Chapter Text
"Tauriel, we've strayed to far, we need to go back now before it gets dark." Legolas whispered as he followed the red-headed captain of the guard. Tauriel had spotted a group of spiders near by and was slowly approaching them with her daggers in both hands. However, Legolas was watching the sky as he followed her, he could she the last beams of daylight cutting through the layers of trees to fall upon the forest floor.
Tauriel glanced back at the elf prince before looking forward again to her goal, "We can't let them stay, Legolas, your father ordered rid of the nest and I intend to do so." Legolas was about to argue but Tauriel had already jumped down into the nest and plunged her dagger into the eye of one of the spiders before stabbing its neck.
Legolas ran to higher ground before leaping off and gripping hold of an web of a spider and sliding down to force one of his twin swords through it's back. He slid off and swung his sword, cutting off the leg of a larger spider to make it fall before slicing off its hideous head. He glanced around to see Tauriel stabbing the last spider. Stepping over the corpses, Legolas made his way over to Tauriel who was wiping off spider blood from her knifes with an cloth.
"See? That didn't take that long, did it?" Tauriel teased with a smirk on her face.
Legolas crossed his arms, unimpressed, "You're right there but it was long enough for the sun to start setting, Ada going to be angry with us."
Tauriel rolled her eyes, "Well, we will have to explain to him that we were ridding spiders from his wood. But, until then we'll just have to find a spot to set up camp. Do you think that you can survive without your princely bed tonight?" She smirked and started to walk off to find a decent spot to rest.
Legolas followed her, "You know I prefer the outdoors, just like you." He smiled softly, uncaring about her teasing.
It did not take long for them to set up a small camp once they had found some flat ground. Legolas had built a fire from any wood dry enough to burn while Tauriel took on watch, searching the area before settling down on a large fallen tree.
Whenever they were alone like this they would always think back to their stories, just like children telling stories they had heard from others. Only they were no longer children and the stories they told weren't about others, they were about themselves and the things they had done together..
The final light of day faded, now no longer seen through the gaps between leaves. Legolas lay on his back as he looked up at the darkening sky. There was a gap, small but just big enough for him to see a few stars coming into sight, he let a content sigh slip past his lips. However, the scrap of metal pierced the quietness when Tauriel was sharpening her blades and made his blue eyes fall from the sky to the red-headed elf. Her face was a picture of pure concentration as she did so.
Legolas watched her in amusement, she had grown up so much since they were children. Her hair, of course, was still a furious red but was tied back neatly unlike the crazy mess of hair she once had which never had a single braid as they would fall out while she fought with the male children to prove she was stronger, Legolas often found himself victim to her boldness. Her green eyes, which once hid shyly when being told off for the actions by his father now glimmered in defiance when she argued about what was right for the kingdom. Her hands, that used to be so soft and gentle were now weapons in which she would use when without a weapon but would be just as deadly. He missed it when those once delicate fingers would run through his hair and plait it, they were not always the best made but he loved them anyway.
Tauriel glanced up at him, noticing him watching her and smiled warmly before looking back down at her knives. His lips curved into a small smile in return but he was too occupied watching her. She was his closes friend as a child but now she felt a little more than that to him. She was always by his side, whether it was just as friends when they had nothing else to do or when they fought in battle.
She had become a strong young women and he had to remember that as his feelings for her changed somehow. Legolas was unsure of what these new feelings for Tauriel were, until the day he found her after her argument with his Ada. He had found her in the archery range, shooting viciously at the targets but her anger effected her aim and apparently her hearing as she never heard him approach. Her eyes had only flashed towards him before going back to shooting, "What do you want, Legolas?" The words were laced with anger but he knew it wasn't towards him.
He had stood in silence for a moment before approaching her, "You're never going to kill the enemy with an aim like that." Tauriel merely growled lowly and notched another arrow.
"Let me help you." He positioned himself behind her and reached around to cover her string hand with his own and did the same with the one holding the bow, moving it into position. Tauriel's breath hitched slightly at the close contact but seemed to relax which made a red blush spread up his neck. Legolas' nose was filled with the fresh scent of her hair which also tickled his cheek. Slowly, he removed his hands and stepped back from her, "There. Now shoot."
He watched as she let out a long breath then released the arrow straight into the middle of the target. She lowered her bow and looked at him with a thankful but sad expression, "Thank you, I guess I should learn to control my anger."
Legolas smiled at her softly and rest a hand on her shoulder in reassurance, "It is not your fault, Tauriel. I know my father is hard to talk to but you shouldn't let that get to you. I think your right about clearing the woods if that helps."
Before Legolas could even do anything Tauriel had wrapped him in a tight hug, burying her face into his shoulder, "You're such a good friend, Legolas. I look forward to the day I see you sitting in your father's throne." Tauriel pulled back and placed a warm hand on his cheek, "You will make a great and wise king one day." And then, she left. Legolas stood with his hand to his cheek where hers had been and the blush had risen to tint them pink. He felt his heart thumping in his chest, something that had never happened before even though he had been in many situations such as that. He wasn't sure if it was love he felt for Tauriel but he felt something strong for her.
Now here he was, watching Tauriel sharpen her blades, wondering whether she felt the same way. He snapped out of his daze when he noticed the absence of the sound of scraping metal and saw those emerald eyes watching him, making him clear his throat awkwardly and sit up.
Tauriel laughed, "day dreaming were we?" She moved from the fallen tree and settled down next to him, her knee brushing lightly against his own.
Legolas shook his head, "Not at all."
"Sure you weren't" Tauriel laughed softly and patted his should. A blush tinted the prince's cheeks once again. He could feel Tauriel's eyes gliding over him before landing on his hair. "Your plaits have loosened," she picked up a loose strand of his hair lazily, "let me help." He knew she was referring to his help with her archery by the small smirk that curved her lips. She picked up a messed up plait and raised her eyebrow, "mind if I?"
Legolas nodded a yes then felt a tug at his hair as Tauriel ran her fingers through his hair to separate the loose plaits. The movement was light and, if he didn't know better, maybe even loving. Her clever finger made easy work of plaiting his hair, he let his eyes close as he relaxed into the sensation of her being so near to him, doing something they hadn't done since they were only children.
He felt the plait fall, finished, so he opened his eyes to a pleased face, "I forgot the last time you did that.."
"Well, people change. You're a good example of that." Her smile faded slightly.
Legolas tilted his head, curious, "How so?"
Tauriel played with her bracers, something she always did when she had something on her mind, "Your no longer the shy elfling who did what his ada told him to. Your archery is amazing along side your wits. Thranduil is wrong not to give you the amount of respect you deserve, but that isn't really something unexpected from him."
Legolas let out a low chuckle.
Tauriel looked up to the gap in the trees, "I want to leave Mirkwood, one day, I want to see the stars over middle earth."
"Your absence would greatly missed, especially by me.." Legolas smiled sadly, looking up with her.
Tauriel's eyes fell from the gap and her hand wrapped around his own which was resting on his knee, "Then come with me."
"What?" His eyes widened in shock.
She knelt in front of him, excitement brighten her face along with the campfire which lit her hair like a lantern, "Come with me. We always spoke of going on adventures like this together as children, why not do it while we're still young." The prince, however, was still unsure, "Just imagine it, Legolas," She fell back, pulling him with her so they looked up towards the sky, "Laying under the stars every night would be.. magical." She rolled onto her side, looking down at Legolas.
Legolas bit his bottom lip, unsure of what to say, "Ada wouldn't be happy. He would think you are corrupting my mind with childish ideas and he would claim that my place is with the elves of Mirkwood."
Tauriel traced Legolas' jawline with her fingers, the touches were feather light and made Legolas turn his head towards her. "You need to think for yourself, Mellonamin. You should go where your heart is, but is your heart in Mirkwood or with the stars?"
His gaze didn't look back or towards the stars, it settled on the smooth pale face in front of him in whom looked at him with knowing eyes, "My heart is with you." He was about to say more but he was silenced by a pair of soft lips sealing his own.
Their mouths moved in unison with all hesitation now fading as Tauriel leaned in closer to Legolas, pressing her smaller body into the curve of his. The kiss was everything but nothing like Legolas ever thought it would be. There was lust and passion but it was gentle and loving as the two caressed each others bodies, Legolas' hand slipped to her hip while Tauriel's ran through his hair while tugging on the plaits she had put in earlier.
The kiss ended with one, two, three smaller kisses. Legolas brushed a strand of Tauriel's dishevelled hair from her face and tucked it neatly behind her small pointed ear. "We should get some rest before heading back tomorrow."
"What about our adventure under the stars, Melamin?" Her voice was drowsy as the tiredness began to wash over them.
Legolas lay a small kiss to the corner of her mouth which curled into a soft smile, "Soon, A'maelamin, but we should wait until the battle against the Orcs is won and the realms are at peace."
Tauriel cuddled up to him and rest her head on his chest, "But what if I want to go sooner?"
Legolas wrapped a warm arm around her, his own eyes beginning to flutter shut, "You can't go alone."
Tauriel smiled lovingly up at him before closing her eyes, "But I won't be alone." With that she fell asleep.
Legolas let out a content sigh before whispering quietly while drifting to sleep, "That is true.."