Tauriel POV

I calmed my horse with my hands as we rode towards Arahir's former residence. My body was swaying and I made effort to scream glutinous curses every few minutes

Veassen's men followed suit, catching up to me in my feigned drunken state. "This is ridiculous." They murmured. "He'll cause a scene for sure."

"We have orders to take him back to Veassen... punish him after he regains sobriety. Though there's not much we can do to a castrated brute besides kill him."

I forced myself to tumble over, in the grass, hands locked on my twin blades.

They chuckled in ridicule. "Drunken bastard can't even hold wine. That was fast."

I let them approach me, and felt one arm curl around each side of my shoulder.

I started my frenzy once more, "Take your hands off me! Blood must be shed!"

I drew a dagger and sliced at the guards head slowly, making sure he would dodge it in time.

"Bloody hell." They hissed, as I remounted. "Just kill him and get it over with at this rate. He's gone mad since his secrets been exposed."

When I approached their cottage, I staggered toward the door, cursing colorfully.

I fell over again at the doorstep, hearing them complain, "Foolish bastard."

As one of Veassen's men reached to heave me up, I drew the blade and plunged it through the side of his neck, letting blood soak my hands as I twisted a second blade through his heart, kicking him aside.

The second guard was in shock, and drew his sword. "Son of a bitch." He spoke murderously.

I snorted, "Vagabond servants hold liquor better than anyone. You of all people should know that."

I channel all my guilt into fury, and threw my blade into his gut. I approached him and twisted, opening his intestines beneath my fingertips. I was a messier killer than I had thought. It also had been a while since I killed anything larger than a pheasant for dinner or of the sort

I watched his jaw drop in agony as I severed his sword hand with another slice. "Rot in hell." I decapitated him.

Was it necessary to go to such brutish extents of killing, probably not. Blood stained the grass before me, leaving evident puddles. But the kill felt exhilarating, as if I could finally release some of the pressure from these past two torturous weeks without having made any progress

I cleaned my blades in the grass. My first elven kills, much to my surprise given my military background. It was only after I cleaned up my daggers that I noticed how badly my hands shook and how the physical darkness ate away at me. No matter how justified my actions were, killing my kin was different.

I focused back to my mission, and knocked on the front door, which was suspiciously unlocked. I opened it with an echoing creak, and ducked at the immediate sword that was aimed towards the side of my head. I grabbed the hilt, and flipped my attacker over onto his back.

I booted his chest down, dagger against his throat

"Go ahead, kill me. I knew Veassen would send his men eventually." A strong, but restrained voice heaved

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Living on borrowed time." He put up a brave front.

I released him, capable and prepared for another spontaneous attack anyway.

"I was not planning to kill you." I say softly.

He scoffed, "You seemed to have no problem killing the other two guards out there."

"They needed to die." I tried to crack him open. "Your son didn't."

His face fell. "You know nothing about my son." He frowned

"I know more than you think." I shut the door, and he got up to light some candles. "I want to talk to you about him."

"He's paid a price with his life, so there's not much to talk about." He snapped.

"B-" I started.

"I'll kindly ask you to leave." He addressed, and opened the door.

I do not budge. "You know more of Veassen's men will come, when they've discovered the corpses outside, and that I've not return."

"So be it." He frowned. "I'm not afraid to die."

"But what about your daughter?" I was observant enough to note another was in this household. Daughter was my best guess given his family value and lack of a wedding band

His face fell. "I can send her away to be a servant at the palace."

"You can both go." My preservation senses kicked in. Also because I knew in my heart I could not get the information I wanted from him in this time. "Take residence under service of the princess of Mirkwood."

"Are you mad?" He frowned suspiciously. "That's a worse death trap than staying here to fight."

"And why do you say that?" I inquired

"In her eyes, it's kill or be killed. Stars know many have tried and failed." He spoke.

"You're a liability, so Veassen will have your head by the end of this week." I tried to use fear to compel him. "You'll be hanged in the open, damning your daughter to the Woodsmen Wives."

Before he could reply I added more to my argument

I tried to convince him. "From elf to elf, don't you feel any anger, or desire to avenge your son? Do you have no honor?"

"You expect a simpleton like me to murder a princess and warrior?" He demanded

"I expect a pathetic simpleton like you to have a bit more of a surviving will, if not, then at least the paternal instinct to protect your daughter." I scolded

"I was in the same unit as Arahir." I devised a lie. "He was a good fighter, and a victim of manipulation and seduction by another noble family, jealous of the princess."

"Arahir killed someone I was close with. Along with twelve other servants in cold blood." I spoke softly, channeling my grief toward my act, from the loss of my friend. "And I want justice. Perhaps our senses of justice are different, but a word of comfort: Tauriel can't hurt what she doesn't know."

"What do you mean?" I heard a glimpse of hope in his voice.

"I spent many years living in the palace and servant headquarters. If you want to protect your daughter at the castle, you'll accompany her yourself." I tapped into his vulnerability. "Change your identity and buy yourself some time before you decide what to do. You have one hour before I'll leave you to your fate."

I needed more time to break his walls down and earn his trust. Time was no longer a luxury of mine, so I resorted to fear.

LINEBREAK

The hour passed by slowly, and enduringly. I struggled to dispose of the corpses, and clean up the blood that stained the grass to my best ability. My greased hands shook as I clumsily fumbled and dragged the bodies up a hill, where the grasses were dark, growing wildly with tall weeds. The trail of blood was unmistakable though, and burning them was too risky at this time of day. We still had the cover of night. Best make use of it during the ride back.

The bile rose to my throat as I tossed the elf's head into higher ground. I'd seen many folk die, but never my kin at my own hand. Maybe this was the reason why I was going into shock.

'Breathe Tauriel. Damn you don't blow this.' I took a few deep breaths, before setting down the hill back to my horse. Perhaps it would have been smarter to burn the corpses and cottage down, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. To force them down a path that I had wandered so long... They did not deserve to lose their home, unhinged as it was.

When I returned to my horse, two figures loomed by the door, shivering nervously at the sight of blood trails that glistened under the moon and stars.

"We haven't much time." I spoke in my disguised voice. "With luck and Godspeed, we may just reach the palace before daybreak and the guard's training sessions. Take these horses." I motioned to the two stallions of the elves I killed.

We rode long and hard for four hours, and by dawn, I could already see the sunrise rays, hitting the castle roofs from afar. Perhaps a few miles away at most.

I didn't hold Arahir's actions against his family. In fact I actually pitied them. Regardless of his crimes they still endured a familial loss... something I only knew far too well of and did not wish upon anybody. As my mind wandered with thought, I slowed us down.

"We take the rest of the way on foot. There's a secret passageway to enter over there." I dismounted with ease, and sent all the horses back to the stable in a quick elvish hiss.

"You're an able bodied lad." Arahir's father praised, his young innocent daughter at his tail. "Kinder than most rugged folk in town."

"I wouldn't trust too easily." I warned. "I condemned you to my crime by killing those two outside your door."

"Yet you've an ounce of honor to not let others answer for your crimes." He spoke. "Not many are that considerate."

I didn't respond, and we moved in silence for a bit.

"What's she like?" I could tell Arahir's father still spoke with justified fear. "The princess."

"She's unconventional..." I start, "Doesn't make many public appearances unless cited."

"A warrior?" He questioned.

I stifled a smirk. "Someone you'd want on your side during times of turmoil."

Silence again. I could hear by the shallow breaths and uneven horse walking behind that the lad was afraid.

He finally spoke, "And what of the rumors regarding the manipulation by the noble family."

"Believe what you will, but heed my warning that palace life is full of deception, so choose your side and identity wisely."

"I don't have much choice now do I." I heard him mutter. I ignored the remark

"Now." I gestured as we approached the gates, hiding my weapons in my tote. "Swing your tote and pretend as if you've returned from the fields with goods for the meal tonight. We'll sneak through the kitchen in that back entrance."

After role playing in my disguise for so long, this was cake.

"You'll want to be as discrete as possible," I went into one of the empty servant chambers that I would relax in with Helena long ago, beckoning them toward me into the tiny chamber. "My safest guess is to work somewhere that minimizes interaction with noblemen. If gossip spreads of your true identities before you form a plan, you'll not be seen favorably by either party. My suggestion is to plow or harvest crop, work in the kitchen, or assist the healers."

They nodded favorably.

"Good luck." I turn to exit, feeling suddenly unsure about my decision, giving this supposedly grieving family the keys to my home, and schemes both for and against me.

Arahir's father nodded. "We're grateful." He held out a hand

I took it firmly and reinforced, "Should you find anything that might help her highness, I'd suggest you tell her with haste, to save your own necks."

LINEBREAK

There were two things on my mind at this point: a bath, and my family.

After I left the new servants, I returned to the kitchen to grab several buckets of hot water, before heading to my old private quarters. I made several runs until I had enough water to draw a bath.

Stripping my clothes off immediately, I enthusiastically grabbed my scrub soap and sank into the tub. I could feel the debris that had accumulated peel off my skin, and my lavender oils quickly replaced the drenched stench of my sweat and filth. My sore calloused feet relished the warmth of the hot bath, and my fingers snaked through my scalp, washing off as much dirt and dye as I could find.

Filth and scum never bothered me much, but I did have to admit, being cleaner felt good. Especially washing off the stains and stick of blood under my fingers. My hands still trembled slightly as I recalled my actions, but the warmth definitely helped relax me more, as I reflected on my past weeks lack of progress and experiences in the brothel. The case was frozen, and even more pressing now than before

Soon after, I got dressed into a pastel green gown, draping a dark cloak over to not draw attention to my hair. Not formal enough for feasts, but comfortable and flowing. My shorter hair curled wildly, and I put it into an updo, before slipping out to head to nursery connected to Legolas's room. The guards and servants standing at his door let me in without a second blink, thank god.

They were asleep, innocent things. Daeron was on his face, but Helena was face up. I peered over her gently.

Her hair had gotten longer, and the roots were now prominently visible and fixated. Her lashes were long, curled a tad upward. She smiled in her sleep, so innocent and gentle, like her father. My finger touched her soft hair, and I prayed she could always sleep so peacefully.

"Prepare my bath now!" A sharp voice nearly took my breath away. "I haven't got all day!"

I stood up, and moved silently against the door, peering through the small gap between the door hinges. I could hear him unbuckle his sword and remove his daggers, clanging them on the dresser. His head jerked up toward the nursery, and he slid one dagger off, silently, approaching the door softly. I swore he could hear my heart pounding through my chest.

At that moment, Helena awoke from her nap, and started crying.

Legolas entered the room, setting his blade aside. The door squeaked as it pushed open toward my body, and I caught the handle, while wedging myself deeper into hiding,

"Shh." Legolas hushed. "I'm sorry angel, did I wake you?"

Crying persisted. Legolas asked again. "Are you hungry?"

She started sobbing, even as Legolas took her outside and walked her around the bedroom, hushing her.

I listened, still wedged in my corner.

"It's because you miss your mother?" His voice was soothing, pained.

Silence. Legolas continued. "Her beautiful eyes and wild scent? Her soft voice and warm kisses?" His silky voice nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Moreover, Helena remained calm.

"Her irreplaceable presence." My husband whispered, in a daydream. "Don't worry love. She'll come back soon, I promise."

"Ada's never going to let anything harm you, ever." He murmured. "Hush now, my love."

Within minutes, Helena dozed off again, snoozing happily in his cradle.

Seconds seemed to pass like hours, and I could hear the servant trickling in and out amidst the silence, water sloshing into the bath.

My ears caught on to the conversation "Sire, your bath is ready."

"Leave." He spoke firmly. Helena's death as a servant had both changed us. I was more intent on finding justice, but Legolas had taken to treating servants more degenerately. I couldn't say I agreed, but I didn't want to bring it up as a point of contention.

Legolas walked back in placing Helena back into her crib, kissing both of them long and hard on the forehead before turning slowly to walk out.

"How I missed you." I murmured inaudibly. But Legolas stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the doorway, but his hand instantaneously reached for his dagger, unsheathing a couple inches.

"Who's there?" He warned, and I froze in my tracks.

Authors note: hi everyone, I know it's been a very very VERY long time since I've updated. And maybe some of you have given up. Yes, I'm alive. All is well, and here is my attempt to update you on what has been going on for me the past 2 years

In terms of writing, I struggled to come up with the rest of the plot for the remainder of this story, and ended up rewriting many scenes and plotlines (like 5-6 different versions) because I was unsatisfied. So, I took a break. This break was partly due to my writers block, and partly due to the fact that I was adjusting to university as well as some personal family events that went down this last year. I had this chapter written a while ago, but could not get around to updating due to exams with schoolwork. Recently, I had the time to finally brainstorm some new ideas, and the rest of this plot. I roughly have the next 2ish chapters written too, and will be posting them soon. To those of you who have been leaving reviews and reading this whole time, I apologize for the very long wait, and thank you for your patience and commitment to this story. I don't know when the next update will be, but I hope it will be sooner than last time.

I am not someone who likes to make excuses, and know very well that for some of you, this explanation does not do the 2 year absence justice. I will say though that I do intend to finish this story (eventually). I cannot speak to how consistently I will update when I return to school, but I will try to write whenever I have free time.

Again, thank you for your patience and time, and for not giving up on this story. As always, read and review, and til next chapter.