We're getting into the events of LotR now. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reviewing!
Beneath the Stars
EIGHT
Tauriel lived in Rivendell for nearly sixty years, rebuilding herself. After a year of recovery, she took Elrond up on his offer and joined the guard. It was not a difficult job. She rarely was forced to use her weapons, save in practice. She found the other elves in the Guard to be skilled warriors. Most of them were much older than she was, but Losseth was only a couple hundred years her elder.
She stuck by Losseth's side at first, as she was the only person she knew, but eventually she found a similar camaraderie with the Rivendell elves as she had in the Woodland Realm. Losseth reminded her very much of one of her old friends, Midhel. She had not seen Midhel since her banishment. She wondered how she was doing.
Losseth and Tauriel became good friends, though Tauriel never revealed to her or anyone else other than Elrond how or why she had come to Imladris.
Tauriel was one the few Silvan elves in Rivendell. Most of the valley's population were Sindar, with some Noldor like as Elrond and his family. Tauriel sometimes accompanied Losseth and some others of the Guard out hunting with Elladan and Elrohir. She met the Lady Arwen a few times, though she never really got to know any of Elrond's family.
One day, she was on duty by the gates when she heard the sound of a horse's thundering hooves. Tauriel drew her bow, exchanging a confused glance with Losseth.
"Who could that be?" she asked. She doubted it was an enemy—though evil creatures had begun to creep back into the west, most avoided Rivendell.
"Lady Arwen, perhaps?" Losseth suggested. "She went out riding a few days ago."
"I guess we'll see," Tauriel said. She had an arrow nocked to her bow, but she held it loosely, not expecting any trouble. If she had been back in the Greenwood, it would have been a different story.
The thundering sound grew closer and louder, then through the gates burst a horse. Lady Arwen sat upon it, cradling a small, limp body. Tauriel's eyes widened. Was it a child?
Arwen stopped her horse short and called up to the guards, "Come! Help me!"
Tauriel and Losseth scrambled down from their posts and raced toward her. As she neared, Tauriel realized that the body was not that of a child, but of a halfling.
Arwen cradled the halfling in her arms and gently handed him down to Losseth. Arwen got down from her horse and then helped Losseth support him.
"We must take him to the healers," she said urgently. "Quickly—he's fading fast!"
"I'll stay on duty," Tauriel said quickly. "Losseth, go with her ladyship."
The two elf women hurried off, carrying the unconscious halfling as best they could. Tauriel, still unsure of what was going on, unsheathed her knives, just in case part of Lady Arwen's need for haste was that she was being followed.
After not very long, she heard the sound of more people approaching. Tauriel tensed, her eyes locked on the gate. She was ready to attack.
Soon, four peculiar figures marched up to ther: a ragged, careworn man and three more halflings.
"Halt!" she commanded. "Who goes there?"
The man nodded to her, waving a hand at the halflings. One of them whispered to another, "Look, Merry, another elf!"
"Hush, Pippin!" the other one hissed. The third only stared up at her with wide eyes.
"Mellon," the man said in greeting. Tauriel lowered her weapons and raised her eyebrows. He spoke Sindarin? He was likely not a threat, then.
"You must be new to this post," he said. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. I was raised here, by Lord Elrond. Please—Lady Arwen took our companion through here earlier. He is gravely injured."
"Aragorn?" she asked. That name sounded familiar. Tauriel was not too caught up in Elrond's family politics and did not know much about any man being raised in Rivendell. And it was true—she had only been assigned to this post for a few years.
"I was known as Estel," Aragorn explained.
Tauriel's mind cleared. Yes. She remembered now. She had never met the little child, but she had heard stories of young Estel.
"Lady Arwen took him to the healers," she said, pointing the way. "Do you need an escort?"
"No, I know the way. Thank you," he said. She stood aside as he passed, leading the halflings along behind him.
Losseth came back not long afterward, their relief guard with her. Tauriel relaxed and followed her friend to the mess hall. As they walked together, they talked and wondered at the sights they had just seen.
"Did Lady Arwen let anything slip about what was going on with the halflings?" Tauriel asked.
Losseth shook her head. "Not really. We carried him to the healers, then she sent me to fetch Lord Elrond. When I came back here, I passed three more halflings, and—would you believe it—little Estel, all grown up! It's been awhile since he lived here. He's been off with the Dúnedain for a long time."
"Yes, I let them in," Tauriel said. "I've never met him before."
"He was a sweet little child," Losseth said. "He's much different now that he's older, though. Tall and handsome—or at least Lady Arwen seems to think so!"
Tauriel laughed. "Really?"
"Oh, we all know the young man was in love with her, but something's changed with her ladyship." Losseth frowned. "I do hope she gets over it, though. Nothing good ever comes of interspecies relationships. Just look at all Lord Elrond has gone through because of it..."
Tauriel nodded, but her heart sank. Losseth was right. Relationships between elves and mortals never ended happily, she knew firsthand. But she did not like the tone of voice Losseth spoke in, as if Aragorn and Arwen were doomed simply because they were different. What would she think if she knew Tauriel had loved a dwarf?
Tauriel and Losseth soon learned something very big was happening. They, being guards and not Elrond's advisors or confidants, were not exactly in the know of all the details, but all of Rivendell was abuzz with the news.
Estel was back, all grown up and with important responsibilities. He was some human prince, Tauriel learned, a distant relative of Lord Elrond. The four halflings he brought with him were on some sort of quest, the details of which she wasn't sure of. The injured one was being treated by Elrond and his best healers. Even Mithrandir, who also looked much worse for wear, arrived suddenly in the valley and became involved.
Tauriel was deathly curious of what was going on, but she did not think she would find out. Losseth theorized that the halflings were somehow related to the old halfling who lived in the citadel by invitation of Elrond. Tauriel had never met him, but she had seen him at a distance. She thought the idea he was involved unlikely, but it was possible.
One day, Elladan dropped in to visit the off duty guards. He was friends with Ivorion, the Captain of the Guard, and Tauriel hung around to listen to them talk.
"Yes, they are all already on their way," Elladan confirmed.
"The delegates?" Ivorion asked.
"Yes," Elladan said. "My father said this Council will be of utmost importance and secrecy, so I can't tell you any details, but I do know of some who are coming."
"Well, do tell, Elladan!" Ivorion exclaimed.
"Dáin of Erebor is sending someone," Elladan said, "and so is Denethor of Gondor. So is Círdan from the Gray Havens. Aragorn and Mithrandir are already here. Oh, and I heard Thranduil was sending someone as well."
Tauriel's eyes widened as she eavesdropped on the other side of the room. As she pretended to be very interested in her nails, Elladan and Ivorion moved onto other topics.
Thranduil was sending someone...well, at least he wasn't coming herself. Perhaps it would be someone she knew. Her old friend Midhel, or...maybe Legolas.
As she saw Losseth poke her head in the room and beckon for her, Tauriel left Elladan and Ivorion's conversation. Losseth would love to hear these new details.
Soon the delegates began to arrive. The sick halfling had finally woken after three days, and the Council of Elrond was to be held when he recovered fully. Tauriel was off duty when Galdor, the messenger Círdan had sent from the Gray Havens, arrived. When Denethor's son arrived, he came through the back gate, looking awfully lost, so she heard. That was not her post—she manned the main gate.
She nervously awaited the coming of Thranduil's delegates. She had not kept her place of origin a secret, but she did not really want the elves of Rivendell to learn why she had left. In fact, she considered concealing her presence there completely from whoever Thranduil sent. It would be hard to do so if she was on duty when they marched through the gate, however.
Losseth could tell she was uncomfortable discussing these possibilities and didn't press her for details, though she did ask once if Tauriel was looking forward to seeing some of her own kin. Tauriel's awkward silence in response dissuaded any further questions.
Tauriel had the luck of being on guard duty when Dáin's party of dwarves stomped up to the gates, looking very out of place. It was rare to see anyone but an elf in Rivendell—these past few days had been very unusual.
Tauriel's eyes widened in surprise as she realized that she recognized one of the dwarves. Flaming red beard, a large nose, grumpy disposition—this could only be—
"Glóin?" she exclaimed.
To her surprise, the other dwarf was the one that glanced over to her in response. This one had a gray beard, but Tauriel immediately realized that this one was, indeed, Glóin. He had simply aged. The other one seemed much too young, now that she got a good look at them both. Time changed mortals in peculiar ways.
"Captain Tauriel?" Glóin said.
Tauriel grinned. "Yes, it is me!"
Glóin laughed. He rushed toward her and embraced her roughly. Surprised by his affection, Tauriel patted his back awkwardly, though she was glad to see him.
Losseth and the other dwarf looked at the two of them in shock. Elves and dwarves were generally hostile to each other—this level of familiarity was unheard of. Tauriel wondered what Losseth would think if she knew how close she'd gotten to Kíli!
A stab of grief interrupted their happy reunion at Kíli's memory. However, determined to be happy, she pushed it aside. Glóin let go of her and smiled up at her.
"I had no idea you would be here in Rivendell!" he exclaimed.
"And I had no idea you would be the one Dáin sent!" she countered.
Glóin noticed Losseth and the other dwarf's confused looks and turned to them.
"Tauriel and I knew each other many years ago, when we were—" he began to explain.
"—traveling together," she said, quickly cutting him off. Doubtless Losseth would not be satisfied with that answer, but she would do the proper explaining in private, if at all. She didn't know if she wanted her new friend to know the truth. "Before I came to Rivendell, nearly sixty years ago. We hated each other, at first, but—"
"She grew on me," Glóin said.
"Only after I saved your life," Tauriel teased.
"I was doing fine," he complained. "I had it under control. But yes—it took awhile, but we are friends now."
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" Tauriel said.
"Nor I, you!" Glóin said. "I suppose fate had other things in mind."
"Who are you?" Losseth asked. She seemed to be on guard and hostile still, for all it was clear these were Dáin's delegates and old friends of Tauriel's. "I mean..." She trailed off, realizing how accusatory she sounded. "What are your names?"
"Forgive me." Glóin nodded to Losseth. "I am Glóin, son of Gróin. This is my son, Gimli."
The younger dwarf smiled at Tauriel and nodded, though he seemed a bit confused and not quite happy to be there.
"King Dáin sent us with a message, and also, I heard, to take part in this council," Glóin said.
"I can take you to someone who can show you your lodgings," Tauriel offered.
"I'll stay on duty, then," Losseth said unenthusiastically.
"Thank you, Losseth," she said. As she led Glóin and Gimli to where she hoped she could find Lindir, the two of them caught up on the past sixty years.
Tauriel didn't have much to say (at least, not that she was willing to share). She had come to Rivendell and become a guard. Not much had happened in those sixty years, and indeed they did not seem very long compared to how long she had lived before. All the news she had was recent, about the Council of Elrond. And she did not even know much about that.
Glóin gave her news of Erebor's recovery and growth. The Lonely Mountain prospered, trading with Dale—and, to Tauriel's surprise, the Woodland Realm. Peace reigned—for the most part.
"There have been troubling things afoot," Glóin said at one point, frowning. "Ill tidings and threats."
"That is not, perhaps, information to be shared with Elrond's guards," Gimli cut in. He eyed Tauriel warily. "We ought to save that for the Council."
Tauriel raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing. Glóin frowned.
"Yes, perhaps you're right," he admitted. "It is not supposed to be common knowledge. I am sorry, Captain Tauriel."
"I am not a Captain here, just the gate guard," Tauriel said. The conversation spiralled off into a different direction. She inquired how Dwalin and Balin were doing. Glóin revealed that while Dwalin remained in Erebor, Balin had led a company to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. Tauriel hoped he was successful, though the thought worried her. From what she had heard, that was a dangerous place.
Soon she saw Lindir talking with some unfamiliar elves. She frowned, recognizing the make of their clothes. It was much like her own from the Greenwood. Her heart sank as she realized who they were—Thranduil's envoys. And leading them, though she could only see the back of his blond-haired head, was Legolas.
She backed away. "Lindir will help you now, Glóin," she murmured to him. "I must go. Farewell! I shall try to find you later!"
"But, Tauriel—" Glóin said in confusion.
"Goodbye!" She turned and hurried back to the gate, her heart pounding. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Legolas turn and see her. He opened his mouth in shock, but she turned down a path and was gone.