CHAPTER 7

Wind blew by as a noble white horse galloped in great speed through the woods while his hooves made the dirt rise behind him. Two strong arms encompassed a smaller creature that sat out front while the chestnut red hair blew in all directions. Little elleth's eyes glimmered with excitement as the trees became almost a blur.

Much sooner then she would have liked, her companion detained his horse. "Tolo little mellon, we're almost there." he called smiling at her childish disappointment. "Don't fret, we still have the road back home." he added enveloping her safely in his arms. His hands were under her knees while she held on tightly to his neck, half turned toward the front.

"I can walk you know." Tauriel puffed in annoyance, but Legolas just grinned in amusement. "Yes, but you cannot climb. I know you already feel like you can, but let's not push it." he soothed her temper while he made his way up the tree climbing to the top.

His little friend watched in excitement, she felt better every time she was on the move for her feet were restless since she was old enough to walk by herself. Many times she would wander out in the forest and fright her parents, but they always found her on a tree or next to it. She tried to call back their faces, but to no avail. Perhaps she was just tired.

When they reached the top and Legolas allowed her to sit on his shoulders for better view, Tauriel's breath stopped staring mesmerized at the scene before her. The sea of trees, golden like autumn spread before her and the view ended up by a lake and beyond laid a mountain. It rendered the little talkative elfling speechless.

"I wish I could see the west seas one day and compare it to this sight." she sighed holding tightly to her friend conscious that if she were to fall now, she would probably receive the invitation from lord Mandos for an eternal visit.

"I'm sure you will little mellon. Do not forget we have eternity before us." Legolas replied smiling at her fascination.

Tauriel rested her head on top of his blonde hair contently. "Mellon. Do you ever come here at night? Do the stars look even more beautiful from here?" she voiced her thoughts after a few minutes of contemplation.

"I did, a couple of times. You are right they are truly magnificent." he replied remembering his first gaze at the stars from this position.

Tauriel was quiet for some time. "Will you take me one night so I can see them too?" was her eager reply while keeping her eyes closed and imagining the beauty of it all.

"Of course, as soon as we find an adequate moment." he replied happy to share this with someone who knew how to appreciate it properly.

"Gwestol?" she asked wishing to see them now, but it was early afternoon and she knew that as a prince he had other tasks to perform during the day rather than sit here in a tree all day long.

His strong hands took her off his shoulders and into his arms again. "Gweston mellon, but right now we should get back. Poor Ninenath is probably pacing from worry and I have some errands to finish before the light is out." the prince smiled kissing her forehead before he made his way down.

As soon as he placed her on his horse again and sat behind her, she felt inclined to ask him another question. "Are there stories behind the stars?" she asked with her mind far away.

"Yes, they are mostly legends, but to get the full impression I will teach you when I take you to see them. You will find that every star, every planet and every constellation have their own meaning." he smiled wondering how much information could this little one take in such short time.

She searched the sky even now when it was too early to see the white lights glimmer on it. The light in her eyes when she did so made him smile. It was hard not to find them as fascinating as she did when one looked at her undisguised wonderment. At least he knew what would her favorite subject be when he started with her lessons.

How dull can one's life be? Every day in the healing ward seemed like eternity no matter how often Legolas or Laeorn came to visit her occasionally to take her for a short walk. The nights were most irritating and most terrifying as well. The nightmares seemed to get worse rather than better over time. Mostly she remained silent not trashing about or shouting.

Sometimes however, she would make noise and Ninenath would try to comfort her, but Tauriel found no peace in that elleth no matter how kind and patient she was. It rarely happened that she woke someone up, but that didn't stop her from jerking awake while cold sweat appeared on her breathless face. There were no tears, just fear. There was no recognizable face, but she kept quiet too ashamed to admit that her own parents' faces had faded from her memory as soon as they were no longer here to protect her. One moment she had a family and the next it was taken away from her. She grieved in silence, but no matter how miserable she felt, the tears would not come. It was like she was numbed not to feel any pain.

It felt like months rather than weeks before she was discharged from Ninenath's care. Finally, she would have something to occupy her mind and her body. Legolas showed her around the palace once he settled her in her new bedchamber. The caves that lead to king's throne room were the sight that was dearest to her heart.

Tauriel's room was not large, but it was comfortable. She knew she wouldn't spend too much time in it anyway. Her wardrobe was filled with both her usual hunting gear and dresses she would probably never wear. She just wrinkled her nose at them while her friend showed her where everything was. Next to the wall in line with the window was a small vanity table. It would be used only when she braided her hair.

The tour of the rest of the palace didn't seem to amuse her for long unless there was something odd or something beautiful. Someone would think that an elfling would prefer kitchens over stone caves, but that was not the case. When her friend asked her about what meal she preferred, there was no ready answer. "I've never paid much attention to what I was eating. My naneth always had a ready meal, but I always considered what would I do afterward rather than pay attention to its taste." she said sadly wishing she was more appreciative of her mother's cooking skills when she was alive.

"I do like fresh fruits of all kinds. I used to pick them myself whenever I would wander by myself which was often." she said remembering its sweet taste. Legolas chuckled at this, what kind of elfling didn't pay attention to food?

"Why does that not surprise me little mellon? You are a curious little elleth. You always manage to surprise me." he said cheerfully while leading her to show her the dining hall. It was huge and light as expected, but Tauriel's eyes always glimmered when they saw anything that shined.

Now was the time to inform her that this would be her new place for eating which he did with a smug look on his face. Did he just say that she, a common Sylvan elf with no family would sit by king and his son during their meals? The mere thought made her nervous. "Why are you suddenly afraid of sharing a meal with your prince? Have you not done it before?" he asked teasing her.

"Are you sure your father will want someone like me to sit at his table?" Tauriel asked uncertain too anxious for her own good.

Legolas just gripped her hand in reassurance. "My father's manners are cold, but he has a good heart even though he doesn't show it often." he replied smiling at her uneasiness.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Will I be obliged to wear a dress during the meals?" she voiced her next worry out loud.

Her blonde friend made an effort not to laugh. "No, not unless you wish to of course. You know most elleths would not lose an opportunity to wear one and look pretty?" he replied with a wide grin on his face. Her presence brought light back to his life.

"I was always a freak." she replied not completely serious, but without her usual cheerfulness.

Legolas sighed and detained her while they were walking through the entrance hall so he could lower himself to her height and look into her eyes. "That is not what I meant little mellon. You are not a freak, you are simply special and I love you for it. Don't ever change for the sake of what others may think or expect of you." he said brushing his finger playfully across her small nose.

She giggled and he rose placing her little hand back in his own. "I think that puts an end to our tour for today. Do you feel tired?" he said looking around trying to remember if he missed anything that was important.

"I am not tired. You didn't show me the guard wing yet." she replied disappointed that it was already over and she wasn't ready to stop yet.

Many emotions passed through prince's features. "And why would you want me to show you the guard wing?" he asked tempted not to take her there, but he knew that whether he agreed to it or not, she would find a way to see it if she really wanted it and she did want it. The thought of that place made him picture his little friend in battle one day which made him uneasy.

"I want to see where Laeorn resides. What if I am in trouble one day and you are not around?" Tauriel countered innocently. The main reason was that she desired to see it, but this one would convince her friend faster than any other. He saw the justification behind her words, but still he rebelled against letting his friend join the guard one day though she'd be the one with final say on the matter.

"Very well little mellon, I will show you." he replied sighing in resignation knowing that he had no valid reason to refuse her request.

Guards resided on upper floors on the opposite side of the king and his son. Legolas walked slowly giving his friend time to grasp everything in though corridors weren't a sight to behold like the dining hall and the king's wing.

Still, Tauriel gazed with such excitement imagining herself in some years. The thought of living here didn't give her as much joy as the thought of what she would have to become in order to live here.

They passed the guards on their way, they all greeted them. Occasionally, the prince would stop to exchange a few words with a guard he was better acquainted with than others. Tauriel's eyes wandered through the faces of each of them. They all smiled at her warmly, some greeted her with words. She tried to give a reply to everyone, but lost track if that was successful for there were no small number of guards in this place.

The last they spoke to was someone named Beleorn, who was in charge of training new recruits for the king's guard, but Tauriel didn't have time to ask any questions before he informed Legolas that captain was currently in his bedchamber. Little elleth turned around to see Beleorn gazing after them. He gave her a smile and a wink. She'd remember to find him some other time.

Once they reached Laeorn's door, Legolas knocked three times. There was some hustle inside before a serene looking ellon came and opened the door to see who it was. As soon as he saw the young prince he opened the door wide. "Ernil nin to what do I own this pleasure?" he asked spotting the elfling who stood next to him gazing around.

"Quel andune little mellon. Tolo ned." he smiled letting Tauriel pass by him trying to decipher why the prince seemed uncomfortable. "Quel andune Hest. I'm giving Tauriel tour of the guard wing and she wished to see where you reside." Legolas replied watching as little elleth took a peek at every corner of the room.

Laeorn stepped outside sensing that Tauriel shouldn't hear what would come next. "I see. So why the troubled face mellon nin?" he asked keeping his tone hushed.

The prince merely sighed. "I didn't wish to take her here, but she insisted. When she spoke to my father he asked her what profession was she inclined to." he started not sure if this is something he would share with a living soul.

"And she replied that her wish is to join the guard yes?" Laeorn assumed out loud while the prince looked at him surprised giving him an answer without having the need to voice it. "Do not be so very surprised that I know this Hir nin. When we spoke for the first time, first she inquired about you and afterwards asked me a million questions about what I do. I saw it in her eyes, she will make a skilled warrior one day." he continued keeping a grin off of his face.

Legolas sighed, so she already made inquiries about it. Why did that even surprise him. "Yes that is what worries me." he said troubled.

Captain naturally had guessed this. "Tauriel won't be an elfling forever mellon. Her father was one of the bravest warriors I met, it's in her blood." Laeorn tried to comfort him without success.

"Nevertheless, she should learn to defend herself. Think about it. If she hadn't stabbed that orc, she would have been dead before you had time to come to her aid. Face it, our new mellon is stubborn, let's not be the ones who stand between her and her dreams." Laeorn continued finishing his speech in a lighter mood.

Legolas almost grinned. "Yeah you're probably right, but still I don't have to like it." he sighed with resignation before his eyes rested on the elleth in question who was in process of admiring captain's used silver daggers.

"When do you think I'll get to use one of those?" Tauriel asked as she noticed their presence, she left them to whisper without interrupting.

Even captain grimaced at the idea of an elfling using those. "I'm afraid not for many years mellon, you will need to be a little older for those." Laeorn replied softly grinning at her disappointed look.

Legolas stroked the top of her head while many disturbing images passed through his mind. Two ellons exchanged knowing looks, even the prince lost hope of dissuading his little friend from the course she set for herself.

Translations:

Mellon – Friend

Gwestol? - Do you promise?

Gweston – I promise

Quel Andune – Good afternoon

Tolo ned – Come in

Hest – Captain

Nin – My

Ernil nin – My Prince

Hir nin – My lord

Naneth - Mother

Author's Note: Thank you for all your reviews, they give me another motive to post more chapters. As I said on the start, I have many which are already ready for publishing. I found a lot of stories with the similar plot, but they all fail to portray Tauriel as I always imagined her when she was an elfling. We all agree that she was frightened after the loss of her parents, but she was also curious and hyperactive which we can see even in the movies only in the lighter version after six hundred years of life. Keep reviewing and if there is anything you might find wrong or insufficient in my story, please let me know. I will keep it in mind for my future chapters and try to remedy it as much as possible. Keep reviewing and thank you.