Tauriel ran all the way to Mirkwood. Her tears coated her face as she played the scene over and over again in her mind. Why did he kiss her? He hardly knew her. At least she thought... Finally she reached Mirkwood and wiped away her teas. She pulled a smile on her face and walked into the throne room.
"Ah Tauriel!" Thranduil smiled as she walked in.
"I trust you have news on this mysterious elleth?" His eyebrows raised. She nodded.
"I followed him to town and he went to the blacksmith..." Thranduil interrupted her.
"The blacksmith? That doesn't have to do with the elleth!" Tauriel started again.
"He was fighting her so that the blacksmith could see his style of fighting. But then he...he... Leaned in and kissed her. And their blades dropped and they kissed long and hard. Then Legolas paid the man and left. " Tauriel bit her lip.
"You care for him...you fancy him!" Thranduil smiles slowly.
"Well I much rather prefer you but still. Do not give him hope where there is none. " he dismissed her and she left.
"Reiner!" He called his other captain. He came forward and bowed. "Go to the black smith and arrest the girl" Reiner nodded and left.
Ariness was putting away the blades as Legolas left. He left back the way he came- the long way do e didn't see the guard. The blacksmith looked up as the ellon came down.
"I'm looking for the girl. " The black smith lead him inside to Ariness.
"Your under arrest by the order of the king." With that he grabs her arms and pulls her out the door.
"What? What did I do?" She calls out and struggles.
"The king didn't tell me. He just said to arrest you" Ariness struggles but the captain was stronger.
They reached the palace before Legolas did.
"M'lord I have brought her here..." Ariness is gently tossed on her knees. She looks up at the mighty king who Tauriel was standing next to.
"Is this her Tauriel?" He asks and she nods not taking her eyes of her. Ariness looks up at the elf.
"What is your name?" Thranduil asks curiously.
Ariness doesn't respond.
"Tell me and I won't be harsh..." Ariness laughs.
"You will be harsh either way..." Thranduil is shocked with her sentance.
"How dare you?" He asks and slaps her. She winced.
"You dare back talk to a king?" He snarls and Tauriel smirks. Ariness doesn't say anything. Legolas finally emerges from the forest and stops in his tracks as he enters the throne room.
"What's going on here?" He eyes Ariness. She looks back up at him and scowls.
"Not such happy moods for lovers..." Thranduil states. Legolas's head snaps up.
"Lovers? Hah! Never..." He shoots a look at his father.
"Then why were you seen kissing her quite passionately?" Thranduil starts to pace the room. Ariness bit her lip.
"What? Where did you hear this?" Legolas mumbled. Tauriel stepped forward.
"I saw you..." She said softly. Legolas stared at her.
"Why did you tell my father? It was nothing honestly. It was an impulse that I stupidly followed..." He stormed out of the room.
"Legolas!" Tauriel ran after him. When she caught up with him she grabbed his arm.
"Why would you spy on me? I thought you cared about me!" He yelled at her. She was taken aback.
"I...I do..." She said quietly as he ran off. What had she done? Only what her KING told her to do... So she was only following orders...
Back in the throne room...Ariness wouldn't tell him anything about her.
"Where do you and your family live?" Thranduil was growing impatient.
"I will not say M'Lord..." Was the only thing she did say. And she said it over and over again. Finally the King's patience grew out and he ordered guards to throw her in the cells.
"Lets see how a week in the cells does her...and if that doesn't loosen her tongue then set her in the arena... that should do it..." Ariness panicked as she heard the arena mentioned. The arena was a place for elleths and ellons to prove them selves to their king. They would fight a bunch of orcs, goblins or whatever the king ordered. Most didn't last very far in the Arena. Only the best of the best.
Ariness was pulled up and locked in one of the cells. She paced the length of it until she was so tired she slept. Legolas watched her pace from above on a balcony. He though about what had happened...why did he kiss her? He hated her so much! Legolas shook it off and went back to his room where he slept.
Ariness woke up in the cell as a guard slide a plate of bread and soup under the bars. Even though Thranduil was merciless, the elves still fed their prisoners well. Every day Thranduil would come down and ask her her name, where sh lived and her age. She never told him. Yes she thought of lying but he could see right through her. Finally the week passed and it was time for her to fight in the Arena. A small package was slide under the door and she opened it. Armor and two daggers. Ariness smiled. The blacksmiths daggers she had fought against Legolas. She slipped on the armor and waited as the guards unlocked her cell.
A horn sounded from above as King Thranduil announced the event. A crowd of Elleths and ellons.
"My dear Kingdom. Here today I have gathered 25 orcs for a elleth to fight. If she can defeat all then she is pardoned of all charges being held against her..." Thranduil took his seat next to Lord Elrond. He had been invited of course. Thranduil didn't want his best friend to miss this...
The gates opened and she stepped out. Now she was to fight for her life...