In the Shadows | Legriel

Prologue

Slumping near his lifeless body, Tauriel takes Kíli in her arms, pressing her head to his chest and allowing her fiery red hair to drape over them both as the wind blows harshly all around them. Her heart, simultaneously softened and hardened from King Thranduil's words, has completely shattered, and she has no way to pick up the pieces.

Her jaw sets as she pushes Kíli's dark hair away from his cold forehead, and she can feel Legolas's eyes burning into her back.

"Tauriel..." he whispers cautiously. She can't see him, but she knows that he's taken a step closer toward her. Finally, his hand is resting lightly on her back, and he can feel her trembling.

Attempting to cease her choking sobs, Tauriel presses one last kiss to Kíli's forehead before his companions come to take him away. Bracing herself, she stands shakily, stubbornly refusing Legolas's offered hand.

"Love is cruel," she says slowly. "It only ends in pain. Legolas, do as your father commands... Go north. He is your king." Still, she won't meet his eyes, and she turns away from him so he will not see the tiny tears streaking down her porcelain skin. "Who are you to question him?"

Once again, his hand finds its way to her shoulder, "He may be my king, but I am his son. Tauriel, I won't leave you here. This... Strider may wait."

"Mellon... Please," she says, unable to cease quivering. "You must do as your father commands. There is nothing for you here," her voice breaks slightly as she lowers her head. "I must never return to Mirkwood. I am leaving here."

She feels his hand on her shoulder slowly drop as he inhales deeply. "I want to see you again one day... Please, Tauriel. Promise me that. Promise me that I'll see you again one day."

Finally, she turns to face him, the graveness on her face leaving no room for joy. "I cannot promise that, Legolas. You know that I cannot... I am no longer welcome in Mirkwood, and I long to do what I please when I wish to do it."

"There promise me that you'll take care of yourself," the Elven prince commands. "You need to be armed - Things are changing, Tauriel... For the worse. And I... know it will be useless to ask you to accompany me north."

She nods her head slowly, "It would be... I wish you all the luck in the world, mellon... I can feel that you will need it."

"Please, meleth nîn," he says softly before realizing his slip as she stiffens. "Tauriel... Just... Please allow me to find you a bow so that you can be properly armed before you leave. We have nothing remaining from this war..."

Digging her boot deeper into the ice, she barely grits the words out, attempting to quell the intense feelings within her. "I will be fine... I must go, and so should you." With that, she stands on her tiptoes to press a kiss to her Prince's cheek. "Novaer, mellon nîn... May we meet again one day."

Deciding to take a chance, he strokes away the tears on her cheeks with his thumb, "I will hold you to it, Tauriel... I'm sorry, meleth nîn. Galu..."

She takes off, running far away from both her troubles and from Kíli's startlingly lifeless body; Legolas doesn't pursue her, much to her relief. It's as though she's in a deep nightmare, unable to free herself from it. Legolas will seek out Strider and the Rangers of the north... Then she will go southwest - to the region of Rohan and Gondor, perhaps find refuge in the Fangorn Forest.

Yes, she decides... She will go to Fangorn Forest for as long as she needs in order to heal from the terrible wounds of her heart. Avoiding Mirkwood, her journey takes her through the Grey Mountains. Several months go by, but she is determined to reach Fangorn, where she will take refuge. Finally, at the River of Anduin, she's able to simply follow the current southward until she encounters the distributary called Limlight, near the Field of Celebrant.

When she arrives at Fangorn, she senses the trees' very beings as they sway with the wind and immediately begins to work. She's incredibly tired from her long journey, but she knows that it's best that she arm herself in case of attack.

Collecting fallen branches, she hoists herself into the boughs of a great oak tree near the outskirts of the forest before withdrawing a whittling knife.

Her long, deft fingers are skilled from a near millennium of working with arrows, and soon, she has a quiver full of her handiwork. Then, she sets to work at creating herself a bow since her last one was broken by Thranduil. She still has her daggers and several knives, and she's survived off the little she's been able to hunt and forage.

Thinking back to so many months ago, Tauriel is haunted by Legolas's dejected face as she kissed his cheek before departing. He had so much hope that she would go with him, but she just couldn't. Here is where she belongs... Fangorn Forest where she can die of a broken heart in peace.

But somehow, even as she thinks of death, deep within her, she knows that dying of a fractured heart is not in her future... She will rise above the brokenness she now feels and will become strong again. That is just her nature.

With new determination coursing through her veins, she begins a quest in finding something for her to eat.

This forest will be her sanctuary for as long as she needs it to be... and for as long as it remains asleep...