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The sound of an arrow flying through their air left a whistling sound followed soon after by a thud. A sigh escaped from Tauriel’s lips. “Why are you following me?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Forever would the prince of Mirkwood remain – well, his usual self, always breaking the rules and not really caring what his father thought of what went down. She didn’t bother looking him in the eye, not wishing to deal with his usual type of humor at the current moment. Instead, she looked out over the area, taking in everything else around her, but then decided to get to the point of it all. “You know what I mean. Stop being so evasive.”
“We simply happen to be heading in the same direction.”
A breath of air escaped from deep in Tauriel’s lungs. “So, we conveniently are headed in the same direction now, are we?”
“Well, I really can’t head East, can I?” Legolas’ answer proved as divisive as his previous answers. “Plus, I’d be amiss if I left a friend in need alone, would I not.”
Tauriel let out a humming sound from her lips, deciding she’d get to the point – at least somewhat. “A friend, so you say.”
She sensed him moving closer yet didn’t look up at him. His voice strained. “You mean something by that.”
“I can’t reciprocate your feelings.”
A silence fell between the two, almost as if Legolas puzzled over her words. She hoped he might leave, so how she felt regarding Kili and his death wouldn’t be marred by the fact she couldn’t reciprocate his feelings. He finally said, “I’ve wracked my mind trying to figure out where you got that idea from.”
“Your father.” The words came out bitterly.
“My…” A string of curse words very unbecoming for an Elven prince escaped Legolas’ mouth before he lifted up his arm, letting his bow go off at whatever motionless target he took aim at. “Seriously.”
“Oh?”
“Why do you listen to that old fool?”
“You weren’t there, were you.”
“I don’t know why he’d got that idea into…” Legolas paused, making him strain slightly as if a thought crossed his mind. “He’s desperate for grandchildren?”
“Really?”
“It’s the only thing I can think of. I thought everyone knew I hold your friendship dearly, but look up to you since – well, you first let me act like a normal Elf, rather than treating me like a prince. You let me get into trouble, cause trouble.”
“Sometimes I think I let you get away with too much.”
“That’s not how I remember it.”
“That’s not…” She finally looked up at the young Elf Prince to see him looking at her, one of his eyebrows lifted up in amusement. “This isn’t amusing, really. You know full well…”
“…you’re the one who took off for Lake Town and I followed you for once.”
“That….”
“Well?”
“That is cruel, Legolas Thrandulian.”
He let out a sigh, looking away from her, obviously disliking the way she chastised him.
“I’m not in the mood for you mocking the way I feel.”
“I didn’t mean it that way, but need I remind you of the fact you barbed me first with your comment about letting me get away with too much?”
She felt her heart pound in her chest, infuriated, the tips of her pointed ears heating up in anger. She stood up, choosing to walk away from the young Elf Prince despite knowing he would follow after her. Perhaps the reason she didn’t run off despite the fact he retrieved his arrows from his target came from the fact she knew how stubborn a prince could be. They walked in silence, Tauriel inwardly fuming regarding the fact he didn’t leave her to her grief alone.
“Look…”
“Could you leave me alone!” She turned, putting her full furry into the look on her face hoping he’d finally find himself fully chastised.
Instead, he rubbed the back of his neck, looking at her with worry. “I already told you. I can’t rightly leave a friend in need alone.”
“I want to be alone in my grief!”
“You’re not the only one who lost someone.”
The look on his face was quite somber, yet still so frustrating. “Your mother doesn’t count Legolas Thranduilian!”
“I wasn’t talking about my mother.” Legolas sighed glancing away, still rubbing the back of his neck. “Perhaps that’s why he got the wrong idea. I mean…”
“What exactly are you talking about?”
He glanced at her, almost as if unsure of what to say. “There aren’t many Elves my age in Mirkwood.”
“There aren’t any Elves your age in Mirkwood!” Tauriel’s mouth snapped shut, recollecting before the darkness descended on Mirkwood, back before the darkness descended upon the forest. “There aren’t any Elves your age in Mirkwood anymore, but there weren’t any more born after that time. So, one of those Elves that passed onto… what am I saying. Why haven’t you said anything before?”
“I was young at the time.”
“And?”
“It’s not as if…” Legolas’ jaw shifted slightly as if the subject were uncomfortable for him. “Anyways, this is about how you’re feeling, not how I’m feeling.”
“But how are you feeling?”
“Tauriel, don’t turn this around like you usually do.” He laughed, yet she recognized the laugh as the one he did when he tried hiding how he really felt.
“You want me to talk, then you talk first.”
“What is there to say?” He of course wanted to avoid that subject as much as she wanted to avoid talking about how she felt regarding Kili’s death. His bow hung in his hand, but one hand reached over grabbing onto his other arm. She decided to turn and walk away, deciding to keep to her word; having him follow didn’t feel so bad. Yet, eventually, he did speak. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t need you apologizing for his death.”
“No. I mean, I am sorry he died. It felt, feels wrong.” There came a pause. “I’m sorry for what my father said to you.”
“You don’t need to apologize for your father’s actions Legolas Thrandulian.”
“Yes, but if he had known, would he have…”
His eyes closed. She knew this because she turned and looked at him. “What are you thinking?”
“If he had grandchildren…”
“Legolas.” She took on a rather stern tone.
“Look. I should have just found someone, even though it feels – felt wrong.”
“Then it never goes away?”
“No. It doesn’t. I wish I could tell you otherwise.”
“Yes, well, don’t let anyone tell you that not wanting to move on, not being ready to move on – it’s not wrong.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said…”
“I think you already know how I feel without me telling you.” She let out a sigh. “It’s not exactly something you can put into words yet is that really what you’re getting at.”
“Us not getting along with the Dwarves – that isn’t right. I don’t understand any of them.”
“So. I have no plans. What are yours?”
“Mine?” Legolas squirmed at the change of subject, but a smile did speak up. “He said to look for someone among the Edain.”
“Your father?” Tauriel let out a sigh.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“No.”
“Seriously. I left because…”
“Legolas, you don’t have to tell me why you left. I already get the fact you don’t agree with him, but I am glad that you left with his blessing. It would be much harder for you to reconcile later on.”
“I’m not sure I want to reconcile.”
She didn’t need to ask why. Thranduil – she’d seen first hand how he could be at times, yet his bigotry towards her declaring so much that if Legolas was interested in her that it was impossible. On the other hand, given the fact Legolas was the youngest Elf now in Mirkwood – was the youngest, she couldn’t blame Thranduil for being the way he was.
“So, let’s continue heading West and look for this Strider.”
“Oh?”
“Or do you have anything else planned.”
“Not really.”
“You know he wouldn’t want you wasting away.”
“What would you know about that?” She let out a sigh, feeling the Elf Prince overstepped again.
“I wonder if they’d have made good friends.”
Her eyes blinked, contemplating what he meant.
“They didn’t seem bad for Dwarves. Are all Dwarves interesting like that?”
Sometimes the train of thought Legolas went off on wasn’t one anyone could easily follow, yet he constantly lived life fully no matter what happened. A thought crossed her mind, realizing he meant Kili and his brother were similar and that wasting away would simply make their sacrifices in vain – no, she did need to live her life fully for Kili’s sake. Still, the grief wouldn’t easily abate.
“Fine. I’ll travel with you. See the world, learn more about other races. Do you think you could actually be able to make friends with Dwarves?”
“I don’t know. It would be difficult not to poke fun of the whole thing between Dwarves and Elves.”
“Oh, so the proud prince can admit his flaws?”
“I think Kili and Fili would have gotten the joke.”
“Probably, but you’re right in the fact it’s better not to be alone in my grief.”
“We’ve got a long journey ahead.” Of course, Legolas meant that in more ways than one.
This – this was a start.