Chapter 5, everyone!

A bit late perhaps, but hopefully it will be worth the wait. Today, I bought tickets to the Swedish premiere of Battle of the Five Armies so I really felt the need to publish this chapter!

Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers!

I do not own any characters or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.

Elvish's in italics.

Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Day 1 – Tauriel

Tauriel called out to her troop that they should return to the camp.

They had been out searching for hours on the King's orders, but they had not yet stumbled across any Goblins. No signs of them; the landscape looking almost the same and was nearly untraceable. Large rocks and boulders seemed to grow from the ground, gigantic but small compared to the Lonely Mountain. Tauriel did not find the place enjoyable at all. It was quiet, cold and lacked of life, death being a shadow over it. Should any Goblins be nearby, it was no good to remain there when the sun was slowly starting to disappear. Night was no one's friend.

At her suggestion, she received nods in agreement and they made their way down the mountainside in a swift pace, jumping over rocks but never losing speed. They worked excellent together, weapons ready and their eyes alert. Tauriel took the lead. The wind was untamable and it made her hair get into her face, a mess of long red tresses. It was harsh and it had a cruel note to it, a chill that signaled that winter would soon be here.

They arrived at the hillside before the sun had completely vanished. Across the large, ashen lands she could glimpse the tents, their color a strange sight in this grey landscape.

"With me!" said Tauriel and took the first step out onto the former battlefield. "Night's approaching and we have a duty to do!"

The group of seven covered the distance in silence. Death was in the air and the twisted, battered and brutal bodies were a sight that would stun most people into silence. Tauriel forced herself to look, to take it all in so that she would remember it. She owned it to those who had fallen.

As they arrived at the camp, they were greeted by a shout of 'The Elves are back!' from a Dwarf who stood up on a high rock, his beard blowing in his face. Tauriel straightened up and turned to her group.

"You did well", she said and looked every one of them in the eye, her face serious. "You can all report to Rìnthel and she will direct you in what you can do, but Olchon, you'll come with me."

"Nikerym", all of them said in clear, ageless voices and went in a different direction.

People scattered out of the way, Men and Dwarves regarding them with frowns and worry etched onto their faces. Only Olchon remained with her, the dark-haired male looking at her with tired eyes.

"To report to the King?" he asked.

"To report to the King", Tauriel repeated, nodding.

Both walked with grace in their movements despite being exhausted from the last days' events. Their bodies might've managed more than the Dwarves and Men, but their minds and souls were easily more sensitive to the destruction around them, the destruction of life.

King Thranduil was not at his tent and that meant that they had to search through the camp even more. They found him surrounded by Men, him standing taller than everyone else, dressed in his silver armor and head held high. He was talking to a tired, ragged-looking dark-haired Man. Tauriel recognized him to be Bard, the man who had slayed the dragon. She marched up to them with determined steps, Olchon at her heels. The other Elf moved quietly like a shadow.

"Heru en amin", Tauriel greeted the King and bowed, not looking up until he had given her the permission to do so. "We have scouted the area as requested."

"And what did you find?" wondered the King, raising his thick, dark brows.

The Men around them also looked eager to hear. Their faces showed worry and their bearing was a grim one, all of them. Bard scratched his chin and Tauriel was not surprised to find that his eyes were just as tired and desperate for knowledge, a solution. Like all of his kind, they showed emotions too easily, always so raw and pained. It would take time for the Man to grow into his role as King, but Tauriel had an inkling that he would do it well.

"There were no signs of Goblins", she admitted and pretended that she did not hear the Men's sighs of relief. "But the environment is new to us. I believe that we should reach a better result if we were assisted by some Dwarves, someone who knows this area."

The Men muttered in between them all, but Bard and the Elvenking remained silent. Tauriel waited for any of them to speak. It did not improve her feelings, for their silence was long and dark, thoughtful and calculating. A slight pang of weariness weaved its way into her heart, wondering what lied beyond their eyes and what was on their minds.

"Someone must tell Lord Daín", sighed Bard eventually, rubbing his eyes. "I suppose that task falls to me. With your leave, Your Majesty."

The Man gave a slight bow of his head towards the Elvenking, who nodded back, his eyes frosty. Bard regarded Tauriel and her lieutenant with dark eyes before leaving, his long coat swirling around as he did so. The Men who had been with him looked lost for a moment before the King spoke:

"If you would excuse me, I need to speak with my Guards. I assure you that I will see to your needs of food and supplies as much as I can."

Tauriel tried not to let her surprise show. She had lived under the roof of King Thranduil long enough to have seen the King in all his glory and temperament. He was not cruel, but he was reserved towards strangers and those who did not belong to his kingdom. This kindness was not a new ability, but it was rarely showed so openly. It filled her heart with the delight to see the King break through his usual cold demeanor and grace the survivors with what they could offer, something that would help the people of Esgaroth immensely and also the Dwarven army. War really created the strangest of allies.

The Men mumbled as they gave the Elvenking swift bows before leaving the three Elves to be. The people of Esgaroth were descendants of noble folk, but even they could not help but feel intimidated by the regal Elvenking. Tauriel recalled how she had felt the same when she was first brought before the King many, many years ago.

When they were left to their own, the King asked them for a more detailed report and Tauriel and Olchon obeyed, retelling their patrol as much as they could. When they were done, the King's lips were set in a thin line.

"Very well. You have given me something to think of. I thank you for your assistance. Olchon, you are dismissed. I believe that you are needed elsewhere."

The dark-haired guard nodded, his face emotionless.

"Yes, My Lord."

Tauriel watched him go and she a part of her wished that she could follow him or that Legolas could have been there. His presence was easier to deal with than the King's.

"Walk with me, Captain", the King begged her, his cold eyes fixed ahead.

"My Lord?"

"Please. I insist."

She could have thought of a lot of other things she could've been doing instead; assisting the healers, survey the food that was being shared through the whole camp or patrol the borders as night was closing in. But he was her King and she respected him too much for disobeying him at the moment, especially since it was such a small request.

The two Elves walked side by side. Tauriel noticed how everyone bowed or greeted them as they walked by, no matter which race, though the Dwarves' faces did not show the respect their gestures might've meant to. The Elvenking was regally acknowledging the others, but did not speak. Tauriel wondered why he wanted her with him.

"Tell me", said the King suddenly and his voice had dropped an octave. "What do you see?"

Tauriel blinked, a question ready to spring from her lips, but she held her tongue. Something in the King's posture, the way he held himself and the raw flash of an emotion she found hard to place in his eyes, made the red-haired Elf look around, truly looking.

It was horrible.

The people from Esgaroth had sunken faces, weathered and hollow eyes. They were a people of poverty. Their children were quiet, afraid, having seen much destruction already. The elders looked tired and grim, an air of hardened wisdom around them. She saw Dwarves as well and their armors were battered and their long beards in disarray, covering most of their faces. They muttered in their language – rough words in rumbling voices with a dark tone to them all – and their voices conveyed little emotion, but their eyes were tired. Though Dwarves were said to be made of stone, Tauriel had seen that even the toughest and hardest of stones could break. There were also Eagles circling the sky, shrieking. They appeared like dark spots on a slowly darkening sky and it was something sad and wild about them that made her veins feel as if they were filled with ice.

She let out a pained breath at the world and those around her. When she realized that the King was still waiting for an answer, she replied in a voice thick with emotion:

"I see the world for what it is. I see sorrow and grief. I see pain and fear. I see the result of greed and hate." She paused and felt the King's icy eyes on her. She held her head so that her eyes met his. "I see reasons for why we should stay and help."

The King looked at her with an unreadable expression. They had stopped their walk now, but there was still people walking past them, running in a hurry to get somewhere else. Tauriel waited, pulling herself up to her fullest height. The Elvenking blinked and there was a gleam of appreciation in his eyes.

"Well spoken, Captain", he praised her and inclined his silver-blond head towards her as a gesture of approval.

He looked out over the camp as well and Tauriel stood still and waited for what he would say next. She wondered what it was he saw when he looked at the people around them. Without warning, the King started to walk again and she hurried after him, her limbs and spirit pressed to their limit.

"I hope that you and your Guard can manage to keep watch during the night. I do not want to take any chances. You will send out another patrol in the morn to look after Goblins and I will make sure that a Dwarf will be with them." He let out a soft sigh and Tauriel thought he looked next to apologetic as he continued: "There is no time for rest. We are not done here."

Tauriel bowed her head in silent agreement. She was determined to go on when others could not. She raised her green eyes and there was steel in them.

They were not done there, indeed.

Nikerym - Captain

Heru en amin - My Lord (non familiar)

So, that was that! Any thoughts? We'll be entering day two in the next chapter...

Next chapter should be up next week.

Thanks for reading!