AN: The timeline of this story will not be entirely accurate as to that of the books but it is roughly the same (just so I can make the story flow better)

Tauriel POV

He loves me. Legolas said that he loves me! Oh blessed Varda thank you for bringing him back to me! How I have missed the safety of his arms.

The moon had risen directly over the pair and illuminated the two elves in the soft glow of its white light. The Prince inched closer to her again so that their bodies were almost touching. Tauriel looked up at Legolas, their faces were barely apart and she could feel his warm breath tickling her lips. She reached up and placed her delicate hand upon his cheek as the blond elf closed his eyes in happiness and leaned his face into her palm. Tauriel smiled at how perfect the moment was.

'Legolas, I…'

Suddenly a messenger sprinted into the yard, startling the pair into quickly springing back to a respectful distance. Legolas turned and frowned at the intrusion before settling his features into complacency. Tauriel quickly busied herself nursing a thread that had come loose from the sleeve of her green hunting tunic where Ranadir had nicked her in battle. Her cheeks had a slight blush detectable in the pale light as she focussed on tucking it back into place.

The tawny-haired messenger glanced between the pair but managed to keep his face expressionless as he bowed.

'Hîr vuin. I am sorry to disturb you but Ranadir said that you could be found here.'

Ranadir! That cursed elf! I am going to pinch his ears for this!

The messenger continued. 'The King requests your presence immediately, he is expecting you in his personal chambers.' The obviously uncomfortable elf bowed and continued on his way back to the fortress.

Legolas sighed at his retreating back. 'Tauriel I am sorry but he is right. I have delayed reporting my return to my Father for too long now.'

'It is fine, do not worry.' Tauriel replied quickly, still slightly embarrassed by the situation.

Noticing her awkwardness, the Prince walked over to the elleth and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her pointed ear. Being touched in that sensitive place sent a shiver of longing through Tauriel and she looked up at the elf. Legolas smiled apologetically before turning to follow the messenger. Alone in the training yard, with only the full moon for company, Tauriel realised the gravity of the situation. The King's earlier words to her sounded through her mind as if in warning.

Do not give him hope where there is none.

Tauriel placed her head in her hands and moaned in frustration. She could no longer deny what she felt towards the Prince. There was no other for her now for Legolas had taken her heart.

Oh Valar, what will the King say when he finds out? I have not forgotten his cold ruling on the matter. Yet the Lady Galadriel told me to embrace the love that I had been offered and not to let others rule my heart. I want to but I cannot let Thranduil down again, he still does not trust me.

Tauriel sighed and looked towards the moon that hung over her; almost protectively she thought.

I miss the Lord and Lady. I would like to imagine that my own parents would have shared their compassion and wisdom.

There was nothing to be done for it. Tauriel exited the training yard and kicked a pebble on the way out, venting her frustration on the inanimate object. Once back in her chambers, she removed her weapons and tunic before collapsing onto her feather bed and snuggling under the soft covers.

He loves me.

The Captain of the Mirkwood Guard secretly smiled into her pillow and let the peace of her waking dreams take her.

Legolas POV

The Prince could not help but smile to himself as he walked through the now quiet archways of the inner kingdom, rising to the highest level where Thranduil's and his own personal chambers were located. He contemplated how the Captain had seemed more peaceful when he had saw her now than when he had left her on that dark day.

The light is back in her eyes! I knew that Tauriel was stronger than the darkness of grief! Something or someone has soothed her soul.

Legolas had to admit that he wished he had been the one to bring joy back into her heart although he could not for an instant deny that he relished her happiness.

I must ask her what she has been doing in the time that I have been gone. Her new daggers! They look different to ones that are forged in Mirkwood? I feel that there is a story to tell there. There is so much for us to catch up on!

The happy elf knocked on his Father's door before hearing a curt response and entering.

Thranduil was seated at his great mahogany desk on the far side of the room, sipping on a glass of Dorwinion, Legolas guessed. The elven king glanced up at the entrance and his lips curled up in a smile.

'Ionneg! You have returned to me well I hope?' Thranduil rose from his matching carved wooden seat and moved forward to embrace his son.

Legolas inclined his head and returned the quick embrace. The two talked of Legolas' time in the North and his success at finding the rangers. Thranduil in turn described the growing darkness across Mirkwood and how the outlying villages had been abandoned and new recruits trained in the great army. Legolas was saddened by the news but reassured his Father that he would increase his patrols of the border.

'There is another matter to discuss. I have received word from Lord Elrond of Imladris. Mithrandir the Grey has plans to go in search of one who has found the Ring of Power. Apparently, it had fallen into the hands of a lowly creature named Gollum, who's mind has become twisted by the dark influence even though he later lost the ring.'

Legolas looked nervously at his Father for he could feel the possibility of war tightening its grip around them.

Thranduil continued. 'Mithrandir seeks to find the creature North in the mountains and bring him to Mirkwood. However, none have seen the creature in a long time for he hides in the deep and dark places. It may be many years before he finds him. He asks that when he eventually does locate him, that we keep the creature under guard here for the Enemy searches for him.' The King reached for his crystal glass and gazed at its ruby contents. 'I will play my part when the time comes. This darkness affects us all, now.'

Not long after the troubling conversation, Legolas took his leave of the King to return to his own nearby chambers. The news from Imladris had unsettled him yet as he lay down on his large bed even this news could not quieten the singing of his soul. Legolas reached up to trace the place where the Captain had laid her hand on his cheek. He remembered Tauriel burying her head into his tunic and her bright green eyes glittering at him as she smiled.

She did not reject me! My heart will never belong to another now, for it is clear that Tauriel's feä is the mate to my own.

From where he lay, the Prince glanced out of his tall open windows and smiled up to the starlight.

Tauriel POV

The next evening, Legolas had found Tauriel in her Captain's study after an intense day of training more new recruits that had taken up residence inside the fortress. She had been polishing her daggers back to their gleaming silver at her desk when he had entered. Legolas sat opposite the elleth and spoke to her about his talk with Thranduil the previous night. Tauriel nodded in agreement as she had been summoned earlier in the day to be told to expect the arrival of Gollum at some point in the future and the news had similarly troubled her. The two had talked late into the night of all that they had encountered in the months past, for time did not matter when they were together.

Legolas had been surprised when she told him of her journeying to Lothlorien with the envoy although he had agreed with her that Galadriel had given her a great gift. The Prince had been examining the master craftsmanship and intricate design of her daggers when he turned a mischievous smile towards the Captain.

'Hmm, yes they are beautiful, but I wonder if even these mighty weapons can help you in a duel against me.'

Tauriel grinned at the challenge for it had been a long time since they had sparred together. 'Did you not learn your lesson last time you faced my daggers, hîr vuin? I would be happy to remind you, aphado nin!' She rose from her chair and pulled the Prince with her out the door.

She heard Legolas chuckle as he followed the elleth to the deserted practice yard.

Legolas POV

They had been sparring for a while and Legolas realised he had almost forgotten just how lethal Tauriel was with her daggers. She pressed her attacks over and over again whilst he nimbly dodged her blows and counter-parried. The Captain had a focussed look on her face as she distracted him with a well-aimed side blow to his chest, before quickly spinning around so that her front was pressed to his back and her dagger at his throat.

Realising he was beaten, Legolas chuckled and lowered his own white daggers in surrender. Tauriel's mouth was by his ear. 'That is twice in a row you have lost to me, hîr vuin.' She whispered.

He heard Tauriel make a satisfied noise and the sound of her sheathing her daggers. Faster than lightning, he spun around and placed a kiss on her rosy lips.

She tastes like sweet summer berries.

He felt her melt into the kiss for only a moment before she was gently pushing him away.

Confused and slightly hurt, he looked into her eyes.

Tauriel took his hand and absently began to run her thumb over his fingers. 'Legolas, your Father does not wish us to be together. I cannot afford to disobey him again as much as it breaks my heart.' She looked at the ground and he saw a single tear roll down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away.

Legolas gently raised her chin and saw the conflicted expression in her emerald eyes. 'Tauriel, he does not control our hearts and he will grow to trust you again.' He sighed. 'The King will come around in time when he realises that there is no other that I would spend my life with.'

I can see in her eyes that proving her loyalty to the King again means a lot to her. I do not think that she will be swayed on the matter, regardless of what her heart wants.

The Captain still looked troubled so he continued. 'Tauriel…we could always keep it secret for a time.'

Tauriel nodded and chewed her lip. 'I suppose that could work.'

Tauriel POV

Over the next decade or so the Prince and the Captain kept their budding relationship strictly professional in the eyes of the public, or so they thought. Every now and then she would hear whispers concerning her and the Prince or see a curious glance thrown her way but no one ever said anything.

I know that Ranadir and Serilla are not fooled by our act. Thank the Valar that they do not make a spectacle of their knowledge.

Tauriel was pinning up new archery targets when a messenger ran up to her.

'Captain Tauriel! Mithrandir has come, he…he brings a strange creature and the King summons you.'

Tauriel nodded and moved to follow the elf to the gates of the fortress of Mirkwood.

She greeted Mithrandir who had been in conversation with Thranduil and saw the pitiful grey, hunched creature howling at his feet.

'Tauriel, take charge of Gollum, move him to the dungeons…but treat him fairly.' The King glanced at Mithrandir, who nodded.

Over the next few months Tauriel had grown used to the creature, which sometimes called his more reasonable nature, Smeagol. She took pity on him for it was clear that his mind was tortured as he wailed in anguish for hours on end. One day, she had approached Thranduil in his throne room and asked if she could let Smeagol climb up a tree to stretch his legs every now and then. The King had simply nodded before dismissing her. From then on, once a day the elves took him to climb a secluded birch and it seemed to give comfort to poor Smeagol.

On one such afternoon Tauriel had called to the creature to come down so that the others in her guard could bind him and lead him safely back to his dungeon.

Tauriel frowned when Smeagol did not respond. Usually he wailed about 'nasty elfses' before eventually obeying. She called him again but there was still no response from the green foliage above.

I guess I will simply have to go up there and bring him down myself!

It was then that a black arrow whistled past her head and embedded itself in Amrith's knee. The elf howled in pain and Tauriel turned around drawing her bow just as a group of orcs flew at them from where they had hidden in the underbrush. Amrith, collapsed on the cold ground sounded the horn at his side as the others battled for their lives.

Legolas POV

Legolas heard the distressed horn as he was crossing the courtyard. It came from where the guards took Gollum for his exercise.

Tauriel is with them today.

He took off into the forest with Ranadir who had been training a group of recruits in the nearby arena in close pursuit. It was not long before they found the source of the struggle.

They dare to attack us so close to our heart? What drives them to this madness?

He pulled back his bowstring and let arrows fly, each fatality hitting their target. Soon the attack was over, the orcs had appeared to be a small, specialised force but why?

Legolas turned from retrieving his arrows from filthy corpses and saw Tauriel running up to him, her auburn hair flying around her and her green hunting garb covered in black blood. He quickly scanned her over for injuries and he was satisfied when he found none.

Tauriel looked up at him with wide eyes, a frown forming between her delicate eyebrows.

'Legolas…Gollum has escaped.'

Elvish

Aphado nin –come with me

Vicky .Potaski Hey there, thanks for your comments! Hmm I think that Ranadir has a bit more to say yet…