It takes a talk to find peace
Phoenix stayed on the top of Raven Hill for the rest of the night, she watched the sun rise in the morning and she felt it warm her cold skin, igniting small flames on her hands which she snuffed out almost immediately. Meanwhile, whilst she was up there, she did not realise that people were now worried. Thorin had woken up that morning, mentally cursing himself for falling asleep, and he looked over at the others, from Fili, to Dwalin, to Arwen and then to Kili and Tauriel who had fallen asleep with Kili's head on Tauriel's shoulder. He smiled at his nephew's love for the she-elf and he wished to bestow his own love upon his half elf but he sprung to his feet when he realised that her bed was empty. The sound of his chair clattering to the floor shocked everyone else awake and they all stared at where Phoenix had been.
"Where could she have gone?" Kili asked.
"I do not know...But we must find her." Fili told them and he watched as his Uncle left the tent and they all followed him to where Lord Elrond was stood with the Lady Galadriel and Gandalf.
"Elrond," Thorin spoke. "Do you happen to know where Phoenix has gone?"
"I did not know that she was missing." Elrond told him. "At least not until this morning, but worry not King Thorin, she is safe."
"Where is she?" He asked.
Elrond nodded to where he could see Phoenix and they all turned to find her sitting on a ledge in the mountain beside them and they watched as someone walked over to join her and that someone turned out to be Legolas.
"Her cousin has decided to seek reconciliation with her and her forgiveness." Galadriel told them as Legolas sat next to her on the ledge.
"I hope she rips him a new one." Thorin told him.
They all looked at him and smiled slightly, they knew that the dwarf king did not appreciate the elf prince at all, and some wondered how this was going to turn out as he was Phoenix's biological family.
Meanwhile, Legolas walked along the ledge to where Phoenix was sat, he wondered how long she had been there, but other questions were making themselves know. Would she accept his apology? Would she even talk to him? Mentally, he doubted it, he had treated her horribly, but from what he had gotten from Elrond the previous night, and Phoenix did have a forgiving soul if the reason was right. He hoped his reason was the right reason. He thought back to the conversation that he and Lord Elrond had had the night before.
They had left King Thranduil and the Lady Galadriel in the tent and together they walked along a small river bank. They were silent for a few minutes, until Lord Elrond decided to break the silence.
"What do you wish to know?" He asked the elf prince.
"I...I do not know..." Legolas sighed. "What is there to know about someone you were meant to have hated all of your life."
Elrond gave him a calm smile. "My prince, you can know something as simple as her favourite colour or something that is of more length, such as her favourite pass time." He told her.
Legolas seemed to think for a few minutes, before he asked a simple question. "How old is she?"
"Rhavaniel is currently two thousand, one hundred and seventy five years old, in fact she turns two thousand, one hundred and seventy six in a few months time, I must tell Thorin that." He reminded himself.
"So she is not that much younger than myself." Legolas told him.
"No, indeed, she is not." Elrond told him.
Legolas sighed. "I have made a large mess of this; she will not forgive me for what I have done."
"Legolas, Rhavaniel knows when someone deserves to be forgiven, if it is for the right cause, she will forgive you, without a doubt." Lord Elrond promised.
That was when Legolas had decided that he would take the Lady Galadriel's advice and go and talk to Phoenix, when he next found that she was awake.
And that was why he was here now, stood on top of a mountain, waiting to be acknowledge by his cousin who seemed more than satisfied with sitting on the ledge, dangling her legs over the side.
"What do you want Legolas?" She asked him eventually.
Legolas looked at her, he wanted to reply with a short and snappy comment, but this time, he did not have the heart. For once he knew that he was in the wrong and that he needed to own up to it.
"I...Well...I have come to say that I am sorry." Legolas told her.
At hearing him, Phoenix turned around and looked at him in almost disbelief at what she was hearing – The obnoxious Elvish Prince was here apologising – and to her?! It did not make any sense, but she decided to hear him out.
"And why are you apologising?" She asked him.
Legolas looked at her and he watched her climb back to her feet and she soon stood before him.
"Well...Um...My treatment of you, was not as it should have been." Legolas told her. "You are a Princess of Mirkwood, the daughter of my father's sister; you deserve much more respect than I was giving you."
"You are right, I did." She told him. "But you did not know that I was your cousin, did you?" She asked him.
"No, and I swear to you, if I did then I would never have acted in such a way." He promised.
"I know." She shrugged and this had Legolas confused, she did not look angry, or upset, instead, she looked rather placid and masked, and so did this mean that he was forgiven? He then realised that he should have asked Lord Elrond how he would be able to tell that Phoenix was going to forgive him or not.
"So...Phoenix...Am I forgiven?" He asked her, rather timidly for the Prince of Mirkwood.
"Yes Legolas, you are forgiven." She told him and he started to smile slightly.
"Thank you cousin, you are too gracious." He told her.
"So I have been told." She told him. "Come on, we had best go and join everyone, your father will be wondering where you have gotten to." She told him. "And Thorin will be beside himself."
"Let's." Legolas agreed and the pair started making their way down the mountain side.
When they reached the bottom, Legolas bowed in farewell as he went off to find his father's tent and Phoenix watched as her father walked towards her.
"Nín iell." Elrond smiled.
"Ada." Phoenix smiled, and she suddenly ran to her father, hugging him tightly, and this time Lord Elrond welcomed it, pulling her into his embrace.
"Inyë nauth han inyë aw wanwa tye." Elrond told her, kissing the top of her head softly.
"Han ava lárë." She told him, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.
"I hope not." He whispered, before he let go of her and using his thumbs to wipe her tears. "You should go and find Thorin, Bard and Gandalf dragged him away to look at plans to rebuild Dale." He told her.
"I will join them at once." Phoenix nodded and she was suddenly confronted by the Dwarves who she had accompanied on their journey to Erebor, along with Tauriel, Arwen and Legolas.
"It's good to see you on your feet, lass." Balin told her.
"Yeah, we all thought you were a goner." Ori told her but was hit in the ribs by his older brother, Nori.
Phoenix could not help but smile at the young dwarf. "I thought that you would all already be at the city."
"Well you see lass..." Dwalin started.
"We decided to escort you ourselves." Gloin told her.
"And Kili and Tauriel were dragged along by me, whilst Balin grabbed Arwen and then she brought Legolas." Fili told her. "So really, Kili, Tauriel, Arwen and Legolas don't really have a choice."
Phoenix just laughed. "Very well, let the procession –"
"Of Rhavaniel Eccaia." Arwen told her.
"Very well, let the procession of Rhavaniel Eccaia move out." She told them and together they all started walking towards Dale.
They did not walk for long, for the battle had brought them closer to Dale than they originally thought when they set up the medical tents. As they walked, many dwarves bowed to the dwarf warriors and many of the elves bowed to the Prince, Lady and Captain, but none bowed to Phoenix. Yet she took this in her stride and she walked ahead, her boots leaving her trail of prints behind herself and she looked around the almost barren land that resided outside of Erebor.
"I bet this all seems strange to you." Ori told her as he walked alongside her.
"Yes, it does in a way." She told him, looking at the younger dwarf. "The valley was always fully of flowers and life, here there is nothing."
"There used to be life here lass." Balin told her as he too walked alongside her.
"Aye, there were trees, bushes; maybe you will be able to help them to grow again?" Bofur asked.
Phoenix nodded. "Maybe I could." She nodded and the group continued to walk towards Dale. When they got to the city, the dwarves all stayed close to Phoenix especially when they saw the dead littered around, being moved out of the way. As she passed groups of people, many looked at her with sad and longing eyes. Suddenly Phoenix was stopped by an older woman, her dark hair matted with dirt, her face sporting fresh cuts from the battle she had faced – Hilda.
"My lady." She spoke, her voice gruff from crying and screaming.
"Madam." Phoenix spoke, and she watched the woman, before she suddenly received a slap across the face, but the woman shied away from the group who had travelled with Phoenix when they were about to advance onto her.
"No." Phoenix told them and the woman simply looked at her. "I am sorry for your loss."
"I lost no one in the battle." She told her.
"Then why did you hit her?" Fili asked. "You should be punished."
"Fili, that's enough." Phoenix told him.
"I thought you were dead you stupid girl." The woman cursed, suddenly pulling Phoenix into a hug. "I thought you were killed by that piece of filth."
Phoenix hugged the woman back tightly. "I am sorry." She told her, and as she pulled away from the embrace she looked at the confused group of dwarves and elves behind her. "This woman is the closest person to a mother that I've ever had." She told them. "Every time I came to Laketown to see Bard and his family, she would always make sure I was fed and often gave me shelter in her house."
"Aye, and in return, you taught me to fight." The woman told her, moving a hand down one side of her face. "Speaking of Bard and the children, they were in the market with Thorin, the other Dwarf Lord, Gandalf and The Elf King."
"Thank you, emel." Phoenix told her, kissing the woman's cheek before she walked towards the marketplace with the rest of her company.
Tauriel looked behind as the group left and found that Arwen had remained almost frozen in place. "My lady, what is it?"
"I have never heard her use that word with anyone." Arwen told Tauriel.
"She has truly had no mother?" Tauriel asked and Arwen shook her head in sadness before the pair ran to catch up with the others.
They soon found the group that the woman had told them about, huddled around a rock was Bard, Bain, Thorin, Dain, Thranduil, Gandalf and Bilbo. It was a strange sight to behold, all races on Middle Earth coming together to help rebuild a city.
"Dear Uncle, how could you start without us?" Fili cried as he sauntered over.
"Dear Nephew, I am only doing this to keep my mind from thinking of other pressing matters." Thorin told him.
"Such as what?" Fili pressed.
"Could it be the gold of Erebor?" Kili asked.
"Or the Arkenstone?" Fili continued.
"Or could it be the fact that someone who saved your ass is standing behind you?" Kili finished.
Thorin spun round to look at his nephews when the two moved out of the way which lead to Thorin's eyes finding Phoenix immediately as she stood in front of the dwarves and elves that had built her procession, and some of the humans who had joined them. He did not notice that his youngest nephew went to the red haired elf that had also joined, nor did he see the look of distaste from his cousin who eyed his nephew and his elf, or the look of loathing from the blonde elf that also saw the embrace. He did not see Arwen push Phoenix towards him a tiny bit, or the rest of his company push her within a few feet of distance from him, all he saw was Phoenix walking towards him until she was right in front of him.
"Nín mela." Phoenix spoke, her voice quiet.
"Amralime." Thorin whispered, and he watched her return to her dwarvish height, before he rested his hand on her cheek and he looked into her eyes, getting lost in the blue that rivalled any gem. "Díheno nin." He told her.
Phoenix gave him a soft smile as she moved a hand into his dark locks that were still matted from being on the road and in battle. "I already have." She told he and that spurred him into action and he kissed her deeply, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her into him.
When their kiss finally broke, Phoenix was suddenly out of Thorin's arms and onto the floor after being tackled by her goddaughter Tilda.
"Phoenix, you're alright!" Tilda beamed as she hugged her godmother tightly.
"Of course I am." Phoenix told her, hugging her tightly.
"Human displays of affection are puzzling to say the least." Thranduil spoke up as he noticed the younger human crying.
"She is merely showing happiness, King Thranduil." Gandalf told him.
"It is still strange." He told him before he looked at Bard. "Now, Bard, will you show my men and I where our help is required?"
"Of course, we could always use some help rebuilding the walls." Bard told him as they walked away and soon Phoenix was back on her feet.
"I need to stay with da', can I come and find you later?" Tilda asked Phoenix, rubbing her eyes free of tears quickly.
"Of course gwein min." Phoenix told her, brushing some of her hair behind her ear, and she smiled as she watched Tilda run off after Bard, before she looked at Thorin. "Where do you want us all to work?" She asked him.
"Mainly rebuilding walls and homes." Thorin told her. "But I want you to stay close to me." He told Phoenix who nodded and as the rest of the dwarves and elves left, he looked at her as he entwined their hands.
"I'm glad that you are feeling better." He told her.
"As am I." She smiled. "The experience was not pleasant."
"But you are fine now?" He asked, almost as if he was proving it to himself.
"I am." She nodded, kissing his cheek. "You do not need to worry my king, I am perfectly fine now."
Thorin gave her a smile as they walked towards a house that only had Fili, Kili and Tauriel working on it and they join in. Thorin helping his nephews rebuild the walls inside and outside of the house, whilst Tauriel and Phoenix worked on the roof, their Elvish agility helping them to get up there with ease.
They all worked in laughter and teasing from the two younger dwarves and as the sun reached its highest peak, everyone started to feel the heat. Even Phoenix and Tauriel were feeling the heat, so that they had shed many layers of cloth until Phoenix was in her white shirt and Tauriel was in a light green tunic, the layer above her underclothes. However, the princes had become shirtless in the never-ending sun whilst Thorin had gone down to his dark undershirt.
Tauriel and Phoenix watched as the woman who passed blushed at the sight of the shirtless dwarves, and whilst Thorin's own shirt did not leave much to the imagination with how tight to his skin it was, the townsfolk knew better than to mess with him after his and Phoenix's public display of affection earlier. However, the same could not be said for the relationship that had blossomed between Kili and Tauriel.
"Gar tye equë manen tye matha os i hadhod caun?" Phoenix asked as they took a break from fixing the roof as the dwarves went to get some drinks to ease the heat.
"Ed ava vistë ma." Tauriel told her, looking at her.
"Tye baw ista han, Tauriel baw lav hin marta o mÎl talta gwachae. Kili cé i heirder o tya hûn." Phoenix told her.
"Be man Thorin echad glanna ben gobel garthad?" Tauriel told her playfully and Phoenix laughed.
"Ná, fael be han." Phoenix told her through laughter.
The two soon fell about laughing as they waited for the dwarf men to return with their refreshments. Whilst in the tent for refreshments, Thorin was standing in the doorway that gave him a clear view to where Phoenix and Tauriel had remained on the roof and he watched them as they laughed and talked together.
"I wonder what they are saying."
He looked at the person next to him and found his nephew Kili stood there, taking a sip of his mug of cold and fresh water.
"I would also like to know, I'm just glad that Phoenix is happy." Thorin told him.
"As am I," Kili told him. "Both, Phoenix and Tauriel."
Thorin looked at him, he wondered of his nephew's relationship with the elf maiden, but he did not question it and he soon realised that he did not have to.
"Uncle, would you give me your blessing?" Kili asked him.
"For what?" Thorin asked.
"To court Tauriel, if she will have me?"
Thorin looked at his nephew who kept his eyes forward watching the two elves on the roof, but he noticed the looks of nervousness in Kili's eyes.
"Kili, of course I would." Thorin told her. "Ask her tonight, Bard has asked us all to attend a bonfire in honour of the dead tonight."
Kili nodded. "I might just do that." He wondered out loud and he smiled as his uncle patted his shoulder, before he walked towards the house that they had almost finished and Kili remained in the doorway, watching the elvish maidens who were comfortably talking and sitting in the sun.
Translations
Nin iell : My Daughter
Ada : Father
Inyë nauth han inyë aw wanwa tye : I thought that I had lost you
Han ava lárë : That will not happen
Emel : Mother
Nín mela : My love
Díheno nin : Forgive me
Gwein min : Young one
Gar tye equë manen tye matha os i hadhod caun? : Have you said how you feel about the dwarf prince?
Ed ava vistë ma : It will not change anything
Tye baw ista han, Tauriel baw lav hen marta o mÎl talta gwachae : You do not know that, Tauriel do not allow this chance of love to slip away
Kili cé i heirder o tya hûn : Kili may be the master of your heart
Be man Thorin echad glanna ben gobel garthad? : Like what Thorin made clear in the town square?
Ná, fael be han : Yes, just like that