Tauriel had been playing with with some of the elflings on the street when she noticed Evindel pulling a horse, with a cart hitched to it. Other male elves were riding in the back, laughing and talking with each other. Evindel was a friend of Nienna, so, abandoning her game, decided to approach him.
"Mr. Evindel."
The man paused in his tracks and smiled when his eyes rested on Tauriel.
"Hello Tauriel. How is your grandmother?"
"She's doing very well, thank-you."
Tauriel craned her neck to get a better look at the elves, both men and teenagers in the back of the cart. A few had recognized her and either called out her name or waved to her.
"Were are you going?"
"We're going to chop wood for the king. And then," he lifted a bag from the cart. He dipped his fingers into the bag and a few seeds rested on his palm when it came out. "We're going to plant all of the trees we have cut down."
"Oh."
There was silence for a few seconds before Tauriel asked the question that would change the course of her future, though she didn't know it at the time.
"Can I help?"
"Hey grandmother?"
Nienna was at the loom when Tauriel slipped into the house.
"What is it Tauriel?" She asked, not taking her eyes of the loom.
"Um…can I go with Evindel to help chop wood?"
"What?"
Nienna stopped, her work to make eye-contact with her grandchild.
"I want to chop wood with Evindel." Tauriel repeated.
"Why?" Nienna couldn't help but asking.
"I want to become stronger, so I can join the guard."
Nienna but a hand to her brow.
"Yes, but make sure you come back before dark."
"Thank-you grandmother!"
"Tauriel!"
Nienna jerked forward and seized Tauriel's shoulder.
"I'm going to tie your hair up. I don't want your hair getting you caught like last time."
The forest they entered was so much different than the Golden wood with the apples. This bore a resemblance to Mirkwood, with the sun's rays filtered through the thick leaves of the tall trees. It didn't possess the same real of death as did Mirkwood, and since they were still within the walls of the kingdom, there was no threat of any dark beasts or giant spiders.
Tauriel sat in the cart with all of the other workers, adjusting the dark brown scarf around her head. The scarf was intended to keep the sweat out of her face, Nienna had said, and keep her hair out of her face. And hidden. Though Tauriel wasn't aware of her grandmother's ulterior motive at the time.
"Now, we will be cutting down the trees and chopping up the logs of the fallen trees. Your job will to be split the logs in half to make them easier to stack."
"Okay!"
Tauriel dashed back to the cart and grabbed the smallest axe in the pile.
"We never cut down live trees. Only the ones that have died or have fallen are used for wood. Remember Tauriel. The forest is alive, so we cannot hurt it."
"Yes! I understand!"
The elves began lowering the giant trunk to the ground.
"Ummm….sir?"
One of the worker's nudged his boss's shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Is it alright to allow Tauriel to work with us?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well…jobs like this are generally for a male and Tauriel is a female."
Evindale handed the worker an axe.
"If you're worried about whether young Tauriel will remain safe or if she will be strong enough, I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. Tauriel often does hard labour for her grandmother and she regularly climbs many trees."
Tauriel came running back, her chosen axe balancing on her shoulder.
"Tauriel do not run with sharp heavy objects like that in your hand! We elves may not be able to die as easily as the mortal realm, but they will still cause a good deal of pain."
Tauriel dug her heels into the soil of the forest grounds, skidding to a stop.
"Sorry."
The axe defended upon the upright block of wood and created a dull "thunking" sound as the axe split the log.
"Like this Mr. Evindale?"
"Very good Tauriel. Keep working! You'll get stronger!"
A wide grin consumed her face, as she bent to toss the two split logs into the cart.
She steadied another log and once again, her axe defended.
Unbeknownst to her, some of the workers had paused more than once to take in the little elleth swinging the axe up and down.
"I can't believe that Mr. Evindale is letting that girl work." One of them had said to his friend.
"What's wrong? Don't you like Tauriel?"
"It's not like I don't like her, she's a very sweet girl, but…"
"She's a girl." His friend finished.
"Correct. She should be in classes meant for the elleths her age. I wonder why Ms. Nienna haven't put her in classes working at the loom or musicians."
During the course of the day's work, her the sleeves of her simple dress had been rolled up, exposing her pale arms. Her skin was glowing with sweat from the labour of the work and the scarf in which Nienna had ordered that Tauriel to keep on her head and been discarded a ways away. Bits of red hair was plastered to her face.
"I think that is all Tauriel." Evindale called placing the last three logs next to the young girl.
When the last few logs were split and chucked into the nearly overflowing cart, the axe fell from her hand and she fell backwards on her back.
"I'm tired!"
One of the other worker's chuckled and picked up the axe while Evindale picked up Tauriel.
"You did a good job."
He placed Tauriel in the cart and was handed to one of the workers.
"Don't be surprised if you feel sore tomorrow."