strength and courage?" he murmured in her hair and kissed the top of her head. She lifted her eyes and gave him an inquiring look. "You, my love", he answered his own question. "It is your love and your warmth that keeps me going, that gives me hope and fuels my determination. Had it not been for your presence in my life, I would still be a cold and detached King, safe in the confines of his halls and uninterested in the fate of the world".

Tauriel brought her elegant fingers to lightly trace the line of his jaw. "You give yourself so little credit, Thranduil. Our love is perhaps healing your tortured heart, but the decisions you make are yours and yours alone".

"Not perhaps", he noted, and his eyes bore deeply into hers.

A small smile arose on Tauriel's face, and then she rested her head in the crook of his neck. "Hush now… No more dark thoughts. We are gifted with a moment of peace, so let us cherish it", she whispered.

He held her in his embrace, and they stayed like that for a while, neither of them wishing to speak a word, for they were simply content in each other's arms.

Then Thranduil lifted his face. "You spoke well to Dain. Had it not been for your intervention, I know not how this meeting would have ended".

"He listened to me, fortunately. You were right in your decision to invite me along", she said and smiled, caressing his cheek.

He nodded, and then sighed. "I lost my patience with that dwarf. I meant not to, but he kept provoking me since the moment I stepped foot inside that accursed mountain of his! And the dinner yesterday was a nightmare…"

"Indeed it was", Tauriel agreed, but for entirely different reasons.

Thranduil looked at her carefully. "I noticed you looked distraught after the dinner, but I could not speak to you openly in the presence of others. And when we all parted to retreat to our rooms, you bid me just a hasty goodnight, and then you were gone…" There was love and concern in his eyes, and Tauriel inwardly wished that he would not ask her why she had behaved like that. But he did. "I wished to come to you later, but you seemed as if you did not want to be disturbed, and I chose to stay in my room. And today I meant to ask you what happened, but the dealings of the day took their toll on me. Forgive me for not tending to you earlier, my love".

"There is nothing to forgive, Thranduil".

"Come now, tell me why you were so sorrowful yesterday. Had any insolent dwarf insulted you?" he asked.

Not an insolent dwarf, but an insolent elf, she thought bitterly. But instead of replying to him right away, she disentangled herself from his embrace and paced towards the edge of the rampart. The dwarf guard was still at his position; he had not moved an inch, and in the dark he truly looked like a statue.

Thranduil's arms suddenly felt empty and cold. He looked at her with worry, and slowly walked over to her. "Meleth nin?" he spoke softly. "Will you not talk to me?" he asked and placed a caring hand on her shoulder.

Tauriel gazed into the distance, refraining from replying right away. Their forest, their home, could be seen from here as a massive dark shadow that expanded to the southwest. She contemplated whether to tell him of the incident or not. Initially, she had decided not to. But here he was, expressing so much love and concern, and she was reminded of her own words, that they should share everything.

"No… It was no dwarf that insulted me. I just had a disagreement with Tinuven", she finally confessed, slightly turning her body towards him so that she could face him.

"Tinuven?" Thranduil's brow furrowed. "What was it about?"

"He was displeased that I spoke with some dwarves, that was all", she said and shrugged, not wishing to tell him all of the truth.

"Ah, he dislikes dwarves, I know that. But what did he tell you to frustrate you so?" he insisted, and Tauriel began feeling a measure of discomfort.

"Nothing important", she replied and made to rid herself from his touch.

His hand hovered in mid-air for a second before he lowered it. He knew not why she turned from him, and it pained him. "Tauriel…" he whispered her name.

She looked at him from over her shoulder, and saw the hurt in his eyes. With a sigh she returned to him and rested her head against his shoulder. "I am sorry", she muttered.

Thranduil brought his hand to caress her hair, holding her until her heart was calm again. "It is alright if you do not wish to talk about it", he murmured.

She shook her head. "You need not worry. It is nothing worthy of your concern".

"I believe you", he said. "But if it becomes something I should concern myself with, then please do not hesitate to talk to me".

Tauriel nodded. "Thank you".

"Oh my sweet love… It is I, who should thank you". With that he bent his head and kissed her forehead.

Tauriel smiled up at him, and looking into his eyes made her heart feel a little lighter.

"Let us go inside… It is late, and it is cold out here", she whispered.

He agreed, and the two elves soon disappeared into the dark mountain.


The session of the following day started in milder tones and more controlled manners. All participants were seated in the same seats as the previous day and waited for the dwarven King to speak.

"Alas, yesterday we all forgot our manners and things went awry. I ask of you all today to keep your calm. Let us begin now", he stated in a loud voice.

Prince Thorin stood and took the floor. "The King of the Woodland Realm made a proposition to us yesterday", he started, glancing around at the gathered elves and dwarves. "You spoke of war and evil brewing in the south, Elvenking", he went on, directing his words to Thranduil now. "What more have you to say about it? What is there to know of Dol Guldur that we may ignore as of yet?"

Pleased with the civilized manners of Dain's son, Thranduil replied thus:

"We once had our capital atop Amon Lanc, the hill which you know today as Dol Guldur. But our people suffered great losses during the battle of Dagorlad, and we were forced to retreat to the northern parts of the wood. Later, Sauron made his residence in the old fortress under the guise of the Necromancer, and he corrupted the forest. After he had been expelled, three of the Nazgul returned and resumed command of the forces there. Ever since their power has been growing, because the power of the Dark Lord himself is growing in Mordor. A dark Shadow has fallen over what was once called Greenwood, forcing us to live our lives away from the light, to become suspicious of outsiders, and to fight daily against orcs and spiders".

Thranduil made a pause here. His expression had grown solemn and thoughtful, for it pained him greatly to recount the fate and travails of his land. The dwarves were looking at him, but no one attempted to mock or even interrupt him. Then the Elvenking spoke on.

"Your kind knows very well what suffering and destruction means. You have once been violently chased from your home. You know what it means to lose what is rightfully yours", he said passionately, and the dwarves nodded and looked at one another.

As we know what it means to see your so-called friends and allies turn your back to you and refuse to help you in your most dire hour. I will not forget what you did to my kin, you treacherous elf, thought Dain bitterly and shook his head.

"If we allow Dol Guldur to grow uninhibited, the same thing will happen again, sooner or later", Thranduil went on. "And it will happen to all of us. But there will be neither home nor treasure to reclaim afterwards, for it will have all been lost forever".

He paused again, waiting for comments and reactions. Seeing that none would come, Dain waved his hand. "Go on, Elvenking. Say what you will".

He nodded, inhaling deeply before speaking. "Many of you know me already, and may have known me for decades or more. You are aware of my reluctance to engage in wars that are waged beyond my borders", he said, selecting a different and unusual approach, which, nonetheless, attracted the attention of everyone immediately.

Unless you want to get your hands on treasure that is not yours, Elvenking, thought the dwarven King, but managed to keep with thoughts to himself no matter how much he wished to spit these words to that arrogant elf's face right now.

"But I must admit that my reasoning has been partially erroneous and fruitless", Thranduil said, momentarily closing his eyes and slightly bending his head.

Dain shifted in his seat, not having anticipated such an expression of humility and an admission of error from the Elvenking. What was that elf trying to do? Now he knew not what to expect next, and murmurs of wonderment arose amongst the dwarves. Even the elves exchanged a few surprised glances beneath raised brows.

"For we are not alone in this world, and we cannot survive on our own, cut-off from the rest and isolated", Thranduil continued. "We are already allies in terms of trade and commerce, as well as in the face of a common threat. Well, let me inform you that this threat has presented itself, and it is lurking in the shadows, waiting for the opportune time to attack us. It waits for us to fall in dissension and discord, to wage wars against each other, and then all it will have to do is extend its black hand, reap the fruit of our foolishness, and erase our existence from the face of this earth", Thranduil warned. "I wish to clarify that I do not seek to start a war without reason. I only seek to take advantage of the narrow space of time before our enemy is ready to launch his assault, and attack him first. In that light, I once more ask for your military allegiance and contribution to our cause", he finally concluded his speech and sat back in his chair. He took a deep breath and exhaled, not having realized till now the anxiety he felt deep inside.

Tauriel looked at him and gave him an encouraging smile. Her eyes were shining with pride and love for him. She had just seen a different Thranduil, a different King, one who sought to fight for the common good, and who was willing to look beyond his own personal ambition and prejudice. Thranduil locked eyes with her for a brief moment, feeling an invisible but strong wave of energy surging between them, connecting them and empowering them, and he even managed to smile faintly.

Oblivious to the elven spiritual goings – not that he would care much, were he able to witness them – Dain tapped his thick fingers on the armrest of his chair, looking deep in thought, as he was contemplating how to respond. After a while he sat upright and cleared his voice, while his eyes gleamed with a peculiar light. "Well then, what they say of the wisdom of the elves is not entirely untrue, after all. You spoke well, Elvenking, I give you that. If you, an isolationist, an arrogant woodland King, who looks down upon everyone else, cannot turn a blind eye to Dol Guldur, and have come up here to warn us and rally us to your cause, then it means there is some serious stuff indeed going on in that old fortress".

Thranduil nodded, choosing to ignore the offensive words Dain's reply contained, for it sounded like he had been at last persuaded. A small smile crept upon his lips, and his eyes were lit with anticipation, as he waited for the dwarven King to speak on.

"Thank you for the warning and the consideration of our welfare. I vow that your courtesy will never be forgotten. We shall make sure Erebor is ready. And I wish you good luck with your cause", Dain said, and even smiled self-contentedly at Thranduil.

Thranduil was stricken speechless for a moment; his brow twitched, his lips parted slightly and his mind raced. What had that dwarf just said?

"What is the meaning of this, lord Dain?" he demanded, now seething inside with anger.

"I spoke clearly. I wish you good luck with your cause, for it is noble indeed", Dain repeated with pretended grace and kindness.

Dwalin and Thorin turned to their King and gave him questioning looks, for they had believed he would have agreed to join the elves' campaign.

"My lord father, this is-" the Prince began, but was interrupted by Dain's raised hand.

"No more words, Thorin".

"Lord Dain! This elf speaks right!" Dwalin bellowed in his deep voice and stood from his seat.

"Do you dare question my authority?" An enraged Dain sprang up and pointed his finger threateningly at his cousin.

"No! I would never presume to do so! I only ask of you to listen to reason!" he cried. "I was here when Erebor fell to the flames of Smaug, and this elf turned his back to our pain and suffering, refusing to help us. And I was captured and thrown into his dungeons together with Thorin Oakenshield, when our company strayed into his black and twisted woods on our way to reclaim our homeland! So I know very well the courtesy of this Elvenking, and there is little love in my heart for him", Dwalin went on, having gained the attention of everyone. "I am telling you this, my King, so that you know my next words are dictated by reason and not sympathy towards the elves. But for his previous conduct, for once Thranduil speaks right. Will we leave the battles to the elves, and cower inside our halls? We are dwarves! We are sons of Durin! We cannot sit idly here, while the elves fight the Shadow for the sake of all of us!" he roared. For even though he was blunt in his ways and held a strong dislike for elves, Dwalin was a noble, brave and very loyal dwarf, who did not hesitate to confront his King, if he thought his decisions were not in the best interest of the dwarves or did not honor their kind.

"Father, this would be shameful for all dwarves!" young Thorin joined in, encouraged by his uncle's bold comments.

"What is this? An uprising? How dare you defy me!" shouted Dain at the top of his lungs, and his voice echoed in the vast chamber.

Chaos ensued then, with the rest of the dwarves of the council taking sides and joining in the upheaval. The elves stood, preparing to make their exit as soon as their King signaled for them to do so.

"End of the session! Do you hear me? I will not suffer your insolence! I declare these negotiations on hiatus until I decide otherwise!" bellowed Dain frantically. "Remove yourselves from my sight! All of you! Now! Now I said!"

Thus ended another disastrous and fruitless meeting between elves and dwarves. So much for King Dain's initial call for civility.


Dain's rage lasted for several days, as it was wont with dwarves to happen, in the course of which he refused to see or speak to any elf. He would only hold private auditions with his kin, during which they supposedly tried to work out their own disagreements, so that the dwarves could present themselves to the elves under a common banner and not appear inconsistent or even ridiculous.

But these days were long and dreary and pointless for the elves, for they lingered idly in Erebor, waiting for the dwarven King's mood to change. Moreover, these were the last days of winter, and instead of being outside and enjoying nature's rebirth, the elves were confined inside a cold and dark and inhospitable mountain.

But the apparent inertia on the dwarves' side gave the elves the chance to work out their own issues as well. One of these days, Tauriel decided to speak to lady Meduithel about the matter that bothered her.

After asking several guards for directions and information, she found the lady wandering around the internal courtyard of Erebor, which also happened to include a very pretty garden. Who knew such wonderful things could exist inside a mountain?

Tauriel entered through an arched gate, and her eyes marveled at the sight before her. The garden was walled all around, but it was large and beautiful. Various trees, plants and flowers grew in the flowerbeds, and there were wide stone-paved paths in-between them. A natural spring was also to be found, and the dwarves had shaped it beautifully with ledges of black marble. This place was a breath of life for the elf, whose fea longed to be reunited with nature.

She approached the lady, who was seated on a marble bench and holding a book in her hands, her attention seemingly fixed on its pages. She was wearing a deep blue dress and had her hair done up, with loose curls framing her elegant face.

"My lady Meduithel… Good morning", Tauriel greeted her softly.

The black-haired elleth lifted her eyes and smiled gently. "Tauriel… What a pleasant surprise".

The Captain lingered in hesitation for a moment. "I hope I am not disturbing you, my lady".

"Not at all. Come, sit with me", Meduithel invited her.

Tauriel did as she was told and took a seat on the bench beside her.

"Is this not a nice place? A marvel, I would call it", the lady soliloquized. "The lush trees and flowers revive my spirit, and the beams of the sun, faint and dim though they are, warm my heart and rekindle my hope".

"Yes, my lady. It is a welcome oddity, this garden in the mountain", Tauriel agreed.

Then Meduithel looked at the book in her hand, running her fingertips gently over the surface of the open page. "The dwarves have a library as well. It is not extensive or very sophisticated, and there is nothing written in their secret language, mind you… They would never risk Khuzdul being picked up by outsiders. But there is some interesting literature in the westron tongue. This particular book describes the variety of flora in Erebor", she described and smiled again. But then she set the book aside, her face resumed a more serious expression, and she looked at Tauriel. "Tell me now, why have you come to me? For I sense there is a purpose in your coming, and it is not merely idle chat that you seek".

Tauriel took a deep breath. "You are right, my lady. I came here, because I wished to talk to you of something that is troubling me, and I would ask for your opinion and advice".

Meduithel nodded. "I am listening, child".

"It concerns lord Tinuven. He seems to be cross with me lately, for reasons I cannot fully comprehend".

She then proceeded to recount the events of the lunch in the woods, the dinner in Erebor, and a few other occurrences of lesser importance that had transpired between them. At the end of the narration, Meduithel seemed thoughtful.

"Why does he behave like that, when I have never harmed him?" Tauriel wondered with traces of hurt in her tone.

The councilor sighed. "You must understand that Tinuven is very loyal to the King and the realm. Everything he says is not out of malice, but precaution. Still, he is often rash or harsh, even uncouth, in his ways".

"I understand that. I, too, am sometimes like that, and my tongue gets ahead of me. But it still does not explain his displeasure towards me", Tauriel said.

"He is distrustful towards you, Tauriel. You had once been called a traitor". Tauriel's face fell as she heard those bitter but true words. "You were granted pardon later, and most of us have forgiven your thoughtless and reckless actions, following our King's example. But it is not so with all of us. Some, like Tinuven, cannot let go of the past so easily. He is hard to forgive and forget. But, I must repeat, he is not malicious. You simply need to give him time to accept you, and I am sure that your future actions will speak louder than any words, and they will make him see that you are not treacherous. He needs deeds to be convinced of your noble intent, and deeds you shall do plenty", Meduithel explained, and gently touched the other elleth's hand.

But Tauriel was not yet fully convinced, for there was something additional troubling her. "I dread the day he will learn of the love I share with the King. If he dislikes me now as it is, he is going to hate me then", she murmured. "He will see me as false, conceited, presumptuous, and prone to trickery. He will never concede that our love is real".

"No, my young elf. It will not be so. We elves are not blind to a love that is real, though peculiar or odd it might seem. True enough, Tinuven may be a little prejudiced at first, but he will soon see your love for what it is, and he will accept and approve of it. As do I. As will everyone", Meduithel replied, soothing Tauriel's worries.

The lady's words brought memories of the past to her mind. Was it not real the love she had shared with Kili? And Thranduil himself came to acknowledge it in the end, but for his initial disregard of it. Because it was real… His words, few and simple, but so powerful and full of meaning, echoed in her head. It was true; the elves were not blind to real love.

Much of her worry was lifted at this realization, and she inwardly blamed herself for having been unable to see it on her own sooner. But she had been certain that Meduithel would lift her veil of blindness and help her understand some things, and there was comfort and relief in that.

"I wish everyone was so wise and insightful as you, my noble lady", Tauriel whispered reverently, deeply moved by Meduithel's words and kindness.

"Wisdom comes with time and experience. But a noble heart is a gift, and you possess one such", the lady responded.

Tears of emotion arose in Tauriel's eyes. "I hope I prove worthy of your trust and kindness", she uttered in a breathy voice.

"You will", came the simple but assured response.

Tauriel remained silent and thoughtful for a short while, feeling unable to share Meduithel's certainty, for she still held doubts about her own self, and, although she was determined to try, she could not claim to be entirely confident.

"What must I do now? How shall I counter lord Tinuven's words and unfriendliness?" she asked, seeking further guidance.

"As a Queen", stated Meduithel and gazed steadily at Tauriel.

The younger elleth's lips parted slightly, and she slowly regained her composure, forcing herself to sit upright and halt the tears that still brimmed in her eyes.

"Treat him with dignity and respect; do not give in to despair, and do not let his comments touch you. Even if they do, and you find yourself sorrowful and hopeless, do not allow it to show. And day by day he will see who you truly are, what your true purpose is", the councilor advised her. "You cannot afford to show weakness, Tauriel", she went on in a more serious tone. "Have you learned nothing from Thranduil? You have a great King and the most valuable ally and guide by your side. Have you ever seen him show weakness in front of his subjects? Even when he suffered most profoundly, he did not let it show".

"Yes, my lady", whispered the Captain. "I will try to behave so, even though it is all new to me, and I fear I will fail".

"No victory is ever certain, but we must fight nonetheless".

Tauriel cast her eyes to the ground and nodded. The wisdom in Meduithel's words was undeniable. She stood pensive for a while, reflecting on the content of their conversation, until the lady's hand, brushing gently on her hair, pulled her out of her musings. She turned to her and smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your words and advice, my lady. I shall heed it", said Tauriel.

Meduithel nodded and smiled kindly. "You did well to come to me. It is my wish that you know you are not alone. I have also spoke to my husband, and you should know he supports you as well. We are both willing to help you, Tauriel", she informed her.

Emotion overwhelmed the young elleth, and she threw herself in the lady's embrace. "My lady", she cried in a muffled voice.

A warm smile formed on Meduithel's lips, and she gently cradled Tauriel in her arms. Her heart was touched by her impulsive reaction; it was so obvious that this orphaned elleth yearned for motherly love and care, something she had been robbed of at a very young age. Meduithel was not and could not be her mother, but she could afford to show Tauriel a measure of affection, and perhaps even love.

"It is alright, my youngling… Let your heart be calm and free of care. Everything will work out well in the end", the lady soothed her and gently caressed her hair as she held her.

Tauriel lifted her teary but now bright eyes and looked at Meduithel. "My lady…" she whispered again, her voice lined with emotion and gratitude.

Meduithel now held her by the shoulders. "You have taken up a very important, but difficult role, Tauriel. Have courage, my child, and do not lose hope. Thranduil needs you, for his heart is much wearier and more fragile than yours. You have to be strong for both of you".

Tauriel nodded, feeling now more steadfast and determined. "I knew you would dispel my blindness, my lady Meduithel. I know now what I must do. I thank you from the depths of my heart", she told her once more.

The councilor nodded. "Enough tears have been shed today, Captain. For there may come a time of woe and grief, when we shall cry tears uncountable, but today the sun is shining, and we are alive and breathing the air of freedom. Stay with me a while, so that we may enjoy this gentle morning together a little longer".