Dedication: This one is for the two who left me possibly the longest reviews I have ever received yet: MetalChickCrisis2040 (Belatedly. I am glad to have given you a fic you have enjoyed and followed that extent) and Halethwyn (For your views on the characters and the plot, and also your corrections! :) ). Thank you both for the thought and time you've given to your reviews. It's always pleasant to hear from readers, and I do love wordy reviews.
Also, many thanks to my wonderful, wonderful beta, chaoticviolin!
Note: This is a two POV chapter (Kinda. The end is more of like a sneak peak for the next chapter).
Twelve: Adertha
He had shoved the thought to the back of his mind, but now as he stood there injured and alone, he had to face the truth that Tauriel chosen not to follow. He had seen the way she looked at the dwarf, but he did not expect that she would abandon his call for her to stay with the stranger. He did not anymore anticipate the return of her feelings, but her deliberate disregard for his order only showed him how much she had cared for the bearded creature over himself. He clenched his fist, and the wound on his arm rewarded him with a jolt of pain.
For minutes, he had made pursuit of the orcs, taking a horse form the stables he passed and closing the gap between their steeds slowly. They were in the forest when the ambush met him, dozens of orcs and their wargs coming from all sides. He knew that he had been lucky to even escape. The horse he had taken from the town had not found the same luck.
Abandoning his pursuit, he decided to return to Tauriel. The night brought its winds. They cut through his skin as he ran back to the human town, but his thoughts were occupied on the memories of the past few days that he could not feel the cold. He had kept her from his mind and had kept his silence, even when he saw her confusion. Yet what she had done... the way she had stayed behind for the dwarf—it was difficult for him to reign back his emotions. He groaned aloud. He wished for a wall in which he could have pushed his frustrations to, but there was none. And so he left it to the wind to be the sole audience to his misery. He was not sure yet what would happen between them now, but he would not return home without her.
The night deepened as he returned to Esgaroth, yet even more townsfolk were outside than before. They struggled to carry the dead orcs that littered the ground while they gossiped and shouted amongst themselves. But when he passed, their voices hushed and instead they followed him with wondering gazes.
He saw even at a distance that the wooden house was still awake. Warm light flooded out of the windows, and shadows moved from within. As he neared he heard the deep grunts of the dwarves. Without a knock, he pushed the door open. "Tauriel."
He was met with only dubious stares, and no one answered. A quick survey showed him that she was not inside.
Random items littered the floor, and bits of wood from the house's structure were scattered everywhere. He could not see the children anywhere, and the dwarves were rummaging through the wreck of the battle, probably looking for the weapons they had lost.
"Where is she?" Legolas asked into the silence.
The sickly dwarf who was lying on the bed, the one named Kili, frowned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. His movements were strained, but it was clear from the light in his eyes that the poison was now removed from his body. "She is not with you?"
"She left, running, only minutes ago," the other dwarf said as if to explain. "We—I thought she had left to meet you."
Legolas' breathing paused and he looked at the other dwarves, hoping that someone would rebuke the other.
If that were true then he should have seen her, he should have met her along the way. It was impossible that he would miss her. She would have known where he had gone.
"Are you sure she did not go elsewhere?" he asked, his voice louder and quicker than before. Yet even as he asked the question, he knew it was impossible. Tauriel was obstinate at times, but always for a reason. She would not have left for anywhere else without informing him, and even if he entertained the diminutive possibility, all her courses would require her to take the same path he had taken to enter the village. Which meant her disappearance was not one she had planned.
Kili's eyes also grew wilder. "Are you saying that she—,"
Legolas had already turned to leave, and was a step from the door when a gruff voice called out to him. "Wait!"
He swerved back, eyes narrowing in exasperation. There was no time to waste. He did not wish to believe it, but if something dire had befallen Tauriel, then he needed to leave and not stay and chat. "What do you want?" he could all but hiss.
It was the gray haired dwarf that spoke. "We're going with you."
Legolas quirked a brow. "Is that right?"
"She saved my brother. It is only right that I return the favor," the younger dwarf said. He then glanced at Kili. "But I have to return before the day visits. I cannot leave my brother for long."
The third dwarf commented, before Kili could protest. "Yes," he nodded. "She's a good lass."
It was a few moments before Legolas responded. Their company would almost certainly slow him down, but that problem was easily answerable. And besides, even if he denied them, they would search for her anyway. He could see in their eyes that they would not sit and wait. It was better that he knew where they were, so he could make sure that they would not get in the way. And their axes and swords and hammers, he had to admit, might be useful. But they had to leave now.
Stiffly, he nodded in surrender. "Bring your weapons. I will await you at the town's gate," he turned to leave again but once more that night, a voice brought him to a pause.
This time, it was Kili.
"Please," he said; his voice still weak. "Please... make sure she's safe."
Legolas' striking blue eyes met the dwarf's warm brown ones, and for a while, both remained unmoving. He searched, but there was nothing in Kili's eyes but worry. Something within Legolas stirred in confusion. Could the dwarf really have cared for her that deeply?
You do not have to tell me that. It is what I have done, and will always continue to do. The words danced on the elf's mind. But they were left unsaid. Pressing his lips together into a firm line, the elven prince instead inclined his head in a slow and parting nod.
No one else called for him as he turned away for the third time, and he wasn't sure he would have stopped if they did. Legolas ran swiftly, passing through surprised townsfolk and barking dogs. Knowing that he still had time before the dwarves reached their meeting area, he made for paths leading away from the gate. He looked through ports and isolated pathways, hoping to see a sign that would lead him to Tauriel, or better yet, the she-elf herself.
Yet by the time he starting walking back, he did not see any traces of her. Even the few townsfolk he had spoken to told him that they had not seen a red haired elf pass them by.
"Where were you?" Kili's brother asked as soon as he arrived.
"Did you wait long?" Legolas asked back, pointedly.
The dwarf hesitated. "Well, no, but—,"
"Then let us go," Legolas said, walking past them.
A hand to the shoulder silenced any blooming comebacks from the dwarf, and the three companions shuffled after him.
He walked at his quickest speed, the dwarves only steps behind him. Their footsteps lessened in volume as they stepped from the wooden bridge that stemmed from the town to the grassy ground outside of the forest. By listening to snippets of their loud conversations, Legolas learned the dwarves' names. The oldest one was Oin, the loud one with the unusal hat was Bofur, and the youngest was Fili, Kili's brother. Such strange names, Legolas mused as they walked, wondering what deep stories lay behind them.
He did not ask them, however, and chose to keep to himself as they journeyed to the deeper parts of the forest. It was a long walk before they finally stopped.
"We do not need rest!" Oin complained as they stilled in the middle of thick, darkened trunks, but he dropped his weapons quickly, and spoke in short breaths.
Legolas chose not to comment on his observations. "We will be no use without strength and food. Ready the camp, I will check the surrounding area," he said, turning his back on them. "And do not leave your weapons on the ground."
He climbed the nearest tree, choosing to scout the forest from the heights. They were in the middle part of Mirkwood, and the trees were thicker and darker, decay more prominent than in other parts of the forest. He squinted through the leaves, trying to see any of the slightest signs of disturbances.
He frowned at the voices of the dwarves' from below him. He wondered why they needed to shout, when they were already so near to each other. He jumped to farther trees, and the noise dissipated into the eerie silence of the wood. When his heart had slowed to its normal pulse, he laid his back slowly until it touched the tree's trunk.
Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes. He would not need his sight in the pitch black that surrounded him. His vision darkened and swirls of memories danced before him. Green leaves, swirling in the wind, and the blue sky. And the red. It was always there. The orange-red of the setting sun.
Then the silence. It was heavy and dark, broken only by the leaves that fell to the ground. Always softly and muffled, falling only because they were dead, and not because of any wind—for even the wind could not penetrate the gloom of the trees.
Suddenly, he heard the heaviness of boots trampling on the ground. The sound was faint, but he had no doubt where it was moving to. Before his eyes could snap open, he had already pulled the bow from his back. He hurried back to the camp, his heart beating faster. The footsteps had been light and quick. Paces not of the men, nor or dwarves, and not of any other creature but his own kin. Legolas struggled to push back his worry. He could still remember the frozen face of the elf he had killed, staring blankly at him with no light in his brown eyes. He did not know whether there would be more of them wandering in the forest, but if they were the reason for Tauriel's disappearance, then he would not hesitate.
The stressed voices of the dwarves were the first to reach him, and he secretly hoped that they had followed his advice to hold their weapons. The fire grew brighter and larger as he drew nearer to the camp, and he watched the shadows of the attackers from afar. He had not been mistaken. The long flowing hair and quick movements told him that they were elves. But at such a distance, their faces were covered by the dancing darkness of the forest. He could not see them clearly. He squinted his eyes and saw the small shapes of the dwarves kneeling on the ground, their weapon lying about them. Thankfully, none of them was hurt.
Legolas took in a deep breath before he jumped through the last trees hurriedly. Swinging himself from a large branch, he landed down towards the campfire. His bow was ready as soon as his feet touched the ground, but the elves were also prepared. Ten elves drew their bows at him, their eyes widening at his sudden appearance.
The light flooded to their faces and Legolas' heart paused as he took in their appearances.
There was a pause as the elves also watched him, and then they hurriedly dropped their bows. "Legolas!" they gasped in recognition, before they inclined their heads to him.
Slowly, Legolas lowered his bow as well. He had never expected to meet the very individuals who were before him now. Irima, Meginor, and Glines now smiled at him, but the prince's eyes were drawn to the elves standing behind them. Particularly, to the one who stood at the very back, towering over the kneeling dwarves.
"Aegnir?" he asked, it somehow felt like he had seen a ghost, or a person from a dream.
"Prince," Aegnir smiled. "It has been a long time."
Legolas noted the faded color of his cloak, and the holes and tears that riddled its sleeves. "Seven years," he replied, and looked at the elves beside his friend. They were also smiling, but he could see the weariness in the way they stood. "You are all safe. Many will be grateful for this news."
"We saw them only a few leagues from here, they were on their way back to the kingdom," Meginor said, glancing at the company. "They said they have found—,"
"Hey!" Fili shouted, wriggling slightly on the ground in discomfort. He had managed to remove the cloth that they had wrapped around his mouth. "Lovely reunion and all, but I think it's about time you remove these things you've tied around our wrists," he glared at Meginor. "After all, we are with your prince."
Glines gasped, then stared at Legolas. "You are travelling with them?" she asked.
"Yes, he is!" Fili shouted again. "Come on, then. Our knees are starting to hurt."
Aegnir was the first to move, pulling out his knife and cutting the bonds that held them. The three dwarves struggled to stand, and the dirt stuck to their clothes.
"Why are you travelling with them?" Irima asked, her voice quiet. The dwarves studiously ignored her as they brushed the dirt from their clothes.
She did not look at them, and acted instead as if she was afraid they would hear her. Her eyes grew wide as her glance wavered from Legolas. "And where is Tauriel?"
"She is the reason we are together," Fili answered her grudgingly, trying desperately to get the stubborn soil off his trousers. Sighing in defeat, he abandoned the task and raised his eyes to meet hers. "We are looking for her."
A strained voice ripped into the stillness of the forest. "What do you mean?"
The first signs of uncontrolled emotion filled Aegnir's eyes as he stared from the dwarf to the prince. "Legolas, they told me she was with you," he said, the undertone of desperation clear in his strained voice.
Legolas could all but look away. He did not forget how Aegnir had entrusted her to him, even at the last moments of their parting. And he did not need his anger now, when he was sure the anger he felt at himself exceeded the other elves immensely.
"It is as they say," he nodded to the dwarves. "I last saw her within Esgaroth. We were tracking the yrch, and I left to go after them. She..." he hesitated.
"She stayed behind to care for my poisoned brother," Fili said, his eyes watching the prince. His words solicited more wide eyed stares and even a gasp from Irima, but still no one spoke. "She left a few minutes to follow after him, but none of us saw her after that."
"I have checked all the corners of Esgaroth, but have seen nothing," Legolas added, his heart again tightening at the reality of her disappearance. He struggled to keep the worry out of his voice. "And there was nothing as well, towards the South."
Legolas' fists clenched as he practically spat the words in frustration, trembling as he held them at his sides. He was failing her; he had failed her when he left her side in Esgaroth and he continued to fail her as long as he couldn't reach her. "I cannot rest until I find her. Nor will I return to Mirkwood without her."
"But where will you look? A single elf cannot look through the whole forest," Glines said, quietly. "She may be anywhere."
The dead elf's face again flashed in Legolas' mind. "She has been captured," he stated, with more confidence than he had thought.
Aegnir frowned at him. It was he who had watched Tauriel along with Legolas, and it was he who knew the capabilities of the she-elf. "Captured? How can you be certain?"
"I have no definite proof, but it is what my heart tells me. She is not one who would disappear with no reason, or leave without telling me anything."
"But she has already done it before, have you forgotten?" Meginor retorted. "Have you forgotten how she disobeyed the king's orders and left the realm?"
"This is different," Legolas narrowed his eyes at him in warning.
"Yes," Fili said in a quiet voice. Legolas turned to him in surprise. He had not expected any of the dwarves to join their debate. "I did not hear fully what she and my brother talked about, but I know that she left to follow you," he nodded at Legolas.
"The dwarf seems to speak truthfully," Glines said thoughtfully. The elves ignored the mumbled retort from the dwarf at that. "But if it is so that she is captured, who would have done such a thing? Was it the orcs that attacked the gates?" she asked.
"No," Legolas shook his head. "Most of them were killed at Esgaroth, and the rest retreated. I made pursuit until I was ambushed at the forest's mouth. Irima," he turned to the she-elf. "Do you recall the elves you told my father about?"
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she lowered her gaze to the ground. "Yes," she nodded slowly. "I cannot and will not forget them."
"We were attacked by the very same elves on our way to Esgaroth," Legolas said.
Glines' eyes widened. "You are sure they are elves?" she asked.
Legolas nodded. "Two of them died in our battle. We saw their faces."
"These elves you speak of," Aegnir's brows furrowed as he turned his head to face her. "What did they look like?"
"They wore cloaks the same as Gobelion's. Colors of black that melted into the dark of the forest," Irima answered with a distant look in her eyes. "Other than that, there was nothing else I could see wrong."
To everyone's surprise, Aegnir smiled. "It seems our meeting is one destined," he gazed at them all.
"What do you speak of?" Legolas asked, his patience wearing thin. Ominous statements and speaking of the past weren't getting him any closer to finding Tauriel.
"Seven years ago we set out to look for the caves that Gobelion spoke of," he started.
Legolas nodded, urging him to continue. He still remembered the crazed look that fell and left Gobelion's face as he spoke to them in his prison cell.
Aegnir frowned as he recalled his memories. "We rode first to the south, down to Rohan, and moved to the Northeast, but we found nothing there. A few months ago did we return here to Mirkwood, and chanced to go East, towards the Iron Hills. Yet again, there was nothing there," he looked up again, meeting Legolas' eyes. "Only on our way back did we pass by the mountains facing the Lonely Mountain, at the far South of the forsaken city of Dale. It was a three day walk, and we knew that travelers never step there, but we also could not leave any stone unchecked. Not after years of discovering nothing."
"What did you see?" Meginor asked. It seemed Aegnir had not yet told them about their journeys.
"We could not go near, but we saw them. Elves in the black cloaks, standing guard in various posts of the mountains. We could not go further, for we could not risk being seen, but there is no doubt that there is where the "caves" Gobelion spoke of could be found," Aegnir explained. "There were very few of them, but we had no orders. And we did not know what hid within the cover of the caves."
Many minutes passed that only silence passed between them all. Legolas himself could not believe that they had been hiding so close to the realm, yet also, he was relieved that their location was nearer than he was hoping to believe.
"We need to go now," he said, tearing his eyes from Aegnir. "I do not know how many there are, or how capable they are in battle, but I will not risk the fate of Tauriel. I do not trust that there is anything good awaiting her there."
He let his gaze lock with each pair of eyes around him. He knew they could all hear his silent announcement: he was not and would not force any of them to join him.
"You're right," Irima said, breaking the silence. "That is why we will go with you," she stepped forward with a determined look.
"Yes," Glines nodded, as she placed a comforting hand on Legolas' shoulder. "We left the castle to search for you both, and so we will not return without her."
Legolas strained to smile back, understanding now why they were in the forest, leagues from home. But Aegnir and his company... Legolas glanced at his old friend, and their eyes met. "You know what choice I make," he said. Then he glanced at his companions. "But I force none of you to follow me. The king has been waiting these years for our report."
Filarion shook his head, while the other two, Tiatha and Eloen, gave him small smiles. "We have followed you this far, and we shall continue to do so even now. And Tauriel is our kin. We will not leave her fate to be unresolved."
Eloen gave a small chuckle. "The King will not mind waiting a few days more, surely."
"Well then," Fofur stepped forward, reminding everyone of their presence. "Now that we finally have an idea of where to go, and who's going with us, I think it's about time that we leave, don't you agree?" He said, gazing at them all with a forced smile on his face. He stomped on the fireplace, killing the only illumination they had.
Shadows flooded their faces, but Legolas could see clearly when Fili turned around and plunged into the forest, walking to the direction of the Lonely Mountain. The two dwarves did not hesitate to follow after him.
Meginor gave a small chuckle, before tracing their steps. The others walked along, but Legolas stayed, and Aegnir stayed behind as well. Their eyes met, but neither spoke, even as the footsteps of their companions faded into the night.
The prince fixed his gaze on the dark forest his friends had disappeared into in front of him. "I apologize," Legolas said, his whisper loud.
"For what?" Aegnir replied. Legolas could see a slight movement on his left, indicating that the other elf had turned to face him.
"You told me to take care of her, minutes before you left us. And that, I have failed to do," blonde hair obstructed his peripheral view of his friend as he bent his head forward in disappointment. The words he said were painful to admit.
Aegnir did not speak, but Legolas raised his head when his friend took a few steps towards him. The smaller space between them made it possible for Legolas to see the familiar brown of Aegnir's eyes. "I know you never intended to," he said. Legolas could see his lips forming the slightest traces of a smile. "I know that your anger for yourself would be heavier than whatever I would tell you now."
Legolas opened his mouth to speak, but he had no reply. Aegnir always showed a great tendency to read what lurked in his thoughts.
Aegnir took a few more steps forward. "Have you told her?" he asked, stopping when there were only a few steps separating them.
Legolas closed his eyes; vivid memories of the night of their kiss flooded his mind. "Yes," he opened his eyes.
"What did she say?"
Legolas did not speak, for he could not say the words aloud. Instead, his eyes avoided his friend's gaze.
"Ah," Aegnir smiled. "Do not worry. We have known her for a long time, but you have never seen the way she looked at you."
Legolas frowned, meeting his eyes again. "It seems you are mistaken, for that is not the answer she gave me."
"Birds fly great heights and see all but themselves," Aegnir said. "I know there is a reason behind her answer. Give her time. Tauriel will see it soon enough," he waited for a reply, but Legolas did not speak. He was tired to believing the very same things his friend was telling him now. And besides, now Legolas did not wish for any reply from her any longer, as long as he would find her safe and unharmed. Aegnir smiled, and talked about something else entirely. "I have missed your company, mellon."
"And I, you," Legolas smiled at the once Captain of his people. "The Guard has been different without you around."
Aegnir's face brightened with the first true smile Legolas saw. "No matter. I shall rejoin the Guard soon enough, and win that duel."
Legolas chuckled lightly, neither of them had forgotten that their first real companionship happened after a rather brutal combat "I cannot wait," he nodded to the direction of their companions. "Should we go?"
"I suppose so," Aegnir said, no hint of his smile remaining, only a crinkling of his brows as he frowned. Legolas knew that he was also worrying about the red haired she-elf.
Together, the two friends disappeared into the night.
There was nothing but blackness.
Then the yellowish hue clouded her vision. Tauriel wanted to reach out for its warm light, but her arms weighed too much. She could not lift them. Instead, she gazed upwards as she heard voices. She could not understand what they said, as the words merged and overlapped with one another. It was moments before she could finally understand them.
"—ate. And who is that?" asked a high, and strangely child-like, female voice. There was an edge to the way she spat her words.
"He asked us to take her. Do you question him?" somebody nearer to Tauriel had answered. Also a female. This one had deeper, huskier, voice. And she spoke so calmly.
"No," the other replied, too quickly. Then Tauriel heard footsteps from beneath her. She was being carried. "But where has he gone, anyway?"
"He told us he had something important to attend to. He will not join us when we attack, he has assigned the Captain to lead instead."
"You?" there was amusement in her tone.
"Yes," now, the speaker was even nearer than before. His voice was deep and strong. Yet what struck Tauriel the most about it was that it sounded so familiar. She had heard it before, she was sure.
She knew she needed to open her eyes, needed to know who these individuals were, and why she was taken here. She fought to fight the weight that kept her eyes shut. It was like forcing open a window that was firmly locked. But she managed, and the window opened a slit.
There was the sky, high above her. The stars were few, but they were there. Singing down to her like so many times before. And then... rocks. Gray, large rocks that were kept together by years of unmoved soil. Tauriel knew that there was somebody standing underneath the rocks, probably the high pitched female, but she could not look to her. She stared instead, fixedly, at the dust and pebbles that dropped from the large rocks. They fell, little by little. Tauriel knew that their drop had been continuing for months.
"So you're not afraid to reveal yourself to those you've betrayed?" the voice asked again.
But the reply from the person who carried her formed again to incoherence in her mind, and Tauriel returned to the abyss of her unconsciousness.
END OF CHAPTER
A/N: I am starting to be scared of reading the reviews cos I've made some of you so angry! Haha. I apologize, again. But it's really difficult not having constant access to the internet. I had the chapter ready days ago but couldn't update, especially because of the storm. But! I have good news! The next three chapters are ready! So this time, to redeem myself, I'll be updating two weeks apart (two weeks, cos there's still a lot of stuff to fix). But there's also bad news, and that is that school's resuming a week from now, so expect slower updates from then on (what's new though, huh? Haha).
Also, we have less than five chapters before this arc ends, and we finally move on to LOTR! Yay! In line with that, I'll be posting a new poll soon which will be reallly realllly important for the LOTR arc, so please answer that. Okay? Okay!
Adertha = to reunite
I'd love to hear your hypothesis and theories (if you do have them) about the next chapters! :) Send me a PM or leave them in a review. And don't hesitate to ask questions if anything's unclear!
Much love,
Vee
