Chapter 21

Suspicion

Legolas' POV

I returned home perhaps 2 and a half weeks after I left her. My father came rushing to me.

"~My son at last you have returned. I was worried.~"

"~I always come home father. Is Tauriel here? I must speak with her.~"

"~She has gone out on patrol, she should be back soon.~"

I nodded and went to the gates to wait for her. I did not wait long, she returned within the hour. She smiled when she saw me.

"Legolas mellon nin."

I embraced her and then pulled her aside.

"~Tauriel…..did you know that your sister had a child?~"

Her eyes grew wide. She slowly shook her head.

"~She did. A beautiful daughter named Maetharanel. She looks exactly like you and Tawariell. Only she has her father's eyes.~"

"~How do you know this?~"

I smiled and put my hands on her shoulders.

"~Because I have met her and…..I have fallen in love with her.~"

She smiled a bit, but there was sadness in her eyes.

"~I have not seen her in so long. Is she with them!?~"

I looked down.

"~Tauriel…..she died giving birth to Maetharanel.~"

Tears flooded her eyes and I hugged her.

"~I am sorry.~" was all I could say.

"~She lived the life she wanted. That is all that matters. I know she loved that dwarf.~"

"~She did. Very much and he loved her. I met him, he misses her terribly.~"

She looked at me and started to say something when a guard called out for us.

"~We have found a dwarf wandering the forest.~"

I turned and when I laid eyes upon the dwarf my heart stopped. It was Lord Thorin.

Oh no.

Maetharanel's POV

My father told me to go around Mirkwood. He should have known better than to think I would do such. I would not abandon him or my friends and cousins, or Bilbo for that matter. I stopped my horse and Gandalf looked at me.

"What is it my dear?"

"I am going back. I have to go back and find them. I have this feeling…..in my heart. Something has happened. Forgive me Tharkun but I must go."

He had a twinkle in his eye.

"You are just like your mother. Go now!"

I nodded and turned back.

Thorin's POV

When I woke up I was brought before someone I hoped to never see again.

"Thorin Oakenshield. I have not seen you since…..well since you took one of my people."

I clenched my fists.

"I did not take Tawariell! She chose to go with me!"

He stood angrily. I saw his son standing beside him. He had a look of fear on his face, fear for me.

"Why are you in my realm?"

I glared at him but refused to speak. This only angered him.

"Lock him in the dungeon! Until he feels inclined to tell the truth, even if he wait's a hundred years."

"Ada wait!"

I looked at the prince, and so did Thranduil.

"We should let him go."

"What?!"

"He has done no wrong! He was unconscious when we found him. And besides, what if Tawariell is out there right now looking for him?! Her heart will be breaking, she would die. What if they have children?"

As Thranduil looked at me, his son winked.

"Is she out there? Do you have children?"

"Yes I have a child. A son, and Tawariell is out there."

He looked at his guards.

"Find her. Bring her to me alive."

"IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON HER I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Take him away."

"Father no!"

Despite the prince's attempts to help me, the guards took me away.

Legolas' POV

"~This is wrong father! I will find Tawariell! I will bring her here and I will release her love.~"

My father called after me as I walked away. I had to find Maetharanel before the guards did.

Maetharanel's POV

I sent the horse back to Beorn when I reached the Forest Gate. I had not stopped since then. When I came to the river I jumped in. However when I got out, I felt very sleepy.

"Damn…..the enchanted river….."

I quickly climbed a tree and fell asleep at once. When I woke up it was getting dark. I jumped down from the tree…..into the middle of a group of elves.

"~Tawariell! The king wants a word with you!~"

I narrowed my eyes and drew my sword.

"~He is NOT my king!~"

One came at me and I jumped up and kicked him in the head.

"Next?" I asked.

A few more came and I knocked them all out.

"Anyone else? No?"

None of them advanced on me.

"I thought not. Now if you will excuse me."

I walked off and none of them followed. I knew I was strong, but I never knew I was that strong. Elven warriors were difficult to fight, especially more then one at a time. I could hardly see. I knew I had to keep going.

"To the left Maetharanel!"

I did not know who spoke, but they seemed to know the forest better then I did. I turned left and whenever that voice told me to go left or right, I listened.

"Stop now! He will find you soon!"

"Who will find me!? Who are you?" I called out.

"Maetharanel!"

I turned and looked out into the darkness.

"L-Legolas?"

Someone took my hand and pulled me close.

"Maetharanel! Thank the Valar I found you before anyone else."

I snickered.

"You did not. Never fear though, I do not think they will be following me."

He chuckled, but then he became serious.

"~Maetharanel you must listen to me carefully. My father does not know that your father has a daughter. He believes you are your mother, he does not yet know she has…well you know. But I said I would find you and bring you back. You must pretend to be your mother.~"

I remained very silent.

"~Legolas…I never knew my mother. I know not how I could act like her.~"

I could hear the smile in his voice.

"~I will help you.~"

I nodded but I was still nervous. I felt his hand on my face and I covered it with my own.

"~Do not be afraid. I will never allow anything to happen to you. I promise.~" he whispered.

I had not realized how close he was to my face. I reached up touched his face. When I felt his lips I leaned forward. He pressed his lips to mine and I closed my eyes. I felt his tongue on my bottom lip and he ran it over my lip and then my upper lip. I moaned and he slid his tongue into my mouth. I gripped his tunic and his hand tangled in my wild, fiery hair. We continued on this way for what seemed like hours. He pulled back, all too soon in my opinion. He stroked my face.

"~I wish we could continued this, but we must go. Your father is being held prisoner.~"

I squeezed his hand.

"~What?~"

"~I tried everything I could to get my father to let him go…but it was in vain. I told my father I would bring Tawariell back and set your father free. Now come, we must go quickly!~"

I nodded and held onto his hand as we ran off.

Thranduil's POV

"~My lord, Prince Legolas has returned….with her.~"

"~Send them both in.~" I said.

The door closed and when it opened again I turned slowly. It was indeed Tawariell, though her arms were decorated with dwarven art.

"~I thought I told you years ago that you were banished from this land! Now your dwarven lover is found wandering my realm without leave and you have come back. This has indeed turned into an interesting day.~"

She narrowed her eyes. Something was different about her.

"~Tauriel!"~

Maetharanel's POV

An elf woman walked out. My heart nearly stopped. It was my aunt…..she looked exactly like me, well almost, I had some facial features from my father. But she looked exactly like my mother. She smiled and ran forward.

"~Tawariell my sister!~"

She flung her arms around me and I hugged her.

"~It had been too long Tauriel.~"

I could see the look of disappointment in Thranduil's eyes. Then, something seemed to spark within them.

"~Bring the other dwarves in.~"

Other dwarves!?

Legolas' POV

Other dwarves?!

Tauriel's POV

Other dwarves!?

Maetharanel's POV

My friends and cousins were brought inside. Bilbo was not among them. I hoped he was safe.

"Maetharanel!"

Damn it!

"SIEZE HER!"

"NO!"

Legolas was in front of me with his blades drawn.

"If any of you touch her I will do you great harm! Perhaps permanent harm!" He snarled.

His voice was full of venom, even I shivered a bit.

"~My son stand aside!~"

"No father! I will not let you take her!"

"~What spell has this half-breed cast upon you!?~"

Legolas' narrowed his eyes.

"She is NOT a half-breed! She may be half-elf and half-dwarf, but that only makes her special! What makes her different makes her beautiful! And I…" I touched his arm and he looked at me. I smiled. "I love her." he whispered.

My eyes widened in surprise. He smiled an then looked back at his father with a look of determination.

"I love her ada! I love her more then anything in the world! Just as Tawariell loved Thorin Oakenshield! I love Maetharanel Oakenshield. Princess of Erebor."

The entire hall was dead silent. My aunt was the only one smiling. Thranduil looked enraged.

"~Take her away!~"

I was taken from Legolas, despite his attempts to get to me. I called his name and reached for him. Finally I felt my rage burn within me. I screamed in rage and knocked back the guards trying to drag me away. As more came forward I knocked them out or up against the wall.

"ANYONE ELSE!?" I screeched.

No one else moved. I ran into Legolas' arms.

"Strange, how it takes so many of my guards to restrain one half-breed." said Thranduil.

Legolas glared at him.

"She is not…."

"Legolas stop! Though your father may be wrong…he is still your father and you only get one in life. Same as you only get one mother. You and I understand that better then anyone." I said gently.

His eyes softened and I looked at his father.

"If you have my father….I demand you release him."

"And why would I do that?"

"He did nothing…."

"Ah now that is where you are wrong! He wandered through my realm without leave, he took one of my best warriors and turned her against me! He denied me my share of the treasure!"

"That is what all this is about? Treasure?! You fool!"

"How dare you…"

"OH SHUT-UP! How long ago did that happen? Long before I was born! Learn to let go! And release my father or I will have a problem!"

He glared at me.

"Unless you go quietly I will see that your father suffers."

I clenched my fists. I shook with rage, but I knew there was nothing I could do. I looked at Legolas. I took my mother's weapons and handed them to him.

"~These were my mother's. Please keep them safe.~"

He handed the weapons to Tauriel and then took my face in his hand. He kissed me full on the mouth, in front of his father and all the others. When he pulled back there were tears in his eyes.

"I love you Maetharanel. I will get you and your father out of this. I promise."

"I love you too Legolas."

He kissed me again before I was pulled away. My aunt looked at me with tears in her eyes. I smiled at her.

"~I will be alright.~"

She nodded and then I was taken to a cell. The guard threw me inside and I split my lip and cut my cheek.

"~Well you certainly know how to treat a lady.~"

He snorted and I stood up and approached the bars.

"~I can tell you a secret, about a weakness and traitor amongst you.~"

He walked forward.

Good, he is stupid.

I grabbed him and smashed his face against the bars.

"When I get out, I will find you and make sure you look like me."

The guard scrambled away and I spit blood out of my mouth.

"Pathetic elven guards."

"~So they have started to imprison their own.~" came a rough voice.

It was a dwarf, that much was clear.

"~Who is there!?~" I called.

"~You….you speak my language?~" he asked in shock.

"~I am half-dwarven. And as of right now, I am ashamed to be half-elf.~" I said.

"~Come closer to the bars.~"

I did as he asked and walked forward. I could not see the dwarf but he obviously saw me.

"~What is your name child?~"

"~I am no child Master Dwarf, and my name is Maetharanel daughter of…..~"

"~Daughter of?~"

I set my face and looked into the dark cell.

"~Daughter of Thorin Oakenshield! King Under the Mountain!~" I said proudly.

The dwarf gasped and I frowned.

"~Have I said something?~"

Now he stepped closer so I could see his face. He had only one eye.

"~My dear…..do you know who I am?~"

I looked at him closely.

"~Forgive me, I do not.~"

He smiled at me and my confusion grew.

"~I am your grandfather. I am Thorin's father.~"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"Impossible!" I gasped.