Chapter 8, everyone!

I'm sorry for the delay. I've been busy with school and had a slight case of writer's block to this story, but hopefully it will have vanished now! And today, I bought tickets to the Swedish premiere of Battle of the Five Armies. I can hardly wait :D

Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I really appreciate all of your support and all of you deserve a Bombur-sized 'thank you'!

I don't own any characters (just some Ocs') or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.

The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter come from either one of the Lord of the Rings books/Movies or from one of The Hobbit Movies/book. All of them will have some connection to Elves. So I don't own them as well!

Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Under a sky full of stars

"I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night."

A knock on the door startled Legolas from where he was lying on the bed, captivated by the shadows of the flickering candles on the walls. He had been resting, carefully trying to knit together all the knowledge he had gained during his stay in Bendaeenorod. It barely made any sense to him and he could imagine his father's disappointment when he returned home. He felt rather disappointed himself.

At the sound of the door, Legolas got up, certain of who it would be on the other side. Since he had been given one of Tatharon's many humble cottages, he had not had any visitors except the Guardian himself. Though he never came after dusk had fallen. Tauriel, however, had told him that she would.

When he opened the door, it was Tauriel standing there. Her brown uniform had been exchanged for a green attire resembling the one she had worn when he first had met her. She looked at peace; her features were softer and not as mischievous as he had seen her been. Her eyes nearly glowed in the dark.

"Good evening", she greeted him; her hands clasped behind her back and offered him a calming smile.

"Good evening."

It felt surreal. For a moment Legolas was at loss at what to do. Tauriel still wore an expression of serenity and asked him:

"Are you prepared to go?"

"I don't know where we are going", Legolas pointed out.

Tauriel smiled sweetly, tilting her head to one side.

"Trust me, remember?"

Legolas only shook his head. He turned around and started to blow out the candles, knowing better than to temp fire alone with wood. He heard how Tauriel followed, though she stopped at the threshold. Legolas could feel how her eyes swept across the room, taking in every little detailed. Even though it was not his home, he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. He did not feel quite comfortable with her entering his comfort zone of sorts. Before blowing out the last candles, Legolas picked up his bow and quiver.

"You won't need those", said Tauriel. "We are not going anywhere dangerous."

"It was a gift from my father. I like to have it close at hands. One can never be too careful."

He strapped his bow and quiver to his back. He felt Tauriel watching him.

"Do you practice with the bow?" he asked, facing her and found that she was looking at his bow.

She blinked a couple of times before answering.

"Yes, though not as much as I would have liked. My father was an excellent archer and made the best bows you could find. In fact." She paused and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and reached out a hand to stroke the smooth, carved wood of his bow. "I think my father made this." She met his gaze and her lips quirked. "Coincidence, don't you think?"

"I don't believe in coincidences", said Legolas truthfully and blew out the last candles.

The cottage became dark. He closed the door, locked it with the tiny key he had been given by Tatharon and took a deep breath, enjoying the slightly cool air of the summer evening.

"What is your father doing now?" Legolas asked as they started to walk, though it was only Tauriel who decided their path.

"I don't know", said Tauriel softly. "He's been missing for years."

Legolas regretted the question, but Tauriel didn't look bothered. Her gaze was fixed ahead and he dared ask:

"What of your mother?"

"My mother and brother departed for Lothlórien a year after my father's disappearance", she continued in the same far away voice. "She needed to heal, to get away. Heartache is the worst of sorrows."

"Why didn't you go with them?"

Legolas thought it a bit odd. Eternity was awful without anyone to share it with and lineage was important to the Elves. He would never have thought of separate from his father, not after a tragedy like losing a family member. Legolas had been young when his mother had sailed, but he and his father would not have managed had they not had had each other.

Tauriel gave him a half-smile.

"I didn't want to leave", she explained. "I mean, one day I will, but I feel that I have something to do here first."

"Like a duty?"

There was a moment of pause before Tauriel answered in an equally soft voice:

"Yes, like a duty."

They exchanged a glance of quiet understanding. Legolas had often felt the same. As the Prince of the Woodland Realm, he knew the meaning of the word 'duty' better than anyone. He had a duty to his father, his people and his kingdom. They would always weigh on his shoulders. He did not mind, for he took his task seriously and with pride, but even he could sometimes dream of a life where he could be free in a way he never could be now.

Tauriel led him through the village. It was dark, save for beautiful lanterns hanging outside every house glittering like fireflies in the darkness. 'Mysterious and peaceful' were the words that came to Legolas's mind as they strolled along. Crickets were playing and owls hooted, their eyes gleaming from up in the trees. It was different from the castle, his home with its vast halls and dim lights, torches that burned the whole night. 'Strict and organized' were the words he would use to describe his father's halls.

They talked. Legolas could not remember having opened up this much to anyone before. At first, he was reserved because he was not used to talk about himself, especially not to a stranger. Tauriel stood for most of the conversation, telling him about the village and pieces of information about its inhabitants. Legolas listened attentively, hoping she would mention something he could use in his search for the thief. He could tell that she was proud of her home.

Eventually, Tauriel started to ask him about how it was to live in the castle and Legolas was careful not to give away that he was the Prince, but described the castle and its people as best he could and he realized that he missed it all as he spoke of it. Tauriel listened, asking questions and after a while, Legolas felt relaxed and comfortable in her company.

The night seemed to never end and they had covered subjects like flowers to weaponry, from Dwarves to Men and seasons to Elven history, just to name a few. To Legolas, it was as if Tauriel appeared happier now and he had not seen any hints of the infuriating smile of hers. It was for the best.

They stopped in front of an enormous tree, a tall and proud oak. From high above dangled a ladder. Legolas tried to see where it ended, but his sight was clouded by branches and leaves.

"I live up there", Tauriel told him.

"And you want me to enter?" asked Legolas, feeling a bit warm.

"Yes?" said Tauriel, making it seem like a question. She frowned at him.

"Won't people talk?" Legolas wondered, a note of worry in his voice.

Tauriel raised an eyebrow at him.

"They always do, but what is it for them to talk about?" she asked him teasingly.

Her smile was infectious and he found his lips curled to match it. She took a firm grip on the ladder and started climbing. Her long hair was swaying behind her and he wanted to reach out and feel if it really was as soft as he thought it would be. He blinked, frustrated with himself and sure of that the magical atmosphere of the dark was getting to his head.

Tauriel soon disappeared amongst the leaves and branches, melting together with the shadows. She moved silently, a skill most useful. Legolas looked up after her, one hand tentatively holding on to the thin ladder, but not even his sharp eyes could see her through the dark. A thought of that she perhaps had left him had barely formed in his head before he heard her call, her voice distant:

"Are you coming?"

Adjusting his bow and quiver, Legolas gripped the ladder and started to climb. His movements were also graceful, years of training and natural grace showing. The ladder was thin and fine, but made of some sturdier quality than he first had thought. To get higher up, he had to duck and avoid thick branches and twigs with paper-thin leaves. Eventually, he reached the edge of a floor, holding tightly on to it with one hand and heaved himself up. There was a house built around the thick branches, a homely house with a wild look to it; leaves draped across the walls and moss growing along the roof.

Tauriel was sitting crouched down on the terrace. Should she have stood up, her hair would have got caught in the branches. It was an odd settlement, but somehow fitting for Tauriel. She patted the spot next to her.

"Sit", she said and looked utterly at peace. "I want to show you something."

Carefully and not without some small amount of wonder – he refused to call it nerves – he did as she asked. The planks were smooth, worn-out by weather and nature. They were comfortable to sit on. Legolas waited, studying her face. He had not been this close to her before. Up close, her beauty was not as remarkable; her face was relaxed, there were no secrets there, only a sort of tranquility. He found that he preferred her this way, the way she had behaved tonight. It was less confusing and felt more real. Tauriel watched him out of the corner of her eye and seemed almost shy of the attention. She smiled slightly.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?" Legolas asked, swallowing.

"Trust me."

It was spoken softly, a mere whisper in the still air. Legolas sighed and did as she asked. She had been right; one of them would have to make the first move and it would be easier if he trusted her. The part of his mind who sounded like his father disagreed, but that part was so easy to ignore that it might as well not have been there.

When Legolas closed his eyes, all his other senses were heightened. He could hear all the sounds of the forest, but the strongest sounds were that of his own breaths, mixed with Tauriel's. He heard how she moved and then he felt her hand on his chest. He cursed his heart for betraying what his face did not.

"Lie down, but don't open your eyes."

With his a pounding in his ears, Legolas removed his bow and quiver. Then he slowly leaned backwards until he was lying down facing the sky. He felt Tauriel lay down beside him and a scent of pine needles and wild berries made its way up his nose.

"You can open your eyes now."

And so Legolas did.

It was quite unlike anything he had ever seen.

Right above them, there was a great parting of the branches and leaves, leaving them with a perfect view of the sky. It was the deepest of black and carried on for miles and miles in every direction. Thousands of stars were spread out above them and they glittered like diamonds, crystals or shards of glass lying out in the sun. It was an incredible sight as Legolas rarely got to see the sky behind the protecting crowns of leaves on the trees. Stardust was scattered in front of his eyes and it made him feel small and awed, completely at peace with himself and the world.

"Amazing, isn't it?" came Tauriel's musically voice.

Legolas nodded, because his voice had caught in his throat. Tauriel let out a short laugh, but it was filled with warmth and a rare sort of happiness. It was a lovely thing and whatever worry he might have had before, sorted out knots that had been in his stomach and the investigation concerning the thief had slipped his mind for a bit. He was grateful that she had taken the trouble to make him relax and showing him the beauty of the part of a world that had been foreign to him. At the moment, he could only think of one thing to give her as a gesture of gratitude.

"My name is Legolas", he told her, his eyes not leaving the beautiful sight of the stars.

Tauriel didn't say anything, but even though he was not looking at her, he knew that she was smiling.

"All light is sacred to the Eldar, but the Wood Elves loves best the light of the stars."

So, that was that! Worth the wait? :)

I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I know that I won't be able to finish this story before Battle of the Five Armies is released, which I had originally planned, but I think it'll do.

Thanks for reading!