Well Hello again :) Ok so this chapter may be a little similar to chapter 8 but I was randomly inspired to write this one night when I couldn't sleep and so here it is. As usual hope you enjoy and of course comment with reviews/questions/suggestions.
Legolas turned, walking away from Ravenhill, and his father, and her. He had gone through so much for her, chased her as far as he could. He started down the hill heading back towards the city. When he reached the bottom of the hill, he turned, to see something he did not expect to see.
His father, walking down the hill, a body draped in his arms. The red hair dangling, almost to the ground told him exactly who it was his father held. His thoughts clashed with each other in his head. He had suffered enough pain, he didn't want to see her face again, it would only hurt, but he thought back to the fight and realised how injured she must be. He needed to know if she would be alright before he left.
He waited for his father to reach him, but as his father drew nearer, he grew nervous, and his nerves got the better of him, he walked towards them, noticing how limp her body was. "She needs the attention of the healers, fast." his father said, and surprisingly his voice sounded somewhat sympathetic."Can you take her?"
Legolas looked up at his father, then to Tauriel, then to the ground. "Why can't you?" he asked quietly.
"Because I need to return to speak to the Bowman, and Gandalf and the dwarves about what has happened here today and the possible danger it could mean." His father replied. "I know it may be painful, but if you love her as I now believe you to do, you would help her."
Legolas nodded. "I will always love her." he whispered. No matter her feelings for the dwarf, he knew he wouldn't, knew he couldn't stop loving her. He gently took her from his father, taking her in his own arms, and started towards the city, where the elven healers would have set up camp.
"Legolas," his father called, and the Prince half turned back to his father.
"Tell her I lift her banishment, and tell her I said to tell you the truth." Legolas' nodded but a look of confusion crept onto his face. Thranduil smiled as he turned, he had realised he was wrong to keep the two apart, and if he was right, Tauriel truly did love his son, the small ammount of pain she felt over the dwarf was not enough for her feelings to be love, he knew what losing your true love actually felt like.
The medical camp was bustling with activity. Elven healers ran from tent to tent, and more and more elves were still limping or being carried in. But people stopped in their tracks to look at him as he walked into the camp area. "The captain has been injured, badly." he said.
Nobody replied. "Well?" Legolas demanded.
"My Lord, Tauriel has been banished, she is no longer valid to be treated here."
"You would all let her die?" Legolas questioned.
"My Lord, it was by order of the King."
"And it is by the King's order I bring her here."
Still, silence all around. "If none of you will treat her, at least provide her with a tent and me with means to heal her myself."
"That I can do for you My Lord." one elf stepped forward and Legolas smiled as he recognised his friend. He followed the young elf as he led them to a tent. "I'm sorry we are not doing more for you." He said, as Legolas ducked to enter the tent.
Legolas nodded, before fully entering the small tent. He gently lay Tauriel on the padded bedding in the tent and turned, finding a box of herbs and bandages as well as a small bsain of water and some cloth.
Tauriel moaned slightly and her eyes flickered. He looked back to her, realising she was awake and he would prefer she stayed that way. Slipping back into sleep would bring her closer to death.
"Tauriel," he said softly, but in a commanding voice. "Try to stay awake."
Tauriel felt as though her whole body was being crushed by a boulder. She wanted nothing more than to return to her sleep but there was a voice telling her not to. The voice, it sounded so familiar, so soothing. But she was tired, and she could feel the pain of what felt like a thousand cuts and bruises scattered all over her body. But she had always acted on her instincts, and her instincts right now, told her to stay awake.
She forced her eyes open, heavy as they were, to see a blonde elf leaning over her. He glanced at her, and smiled slightly before reaching for her arm. He gently rolled up her sleeve, revealing the cuts she had acquired during her fight, being throwan against a rock, and tumbling off a cliff onto stone stairs. He reached behind him, picking up a cloth and squeezing it, letting the water drip into the basin before gently dabbing at her wounds.
She didn't deserve this, she thought. She had been drifting in and out of sleep for the last half of the journey and she had heard what had happened when they reached the camp, before drifting back to sleep. But now, she had managed to rouse herself, and she watched her Prince as he cleaned her, knowing she had broken his heart.
He didn't say a word as he bent over her, reaching for her other arm, again rolling up the sleeve and wiping her clean. He reached behind him, dropping the cloth in the sink and picking up a small bowl with cream inside. He looked her breifly in the eye, asking permission and she nodded, bracing herself, knowing all too well the sting that would follow. She had already had more than her fair share of injuries in the past.
She hissed as the cream seeped into the cuts, but she knew it would cause them to heal faster than without it. She clenched her hands, until she felt her hand covered by his. She wordlessly pulled her hand away, but only so that she could clasp his hand properly, and she squeezed hard as he applied the cream to her other arm.
She leant her head back when most of the pain subsided, letting go of his hand, although deep down she wanted to continue to hold it. Legolas' eyes roamed her body, eyes restinig on her stomach, where patches of red stained her dress. He gently pressed against her stomach, and she instinctivly hissed in pain, even though his touch was light. A look of concern came over Legolas' face. "One of your ribs might be broken." he said softly. "I'll fetch one of the she-elves to look at it."
He was about to straighten up, but her arm shot out and she caught his arm. "No," she whispered. "I trust you."
He tilted his head to the side, considering her for a second, before settling back down by her side. He looked into her eyes as he reached down and began undoing the strings to the corset type vest she was wearing. He didn't look away from her face as he easily unlaced the string, giving her the option to back out, all she had to do was say so.
But she didn't even think of doing so. Despite the pain, she suddenly found herself wishing he was undressing her for a different reason. She chased the thought from her mind, as if he would ever want her now.
He reached the bottom of the string, and pulled the string out of the last hole, gently opening the vest. Underneath, she was only wearing her hunting tunic, she had not been dressed for war when she set out to hunt the orcs. He held her gaze for a second, before turning to unbutton the tunic, starting from the lowest button towards the bottom of her stomach. He did not completely unbutton her, only uncovering enough of her skin as was necessary, her stomach only.
He almost gasped when he saw her stomach, for the skin there was not the pale, creamy colour of the rest of her body. It was now covered in black and blue bruises, blooming across her stomach. His fingers skimmed her stomach, searching for the point of pain on the inside.
Tauriel closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his fingers on her skin, she almost shivered at the sensation. But then she cried out in pain as his fingers found what they had been searching for. He nodded, seeming to have expected her pain there. "Your rib has been broken. You probably know there is not much we can do to fix it, but it will heal on its own in about four weeks." he said.
She nodded, she had suspected the same thing, it was not the first time she had broken a rib.
"We can do something about the bruises though." Legolas said, reaching back to pick up a different dish.
He once again applied cream to her injuries, this time spreading it over her entire stomach. But this time he spoke as he worked. "I have to go," he said. "I am leaving Mirkwood."
He eyes flew open, shocked at the news, "Why?" she asked, almost franticly.
He looked into her eyes. "Because my father has lifted your banishment, or so he told me before I left. Which means you will most likely be returning to the Greenwood, Tauriel, and I cannot bear to see you every day, see your pain at losing" he paused. "Kili." he finished.
"No!" she cried out. "You cannot leave. For while you say you couldn't bear seeing me, I cannot cope without you." she said.
"Tauriel, you have made your feelings clear. Having me around would only bring you pain," he said, finishing spreading the cream over her stomach.
"No," she said again, desperatly. Thranduil had told her to give him no hope, but she knew she wouldn't survive if he left her, even if she was allowed back in Mirkwood.
Legolas then remembered his father's other words, apart from the news of her lifted banishment. "My father told me to tell you to tell me the truth." Legolas said, his voice telling her how unsure he was about what those words would mean.
But she knew. She knew exactly what the King was talking about, and she wasn't sure what had changed his mind, but she didn't care.
"You're wrong." she said and his look of confusion doubled. "I haven't made my feelings clear." she explained. "I did the opposite, I masked them, I hid them away because he told me to. Because he said he wouldn't allow a silvan elf to be with his son. I thought I'd be able to ignore my feelings, but I can't, Legolas. And you can't go, because the pain I will feel if you leave, will be one hundred times worse than the pain I am feeling now." she said.
Legolas looked down at her, staring into her eyes, seeing they shone with unshed tears.
"I don't deserve you." Tauriel spoke again. "I don't deserve your love, or your kindness," she gestured to her stomach. "I pushed you away and you still came back to help me. I don't deserve your heart, Legolas. But I still want it."
"You already have it." Legolas whispered. "You will always have my heart." He bent, kissing her on the lips, and she lifted her head to meet him, desperate to feel his love.
When the kiss ended, as both of them needed air, neither of them pulled back, their foreheads still touching and their lips less than a centimetre apart. "Maybe I will stay in Mirkwood for a while." Legolas whispered, closing the tiny distance to press his lips against hers again. She smiled against his lips, barely believing this was possible.
Legolas pulled away, and carefully pulled her tunic back over her stomach, re-doing the buttons, before sitting back. ''You should rest," he told her, smiling.
She settled back, knowing he was right. She sighed, when she closed her eyes all she saw was death, and the bodies from the battle. She opened her eyes again, looking up at him. No words were said, he knew what she was thinking. He lay down beside her, on his side, so that he could see her. She remained on her back, her rib preventing her form turning her body towards him. But she reached down and took his hand, gripping it tightly, and a smile returned to her face as she closed her eyes again. Legolas kissed her cheek gently and she sighed, this time in contentment. It was not long before she drifted off to sleep, and when she woke, he had not moved from her side, their hands still entwined.
To everyone who has left reviews so far I would just like to thank you for your amazing support, I read every comment and I love all your ideas and comments on the stories. 3
P.S - Mari - Loved the suggestions, a story when he overhears the conversation is now underway and am totally listening to the constructive criticism a situation like that will be coming up soon I hope (haven't finished planning it yet though) :D
