AN: To those that were wondering, I did not name Legolas' Mother as I could not find a name that seemed right…She shall remain a beautifully sad mystery, which seems fitting as Thranduil refuses to remember and Legolas cannot recall her…
Tauriel POV
It was not quite dawn and Tauriel was updating the guard duty rosters in her study when a knocking at the door drew her attention. A slim male elf with tawny hair entered the room, somewhat hastily she thought.
'Captain Tauriel! Please come, for you are summoned to the King's throne room at once.' The messenger bowed hastily and walked out from her study, leaving Tauriel no choice but to follow.
Is this it? Is this the call to battle?
Her heart thundered in her chest as she traversed through the Kingdom and entered the high-ceilinged throne room before bowing at the King. Thranduil was not seated on his throne but instead stood at its base, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched her approach. His magnificent sky blue robes matched the iciness of his clear gaze that was now directed at the Captain's entrance. Tauriel boldly moved forward towards the King, her curiosity getting the better of her.
'Hîr vuin, you summoned me?' She said respectfully.
'Yes, I have received word from the Lady Galadriel. The lands of Lothlorien were attacked in the dark of night. A great force of uruk-hai and goblins alike from Dol Guldur attempted to overthrow the Golden Wood and burn it to the ground.' Thranduil's voice was low and powerful and his crown glimmered gold in the candlelight.
No! Not Galadriel and Celeborn, for their forest is so ancient, it cannot be destroyed!
'They were unsuccessful by the skill of the Galadhrim and by the power that inhabits that wood.' Thranduil's blue eyes glinted as he tilted his head.
'The Galadhrim suffered relatively few casualties yet the outer trees however, are not in a good way for the Enemy brought contraptions of fire and weapons of destruction. It is unlikely that this will be the only attack for Sauron will not stop until he eradicates the race of the elves. We still yet wait for the filth to attack us here in Mirkwood.' Thranduil gave a sneer at that comment as if in challenge to the Dark Lord himself.
A second attack is imminent yet we cannot aid them. Dol Guldur stands in our way, nae, Lothlorien must rely on its own skill in battle for our hands are tied. Thank the Valar that Lord Celeborn is so wise on matters of strategy!
'From our own scouts, we know that that the orcs number at over ten thousand strong in Dol Guldur. Even with the losses that they suffered at the failed attempt in Lothlorien, those creatures are quick to replenish their number from Mordor.'
The elven King stepped forward until he was inches away from Tauriel, his blue eyes burning brightly.
'Prepare our forces Captain. We will be attacked very soon now that an attempt has been made on the Golden Wood.'
Thranduil POV
As he watched the wide-eyed Captain depart from his throne room to carry on with her duties, Thranduil felt a pinprick of guilt in his heart that he quickly quelled.
It is true that I did not tell her all of what Galadriel had to say when she had spoken into my mind. Still, it is of no consequence.
The King rose on the stone steps before settling himself comfortably upon his great antlered throne. Despite the current situation that his Kingdom faced, he felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips at the comfort that the Lady's words had brought to him.
She had said that Legolas is safe and that the Fellowship passed through her lands on their way to Mordor. I am saddened that Mithrandir is no longer with us yet it does not hinder the joy that I feel at hearing that Legolas still lives.
Thranduil glanced down the long room at the great wooden doors that his Captain had just departed from.
It is of no concern of Tauriel as to the fate of Legolas. No…there was no reason to tell her that he is alive, it would only encourage her illusions and right now I need her focussed on matters of war.
Legolas POV
Legolas had been running for days, barely pausing as he ran beside Aragorn and Gimli over the expansive wilderness of Rohan in pursuit of their quarry. Frodo and Sam had recently left the Fellowship to complete the quest on their own and when Legolas had moved to follow them across the river, Aragorn had informed him that the ring bearer and Sam did not wish to be followed for they feared that the ring would corrupt them as it had done to Boromir.
Just before the hobbits had fled, a band of hunting uruk-hai had attacked the fellowship, seeking to capture the ring-bearer. Poisoned arrows shot by the leader of the force had killed Boromir during the surprise attack as the man had tried to defend Merry and Pippin who had become isolated from the rest of the company. The death of such as courageous fighter had been a deep shock to all of them, as had the departure of Frodo and Sam. In the attack that had killed the man of Gondor, Merry and Pippin had also been captured by the uruk-hai as they fought to avenge Boromir's untimely demise.
The remaining trio of the Fellowship consisting of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now only had each other to rely upon as they desperately sought for the two captured hobbits.
So much has happened and so quickly. Frodo and Sam do not know as to the fate of Boromir and for that my heart is saddened for he died with honour defending the other halflings. However, we will not leave Merry and Pippin to death and to torment. We will recover them for the bonds of the Fellowship between us are not yet utterly broken.
With hope that the hobbits were still alive nestled in his heart, Legolas raced with his companions across the plains of the horse-lords as a red sun rose in the East.
Tauriel POV
The Captain ran along the beautiful stone passageways and through the living quarters of those elves that worked in the halls of healing, pushing her way through guards and sindarin nobles alike.
I am so late. I will never hear the end of it from Ranadir; he hates it when I am late and it is Serilla preparing us dinner.
Tauriel paused to straighten herself out and regain a composure befitting the Captain of the Guard outside an unassuming oak door; it was engraved with images of athelas growing under a starlit sky.
The auburn-haired elleth knocked lightly before entering, her senses were immediately surrounded with the smell of warm parsnip soup as the door opened.
'Mae g'ovannen, Tauriel' Serilla moved forward and kissed Tauriel lightly on the cheek, smiling as she did so.
'I am late, goheno nin, Serilla. I know that I promised to be on time but I had to deliver a report on the status of the Lothlorien soldiers to the King and well he was not in one of his most communicative of moods.'
In fact, Thranduil is so worried about Mirkwood that he barely has time to be deliberately cold to me anymore. Now he just provides orders and tactics with that expressionless mask firmly in place. If only Legolas were here…
Ranadir appeared from an adjacent room and greeted Tauriel warmly before settling himself at Serilla's small but pretty dining table. Tauriel raised her eyebrow in suspicion at his politeness as she herself sat down.
No remarks for my lateness to Serilla's dinner? Why does Ranadir look so sheepish? They are up both up to something.
Conversation was stilted throughout the meal, Tauriel had the impression that the couple looked like they were treading on thin ice. It was halfway through the dinner that Tauriel could not take the awkwardness any longer and put voice to her thoughts.
'You two are acting out of character. What is happening?' She said pointedly whilst lowering her spoon.
Tauriel saw the two elves exchanged a look before they directed their gaze at the Captain. Serilla held a tranquil expression but it looked forced to Tauriel's keen eyes whilst Ranadir appeared to be swallowing more than normal. Serilla reached across the table and gently took Ranadir's large hand in her small palm. The healer reached across the table with her other hand and placed it onto Tauriel's forearm before speaking in her soothing voice.
'Tauriel, we wanted to tell you that…that we are to have an elfling! I have felt the faint first glimmer of life inside me!' They both gave a nervous smile at the Captain who had opened her jaw and stared at them in incredulity. It was true that elf mothers knew when they had conceived for a maternal bond mysteriously formed very early in the pregnancy and elves could choose when they wanted to create life. Most assumed that the awareness originated from the slightly telepathic nature of the Eldar.
It was a moment before Tauriel regained control of her expressions and she quickly settled her features into a mask of anger.
'You cannot be serious? Now of all times?! Lothlorien was attacked in the night!' The Captain stood up in her rage and faced off with the couple, all pretence of dinner forgotten. She saw the look of deep concern that passed between the two elves at the news of Lothlorien.
Why would they do this? What is the great hurry? Do they not realise that it is the eve of battle and we could all die?
Ranadir remained seated but looked at her with his pleading brown eyes. 'An ngell nîn, little Tauriel, you must see why we would want to…'
'No. Do not little Tauriel me, Ranadir!' Tauriel lifted her hands up in exasperation as she felt first fury and then great fear for their unborn elfling. 'How could you bring a little one into a world so currently full of darkness? Do you not realise that I cannot protect your child!'
'This is not your decision to make, Tauriel!' Ranadir did not raise his voice yet it became more powerful and serious, illustrating his position as her second in command.
'Serilla and I are well aware of the dangers we currently face but we want an elfling of our own whilst we still can! Can you not see how much this means to us?'
It is true that there is nothing more sacred to elves than their elflings. Every elf would fight to their last breath to protect a child for they embody pure love and light. I suppose that when you are immortal, the blessing of little ones appears few and far between. When all of eternity stretches before you, it is no wonder that there is never a high number of elflings at once.
'What if you die, Ranadir? What if I die and Serilla is left alone in this world?! Is that want you want for a child? To not have a father? Believe me Ranadir, I know what that feels like and I do not want your elfling to feel the way that I have!' Tauriel felt her nails bite into her palms as a wave of loneliness washed over her.
Ranadir sighed and Tauriel could swear that she saw his brown eyes glistening as he looked to the ground.
He continued in a quieter voice. 'I am not asking for your permission, Tauriel. Serilla and I wanted to manifest our eternal love for each other in the ultimate way, whilst we still can.'
Having held her peace throughout the argument so far, Serilla now gracefully rose from her chair and reached for one of Tauriel's clenched fists. The Captain was going to draw her hand away but seeing the hurt on Serilla's normally serene face gave Tauriel pause. She allowed the healer to open her fist and grasp Tauriel's hand with her own delicate fingers.
'Do not think that we undertook this decision lightly, Tauriel. We have wanted an elfling of our own for many moons now. If…if the battle goes ill then I will flee with the rest of our people to the West. Some parts of the untouched forest are still welcoming to the Eldar, and the trees should be able to protect those of us that could not march into battle. We will try to make for the Grey Havens and take a ship to the Undying Lands.'
Tauriel looked at Serilla levelly. 'I cannot guarantee that you would make it.'
A spark of determination burned in the healer's grey eyes that Tauriel had to admit that she admired.
'I will not go down without a fight, Tauriel.'
The Captains shoulders shook with the force of her sigh.
Well, it is too late now.
'You certainly pick your moments. The Captain in me is furious at you because it is my duty to protect you and I can no longer promise that. Yet the part of me that is your friend and..kin is overjoyed at the news.'
Serilla gave Tauriel's hand a small squeeze and then embraced the Captain. It was only a heartbeat before Ranadir rose and enveloped both elleths in his long arms.
'You have our love, Tauriel.' Serilla said softly into her ear.
'And you have mine.' Tauriel replied before returning the embrace and wrapping her own arms around the couple.
Elvish
Nae -Alas
Mae g'ovannen –Well met
Goheno nin –Forgive me
An ngell nîn -Please
Geekend and BryanVizard –Yes I do love Galadriel, she seems to meddle as much as Gandalf in her own way!