I had a number of people ask me to finish the story. What happened to Tauriel? Would she ever be with Kili again? So here is an epilogue in which we find out what happened to Tauriel.
I do not know Tolkien's lore when it comes to the afterlife. This is of my own creation and I hope it satisfies.
Thanks again for all your support. I usually put this at the beginning of my stories, but this time, I forgot, so here is the obligatory disclaimer that I own none of this. It is a story of my own imagination using the delightful characters and places created by Tolkien and Mr. Peter Jackson. Thank you, good sirs, for these amazing books, movies and stories in which my imagination can go wild in.
-Idrylla
Kili had never given much thought to the afterlife while he lived. He knew it existed. He had learned about Mandos and his Halls of Waiting, but beyond that, Kili had never bothered to learn more. It had always seemed too far off and unreal to give it much time or thought.
But now, he was here. Some of it was just what he would thought it would be, but some of it was beyond what he would have imagined. The Halls for Mahal's children were just what a dwarf would expect - stone. Halls of beautiful stone with pillars that seemed to reach impossible heights. There were huge forges for the dwarves to work their smithing craft and many did. Thorin, Fili and Kili spent a lot of time in the massive forges. No matter how many dwarves were working, there was always room for more. Kili had never been a great blacksmith, like Thorin or Fili, but he enjoyed working and found that in this afterlife, his body could work longer and harder than it could before.
His family shared a living area. They had a common living space and from that, there were doors that lead to various apartments and homes. His mother and father had a space. Fili had a space with his family. Thorin and Fire had their space. His grandfathers and cousins all had their own homes. Kili had a home too, but no one to share it with. He was alone.
He was not unhappy by any means. How could he be? But he did miss his wife and children. He loved to see Fili with his wives and children. At first that had been odd, and he worried that the three women wouldn't get along, but Mailli and Sigrid had been friends for a long time and Hana joined them ten years before Fili. So they lived together happily and Kili was very happy for them. He looked forward to the time when his own family would join him here. He didn't want his children or wife to die anytime soon, but the truth was, he was a little lonely.
Kili would often remind himself that Thorin had spent two hundred years alone before he married Fire. His mother and father had been separated for more than a century. Fili had spent many decades alone. Kili could wait a little while. But then, he wondered, would be he waiting for Tauriel forever? Elves didn't die, except in battle or some other traumatic event. Kili didn't want that fate for Tauriel, but unless something like that happened, he might never see her again.
One morning Kili woke and decided he didn't feel like working in the forge that day. He wanted to explore his new home.
"Hey, Kili!" he heard his brother call to him. He turned to see Fili jogging to him, his braids and beads bouncing as he ran. "Aren't you coming to the forge?"
"I don't think so today," Kili answered. "I thought I'd do a bit of exploring. Want to come?"
Fili's face sank. "Oh, I want to, but I promised Thorin I'd work with him today."
"No worries," Kili clapped Fili on the back. I' have a feeling this place is huge. It will take more than one exploration trip to discover all its secrets."
Fili smiled. "Tomorrow, can we go together?"
"Yeah, of course. I'll see you at dinner." Kili left and headed out of the spaces that, so far, he had spent all his time in. Dwarves were everywhere, going about their business. Polite grunts were shared as they passed each other. Even though the rooms and halls were filled with hundreds and thousands of dwarrow, Kili never felt crowded.
After a good long while, and wandering through many halls and chambers, he found a very different space. This wasn't completely stone and had more races than dwarves in it. Kili looked up and found himself to be standing under a huge stone archway. In front of him were other giant archways. One was made of trees, taller than any that grew in Middle Earth, and their branches twisted together to form a perfect archway. Another archway was of dark wood, carved with intricate geometric patterns and inlaid with gold. Another arch, well, it wasn't so much an arch as a perfect circular opening with flowers planted at its base, was painted bright yellow and was very cheerful looking. This was the Main Hall, where the Halls of Waiting for all races of Arda came together. Elves, men, hobbits and dwarves went in and out of the various halls, greeting each other. Some would exchange a few words together before going back to their own halls, while others sat together and visited.
Kili stood there a long time, watching everyone.
"It's an interesting place, isn't it?" a voice next to Kili said.
Kili startled. "Adad." Kili was still unsure of this dwarf who he knew was his father, but he didn't know him at all. They hadn't really spoken much since Kili had arrived. He hadn't been avoiding his father, but he had never really approached him either. He was worried about what his father thought of him. "Yes," Kili answered. "It's a very interesting place."
They watched the people for a while. A hobbit and elf greeted each other and sat down to chat.
"Are we allowed to cross into the various halls? I've not seen anyone go into one that is not their own races."
"Of course," his father answered. "There aren't many who actually enter another races' realm, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Usually, any business or friendly visits happen right here, in the Main Hall. I've been here a long time, Kili. As you know, us dwarves rarely interact with other races in life, so in death, we rarely do either. I've never crossed to another's hall. I don't know anyone to go and visit. Until Thorin, very few who were not dwarrow crossed into our halls at all."
"Until Thorin?" Kili asked.
His father chuckled. They sat down together at a stone bench. "Thorin was, as you are very aware, one of the most stubborn, untrusting dwarves that ever lived. He had good reason not to trust others, but imagine our surprise when he takes up his quest to reclaim Erebor and has in his company a hobbit! A hobbit, of all creatures. And certainly, in the beginning, he didn't think much of that hobbit, but over the course of time, they both came to respect and trust one another. His company of dwarves, which included you, came to love and respect the hobbit. And then, you, my son, fell in love with an elf. An elf! And after much thought and persuasion, Thorin gave you and that elf his blessing and you married. I can say I was a little more than shocked."
Kili's face blushed. He wasn't ashamed of his love for Tauriel, but now, he was having to face his father for the first time. He couldn't tell if his father was disappointed in him or not.
"To shock me even more," his father went on, "Fili fell in love with a daughter of man. My own sons. And Thorin and your mother approved. I thought for sure that this could not last. But I watched you and your brother. I saw the great love you had for your wives and I saw their great love for you. It wasn't long before I forgot that your wife was an elf. Soon, I saw her as Tauriel, Princess of Erebor. When your first son was born, it was amazing. You were a father and Tauriel was a mother and your son was perfect. No longer were there just dwarves living in the dwarven realm, but elves and humans, all living together in happiness, respect and love.
"Thorin started something that had never before happened in Middle Earth. He brought four races together for a common goal and helped each other to become friends. When, years later, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed, it included hobbits, men, an elf and a dwarf. Companions who might not have been friends otherwise, came together, worked together, helped each other, fought together and to this day remain as friends. All races, all friends and it's all thanks to Thorin, Fili and you. It's absolutely incredible."
Kili thought about what his father had said. "So that's why Bilbo and Sigrid are here, with us, in the Halls for the dwarves?"
"Yes. They are free to return to their own people anytime and they often do. Sigrid has her mother and father and siblings to visit and Bilbo has his numerous cousins as well as his parents, but they have chosen to make our home their home."
"I had some hobbit friends. So did Fili. Can we visit them?" Kili asked.
"Yes, anytime."
Kili liked that idea. Each race had their own home, but they were not confined. They could go visit Merry and Pippin. He knew Fili would want to see Sam and Rosie and Primrose, if she had passed on yet. He could go see Aragon and Arwen and he could visit with the few elves he had known from Thranduil's Halls that had died in battle. He had friends in all the races. How rich his life had been because he had looked for friendship beyond his own borders.
Kili sighed. He still wasn't sure he would ever see Tauriel again.
"Adad? I'm so happy to be here, with you and Fili and the family, but I miss Tauriel. I could bear the separation if I knew one day she would join me here, but she's an immortal elf. Chances are, I might not see her again.
His father placed a comforting hand on Kili's shoulder. "One never knows."
Tauriel felt empty. She missed Kili, plain and simple. He was with his brother and his family. She knew this and was happy for him, but she still missed him. In the weeks following his death, she had managed to keep fairly busy, which had kept the worst of the sadness at bay. But now, there was nothing for her to do. She had no formal duties in Erebor. Her children were grown and independent. She was not needed.
Thorin had offered his aunt any position or task in Erebor she wanted, for which she was very grateful, but she didn't want any of those. Without Kili, she did not wish to remain. She knew elves could fade away and cease to live, but she wasn't sure how that worked or if it would guarantee her to see Kili again.
She decided she would go to the Greenwood. She use to find solace in the beautiful trees and streams that ran through the forest. Perhaps she could find peace again. That final night in Erebor, in her dreams, she dreamt of Kili, as she did every night, but this time was different. He was far away and she could not reach him. Her old friend Arwen appeared and stood before her. Tauriel bowed before the beautiful Queen of Gondor.
"My Lady," Tauriel spoke.
"Dear Tauriel, we are friends. You do not need to bow to me."
Tauriel stood. Beyond Arwen was Kili, far away and waving to her.
"What troubles you, dear friend?" Arwen asked.
"I cannot be with Kili. He has passed to the Halls of Mandos and I still live. I don't want to live without him any longer, but to end my life would be dishonorable."
Arwen took Tauriel's hand and held it. They looked out together and could see Kili, still smiling and waving.
"You can be with him. I am with my dearest Aragorn. After his death, I was so sad. My grief was so great. I could not live without him, but I couldn't die. I left Gondor. I wandered the forests of the Greenwood before I ended up in the forests of Lorien, the ancient realm of my grandmother, Galadriel. There, I found the peace of mind that I needed to fade and when I finally did, I found myself with Aragorn again. He was waiting for me."
"Can I fade?"
"If you choose. You are already halfway there. It can take a long time and it is not an easy path, but should you follow it, to the end, you will be with the one you love most again."
Tauriel took her eyes off Kili and looked to Arwen, but she was gone and when she looked back, Kili waved once more, before he turned around and ran. Tauriel woke suddenly. Her bedroom was cold and she was completely alone. She was under the mountain. Without Kili, she did not belong here. She wrote a letter to her children, telling them her plans, wishing them a loving farewell and promising they would meet again someday.
Tauriel left Erebor with nothing but the clothes on her back. She walked without stop to the Greenwood, her old home. She knew the paths and she avoided them, wandering aimlessly, searching for a place where she felt peace. Finally she found a spot, in a small clearing that was just right for her. The forest floor was soft and mossy. She could lay down and see the sky above her. When night would fall again, she would see the stars. She loved the stars.
She had walked for days and her body was weary. She kept her mind on Kili and ignored her old body's aches as she laid down and rested her head in the soft moss.
"Tauriel, I felt you enter my realm," the familiar voice of Thranduil spoke.
"My Lord," her voice shook. "I didn't mean to disturb you or the Greenwood." She didn't move to get up. She had no energy left.
"You have not disturbed me, but what you are doing now disturbs me. Tauriel, do not do this. Do not fade. One day we will take the ships to the Undying Lands. We will live forever in happiness."
"I can't, my Lord. Why would I want to go there? Kili wouldn't be there. I want to be with my husband," Tauriel's body shook in sorrow.
Thranduil sighed. "I feared you would speak so. I know the pain of loss you are experiencing. It doesn't always hurt as it does now."
"I don't belong in this world anymore. I can't return to live with you, in your halls and pretend that my life in Erebor had never happened. But I can't live in Erebor anymore, either. The dwarves who live and rule there do not know me the way Kili, Fili, and Thorin knew and accepted me. I have lived in two worlds, and now, neither is my home. I want to go and be with Kili again."
"You don't have much time left here, if that is your path." Thranduil walked several paces, his long cloak swishing as he moved. "I fear I will be having the same conversation in a hundred years when Ireth's husband passes away."
"That's my son's death you speak of," Tauriel said. "Iomhar is more elvish than dwarvish. He might live a very long time."
"Perhaps," Thranduil said off-handedly, "but he will die all the same and she will live on. Our immortality is a blessing and a curse." He walked over to her, squatted down beside her and laid his long, warm hands over her forehead. He brought his hands down over her eyes. "Be at peace, Tauriel. Namaarie, daughter of the Greenwood."
Tauriel laid there with her eyes closed. She didn't hear Thranduil get up and leave, but she could sense he was gone. She sighed. How long would it take? She hoped it would not take too long or be painful. Her heart ached.
She thought of Kili - his smile, his eyes, his voice. She remembered the first time he held her hand, the first time he kissed her, the first time he made love to her. She remembered the look on his face when she told him she was with child and the sweet, reverent way he hold Torsten for the first time. She remembered the way his body moved - the way he walked, the way he fought, the look of total concentration when he was shooting his bow. She thought of his laugh and his warm lips when he kissed her. Time passed slowly, but she felt the Light of the Eldar leaving her. All the while, she thought of Kili. His bright smile and his hearty laugh were the last things she thought of as her spirit finally faded away.
"Tauriel! You're here! Tauriel!" Kili couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, as beautiful as the day he married her. He ran to her and threw his arms around her waist. He had missed her.
She knelt down and kissed him passionately. "Your face. It was all I could think of. My final thoughts were your smile and here you are!"
"Yes, I'm here and so are you," Kili smiled. "I worried I would never see you again." He cupped her face with his hands and he kissed her again.
"I worried about that too, but Queen Arwen came to me in a dream and told me that we could be together again and funnily enough, it was Thranduil who came to me and gave me his final blessing, wishing me peace."
"Thranduil? Well, well," Kili smiled. He kissed her again. "How were the children, when you left?"
"They were well and happy. You can be very proud of them."
"I am." Kili threw his arms around Tauriel again. They kissed a while longer before he backed away and allowed her to stand again. "Come on. Everyone is waiting to see you and I want you to meet my Adad."
"It would be my honor," Tauriel smiled. She was with Kili.
He led her through a door. Fili stood there with Sigrid, Hana and another woman she didn't know, but assumed it was Milly's mother. Milly was there with her husband, and so was Hrafn. There was Thorin and Fire. And Dis. These people were her family. She squeezed Kili's hand. All was right in the world. This was precisely where she belonged.