Her Starlit Path (sequel to "Playing with Fire") [Legolas/Tauriel]

10: Banished

Author's Note: Okay, this chapter was very hard to write, and I know it has some mistakes in it. I promise I will go back and edit it later. I truly hope you enjoy! :)

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Chapter 10

They had reached the shore.

There were others that had not been so lucky. Tauriel noted the absence of many husbands and wives and children. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of a woman on the ground, clutching her moaning husband’s hand, sobbing. She chose to look away. I have never seen such death and destruction.

Another absence was equally noted: Legolas. Her heart panged with the memory of her staying and him going, so she chose to shove it beneath her concern for the human children. At the moment, they were scouring the wreckage of bodies and broken boats, shouting.

“Da!” Sigrid clutched Tilda’s hand tightly as they walked. “Da!”

“Da!” Tilda screamed, and Tauriel cut her off with a gentle hand on the shoulder and a nudge forward.

She knew what it was like to search carnage for a sign of life, for any sign of a loved one. Young though she was, there had been many Orc and spider attacks on the Realm in Tauriel’s lifetime. She had done the same for her mother, after they were attacked, all those years ago. And so, she could not stop these children, who wanted nothing more than their father’s comfort.

She allowed them to search on their own, for the time being. Her eyes flickered to the dwarves, who were not pulling their boat onto shore, but pushing away from it. Kili’s eyes found hers. She let out a breath as he approached.

“Tauriel.”

Before he could say any more, Fili’s voice came from the lake. “Kili! Come on, we’re leaving.”

She looked down, hiding how much she wished for him to stay. Did she want him to stay? The thought terrified her, so she murmured, “They are your people. You must go.”

She could not have predicted his next words, though she could not deny that they pleased her. “Come with me. I know how I feel, and I’m not afraid.” He smiled. “You make me feel alive.”

Alive? Her heart leapt. She had greatly wished for him to say that. She wanted nothing more than to return the sentiment, to tell the dwarf whom she could not love that he had healed her from an unspeakable pain. He made her feel alive as well.

Instead, she turned away. “I can’t.”

He caught her arm. “Tauriel.” And then…he said the words she could not say, with passion. With feel. I love you.

Her eyes widened. She found herself backing away, shaking her head. “I do not know what that means.”

His smile lit up his whole face now. “I think you do.”

She started to smile too. Started to turn towards him, to say it back to him with as much passion, with as much feel. I want to come with you. But she froze.

What was it that told her he was there? Was it a change in the breeze, a slight snap of the stones beneath his feet? Either way, she straightened upon the thought. Her hands shook. Her voice very nearly quavered.

“Ernil Legolas.”

Tauriel spoke to him with a formality she had not used since they had first met—she owed him as much after her blatant disobedience. She could not see him, and when he spoke, it was as though he had slapped her across the face.