Healed Hearts (Barduil & Legoriel)

Forbidden

Tauriel strode along the corridor, her footsteps making no more noise than a mouse scuttling across the wooden floor. She was so tired, so drained both mentally and physically. It had not been an easy day. More spiders had been discovered, closer to the palace than ever and yet Thranduil still refused to do anything about it.
"It is not my problem" he had told her coldly as she reported this news to him earlier that day. Thranduil had become even more insufferable than usual recently. Perhaps he still suspected that she had a less than innocent relationship with his son (which was entirely untrue, Tauriel thought bitterly) or perhaps he was just worried and doing his best to hide it. However, the first option seemed more likely even though it was unjustified.

Tauriel didn't understand how Thranduil could possibly know how she truly felt about his son, as no one did except herself. Perhaps not even she knew it really. Tauriel kept walking, desparate to reach her chamber and finally sit down for a rest. Her feet were aching so much it was a wonder she was still walking at all.
"Tauriel?"
She turned around quickly, all traces of exhaustion gone. Just hearing that voice always sent sparks of joy through her body, as much as she tried to deny it.
"Tauriel, I've been looking for you" Said Legolas, fixing her with his perfect blue eyed gaze.
"You have?"
He nodded.
"Well if that's so, then you should have looked more carefully"
He raised his eyebrows. She smiled. She loved to mess around with him like this, even though she knew it was ridiculously immature. The way she saw it, if he was going to mess with her head then she would mess with his.
"Where have you been?"
"With your father. As you can imagine he was so very happy to see me"
Legolas smiled reluctantly.
"I'm sorry. I've told him many times that there's nothing between us, he just doesn't seem to believe it"
The word "nothing" felt like a blade through Tauriel's heart. She knew he knew exactly how she felt about him, and he seemed determined to keep himself just out of her reach. The way he would gently brush his hand against hers, the way he looked at her as if she was the only person in the world in that moment... the way he made her feel. Always tantalizingly close, but never quite hers. He was like a drug to her, something she knew was killing her from the inside peice by peice, yet something that she couldn't bare to give up.

"Is something wrong?" Legolas asked.
She shook her head.
"No. I'm just tired" she replied without looking at him.
"Well in that case, I hope you'll allow me to escort you to your chamber?"
She laughed bitterly.
"But of course, my Lord"
He tilted his head to one side.
"Did I say something wrong?" He asked, looking genuinely confused.
She shook her head.
"You didn't"
He clearly didn't believe her, but did not press the subject. They walked for another minute in absolute silence before they reached the heavy wooden door of Tauriel's chamber.

"Well... thankyou for accompanying me" Tauriel said as she opened the door and stepped inside.
"My pleasure, as always" Legolas said with a slight smile.
But as she made to close the door, he stopped her.
"Could I perhaps come in? Just for a minute?" He asked quietly.
Something about his tone made Tauriel's heart flutter. She immediately felt disgusted with herself.
"Yes... I suppose" she said tentivitly.
He stepped inside and as soon as the door closed, his entire demeanour changed.
"We don't have much time" Legolas said, an expression on his face that made Tauriel feel more desperately in love with him than she had ever felt before.
"What do you mean?
"Tauriel... there's something I have to tell you"
She nodded, still on edge. She had no idea what was coming. He was acting so strangely, and it was starting to worry her.
"Legolas-"
"Stop" he said simply, and then before she knew it he had pulled her close to him. She could feel his powerfully muscled body against her own, his heart beating along with hers.
"Legolas!"
"Tauriel" he said calmly. "I just wanted you to know... that's all"

This couldn't be happening. It simply couldn't. Tauriel shook her head.
"This can't be... you can't"
"Can't what?"
"You can't do this to me!" She said, realising suddenly how angry she was. Of course. He was just messing her around. Yet again. And she was such a fool for actually having believed, even for a second that he really did feel something for her.
Legolas looked taken aback.
"Tauriel-"
"No" she said, fighting to keep back the angry tears that were fighting to appear. "You can't just do this. You know well enough how I feel about you. You know what you do to me, weather you like it or not. But there's nothing we can do. It's forbidden, Legolas, it's wrong and you know it"
He took her hand.
"Tauriel. You don't think I care about what my father thinks of us, do you? He could never keep me away from you. Nothing could"

Before she really knew what she was doing, Tauriel had launched herself forward into his arms. It was worth however much pain this would cause her later. She needed him. Right now.
"Perhaps it was the fact that it's forbidden that really drew me to you all this time" she whispered.
He smiled. "Perhaps"
And then he was kissing her. She felt his soft lips against her own as he pulled her closer than ever, lifting her right off the floor. Their lips mated against each other, their bodies that had longed for this moment for years, decades, finally gave in. Tauriel felt Legolas's tongue pass her lips, and she met it with more passion than she would have believed possible. He moved on to her neck, his mouth leaving bruises that Tauriel knew would still be visible in the morning. But she didn't care now. Legolas's hands slipped slowly down her back, gripping her waist as she let a small moan escape her lips.
"I love you" she murdered against his skin.
"I love you, Tauriel" he replied.