Chapter 35 everyone!

Yeah, I know I'm a few days after with my usual updating schedule, but better late than never, right?

Random thing: At my school today we had an event when you should dress up in costumes and my friend and I went as Frodo and Bilbo. It was really fun and there was also a guy dressed up as Gandalf. Just felt for telling. Now, on with the story...

Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites & reviewers! It's wonderful that there are people who like what I'm writining and I've reached over 200 reviews! That's amazing!

Both ElvesRule & Jessie Rae Baby requested that I should write about the "I'll come and find you later"-scene, so I did. I hope you'll like it! And I know that some of you want Tauriel to go on the Quest later on and some of you are waiting for a kiss to come. My answer to both is; I won't spoil anything! There's quite a lot of chapters (in my opinion) left of the story, so you'll just have to read and see. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews; it's always a pleasure to read your thoughts on the story!

I do not own any characters or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.

Enjoy!

Chapter 35: Legolas

His muscles were aching in a good way when he left the archery practice. The recruits he was training were improving and the sound of arrows being fired still rang in his ears.

As he made his way back to the castle, he saw Aragorn sitting on the staircase, smoking his pipe with a frown on his face as the man looked out over the dark forest. The elf prince approached him, securing his bow on his back.

"You look troubled", he said and stopped in front of the sitting man.

The ranger took out the pipe and gave the elf a tired look.

"I am", Aragorn replied gravely. "I am worried of what will happen, Legolas. It's been years since I last passed through here, but I do not recall the forest being so dark. There's evil in the air."

"I know", he said mournfully. "Evil has had its nest in Dol Goldur for far too many years now, but we do not go near that place. The king has forbidden it."

"The king is wise", Aragorn offered, giving the elven prince a slight smile. "But soon this evil can't be ignored."

"Lle sinta ma amin car ú", he said suddenly and gazed at the ranger with old eyes. "Fólë."

Aragorn let out low chuckle, run a hand through his tangled hair and smiled wryly.

"I was raised with elves", the man pointed out. "I learned to keep secrets as well as them."

The elf didn't appreciate the slight humor and narrowed his eyes. Aragorn smiled again, although now it was a sad smile and he looked older as he did so.

"Time will tell, Legolas. Have patience."

He pursed his lips, but didn't say anything else to Aragorn. He thought the ranger looked to have enough in his mind and soul already.

"Have you seen the Captain?" he asked instead. "I do not know where to find her."

Putting his pipe to his mouth again, Aragorn said:

"Lady Tauriel was reporting to the king and Gandalf about Gollum, but I last saw her when she was walking around the royal garden. Try there, mellonamin."

. . . .

He found Tauriel in the garden as Aragorn had told him he would. She was lying on the dry grass, her red hair fawning out beneath her, her weapons tossed aside, but still within her reach, and her eyes were closed. She looked relaxed, looked as if she was sleeping, though he knew it to be untrue. Sleep did not come to them, only graced them with its presence should they take a mortal blow and bleed for the world and its injustice.

He felt a tug in his chest at the sight of her still and sprawled out over the dark ground, because there wasn't a sadder and more hauntingly beautiful picture he could imagine than her. Suddenly, without opening her eyes, Tauriel broke the silence by saying:

"You're staring."

"Yes", he admitted, because he didn't see the point of denying it. "I admire you and the masterpiece you make. I shouldn't be so surprised after all these years, but you still never cease to amaze me with your fire and will of life. You have a beauty, in both body and soul, with no equal, Tauriel."

His voice trailed off after the words that flowed so freely from his lips. He averted his eyes and stared down at his boots that were slightly stained by mud. Every word he had spoken to her was true and deep down in his heart; he couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't spoken them before. What was it he feared?

Had he been looking at Tauriel instead of the ground, he would've noticed that her cheeks had turned a bright pink.

"Why did you wish to speak with me?" she asked him in a calm voice that matched the tone of the chilly breeze that swept through the garden.

He looked up and met Tauriel's eyes that seemed to be as black pools, deep and mysterious. Something inside him stirred, stirred worse than ever before when he had locked eyes with his longtime friend. It was perhaps the dark and gloomy atmosphere that made Tauriel seem twice as bright and full of life, a beacon of hope in these dark times. He was almost afraid of how he felt, of that warmth that spread through his chest like a blooming flower and that feeling of being whole whenever he was in her presence.

"I just wanted to talk", he said, smiling a bit wistfully. "To talk about better times, of times without any worries and darkness."

Tauriel returned his smile with one of her own. She reached out her hand to him, waving with it so he would take it.

"Come and lay next to me", she begged of him.

He obeyed and took her hand. The grass wasn't soft, but itchy. He noticed – with his heart in his throat – that she hadn't let go of his hand and he wasn't going to it either. The feeling of her hand in his was too good to give up now. Tauriel smiled and then turned her head so she was facing the sky again. He let his gaze linger on her relaxed face for a few more seconds before following suit.

"Do you remember when we would lay here and look at the clouds?" he wondered out loud, his blue eyes taking in the grey sky. "We would try to detect different shapes."

"I remember that", Tauriel said and he could hear the smile in her voice. "We could get into some real arguments about what shape a particular cloud had."

"If I recall correctly, you wouldn't speak with me for a whole day since I accused you of being wrong about a cloud you said looked like an oliphaunt."

Tauriel let out a soft laugh.

"And I stand by it to this day." She sighed. "We were really young back then, didn't know so much of the world."

"One can never see it all", he said wisely and gently stroke the back of her hand with his thumb.

They were quiet after that, just enjoying each other's company, finding a rare moment of peace. The sky was a foreboding grey; dark clouds all covering the sky. When the first drop of rain fell, he wasn't surprised. The drops fell faster and faster, tickling his skin, pattering down from the sky like tears. He thought it was refreshing, the rain pleasant on his skin.

The two friends stayed where they were as the sky opened up and let out its wet fury. They still hadn't let go of each other's hands.

Lle sinta ma amin car ú - You know something I don't

Fólë - A secret

Mellonamin - My friend