Divided Hearts (a Legauriel novella) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1: Tauriel's Mission

The grand doors of the Woodland Realm sealed with a resounding boom, separating the elf Guard from any aid against the terrors of Mirkwood. This didn't worry Tauriel. She lived to venture into the unknown parts of the wood. Lived for the thrill of new and dangerous creatures. Lived for the hunt and its resulting glory. 

At least ... she used to. 

Tauriel jogged over the bridge connecting the elven gates to the well-worn paths of Mirkwood. She and the Guard knew their routine well. Knew the side paths to take when patrolling the vast lands known as Mirkwood. This had been Tauriel's life for centuries, a life as familiar to her as the faces of her fellow Guardsmen. And yet she felt so out of place. 

It had been six months since the Battle of the Five Armies when Tauriel and the other survivors had limped back to Mirkwood. King Thranduil allowed her to return to the Guard as a common soldier. She was forced to watch someone else hold her treasured rank, but she had to accept her circumstances. She was in uneasy standing with the other elves as it was. No matter how well she followed orders, they'd glare at her judgingly when they thought she wasn't looking. Even now as Tauriel ran with her fellow Guardsmen, she could feel the distance they gave her. They remembered why she had been banished. How she betrayed the king and her own kin ...

... by helping a Dwarf of all people.

A distant scream interrupted her thoughts. A human scream, Tauriel realized. What human would wander into Mirkwood? Tauriel's dark-haired replacement, Captain Leoren, waved at half the group and pointed at the tree boughs. He waved for the other half to follow him on the ground. Tauriel disapproved of the new captain's plan. He shouldn't split us up when we number so few. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped. Since the Battle had deprived the Guard of members, the few had to take up the work of many. They had no choice. Wordlessly, she followed her brethren up into the trees.

Tauriel paused on a thin branch, letting the others bound off in the direction of the scream. Her face heated with shame. When was the last time a climb had left her breathless? She hung her head and saw her gaunt hands. How weak she'd grown over these months! She shook her head. You are a fighter, she chided herself. Push past this! No one can overcome it for you; only you!

Tauriel jumped to the next branch, the familiar adrenaline rushing through her veins. She dashed along the limb, her feet moving so lightly the branch hardly moved. Beyond the roaring of the blood in her ears, she heard the sounds of battle - the clashing of swords, the battle cries of the elves ... and the familiar squeals of dying animals.

The spiders had returned.

Annoyed, Tauriel grimaced. Despite countless nest raids, the brutes still hadn't left. Thank the Valar there were only a few beasts to fight today. Far below Tauriel lay spider corpses, work of the grounded Guardsmen. Meanwhile, up ahead the elves shot repeatedly down through the boughs to help their kin on the ground below. So absorbed were they in their mission they didn't notice the two giant spiders charging them from the rear. 

"Behind you!" Tauriel shouted in elvish. The closer of the two spiders circled around and rushed at Tauriel, hissing. Tauriel leapt at the beast and landed on its head. She plunged her dagger through the thick hair and yanked it out. She somersaulted onto a nearby branch and faced the dead spider. She grinned, enjoying the power and strength she felt after the kill. Just for good measure, she shoved her foot against the spider's side and watched it plummet to the forest floor. For a moment, she believed she was Captain Tauriel once more ...

A hiss brought her attention back to her left. After Tauriel's warning, the elves had bounded to other branches out of the spider's reach. Furious, the beast hissed and futilely swiped at the air with a hairy leg. The dejected spider ran off, but something in Tauriel told her it wasn't retreating. Where are you going? she wondered. Her eyes darted between the spider and her kin still firing arrows. She fingered the bow strapped to her back. To join the archers would've been easy, but to go after the spider would've been a challenge. Tauriel's heart leapt at the idea of proving her skills to her kin. Surely they would respect her again after making such a kill.