Chapter III.

Girithron 23rd 2941 T.A

Tauriel had awoken, she wasn't certain how long she asleep for or how she got into this foreign bed but one thing she knew was that her body felt as if she had been trampled. She looked around what looked like a cottage, a slightly abandoned one at that. It was one made out of cold grey quarried stone with a hearth in the corner, which smelt like vegetables and some kind of meat, and also a bookshelf with 3 books and two bags of belongings underneath the window. The elf tried to get out of bed when suddenly a sharp pain shot through her lower back and up into her neck, she cried out in pain as she lost her strength. Suddenly the wooden door swung open and Legolas walked in followed by a young golden haired girl and an older woman which Tauriel assumed her mother or maybe her grandmother.

"Tauriel" Legolas spoke calmer than his usual icy tone "Are you alright?"

"What, what has happened" Tauriel replied dazed, recovering from her pain. She watched as the older woman walked over the hearth and stir the contents of the pot. The younger girl no older than ten stood watched as Legolas sit by Tauriel's bed.

"This woman is Rayya and her granddaughter Sonir, villagers from Lake Town. They decided to get as far away from Erebor as possible, regardless of the safety at Dale." Rayya walked over to the bed and spoke. "The young prince saved us from some leftover orcs that were making their way back to a stronghold and in return I said I could heal you as I've experienced healing elves." She walked backed and poured a bowl of the stew and served it to the youngling.

Tauriel decided to make this conversation a bit more personal without two strangers listening. "Why couldn't the elves back home help me? Legolas Why didn't you take me home?" She spoke in fluent Sindarin. Tauriel was puzzled, her memory was fragmented. Legolas stared at her with his grey unemotional eyes, unaware of how to put this.

"There is no home for us anymore, Thranduil banished you Tauriel and I refused to go back without you, we've been here for the time being" Tauriel did not comprehend why Legolas would even consider living with humans for however long, it was completely out of his nature.

Suddenly everything fell into place, why she was banished and why she was in a vast amount of physical and emotional pain and why she needed to be healed. Kili.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sonir's question broke Tauriel out of her miserable trance. Tauriel looked back at the girl and expressed that she was going to be in good health over time. "How long have I been asleep?" She asked Legolas who was looking at her with worry. "A month, you were in a very poor state Tauriel and I hope to see you recovered in time"

Tauriel looked out the small window from where she was sitting up in the bed. She could see was a forestry of tall brown trees with the sunlight peering through the bare branches, winter had obviously settled in. She wanted out of the rigid bed and to feel the cold dew-covered grass under her naked feet again. Something she did not do very often but enjoyed those early morning patrols where the darkness faded and the rosy glow of the new day would appear. But it was nothing compared to the darkness of night freckled with starlight that always over powered the light of the moon.

Tauriel tried to get out of the bed again this time knowing what movements will cause her pain. "I think it's best for you in stay in bed dear" Rayya assured the elf.

"I'll be fine, I just need some air" Tauriel replied in English, taking off the quilts that she was buried under. "Tauriel. Wait." Legolas spoke quite abruptly as he took a gentle hold of her bandaged wrist, she let him help her out of the bed but brushed his grasp off as she felt she was capable of walking to the door.

Her pale hand pulled on the rusted door handle and an icy sensation danced lightly on her skin as the brisk air lingered in the doorway. She felt all three sets of eyes on her as she took a few steps away from the cottage. Tauriel looked around and noticed the home was settled in some kind of glade or clearing, the surrounding trees were tightly interwoven and the scent of earth and ice drifted through the air. All this serenity she could not help but feel grief run through her veins, if this was love she did not want it. Tauriel wanted someone to take away this pain.

She felt a presence behind her. "Why didn't you just leave me to die? Why did you stay with these humans for so long?"

"Tauriel, you are with child." He simply responded.

Tauriel did not know what was worse, having a child grow up fatherless or having a child whose father was a dwarf.