~ Tentative Contemplations ~
Legolas had volunteered himself to scout ahead with his old companions from the guard; Fael, and Ceredir. At the last moment, Elladan joined their small party.
"Aerlaer is using being a horse as an excuse not to talk to anyone, and my brother is trading words with your... uh, the Mirkwood Captain, and my grandmother and your father are arguing about Eru knows what from the second age, half of the conversation is clearly in their heads." Elladan gave a helpless shrug.
Legolas's mouth dropped open, at, well, he wasn't sure what was worse; Aerlaer hiding in plain sight. Or Tauriel and Elrohir going head-to-head? What in Arda did they have to talk about?
"We'll ride two leagues ahead of the rest of the army, keeping to the treeline. Tauriel advised it is rare to see the enemy in daylight." Legolas said. Fael and Ceredir nodded in confirmation.
"Then let us depart." Elladan urged his mare forward into a lope.
According to his map, they had travelled a third of the way to Dol Guldor, when Ceredir broached the topic of Aerlaer.
"You must tell us, how you have come to be betrothed to the most beautiful elleth in all of Arda? I will not lie, mellon nin, I am immensely envious." He grinned. How did you meet? Elladan shot the guard a bemused look.
"I uh..." Legolas began, glancing at his two friends, and then to Elladan.
"I'm the Wilderlands." Elladan declared with two raised hands, and Legolas relaxed somewhat.
"Do you recall the mystery elleth who attended the masked dance before I joined the guard?"
"How could we forget? You spent years searching for her, and even when she had become a memory, still you looked twice at any new elleth who crossed our path." Fael murmured. "You never truly forgot her, did you?" Slowly, Legolas shook his head.
"She was right under my nose the entire time. She was Aerlaer."
"No, how?" Ceredir gasped, his green eyes wide with shock.
"She dyed her hair brown using black walnuts." Elladan filled in the next detail. And when her father, the late King Falas discovered she'd snuck into the Woodland Realm, he sent her to Lorien to learn how to act like a Princess, She trained under Haldir and Glorfindel, in an attempt to forget all about the mystery Mirkwood ellon, she was adamant she'd fallen in love with."
"Did Falas know it was Legolas?"
"He did. My father filled him in, it seems." Legolas bit out.
"Then why was there no union? A Prince and a Princess of two separate realms? Seems mad no one took advantage of such a strengthening between kingdoms." Fael frowned, staring at Legolas as if he knew the answer.
"According to a conversation I overhead this morning between my father and Aerlaer, he suggested a union, and Falas turned down the offer. He did not believe we could offer Aerlaer enough freedom within the Woodland kingdom."
"He had a point." Ceredir mused.
"He did." Legolas nodded reluctantly.
"Yet, he was happy to lock her up within the borders of Lothlorien for three-hundred years." Elladan interjected. "She missed her homeland terribly."
"No wonder we never worked out it was her." Fael shook his head, glancing towards the lands where the Edhelroch once lived. "She was never back in the herd when we were keeping an eye out, and well, then there was Tauriel..."
"Yes, Tauriel." Elladan stared Legolas down. "Care to explain exactly what is going on?"
...
"Woah, back up. A Dwarf?" Elrohir stared dumbfounded at the copper haired elleth riding alongside him on her equally copper stallion, and then let out a snort of laughter.
"I don't appreciate your laughter, Elrondion." She bit out, and he reined himself in, noting a flash of genuine deep hurt in her admittedly enchanting forest green eyes.
"Who was he? My father has hosted quite a few Dwarves in Imladris over the years." He asked, gentler. He had so far learned Tauriel had been orphaned and found in the woodland by King Thranduil. He'd assisted in her upbringing and brought her to live behind his walls. She was younger than Legolas, and he'd taken her under his wing, much like a sister. As they had grown, and well after coming of age, Legolas had seemed to see her as more than a friend, but had never acted on his feelings, feelings she was only half certain of in return. Then, Tauriel had met a Dwarf and fallen in love with him.
"Killi." She stared ahead, and Elrohir saw the single unshed tear glistening. "His name was, Killi."
"I remember, Killi." He murmured. "I liked him. He was a bit of a mischievous dwarf, but an excellent warrior." Tauriel nodded, swiping at her eyes.
"You were a part of the Battle of the Five Armies, which took Killi's life?"
"Yes."
"I am truly sorry." Elrohir reached across and laid his hand upon her forearm. She nodded, and after a long moment, continued their conversation.
After the battle, I was a mess, and it took some months to fully realise how much I missed Legolas's steady presence in my life. He just left. Without a goodbye. Nothing.
King Thranduil advised the entire realm, Legolas had left to pursue an issue in the North, where the Dunedin dwelt, but... he never returned. Later, I received the truth from Thranduil. Legolas could not bear to be near me. I'd broken his heart. And it seemed he'd tired of living under his father's rule.
"He lived among the Ranger's, it is where my brother and I met him." Elrohir said. We dragged his Sinda arse to Imladris, where he lived too, on and off. Despite my current dislike of him, Legolas is a treasured friend. I can understand why you missed him, but I am curious. Why did you kiss him yesterday, when you did not return his feelings?"
Tauriel's entire demeanour turned to one of embarrassment. "It was such a foolish thing to do. I had not expected to see him. Even Thranduil did not expect his return. We knew he was part of The Fellowship to destroy the Ring, and only by Thranduil's maternal bond to him did we know Legolas was alive. But, well, we feared him dead." Tauriel whispered, casting about as if searching for Legolas. "Thranduil felt the bond between them sever."
"Legolas died, or his lifeforce left his body." Elrohir murmured. "Aerlaer gave him a substantial amount of her own, preventing his fea from leaving too. Nearly killed herself in the process." He shrugged, watching Tauriel process his words a moment.
"How is that even possible?"
"Eru knows. She's full of surprises, my little cousin. Very handy to have around in a tight spot."
Tauriel nodded but didn't comment. Elrohir was no fool. He knew she was not overly fond of Aerlaer, perhaps even wary.
"So why did you kiss him?" He cut back to the chase. As much as he was enjoying riding alongside the Commander, he still needed to understand what was going on between her and Legolas.
"When King Thranduil admitted why Legolas had left, he also admitted he regretted forbidding Legolas to pursue anything, or for myself to encourage it. I did truly miss him, and it planted a seed in my mind, in my heart. If Legolas returned, I would make my feelings known." Tauriel stared unseeingly between her horse's ears. "I was the fool who leapt before checking the landing was clear. It never occurred to me he might have found another, but now..."
It was as if she had found a missing puzzle piece, the way her lips parted slightly in quiet surprise.
"What is it?" Elrohir gently prodded.
"When I was younger, he used to sketch with coloured chalks. He was very talented. I would sneak peaks at his older sketches. There were some of a dark-haired elleth. She wore a delicate butterfly mask, which covered most of her face, but it was obvious she was truly beautiful. I'd always assumed they were sketches of how he remembered his mother, for it was known she loved to dance beneath the trees. Legolas kept them at the back of his collection of sketches, as if he did not want anyone to see them." She took a breath. "I only knew where to look for them, because I'd caught Legolas gazing upon them once, and it had been with such unfathomable longing and bittersweet sadness." She whispered, turning to face him once more, understanding shining in her eyes. "Aerlaer. They would have been of Aerlaer."
...
Just because she was not speaking to him yet, did not mean she could not check he was safe. Elladan, too, she was checking on him too, of course.
Aerlaer had been forbidden to run through Mirkwood. It was far too dangerous and tangled, her father had warned, along with the elder members of the guard. And, of course, there was the giant spider problem.
They were not wrong, galloping headlong through the old oaks, dodging, and weaving and leaping over and under and around roots, rocks, vines, ferns, and whatever else blurred by, was both exhilarating and terrifying. The woodland was a death trap! Perhaps that was why her father had refused Thranduil? But she could have made up her own mind. Lothlorien was only slightly easier to run through.
Legolas, Elladan, and two other Woodland elves had slowed their horses to a walk, and she too slowed. Dol Guldur was just ahead. She was too far away to hear their conversation but hoped they would now return to the bulk of the army, two leagues behind them.
A clear voice rang out from the group of four, startling her; "We are heading back now, Aerlaer, if you care to join us?"
Silaear's Mane! How did Elladan know she was here? She stood, stock still, peering out from behind a tree at the group. Perhaps if I remain quiet, they'll think I'm not here, and I was just a deer.
"We can see you hiding behind that oak." Even from the distance, Aerlaer could see his grin. Damn him! It would be incredibly rude to ignore them, and... a small part of her longed to be closer to Legolas. A large part if she was being honest. But he didn't need to know that. Dragging her hoofs, she made her way to the very edge of the woods, where they waited.
"Greetings, Princess Aerlaer. It is an honour to finally meet you." A golden blonde-haired warrior bowed deeply in his saddle, his sky-blue eyes wide and sparkling. His evident admiration caught Aerlaer off guard, and she found herself glancing to Legolas for reassurance. Not Elladan, who she should have turned to.
"Aer." Legolas said so softly, she wondered if he spoke at all. "May I introduce you to my old friends, Ceredir," He nodded to the blonde warrior still watching her. "And Fael." The chestnut haired ellon nodded in greeting.
"We've met, my Lady. You danced with me at a certain masked dance, it seems."
"Oh." She nodded, recalling Legolas had mentioned one of his guards had danced with her too that eve so very long ago. "It is lovely to meet you both." Aerlaer bowed her head and sidled up alongside Elladan's mare, Rivé.
'Why do you avoid your mate?" She murmured into Aerlaer's mind. "His anxiety, sorrow and regret are all-consuming."
"He was interested in another. Perhaps still is?" Aerlaer replied, but her heart doubted what her mind kept repeating.
"I doubt such nonsense." The mare snorted in reply.
"I'm still unsure." She let out a soft sigh.
"Shall we head back?" Legolas asked, peering down at her.
"Yes." And she shot into a gallop, keeping a length in front of the others, so she would not see the longing and pain in Legolas's eyes.
...
"Would you look at that horse!"
"It's a Meara, surely."
"It's the Princess, idiot!"
Thranduil held in a smirk at the foolishness of his admiring warriors. But he too admired the beautiful golden bodied horse glistening in the sunlight; long mane and tail the colours of autumn leaves cascading out behind her. She'd gone to run with Legolas. Good. It seemed his little chat with her while avoiding getting his head sliced off had indeed tempered her wild emotions.
"Is our way clear?" He called out above the unavoidable sound of a full armoured army on the move. They were at least quieter than humans or... Dwarves. Perhaps not as quiet as Hobbits though... An army of Hobbits, now that would be interesting.
"We stopped within safe distance from the stronghold, my Lords." It was Fael who spoke for the small party of scouts, and Thranduil bit back his annoyance Legolas was simply not engaging as his rank required. "There was no movement we could sight." Fael continued, "Not even a guard on watch."
"Do you think they expect an attack and have locked themselves in?" It was Celeborn who spoke, but Thranduil did not gaze his way. He did not wish to catch Galadriel's attention-
"You catch it by simply thinking of me." Her voice chuckled in his mind.
"Damn witch, get out!"
"I am gladdened to see my youngest granddaughter and your son are close to speaking terms once more. Nothing worse than arguing before a battle..." Galadriel let the words hang in his mind.
"You're a piece of work, you know that?" He bit back, furious she'd pressed her blade where it would hurt most.
"Don't make the same mistake as your father, Thranduil." He snapped his head to look at her fully from where she sat astride her gleaming pale grey stallion. What had she foreseen? Fear crept over his skin, momentarily chilling his soul.
"Father?" That one word. His most cherished title of them all, and the one he never seemed to live up to. Thranduil looked to his son, noticing the slight frown, his right brow raised slightly higher than his left; just like his mother's had. "Will you give the order to attack from the woods once Lady Galadriel has brought down the outer walls?"
"Absolutely." Thranduil replied, and turning back, nodded to where Tauriel waited but some feet behind him. "Rally the archers to be ready." He ordered. Shoot anything that so much as twitches. We enter the woods in one league.
"Yes, sire." She nodded and whirled her horse about to summon their best archers.
"Legolas, ride with me." He commanded, beckoning to his son. Legolas glared balefully back. "Please." He added softer. "It has been a long time..." Aerlaer glanced between them, and then Legolas's grey gelding walked forward and turned to stand by his great elk. By Legolas's surprise, his horse had moved without his instruction. Thranduil sent a grateful look to the Princess who stood before him.
"Thank you." He mouthed. She nodded, turning her gaze to Legolas.
"Be safe." Her words were a whisper on the morning breeze, before she turned and made her way towards Lord Celeborn's side.
"Be safer." Legolas murmured after her, his gaze wistful. Perhaps Thranduil should have let him follow her, but Galadriel's warning kept him from sending his son away, and he closed his eyes a moment, concealing the pain and loss of his own father upon a battlefield from another lifetime.
...
The last league before the army would split to surround Dol Guldor was travelled with caution. Legolas remained by his father's side, Arod seeming to have taken a cue from Aerlaer to ride out beside his father's Elk.
"What you told Aerlaer this morning, is it true?" He asked, after looking across the riders to ensure she still trotted safely by Celeborn's side.
"Yes. I would not lie to her." His father replied. "She was truly welcome, and I found no issue with the match."
"You lie to me still now." Legolas could not believe it, shaking his head. "You refused to tell me who she was, where she was, all these years! How can you say you would have welcomed her?"
His father briefly closed his eyes, before turning his gaze honestly on Legolas. "My first reaction was fear. I knew immediately who Aerlaer was, her brother and herd mates too."
"Fear?"
"Not of her. I did not wish to lose you to the herd. My one fear was losing you. After your..." He turned away, focusing ahead, but Legolas had seen the sheer pain in his winter eyes. He'd been referring to Legolas's mother. He swallowed down his own sorrow.
"I wanted to confront King Falas first, ensure he knew I was not opposed to a union, but it would mean Aerlaer would become a Princess of the Greenwood, as you are the Crown Prince. He refused, to my surprise. He did not want her confined to the safety of our walls. And I came to understand he was probably right. In hindsight, I should have pushed him to at least consider a trial. Then she could have decided for herself. But Falas was adamant he'd send her to Lothlorien for a time." He let out a breath, casting a gaze to where Aerlaer ran, now beside Elladan and Haldir. "I did not know Falas left her locked away in the Golden Wood for three-hundred years." He touched his right cheek, where Legolas noticed a thin, un-treated cut.
"She spent her time in Lorien, training."
"Under Glorfindel." He gave a wry smile, which Legolas tentatively returned.
"Aye, she is spectacular with any blade. She is..."
"Like the sun, able to chase the shadows away?" His father asked, and Legolas couldn't hold back his wonder, nor his spreading grin. His father had listened, all those years ago, and he'd tried, in his own way, to bring him and Aerlaer together.
There was still so much discord between them, years' worth, but... perhaps all would be well?