So after seeing the Battle of the Five Armies today (13/13/14), the scenes between Legolas and Tauriel really inspired me to write this. I loved the way Legolas pretty much poured his heart out to Tauriel and she unknowingly ripped his heart out by just ignoring that and looking to Kili all the time. So I decided to write this based on Legolas' last scene with Thranduil – which was awesome! - I honestly thought they were going to hug when he turned back. Anyway on with the story! I apologize for any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes – all elvish translations will be at the end of the story.
He had to leave, Legolas couldn't stay any longer, there had been too much bloodshed, so many deaths that he wouldn't be able to cope if he went back to Mirkwood. He said goodbye to his father and left to find his horse, it wasn't goodbye forever just for now and his father understood that. He hadn't said goodbye to Tauriel though, she was clearly grieving over Kili's death and he gave her space, Legolas had also partly avoided her, he had told her how he felt for her and she didn't reciprocate his feelings so it was best if they left it at that. Though Legolas wondered if he would ever really love another like he loved Tauriel. When he finally got to his horse he was surprised more than anything to see her stood there, "Tauriel?"
"I am banished, I have nowhere to go, no-one to go to. Your father said you were leaving and if you would allow it I would like to travel with you my prince." She knew it was unfair to ask him especially after she had barely said two words to him when he saved her life but what she said was true, she had no-one. No-one but him. She could see that he was struggling to make a decision and she didn't want to be a burden, "I understand why you wouldn't want me to come. It's alright, I'll find my own way." She bowed and turned to walk away. It upset her to leave him but she didn't want to cause him any discomfort by accompanying him. Before she had taken two steps Legolas grabbed her arm which caused her to turn and face him.
"You may come with me, but on this journey I am not your prince I am simply Legolas." He should have let her go, let her walk away and never look back. But he couldn't, every fibre in his body was telling him to let her go but his heart wasn't ready. He climbed on his horse and offered her a hand up which Tauriel gladly accepted and she hopped on behind him. "Is there anyone you want to see or anything you want to get before we leave?" Tauriel shook her head and that was all Legolas needed to spur his horse to a steady gallop out of Dale. He directed his horse to head North, he knew he wouldn't reach the Dúnedain today or even tomorrow so that meant that he had to find somewhere for them to stay or they would have to make camp in the woods on their way. The ride was quiet between the two for that afternoon, Tauriel was still partly in grief and Legolas was deep in thought about his decision to let Tauriel know how he felt about her and to let her come North with him, he was conflicted on both fronts. During the evening they had slowed to a steady trot and it had already darkened, they had yet to come across a town on the way North but he remained hopeful, Legolas didn't want to camp out at night in unfamiliar territory with little to no supplies. A few hours later Legolas could tell that his horse was getting tired and he was beginning to doubt if there was any type of civilisation near them when he spotted a faint light in the distance, he pushed his horse on a little more when they eventually reached a small town. This town had a gate and was fenced in but once they entered, it seemed like any other small, isolated town. There were houses, shops and an inn that hopefully had a room for both of them. Legolas had put his horse in the stable by the inn and paid for someone to feed and groom him. Once they had entered the inn, he asked for a room and the innkeeper gave him the room key in exchange for money.
"The room is up the stairs, turn right and it's the second door on your left. Feel free to come down when you like for breakfast tomorrow morning and I can get some food and drink sent up to your room if you like tonight? You look like you travelled a long way to get here."
"Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated." Legolas took the key and lead Tauriel to their room. He was hardly surprised to see that there was only one bed in the room, it was an even sized room but he didn't know how Tauriel was going to react to only having one bed, "if you want I can go back and speak to the innkeeper about getting another room?"
"No, we will make do. This will be fine." She removed her quiver and bow and placed her knife belt against a wall. She turned away from him and began to remove the outer layer of her clothing so she was left in nothing but a small top and her leggings. Tauriel began to unbraid her hair so it could flow loosely. She looked up at Legolas who had done the same thing that she had and was now in a just a shirt and leggings, "diola lle Legolas," she whispered. "Thank you for saving me from Bolg. If you hadn't been there or Kili... He surely would have killed me."
Legolas knelt down in front of her so he was at her eye level, "I will be there for you every time Tauriel." Now that he was this close to her he finally managed to get a good look at her injuries, her neck was raw where he guessed Bolg grabbed her and her wrists were bruised badly. He gently felt around her neck for anything else but it was just red, it would heal fairly quickly on it's own. Her wrists however he had a real concern about, he carefully took her right arm and held her wrist in his hand for closer inspection. When he ran his thumb across her wrist she winced and tried to pull her arm back instinctively, "shh. I'm sorry." He didn't want to cause her anymore distress but he needed to look at it, so he was firm but gentle. "You twisted it badly, luckily I don't think it's broken. I have some herbs that might help with the bruising if you will allow me to put it on." Tauriel nodded and Legolas stood to go and get the herbs in his pouch. Her wrist felt all the more sensitive now, she didn't know if it was because she had stopped ignoring the pain or if it was because Legolas' touch had awakened her senses. Legolas left the room for a moment and then came back with a bowl of hot water, he began breaking up the herbs and putting them into the water, when the water cooled he drained it into a cup, then took out the herbs and placed them onto a clean cloth that he was going bandage around Tauriel's wrist. Tauriel watched as he was doing all of this, not just because she could learn from it but there was just something mesmerising about him doing it. Legolas walked back over to her but this time he sat next to her and put her wrist on his knee, he handed her the cup of water, "yulna. It'll help with the healing." While Tauriel drank he bound her wrist in a bandage with the cloth and herbs covering the bruising. "Leave that on for a couple of weeks and it should be better."
Tauriel was extremely grateful, she knew he could have just left her alone and not helped but he did and she couldn't express her gratitude in words so she brought her arm across to her shoulder and then extended it to him, he returned her gesture, it symbolized respect and gratitude between the elves and the gesture was not thrown around lightly. The moment was put on hold when there was a knock on the door, Tauriel went to open it and it was the innkeeper. He had brought the food and drink as he said he would, she thanked him and he left. They ate the food in silence but it was a comfortable silence, it was like they had reached some sort of understanding for now. She was tired now and wanted to get some rest, "I do not mind sharing the bed if it is alright with you."
"Of course it's alright," Legolas got into the bed after Tauriel. That night they slept back to back with no awkward tension between them which was more than Legolas could have asked for in that moment. In morning when he woke up, he was a little surprised to find that he had moved around in the night and Tauriel's back was now nearly pressed up against his chest. He moved to get out of bed but tried not to move Tauriel too much, as he was rising he noticed that the area around her eyes was red and he realized that she was crying and had been for some time. He lowered himself back down onto the bed and when he noticed that another tear had escaped he wiped it before it ran down her face, his action startled her but Legolas was quick to calm her down, "it's okay Tauriel. You're okay." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, she relaxed again and he could see that she was trying to reign in her grief. "It's fine to grieve Tauriel, you lost someone you loved, if only for a brief period but you lost him nonetheless. Just don't let your grief overwhelm you." Tauriel turned around in the small space that she was occupying on the bed so she was now facing him and it was clear to him that she was looking for some comfort. Legolas was happy to provide her with that friendly comfort, he put his arm around her and let Tauriel rest her head near his chest. "You cannot help what your heart desires Tauriel, I know how you felt about the dwarf." It was clear that in the brief period that she had got to know Kili in that she felt something for him and while Legolas wanted more than anything for Tauriel to return his feelings he wasn't going to push her on the subject now, he wanted her to heal first; physically and mentally.
"And what does your heart want Legolas?" Tauriel looked up at him and it reminded him of the small fearful child that his father had introduced him to when he was younger. She was beautiful when they were younger, but now she was breathtaking.
"Lle." He didn't want to overwhelm her with his feelings for her so when she tucked her face into the pillow as a way of shying away from him he let her. They both got up, got dressed and ready to ride some more. "Can you go down to the stables and get my horse ready while I find some supplies for us?"
"Of course, where exactly are we headed? I know we are going North but to where?" Tauriel asked as she slipped on her knife belt and her quiver.
"We are going to the Dunedain camp to look for a man known as Strider. My father said that Strider's father was a great man by the name of Arathorn and that it would be in my interests to befriend this man. But first we have to find him." When they were both ready they went downstairs, had breakfast and set about doing their individual tasks. Tauriel went to the stables and Legolas went around to the shops to get some supplies, not only food and water but more blankets and clothing for he feared that this was the last town before they would reach the Dunedain and that meant that they would have to camp out on their way. Once he had got enough supplies he went to meet Tauriel at the stables, when he got there he didn't make his presence known immediately instead he stood by the door and just watched the scene in front of him play out. Tauriel was stood in front of the horse and it seemed as though they were playing a game, the horse would nudge her and she would rub his nose, then softly blow into his nose which he seemed to like and they would just play like that, back and forth. Legolas stood there for a few more minutes before he made himself known, "are you ready mellon?"
For the first time in a long time he heard her laugh at the horses antics as she answered him. "I'm ready Legolas." They both got on the horse and rode out of the town and continued their journey North. "When do you think we shall reach the Dunedain camp? Half a day, a day?"
"We will not reach them today. I have to be honest with you Tauriel, I do not know where their camp lies I only know that it is in the North and North is where we will go until we find them."
Tauriel seemed satisfied with his answer because she said no more on the subject. Their ride was another quiet one, in the back of her mind Kili was still in Tauriel's thoughts but now was not the time to grieve, she had to remain alert for Legolas. They were in unknown territory and she would never forgive herself if something happened to Legolas because she was caught up in her own emotions. Throughout the day they mainly rode across open plains, as the sun was setting they were lucky enough to find some shelter in a cluster of trees.
"We'll camp here for tonight," Legolas declared, he unloaded their supplies from his horse and then set the horse loose. "Here," he passed Tauriel the waterskin. "I will go and gather some firewood."
Tauriel nodded, "I will set up our camp." She drank quickly before laying out the clothing, food and drink. By the time it was dark Tauriel had everything ready now she was just sat waiting for Legolas to return with the firewood.
Legolas eventually came back with two armfuls of wood, he dumped them on the floor and began to light a fire, "I scouted the area, there isn't much cover this is the only woodland for miles." Legolas turned to look at Tauriel when he noticed that she was unusually quiet, "Tauriel? Are you alright?" He sat down next to her and gently touched her arm to get her attention, "Tauriel."
"I am alright now. When you were gone and the night had fallen I thought for a second that something had happened to you... And I wasn't there to help you." She whispered.
Legolas was beginning to understand her now that she was opening up to him again, "Is that what you're afraid of? That something will happen to me and it will be your fault?" Tauriel nodded and Legolas put his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer for comfort. Was she blaming herself for Kili's death? Legolas lightly shook her so she would look up at him, "I am no dwarf. I am not so easily killed and you know that. Kili's death was not your fault, between Bolg and Azog... He would have died, with or without you being there. I'm sorry to say it but that's what I believe." Legolas leaned in closer and pressed a soft kiss just above both of her eyes, "I will not leave you. By death or otherwise."
When she opened her eyes again Legolas gave her a small smile, "we cannot Legolas. I cannot, your father-"
"My father does not hold sway here. Ú or le a ú or nin. I know what my heart wants and has wanted for so many years now. I will not press you but please do not throw aside my feelings. At least think about what I have said." Legolas left it at that for the night, they both sat around the fire, ate and drank until it was time to sleep. "Get some rest, I'll take the watch." Although there was some tension between the two Tauriel had opted to sleep close to him by the fire, whether it was because she felt safer or not he didn't mind. Legolas happily took the watch knowing she would get some much needed rest. Halfway through the night since it was all quiet Legolas decided to shut his eyes for a brief period of time, while still sat up against the log. That 'brief' period turned to him sleeping the rest of the night and in the morning he awoke to something quite unexpected.
When Legolas next opened his eyes he was staring at the end of an arrow, he reached over to Tauriel and placed his arm over her sleeping form protectively, "we mean you no harm."
"What are two elves doing this far North?"
"I could ask you two the same question. Would you shoot your own kind? Who are you and why have you still got this arrow pointed at me?"
"I am Elladan and this is Elrohir." Elladan relaxed his stance and pointed the arrow away.
"I am Legolas and this is Tauriel," he introduced himself and her sleeping form, before Legolas said anything else he gently shook Tauriel awake, "mellon. Awaken, we have company."
Tauriel startled when she awoke to the black haired elves, "who are you?"
"This is Elladan and Elrohir, they are the sons of Lord Elrond." Legolas introduced the two to Tauriel, he then turned his attention back to the other two elves, "I have heard rumours that you run with the men of the North. Do you know where their camp is?"
"Yes, we know. Why do you ask?"
"I seek a man among them, perhaps you know him, he goes by the name Strider?"
"Ah yes. So you look for Strider? Well we can guide you to him. Prepare yourself and once you are ready we will take you to him." Elladan and Elrohir went a little ways out of the woods to go to their horses and left Legolas and Tauriel to it.
Once Tauriel had got rid of any evidence of them being there she turned to Legolas, "Legolas I thought about what you said to me last night and I... In time I will be able to love you again but do not press me for it."
Legolas couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was hope yet between the two of them, "thank you." He whispered. They mounted his horse and followed the elves, "Tauriel when we get there it could be a long while before we ever set foot in Mirkwood again, are you prepared for it?"
Tauriel smiled and placed kiss on his cheek, "it has been the two of us against the world from the start Legolas. This is a new chapter in both of our lives, one that we get to start together. Of course I am prepared for it."
Ta-da! Let me know what you think. The ending's a bit different I know but I wanted to try it and see if it would work. I love the fact that you all loved my last chapter and the reviews are still coming in. Thank you all so much for writing them, it really means a lot to me. This would have been published earlier but I was ill for 4 days so that put a spanner in the works. What did you think of The Battle of The Five Armies? I have a few opinions on it, PM me if you want to and we can talk about it. I have a few ideas for the next couple of chapters, some including scenes from the film and others are ideas from you lovely people!
Yulna - Drink
Ú or le a ú or nin – Not over you and not over me (yes I got that from the Arwen/Aragorn scene...Shh)