This is late. Again. Sorry about that, school is exceptionally different this year, and I just can't seem to take a break from studying. Also, I wanted to say that since I have so little time, it's getting harder for me to find the inspiration to write. So could you guys maybe leave a review after you've finished reading this? I know that many people are following the story, and this is like my most reviewed story, but I would really it if you shared your thoughts about my story with me. Reading your thoughts on my work really helps my writer blocks, and it would be great to hear what you guys have to say. Thanks.

This chapter is dedicated to Whyamiobsessed, The12thBookworm and StoryMaster1345 for keeping me motivated, and to AndurilofTolkien for her continuing support. You guys are the best.

Disclaimer: I actually own Vero, and as I failed to mention in the last chapter Ruthien, Rowan and Findôl.


7. Tauriel and Vero

For the rest of the year, Legolas had daily spent time with his new friends, something both his father and Nienna had encouraged. Today though, he didn't meet them at te clearing, because Rowan and Ruthien had gone to visit their aunt at Rivendell, and Saeldur would spent the day at home because they were having visitors. Legolas had thought about going to see Findôl at the library, but Findôl would probably be helping his father and Legolas didn't feel like staying inside today.

So he took to wander aimlessly at all the places in the palace he had never been at, or had and did not remember it. They were not many, but looking around him now, Legolas realized that he had definitely never been here before.

The place was relatively close to the palace, but from the other side Legolas did not usually wandered to. There was a very nice big garden with beautiful flowers, and trees that were delighted to meet the young prince. The building there was rather large, and it seemed to be the only house around the area.

"I have never seen you here before." A voice startled Legolas, and before the princeling could react, an elleth dropped from the tree a few feet in front of him. She was around his age, maybe even a little younger and definitely a good head shorter. Her jade eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at him.

"I have never been here before." Legolas said truthfully. He inspected her hair that had a brilliant shade of red Legolas had never seen before. It was not auburn like his mother's used to be, or brown-red, but rather a dark red. It was the same color as the freckles that splashed on her pale face, like the tiny stars in the night sky.

"Are you new?" The girl asked, and then she offered a bright smile. "I am Tauriel."

Legolas frowned. "New? New where?"

"The orphanage." Tauriel said. Legolas just stared at her, he did not know they had an orphanage. Seeing his confusion, the elleth decided to elaborate.

"This place is an orphanage." She pointed behind her at the large building. "Here they bring Elflings whose parents have gone missing or died on patrols or in the woods. My brother and I were brought here when our parents died in the forest five years ago."

"Oh." Legolas said. "Well, my Nana is dead but I am fairly sure Ada would never sent me to an orphanage. I never knew we even had one." The blond made a menatl note to ask his father about it when he went home. "I am sorry about your parents." He added as an afterthought. "My name is Legolas."

"Thank you." Tauriel smiled. "I am sorry about your mother as well. So, if you are not an orphan, what are you doing here?"

Legolas shrugged. "I did not have anything to do today, so I decided to explore the outside grounds of the palace. I know the inside like the palm of my hand."

"You live inside the palace?" Tauriel's eyes widened slightly. Legolas winced. He had not intended to let that slip.

"Yes." He said, but thankfully Tauriel did not pursue.

"Nobody ever comes here, except us." She said. "Tis nice to see a new face." She gave him a long look. "Have you ever been in the forest?" She asked finally.

Legolas thought back to the visits to Rivendell with his mother, and then the dreadful occasion of her murder and the horrible days that followed, while he has held in the captivity of the smelly man and his friends until Terrence had come to rescue him. But on those occasions, he had always travelled, and never had much time to explore the forest, and when he wandered off, their escort always found him. By himself he had never been farther than the clearing Saeldur first introduced him to his friends. There was a lake, Rowan and Ruthien had been there many times with their parents, but it was farther than the grounds Ada allowed him to go.

"I guess I have?" It came out as more of a question. Tauriel smiled.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, looking around at the trees, that were very flattered at her compliment.

Legolas' mother used to say that the forest had seen better days. She said that the trees were bright green and golden in the sunlight, and everyone could go wherever they wanted to, because they were no shadows. There were no things lurking in the shadows and no one was afraid. Perhaps, if Legolas had lived to see the forest like that, then he, too, would have thought it now shadowed and dangerous. But he had not, and even dangerous and dark the forest was still beautiful.

There was a pulse, like a magnet that drew him to it. Communicating with the trees and climbing on them came to him almost naturally, and he loved it.

"So." Legolas said to break the spell of silence that had fallen around them. "What do you do around here for fun?"

Tauriel smirked.


THUD!

The arrow embanked itself dead center on the mark across from Legolas, and Tauriel looked at him with wide eyes.

"You are really good!" She praised, and Legolas couldn't help but smile. He wasn't gloating, he didn't like to gloat, but it was always very satisfying when someone praised his skills with a bow. He shrugged in response.

"I practice a lot."

"Me as well, but I have never managed to hit more than two dead center, especially not on first try." Tauriel rolled her eyes at him. "You are too modest."

Legolas just shrugged again. "How many Elves live here?" He asked.

Tauriel drew her brows together as she thought over his question. "Well, there is me and my brother, Maerven and Alya, Beinion..." She continued on with names of elves Legolas didn't know, counting them on her fingers, her eyes deep in thought as she tried to recall all of them. There were too many elves for Legolas' liking, considering that all of their parents had been killed. "Lady Vendethiel runs the orphanage, she is the one that deals with all the paperwork and make sure that all the Elflings without any family come here to find a home. She is very nice." Tauriel smiled, making dimples appeared on her cheeks.

She raised her bow and shot again, missing the target, but still not for many inches. She huffed in annoyance, and Legolas was about to tell her that it was alright if she didn't always hit the target, when a voice from behind did it for him.

"Practice makes perfect, nethig."

Both Elflings turned at the sound of the new voice. It belonged to an ellon around his adulthood, with red hair a few shades lighter and more ginger than Tauriel's.

"You always say that." Tauriel accused, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned to the newcomer.

"Tis because it is true." The elf shot back. His eyes were the exact same shade of jade green as Tauriel's.

"Legolas, this is my older brother Vero, Vero, this is my new friend Legolas." The redhead elleth introduced them.

Legolas bowed formally in greeting. "Mae l'ovannen."

"Mae l'ovannen ernilneth." Vero said, and there was a weird emphasis on Legolas' royal title. The prince's blue eyes widened, but next to him Tauriel rolled her eyes again.

"Do not make him uncomfortable Vero." She said. " I am tired of you scaring all my friends away."

"As her lady wishes." Vero replied with a smirk and a mock bow. Tauriel threw her brother a dirty look as Legolas forced himself not to laugh.

"Come on Legolas." Tauriel said, grabbing hold of his right arm and pulling him away, abandoning the bows and arrows they had previously been playing with. "Let me show you the vegetable garden."

As Legolas allowed himself to be dragged behind the redhead, he could see Vero watching them go with an indescribable expression in his face.

"I am sorry about that." Tauriel said with an apologetic look. "Ever since our parents died, my brother has become very protectively of me. He confronts anyhting as if it were a threat."

Legolas nodded, and then Tauriel started explaining to him how they grew vegetables and fruits in the garden. As she picked up an apple from a basket next to a tree trunk, he could swear that Vero was watching them. He shook his head and forced himself to focus on the apple tree that was proudly explaining the process of growing fruits.


"Ada?" Legolas peered into his father's study, where Thranduil was sitting behind his desk, finishing the day's paperwork. He looked up as Legolas entered the room, his blue eyes finding the ones of his son.

"Yes Legolas, what is it?" Thranduil gestured for him to come closer. The Elfling fumbled with the fabric of his tunic, hesitating. Thranduil gave him an encouraging smile, and Legolas took a deep breath, preparing to ask his question.

"Ada, why do so many elves die in the patrols and at the forest?"

Thranduil's face suddenly grew very serious. "Why do you ask that, tithen las?"

"Because I made a new friend today." Legolas said, growing more confident in his questioning the more he talked. "Her name is Tauriel and she lives in the orphanage we apparently have in the palace with her brother because her parents died at the forest. But there are many Elflfings there. Why do so many people die in the forest Ada?"

Thranduil pushed his papers aside and sited Legolas on his lap, the work he had to do forgotten. "Well Legolas, you see..." the King started, choosing his words very carefully. "The forest has become a very dangerous place, with spiders and Orcs hiding in the shadows, so our army sends out patrols to, um... make sure the forest is safe. But sometimes, bad things happen and they do not always come back." He averted his face towards the window, and Legolas waited for him to continue. "Tis why we made an orphanage, so that Elflings whose parents are gone can have a loving family as well."

Legolas nodded slowly, his father's words sinking in. "Good." He said finally, and he sounded satisfied. "Everyone deserves someone to love them."

Thranduil smiled, and gently tucked a strand of golden hair behind his son's ear, as the Elfling snuggled into him. "Yes, tithen las, they do."


Sindarin Translations

Nana= Mom/mommy

ellon= male elf

elleth= female elf

Ada= Dad/Daddy

nethig= little sister

mae l'ovannen= well met (formal, used for people you don't know or are of a higher class than you)

ernilneth= princeling

tithen las= little leaf


Weeeell? What do you think?