A/N:
I would just like to reiterate my previous disclaimer that I by no means own any characters, scenes, or ideas that are exclusively from Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit, my only intention is to share my own ideas on how things would play out between these characters but have no intention to sell this to anyone.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope you are all enjoying the holiday and as a special gift I wanted to pump this chapter out for you guys, with Chapter 10 already mapped out and started! (You can thank the Nanowrimo word count goals for that extra boost of motivation) I've noticed that I have been neglecting Legolas' point of view for a while so I'm hoping that this flash back not only satisfies that deficit but also answers some long standing questions. To be completely honest I'm trying to stretch some of these chapters because I want to fit as much detail and back story that I can (justifiably) while staying in decent time with the rest of the story. If you guys feel like I'm dragging on needlessly I BEG YOU let me know so I can reevaluate what I think is pertinent information.
Thanks for reading and I hope you like this!
XX TB
Chapter nine
Legolas stood in the same spot that Tauriel had left him, there was a sort of stillness in his mind that seemed to consume him. There was a pain that started to ache in his chest. It was a soft dull throb at first but it grew, swelling in his chest until it seemed to encompass every fiber of his being. His hand moved to his chest, rubbing at the spot right above his heart, his fingers digging into his tunic like he were trying to dig the pain right out of his flesh.
The words I am sorry Legolas echoed through his mind, Tauriel's voice haunting him. The night began to age and a chill began to set in, sending shivers down Legolas' spine, yet he still refused to move. Legolas maintained his vigil, going at the stars as he tried to shuffle through the thoughts and memories that now flooded his thoughts uninhibited. Camp fires were being extinguished, tents were filled and blankets were unfurled as others began to drift off to sleep.
Tauriel will be joining them, I'm sure. Legolas though as his keen eyes examined the star speckled sky. He decided to sit and makes himself comfortable upon the ground, finding little comfort in the idea of being in the camp among others. Their worries seemed so much more palpable then his, theirs was a tangible enemy and a resolution in one respect or another. The challenge that Legolas faced was so such a foreign concept to him, like an invisible assailant, no weaknesses, no defense against it and no perceivable end.
"Where did we go wrong?" Legolas asked the stars quietly, not looking for an answer so much so as trying to work out the problem, hoping that voicing it will bring about a quicker solution. He took a breath and his air fogged up into a small puff in front of him as his mind started to focus on his memories of the day he found out that Tauriel was gone. Those were his last thoughts as he began to drift off to sleep, his dreams being influenced by his last thoughts.
Legolas slowly came back to consciousness, his head pounding and an onset of grogginess made him feel as if everything were going in slow motion. The sun was streaming through the sky lights in the infirmary, they blinded Legolas temporarily as he tried to sit up. Nurse aids rushed him, their hands trying to prevent him from sitting up, from getting out of the bed.
"Prince Legolas you must rest."
"Slowly my lord you are not well!"
"Please don't get up your highness you can't leave just yet."
Legolas could feel his eyes trying to roll into the back of his head and he had to fight not to slip back into unconsciousness as the nurses finally succeeded in coercing him to lay back down in the infirmary bed.
"What happened?" he asked as his head stopped spinning, the pounding pain subsiding. He let his eyes close but he kept his mind alert, active so that he wouldn't slip back into the oblivion. He had to know what had transpired, his memories were too foggy to give him the answers he needed right now.
"You were bit badly by one of those horrid spiders, we've been treating you for the venom that it pumped into you." One of the nurses spoke as she took hold of his wrist, trying to take a read of his pulse.
Venom? Spiders? That's right, the raid. Legolas was beginning to remember. Scenes from his memories flashed through his mind in a disconnected jumble. Lightning flashing across the dark sky as he laid on his back, a pair of fangs piercing his flesh, Tauriel leaning over him, her lips moving but he couldn't hear her voice.
"Tauriel, where is Tauriel?" Legolas demanded, opening his eyes and looking around, none of the nurses would meet his eye. Legolas reached out and grabbed hold of one of the nurse's wrists. She had large green eyes and golden hair tied away from her face. Legolas pulled her close to him, their noses only inches apart.
"Where is she?"
"She's gone Legolas." A cold voice cut through the room and everyone froze. Legolas turned to see a formidable silhouette standing in the door way. Legolas released the nurse's wrist and the three of them dropped to their knees in a haste to bow to the elven King as he slowly glided into the room, hands clasped behind his back and head held high in order to look down his nose at all those he considered to be inferior. The elven King scrutinized the infirmary, his cold eyes glinting in the sunlight. Even in the light of midway the Kings presence seem to darken the entire room.
"What do you mean she's gone?" Legolas demanded as he struggled to sit up on the bed, swinging his legs over the side. His chest was bare and bound with stiff dressings, the movement pulled at them, causing him to wince in pain. Legolas circled his arm around his core, holding his side to try and relieve some of the pain with pressure. He and King Thranduil locked eyes, holding each other's gaze in silence before Thranduil turned to look at one of the nurse, who was visibly afraid of the King's attention.
"Leave us." His whisper filled the room and immediately the three elven woman fled from the room leaving father and son completely alone.
"What do you mean 'she's gone'?" Legolas asked again, fighting to keep his voice from revealing his pain. Thranduil watched him much in the same way a predator watches its prey for weakness just before strikes.
"I'm impressed with the speed of your recovery," the King's oily voice filled the room as he slowly circled around the room, inspecting the infirmary with a mixture of curiosity and distain, "It's been little more than a day and already you are conscious and lucid. Very impressive but not all that unexpected considering your lineage." The King's back was to Legolas but he could tell there was a self-important smirk on his father's face.
"Enough games father, where is Tauriel? What have you done?" the King turned to Legolas, his smile becoming more pronounced.
"What have I done?" Thranduil asked his mockery barely contained. Thranduil glided over to the bed that Legolas was sitting on. He circled his son with a malevolent glint in his eye. "No my dear son, it wasn't my doing that chased her away. No Legolas, it was you, you are the reason that she has left." Thranduil placed a cold hand on Legolas' shoulder and Legolas flinched at the icy touch.
"What are you talking about? How could I…" Legolas trailed off as his thoughts took him back to that night and he remembered what Tauriel had said to him the night of the raid. 'I saw you' the fire in her eyes had burned him, he had never seen her so upset before, 'I hate you'. She had seen Faelwen kiss him and Legolas hadn't gotten an opportunity to explain what had happened. It felt as though he had been punched in the stomach, the air feeling as if it were being sucked from his chest.
"Ah yes, well maybe her leaving had something to do with me, after all I was the one who gave her the perfect seat to view that embarrassing display of yours on the training field." Thranduil's hand tightened on Legolas' shoulder sending bolts of pain coursing through his body as the King disturbed his injury. Legolas cried out in pain and attempted to wrench his shoulder out of his father's grasp but the King held fast, his fingers digging deep, talon like nails biting into bare flesh. Tiny drops of blood flowed from beneath Thranduil's finger nails but he took no notice, he was more concerned with the attention he was paying his son, watching him squirm in pain, both physical and emotional. "That was her sister you kissed, wasn't it?"
"No, well yes but she was the one who kissed me. I didn't-" His father leaned around so that he could look Legolas in the eyes.
"You didn't what? Didn't stop Faelwen from throwing herself at you like I ordered her to, not that that was such a difficult feat to achieve. You certainly didn't visit her while she was in the infirmary, but then again that pressing diplomatic mission that took you to Rivendell did make it harder to convey her condition to you in a timely manner." Thranduil's laughed cruelly and Legolas felt as though he had been thrown into a frozen lake. Chills ran up and down his body as he realized what his father had done. He pulled away from his father, lurching to his feet unsteadily and turning to face him. Legolas' anger was threatening to boil over and it shook him to his core.
"You kept me in the dark about the seriousness of Tauriel's injuries, you made her think I didn't care about her wellbeing! And then you used me and Faelwen to punish Tauriel for the feelings she had for me because you knew what using the two people she cares most for in the world would hurt her the most!" Legolas hissed, his mind flooded with panicked thoughts as he tried to figure out his next move. He had to find Tauriel, he had to explain to her that this wasn't his fault, that his father had done everything in his power to break them apart. They couldn't let him win, they couldn't let him break them apart. "Where is Tauriel father, where has she gone?" He had to find her, he had to explain himself, explain everything.
"She's gone Legolas, and she is never coming back." Thranduil said, sniffing disdainfully. He move fluidly circling around the hospital bed. He came to a stop right next to Legolas and looked down his nose at his son. "The sooner you put this embarrassing lapse of judgment behind you, the better we shall all be for it." Legolas met his father's gaze unflinchingly, his anger feeding his courage.
"The only thing I intend to put behind me, your highness, is the Mirkwood. I'm leaving father, my time will be better spent keeping the peace outside of the kingdom." The King's usually composed expression changed for just a moment, in the briefest of seconds, anger flashed in his eyes and his mouth twitched as if he wished to say something but refrained. Instead he merely sneered, narrowing his eyes at his son.
"Even if you did find her, she will never been yours again. You've lost her Legolas, forever." And with that Legolas' father swept out of the infirmary slamming the door behind him, leaving Legolas standing alone in the infirmary as he began to decide where he would first look for Tauriel.
"I'll find you Tauriel, I promise." He whispered the vow to the stillness as the sun began to set and his shadows grew and stretched into dark pools.
.
.
The night had passed poorly for Legolas, and as the sun rose his head ached and his heart was heavy. He sat up from his sleeping spot on the ground, resting his head in his hands and rubbing at his temples as he tried his best to ease away the growing pain in his head. As he sat there waiting for the pain to subside a strong hand grabbed hold of his shoulder, making him start with surprise.
"Are you alright my friend?" it was Aragorn standing over him, his sword already belted onto his hip and his eye bright and alert. He looked to have been up for a few hours already. Legolas took Aragorn's offered hand and struggled to his feet, shaking off the aches and soreness that a hard night on the rocky ground had deposited in his back and neck. Legolas gave a stiff nod and intended to walk away but Aragorn's grip held fast to his friends arm, stopping him in his tracks and forcing him to face his friend once again. Unable to avoid the ranger's inquisitive stare Legolas was forced to relent.
"I attempted to speak with Tauriel last night, I was unsuccessful to say the least." Legolas kept his voice low, his muttering bitter and defeated. "For reasons that are beyond my understanding she rejects me, and yet I can see in her eyes that it pains her to say no, it pains her to walk away. Why then would she continue to do so?" Legolas demanded trying to work it out in his head, but every moment he spent thinking it over only made him more upset.
"Not everything we do is that of our own benefit but for the benefit of a greater purpose. Her decision may have more reasons behind it that what we can readily see." Aragorn advised his friend with a look of sympathy on his face and Legolas immediately felt guilty. Aragorn could very well end up never seeing Lady Arwen again. Not only does he face the dangers of battle but also the challenges of deciding to be the rightful King of Gondor and receiving Lord Elrond's blessing. Neither of which presented themselves as easy options.
"Perhaps you are right my old friend, but regardless that is not important. Right now we need to worry about getting all of these people to Helm's Deep safely." Aragorn nodded at this and handed Legolas his bow and they left to wake Gimli and prepare their horses to leave.
.
.
The caravan moved today with more vigor, knowing that this was the last day of travel and that the end was finally in sight for the travel worn citizens of Edoras. Legolas noted the peoples' eagerness and the ease of the manner as they joked and spoke to one and other.
"The laughter is a welcomed change to the morose manner of which we found them." Gimli commented from his perched on the horse behind Legolas. The Dwarf finding himself becoming more and more accustomed to sharing a horse with an elf, they both were. Neither had been eager with the arrangement in the beginning, the history between elves and dwarves had always been a tempestuous one at the best of times, and yet despite that fact they had slowly grown more accustomed to each other. Legolas would even go so far as to say that he found the dwarfs company to be pleasant.
"I've noticed though that Tauriel has not seemed to be in the best of spirits as of late." Legolas stiffened at the mention of Tauriel, only for a moment but Gimli took note of it, he was much more observant than Legolas would have given him credit for. The dwarf gave a knowing grunt and shifted on the back of his horse.
"Yes, there is a lot that has been weighing on her mind, I haven't heard her laugh in ages." Legolas whispered, as he remembered the sound of her laugh was like the rustling of forest tree leaves by a gentle breeze. His eyes automatically sought her out, she was out ahead of them riding Rochael and conversing quietly with lady Éowyn. Their horses were walking side by side, their heads leaned in close in order to hear each other's low voices, as Legolas watched the two of them it reminded him of how Tauriel and Faelwen would talk to one and other when the three of them were dispatched on long missions.
"She must miss her very much." He thought aloud, not realizing that he was actually speaking.
"What's that?" Gimli's gruff voice made him realize that he had actually been speaking aloud.
"It's nothing," He whispered and did not speak again.
.
.
The sun was rising high into the middle of the sky, its heat was pleasant on Tauriel's back as she walked beside Rochael to keep her legs from cramping with disuse. The horse's broad face turned to her and nudged Tauriel affectionately against her cheek. Tauriel stroked her soft face gently, appreciative of the unconditional companionship that Rochael offered her.
"How long have you had her?" Éowyn asked as she walked beside Tauriel leading her own horse behind her.
"I've trained her since she was a colt, I had her mother before her and her mother before her. Horse rearing is one of the elves most treasured customs. Rochael has been one of the most loyal horse I have ever had the pleasure to rear." Tauriel stroked her courser's neck with affection. Éowyn opened her mouth to reply but they were both distracted when they saw Gamling and Háma ride ahead of the company. Tauriel and Éowyn looked at each other concerned, alarms were ringing in the back of Tauriel's mind; something didn't feel right. She saw Legolas standing ahead of them, watching the two Rohirrim ride ahead, he looked back at Tauriel and their eyes met. She felt as if she had been doused in ice water, there was something wrong.
"I'll be back." Tauriel pulled herself back into her saddle, taking hold of the reins as she felt her body begin to buzz with adrenaline. The sounds of horses whickering and swords clashing filled the air and Tauriel watched as Legolas bound over the hill that Háma and Gamling had disappeared behind only moments before. She dug her heels into Rochael's side and galloped after Legolas. She was only seconds behind Legolas as she drew her bow and notched an arrow coming up over the hill in time to see the Warg devour Háma as he screamed. The hound like creature growled, blood dripping from its muzzle as it flashed its grotesque fangs at the two elves. Legolas loosed an arrow into the creatures face and Tauriel launched another in its throat causing it to drop dead almost immediately sending the orc on its back to the ground. Legolas raced down the hill towards the orc as it tried to struggle to its feet, his blade already in hand. It let lose a horrid guttural cry before Legolas' elven steel slit its throat.
"It's a scout!" Legolas called out and Tauriel turned Rochael back towards the people of Rohan. Aragorn had dismounted his horse and was already halfway up the hill when he met Tauriel's gaze his blue eyes wide as he understood what the look on her face meant.
"Orcs." Was the only word that she needed to say before he was racing back towards the caravan, shouting to warn the king.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! ORCS! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Everything moved very quickly and yet too slowly at the same time. Women were screaming in fear, grasping for their children, glued to the spot they stood in fear. Any man strong enough to fight was searching for a weapon or mounting their own horses; it was sheer and utter chaos that had taken over people of Rohan and it threaten to be their undoing. It was the King though, who rallied his people, his voice carrying over the crowd as he order the Rohirrim to the head of the column and delegated authority to Éowyn for the wellbeing of the rest of Rohan's citizens. Even from this distance Tauriel could hear the King's words that stifled Éowyn's attempt to be allowed to fight.
"You must do this, for me Éowyn." His voice was gentle and in that moment Tauriel knew that Éowyn would never see the light of battle, not if the King could help it, his love for her outweighed the desire to bestow honor that meant so much to the culture of the people of Rohan. Tauriel wished that she could give her newfound friend some comfort but there would be time enough for that later, if luck remained on their side. Before Tauriel pulled her horse around again she saw Éowyn look to Aragorn and for a moment they stayed there, gazes locked before he too turned his horse and charged into battle, and Tauriel knew that she was in love with the ranger, she also knew that Aragorn would love no one but Lady Arwen. Tauriel could not dwell on the heart sick feeling she held for her friend's unrequited love, she had to focus or she would end up getting herself killed. With that she forced Rochael to turn and raced on after the other riders of Rohan, the only thought she had now was that she had to stop these orcs, of the women and children who wouldn't be able to defend themselves if she failed them now. As she rode back over the hill her eyes widened in dismay as the wolves of Isenguard flowed over the hillsides like water breaking free from a damn. There are so many of them! She thought as she quickly looked at their own numbers, they were not evenly matched but there was nothing that could be done about that, not now at least.
The two sides charged one and other, weapons draw, their blades in the air as war cries were shouted. They met like a wave pounding against the craggy face of a cliff side. Tauriel felt the impact in her gut as she loosed another arrow into the brain of one of the wild beast, knocking it out from under the orc that was riding it. She brought down three more in the same manner before she was forced to draw her blades and test her luck in close combat. The first brandished a rusted blade, swinging wildly at her face and throat with the hopes of dispatching her quick. The tip of the blade nicked her just barely, a long thin cut opened across her cheek, a small flow of blood ensued but Tauriel took little notice of that as she parried the orcs second strike with one of her blade and with the other she thrust it through the orcs neck, its black blood pouring over her hand in a hot geyser as he choked. Tauriel didn't even have time to watch the orc die before she was defending herself against another orc attack. Horse's squealed in pain and fear, men cried out for help or said nothing as they lay on the ground, Warg wolves devoured downed horses, tearing flesh with fangs, running wild with or without the orc on their back.
Tauriel had already fired a dozen or so arrows, and already she was running low and yet it had hardly seemed to put a dent in the enemy numbers as they swarmed the riders of Rohan. Tauriel was bleeding and bruised, having already lost count of how many wolves and orcs she had killed, Tauriel looked around for her companions in the pandemonium of outright war. She managed to spot Gimli pretty quickly as he struggled out from beneath the piled bodies of two Wargs and an orc, although he looked to be under duress he wasn't in any immediate danger. Her eyes darted across the battlefield quickly, taking in the carnage from both sides as she searched for a head of white blood hair and prayed to the stars above that it was still connected to a living body. She urged Rochael on, the horse expertly weaving through the bodies from both side strewn across the ground bleeding and dying at a break neck speed. She fended off the orcs that charged at her without so much as a second look, Rochael dodged the gapping maws of the wolves without startling once. Just when Tauriel was starting to panic, starting to fear that she wouldn't find Legolas and her mind was beginning to go blank with grief she saw it, the flash of white blonde as he tossed his head back. He was fighting off one of the orcs, but he was fine, he was alive! A Warg rider was approaching Legolas from behind and he was yet to notice them. Tauriel quickly fired off three arrows, one right after another two hitting the Warg and one killing the orc before Legolas had even turned around. He turned just in time to see them fall and realize that Tauriel was the one who had dropped them. A small smile curled his lips and he gave a small nod of his head before Tauriel turned to look for Aragorn. It wasn't as if the ranger was a dear friend to her but she knew the relationship Legolas had with him, she knew how much he cared for him, and because of that Tauriel was compelled to search for him, to make sure that he was alright, like the others. She looped Rochael back around making her way towards the cliff side where more of the fighting was taking place. There was so much carnage around her, it roiled her stomach but she kept moving, searching for the ranger. When she finally spotted Aragorn just as he was knocked off of his horse by one of the rogue Warg wolves. Another orc on a Warg was riding towards him and Tauriel could see it in his eyes as he pushed himself up from the ground.
"Aragorn, no!" She called out but he couldn't hear her and she couldn't reach him before he grabbed hold of the Warg saddle and swung up behind the orc fighting for control of the Warg. What he hadn't seen was that the Warg was out of control and was drawing dangerously close to the cliff's edge. Tauriel jumped from Rochael's back, pulling back the arrow she had aimed are the running Warg, but Aragorn was too close to the orc for Tauriel to have a clean shot and she couldn't risk hitting the Warg and possibly having Aragorn be crushed beneath the monstrous weight. Tauriel ran after them, arrow still aimed for the opportunity and she watched as Aragon knocked the orc from his seating and falling from the Warg saddle as well and for a moment Tauriel thought that the crisis was averted until she realized that Aragorn's arm was caught in the Warg's straps and he was being dragged along as the wolf ran.
"No." She breathed dropping her bow and sprinting after Aragorn, drawing her blade as she went, hoping that she could catch up to the Warg, that she could cut Aragorn free before he went over the edge. I just have to reach him, Tauriel thought to herself I just have to cut him loose. She ran as fast as her graceful legs could carry her, her speed rivaled that of the horses that she trained and yet it wasn't enough, she was too far behind the Warg already, she wasn't going to reach him in time. Aragorn was struggle to pull his arm free but he was unable to get the leverage he needed while the beast was running and for a moment he looked back and saw Tauriel running after him, trying to save him. Their eyes met and Tauriel felt her heart sink and the realization that both of them knew how this was going to end and there was nothing that either could do to change it. It happened in a split second, the Warg skidded across the rocky surface of the cliff, trying to find purchase but the beast was going too fast for him to stop. Tauriel was right behind the beast and she could almost grasp Aragorn's outstretched hand and in the next moment they were gone, plummeting off the cliff side.
"NO!" her scream echoed across the deep cavern, reverberating against the rocky walls of the perilous pit beneath her. She dropped to her knees and skidded across the rocked herself, trying her best to create enough drag and prevent herself from meeting the same fate as Aragorn. Tauriel slid so far that her lower body fell off the side of the cliff as she clung to the rock side with all the strength that she could summon. She gasped in pain as her legs hit the rock face and her finger and palms were torn apart by the jagged edges, the tears blinding her as they poured down her cheeks. "No." she sobbed her bruised face pressed against the sharp rocks of the cliff side, she had failed Aragorn, and Legolas, and Gandalf; she had failed everyone and all she could was sob.
.
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The sounds of fighting had subsided and Tauriel could hear men talking, calling out to each other and their horses. Tauriel clung to the cliff, she didn't have the strength enough to pull herself up, it was all she could do to hold on.
"Tauriel!"
"Aragorn!" Tauriel heard two familiar voices calling out amongst the other anonymous voices on the hillside.
"Legolas," Tauriel breathed having never felt more grateful for him in that one moment than she had ever in the many decades that she had known him. "I'M HERE!" She called out, her voice bouncing off the canyon eerily. She struggled to pull herself up and felt the rock shift underneath her, dirt crumbling away and her body struggled in vain once again to pull herself up but gravity worked against her and her injury sapped her strength.
"Tauriel!" Legolas voice was closer now, she could hear his footsteps but she was losing purchase, the rock was crumbling away beneath her and she knew that she only had a limited time left before she was sent plummeting to the rushing river below her. Tauriel pushed her strength to its limits, the burning in her shoulder felt like a raging inferno as her muscles screamed in agony and the rocky bit into every piece of exposed flesh, drawing blood where they could. Massive chunks of the cliff fell away, unable to withstand her weight. She felt herself drop and her stomach lurched into her throat as a falling sensation overcame her.
"LEGOLAS!" She screamed his name just as the cliff side finally gave way and her body dropped, her hands grasping desperately at the rocks, trying to find purchase amongst the craggy craters of the rock faces but there was nothing that could hold her. As she felt herself start to slip she only had one thought that crossed her mind. I love you Legolas. And then she did the only thing she could do, she closed her eyes.
