Tauriel weaves through the crowd, acutely aware of all the looks she's getting and the whispers following her.
While not entirely sure what exactly that was out on the dance floor, she does know it drew a lot of unwanted attention.
Once outside the great hall, she pauses, trying to steady her nerves.
In the heat of battle she can be as cold and hard as steel, but when it comes to social intricacies she finds herself outside of her comfort zone.
"I never expected you two to be so careless," says a haughty voice from behind her. "You may as well have pledged yourself to one another right then and there."
Recognizing the voice, Tauriel doesn't feel threatened, just annoyed.
"Good evening, Lord Haewon," she forces, as he paces out in front of her. "I'm not sure I know what you are referring to."
"Really?" he questions. "Everyone is already talking about it."
"Is there something you actually wanted, or are you going to stand here all night speaking of things you know nothing about? I know that is your specialty."
"To the point then… stay away from my son."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me," Haewon growls. "Stay away from my son!"
Tauriel feels her temper rising.
"I am getting extremely tired of aristocratic old men telling me who I can and cannot spend my time with!" she exclaims. "I will do as I please, thank you very much."
She attempts to step around him, but the councilman blocks her path.
"Haven't you done enough damage?" he asks. "First, you use your connection to the King to steal rank from Arradon, and now you are going to push him out of the Guard all together?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't steal rank from anyone! And I certainly didn't use some made up connection to get it!"
"I have it on good authority that my son was to be promoted to Captain, and then out of nowhere some little nobody Silvan slattern gets the position instead!"
Tauriel balks at his slur.
"How dare you—"
"How dare I what? Tell the truth? Admit it! You used Prince Legolas to get closer to the King and get your position! Then cast Legolas aside when he was of no further use. I bet your "special mission" was that dwarf you were making doe-eyes at. What? Did King Thranduil send you to seduce the lost jewels out of him?"
She doesn't even know where to begin. Tauriel has no idea what jewels he is talking about, and the rest of it is so preposterous it leaves her blanking to find adequate insults.
"It's a shame he went and got himself killed, your dwarf," the councilman continues. "It was probably better for him, though, imagine the embarrassment he would have suffered when you betrayed him."
Tauriel is saved from responding when Arradon springs from behind her and punches Lord Haewon in the jaw. She gasps and grabs Arradon's shoulder when he makes another move to attack.
"No," she protests, "don't! He's not worth it!"
Arradon turns to her and there is an anger in his usually kind eyes that she's never seen before.
"He should not have said those things to you!" he spits.
"Son," Lord Haewon starts, pausing to spit a mouthful of blood, "are you really going to let this lowborn hussy come between us?"
Growling, Arradon makes another lunge for his father, but Tauriel pulls him back.
"Please, don't," she pleads. "Let's just go."
"Just so you know," Arradon says, glaring at Lord Haewon, "I was offered a Captain's position. I turned it down. This was never my dream. It was yours."
Tauriel pushes her shock aside and leads Arradon away, leaving the stunned and bloodied councilman all alone.
"I'll walk you to your room," Arradon tells her as they round the corner.
"You didn't have to do that," she says.
"Somebody needed to. He has gotten away with his lies and slander for far too long. He needs to know there are consequences."
"Well, thank you."
He just grunts and nods in response.
"What you said to him," Tauriel starts, "about turning down a promotion? When was that?"
"Probably just before you received yours. I guess that explains why my father seems to hate you. Sorry about that."
"Don't be. I guess if anything I should thank you. If you hadn't turned down the position, I may never have been made Captain."
"I wouldn't say that. Prince Legolas was lobbying pretty hard for you to get the position. I saw you train once, back when you first joined the guard, and you had so much passion for it. You were made for it."
An almost overwhelming wave of longing washes over Tauriel. She misses Legolas. She misses the days when things were simple between them, fun and competitive. Back before he believed himself in love with her.
He had been her best teacher, and her closest friend.
She wants to clear the air with Arradon, to make it perfectly clear she only wishes to be friends, but she doesn't know how to approach the topic without sounding like a narcissist. Instead she remains quiet.
When they get to her room, Arradon opens the door for her and she gets a look at his hand. Gasping she grabs it and looks at his bruised knuckles.
"You should put something on this," she suggests, gently prodding the area and checking for fractures.
He winces, but shrugs.
"It'll be fine. You should get some rest, though. Aren't you returning to work tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'm terrified to face everyone. Will you be there?"
"In the morning," he says. "I have to tender my resignation."
"You're leaving? I—I mean that's great for you."
She plasters on a smile, and the look on his face says he can see right through it. It isn't that she's not happy for him, she wants him to follow his dream, but she'll be on her own now.
"You'll do great. How about we do dinner next week to discuss our progress, yeah?"
"Yeah," she agrees, this time smiling for real.
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."
Arradon and Tauriel both turn to find Arodeth standing there, having just come around the corner.
"Arradon, this is my friend, Arodeth," Tauriel introduces.
"Pleasure to meet you, my Lady," Arradon smirks, offering her a bow.
"And you… Sir," Arodeth breathes.
"Well, I should be on my way," he tells them. "Good evening, ladies."
"Oh, my," Arodeth mumbles, following Tauriel into her room. "You never mentioned how handsome he was."
"I guess I didn't notice," Tauriel shrugs. "What brings you here so late?"
"Hmm?"
Arodeth is staring down the hallway.
She blushes when she sees Tauriel watching her, and closes the door.
"Oh, well, I just wanted to see if you needed anything," the maid says, entirely unconvincing.
"What did you hear?" Tauriel demands, fearing Lord Haewon was right and the rumor mill is spinning already.
"Nothing. Why, should I have?"
"Um, no. It's just… why are you really here?"
"I wanted to check on you," Arodeth sighs. "I know how legendary King Thranduil's parties are, and it's just that you've been sober for over a month now. I would hate to see you backslide."
Tauriel is both embarrassed, and touched. She regrets ever being so weak as to dull her senses to escape, but she can't help but be thankful she has someone looking out for her.
"I'm fine, thank you."
"What is it you thought I heard?"
"I'd rather not discuss it right now," Tauriel apologizes. "I'm a little overwhelmed, and could really use some sleep."
"Of course, just let me know if you need anything."
After Arodeth leaves, Tauriel strips and climbs into bed. More than anything she'd love to visit the garden and sit in the night air, but she fears it would do little to clear her mind. She also doesn't want to risk running into the King tonight. Not after whatever that was on the dance floor.
Burying her face in her pillow, she tries to banish all thoughts and fall asleep, but her mind won't stop buzzing.
Are people really talking about what happened? Or was Haewon just trying to get a rise out of me?
Has he really been after me just because he thought I stole his son's promotion?
What a lunatic!
There has to be more to the story than that…
Was the King really jealous the other day? Do I want him to be jealous? Does it make me a bad person for even considering it?
What about Kili?
How many people know about Kili? How many now think he was a mission?
Over and over, questions she doesn't have answers to bounce back and forth. It feels like hours before pure exhaustion finally claims her.
Arodeth returns in the morning with a big breakfast to wake her. Tauriel hates the idea of getting out of bed, but the sudden realization that today is the day she rejoins the guard sends a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins.
It's enough to get her up, dressed, and picking over breakfast.
"Good luck today!" Arodeth wishes her as Tauriel walks out the door.
X
After Tauriel fled, Thranduil had wanted to go after her, but he feared he had made enough of a scene already.
Instead he tried to ease the possible gossip by dancing with as many women as possible. A few he even danced with multiple times. Lady Neleth, for instance, had been particularly clingy. He'd had a hard time shaking the woman without being rude.
What nobody knew was that his numerous partners all had one thing in common: the way he compared them all to Tauriel in his mind as they danced.
More accurately, he tallied up the ways they didn't compare.
Thranduil came to the sudden, and horrifying, conclusion that he may be developing some sort of attraction to his Captain.
He had rebelled from the thought at first, but the more he attempted to ignore it, the more persistent it got.
When he finally retired for the night, and was left with nothing but his thoughts, he tried to come up with a logical reason behind these new feelings.
He argued that having rescued her when she was young, he's always felt a bit protective. Now, after she has suffered the loss of a (would be) lover, he probably feels closer to her because of the shared experience. Thranduil concludes that those two factors when combined with her concern for Legolas must add up to his sudden interest.
That's all. Nothing more. It will pass.
However, the next day when Thranduil finds himself in his council room face to face with Tauriel, all logical reasons evaporate and he's left marveling at the shade of her hair in the torchlight.
"Your Majesty?"
Dagon, his most senior Captain of the Guard, is trying to get his attention.
"Hmm? Oh yes, what were you saying?" Thranduil asks, wanting to kick himself for looking like a fool.
"I was inquiring as to where you would like me to put Captain Tauriel now that she has returned to duty? I would have placed her myself, but since I still do not have full knowledge of her duties, I wouldn't want to misplace her."
Someone is still mad about being left out of the loop on the made up special mission, Thranduil thinks, not missing Dagon's snarky tone.
Tauriel is standing a couple feet behind the older Captain, hands clasped behind her back and staring at the ground. She looks tired, and refuses to meet his gaze.
"Place her in charge of one of the new expanded patrols," Thranduil commands.
Now she looks at me.
There is excitement in her eyes, and he can tell she is fighting a smile.
"As you wish, your Majesty," Dagon concedes.
"I'd like a full debrief tonight. Inform all patrol leaders to be present at dusk."
Since they began expanding their watch on the surrounding area, things have gotten a bit more perilous than the norm.
There have been an abnormal amount of spider nests discovered, the creatures are spreading like a plague. Then there has been the issue of the Orcs left from the battle, usually found roaming in groups of four or five.
They aren't difficult to dispatch in those numbers. Thranduil is thankful of their volatile nature, it's what keeps the numbers so low. If they attempt to travel in any larger groups, the Orcs usually end up killing one another off while struggling for power.
Dagon says he will pass on news of the meeting, and he and Tauriel excuse themselves to begin their duties.
On her way out Tauriel briefly pauses in the doorway to look back at him. She looks as if she has something to say, but she doesn't speak and soon leaves him on his own.
Be careful, he thinks as she walks away.
A few hours later, while going over the new trading roster for King Bard, Thranduil receives another visitor. This time one much less welcome.
"You cannot allow this!" Lord Haewon complains, throwing the door open as he barges through.
There is a guard trailing him, looking uneasy, as if unsure whether he should haul the councilman away or not. Thranduil shakes his head no and the guard retreats to just outside the room.
"Lord Haewon," the King drawls, taking not of the other man's split lip, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"My son resigned from the Guard this morning!"
"I am well aware."
"You must stop this! Do not accept his resignation, he is confused," Haewon argues.
"He did not seem confused when I spoke to him."
"You've already seen him?"
"Yes. When I heard of his resignation I thought he might need a new job. So I offered him a place among the court musicians."
"You… what?" the councilman's face is turning a vivid shade of red.
Thranduil does not respond, instead trying to return his attention to the papers spread before him.
"He— he assaulted me! Last night, during the feast. I want him punished!"
At this, Thranduil can no longer hold his temper. He stands from his desk and approaches Lord Haewon, sneering angrily.
"I am well aware of that as well," the King discloses, tone clipped. "Arradon admitted to me his crime when we spoke. He also told me why he did it."
The councilman tries to keep his head held high, but he can't hide the sudden apprehension in his eyes.
"Be grateful it is only your lip that is split," Thranduil tells him. "Had I been there, it would be your head."
Lord Haewon swallows audibly, but does not move as Thranduil returns to his seat, and calls for the guard waiting outside.
"Please see the councilman out," he commands.
Author's Note: This chapter is probably the shortest in a while, but it was a difficult one to write. This is probably my third rewrite of it, honestly. I know there isn't very much interaction between our favorite pair, but I'll make up for it soon ;)
Hoping to have the next (longer) chapter up by Sunday!