Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
In the battle of five armies, elves, dwarves and men had defeated the armies of both Dol Goldur and Grundabad orcs. Azog the defiler was dead. At the expense of blood of many men, elves and dwarves, now Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror was King Under the Mountain. There were many who were injured in the battle. Kili Durin was one of them.
"Legolas! Help!", Tauriel cried out to her prince. Mirkwood prince ran towards her, finding him with dark haired young dwarven prince who was injured. His blood was pouring out of huge puncture that could be seen in the chest.
" Help me, Legolas. We have to get him somewhere safe." Tauriel said to elven prince. She was putting her arm around Kili Durin's waist to get him up. Legolas swiftly get to the other side to brace him up.
"His wound is bad. He need medicine and care." Legolas told Tauriel. "We must get him inside the mountain to his kins."
They both started to walk towards Erebor, taking special care of unconscious Kili's wound.
When they reached Erebor, Legolas went inside to check for the orcs. Erebor was empty. Dwarves were outside helping others, who had sustained injuries.
"No one is in here", Legolas called. " not even a dwarf. "
"Still we should get him inside." Tauriel said. Although dwarf was shorter than her but his weight was difficult to bear.
They found a room which contained a bed. They put him on it.
"Do you have some Athelas on you?" Legolas asked.
"Yes. In little amount." Tauriel took out herb from her satchel and handed out to Legolas.
"Help me to take off his shirt. His bleeding must be stopped at once." Legolas said. Tauriel helped him in the task. Legolas applied crushed herb on Kili's wound. They wrapped a sheet around his wound.
"You stay here with him. I will stand guard. There are still others who will take any chance to harm the Durins." Legolas ordered her.
"He will remain unconscious for a while. Can I come too?" Tauriel asked.
Legolas nodded. They both sat outside the room on the bench.
"Legolas?" Tauriel called him after a while.
He looked up at her.
"You approve of this?" She asked with a fear of him not approving.
"Of what?" He knew what she was asking about but he asked any way.
"Me and Kili." She lowered her head, afraid to look into his eyes.
He smiled at her.
"Do you have any reason in mind for me not approving of you both?"
"I feared you might not like me being acquainted with him."
"You have my blessings, Tauriel. He is a strong and brave dwarf." Legolas always thought the pair was an unusual one. Kili was unusual dwarf. He was taller than other dwarves.He doesn't possessed a beard and unlike others dwarves his prime weapon was bow and arrow where other dwarves use sword and axe. Tauriel herself was unlikely she-elf. She was a warrior, a captain of guards, which was an odd office for a lady. Her hair colour was also different from others.
"You are not mad?" She asked him surprised.
"No. Why would I be!" He smiled. "I can see it is true one. If he wants to claim you, I think you should accept him."
"What about King Thranduil?" That's what she feared most.
"He won't be able to defy you. I'll stand between you and him if he does." He was confident.
. . . . .
"Kili? Where is Kili?" King of Erebor was looking for his nephew.
"I saw Legolas taking him into the mountain" Gandalf told Thorin.
"Balin, come with me." Thorin asked older dwarf. "He was injured."
They both entered in the halls of Erebor and found Thranduil's son sitting on guard. He gestured towards the room where Kili was. Thorin without second glance at him went inside. So does Balin. Tauriel was already inside taking care of Kili.
"Kili!" Thorin was relieved to see him awake and well tended.
"Thorin!" Kili smiled at his uncle. Thorin took his head in his hands and kissed his forehead. He rested his head on his. Fili also came inside.
"Brother! You are fine!" He held him tight. "How? I thought I lost you!"
"Tauriel and Legolas helped me." He smiled at Tauriel. Thorin looked towards her. His expressions softened. He slightly bowed towards her, who bowed back. She then left the room giving Kili's kins some space.
Balin after sometime came outside too. He looked towards elf lad and then sat beside him. Legolas was surprised at it. Balin looked at him and smiled.
"Master elf, I believe some gratitude are in order." He held out his hand for him to shake. Legolas looking at this warm dwarf shook it. "Thank you for taking care of Kili."
Legolas bowed slightly. Balin eyed son of Thranduil. He started to like him.
"Do not worry about Thorin, Master elf. It has been long since dwarves and elves drift apart. " Looking at uneasy young elf, he carried on. "We are warm of hearts and you are quite different from your father. They will warm up to you, lad, just give them some time."
Fili came out of the room. He looked towards Legolas and cried, "YOU!"
Legolas bit afraid of him stood up.
"You saved my brother?" Fili asked him. Legolas didn't answer yet his face clearly showed 'guilty as charged' expression. Then unusual happened. Fili put his arms around blond elf and embraced him.
"Thank you!" He spoke softly.
Legolas was shocked at this action of dwarf towards him. He just slightly patted him on shoulder. These dwarves are not as bad as we think them to be, he thought. Fili smiled at him and again said, "Many many thanks."
Thorin came out.
"Where is that she-elf?" He asked Balin.
"Her name is Tauriel, Thorin. She is gone to get some more kingsfoil for Kili." White haired dwarf replied.
"Kili is asking for her. You get her to him. I am going to check on wounded." Thorin without looking at others left.
Balin got up to get Tauriel. Legolas sat outside with Fili. Fili was uneasy. It was his duty as a crown prince to be with his kins, taking care of them. Yet he does not want to leave his brother. After a while, Legolas judging his uneasiness, spoke to Fili.
"You can go out if you want to, master dwarf. I will watch over your brother until you return."
Fili nodded to him and left. As he was leaving, Tauriel entered. Fili giving her gentle smile went outside. Tauriel went straight in Kili's room.
"Tauriel!" Kili gave her his most biggest smile.
"How are you now, prince?" She smiled in return.
"Prince?" He slowly took her slender hand into his wide one. "I may be a prince but to you I always want to be Kili, just Kili." He gave her a smirk.
"You will always be dear to me, Kili. Always." She replied shyly.
"I can't get up. Will you lower your head towards me?" Kili asked her.
In return she shyly lowered her head to him. He softly touched her face and then her hair. He then took some strands of her hair and started to braid it. Tauriel looked at him in confusion. He smiled and said,
"Give me an honour to love you, to hold you, to shower my affections for rest of my life! Will you be mine, forever? As my wife?"
"I am already yours, Kili. Can't you see that?" She lowered her eyes. She then remembered reading about dwarves. Braiding hair was like their bonding with their loved ones. "Even Legolas approved of us."
"Your prince approves of me?" Kili was surprised. "I don't believe it."
His hand then stopped. There was a new and beautiful braid in her long silky hair.
"There! Now you are claimed." He told her.
She traced the braid with her fingers.
"It is a courtship braid." Kili informed her. "As soon I am able to walk, I'll make you mine."
"Its beautiful. I had no idea you can braid like that." Braid was no doubt perfect.
"I practised on Fili's. All braids seen in his hair are made by me. Ma once said to me that I can braid as finely as any lady can." He smiled proudly.
"Your family approve of me?" She asked scared.
"Thorin and Fili approve. Ori already like you, so does Bofur." He told her. "Mother will too. As Thorin already approved."
"You need rest, Kili." She averted the conversation. "Your wounds are still fresh."
"Hmm." He closed his eyes and laid down. Then he opened his eyes and spoke to Tauriel.
"Will you sent your prince in? I want to talk to him." She nodded and went out.
. . . . . .
Legolas was sitting with his eyes closed and head rested on wall. He opened his eyes and looked at Tauriel. He could see a new braid in her hair. That was not elven style. He looked at her in confusion. She smiled shyly and lowered her head. "He want to meet you." Saying that she moved such that he couldn't see her face. He smiled knowingly and went inside.
Kili seeing him tried to sit up.
"No, you must not." Legolas saying that put his hand on his shoulder to make him lay down. "You need rest, master dwarf."
"I wanted to talk to you." Kili said.
"Before you can say anything, I want to tell you I approve the idea of you and Tauriel being together." He smiled at him. Kili looked shocked.
He composed himself and said,"I wanted to thank you for saving my life."
"No gratitude is needed. I believe that you could have done same for me."
"You clearly are Thranduil's son?" Kili asked him coaxing his eyebrow.
"I am." He simply said.
"I don't believe it!"
He did not mind. He knew how much dwarves hate his ada.
"You made me speechless." Kili after some time spoke. Then remembering something he asked.
"It is clearly first time in history, huh? You must be informed if such ever took place."
"I am afraid, I couldn't predict what you are inclining to say." Legolas replied.
"The marriage of a dwarf and elf. You people live long. You must knew." Kili said as matter of fact.
"I am not that much old, Kili Durin. I am fairly young for an elf. And no. I never heard of marriage of our two races." He shook his head. "I saw a new braid in Tauriel's hair. Is it something to do with you being want to marry her?"
"Aye. It is courtship braid. Now others know that she is claimed." He told blue eyed elf.
Legolas then nodded. "I think you will make her happy. She is very dear to me. So . . ."
"Don't worry, master elf." He cut off his words. "I won't hurt her in any way. I adore her beyond your imagination. She is like a light in the darkness. I won't let anything happen to her "
"May Illuvitar and his Valars favour you with happy life ahead." Legolas said to him. "Now you take rest, master dwarf. We will talk again."
"I want you to attend my wedding ceremony." He called after Legolas.
"I won't miss it. Or Tauriel will put an arrow in my chest." He replied and smiled at injured dwarf.
. . . . .