Dedication:This one is for Aisha. I wish you had an account so I could reply to your reviews. :( Thanks!
CHAPTER FOUR
Clunk.
Another one, straight to the tree meters away.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
A dozen of them, each flying off. Most, hitting their targets, a few zooming on.
She watched, her breath hitching with every release of the drawstring. The Imladris rarely trained, and when they did, it was far from the castle, so she rarely had the chance to watch at such a close distance. But in Mirkwood, the elves had been training for a fortnight now, and they seemed to have no intentions to stop. While almost all of her companions socialized in the gardens, or stayed in the castle halls, Tauriel had been coming to watch them practice.
Most of the trainees were young, she had met one only fifty years of age. She could see the vigor in their eyes, she could see how their hands shook slightly with excitement every time they held the arrow's shaft. They were eager, wanting to be the next Ecthelion, or even the next Legolas.
Legolas. She had seen him come every day, guiding the elves, and sometimes also training himself, though she never understood why he had to. She watched him train yesterday. Each and every arrow he shot hit the center of the target. The other elves came also, Lord Elrond went on the first day, to check on them, and Aegnir, an elf she had met days before, had also been coming regularly.
She, however, sat by a wide boulder at the edge of the field, watching them.
She never grew tired, although nothing special really happened, there were no changes in their routine. So she was surprised by the sudden inquiry by her side.
"Lady Tauriel."
It was Legolas, he had a polite smile on his face, and she smiled back. "Prince," she nodded.
He flinched at the word, his brows crinkling. "Please," he said in elvish, "Legolas."
"Then there is also no need to call me a Lady," she replied.
He bowed slightly, a sign of defeat. "I understand. But no other lady would spend her days sitting on a boulder under the hot sun when there is the comfort of the shade in the castle," he smiled, but she could see that he was genuinely curious of her actions.
She turned her gaze to the blinking lights above her, spots of sunlight from where the tree lacked its coat of leaves. "There is the shade of the trees here, and that is enough," she explained. She heard another swish of arrows, and again her attention was stolen by the training elves, their hands drawing the bow strings, eyes never leaving their targets.
"It fascinates you, I see," he commented, as he also looked towards the grounds.
"What is there to not be fascinated about?" she asked, almost in a whisper. There was an almost ethereal aura in the way the elves held their breaths before releasing the string.
"Have you ever held a bow, my lad—?" he stopped, looking at her apologetically when he realized his almost-mistake.
She smiled at his blunder. "A few times, when time would allow me," she answered.
"And why would it not?" he asked, "Time restricts no one. Especially not elves from their bows," he said.
She turned to him, but again he was looking away. "It is difficult, for a person in my situation, to handle weapons."
He looked at her curiously, and their eyes met. "You were with Arwen the other day," he started. "And you were also at the council. I assumed you were her cousin, or somehow, in one way, related to her. As far as I know, Arwen is free to handle the weapons she chooses, in fact, she is encouraged to do it."
There was a lingering question there.
So why wouldn't you?
She hesitated, but at the same time, was tempted to tell him her story. He seemed truly interested to get to know her, and she would have been lying if she said she did not feel the same. But at the same time, he was practically a stranger to her. And she knew how harsh strangers could be. Yet there was also the fact that he was friends with Arwen, and if he was worth to be her friend, then he surely would be more than a simple gossiper who would judge quickly. But her's was a story not easy to tell. So few outside of Rivendell's council knew of her story. They had told no one else. It wasn't actually a dangerous secret but... it was a secret no one ever bothered to tell, and it seemed like telling Legolas would break a tradition of some sorts.
Even while she debated with herself, he spoke. "I understand if there are some things you would not tell me," he said quickly. "I did not mean to make offense."
She breathed a sigh of relief, but shook her head. "You have done no offense," she smiled. She was tempted then to ask him as well for his story, surely the prince of Mirkwood would have had adventures she was far from even dreaming of. Yet she did not want to give him the same dilemma she had been in moments ago. She curbed her question and instead focused again on the trainees. They were walking towards the targets, to retrieve their arrows.
"Why do you not join them?" he asked her, watching her carefully.
She looked to him swiftly, surprised. His question seemed strange given his admittance that he did not want to ask her questions she would not answer.
"I mean—," he sighed, realizing the strangeness of his words. "I know, somehow, you have told me it's difficult in your situation, but I can see that it is what you desire. If it helps, then I can practice with you, if you want."
She felt her heart race, already feeling the thrill of releasing arrows into the air. She tried to keep her excitement in, although she knew he could already see it. "Now?" she asked.
He nodded, smiling softly at her. "If you would want to."
She almost agreed, for here at least, was a teacher she could learn from. She could grow so much, if she would train.
But...
"Not today," she told him, though it took much effort.
He raised his brow, but understanding seemed to grace his features, and he nodded at her solemnly. She turned away from him then, wishing he would not see the disappointment on her face. She had always wanted to get better at archery, and she did not have the same opportunities as he had to train. But it might have been for the best. It seemed intrusive of her to ask him to teach her. He must have many other matters that he needed to attend to.
"I come here every night," he told her. He was watching her carefully.
"What?" she asked, confused.
"I find it's easier to train and focus without the heat of the sun," he continued, a smile tugging at his lips. "Would you want to join me then?"
"I..." she began, wondering if she had been that obvious. She did not want to agree to his first offer, because she was not used in training in front of the others. It had been frowned upon by others at home, and she knew it would be the same here. But in the night...
"It is more quiet here, during the night. There are rarely other elves," his smile widened.
She nodded, then smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you," she told him.
He shook his head. "What for?"
He did not know why he approached her in the glade. He rarely approached elves of the opposite sex. If he was to be honest, they were usually the ones who neared him. But he knew that most of their intentions were all but friendly, he knew what they were really after—the circlet on his head, or the throne he would one day inherit. Perhaps it was why he had been so distant towards them.
Arwen, and a few limited elves had been the only ones he had grown to be friends with. Others, he turned a cold eye towards. Not that he had judged them all to be insidious, but because he simply had no reason to. Yet she had caught his attention that night he saw her in the glade. Her hair shone in the dancing light of the torches, and her eyes paraded with the hues of the forest. But he was not one to be enticed simply by physical beauty—he himself had grown tired of being praised by the empty flattery that had been directed to him before. Besides, fairness was not uncommon in his kin, he could name hundreds of others that contested her in that.
He would have forgotten about her that night, considered her one of the thousand story-less elves he had met in his life, had he not seen her again the day after. And the day after that. He was amused at first, seeing her atop the boulder watching the warriors train. But as time passed, and she stayed there, no matter how windy or warm the day was, he knew that there was something more about her presence than mere entertainment.
She was odd, in a good sort of way. She evoked in him questions he had never held for anyone else.
It was why he had approached her that day on the training grounds. But she had given him her riddles. And even as they separated, he still did not fully understand what held her back, but he knew that he wanted to help her. He felt as if it was his responsibility—he, more than anyone, knew the call of battle and bows, after all.
He paused in the dark glade, breathing in as he pulled on his bow. It had been three days since they arranged a meeting at the glade. She had been courteous and proper when they parted, but he could see her excitement in the way she seemed to constantly be holding back a smile.
The moon was out and full, perfect for what he had to do. He released his fingers, just as he heard footsteps approaching him. The arrow flew in a straight line, then the loud thunk echoed in the night as it hit its target.
"I couldn't wait," he explained, as he turned to greet her. He knew they were still eating dinner within the halls, but he was not hungry so he made his way straight to the glade.
She shook her head, smiling. "Me neither, but I got delayed on the way here. I'm sorry," she apologized.
He waved her apology away. "Here," he said, lending her his bow, as he had done in the past.
Tauriel took the bow determinedly, but he knew she was nervous by the way she bit her lip. She had badly missed the first time she had tried, but her improvement was admirable. Even he doubted if he had learned that fast, before. He stepped back and she took his place, gazing towards the trees, searching for the target.
"It was difficult for me, too," he said, as she squinted her eyes. "I remember when I first tried shooting in the night, the moon was not full. There was barely enough illumination. But you get used to it, and we can see better than most races. And besides, it's good training."
She nodded her head, understanding. "Because when the scouts do go out..." she started.
"...they go out at night." He finished for her. Then he smiled. "It's a necessity many fail to understand the importance of."
It was time for her to execute her shot. Like him, she exhaled as she pulled on the string. Like reading instructions from a book, she put her feet apart, planting each firmly on the ground.
And then she released the string.
The arrow flew, and for a moment it looked like it would hit the target, but it veered off course, and barely hit the trunk of the tree.
"I'm sorry," she said,as she turned to face him.
He frowned. She had been constantly apologizing whenever her arrows had missed the target. "I told you, you have no need to apologize," he reproved her gently.
"I..." she faltered. "I do not want to be wasting your time," she lowered her gaze.
"You are not," he said, shaking his head as he frowned. "Do not put too much pressure on yourself. You told me you've only held the bow a few times, yet I can already see growth in you. Mistakes are what get you to the point you want to reach," he told her.
She looked at him, and nodded. This time determinedly.
"Tell me you'll stop apologizing," he told her.
"I will," she replied.
"Good. Try again," he instructed.
Again, she took a deep breath and pulled on the string, but before she could release, a shout resonated from the direction of the castle.
"Legolas!"
The two turned to look at the shadow approaching them. He was moving quick, even stumbling once, in his hurry.
"What's wrong?" Legolas asked worriedly, pacing towards the elf. It was Aegnir, and he seemed frantic. He knew that Aegnir would not be in the state he was in now if it was only a trivial matter. There was something out of place.
Even Tauriel dropped the bow and walked towards them.
"It's Adassir," he said. It was as if there was something more waiting to be said. But he did not speak.
"What happened?" Legolas asked, but as he said the words, the answer became clear. "Tauriel—," he turned back to face her.
"Go on," she told him, understanding in her face.
Legolas nodded in gratitude as he walked past Aegnir. Behind him, he heard the two words his friend spoke to Tauriel, confirming all his worries. "He's disappeared."
END OF CHAPTER
A/N:
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DESOLATION
Okay, so I just came from the theatres about... one hour ago. And can I just say: THE MOVIE WAS AWESOME. The barrel scene, the dragon (Cumberbatch wink wink), just... everything! I couldn't help but fangirl over Legolas though. After not seeing him for like, an eternity, it was sooo good to see him on the big screen again. And his fight scenes were awesome!
I feel bad for him though. :( I have this sorta nagging feeling Tauriel's gonna end up with Kili, or maybe she's also gonna die at the end. :( But I DO wish they would end up together. sniff sniff. Anyway, having all these negative thoughts all the more encourage me to do my best with this story, and...
END OF SPOILERS
Please, please, please leave a review guys? We finally got some Legolas and Tauriel stuff going on, so tell me what you think! Okay?
And I'd also love some constructive criticism.
Love,
Vee
Edited 11/14
