Authors note: This chapter may or may not be a bit boring at times...but it isn't that long either so bear with me! After this it will get better again! Hope you like it anyway!
When Tauriel awoke the storm outside had subsided. She sat up quickly, startling Legolas. "Why didn't you wake me?" She asked. "You looked too beautiful to disturb." Legolas replied with complete honesty. Tauriel's heat fluttered inside, but on the outside she continued to be practical. "Legolas that is no reason to waste the time that we could be using to get to Rivendell."
"Don't worry. We will still get there in high time before the sun sets." Legolas assured her.
They began moving about the cave, gathering their possessions. Tauriel picked up a tin mug that her water had been in. She spotted her reflection in the metal. Her clothes didn't look half bad, considering they had been previously frozen solid. Her hair, on the other hand, was a different story. It was hardly even in its braids any more. How could it be from the wing having whipped through it, to sleeping on it for two nights? Legolas noticed that she was looking at herself. "I am in no condition to meet Lord Elrond." Tauriel sighed. Legolas walked over and began to undo her disheveled braids. Tauriel decided to sit contentedly and allow Legolas to braid her hair for her. The gentle pull of the strands into their proper place was like a lullaby. In fact if the prince had taken much longer than he did she may have fallen back to sleep, yet she was still disappointed when he finished. She loved the feeling of his hands in her hair. Tauriel looked up at him to offer to redo his, only to find that it was near perfection. Perhaps he has redone it while I slept. She thought. She thanked him for fixing her hair, and they got up to leave.
/
After the pair had reached the bottom of the mountain the snow had melted. They only had a short way through small wood until they would reach Rivendell. Legolas found himself running over in his mind what he would explain to Lord Elrond; while Tauriel found herself getting more nervous by the minute. What would he think of her? A mere Sylvan elf no longer even holding that status of captain? And here she was entering, probably the most royal of the elven kingdoms. She let out a sigh of worry. Legolas shook his head. "Stop worrying, Tauriel. Elrond is not like my father. He will find you delightful, I am sure. He took a pause, and the thought out loud accidentally. "Valar knows who wouldn't find you delightful." Tauriel grinned, and kissed Legolas' cheek; not being able to reach any farther being on a horse. "Thank you Legolas, but you need to stop showering me with compliments...or I could get a swelled head." She teased.
"First: You should already be aware of it all. If you cannot see your own beauty and kindness, mixed with the ferocity that I find so attractive, then I do not know what to do with you. Second: I love you more than anything in this world, but please, do not kiss me when I cannot return the favor." He told her matter-of-factly, but with a hint of playfulness in his tone. Tauriel, conniving elf that she can be, took advantage of this information, and continued to kiss the side of his face and along his jawline. Legolas groaned in annoyance. After only a few minutes of this torment he brought their horse to an abrupt halt, swung himself and Tauriel down, and kissed her on the lips with a burning passion. When they broke for air, Legolas said to her. "Tonight, melleth nin, we shall dance on an open balcony under the stars, and you may have all the kisses you desire. But for now, we must continue, we are only a few miles away."
/
As they came around the last bend in the wood, Tauriel caught sight of Rivendell. Her breath hitched in her throat at the sight of it and all its glory. Legolas had been right, it was not at all like Mirkwood. There were open balconies and pavilions everywhere. Little waterfalls flowed all around the city, illuminated by the westward-heading sun. Now knowing how grand the city really was, Tauriel became nervous again, but refused to let Legolas know this time.
Before they knew it they were cantering through the north-west gate.
They arrived! Thank you for the suggestion on the last chapter! But feel free to keep them coming since I would like to do more scenes like that :)