Dear readers,

Thank you for your continued support. Please keep reviewing.

CrazyCats and hobbitJunki - I did have planned to include Tauriel's "teenage" years in this story, but the ways of the fate are unpredictable. Sometimes my imagination takes me off course. I'm not entirely certain which age among elves if considered as teenage since they are immortal, but I did write a few chapters having the exact same idea as you. They will be the big closure for this story before the first sequel which will concern Hobbit era. Ofcourse, that part will have to be rewritten because I constantly write more about Tauriel's childhood (the inspiration is great). In the meanwhile enjoy chapter 20.

Love,

ME

CHAPTER 20

Little hand reached across the pillow for something that wasn't there. Tauriel would have gone into the state of panic if she didn't feel something warm in it a moment later. She gripped it tightly and placed her cheek over it keeping her eyes closed. His grin was almost audible as he caressed her other cheek with his free palm. "You may stay and rest if you are still tired tinu nin. No one will disturb you if that is your wish." he told her gently.

"I'm awake, just one more minute." she assured him without any trace of sleepiness in her tone. As promised she sat up shortly afterwards to find her prince watching her with a small smile. She couldn't help, but grin back before tossing her feet over the edge of the bed. "Why don't you go take a nice hot bath tinu nin. I will meet you in an hour in your room." he said kissing her forehead.

Tauriel put on her slippers, which she rarely used and did as he suggested. The bath and fresh clothes made her more at ease and increased her appetite. Legolas joined her as promised while she braided her hair in a well rehearsed speed. He was there before she had the chance to put her boots on, but waited patiently for her to finish. When she did, he hung the horn around her neck without a word. "Are you hungry tinu nin?" he asked while he walked hand in hand with her down the stairs.

"Starving." she replied feeling more at ease though starting to dread her encounter with the king after realizing her disgrace.

"Your father will never accept me into his guard now." she spoke up after a while with sunken hope. The prince looked at her curiously. He would be pleased never to see his friend as a soldier, but he could not feel pleasure for anything which brought his friend suffering.

"What makes you say that little mellon?" he made himself speak squeezing her hand trying to give her encouragement against his better judgment.

"He probably thinks less of me now that I showed weakness so openly. I'll probably end up in the kitchens with the cooks or working in the stables after that." little elleth elaborated not being able to help herself.

The prince shook his head. "It is not weakness, it is grief. He should understand it too. After my naneth died, he changed a lot. You won't end up doing something you don't like while I have breath to stop it." he said smiling sadly when a shadow of old grief passed through his face.

"You should rejoice. I know you don't wish to see me in the guard anyway." Tauriel replied sadly not knowing why she told him all this now.

They were almost in the dining hall when he detained her to lower down to her height again. "Don't be ridiculous tinu nin. I can't be pleased if you are miserable. You want to fight and it is a noble dream, but I fear the day when you lose your innocence. I know that you will make a fearsome warrior one day; just let me fight that reality for a while longer." he replied pleading for her understanding and she did not disappoint. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, he kissed her back and stood up. King Thranduil soon greeted them both from his chair pleased to see his son well rested and in good spirits. His little friend looked more recovered as well. She ate three portions of her breakfast until she was completely satisfied.

Legolas thought that she was merely obliging him when mentioning her hunger, but was more than pleased to see her eat more eagerly than he remembered during the last year. He waited for her to be done before speaking. "Tauriel, Ninenath is expecting you in the healing wing to examine you again. Why don't you go help her out until I fetch you for the next meal." he said watching her expression turn from satisfaction to reluctant oblige of his wishes.

"Yes ernil nin." she replied obediently not wishing to give him any more trouble. He scoffed at her address, but didn't object not wanting to contradict his father in front of her. The king received a goodbye kiss as well before she exited the room leaving them alone.

Tauriel had no desire to see that elleth who spoke of her like she was no more than a stone in her shoe, but reluctantly made her way to see Ninenath. The motherly annoying healer examined her only to determine that she was healthy as a horse. Lady Gale was not on duty for the moment, but they were expecting her later. Her daughter was there helping out the injured from the recent spider raid. It was a young elleth; yet close to maturity and pretty with a hospitable character.

Little red-haired elleth liked her immediately; she was nothing like her mother. The two elleths not so much different in age soon found that they were both interested in the art of combat. Gileth was the name of her new friend; she showed the same undying enthusiasm for this occupation that Tauriel had. She showed her a few scars from her sparring practice and the little elleth examined them excitedly wishing to be old enough to spar with her.

Conversation flowed freely between the pair while they sat in the corner away from the others in very intimate proximity. Their hands intertwined unconsciously as they talked about weapons and everything that could possibly occur to their minds. Their bubble suddenly burst when something closed around Tauriel's wrist making her look around in surprise. "Get your filthy Sylvan hands off of my daughter." a familiar threatening voice came from her left. She released Gileth immediately, but her mother pulled her to her feet quite forcefully.

She thought this was the end to their short friendship very much underestimating her new friend. "Naneth what are you doing?" she said jumping up swiftly releasing her grip on Tauriel before taking a protective hold over her. She was barely ten years older than little red-haired elleth, but Tauriel was short for her age so she could easily lift her up.

Tauriel stared blankly at the display, but Gileth held her firmly. "I forbid you to socialize with this filth, I taught you better than that. This one here is a common Sylvan elf of dubious origin, a filthy peasant whose place is among servants." lady Gale replied throwing daggers toward the elfling in question, but Gileth was not impressed.

"She is my friend." light brown haired elleth replied outraged by such expressions.

Her mother made a grimace. "Friend? Don't make me laugh. Friendship cannot exist between nobility and servants." lady Gale almost spat at her direction; Tauriel hid her face in Gileth's hair.

"Yet it exists between Tauriel and our prince." Gileth replied evenly in her friend's defense in defiance. Tauriel realized that this was a common topic of argument among them. This should not have surprised her considering the fact that they were so different both in character and their view of the world.

Lady Gale didn't budge. "I don't know what arts did she use to twist our prince's mind, but I won't let her corrupt you with her filth and her manners. Put her down, we're going home." she said sending the filth in mind another set of dirty looks.

Nobody in the healing wing dared utter a single word though all of them listened to the exchange; no one agreeing with Lady Gale's vocabulary. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with my friend. If you don't approve of it; at least respect it." Gileth replied in a threatening voice she never before used on her own mother, but her treatment of Tauriel was sparkling her temper.

"You dare defy your mother for this worthless creature!? I knew you would bring trouble the first time I laid my eyes upon you when you were brought here from the woods. Ernil Legolas should have allowed that orc to take your worthless life, you are nothing but trouble. No one would have missed you if you were gone from this world forever." Gale replied outraged firing more offences in Tauriel's direction who couldn't conceal her hurt anymore.

Gileth was furious as well, but before she had time to retort another furious yet commanding voice prevented her in that intention. "Farn! You have said quite sufficient hiril nin." Legolas interrupted her with venom in his voice. No one spotted his arrival too entranced by Gale's insolence so they all collectively jerked in surprise bowing,

"Ernil Legolas." lady Gale retorted taken aback curtseying properly while her daughter mimicked the gesture not releasing Tauriel from her arms who looked at her friend in alarm knowing that he was more furious than he let it show.

Legolas pierced her with a disgusted gaze. "Hiril Gileth, will you please take Tauriel outside?" he said before continuing his line of fire. Tauriel already looked pale enough and did not need to hear this.

"Yes ernil nin." she replied respectfully turning around and rushing through the door which lead to the gardens and not stopping until they were both out of hearing range.

"Forgive my mother mellon nin, she doesn't know any better." Gileth plead as she sat on a fallen log after placing Tauriel to sit beside her. Little elleth just stared far away not trusting her voice to speak.

Legolas turned to Gileth's mother when the two elleths were out of sight. "Your insolence surprises me Hiril nin. Did I just hear you questioning my ability to choose my own friends?" he said in a cold tone sounding a lot like his father.

Gale wasn't as eager as before to insult Tauriel. "I meant no offence ernil nin. I simply stated the truth which so many fail to see." she replied almost making the prince laugh ironically.

"I can almost understand your husband. He chose a profession which mostly consists on boasting one's ego, but I expected more from you. I hereby relieve you of your duties as a healer. This kingdom does not require one with no compassion. Also I forbid any kind of retaliation against Tauriel, insult her again and I will consider that as a personal offence. You are dismissed." Legolas proclaimed staring her down challenging her to disobey him. Lady Gale bowed and walked out of the room with her head high, but boiling in rage. The prince ordered everyone who stood there motionless to go by their business rather harshly. He never looked more like king Thranduil's son than today. The most effective way to protect Tauriel was to act like a prince.

He made his way to the courtyard to find her fearing that this healer ruined everything they achieved last night. It was not difficult to find the two elleths seated under a tree though it was very cold outside at this particular time of year.

The prince took a few minutes to calm his temper not wishing to fright Tauriel now or ever again. Did he truly look so furious yesterday that it made her afraid of him? The silent terror in depths of her eyes would haunt him forever. Gileth rose to her feet as soon as she spotted his approach and greeted him properly. Tauriel followed the elleth's gaze standing up as well only not applying such ceremony as bowing before jumping into his open arms.

He performed their silent greeting before turning to the elleth he was already familiar with. She came often with her parents though he was sorry to admit that he barely paid attention to her before. Councilor Brien and his wife were the kind of elves he avoided as much as he could without rising murmurs.

Before he could formulate his gratitude, Gileth spoke up. "Forgive my mother ernil nin. She doesn't know any better." she said apologetically.

"Your mother's wrongdoing has been punished accordingly. I have relieved her of her duties. For your sake that grieves me, but she should have minded her actions. Thank you for defending my little mellon in there, I'm glad that she found a true friend where she least expected it." Legolas replied partly ceremoniously, but his tone was friendly. He placed Tauriel down to stand before him and held his hands over her shoulders comfortingly while she listened silently.

Gileth took in a sharp breath; her mother would be more difficult than she was already. "You did well to give her a lesson on humility. She was not particularly fond of that profession anyway; I think she only chose one which is considered as honorable for someone of her status. I knew what her view on the subject was, but she never so openly insulted someone." she replied keeping her tone serene. She was usually a more talkative person, but her mother's behavior embarrassed her.

"Oh she did a couple of days ago. You'll find her expressions about captain equally if not more offensive." the prince replied watching her pace pale down. Did he say something wrong?

"She insulted captain Laeorn? Oh that is just perfect, your father will never let me join his guard now." she puffed incredulously wishing to hit something.

Legolas looked at her outburst with unmasked surprise. "I'm sure my father won't punish you for your mother's mistakes Hiril nin." he encouraged her while slowly beginning to understand what was it that these two elleths had in common. He almost laughed at the irony, but stopped himself in time.

"Perhaps you should get inside ernil nin, it's growing rather cold." Gileth suggested not being able to formulate a proper answer at the moment.

Her words were true, but her unspoken ones were probably filled with bitterness. The prince turned to follow her counsel, but his words died out on his lips when he saw Tauriel observing the elleth with longing. "May I persuade you to join us for our meal Hiril nin? I'm sure Tauriel would enjoy your company." he fired his request without a second thought. Tauriel enforced his invitation approaching her friend. "Come on Gileth, it will be fun. An ngell nin." she exclaimed quite forcefully making the elleth blink in surprise.

"Well who could say no to such a plea?" she chuckled taking one of Tauriel's hands in her own while a wide grin appeared all over her face.

Legolas took the other and they made their way to the entrance hall. Unlike Tauriel, Gileth did look like a female in her simple white gown. "So your dream is to join the Mirkwood guard. I imagine that your parents are not pleased with your choice of profession?" he stated rather than asked.

Her responsive sigh gave him his answer before she actually spoke. "No they are not Hir nin. My father wants me to become a healer like my mother and she thinks that I..." she stopped midsentence realizing what she was about to say. The prince looked at her curiously and Tauriel voiced that into a question.

Gileth would have laughed if she wasn't so embarrassed. "Naneth implied that I would make a good bride for a certain sindarian prince." she finished after gathering her courage. Tauriel's eyes went wide with surprise while Legolas only chuckled amused.

"And you do not agree with her?" he assumed out loud.

"I don't believe that this would be either your fate or mine. My dream is to fight and nothing more. I think the only one who will ever have your heart will be the one who defies you. Her personality will challenge your character and you will give her your heart for it. Her eyes will set your soul aflame." Gileth replied with a small grin.

Legolas was taken aback by such a prediction. This elleth must possess some essence of the gift of foresight to claim something of the sort. It was impossible to think of appropriate response to such declaration so their arrival to the entrance hall came as a savior.

"You're awfully quiet little mellon. What troubles you?" the prince observed squeezing her little hand in case she wasn't paying attention to him, but without necessity for she heard everything including the king's footsteps when he approached the dining room from the other side.

Both the prince and the elleth seemed surprised when she let go of their hands to rush across the room. "Does she hug the king too?" Gileth asked quietly so only Legolas could hear her.

"Oh yes she does." a small grin played on his lips as he responded when Tauriel stood in front of his father and placed arms around his waist. Thranduil looked unimpressed as he lifted her up. "On the run again pinmaethril?" he asked observing her for a moment longer before placing her down.

Her restless feet took her back to her friends as quickly as they took her away from them. Thranduil looked slightly surprised not expecting any guests for the afternoon meal. "Hiril Gileth, this is a pleasant surprise." he addressed her watching Tauriel clinging to her arm with confidence. It was a mystery how these two ever found each other.

"Aran nin, I truly apologize for barging in like this. Your son most graciously invited me to join you. I hope I did not inconvenience you." Gileth replied curtseying in a proper way.

The king dismissed her misplaced apologies with his hand. "Not at all. Did you come with your parents?" he asked curiously as he took his seat with Legolas on one side and Gileth on the other. Tauriel climbed into her usual seat next to the prince.

Gileth grimaced a little at his question. "No Hir nin, they are..." she tried to formulate an answer a little unprepared for the question.

"I just relieved Hiril Gale of her duties. I think she took the hint that her presence is no longer welcome." his son saved her the trouble of replying to that.

The king looked only mildly surprised. "I see. I thought we agreed on not retaliating yesterday ionneg." he replied serenely.

Tauriel gazed at the floor feeling increasingly guilty that Gileth's mother no longer had an occupation. Legolas took her hand under the table while looking at his father. Her hands closed in around his. "I did not plan to pursue any course of actions, but her behavior from this morning was impossible to overlook. She offended Tauriel in one breath and questioned my judgment in the next. If you wish to lift her punishment, you're in your right to do so, but do me a favor and keep her out of my sight." the prince replied with no hint of regret in his voice.

He acknowledged the prince's words, but said nothing concerning the subject deciding to shower Gileth with attention pleased to see that his son brought an elleth to his table. Gileth answered his inquiries politely yet a little distractedly.

"When did you meet little Tauriel? She hasn't mentioned you before." the king asked.

"This morning Hir nin when she came to find Ninenath." replied the elleth,

"I can't imagine what the two of you could have in common."

Gileth didn't know whether to interpret his words as an indirect offence made toward her friend or a simple observation. Raising her temper on her ruler was not a bright idea nonetheless. "We both want to join the guard Aran nin." the elleth replied in simple fashion.

Thranduil poorly concealed his surprise. "Have you any knowledge in the art of combat Hiril nin?" he asked curiously.

"Yes I used to practice with blades with my brother before he got married and moved away. Archery was my next goal, but my father found the bow my brother gave me for my birthday and burned it. I still practice in secret when I get the opportunity." she replied remembering the dreadful event while a sigh escaped her.

Tauriel's eyes opened widely at that. "So your parents don't approve of your choice?" observed the king out loud.

"No, my father would prefer to see me as a healer. He had high hopes for my brother that he would become a fearsome warrior, but no matter how much my brother loved a good fight, he never aspired to join your armies." she replied sadly.

"What about your mother? Did she agree with him?" he raised his perfect white eyebrow upon seeing a slight blush appear on her face. Telling the prince about her mother's wishes was one thing, but revealing such schemes to his father sent discomfort through her. Fortunately, Legolas saved her from having to answer.

"Her mother considers that she would be a suitable bride for a sindarian prince." he replied in her stead making his father pay closer attention and something sparkle in his eyes. "We touched this subject in the courtyard when I asked her the very same question. Do not get your hopes up, we simply laughed it off, but if it consoles you Hiril Gileth predicts a wife in my future." Legolas quickly added seeing his father's hope spark.

His disappointment was palpatable although skillfully concealed. "Not such a close future I'm afraid ernil nin." Gileth replied completely embarrassed.

"Yes, but promising one. What words did you use again?" he contemplated calling them back, but he was reminded vocally.

"I believe Gileth's words were: "The only one who will ever have your heart will be the one that defies you. Her personality will challenge your character and you will give her your heart for it. Her eyes will set your soul aflame." " Tauriel spoke with a tiny grin plastered over her face.

Thranduil listened to the exchange between the three with both eyebrows raised, but said nothing out loud. He already started to picture the one who would fit such a description and the conclusion did not amuse him the slightest.

Elven translation:

Hiril nin – My lady

Hir nin – My lord

Aran nin – My king

Ernil nin – My prince

Mellon – Friend

Farn – Enough!

Ionneg – Son

An ngell nin - Please