Author's Note:
If you made it so far through the story I believe I can explain a few things. First of all, this chapter is a month ahead and wrote it only to let you have a small glance into the future. The story will continue with Legolas and Awarthie trying to reach reach Rivendell. After all, there will be one month of adventures before the council of Elrond. Secondly, if you haven't guessed it yet, this isn't a tenth walker fan fiction. It focuses before, and after the war of the ring, with a few chapters in between. Now a small glance to the future and the story will continue from where we left it in the next chapter. Enjoy!
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Mirkwood - Elvenking's Halls, November 21, 3018 TA
Her new gown could have been made for royalty. That's how the elves made the gowns in Rivendell. Dressed in the ever-rosy-green gown of the elven gown she refracted as a brilliant rainbow, after the harsh rain. She looked amused watching the males of her party cleaned and ready to follow her. She had done the same, or more than she would do usually. Excepting who she really was, and standing strong as the Princess under the mountain, was a deed hardly done.
"Now, behave," she ordered them "we do not know what the Elvenking council will hold and how much will his wrath be when he figures out who I am."
"We will, as long as they behave," Dwurim spoke gruffly as the company was ready to depart "Why would you agree to work with the elves?"
"Glóin is to blame, you should never allow her to step into elven ground. Now see, what you did! She is supporting the damn-elves!" Taeth complained gazing at her. Their friend had changed a lot after they have visited Rivendell. She somehow came to terms with her elfish bloodline, and now she was acting like one of them.
Fet shock his head in denial "Remember, it's not Glóin's fault. Awarie changed since that shiny Princely appeared in her life. It was his fault!"
"I know you all aren't particularly fond of them, but we are here for a reason. We cannot deal with the enemy on our own. We need to join forces with Mirkwood and Dale. Fighting won't do any good. And it's none fault! You should be grateful to the 'Princess' of Mirkwood, without his aid I would still hate the elves and act immature." she answered them.
Feg laughed "At least you still call him with his rightful nickname!"
She turned and looked at them with a wicked smiled "I might stop hating the elves, but that doesn't mean that the rest changed!" she winked at them. "Yet, be careful of the Princes' nicknames when we are in front of the Elvenking!"
Glóin followed them proudly, it was a few months ago and he never dreamed of having Kili's daughter behaving as a grown dwarf and accepting her responsibilities. He could never imagine that the Prince of Mirkwood would have such an impact on her. They were now following the rocky path traveling to the halls of the Elvenking, the bright sun shining down on them. It had been years since last stepping inside the Halls, and he hoped they wouldn't end up as the Elvenking's prisoners again. Awarthrie had matured, but she was still the same stubborn and loud dwarf. She could easily end up fighting with Thranduil, and the rest was very well known to Glóin.
The Elvenking sat on his wooden throne with his brow creased in distress biting his lip in anxiety. The elves that had followed his son to Rivendell had returned and brought ill news to Thranduil. He had sent a regiment of trusted elves led by his son to inform Lord Elrond of Gollum's escape. However, his son was now part of the very important and dangerous quest to destroy the ring of power and aid Middle Earth. Sending out his son in such a mission offered great honor to the king, but brought worries to the father. All was not well. He could sense it. He should never send Legolas to Rivendell. He had started a tide of events that would bring only darkness and pain to Legolas.
Truth be told, Thranduil was dealing with more important issues. The attacks of the orcs, goblins and various dark creatures had increased to the point where he ended up renewing old alliances. It seemed after his son party returned, Glóin and his company visited his Halls. It took Thranduil and Glóin a few days to find common ground and finally agreed to unite their forces and fight the darkness that was rising across Mirkwood. Glóin outlined that they should include Dale in this agreement. And the Elvenking agreed.
Indeed, dwarves, humans and elves had a very untrusted past. But with the enemy becoming stronger, they had to unite their forces or they would fall. They were also facing one more enemy: The unchaste. And that's who Elves, Dwarves and Humans united and fought together. There have been many meetings in the halls of the Elvenking, to discuss the strategy of the defenses. In those dark times, when the fellowship had started its journey to destroy the ring, when Rohan and Gondor faced war, Mirkwood united and kept defending its land.
Thranduil stood tall, his silver robe was covering his slender figure, and on his head was a crown of berries and red leaves, and his hand grasped his blade. He stood up without any warning, he climbed down the stairs coming face to face with the she-dwarf that followed Glóin. "I understand," Thranduil spoke "That Glóin raised you as one of his own, you are Thorin Oakenshield's bloodline. The last one. But I believe that there is more he hasn't said about you."
The she-dwarf nodded. She gave a light bow to the Elvenking. She did not say anything. Her mind was already baffled enough. Mirkwood, was a place that could make her anxious. Not only because of the Elven-King, it was her mother's homeland. And now after so long she could face Thranduil and speak to him, with all her hate forgotten. She had Legolas to thank for that.
"I am Tauriel and Kili's daughter," Awarthrie acknowledged for the first time proudly "I am the last heir of of Thrór, the princess under the Mountain. I have accepted this titled only a short time ago. Glóin asked me... Begged me not to forsake our people, and not be ashamed of who I am. Thus why I am here today, wanting to speak to you my Lord. Since you have agreed to renew the old alliances and I will need to sign them. However, I needed to speak to you. About my mother..."
Thranduil, acted cold and very calm. They could not acknowledge any weakness or flaw. He was shocked by the news nonetheless. "You are Tauriel's daughter? What happened to your mother? Why hasn't she reported back?" he asked seriously worried.
Awarthrie sighed. The dwarf who used to hate the Elvenking would never answer in a calm voice, but she was not longer that spoiled child. Legolas, his only son, had interfered in her life and changed her. It was only for a short time and the Prince of Mirkwood had brought the best out of her.
She held her head high and answered all the questions the Elvenking asked her. He told him about her mother, the days they spent in Dale. She explained that Tauriel wanted to return to Mirkwood, that she had found Nastedir and he lied to them. She talked about her life under the mountain, how the dwarves accepted her and how her mother perished from this world.
Silence overtook the throne chamber. Thranduil's breath, paused for several minutes. He was a fool for not foreseeing the damage that Nastedir did. "If you must know Nastedir is banished from Mirkwood, he as well as his father had brought a lot of problems in my kingdom." Thranduil told her. He took his time and narrated the young she-dwarf through the wrongdoings of Nastedir and Romru, about the unchaste and of the enemies she should be aware of.
Thranduil offered her, her mother's bed-chamber and a place in his guard. War was now upon them and securing a face stay to the princess under the mountain was a deed of goodwill. Awarthrie accepted, after all it was dangerous to live under the mountain. Thranduil offered safe staying for the folk of Durin, Glóin and she accepted. The dwarves who wouldn't be part of the troops that would face the enemy, would stay in the Halls of the King.
((Next Act: 17 A yak in the dawn))
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