Hey Guys - Sorry its been a while :) so the next chapter is Lothlorien Part 1 - and I promise part 2 will be up soon. It was harder than I expected to write these two chapters - as we are not shown a lot of what happens in Lothlorien but we know the Fellowship stayed there for quite some time something that doesn't really show in the movie. So in the next chapter there will be more dialogue and character/relationship development. But anyways enjoy :)
They came out onto a huge rocky mountain top. They ran for about a minute away from the mines before the hobbits collapsed. Legolas watched as the whole fellowship stopped. Pippin and Merry were crying, with Pippin lying in Merry's lap. Sam sat by himself, tears also streaming down his face. Frodo moved away by himself. Legolas could hear Gimli screaming to let him go back and Boromir shouting for him to stop. He looked around at everyone, realising that for the hobbits this was perhaps the first time losing someone close to them, maybe even the first time seeing death, apart from the orcs they had faced. He remembered loosing friends, losing soldiers and elves who fought beside him. He had seen many deaths in his life, walking through Dale after the Battle of the Five armies he had seen death from elves, men and dwarves. But Mithrandir had been his friend for a long time, and he had not been prepared for his death.
Tauriel followed Legolas as he walked forward. She had seen his face, and he wore a mixture of shock and sadness as an expression. She too, had seen her fair share of death, and knew all too well what it felt like to lose a close friend. She moved to him, putting her hand on his shoulder, unsure how to comfot him but wanting to show support. She also felt sorrow for the loss of Mithrandir, who had forever been a friend to the elves, but she did not have the same level of friendship Legolas shared with him.
Aragorn stood, cleaning his sword. "Legolas, Tauriel get them up," he shouted to them. Legolas shook off his sadness and started to move towards Merry and Pippin. "Give them a moment for pity's sake." Boromir said, and Legolas paused, half agreeing with Boromir's words. Tauriel too, beside him paused, she remembered Kili's death and how she had broken down, not wanting to leave him. But she knew the conditions were different now, and they needed to keep moving. Aragorn was thinking the same thing, "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs. We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Tauriel, Gimli, help the hobbits up." he said and Legolas and Tauriel helped Pippin and Merry to their feet. "Come on, young hobbits," Tauriel said, helping Merry to his feet, while Legolas picked up Pippin, placing him onto his feet. The two hobbits stood there a second, still unwilling to move on. Tauriel knelt down, meeting them at eye level. "I know how you feel," she said, and the Hobbits looked at her. "I lost someone I really cared about once," she said, Legolas winced slightly, he knew who she was talking about. "You will never forget them," Tauriel continued, "Gandalf will stay with us in each of our hearts," she told the hobbits. They nodded slightly, and turned now willing to leave. Tauriel stood again, and catching sight of Legolas, she turned away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes now.
They walked in silence for most of the journey. Aragorn led the way, and Tauriel and Legolas bought up the rear, every now and then urging the hobbits on. They moved slowly, but quickly enough that Aragorn was satisified they wouldn't be overrun by orcs. Aragorn ran ahead sometimes, scouting out the way.
They reached the edge of the woods early the next morning, having travelled through the night. They entered the trees and immediatly Legolas and Tauriel felt slightly more at ease, both having spent nearly all of their lives amongst the trees. Although the woods here were very different to their homeland, both elves found comfort in being under a canopy again. Legolas moved up to talk to Aragorn, but Tauriel stayed at the back of the group. She walked behind the hobbits, and listened as Gimli warned the hobbits of Galadriel. She heard the slight fear in Gimli's voice and wondered how he could think of Galadriel as an "Elf witch of terrible power."
"I have never met the Lady Galadriel but I have heard tell of her great wisdom and insight" Tauriel told the dwarf and hobbits who were listening to him.
"Well here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily." Gimli said, but Tauriel stopped listening to him at that point, as her ears picked up on the lightest of footsteps. "I have the eyes of a hawk," Gimli was saying, and Tauriel heard the footsteps again, but now right beside them. She knotched an arrow in her bow as Gimli finished his sentence, "And the ears of a fox," and they found themselves surrounded. Tauriel was aiming at one elf but being at the back she had two elves aiming at her own head. She looked ahead to see Legolas had reacted quickly and also had his bow drawn. He saw the two behind Tauriel and adjusted his position to aim behind her, the movement seemed natural to them, and she did the same, aiming at the attacker closest to him. They had protected each for centuries and was not an instinct easily lost. This all happened in about a second and once they realised these were the Lothlorien elves, they relaxed a little, although they still had their bows ready. "The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," one said, stepping forward. Aragorn seemed to recognise him, and it was clear the two were at least aquaintences.
Aragorn started speaking in elvish to the elf and Tauriel recognised him as Haldir. She had met him in the past, as both of them held high positions in their respective kingdoms. The elves surrounding them had still not withdrawn their bows so neither Tauriel nor Legolas did either. "Aragorn," Gimli spoke up, "These woods are perilous, we should go back." he said.
"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir told him. His gaze fell to Frodo, "Come, she is waiting," he said. He nodded at the Galadhrim and they lowered their bows, Legolas and Tauriel doing the same and as they started walking, Legolas dropped back to walk with her.
"Have you ever met her?" Tauriel asked him.
"No," he replied, "Although my Father has once," he said. Tauriel began to wonder what the Lady had talked to Thranduil about. Legolas answered her question without her asking "I think he wanted to join our realms closer together," he said. Tauriel immdeiatly knew what he meant, without him saying more. Thranduil had been searching for a wife for his son, and immeadiatly she found herself wondering which one of the Ladies here Thranduil had been interested in. She immediatly payed more attention to the elf maidens she saw, taking in their fair hair and peaceful walk, they almost floated around. A strange feeling entered her body, and she found herself resenting whichever elf was at one point, Legolas' potential wife. She had proabbly never met him, they weren't even friends how could she enter his life like that, how could she serve him well as a wife?
She was shocked at herself, she hadn't controlled her thoughts and she realised she was jealous. Legolas noticed her silence and when she looked at him, he was looking at her curiously, perhaps trying to figure out the reason for her silence. She shook her head, trying to forget those thoughts. She couldn't allow them.
The Lothlorien elves led them up spiral staircases and through walkways in the trees, Legolas and Tauriel enjoying the sights. They were led to Caras Galadhon, and the Lady Galadriel walked forward to meet them, next to her was Lord Celeborn. Aragorn, Legolas and Tauriel all bowed their heads, raising their hands to their foreheads in respect. Tauriel looked up at the elf before her. She had not only heard of the Lady's wisdom but also her beauty and the stories did not exaggerate. The Lady was dressed in white, and her long fair hair flowed beautifully around her. "Nine there are here yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him." Lord Celeborn asked. Lady Galadriel turned to Aragorn, seeming to read the answer in his eyes.
"He has fallen into shadow." she said. "The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all." She advised, and beside them, Legolas and Tauriel noticed Boromir shifting uncomfortably. "Yet hope remains while the Company is true." She continued. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace."
When the meeting was over, they were shown to an area set aside for them to make camp. A tent was set up, and for the first time since the quest began they knew they could sleep without threat of attack. They settled down, Legolas fetching water for them from the fountain nearby. Tauriel sat on a tree root listening to the elves around them singing. Legolas noticed it too. "A lament for Gandalf," he commented.
"What do they say about him?" Merry asked, curiously.
"I have not the heart to tell you." Legolas replied sadly. "For me the grief is still too near."
"They call him wisest of all Maiar," Tauriel spoke up, informing the hobbits. She tilted her head, listening further for the words sung by the elves. "No more will you wander the green fields of this earth, your journey has ended in darkness. The bonds cut, the spirit broken. The flame of Anor has left this world. A great light, has gone out." she translated for them. The hobbits looked at each other, pondering the lyrics. "He will be forever remembered," she reassured them. "Rest now, for the Lady was right, our travels have made you weary." she told them, and the hobbits turned, each retiring to their beds nestled in the base of the tree. Tauriel turned back to Legolas, who was looking at her gratefully. Her eyes took in the sight of him, he had taken off his green tunic and the garment underneath was a silvery material with delicate patterns on the arm. It fitted him well. She remembered their days in Mirkwood, when they would often strip down to their undergarments and swim in the pools in the forest. Or lay, staring at the stars in the nights sky. Again, she felt a yearning for their relationship to return to what it was, but tonight, she found herself wishing for their relationship to become more than what it was. She sighed, she knew it could never be.
She walked to him, "You too need rest mellon," she told him. He shook his head, and she remembered their conversation at night on the way to Rivendell. He did not sleep well, and she found herself suddenly curious about why exactly that was. She herself was haunted by memories, she dreamt of Kili, his brother and their uncle, Thorin Oakenshield. She dreamt of that day and how she almost died, and she dreamt of the elf standing before her, saving her life, despite all that she had done to him. Sometimes her imagination wandered, and took the dream into darker places, she had watched him die too many times in her dreams to ever want to risk sleeping again. Now, she couldn't help wondering what place Legolas' mind took him to in sleep. What did he see? She looked at him and noticed he looked like he needed rest. To anyone else he looked the same, but she noticed he didn't stand as straight as usual, and his eyes were drooping that tiny bit extra. "I'll try if you try," she said simply, taking him by the hand and leading him to the tree. She knew he needed to sleep and she also knew she could do with some rest too. He nodded, lying down about a metre away from her. Tauriel settled down comfortably between the base of the tree and let her eyes close, quickly giving in to sleep.
Hope you guys enjoyed. As always leave any reviews/comments/suggestions you have. Thanks for all your support so far.
Proud2Bgeek - of course Tauriel noticed them - she's Tauriel! :P
Rohanyoshi - thanks for your support. Tauriel does share some of Legolas' lines you are correct. Not sure if I'm gonna be able to kill Tauriel off but of course she's always in danger :)