his exception

chapter nineteen: night

Bard looked at Maethel, giving her a slight nod. "Sigrid. Tilda." Bard spoke. "Show Maethel to her bed." He eyed her clothes. "And get her some clothes to sleep in." Sigrid nodded and rushed forwards towards the elleth. "You'll be able to fit into some of my pyjamas, so if you'll follow me.." The teenager ushered towards the princess. Maethel was about to move when she felt a small hand interlock with her own. Maethel looked down and saw Tilda beaming up at her. "You're really pretty." the young girl smiled and Maethel squished her cheeks, "and you..."

Tilda giggled and they both started to walk towards the door with Sigrid was patiently waiting. "Our house isn't very big.." Sigrid started as they made their way out the kitchen door. "though if you'll follow me we'll go up the stairs towards the second bathroom and the bedrooms.." Maethel was partially listening but mostly peering her head to look at the images which were hanging on the wall by the stairs. She saw a beautiful young woman who looked so much like an older Sigrid. Maethel concluded that, that was most likely Bard's late wife who he had talked previously about her being dead.

They made their way up the stairs and they quickly stopped outside of a small bedroom. Sigrid was in their in a flash and Maethel, still holding onto Tilda's hand, peeked her head through and noticed the neatly made bed and the family pictures on the dressing table. Sigrid was bustling next to her chest of drawers and she finally picked out a pair of short sleeved white pyjamas which had sewn on lace on the sleeves. She smiled as she handed them to Maethel.

"Your room is at the end of the corridor.. I would've cleaned it if I knew someone would be sleeping in it.." Sigrid mumbled and Maethel heard Tilda yawn. Gently, she picked her up so that Tilda's head was resting on her shoulder. "Thank you for you tour, Sigrid." She smiled. "Where about is Tilda's room?" Sigrid looked over and just noticed that her sister was sleeping on Maethel's shoulder, she smiled. "Let me show you.." Sigrid whispered and they walked closely together when they closed Tilda's door. "Is it true.. what I heard my father say..?" Sigrid broke the silence and Maethel gave her new friend a look. "That you're Mirkwood's princess.. King Thranduil's daughter.." Maethel froze when she heard her fathers name. She nodded. "That must be so hard, you know.. having to rule a whole place with your father of course.. I could never imagine a life like that.." Sigrid spoke quickly. "Tilda's always wanted to be a princess.. does she know?"

"Being a princess isn't that difficult, well not for me.. I am the deputy of the guards, my best friend Tauriel is the captain.. I cannot travel anywhere except for Rivendell to see my other best friend Arwen, who is Lord Elrond's daughter. My life has been very much planned out, everyday of every second of every year." Maethel sighed thinking of her friends and what they were doing. "I hope you don't mind me asking-" Sigrid started, "-but I was just wondering how you.. a elf princess... joined forces with dwarves, of all people. I thought Elves hated Dwarves." Maethel nodded. "They do.. " Maethel looked down, "...most of them.. I fell in love with one.. so I wanted to help them and him." She mumbled the last part though Sigrid still heard it and smiled. She thought it would be considerate if she didn't push it further. They stopped outside of Maethel's room. "It was a pleasure to see you, Lady Sigrid. I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow. " 

"Me too." the teenager smiled before she turned to return to her room for the night.

...

Earlier that day:

Tauriel, who was in pursuit of the orcs, came to a rocky promontory at the end of the river and at at the banks of the lake. Far across the lake, Laketown is visible. On the rocks were pieces of a deer that the orcs had previously shot and ripped apart. Hearing something, Tauriel turned her head slightly and reached for something at her side. She whipped around and came to a crouch with an arrow nocked to her bow. Several yards behind her is Legolas, also with his bow drawn. "Ingannen le Orch."(I thought you were an Orc.) The elven prince chuckled, "Cí Orch im, dangen le." (If I were an Orc, you would be dead.) They both proceeded to lower their bows. "Tauriel, you cannot hunt thirty orcs on your own."

"But I'm not on my own." Legolas smiled. "You knew I would come." Tauriel smiled and Legolas sighed before he looked back at his friend. "The king is angry, Tauriel. For 600 years, my father has protected you, favored you. You defied his orders; you betrayed his trust. Dandolo na nin...e gohenatha."(Come back with me...he will forgive you.) Tauriel shook her head. "Ú-'ohenathon. Cí dadwenithon, ú-'ohenathon im."(But I will not. If I go back, I will not forgive myself.) She looked into his eyes for understanding. "The king has never let orc-filth from our lands, yet he would let this orc-pack cross our borders and kill our prisoners."

"It is not our fight." Legolas' voice was now firm. "It is our fight. It will not end here. With every victory, this evil will grow. If your father has his way, we will do nothing. We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light, and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world?" Tauriel raised her voice. "Tell me, mellon (Elvish for "friend"), when did we let evil become stronger than us?" Legolas looked conflicted as he looked from Mirkwood and Tauriel.