Can You Thaw This Heart Of Mine?

Chapter 19

It was then the Battle of the Five Armies passed, and even through the gruesome memories of the war, Legolas still couldn't get the elleth out of his head.

Now, he was starting to reconsider about getting back with her but then...she loves someone else already. That dark haired ellon. That elf could flash a youthful smile unlike him...how the prince wished he were him right now.

He didn't want Tauriel to think as if she was just an option to him.

"I never took her for granted... I know it..."

Legolas was sitting by a marble bench by the river side where he'd normally drain his thoughts out. Not many know about it, and it was his special was in steady peaceful harmony when a moment later, there was a familiar laughter and a rustle in the bushes behind him.

"If only I-"

The elf paused when she laid eyes on Legolas. Tauriel was frozen for a moment and quickly decided to turn back before he could say something...she heard him more than once before, and his words stabbed her like lyrical daggers.

She turned her back on him and readied to sprint when two strong arms locked her in from behind and refused to let her go. For a moment, Tauriel thought that she was being kidnapped, that is, until familiar strands of fair, blonde hair swept on her face and neck and a face pressed itself on the back of her head.

"Tauriel, let me explain-"

But the elleth quickly spun and pushed him away, and when he looked at her, all he saw was rage in her eyes.

"Leave me alone!" she said, gritting her teeth and seething with rage. She prepared to leave once more when Legolas grabbed hold of her wrist.

"No,no meleth, let me explai-"

Tauriel slapped him and tears flowed from her eyes. Legolas was taken back at how hard she had hit him.

"Do not meleth me!" she screamed, her voice filled with sadness and frustration, "you don't know how hurt I was- you don't know how many times I have been crying myself to sleep every night!"

"Tauriel...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to- it's not what you think..." he stammered in a whisper.

Finding no words that could soothe her pained soul, Legolas pulled her closer, and she gave in. She stopped struggling and melted in his embrace.

"Why do you always want to see me hurt?" Tauriel whimpered, "do you think it's funny to see me suffer? Do you, Legolas?"

"No!" he exclaimed, looking straight into her eyes, "No, I never wanted to see you hurt and I do not want to see you suffer!"

"Then tell me why!" she said, pounding her fist on his chest, "Tell me why you wanted me to get out of your life!"

"I never wanted you to leave me, Tauriel!" he answered loudly, startling the elleth. Then, he sighed and held her shoulders softly.

"I never wanted you out of my life, I wanted to be with you but I can't!" he paused and hung his head in despair. "...because I needed to protect you..."

A moment soon, the two sat on the marble bench and talked things out.

"...if that arrow hit you, I..." whispered Legolas, "I wouldn't know how I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror, knowing I have failed."

Tauriel stared melancholy on the green grass that have spread at a fair distance as the truth settled in.

"But then..." he continued with a faint smile, "I realized that taking that arrow was my greatest accomplishment..."

"Why's that?" asked the elleth, quickly eyeing him.

With a sigh, and a broader smile, the ellon looked up at her beautiful face.

"Because, it wasn't my father who told me to do it...it was my heart." Legolas turned to her and lifted her chin up. "I finally had another reason to fight...you."

The two stared at each other in disbelief, until Legolas looked down again and relaxed his shoulders.

"I didn't mean to make you cry," he said softly, "but if our enemies knew about us then...they could use you to get to me." The prince glared at the waters. "Orcs know about our weaknesses Tauriel...and they will use every bit of it to their advantage."

The elleth sighed. "Legolas I... I just thought that we could love each other like the elves in the tales...their love was pure and long, I envied them, and now that this happened, well, I knew that it was too good to be true." Tauriel looked down and bit her lip. "Why should I even believe in fantasies...when I am not a princess?"

Legolas was hurt when she said those.

"I didn't want to ruin it for you Tauriel... I'm so sorry..." he whispered.

"Nah..." replied the elleth pained and confused, "I knew it was coming anyway...sooner or later."

"I...I want you to give me a second chance Tauriel..." he whispered.

The captain looked at him and her eyes snapped open. Legolas knew that she already loved someone else and quickly tried to retrieve his words.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered, "I know you..." he said, the words dying painfully in his throat, "I know you already love another ellon."

Tauriel jerked up in surprise.

"With the way I treated you, I really couldn't blame you...you deserve someone better than me Tauriel, someone who actually knows how, to protect his beloved."

"Legolas..." she said with a smile, "I'm not in love with another ellon..."

Legolas wished he had heard right. "You..you do not love that dark haired ellon?"

The elleth laughed. "No!" she exclaimed, then her voice softened. Legolas looked at her with longing eyes.

"Then...who do you love?"

With that said, Tauriel grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked it to her direction.

Then she kissed him and felt a smile curling up on both their lips. Pulling away, the elleth gave a short sigh.

"I still am in love with the same prince..."