Chapter Thirty-six: The Dangerous Elves of Mirkwood
Bella finally managed to force herself back to her feet. She saw the last of the dwarves' shadowy forms running away from the spider den. She ran after them, hating the slight waves of motion sickness running in this realm gave her. There was also the odd sense that everything was slowed down, as though she was in a waking nightmare. She hated hearing the spiders' voices. She hated the constant whispering and murmuring. But she forced herself to move despite it.
As they started to break free of the web-encased trees, Bella saw flickers of light in the woods. A white wispy light that the ring did not like. Well, if the ring didn't like it, she'd take that to mean that she should.
"Bella! Where are you?" Kili's distant, echoing voice diverted her attention.
Of course, Bilbo must have forgotten to tell Fili and Kili that he had managed to turn her invisible. Before she could answer him however, two spiders descended on him.
Kili cried out, scrambling back.
Bella leaped at one of the spiders.
It screamed. "Stings! It stings!"
"You want stings?" Bella asked. "I'll give you stings." She hopped atop it and "stung" it multiple times with her twin swords before finally killing it. But, she found herself so unnerved by its cries she decided that she would definitely remove the ring before attacking the final one chasing Kili. She also felt horribly sluggish. She couldn't have that happening.
Satisfied that no other spiders were in the immediate area (she might as well take advantage of that while she can), she jerked the ring off and shoved it into her pocket. Oh, she would have loved nothing more than to throw it into the depths of this accursed forest. But, she felt strongly that this bit of devilry needed destroyed. She received the definite impression that the ring didn't like her, preferring her brother. That only further convinced her that there was something horribly wrong with the seeming trinket.
Something compelled her to ensure there were no holes and that she tucked the ring into a jacket pocket that she could button closed. She never would have dreamed that she'd be so distrusting of a piece of jewelry.
Thankfully for Kili this action and the accompanying thoughts were done in a matter of seconds before Bella forced herself to focus on the task of saving her future brother-in-law from the remaining spider. She ran forward, just before her heart skipped a beat.
"Help!" Kili screamed.
"Kili!" Fili shouted.
Bella reached the edge of the next clearing. She barely took in the Company surrounded by armed elves. Her focus on Kili being dragged away by a spider clutching his foot. Before she had a chance to step in however, a red-haired elf swung into the clearing, easily holding her own against two spiders before shooting the spider holding Kili.
Bella stared in shock. She could only dream of being that quick and graceful with her blades. And she had never gotten the hang of shooting a bow. She shook herself out of her shock. Of course the elf would do all that and manage to make it look like a beautiful dance. Elves were always superior in combat and anything even remotely demanding grace.
"Throw me a dagger!" Kili called to the elf. "Quick!"
Bella started with shock to see another spider rapidly scurrying through the trees to Kili. She scrambled, despite realizing that she could never reach him in time.
"If you think I'm giving you a weapon, dwarf," the elf said dispatching of a fourth spider, "you are mistaken." Even as she said those final words, she spun round, throwing a dagger perfectly into the spider's head. An instant kill.
Kili whipped round to the elf. If Bella wasn't attempting to remain hidden from the elves now, she would have giggled as Kili's expression changed from slightly annoyed and admiring to awed and almost worshipful. He gazed at the red-haired elf woman as though she had hung the moon and stars in the sky.
Bella dropped behind a tree and tried to process what she had just seen. Kili was staring at that elf much like Fili stared at her. Oh, Eru and all Valar have mercy upon the line of Durin. Thorin will not be happy when he realizes. Who knew how the elf woman would react? The dwarves as a whole would most assuredly protest an elf being a prince's One, even if the prince was the "spare."
And Eru have mercy upon the oblivious elven woman. She had no idea what she was in for with such a mischievous scamp as Kili.
Fili released a heaving breath of relief. He moved forward to thank the elf who saved his brother's life, only to have a sword drawn across his path. He quickly raised his hands to show he didn't mean anything by it.
"Search them!" the first elf ordered, eyeing Fili.
"I merely wished to thank the elf who saved my brother," Fili explained in a low voice. "I wasn't intending any sort of harm."
This first elf had blond hair. A striking contrast to the numerous browns. Possibly a relation of Thranduil? He'd heard the elvenking was of lighter hair.
A brown-haired elf started taking Fili's weapons. Among the first were his twin, elven blades, the very blades he had immediately sheathed as soon as he recognized these elves were more suspicious than their Rivendell kin.
"Please, be careful with them," he requested. "They are my courtship swords. I'd hate to lose them."
The elf raised a thin eyebrow. "'Courtship swords'?"
"My One and I found a set of four among an abandoned troll hoard," Fili answered. "Since she appreciates elven items, I gained help in Rivendell to have them specially engraved for the two of us."
"I will see that no harm comes to them," the elf promised. "But you have far more weapons on your person."
Fili lightly spread his arms. "What can I say? Every warrior has their favorite weapon, mine just happens to be multiple daggers and throwing knives."
The elf actually smirked. "And you aren't going to tell me where you hid them, are you?"
"I've always wondered if I hid them well enough to keep a captor from finding them," Fili said. "Upon my honor, if there are any you miss, I will surrender them." He almost chuckled. He could hardly believe he was doing this. Bella was the one to blame, he knew it. Yes, they were being captured, but at least the elves had stood down as soon as the dwarves lowered their own weapons.
"Hm, I always enjoyed a proper challenge," the elf answered. He started taking the most obvious blades, those that Fili either wore openly or hadn't been trying that hard to hide. "Any chance of you saying how many you have on you?"
"That would be cheating wouldn't it?" Fili asked lightly.
The elf didn't answer but Fili was certain his eyes sparked in silent laughter.
Fili vaguely heard the elven leader speaking to Gloin condescendingly. Possibly making a point to insult the portraits of Gloin's wife and son, both very handsome folk according to dwarven standards, less so to elven tastes.
Fili groaned as his guard elf found the short knife under his jacket's lapel. "I thought that was perfect," he said.
"Not to elven eyes, dwarf," the elf said, though there wasn't the usual insulting sting to the address.
Fili's ears perked toward the leader as he spoke in elvish.
"Are the spiders dead?" he asked.
"Yes, but more will come," the elven woman answered. Her next words were softer, worried. "They're growing bolder."
"Any more in your coat?" his elf asked.
"Do you see any more?" Fili asked in return, spreading his coat flaps.
In answer, the elf reached behind Fili's head to draw out yet another. The elf shook his head. "How do you ever sleep, son of stone?"
"There's the key," Fili answered. "Mahal carved us from stone before he and Eru gave us life. I'd dare say that my One wears even more on her person, but she has the benefit of skirts and not just trousers." He tried to tamp down his worry. He hadn't seen Bella since he shot off to face the approaching spiders. He had been trying to find her when they were suddenly confronted by the elves.
He caught sight of an elf bringing Orcrist to their leader.
"This is an ancient elvish blade," he murmured in Sindarin, admiring the sword. "Forged by my kin." He turned to Thorin. "Where did you get this?"
"It was given to me," Thorin answered.
"It is true, my lord elf," Fili said as he detected disbelief in the elf's eyes. He wondered at the elf's shock before he realized he'd spoken in elvish as well. He continued on as though he'd meant to speak such. "We were guests of Lord Elrond Half-elven of Rivendell. He bestowed Orcrist upon my uncle as a gift of goodwill." He trusted this was true, for surely Elrond could have demanded he keep the blade instead of returning it to Thorin.
"You resided in Rivendell?" the elf leader asked.
"He speaks true, Highness," the elf searching Fili said. He had been examining Fili's courtship swords. "This blade bears Barathon's mark."
The leader, a prince apparently, looked at Fangon-nen to see the truth of the other elf's words. He raised his brow at the inscription.
"My One's petname for me," Fili said, fighting the urge to look away. He felt rather exposed with the elves discovering that small, fairly intimate part of his and Bella's relationship.
"So, you are not thieves or liars," the prince said. "But you are trespassers according to my king's decree."
"What of this oddity?" an elf guard asked, bringing Bilbo forward by the back of his coat.
"'Oddity'?" Bilbo protested. "I am a Hobbit, a so called Child of the Kindly West. Though I would protest being called a child at my age."
"And where do you hail from, Hobbit?" the elven prince asked.
"Bag End, Hobbiton, Shire," Bilbo answered. "Roughly a good fortnight or two west of Rivendell."
"Why have we never met or heard of your kind before?" the red-haired elf asked.
"Most hobbits never leave the Shire, Lady Elf," Bilbo answered. "To be quite honest, if it wasn't for the fact that my sister, my only living relative, was engaged to a dwarf, I would be even now enjoying a relaxing evening at home. But these blasted dwarves have some secret tradition of needing to travel the Trail of Desolation before they can be properly wed. I can only imagine it is a tradition for those descended of the refugees of Erebor because in all my studies I never heard of it."
"And once you would reach the end of this trail, what happens then?"
"Then the head of the household my sister is marrying into will officiate over an initial ceremony, after which we will be continuing on to the Iron Hills where the legally and religiously binding ceremonies will take place."
Fili barely managed to keep himself from reacting to Bilbo's quickly spun tale. It sounded plausible enough to be true, and everyone now knew a possible story to tell their elven captors, if captors they would remain.
"But if this is true," the elven prince said, "where is the second hobbit? I see no women among your number."
"We were just attacked by spiders," Kili said. "Fili and I were trying to find her just before you came upon us. But we haven't seen her."
"What?" Thorin asked.
"We can't find her," Kili said. "Ever since that second attack."
The elvish prince interrupted, "My king shall make his judgement on whether what you say is truth or no. We shall search for your missing companion, but these woods are merciless upon those who stray from the path."
"She was just with us!" Bilbo insisted.
"Take them!" the elven prince ordered.
"No! Wait!" Bilbo cried as the elves started herding them away. "She was here! Just here!" He twisted in his elf's hold. "Bella! Bellarosa!" Panic set in as he continued looking frantically about. "Bella! If you can hear me, please answer!"
Fili's heart sank as there was no answer. But, he didn't feel any injury. Although . . . he had felt an unusual case of panic just as they started fighting the spiders. No. No, he refused to consider that. She had to just be hiding, waiting to see what would happen. Ama had suffered for years after Adad died, as if from an open wound. Surely, Fili would know if Bella was gone. Right?
Bella bit her lip as she quietly followed after the Company. She wanted to call out to her brother, she did. But she had to know if her appearance would solidify their release, or merely entrap them more. She fully intended to follow without using the ring. But after almost being discovered two times, she braced herself and just put the wretched thing on again.
Now completely invisible, she could risk getting closer to the Company. Each of the dwarves were worried in their own way. Fili was surprisingly at the head of the captive line, and despite his worry, he continued to show a strong face. Bilbo was openly destressed, continually searching as the elves hurried them along. Kili also looked about worried, though his gaze regularly returned to the elf that had saved his life.
Bella walked beside the red-haired woman for a time. Like all elves she was slender and agile, everything from her skin to her green eyes to her flowing red hair was perfect. Yet there was a sternness, a hint of wildness in her. Some of the elves addressed her as Captain. The elven prince called her Tauriel. Daughter of the wood, if Bella recalled from Bilbo's fascinated word studies correctly. None could dispute that title. It appeared that this elf was as dangerous and mysterious as the woods she patrolled.
Calls of Sindarin brought Bella's attention forward. They were approaching the gates, and before that a bridge with no railings. She scowled. Considering she could hear a river below, that wasn't very safe. She shook her head, turning her focus on slipping among the group and keeping up to ensure she wasn't locked out.
She stuck close to Bifur as they crossed the bridge. A shiver traced down her spine as the elven prince passed a suspicious eye over them, searching for her. She clenched her fists in her skirts. She knew this ring was trouble. If the elves can sense it, why couldn't her brother? But it was currently the only thing standing between her staying hidden and being discovered. Not that she was about to thank it or anything like that. Who knows what sort of nefarious things it had done before being discovered by her brother?
And why was she thinking about it as though it had a mind of its own? That's enough. She was going to stop thinking about the ring. If she didn't, she might go insane.
Those scarce minutes of reflection got her through the gates.
"Holo in ennyn," the prince ordered.
The guards at the gates obeyed, swinging the doors shut with a finality that echoed of doom.
Bella continued her scurry after the dwarves as they traversed many pathways carved from thick, twisting tree roots and smooth, elegant stone. The closer quarters led to her need to actually grab hold of Bifur. "Don't react," she whispered in Khuzdul.
Bifur jerked a little but kept walking, even as she wrapped her cold hands around his elbow.
"I'm wearing a ring that makes me invisible," she whispered. "I hope to remain unseen by the elves at least until I know their intentions."
Bifur gave a slight nod before making some subtle Iglishmek motions. Rough translation being, "Be careful. Be safe."
"I will," she whispered. "If we get separated, I'll find you all again and reveal myself to you then."
Bifur nodded. They fell silent again as the dwarf edged a little out of center line.
"Careful, Bifur," Bofur cautioned.
Bifur nodded to his cousin with a seemingly absent hum.
Bella smiled as she shared the path with him. She relaxed just a touch, no longer feeling as though she was a single misstep away from her death.
She wasn't sure how many pathways they traveled before they reached the throne room, or was it more of a central platform? Please, don't let this be a repeat of the Goblin King, she prayed.
Thankfully, there was no head-splitting music, nor any chilling lyrics speaking of promised tortures. Though she could distantly hear musicians playing harps and flutes, but they were so mournful she wanted to cry. King Thranduil sat upon an elevated throne set atop an elegant, curved stair. Great antlers framed the throne providing a subtle yet graceful impression of power.
The king himself was tall, lithe, and stern. He subtly reclined in his throne, his legs crossed at the knee, showing his silver stained boots and enhancing the drape of his silver-black robes. A great opal ring gleamed on the forefinger of his left hand, a striking contrast to his burgundy red sleeve. His silver blond hair flowed straight to his waist, broken only by the crown woven of sharp branches, autumn berries, and red leaves. The king turned a slow disinterested gaze upon them. Then again, not as disinterested as first thought. Sharp, piercing blue eyes studied them beneath dark, imposing brows.
Bella fought the urge to hide behind Bifur despite already being invisible. The danger of the elvenking was more subtle than that of the Goblin King, something Bella was both grateful for and wary of.
"Who are these dwarves that they trespass through my realm?" King Thranduil asked in a deceptively bored tone.
"My King, they claim to be dwarves formerly of Erebor," the prince answered formally. "They say they are traveling the 'Trail of Desolation' as a betrothment custom. They mean to stop at the base of Erebor before continuing on to the Iron Hills."
The king arched an elegant eyebrow in disbelief. "Is that so?"
"Elvenking Thranduil," Fili said, taking a single step forward with a nodding bow. "We were traveling the Elven Road, a path we believed to be free to all travelers, before we were attacked by the spiders. We had no knowledge that travelers were unwelcome."
"Though the river and spiders say otherwise," Dwalin muttered.
Balin quickly elbowed him into silence.
"Few are the travelers through Lasgalen of late," King Thranduil said. "And dark are the happenings on our borders. I must protect my people at all costs. Why travel through the woodland realm?"
"We hoped to reach the Iron Hills in order to celebrate my wedding on Durin's Day," Fili answered smoothly. "As you are surely aware, Durin's Day is highly important to my people."
"And why must you journey all the way to Erebor and the Iron Hills when any dwarven mine would do?" Thranduil asked.
Bella bristled as Fili stiffened. Thankfully, Fili had better emotional control than she.
"Erebor would have been my inheritance if not for the wyrm, Smaug," Fili said, his voice tight. "I am Fili Son of Dis Daughter of Thrain. Since I cannot wed my One within the halls of my forebears, I at least wish to stand in Erebor's shadow as we commit our lives to each other before continuing on to my cousin, Lord Dain, in the Iron Hills where the official ceremonies will be held. It is the wish of myself and my uncle, Thorin Son of Thrain, Son of Thror.
"Would you not desire your son to do the same if your Woodland Realm was so invaded that your people were forced to flee?"
The silence and tension were so thick a blade of mithril would be needed to cut it.
"Your words ring both with truth and deceit," King Thranduil said. "I do not see any females among your number."
"We were attacked by giant spiders," Fili half-growled. "It was only through the aid of my One and her brother that we managed to escape. We were evading a second attack when your son and his unit rescued us. However, between the start of the second attack and our rescue, my One disappeared." He turned a scathing eye on the prince. "And it was my understanding that you meant to search for her, yet not one of your unit stayed behind to do so."
The prince glared at Fili, his blue eyes flashing. Bella could practically see the retort upon the prince's lips. But those lips thinned as the words were reigned in.
"Legolas," King Thranduil intoned, "is what he says true?"
"I couldn't risk the guards, we have already been out patrolling for the past fortnight," Prince Legolas answered stiffly.
"Captain Tauriel," Thranduil summoned.
The red-haired elf stepped forward, silently bowing.
"Assign a unit to investigate Fili Dision's story," the king ordered. "Search for this dwarven maid."
"My apologies, Elvenking," Fili ground out, "but my One is not a dwarf. She is a hobbit of the Shire."
Both the king's eyebrows shot up at that. "A Periannath?"
"Admittedly the first time I heard her people addressed as such," Fili answered.
"But not wrong," Bilbo said, slightly stepping out of line. "It is our old name from before the Wandering Days. Very few of us know of it since most wish to forget those times. We rarely leave the Shire anymore, and most of our people are content to believe we were created and planted there since the beginning of our existence."
"And one of your own would bind herself to a dwarf?" Thranduil asked, subtly scoffing.
Bilbo tilted his head as he always did when strongly rolling his eyes. "My sister is not the definition of a thoroughly proper hobbit," he answered. "But why should it be so surprising? Mahal, Aule, created the dwarves; it is strongly agreed that Yavanna created the hobbits. Both Valar are married. Why not their created children?"
A brief silence. Then, "We shall see if your story holds true," Thranduil said. "Until such time as we confirmed your story, you will reside in our dungeons. Take them away."
Bella stepped back against a pillar to stay behind as the Company was led, or rather dragged to the dungeons. She had to see if Thranduil would share his intentions, and if so what those intentions were.
Once all the dwarves were gone, Thranduil slumped even further into his throne, if such a thing was possible and still managing to look impossibly regal while doing so. (Never did Bella think she could start hating elves so much.) "Captain," he said, "be sure to inform the guards that if such a maid is found, you are to put her in separate quarters without informing the dwarven rabble. There tale rings untrue, and I will get to the full truth of the matter."
"Yes, my Lord," Tauriel answered after the briefest hesitation.
Oh, how Bella bristled. She had half a mind to march straight up to that smug elvenking and slap him silly. But no. She had to control herself. It was now clear that if she revealed herself than there was no chance of them getting out of here before Yule, much less Durin's Day. She silently marched out with a huff. If this was the only sampling of elven interaction the dwarves of Erebor received, no wonder they had such a poor view of elves as a whole.
Fili was trying to think courteous thoughts of the elvenking. He was attempting to factor in the growing darkness and encroaching spiders into the usual weight of running a kingdom. But it couldn't leave his mind that Thranduil was taking all of them for fools and truly meant to keep them as prisoners until the Fourth Age came around, whenever that could be.
He scowled as the entire Company was shoved every one or two to a cell. He sighed through his nose as he approached his own cell. He had a deal to uphold, as much as he was now loath to do so. "You missed four," he said quietly.
His elven guard stopped. It took a moment but then that vague sense of friendly challenge returned. "Alright," he said. "Show me your hiding places."
Fili withdrew a dagger hidden along his left hip, hidden by his coat. Two throwing knives from his wrists. A slender stabbing blade along his right side. He hesitated before bringing his right foot up and withdrawing a blade concealed in the sole of his boot. He turned to the elf who held his remaining weapons. "This is the last thing my father ever gave me before his death, forged by his own hands," he said. "I will be greatly displeased if anything were to happen to it."
The elf studied him in that emotionless, elven way before saying. "You best return that leaf to its place before others see it," he said.
Fili jolted. Was he actually saying-?
"Thank you for surrendering your final four blades," the elf continued.
Fili quickly nodded, smoothly returning Adar's thin knife to its hiding place without question. He stepped into the cell as his guard shut the door with a clang.
"Do not make me regret this sentiment," the elf warned in a low voice.
"Upon my honor," Fili answered.
Just then another elf came by, fighting a struggling Bilbo. "Get off me!" the hobbit ordered.
"This creature is worse than a rabid rabbit," the elf complained.
"Oh, I'll show you 'rabid rabbit,'" Bilbo snapped.
"Bilbo," Fili called. "You'll only make it worse."
Bilbo turned angered, despairing eyes on him. "They are sacrificing my sister, your One, for the sake of their mediocre patrols. Don't tell me I'm making things worse!"
Fili flinched, pulling back. How could he explain that Bella was alright? That he knew in his heart that Bella still lived, was safe?
He barely noticed that Legolas and Tauriel had returned. Legolas overseeing while Tauriel took personal care of Kili.
As Bilbo was taken several cells down, Kili was placed in the cell next to Fili.
"Captain," Kili said, "please, make sure my sister-in-law is alright. She is like kin to many of us, not only my brother."
"I will do what I can," she said. "But I make no promises. It's not just the spiders who are cruel in these woods."
"I would ask then that if possible, you retrieve my bow and arrows and keep them safe until I can have them at our release," Kili said. "She commissioned them special for me, and . . . they will only be all the more precious if she is indeed gone from us."
There was silence as the cell door was shut. Then, "How could I tell your bow and arrows from any other dwarf's?"
"They were commissioned to appear as those of Gondolin," Kili answered. "Both bow and arrows are strengthened with mithril. The quiver also is finely crafted after the way of the ancient elves."
"I will see that they are put with your brother's courtship swords if they are indeed found," Tauriel promised.
Fili furrowed his brows. His brother spoke with utmost trust and confidence to that elf. Yes, she had saved his life, but so had Elrond and his band. But Kili hadn't created such a fast bond. He listened carefully as the elves left.
"Why does the dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?" Legolas asked, his voice low but the friendly almost brotherly protectiveness keen.
"Who can say?" Tauriel answered almost offhandedly. She shrugged a little. "He's quite tall for a dwarf. Do you not think?"
"Taller than some, but no less ugly," Legolas said snidely. "Is this about your mark?"
"I am sure I don't know what you're talking about," Tauriel said, walking away.
"Tauriel!" Legolas called, quickly following after her.
Fili shook his head in confusion. A mark? Maybe he heard wrong? He didn't understand what a mark would have to do with anything. Never mind. He had his own brother to talk to. "Kili, what was that all about?"
"Could you understand what they said?" Kili asked.
"I'm not talking about the two elves, though at least for the most part I understood them," Fili answered. "I am talking about you and that captain, Tauriel."
A smile became evident in his brother's voice. "I never dreamed I'd have a preferred fighting partner. If I could choose who would forever save me in battle, it would be her."
Fili's mouth dropped. Oh, please, Mahal, don't let his brother be saying what he thought. "Are you saying that-?"
"She's my One, Fee."
Fili laughed in shock. "Amad and Thorin both are going to kill you," he said. "I am happy for you. But . . . your One is an elf, and not just any elf, but a woodland elf."
Kili chuckled. "Can you imagine what all the nobles and council across the seven clans will say? Arguably the last two eligible bachelors of Durin's Line, certainly two of the last pure lineage of Durin the Deathless, find their Ones outside any dwarven line."
"And I'm the lucky one, I can argue in favor of Mahal and Yavanna's own marriage," Fili said. "You are the one facing a cave-in with a grappling hook."
"Do you think it's possible?" Kili asked. "Or might we be a . . . lost pair."
Fili breathed out slowly. A lost pair was rare, but not completely unheard of. "Give her time, Kili. It took Bella some time to figure it out. I'm sure that Tauriel will find you to be her One."
"I pray so," Kili said. "I'd hate to not be her One when she is mine."
Fili pressed his head against the cold stone separating him from his brother as others of the Company fought their cell doors. He begged Eru and Mahal for mercy upon his brother. For a lost pair could be as fatal as a One denied.
Tauriel hurried up from the dungeons, determined to send out the search party and then retire to her rooms for a few hours of sleep. That must be what she needed. That babe of a dwarf could not be owner of the sigil on her left wrist, a mark that appeared seventy-seven years ago. An elfling has barely left his mother's arms at that age.
"Tauriel!"
She stopped, finally admitting that she couldn't hide this from her best friend. Some could argue her one of her only friends.
Legolas caught up to her, concern evident in his eyes. "Tell me what is wrong, mellonnen."
"Did you see the border of his coat? The engravings on his buckles?" Tauriel said. "Three squares interlocked so that they remind one of diamonds." She looked at her wrist, currently protected by her tunic's sleeve and her armor. But they both knew what lay underneath, imprinted on her skin in a rich, earthy brown.
Legolas gently caught her wrist so that his palm further covered the rigid, geometric mark. "It is the same," he said. It wasn't an acknowledgement of his observations, but an understanding what she saw. Or at least thought she saw.
"He's not even a century," Tauriel murmured. "Elflings have barely left their mother's side at that age."
"Not quite so, mellonnen," Legolas countered in slight amusement though tinged through with pain and sadness. "Have you forgotten what I had experienced by that time?"
Tauriel's face flushed with shame. "Forgive me, mellonnen," she murmured. "Just looking past from all these millennia . . ."
"Makes one wonder how we viewed ourselves as so grown-up," Legolas said. They shared a quiet moment before he asked, "You are certain of what you saw?"
She nodded. "And he told me that he carried bow and arrows of Gondolin style. His future sister-in-law had commissioned them for him."
"Just as in your dreams," Legolas said.
Tauriel could only nod again. "We contemplated this," she said. "Wondering if our marks tied us to dwarves, but never seriously considered it."
Legolas rolled his shoulders with a slight shake. One of his future battle brothers and heart brothers was a dwarf, and the other was a man. Both uncomfortable topics for the prince. He then froze before groaning. "Eru, if it be true slay me now," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"What?" Tauriel asked.
"One of the dwarves had a locket holding portraits of his wife and son," Legolas said, groaning again. "My future dwarf 'brother' could be the goblin mutant."
Tauriel fought the urge to burst out laughing. "You did not call his son that in his hearing," she said.
"I've never seen a dwarf woman nor a dwarf child before," Legolas protested, defending himself.
"Admit it, you were just trying to rile the dwarf up so that you had a reason to pick a fight with him," Tauriel said, continuing on to the guard house. "Why would a dwarf have portraits of goblins anyway, much less on their person?"
"Fine," Legolas answered as he followed her. "Maybe I was baiting him. Though I must say, the gold-haired one seemed difficult to rile. Did you notice that he made the search a game?"
"I was surprised Mora went along with it," Tauriel said. "Lord Fili did have an excellent grasp of our language, if a bit rough."
"Taught by his One?" Legolas guessed.
"I could hardly see one of his own teaching him," Tauriel said. Their conversation paused as Tauriel tasked another captain and his unit in the search for the missing hobbit and the youngest dwarf's bow and arrows.
"Do you believe they'll find anything?" Legolas asked.
"For Lord Fili's sake, I hope so," Tauriel answered.
"And what of the taller dwarf?"
"I shall certainly be speaking to Eru about it." She left her friend, ready to rest in her rooms. She had much on her mind.
Author's Note: And there we go. And warning, the next few chapters are going to be with the Company stuck here. Ugh. The movie gave me much to pick at when it came to Thranduil's dungeons. But we'll cover those as they actually come up or else you may very well hear the exact same complaints multiple times.
Special shoutout to GoodShipSherlollipop who not only guessed but got it right that the elf who closed the last chapter was Legolas! Whoop!
I will explain the marks Legolas and Tauriel were talking about. Much like I started developing a One system for dwarves and eventually hobbits, I also had fun making a One system for elves. I think I have it explained more in a later chapter, but I can't remember and so I'll just run through it and my reasoning.
Basically, elves can have multiple "birthmarks." Each mark is a distinct shape somehow tied directly to the person it represents, and its location reveals the relationship they will have. The locations mentioned in this chapter have been the inner left wrist and both shoulders. A mark on the left wrist indicates a romantic soulmate (it's traditional, left ring finger for engagement and wedding rings, you know). Shoulders indicate a sibling connection. If on the right, the person is a battle sibling (because more often than not, the right arm wields the weapon). If on the left, the person is a heart or chosen sibling (merely the closest to the heart). So, translated within context, Tauriel has a birthmark that resembles Kili's sigil on her left wrist, signaling that he is most likely her romantic One. Legolas has two marks from currently unknown individuals who Eru has chosen to be his both his battle siblings and heart siblings. (Though those familiar with Lord of the Rings can probably guess who they are.)
And some of you may be scratching your head, wondering what Legolas and Tauriel are referencing from Legolas's past. It is nothing canon, merely bouncing off some old fanfics that I basically accepted the headcanons of. Specifically, The Mellon Chronicles. If you feel like picking up more reading, there is a link to the entire collection under my favorite authors tab, or you can check them out on Archive of Our Own. The two stories lightly referenced, and will continue to be off and on, are the first two of the series. If however, you would rather not read some of the oldest Lord of the Rings fanfics to grace the internet (my understanding) then you can just comment in a review or DM me any questions you may have in relation to what is happening within the chapter.
In general, I had some fun with this chapter, trying to figure out how Fili would interact with the woodland elves now that he's a bit more neutral towards elves in general and views some of the Rivendell elves as friends. And the little clip we see of the elf disarming Fili kinda looked a bit playful anyway, so I just had to have some fun with it myself. Opinion on Thranduil? Mixed. Book? Easily a bit over paranoid mixed with overconfidence and a sprinkling of a love of sparkling white gems, but still a good king. Film? Basically I can see where the dwarves are coming from in hating the guy. Sure, some if not all of it is a bit of a front, but . . . well, let's just see if the upcoming chapters help explain a little bit more since I do base most of what we'll see off of Film Thranduil.
So, any theories? Thoughts? Do you think the Company will be out before Durin's Day? Will Bella get caught? What do you think?