The underlined words, "Legolas had grown very fond of you these days. My reply was that I did not think that he would approve of the Prince taking a lowly Silvan-born as a mate and his very words were, You're right. I would not." are not mine. They are from "The Hobbit".
"Nana…," Legolas stopped. He did not know what to say, suddenly having her back. She was dead. That was what he had always believed, had always been told. He..he had never even fantasized about her. That realization hit Legolas rather suddenly as well. Why had he never thought about his Nana? He did not know but that would have to wait though.
His Nana was looking very upset and so was Tauriel. "Nana..." this time Legolas was stopped by his Nana's raised hands. She was looking straight at Tauriel and Legolas remembered her words to the Orc about taking his Ada's name with respect. He swallowed. He had always imagined his Nana would be gentle, kind and sweet-natured. She could still be, he guessed but not when someone disrespected his Ada.
"Captain Tauriel, may I ask how you came to the assumption that the King considers the Silvan born as lowly?"
Tauriel looked at her, this time quite boldly jutting out her chin. "He said so...himself. A lowly, Silvan elf...that's what he called me."
Erienne's brows furrowed. As far as she knew, Thranduil had never differentiated between the elves of Mirkwood. Certainly Silvans or Sindarins had never mattered. That, Erienne could vouch for. Why, even recently, had he not told her that whether they be of Silvan, Sindarin or Doriath, they would stand together as one.
Thranduil's words did not make sense. As Erienne thought, Tauriel spoke again. "Are you surprised, my lady? You are a loyal mate but as a Queen, you have to admit that the King has wronged. He talks to suit his needs."
Erienne had to struggle to contain her temper but she was aware of the import of the situation. The unity of the Woodlands was at stake.
"I beg your pardon, Captain but may I ask again if those words actually came from my lord?"
Tauriel frowned at her, "I have no need to lie, my lady. I had met the King to report on my duties. He commented that Legolas had grown very fond of me these days. My reply was that I did not think that he would approve of the Prince taking a lowly Silvan-born as a mate and his very words were, You're right. I would not."
Erienne sighed to herself, "Oh, Thranduil. Why did you not ask Aradan for help in this matter? Trying to play meddling Ada."
Erienne looked at Legolas who looked upset but not surprised. That meant that Tauriel had told Legolas about it before. Suddenly, everything clicked to Erienne. Her mind ran through what had happened at Dale. She turned to Tauriel, "Captain, I do apologise for the meaning that the King's words appeared to construe but I can assure you that he never meant them."
"And why would you say that, my lady?" Tauriel remained unconvinced.
Erienne bit her lips, "Tauriel, Legolas, my lord most definitely did not approve of you as mates. But the reason is not the one he gave. He did not know how to explain. You gave him a convenient excuse, Tauriel and he used it."
Before, either could argue, Erienne continued, "Thranduil felt that the two of you were not suited to be mates and would not be happy in a union. He did not know how to say it."
"Why would Ada think that?"
Erienne looked at her son, "It does not matter what your Ada thinks or why he thinks so. What do you think?"
"Do you think that you love each other enough to go through all together? To stand by each other no matter what happens? A union is not just about sharing joy. You share pain and sorrow too. Look at Galaden and Lairiel. In all these years, have you seen Galaden happy?"
"No, Nana. But twas not just him. Neither Ada nor Commander Aradan were .."
Legolas paused as his mother's words sunk in. Lairiel was not that close to his Nana. She would be upset about her Queen but not feel that level of despair or sorrow that Healer Galaden had.
Yet, she had stood by Healer Galaden, feeling his pain and loss, looking out for the family when Galaden could not. Were he and Tauriel like that? Did Tauriel even like him? Again, he remembered that Tauriel had left him when he had been fighting for his life in the tent although it had been to see to Kili's burial. He could not begrudge her that. His Ada had not left his side though.
"The answer's not mine to give. You have to work it out yourselves. But I would..," Legolas saw his Nana become stern again, "that you not blame the King. He might have worded it wrongly but he has certainly never differentiated between any elf of Mirkwood."
"I do not agree, my lady. What makes you say that the Silvan elves of Mirkwood mean anything to the King? Ought we believe that? Mere words they are.."
"Tauriel, st.." Even Legolas protested Tauriel's words.
This time, Erienne looked at Tauriel, her eyes hardened. "You want proof of what the Silvan elves of Mirkwood mean to the King?"
"Tell me, Captain, what proportion of the army is made up of Silvans?"
"Why, easily more than half, nearly eight out of every ten soldiers are Silvan."
"And has this been the case since the beginning."
Tauriel nodded and Erienne continued, "So, since, my lord was crowned as King and even before that, the Elven Army of Mirkwood comprised mostly of Silvan elves?"
"Aye, that is true." Tauriel replied Erienne's question with equal emphasis.
"You are aware, Captain that I was taken prisoner at Dol Guldur?"
Tauriel nodded again whilst Legolas stilled. He had known that but he had assumed that she had died, instantaneously. Dol Guldur was hell.
"You are aware too that the King knew of the fact that I was taken prisoner alive?"
Tauriel nodded again, this time more cautiously. They had never spoken in front of Legolas but most soldiers knew that the Queen had been held prisoner. The newly crowned Thranduil had not brought his army to save her focusing instead on rebuilding Mirkwood.
This time, Tauriel looked at Erienne more hesitantly. "The King could have marched his army of Silvan elves to Dol Guldur. Whether victory or loss resulted, he could have tried. He was certainly persuaded by Lord Elrond and others to do so. Did he, Captain?
As Tauriel shook her head, Erienne asked, "And why do you think that was so?"
Tauriel opened her mouth and then closed it again and Erienne continued, "You demanded to know why the King would let the dwarves die, 'twas for the same reason he stilled his heart and refused to enter Dol Guldur. Your King knew I carried his babe. He knew what would happen to it. Yet, he persisted only in rebuilding the Woodlands, home of the Silvan elves. You do not see his love for his elves?"
"Do you know, Captain, that before your King and I were united, I loved another. A Silvan-born elf of Mirkwood, precisely. 'Tis a fact known by most of the elderly elves. Your King, then Prince of Mirkwood, knew it too. He tried his best to stop the union and even after he never forced me. I refused to accept him and very openly declared my love for the other. Yet, he was patient. He only blamed himself for having spoilt our lives." Erienne had to pause as she bristled with emotion, all her anger and guilt coming to the fore again. She had given Thranduil hell. "To this day, I love the Silvan-born. Your King knows it. But he never questioned it, only accepted it for he knows that I love him too. He waited for me then and he waited for me all these years. You told the King that there was no love in his heart?"
Legolas stood perplexed. He thought he did not know his Nana. It appeared that he did not know his Ada either.
Erienne could not take it anymore. She stared at her hands, trembling so much and with so much anger that she failed to realise that her gloves were on fire.
"Nana! Your gloves..how did they catch fire?" Legolas pulled the gloves away and gave a more startled shout as he saw her hands.
"What? Nana, what happened to your ha…?" His exclamation was stopped by Thranduil who entered the room with Airion. The lieutenant-general quickly put out the small fire and left the room, sensing the need for privacy as his Queen stood silent.
"Erienne, what..?"
"Pardon my insolence, my lord. But I can't talk now." Thranduil stopped short as his Queen turned and left the room. Thranduil saw Erienne leave the room worriedly. She was already upset about Aradan. What had they done to her now?