It was just barely morning by the time Tauriel came upon the gates of the Woodland Realm. But just as she stepped onto the bridge she faltered, fear suddenly filling her heart. She knew what she had to do, but that didn't stop her mind from racing. Would Thranduil even let her speak? Would he throw her in prison? Would be kill her?
The opening gates pulled her from her thoughts and she had barely enough time to harden her resolve before a party of elves ran out towards her. Bows raised, they narrowed their eyes. "Tauriel. You shouldn't have come back." One spoke, nodding to another to take her.
"I need to speak to King Thranduil about an urgent matter." She was just able to speak the words before two elves were on her, shackling her hands behind her back.
"That is fortunate then, since he would very much like to speak to you too." With a silent order, he motioned for her to be brought inside.
As the hands ushered her forward and through the gates she swallowed. The king wanted to speak to her? She wondered it that was just a metaphor for punishing her. Either way, Tauriel swallowed nervously as she was marched through the great halls of the Woodland Realm.
The entire way elves stared at her; some in shock at her reappearance, some in narrow-eyed anger. Tauriel just ignored them, trying to focus on why she was really here.
As they reached the throne room and took the stairs up her nervousness grew. Even at a first glace she could tell the king was angry. A storm brewed just under his features as he stared at her with narrowed eyes. "You're a fool for returning." His voice was quiet but icy.
"My king." She dropped down to one knee in respect, hands still shackled behind her. Legolas must have returned considering Thranduil's immediate reaction. "I have urgent news."
"I don't want to hear it." Standing, the king stepped down from his throne and towards her. "I want to hear why you fled." He towered in front of her still kneeling form and looked down his nose at her. "Was it out of shame or out of guilt."
"My king I…" She started but was cut off by his angry words.
"You betrayed my son. You betrayed me. Legolas may have returned alive but that does NOT pardon you, for he did not return well." The manner in which he spoke froze Tauriel's blood. He might as well have screamed those words considering the fury behind them was so obvious. "He trusted you and you let him fall."
"I…" This time rather than being cut off, the words failed in her throat. All the fear and the pain and the sorrow collected together in her chest, cutting off any words she may have spoken.
"You can't even defend yourself because you know it's true." The elf king turned away, showing her his back. "It is time you pay the price for your treachery."
Thranduil drew his sword so quickly and had it flying towards her neck, Tauriel barely had time to yell wait. But the blow never came. Green eyes wide in shock, she stared at the elven knives that had blocked Orcrist from completing its fatal strike.
Even more shocked than Tauriel, the elf king stumbled back, withdrawing his sword as soon as he realized it had met the blades of his son.
"Don't do this." Appearing from behind her, Legolas sheathed his knives, stepping around Tauriel to confront his father.
"She is a traitor. She let you be captured." Thranduil frowned; unable to understand why the one Tauriel had hurt the most was protecting her.
"No, she didn't. It had been her mission all along to save the dwarf. I was the one who decided to follow." Legolas was used to pacifying his father. Whenever the king was angry, it had always been the prince who kept a calm head. "I was the one who went after the orc party alone. It was my narrow-minded view that kept me from realizing that she would not follow."
Tauriel watched Legolas carefully. He looked like he had before that fateful night, clean and proud and strong, so unlike the black garbed elf who had saved them around the fire. Did his defense of her now mean he forgave her?
"That does not-" But he was cut off by his son's angry voice.
"Adar!" Legolas stepped forward frowning before gently taking hold of Orcrist over his father's hand. "It was not her fault. Her only fault was seeing something you and I could not."
Thranduil's brows drew together as he let his son lower Orcrist, anger slowly ebbing. Not speaking, he only questioned the prince with his piercing gaze.
"My lords…" Tauriel finally pulled herself together, breaking the silence. Both turned to her, one with sad eyes, and the other with remaining anger. "There is an enemy force amassing not half a day from the lonely mountain. All manners of dark creatures gather. They mean to attack Erebor and the men of Lake Town. I came to ask for your assistance." Although her timing was not great, the ex-guard captain new that it had to be said. The orcs could already by attacking for all she knew.
This news struck both king and prince silent. Thranduil frowned at her, considering his options while Legolas turned away in shock to look out across the realm.
Finally the king spoke. "That is none of my concern."
Immediately the prince spun around glancing from Tauriel to his father. "You would let the ones who saved my life be slaughtered." He spoke accusingly, his words harsh. He knew his father, and he knew what he was doing. Thranduil would only use what happened to him as a cause to withdraw further from the world, when really, what needed to be done was the opposite.
"What would you have me do?" The elf king knew his son, and if he was correct then Legolas would act with or without his help or consent.
"Call upon our people to fight. Ride out and meet this evil." Legolas approached his father, eyes hardened with resolve. "It was our narrow-mindedness that caused what happened. End your feud with the dwarves."
Staring into his son's eyes Thranduil saw something he had not seen before and knew that Legolas was right. Had he not imprisoned the dwarves Tauriel would not have ridden out and Legolas would not have followed. In the end it had been his fault. Swallowing the pain that swelled in his chest at the revelation, he let his hand brush over his sons shoulder before turning abruptly to leave.
Legolas was about to call out in anger as his father took the stairs down when he heard the king's voice address the guards. "Send word across the realm to ready for battle! We ride out to meet his foe at midday!"
Both Tauriel and the prince seemed let out a breath of relief as Thranduil left, but as Legolas looked over at her, she lowered her head in shame.
"Do not blame yourself any longer, Tauriel." Legolas sighed, the strength he had used when speaking to Thranduil replaced by fatigue. "I was to short sighted to see the truth."
"I'm sorry." The ex-guard captain spoke quietly but the apology only caused Legolas to shake his head, kneeling down in front of her.
"More of our kin need to think like you. It was your kindness that sent Fili to me. It was your friendship that bridged the gap between our races. Everything else is in the past." Legolas touched her shoulder gently, like he had not let her do that night by the fire.
Tauriel furrowed her brow as she looked up at him and nodded, and for a moment the two regarded each other in silence. Legolas could see the pain and the regret in her eyes and had he not already made the decision to forgive her, he would have in that moment. They had both been put through a lot of pain in the past week, and as it still stayed in his heart, it seemed to stay in hers as well. But it was not by the hands of others that brought her pain, it was by her own which made it so much worse.
Yes, perhaps he forgave her….but that pain and hurt she felt would be there until she forgave herself. And that was something that Legolas could not help her with.
Remembering suddenly why they were both there, Legolas moved to unshackle Tauriel. "My father is probably already preparing for battle. We should as well."
Standing, Tauriel turned to him in shock before she nodded. She hadn't thought that she would be allowed to come with…to fight in this battle. Freedom soared in her and for the first time since the fateful night in Lake Town, Tauriel smiled at him. "Yes. Let us go."
...
Fili stood at the great blockade, biting his lip nervously. From his vantage point on the side of the mountain he could see the beginnings of the orc army coming into sight. It was massive…
There were just over 500 dwarves that had answered his uncle's call for aide and about three hundred or fewer men from Lake Town. But the army that marched towards them now was double those numbers, perhaps triple. There would be no negotiations, no talking, only death.
Despair coiled within him as he laid his hand on his sword. Would they be able to win this battle? No…they wouldn't.
His mind then turned to Tauriel. Where was she….had she been killed? But as he turned his gaze towards the direction of Mirkwood, a far off and distant sound reached his ears. The sound of…horns! And after a moment he could see the shine of armor and the fluttering banners of the elves.
She had succeeded! Launching himself off the blockade, Kili hit the ground running. As quickly as his short legs would carry him, he made it to the camp at the base of the mountain where the war council was being held.
As he entered three heads looked up; his Uncles, Bards, and Gandalf's. The old wizard had appeared just after the little band of dwarves had rejoined their kin on the mountain. After creating himself a new staff he had located the Orc army that had marched from Dor Guldur and had come to a very distressing conclusion. War was upon them.
"Kili. What is it?" Thorin looked up, worry in his eyes. Was the enemy closing in?
"The elves. They're riding to help us." Kili tried to calm his excitement. When told about the past week's events Thorin had not taken the news well. His distrust and hate for the species would not allow him to believe that Tauriel was a friend. He remembered thinking that perhaps it was best that she had not joined them on the mountain after all.
"How many?" It was Bard who asked now, hope threatening his gruff voice.
Kili shook his head. "I don't know they're too far away yet to tell. An army."
Gandalf smiled at the news and wondered briefly if the prince of Mirkwood had anything to do with this. "This is good news. We may have a chance now."
"Good news?" Thorin growled, glaring up at the others in the room. "The elves would turn on us as soon as the enemy falls. They are self-centred and not worth trusting."
"Either way, they come to our aide." Bard returned the Dwarf kings glare. "And we will accept it. Before this news there were barely enough of us to make a stand, you know that." With a huff he turned to the young dwarf. "How long until they reach us?"
Kili thought for a moment. "The enemy will be on us soon, the elves as well."
The wizard nodded in urgency. "Then we prepare for battle!"
AUTHORS NOTES
I hope this one was ok. I'm not great at writing multiple characters at once so for the most part I'll probably just stick to following the elves, Kili, Fili, and Thorin, maybe a bit of Gandalf.
But hey! I think I've finally pegged down the rest of the major events of the story. And what does that mean? Faster updates. Less pissing around while I try and think of plot.
Also, psa to all the shippers out there. I probably won't add any big romance in _ I have an equal amount of fans for pro LegolasxTauriel as I do against. I don't want to disappoint anyone out there but I swear what I DO write will be intense and emotional regardless. I myself have always been a TaurielxKili type of person so if there is any hint to romance it will probably fall towards that side of the fence.
I'll try and have the next chapter up tomorrow night. And like always, thank you thank you to all those who review! I literally have my email open all day so I can read reviews right away. They make me happy.