Author's note:

I really just had to trust my muse to lead me through these next few chapters. I hope you will too. Nothing about war is pretty.

Thank you, reviewers: Anddante, Mfaerie, Kasmira, Tuonora, Margarita, Celebrisilweth, Haku's lover18, butterbum, Adm. J Kirk McGill.

Thank you all, readers, for sticking with me.

AW

Tauriel spun around and delved her blades into another ambling large muscular beast, the spray of their oily black blood bathing her hands again, making her weapons slippery, then sticky. There was no rest for her ire, her vengeance; she worked like a nearsighted machine of death. Her arms were starting to ache, but she drew on her innate hatred of the beasts; the beasts that ended the lives of her parents deserved nothing less than the death their daughter gladly gave them.

That distain surrounded her, strengthened her to push past the pain her body and joints felt when she was temporarily upended or thrown by one of the beasts. Then again she elegantly evaded their blows and used their bulk and lumbering clumsiness against them, with deadly results. The sea of grizzly forms seemed endless, waves of them splashing over the crumbling walls of Dale around them. For a moment she felt a deep despair, afraid none of them would come out of this alive…

Nearby her, she could hear the discontinuous grunts of effort from Legolas, as he slay everything in his path, black beasts falling prey to his twin blades, His lightning fast moves and blazing eyes cutting through the hordes that surrounded them. They had long run out of arrows, and had no time to retrieve them from the heaps of bodies that surrounded them. He seemed too busy to think on the futility of this massacre. From the other corner of her eye she saw Thranduil fighting; she struggled not to gawk at his deadly elegance.

A group of elf soldiers rounded the corner and began to decimate the ranks of the orks surrounding them. These were what were left of Thranduil's private guard, faithful Oreyon in their lead. The orcs ceased oozing over the crumbling wall. Tauriel continued her rampage, a new feeling of glee and lightness permeating her, because reinforcements had arrived. She kept pushing her taxed body onward, into a sea of victims awaiting her blades. Finally, she stood for a minute or two of respite, turning all around, observing Thranduil easily taking out three orks that had gotten through his guard with his long, shimmering weapons, and Legolas, nearby her, starting to pull arrows from the beasts. Ah, the tables had finally turned. Gandalf approached them from behind the elf guards, in the midst of the fight, hurriedly, with the hobbit in tow. Several men soldiers followed him.

"Lord Thranduil…we have gained some control of the orks coming into Dale." Gandalf said, through clenched teeth. "Bard and the men have the eastern walls somewhat secured." He reported. "We may yet live through this." Legolas walked up to them, shaking his head.

"We came back to warn you all. This battle is not over yet. There is another orc army coming in from the North." Legolas insisted. "They will be upon us shortly." Gandalf and Thranduil looked at him with horror.

"There is another wave?" Gandalf gasped. "By all that is holy…"

"How many?" Thranduil asked, with a scowl.

"Legions…" Legolas admitted. "Legions." Everyone around gasped. Bilbo looked towards the north, an expression of exasperated worry on his face.

"The dwarves… I saw them riding up that hill…to fight the white ork." Bilbo said, a combination of shock and worry in his voice. Gandalf nodded his wise head.

"Thorin... he is trying a new attack. By chopping off the head of the snake, the rest of the orcs will have no direction." Gandalf said.

"But…Is that not where this new army would come from?" Bilbo suggested. Gandalf strode up next to Bilbo.

"Yes…I do believe you are right." Gandalf said, brows knitting. Tauriel and Legolas had been listening intently to the exchange, but Thranduil seemed only peripherally aware of the conversation.

Thanduil stood up, turning around slowly surveying the massacre with a lost, forlorn look. Too many of his magnificent elves now lay dead among the enemy. He breathed in a harsh, painful breath, anger rising in his eyes.

"I am fast losing my desire to spill any more elvish blood for this godforsaken land…" Thranduil growled, as he looked back at Gandalf with fire in his eyes. "Oreyon…Call back your men!" Thranduil ordered.

"But…wait… what of the orcs, from…the north? From beyond Raven Hill?" Bilbo asked. Gandalf looked flabbergasted.

"The dwarves are waging an offensive there, to unseat the leader. They will get trapped, with this new wave. Slaughtered! They need your help!" Gandalf insisted. Thranduil looked at Gandalf with anger.

"I waste no more of my elves for this…" he said.

"But…Thorin, Dwalin, Fili and Kili…they are all up there." Bilbo said, his face drawn with worry. "They have to be warned!"

Tauriel shuddered with immediate dread, frozen in place, eyes turning quickly towards the direction of Raven Hill.

"Kili…" she whispered to herself, the expression of shock and fear taking immediate residence. "Oh no…" she said, the dread turning into a hot boulder in her chest.

She started running towards the crumbling outpost of the mountain kingdom as fast as she could, evading the beasts trying to slow her down if she could, slicing them in two if she had to…

"Tauriel! " Legolas cried out behind her, watching as the red haired elf bounded away from their settled position into the seas of dead, dying and fighting beasts below on a direct trajectory to the fort at the top of the hill. Legolas shot a quick glance at his father and pointed after Tauriel. Thranduil's eyes followed.

"She goes to Raven Hill…" Legolas said, concern in his face. "To help the dwarves…"

"That is a fool's mission." Thranduil said. "If she is willing to risk her life again for a dwarf, so be it." Thranduil grunted. Legolas glared at his father, his lips pursed.

"I go with her." He said. Thranduil turned slowly; Legolas was staring hard at his father's face. Legolas turned to follow Tauriel. Thranduil grabbed his son's arm.

"Your feelings are not reciprocated..." he insisted. "She does not love you…" Thranduil whispered urgently. Legolas looked back at his father, a calm resolve on his face.

"If there is one thing I have learned, father," Legolas said, staring into the shocked and appalled eyes of his father. "Is that love…is not all about 'you'…" He said, backing away from Thranduil's grasp. He turned and ran as fast as he could, to join Tauriel.

Legolas realized long before that Tauriel did not feel for him as he would have liked, but…if he truly was her friend like he claimed he was, he would help her defend those who she loved. Even dwarves.

Thranduil looked after his son, open mouthed, dread taking hold in his chest.

He is so much his mother's child… Thranduil thought Always ready to give his last…

Oreyon, who had been looking on at all of this from a distance, walked urgently up to his king, a look of stern consternation on his face. Thranduil's shocked stare turned to his most trusted servant.

"What say you, my King?" Oreyon said in elvish, through tightened lips, looking at Thranduil hard. "I can have my best men to follow them in moments, if you bid it." He said, his words of deference not matching the message he wished to convey…That he would be dammed to let Legolas and Tauriel go this alone.

Thranduil's lost, pained expression remained on his face, yet he nodded once. That was all Oreyon needed to see… But he and Thranduil had to start fighting again before he could yell after his son to wait.

Tauriel stopped for a moment or two on the lower reaches of Raven Hill , her keen eyes searching the summit for a sign, a glimpse of her dwarf, or any living being in the angular ruins, which was now laced with fog. Tauriel began to gasp with worry. Nowhere did she see Kili. Legolas came up behind her.

"We must hurry…" he said, heading off with her on a swift run towards the upper reaches of Ravenhill. On the way up, they spied Thorin being attacked by a great many creatures, orks and goblins, on the frozen river. Tauriel's worry increased; why was he fighting alone? There were too many combatants for even the highly skilled regal dwarf to handle alone. Legolas looked back at her, readying his bow.

"I'll help Thorin. Go- find him!" He said, in mid pull. Tauriel nodded and scampered into the lower levels of the fort, fighting several orks to get through to a balcony so she could better see the upper reaches. These orks were strong, and did not fall easily, yet she bested them…. For just a second, she saw the flash of dark hair above golden mail, fighting several big, black creatures around him. The ran to another terrace.

"Kili!" She called out, from the wide ledge. She looked around desperately for her dwarf again. "Kili!" She called out again, her heart seizing in her chest. From above and behind her, she heard him…

"Tauriel!" Kili called back, with a tone of surprise. Tauriel turned around, searching.

Suddenly, a large grey and black ork jumped before her and swiped at her so quickly, she barely had time to evade the axe swung her way. She struck back and her body was caught out of nowhere by the mace the large creature held in the other hand. She fell to the ground and when she stood up she was hit hard by the mace again.

Tauriel hit the ground with such force it knocked the breath from her. Through barely open eyes she saw Bolg standing before her, and her heart stilled with fear.

Kili leaped from out of nowhere, landing on Bolg, pulling back on the arm that was about to swing and connect with her head. Kili's weapon, a long dwarf sword that seemed to stay in his hand no matter what spills he encountered, was then pressed hard against Bolg's neck.

The most that accomplished was to distract Bolg temporarily, though. He threw Kili over his shoulder onto some steps nearby. Kili jumped up, recovering quickly. Tauriel scampered to her feet, recovered her twin long daggers and approached Kili, until they were in close quarters, both fighters looking at the large ork beast.

"Tauriel…we can take him, together." Kili said, his voice low and growling. Tauriel glanced at her dwarf, his golden mail stained with black, his face smeared with red blood, yet his eyes hard and intent. Tauriel nodded, a grimace on her face.

"Now…" she said. The two warriors yelled and rushed the tall ork headlong, Kili going low to strike at his midsection, Tauriel high to strike at his shoulders and head. She dug in a blade as she heard the creature groan, and Kili's sword crash against his armor. The deadly mace swung around as Bolg growled in pain, and Kili spun around to swipe at the creatures back, after ducking away from the sharp bladed bludgeoning weapon.

Tauriel swung around his head to hold his thick neck, the sleeve and the skin on her arm getting shredded by the blade encrusted paldron on his shouder. A large hand wrapped around her arm and pulled it with such force as to nearly wrench it out of the socket. She cried out in pain yet clung on hard. The next second, Kili's blade dug deep into the arm attached to that large hand, but Bolg spun around and his fist connected with Kili's jaw. Kili fell back with a grunt but looked up at her, and lunged himself at his legs, to topple the beast. Tauriel distracted Bolg further by twisting the blade she had insinuated into his armor, scraping her fingers across his malformed face, digging her nails into his bulging eyes.

Bolg yelled in pain and toppled, and as he fell forward heaviliy, his head smashed into the wall in front of them with a thud. Tauriel jumped back, off of the felled beast and stepped back, staring at the large ork in awe. Kili nearly got flattened by the top heavy beast, but he scurried out of the way before the collapse. Bolg stayed stilled.

In seconds, Kili was by her side, staring at Bolg in disbelief. They looked back at each other, breathing heavily with the effort. He reached out to her and they clasped hands. Kili dared to let the corner of his mouth rise in a smile as Tauriel breathed out with a sigh of relief. Then Tauriel remembered that they were still in dire straits.

"Kili…there is another orc army, from the north that is now upon us; this ork was one of them. There will be more." She urged. Kili's brows knit, and he shook his head.

"By the gods." he groaned. "We have to go now…" he insisted.

"We can go back to Dale…" Tauriel suggested. Kili's eyes grew wide.

"Thorin…" he said, worry sinking into his expression. Tauriel nodded and pointed to where she had seen Thorin being beset with orks before.

"He was fighting over there when last I saw him." She said. With a nod, Kili pursed his lips and hurriedly started going that way. Tauriel followed behind. After a few steps, Kili looked back at her. Tauriel dared to smile…

But then Kili's expression changed; his eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. Then he pursed his lips…

It all happened so fast. Kili grabbed her arm and pulled it hard, spinning around her. Then Tauriel felt an enormous force…a heavy blow hit them both and they were launched through the air.

It felt like they flew forever before she struck the wall, the back of her head connecting with the stone with such force that everything went black for a moment…the scene floated back into her vision as she struggled to raise her head, just in time to see the shadowy image of the tall ork raising his arm before her, the bladed mace red with blood…

Out of nowhere, a flash of blonde and brown whooshed before her, and the strong elf descended upon the tall, gory ork. Bolg struggled to remain standing as Legolas attacked him. The teetered back and forth, locked in a struggle. Bolg backed up, trying to free himself from Legolas but they both fell over the edge of the precipice out of her view. Tauriel felt herself scream as her world faded to black…

Just moments earlier, Legolas had been shooting all of his arrows into the beasts surrounding Thorin until he ran out. He gazed helplessly as Thorin began to fight the huge white ork. Then Legolas heard Tauriel cry out in pain. With a last look at Thorin, he flew up to where he had heard her cry out, just in time to attack Bolg. They fell down off the mountain and were locked in a brief struggle. At one point, Bolg growled at him, throwing Legolas onto a boulder, hand on his neck.

"I remember you…and I remember the one who looked like you…she would not let us capture the other elves…she offered herself instead." Bolg said. "Her flesh was very sweet…" Legolas opened his eyes wide, temporarily in shock. He shook with an anger that welled up from deep in his gut and with a final breath and push, kicked the huge beast before him hard in the soft part of his belly. That made him release the hold on his neck for just a second, but that was enough…

Legolas grabbed the dagger that was still in his harness on his back, and he shoved it with all his might into the creature's eye. Legolas took out the knife and then struck Bolg again and again, all around his face and neck, becoming bathed in his black blood, pushing his body off of him with his strong legs.

Legolas saw red. Rage seethed within him and Legolas released it upon the black creature, hardly hearing his disgusting screams and gurgles, breaking through armor and bone into vital organs again and again with whatever cutting or bludgeoning tool Legolas could wrap his hands around. He avenged the elf who died at Bolg's hands.

This creature…deserved worse than death…for his mother.

Finally, the blood ceased to run, and Legolas stood up, panting with exertion and grief. He stared at the hole riddled carcass. It was done.

His mind shifted to more important things which bade him move, set out on a search…

Tauriel...Tauriel…

She heard Kili's voice, resounding through her head clearly, but it was soft and weak. She raised her head, which was aching as if hit by lightning.

Tauriel…

She heard it again. Tauriel struggled up, fighting to push away the pain with a new wind of concern and desperation. She used the adjacent wall to stand, and blinked until her sight cleared. All around her, there were mangled orks. But…oh no… there was not only black blood and bodies. She nearly faltered, nearly unable to go on; because, several paces away, the ground was also bathed in the crimson blood…of a dwarf.

Her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest and she was unable to breathe deeply as the ache spread through her body. There, surrounded by the bodies of black beasts, was Kili in their midst, writhing in pain.

His face was a mask of agony, his body covered in blood and gore, his chain mail breached at his midsection, a wide chasm off to one side running freely with blood and fluid. She walked up beside him, checking briefly for live enemies moving around her to find none. Kili's eyes opened widely, shock and pain wracking his features. Tauriel could hardly contain her dismay…she fell to her knees before him.

"Tauriel…" he uttered, just before coughing, blood dripping from the corners of his grimace.

Tauriel worked at removing the ragged chain mail armor with shaking hands; to see the damage below… she lifted it from his body and stared, in horror. A large gash tore through his vestments below, revealing that he had nearly been hacked in half…Tauriel let the mail fall away and pulled Kili to her, holding him desperately close, but he cried out in pain again, his hand grasping his side, his face blanching. She clamped her hand around his wound, the flesh torn, warm and slick with blood. She uttered an incantation over and over, trying her hardest to heal the wound; she felt the rapid drain of energy, but it was faster and more deep than she could bear; it seemed there was not power enough to heal this wound. Kili yelled out in pain, and shook so much she had to stop. Her futile attempts were only making his pain worse.

It is only a matter of time…his fate is sealed…

Tauriel became aware of a figure rising from just beyond the edge of the precipice; she tensed up in fear…but then gasped with relief. It was Legolas. He was covered in black blood and gore himself. As he glanced at her, his face showed his deep relief at finding her alive. But then his eyes drifted down to the dwarf she held in her arms and his brows rose, and his lips formed a line, pursed together. Wordlessly, he came to the same, sad conclusion. After looking into her eyes, he bowed his head and turned, heading away, back where he came from, leaving her and Kili alone.

Tauriel cradled Kili in her arms, the desperation threatening to make her scream. Tauriel struggled not to cry out with the boiling thoughts of anger and pain and hopelessness that were turning her blood cold as the realization sunk deeper yet.

Kili is dying.

All around them seemed to fade into silence, the only thing she saw was Kili, the only thing she heard was his labored groans, the only thing she was aware of was the body of her dying lover before her. Tauriel took a few deep breaths as Kili writhed and groaned before her, his eyes wide, nearly unseeing, as his body twisted wildly in throes of pain, nearly out of her arms. She steeled herself to tend to him, pushing away her own pain, desperately holding back the sorrow that was threatening to paralyze her where she sat. She closed her eyes and held back the sadness as she put her thumb on his forehead, her fingers alongside his face, and uttered the incantation of Medui Thul, the Last Breath. Her voice escaped her just before she was done.

Tauriel gripped Kili tightly afterwards, and held his face as the expression on it changed. His eyes, which before, were pressed shut in pain and his jaw, which had been clamped tight, began to release, moment by moment. His eyes fluttered open and focused on hers… Tauriel breathed quickly but she pursed her lips, stroked his face, and struggled to smile…

"Tauriel…" he said, barely above a whisper, his low timbre still there, his chest rising and falling with rapid pants.

"I'm here, Kili…" she said, softly, gently, stroking his hair, his face… He furrowed his brows, then looked at her with softness.

"You…took away…the pain." He said, his eyes tracing her face.

"Yes." She whispered, her smile becoming more genuine. A wave of sadness hit her hard, and she struggled to not break into tears. But Kili saw her anguish. He swallowed, and tried to look down at his wound. She tilted his head gently back up to look into her face. "Please... don't look." She suggested, shaking her head. "The wound is deep..." Was all she could mention. Kili nodded and pursed his lips.

"I know… what it means." He said. "There is nothing…you … can do…" Kili continued, the realization spreading over his face, and with it came a somber sadness. . Tauriel swallowed hard.

"Why, Kili?" she said, her voice shaking. "Why did you do that?" she asked, quietly. Kili lifted his hand to hold hers, clasping it over his chest, as it rose and fell rapidly.

"You….are an elf. You…can live…till the end of days." He said between gasps, his look of love and adoration floating over her features. "I…I...will not." Tauriel gasped; and tears began to fall.

"I don't want to live forever without you…" she confessed, tearily. Kili pursed his lips and sadness floated over his features.

"Tauriel … you can… you must." he said softly, sweetly. He raised his hand to stroke her face, and held her by the back of her neck, his eyes searching her face, wandering all over each fine feature. His face relaxed more and more with the euphoric relief of pain that the incantation afforded the mortally wounded. Tauriel sucked in a breath with the sensation of his fingers in her hair, once again, for the last time…

"Do you still have it?" he asked. Tauriel blinked at the question for a moment, and then nodded, retrieving the little stone from the pocket in her tunic. He looked down and touched it. "You did return…"

"Of course, my heart." She managed to say. Kili's weakened hand shook as he folded her hand over it.

"Please…take this ...to my mother." Tauriel had to hold back a gasp. He gripped her hand. "Promise me, Tauriel, … that you will be the one to…place it in her hands…" he said, his eyes pleading. She nodded rapidly, grabbing a few shallow sobbing breaths, the only breaths her aching chest would allow.

"I will…" she said. Kili coughed a bit, his body shaking in her arms, blood running freely from his side again. Tauriel tightened her hold around his midsection. He eventually settled down, much weaker, barely able to hold her hand tightly anymore.

"Tell her… what happened here. Tell her…about us." He said, his eyes softening. "Tell her…that…her son finally learned…what it is… to love." He said, a small smile on his face. Tauriel gasped, heartache floating over her face. Kili stared at her, wonder and worship in his eyes, as if he would never stop looking at her. Yet Tauriel knew he was not long for this world, his breaths becoming more and more shallow, his face getting paler and paler.

"I swear upon the Spirits of Valinor it will be done." She said, uttering her most sacred of oaths. Kili's eyes blinked with satisfaction, and he returned his hand to stroking the edges of her face. She closed her eyes, as she pressed her face to his hand. His touch stroked her soul.

"I am sorry… Tauriel. I promised… I would never hurt you…" She heard Kili gasp and she put her hand on his, and felt his weak fingers tighten under hers. They stared into each other's eyes, Tauriel's eyes filled with sorrow.

"Kili…" she whispered. She kissed his forehead, cold and clammy, after gently pushing aside his distinctive, wayward locks. Tauriel swallowed and held his cheek. "You never did." Tauriel said, her voice quivering. She gripped his hand tightly, surrounding his cold fingers with hers.

Tauriel smiled so she would not weep, and lowered her head to his, and kissed him, the salt and rusty flavor of the blood on his lips filling her mouth. She didn't care… As she parted from his lips, Kili's lips curled up into a relieved smile, and his eyes gazed into hers with wonder.

"Tell…me again…about…your stars..." he asked, his eyes floating slowly over her face. Tauriel breathed deeply, her lips parting.

"In the dark, velvet blanket of the night…the stars are like innumerable sparkling diamonds, twinkling…spirits alight." She said, struggling to smile as she stroked his face.

"The light… of forever…" he said, as his eyelids blinked slowly. She held back the sensation of her heart in her throat.

"The stars are most beautiful when viewed on moonless nights…through the break in the trees above a little cabin in the forest, built from the side of a mountain." She said, touching his face tenderly. "One you can both feel the freedom of the trees and the warmth of the earth." Kili's eyes opened wide and he looked at her with sad wonder. Tauriel smiled a bit more. "It has the most gorgeous terrace on the roof, and a tub built for two." She said, feeling the heat in her face threaten to cloud her vision. "Inside, it has the biggest stove in middle earth. In the front, the air is filled with the scent of herbs, the whole place surrounded by the most exquisite flowers…." Kili's eyes misted with tears as he smiled.

"Oh, Tauriel…" Kili's wavering voice shook as he blinked. "I can see it…" he said, his consciousness starting to fade. Tauriel held her breath as his eyes struggled to open again. She leaned closer. "But…where…where is the moon?" he asked, his voice starting to fade. Tauriel pursed her lips and held his face near hers.

"She is out looking for a reckless little dwarfling, one who outrun her years ago in the Blue Mountains." She said, a sad smile gently wafting over her lips. Kili's eyes opened wide and focused on her, with more life and strength than she thought he could manage at that moment.

"You… found me… Yasith.…" he breathed, each breath an immense effort. Amralime…" He whispered, slowly.

"Le melin…Hervenn." Tauriel said, her hand caressing his face, which was getting paler and paler, the sparkle in his eyes fading as his body stilled.

I love you… Tauriel…

She heard it in her head, as an echoing whisper, and then, all was silent. Tauriel lost her breath as the aching heart in her chest shattered into pieces, and her body went numb.

And the youngest Son of Durin let out a long, slow exhale…

From on high where he was, Legolas could see everything as it continued to transpire. His attention was grabbed by the loud, bellowing growl of a bear and the shrieks of eagles. The sounds caught the attention of all the elves, dwarves and men in the valley, as well as the mindless beasts around them. All eyes turned up to see it… it was unbelievable.

The dark clouds of the heavens were silhouetted by hundreds of large wings, the talons spread out, the beaks open and ready. All orcs began to retreat. The eagles made quick work of the many bats that flew above. Then they flew low and killed scores of the black creatures at a time, the ground below them turning black with the fresh carnage. The large figure of an irate, massive bear came into view, running through the seas of black fighters, cutting swaths of death with wide blows from his giant paws, claws ripping through hide and sinew, laying to waste dozens of the beasts with each pass. Within moments it was quite evident the fates had turned.

But there was so much tragedy that surrounded him, Legolas could not feel joy at it, despite the path to victory that was now evident. It was a bitter victory, one heavy with cost. He thought back upon the last few moments, when he found Tauriel, cradling a very wounded dwarf in her arms. Legolas had wandered away from Tauriel and Kili in a daze after he saw the grave situation; it was just best to leave them alone. No, this was their time, and theirs alone, and there was little left of it from the looks of it. To be honest, Legolas was devastated to see such a thing transpire. Even though he did not much like the young dwarf, he would never have wished that fate upon Kili. But Legolas was more hurt for his friend. He would have never wished any of this upon Tauriel…

He stumbled over to his right just in time to see Azog, the orc leader, surrounded by his dark blood, lying still, impaled into the white ice of the frozen river. He saw Thorin walking away slowly, but then he faltered and fell to his knees, the dark red trail behind him obviously blood spilt from the dwarf king's own veins. Legolas started towards him, but then he halted; other dwarves were rushing to his side.

Legolas sighed heavily as he looked around, and as far as he could see, there was death. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of orks were felled all over. But, unmistakeably, there were also elves, man and dwarves that lay slain, hapharzardly strewn upon the mountain's slopes, on the plain before Erebor, on the hills surrounding Dale. Legolas crouched down, weighed heavily by the sights and sounds that permeated his senses. He did not know how long he stayed there, still and silent, as his mind struggled to come to terms with all that he had witnessed this day.

Death is a difficult concept for an elf to tolerate, to understand. It is not a natural part of their existence; death comes as a tragic accident or intentional act of violence. For Legolas, so many of these elves were his own, elf soldiers he had been with, led for centuries, that each one he recognized stung his heart. He gasped and knelt down on one knee, praying for their spirits as they traveled far away from this forsaken place.

Legolas gasped as he looked at the grey sky above him, the clouds amassing over them as if the clouds themselves were also saddened by the unspeakable loss. They had triumphed over the forces of darkness this day, as fortune would have it, and only because of the help of Eagles and a shapeshifter. But the darkness, the evil trying to gain control of middle earth still lingered, a distant threat at the moment, but one that would shadow all of Arda until it was dealt with. He looked over the land, and even though this horrible incidence was causing him such pain, deep in his heart he knew he belonged in this very place, no matter the angst it gave. His was not a life to be lived in the shadows of a fortress hidden in Mirkwood. He was meant to stand with his brethren from other races, against this onslaught of evil. That path, though fraught with danger, was what he now knew was his warrior call.

A sound to his right shattered his introspection.

"Kili! Kili! Where are you, lad?" A dwarf scampered up the hill, looking frantically about and was startled when he saw Legolas crouching low near the edge of a ledge. The dwarf paused and backed up a little.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Legolas stood up, wiped his blade and nodded.

"I'm fine." Legolas said, looking at the dwarf with a serious, solemn glance. "But…I know where he is…"

"Lass…" Someone said, in a low, sad tone. Tauriel could not move.

"Lass…he's gone." The voice said, a little louder and more insistently. Tauriel blinked her eyes and looked down at the body that weighed like lead in her grasp. Skin ashen against dark hair, colored only with streaks of red all over. His eyes were barely shut. Devoid of life…

It hardly looked like him…

Tauriel did know how long she had been there. She looked around. It was obviously long enough for quite a representative group to surround her…elves and dwarves looked on in sad silence.

"Lass…" The voice said again. She focused on the face of a dwarf she barely knew before her, his hair matted with blood, his own and the black blood of their enemies, his eyes clear and filled with grief.

Bofur put his hand on the arm Tauriel had tightened like a vise around Kili.

"There is nothing more you can do, Lass. We will care for him now." He assured her, his voice laden with sorrow. She breathed a shaky breath and swallowed, nodding her head in agreement. She released her grasp and gasped as Kili's head fell lifelessly back.

Bofur caught his head and cradled Kili's limp body, resting him gently on the ground, out of her hold. Immediately, two other dwarves surrounded them.

Familiar hands were a gentle weight on her shoulders.

"Tauriel. Come." The quiet, low voice of Legolas filled her ears, surrounding her, as his strong hands squeezed her arms gently. "We must go." With some effort, Tauriel rose up, and she stole a last glance at the still body between the dwarves.

It hardly looked like him.

She walked away in a lurid haze, her body lead by her lifelong companion at her side, his strong grasp giving her legs the will to keep going. They walked down the long way off of Ravenhill, to the decimated ranks below in the plateau. She barely recognized Oreyon as he came before her, his blonde hair streaked in black.

"Tauriel…we need you. There are so many whose lives hang by a thread. There are so many more wounded…" he said, before realizing how affected she was. "Tauriel?" he questioned, his look changing to unease. Oreyon's eyes shifted over to Legolas. "Is she hurt?"

"Not bodily." Legolas replied. Legolas leaned over to Oreyon and whispered something. The way Oreyon looked back at her, she knew exactly what Legolas had said.

That Kili was dead. Tauriel winced. Even to think it… hurt.

"I will do it, Oreyon." Tauriel heard herself say, before even realizing it, as if speaking from outside herself. Tauriel looked up at the face of her prince, coming more into sharp focus. Legolas pursed his lips and turned to Tauriel, a look of caring and concern etched on his regal features. He stood before her, his anxious eyes looking into hers. His hands clamped on her upper arms, as if to hold her up.

"Are you sure, Tauriel?" He asked quietly. Tauriel breathed a few times, bringing herself completely into focus, concentrating on the now stained elven armor on her prince's chest. "You don't have to do this…" She blinked rapidly.

"Yes…yes, I must." She said, as she raised her head to look into his worried blue eyes. She knew as a healer, she had to do her duty.

"I will stay with you..." Legolas said, the look of worry remaining on his face.

They wandered through the nightmarish aftermath of the battle, for what seemed like forever, responding to cries for help and groans of pain. Tauriel healed many men, elves and dwarves, but she used the incantation of the Last Rite more than she ever wanted to. Each time, the vision of life draining from familiar, beloved, dark eyes flashed before her, and her heart ached anew. Finally, she collapsed forward after walking away from the last man she gave the rite and gasped deeply as if she could not find her breath. Legolas was next to her shortly.

"Tauriel!" he said, the genuine concern in his voice a light in her darkness.

"I…just cant…anymore…" she said, shutting her eyes hard, so the death and blood and evidence of violence no longer invaded her vision. She covered her face and leaned forward, curling up into a ball. Arms surrounded her shoulders.

"Alright, that is enough. You did well today, Tauriel. Very well…" Legolas said, his voice a comforting salve. Tauriel leaned into his broad chest and the strength drained from her. Before she collapsed to the ground, Legolas had her, scooped up in his strong arms. "I am so proud of you…" He said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder, shutting out the light, shutting out the pain.

She barely could sense the time that passed as he carried her out from the battlefield. She heard murmurings and mutterings all around her but her mind was so overwhelmed she did not bother to put the sounds into language.

"Legolas! What happened?" Tauriel finally heard the familiar, low voice of King Thranduil, and did discern his words.

"She is not hurt, just completely and utterly spent." She heard the voice of the one who carried her quite close to her ear.

"Take her to Oreyon." Her king said.

"Yes, father." Legolas replied.

Tauriel only opened her eyes when she was placed on a soft mat atop a cot. She was in a well-lit elvish tent. Urgent whispers were exchanged between Legolas and Oreyon, who were nearby. Oreyon approached and looked at her with concern. He held a small cup to her lips.

"Come now, drink." She heard him say. She took in the liquid; it was burning with alcohol and bitter with herb. He gave her several other tinctures, despite her protests. She finally gave in, taking the hot liquid in, feeling it burn all the way down her throat. Oreyon laid a hand on her head and murmured an incantation over her. Tauriel felt her body relax and her head become hazy. Her lids became unbelievably heavy and numbness washed into her mind, over her body. He got up and approached two other shadows standing nearby. The hushed voices revealed it was Legolas and Bard now with Oreyon. Tauriel looked their way through barely opened eyes, unable to move.

"Her energy is down, but what ails her most is her spirit. It is severely damaged." Oreyon said. "She needs to rest; and that she will with what I have given her." Legolas grunted and nodded. The vague shadow she assumed was Bard looked on with concern, shaking his head.

"This day has seen too much tragedy for us all. This fight has taken such a heavy toll on the men of Dale as well. And what of Thorin Oakenshield?" Bard whispered.

"His body has been taken to the King's tent, attended to by dwarves and the hobbit. He did not survive, after the fight with Azog, and the grief that struck him upon learning of his kin." Oreyon said.

"Both of his nephews fell…what a horrible shame." Bard said. Legolas mumbled something Tauriel could not hear, and the three men left the tent. Tauriel eyes wafted closed in the drunken and drugged haze.

So…Kili's brother was slain as well. Fili; the kind, young, loyal brother was gone. And Thorin would not live to rule his kingdom. Tauriel shut her eyes in despair.

None had escaped the dragon's curse of doom. Everyone had paid such a harsh, final price.

(I know, that was difficult. Just trust me...keep reading.)