If you recognize it, its not mine.
"Are we truly going in there?" asked Kili. "I am not sure I want to. Surely we could go around?"
"I do not remember the forest looking so ill. What do you say, brother?" inquired Elrohir.
"I quite agree. Of course, father hasn't had much contact with Thranduil in the last four hundred years or so, and we haven't been back since Glorfindel's indiscretion."
"We could, but we would lose a lot of time. The elven road is what we must take," replied Glorfindel, ignoring the twins. He took a longer look at the forest before him. It was sick indeed. 'No wonder they now call it Mirkwood.'
The dwarrow grumbled about it. It did look very foreboding, but they both knew they could not afford the delay. Glorfindel believed they might catch up to the company before they reached the mountain. They really hoped this was the case. Glorfindel lead his mount into the forest, the others not far behind.
They had traveled the road for almost a week when they encountered the elves. They had few problems, since the Rivendell elves didn't seem too weighed down by the forest. Oh, they felt the effects, it just didn't confuse them as it did the dwarves. They were getting ready to camp when the woodland elves made themselves known. Glorfindel was not pleased to find himself at the wrong end of an arrow.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed.
"By order of Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm, all travelers are to be brought to him for questioning. Especially dwarves."
"This path is not considered part of his kingdom. It is supposed to be a free road for the safe passage of any traveler. You have no right to detain us."
"Why the particular interest in dwarves?" asked Elladan.
"They are not the first to pass through here in the last month. There was a company of eleven detained. They currently reside in the King's dungeons."
Glorfindel growled. "Very well, then. Lead on."
"We will need to secure the dwarves, and take their weapons."
"For what purpose? They mean you no harm and are under the protection of our father, Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I do not believe your king would want to offend him," said Elrohir.
The woodland elves eyes got a bit rounder. The elves in this patrol had been born after Elladan and Elrohir's last visit, so they did not recognize them. The patrol leader cleared his throat.
"Very well, we shall not bind their hands and eyes, but I am afraid we cannot allow them to appear before King Thranduil armed as they are. We shall wait until we reach the gate, however, before we confiscate them."
"Thank you, that will be acceptable," said Elladan, while his brother quieted their dwarrow friends. Fili and Kili were obviously not happy, but they realized that they were not in a position to argue. Besides, their uncle and company were being held in the dungeons. Their best bet of gaining their release may be in being as compliant as possible.
The trek to Thranduil's halls took a day and a half. Fili and Kili both worked to be on their best behavior. Though they were comfortable around the Rivendell elves, the Mirkwood elves had an entirely new vibe to them. Fili would describe them as being almost polar opposites. The Rivendell elves had been easy going and peaceful. There was an underlying fierceness about them, but overall, they made one feel welcome. The Mirkwood elves were fierce and watchful, on edge. Their very presence made you feel unwelcome. 'Of course, the difference between the valley and the forest are as different as night and day,' he thought to himself. The woodland elves fit their home. None of the elves save for the leader, Almdor, would talk with the five travelers. They learned he was the oldest of the patrol, at 962. He filled his kin in on the general news of Mirkwood.
As they arrived at the gate, it quickly became apparent that something had happened. Kili made out an elven curse he had learned along their journey and quietly asked what was going on. Glorfindel, face grim, answered.
"It appears as though their river gate has been breached by orcs…. who then chased after their prisoners… who had used the cellars to escape the dungeons. Your uncle no longer resides here."
'Well, this won't be good,' thought Kili.
The five travelers were brought before Thranduil as he and two others were interrogating a captured orc.
"You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know, and I will set you free," said Thranduil.
"You had orders to kill them," said the silver-haired elf. "Why? What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?"
"The dwarf runt will never been king!"
Fili and Kili glared at the orc scum.
"There is no king under the mountain, nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor whilst the dragon still lives."
"You know nothing! Your world will burn!"
"What are you talking about? Speak!"
"Our time has come again. My master serves the One. Do you understand now, elfling? Death is upon you. The flames of war are upon you."
As the orc began to laugh, Thranduil took his sword and decapitated him. The other dropped the head in disgust.
"Why did you do that? You promised to set him free."
"And I did. I freed his wretched head from his from his miserable shoulders."
"There was more the orc could tell us."
"There was nothing more he could tell me."
"Indeed, those of us who lived through it the first time know very well what he meant."
"Glorfindel, mellon," said the silver-haired elf. "Oakenshield said you would not be far behind him."
"Legolas, it is good to see you, despite the circumstances," he said with a look at Thranduil.
"I believe I banned you from my kingdom. You have some nerve coming here."
"Technically, I was not in your kingdom. We were traveling the elven road, which is supposed to be a safe, free road for any and all travelers. It was your patrol who said you ordered all travelers brought to you. So, I have not broken your ban."
"This was my doing, Ada. When we brought in Oakenshield, he told me others would be following. The spiders have been setting their nests close to the road and I thought it safer for any traveler to have a patrol set up. Since we already had the other dwarves here, I thought their companions would like to know what became of them."
"Well done, Legolas. Elladan, Elrohir. I should not be surprised to see you here. Your father has no qualms about allowing any sort of rabble into his valley, your time with the Dunedain is enough evidence that you share his views. A pity."
The twins didn't even twitch.
"Well, since your reason for having us detained is now a nonissue, perhaps it will be better for all if you let us be on our way," stated Glorfindel.
Thranduil smirked. "Oh, I think not. These two dwarves have a strong resemblance to Oakenshield. They must be his heirs. If he succeeds, I can use them as a bargaining chip to get what I want. However, if the fool perishes, as I am sure he will, I will see that you are all escorted safely back through my Kingdom. Tauriel?"
"Yes, my Lord?" said the red-headed elleth the newcomers had forgotten about.
"I am sure you can make our 'guests' comfortable in the dungeons."
Tauriel stared at her King in shock. She looked at the soon-to-be prisoners and then at her prince.
"Ada, please," said Legolas.
"Tauriel!"
"As you command, my Lord," she said. She signaled for the guards to take the prisoners away.
Glorfindel refused to let him have the last word. "This is why nobody likes you, Thranny. You have no mercy, no compassion. And you can't take a joke. There are more important things to worry about than your vanity and pride right now. You heard that filth. Both Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel have sensed it. I have sensed it. I know you have had to have sensed it. You cannot hide forever behind your walls!" he yelled as they dragged him away. Thranduil sat back and scowled.
Tauriel and Legolas led the way. They whispered back and forth. Neither of them seemed pleased with their King's decision. Legolas saw that they were searched before being put into their individual cells. Though he was fuming, Glorfindel found himself distracted by the elleth escorting him to his cell.
"You are called Tauriel. Beautiful name. It suits you, Daughter of the Forest."
"Thank you, my Lord," she said quietly.
"You look familiar. If I may ask, who are your parents?"
"They were Tuodor and Naruhala."
"A guard and a healer, but you said were. What happened to them?"
"Orcs," she said grimly.
"I am sorry for your loss."
"Thank you, but it was long ago, and I was very young."
"Besides your red hair, you are the image of your mother. Say, Elrohir, weren't you once turned down by Naruhala?"
"I do not recall having ever been turned away by any elleth," he said, offended.
"Sure you do, brother. I believe she told you to go take a swim amongst the rapids," laughed Elladan. Fili and Kili, already secure in their cells, joined in.
"Never turned down by an elleth? What about the dark haired healer…. Kili, what was her name?"
"Kaya."
"Kaya! That's right. Nice one, she was. Anyway, whenever she tended to my brother, you mysteriously would appear, trying to gain her attention."
"And she would ignore you….. every time."
"She was not ignoring me, she was playing hard to get. There is a difference," Elrohir pouted.
Tauriel was just holding her laughter by the time she closed the door to Glorfindel's cell. "I would not think anyone could act so jolly whilst they are being imprisoned."
"One should always find joy where they can, my lady. There is enough sorrow in the world without adding to it. Besides, it was worth it to see your beautiful smile," he said, winking at her for good measure. She smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Legolas has told me much about you."
"Lies, all of it."
Kili caught Elladan's attention and mouthed, 'Is he flirting?'
'Red-head,' he mouthed back.
Legolas, having had enough, called out to the she-elf. "Tauriel, I need a few moments of Glorfindel's time. Can you see that food is readied for them? I am sure they have had a long day."
Tauriel arched her brow at her friend, but conceded. Before she left, she approached Kili's cell. "Are you still in need of a healer, Master Dwarf?"
"No, my Lady. I am quite healed, otherwise Lord Elrond would not have given me leave to travel from Rivendell."
"Well, should you find yourself in need of a healer, please, let us know."
"Thank you, my lady."
Legolas waited until he was sure she was out of hearing before turning to the golden lord. "Tell me all, mellon, so that I may decide on the best course of action to aid you."
Glorfindel spent the next half hour telling Legolas what he knew, the others chiming in every so often.
"You all believe the dwarves cause to be true?" Fili and Kili tried not to be offended.
"The mountain must be retaken. We must give evil no foothold. All signs point towards the possibility of our old enemy rising again. You know, as well as I, that the ring was lost but not destroyed. It is not unlikely that he would be able to gain strength without it. You were very young when last his hand stretched across Arda, therefore, you cannot feel it as I can."
"This is why the orcs were tracking Oakenshield. To stop him from taking the mountain."
"That, and it seems there is someone out to end our line," said Fili. "Before we set out, my uncle told us that Gandalf found a bounty for his head written in black speech. Thorin does not believe they will stop with just him. Lady Galadriel told me that my brother's injury had changed our fate and that there was still hope for my family. Tell me that does not fit my uncle's conclusion."
"If our enemy seeks to wipe out the line of Durin…"
"Then we must do what we can to preserve it."
"Tauriel!"
"Legolas, you should know me better than to think you could get rid of me by sending me on some mundane errand. I can sense that something is happening outside our borders. Are we not a part of this world? What affects them, already affect us. We can no longer ignore it. If we can help, then we must do all that we can."
"As fiery as your hair," said Glorfindel. Tauriel held her head high, trying to mask her blush. The two didn't notice Legolas' scowl, but the others did. This did not bode well.
Legolas cleared his throat. "Tauriel and I will make preparations. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Rest while you can." He signaled for the she-elf to follow him.
Glorfindel's eyes stared in the direction they left. She truly intrigued him. Not many elleth chose the way of a warrior. They tended to stick with softer skills; music, drawing, dancing, sowing. A few more ventured into the healing arts. It was not necessarily uncommon for an elleth to learn to defend herself, he had taught the Evenstar himself, but to choose it as their life path…
"You ok there, Glorfindel?" asked Fili.
"What? Yes, I am fine. Just thinking."
This was a challenge to write. I know that there are many Tauriel/Kili fans, I am one of them, but I see her with Glorfindel for this story. The challenging part to this, was the initial meeting. I didn't want to make it like her meeting with Kili in the movie. Here, circumstances are very different. Just light flirting and a little bit of fun. I hope this chapter wasn't a disappointment. Oh, and the elven names I got from a name generator.