AN: Sorry for the delay in updating but the sea needed sciencing… You can expect an update about every week or so.
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Tauriel POV
Thranduil's words had shocked her and Tauriel felt her bruised and shattered body begin to tingle in anticipation for what the future could now hold for her and Legolas.
Perhaps it would not be so bad if you loved him back.
'Boe I 'waen. The war is not quite over yet, Captain.' The great elven King regained his cool countenance and rose regally before putting his black leather gloves on and reattaching his great curved swords to his armoured sides.
'Posto vae, Tauriel. You have proven your loyalty to your Kingdom.' It was all Tauriel could do to stay awake and maintain eye contact with the silver haired elf as he spoke to her.
The King was at the door to her room when he paused and looked back at the broken elleth on her white pallet. For once, Thranduil's icy blue gaze held no contempt; only a faint worry glimmered in his crystal depths before he turned and departed the halls of healing.
As soon as Thranduil left, Tauriel felt her eyelids droop uncontrollably. She was alive and out of immediate danger thanks to the King but her body had suffered a terrible ordeal and needed to recover. Mind blank from exhaustion, Tauriel sank into a deep unconsciousness to heal.
Tauriel could not have awoken even if she had wanted to –her body and her fëa needed to recuperate fully and demanded this rest.
At one point she was almost roused into being half aware when a loud noise sounded through her dreamless state.
'Where is she! Show me to her! Serilla! Where is Tauriel? Where is she? TAURIEL! NO!'
A familiar voice? Yet it sounds full of sorrow and tears.
'She is so pale and wan! What has befallen her?'
Now a soothing new voice seemed to be replying. 'Ranadir-my love, I told you on your way in that she is but resting for she has endured a terrible ordeal. Tauriel took a morgul arrow aimed for the King and Thranduil saved her life in return. She will heal in time.'
The voices came closer. 'Oh my little Tauriel! I should have been there to protect you. My sister elleth I do not know what I would have done if you had been lost to us.'
Something heavy and warm is lying upon me? And damp? Is it the voice?
Tauriel almost thought she heard the second voice start to sing melodically but her mind had become blank once more.
A while later Tauriel was again almost raised to consciousness, this time by the sensation of a slight tremor beneath her and that something dark and malevolent had been lifted from her mind and from her heart.
Odd, I did not even realise that such a shadow had taken place in my being but I feel so much lighter for its absence.
Had the Captain been awake she would have realised that the tremor had come from the ground shaking due to the destruction of Sauron and his fortress in Mordor. All of the Mirkwood elves, including King Thranduil, had instinctively paused at the event and looked to the East for they knew what had happened and the rejoiced in the Dark Lord's obliteration.
It was a long time before Tauriel finally blinked her eyes open to find the golden light of dawn caressing her face.
Too bright after so long in the darkness! I miss the soft embrace of starlight.
'Ugghhhh' The Captain managed eloquently and lifted her hand to her brow whilst squinting her eyes to regain focus of the world.
'Mae g'ovannen, little Tauriel.' A familiar voice drew her attention.
Tauriel turned her head to see a bleary-eyed Ranadir smiling down at her from the same chair that Thranduil had once occupied.
How long has he been sat there?!
'Tauriel!' Serilla rushed from where she had been pouring water from a stone jug into a basin over to her bedside. Both elves grasped her hands warmly and Ranadir began tucking Tauriel's auburn locks behind her ears. Tauriel noticed that she had been bathed and changed into a soft white cotton nightdress. Someone had even kept her fiery mane soft and brushed in the time she had been unconscious; Serilla's doing she suspected
'How long have I been unconscious?' The Captain said groggily whilst raising herself up on the downy pillows. Ranadir helped her to sit up by rearranging the pillows to provide better support.
Serilla and Ranadir exchanged a look. 'Three weeks last eve, I am sorry Tauriel. I tried my best to remove the small scar but morgul poison…it is difficult. A faint trace nearly always lingers. I took the pain away though. It will not return.' Serilla looked down at her hands.
Tauriel instinctively felt her side just above her hip under the light covers. Through her nightgown the skin seemed smooth for there was no longer need for a dressing.
Three weeks! How is that possible? I have missed so much! Well… at least I cannot feel anything there, the skin does not even feel puckered.
Indeed, of all the races of Arda, elves were the most acutely affected by the shadow's poison for their fëas were so full of light and purity.
The Captain gave Serilla's hand a squeeze in reassurance. She was surprised by how weak her grip was.
'Hannon le, Serilla. I wish to never feel that pain again for it nearly consumed me.' Tauriel had to supress a shudder at the memory before continuing. 'Both you and the King together saved my life and for that, I shall forever be grateful.'
The healer looked up at Tauriel's words and smiled very warmly.
'There is more good news, little Tauriel! While you were busy sleeping, we won the war, although we lost about three thousand of our eight thousand strong army.' Ranadir's smile dimmed as he lowered his head in respect to their fallen warriors.
They died with honour, defending those that they loved and fought for what is good in this world. Mandos will welcome and celebrate their lives and peace shall be bestowed upon them.
Tauriel's heart was saddened by the countless deaths of the eldar but in reality she was exceedingly grateful for the number could have been so much greater had the battle gone ill.
'Also, the Dark One has been banished from Arda! I do not know if you felt it but all of us did! The shadow is no more and the King said in his victory speech that the Ring of Power had been destroyed so that servant of Morgoth can never be returned!'
Both Ranadir and Serilla beamed at the news before Serilla affectionately caressed her rounded stomach. Tauriel smiled in happiness.
Their little one will be safe now! Everything that they dreamed for has come true and my heart is gladdened! But Legolas was journeying with the Ring Bearer to Mordor…does he live still? Surely word would have been sent by now for better or worse?
Legolas POV
Not many moons had passed before Legolas found himself watching the wedding of his great friend Aragorn, now King Elessar marrying the Lady Arwen Udómiel. Lord Elrond walked his daughter forward and although he bore a proud smile Legolas' keen eyes could see that in Elrond's serious brown gaze, his heart was breaking.
Soon they are to be forever sundered for there is no ship now that can bear her in. As we lost the morning nightingale, so too are we doomed to have the evening star forever be taken from my people.
Though she had surrendered her life's grace, Arwen had never shone with such happiness. Her smile was so serenely radiant under her crown of pale green gems that all who looked upon her were moved to feelings of warmth and compassion. Her raiment of flowing silk accentuated the origins of her otherworldly nature that would now reunite the lines of elves and men. Aragorn himself wore full ceremonial robes with his magnificent crown of seabird wings and a huge grin on his endearing face upon seeing the sight of his beloved.
Standing to the side with Gimli and the Halflings whilst Gandalf officiated the ceremony, Legolas caught himself smiling in happiness at the scene before him.
'Not long before you do the same, eh laddie?' Gimli nudged the Prince in the side, almost creasing Legolas' pale blue silk tunic.
Legolas said nothing but a slight blush rose to his ears causing the hobbits next to him to snigger and nudge one another. Legolas raised an eyebrow under his circlet of woven silver and gave them his best 'stern Elven Prince of Mirkwood stare', which only made Merry and Pippin imitate him whilst Frodo and Sam gave small smiles.
Hobbits.
Some time later at the celebration feast, Legolas briefly took his leave of conversing with Aragorn and Arwen and wandered over to the large open windows to observe the night sky. In truth, the ceremony did make him think of Tauriel and the thought of pledging ceremonies made his heart beat irregularly.
If only Ada was not so difficult.
Gazing up at the quietude of the stars, Legolas did not notice Elrond sidle up beside him
'My daughter tells me that you too have a love that you had to be parted from.' Elrond joined his contemplation of the glimmering stars.
Legolas turned and inclined his head at the elder elf. 'It is true, my Lord Elrond.'
Elrond turned and raised a severe eyebrow at the young Prince but his lips also lifted in a smile. 'Yet I can see in your eyes that you have felt the call of the Sea, for indeed it now calls to me as well.'
Elrond sighed and placed his hands upon the stone railing of the balcony. 'There is nothing now for me here. I would go into the West to be reunited with my own parted love for I cannot bear what will most certainly happen here in all but the blink of an eye to an elf.'
Legolas felt unsure what to say for it was clear the Elrond was deeply saddened by the prospect of Arwen's mortality. In simple empathy, he placed his hand on Lord Elrond's velvet robed shoulder. The older elf reached up and grasped Legolas own shoulder in response.
'We shall not meet again until we are both across the Sea, Prince Legolas. I look forward to meeting your elleth there for I know that Thranduil has long desired to see you pledged.' Elrond smiled kindly and squeezed Legolas' shoulder in farewell.
Indeed he has, although he would prefer if the elleth was not Tauriel!
'Novaer, Lord Elrond, may the stars light your path until next we meet.'
Shortly after, Legolas re-joined the celebrations and chose to sample a small glass of Gondor's famous honeysuckle wine.
'Good evening, Legolas Thranduilion.' Celeborn's sombre voice called out softly as both he and the Lady Galadriel approached where he was standing.
'Mae g'ovannen.' Legolas fisted his hand over his heart to the two elves that smiled brightly at him.
'I am gladdened to see you are alive and well after the battle.' Celeborn inclined his head in a fatherly gesture.
Galadriel's azure gaze appeared to assess Legolas to see if that statement was indeed true. 'The call of the sea has taken place in your heart.'
'Yes, I have heard the call of the white gulls but the sea cannot have my heart for Captain Tauriel has already taken it.' There was no point denying it any longer.
Galadriel beamed, causing her eyes to twinkle and Celeborn hid his smile behind his own glass of clear honeysuckle wine.
'We will be journeying back with you in the near future, for we need to cleanse Mirkwood of the lingering darkness of Dol Guldur once and for all.' Celeborn recomposed himself. 'We will not delay, two days hence we shall leave.'
The Lady of Light watched her husband as he spoke but her mental voice sounded in Legolas' mind.
I sense that the home you once knew is no more. Mirkwood is forever changed and indeed for the better. Your people have endured great hardship, including Tauriel. For a time I could not feel her yet now her light is growing once more. Something has changed within the woodland realm.
Elvish
Boe I 'waen –I must go
Posto vae –Rest well
Mae g'ovannen –Well met
Hannon le –Thank you
Novaer –Farewell
ClaraS –I dedicate this chapter for you