The Antagonist [ A lord of the Rings / Legolas Fan-Fic]

Act 10: Nothing is as is

A/N: My warmest wishes for Merry Christmas!

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Valley of Rivendell - 07 September 3018 TA

They rode out of the valley onto the moors. They were riding for a day, and it was midnight when they reached a clear opening secured enough to camp. The heat from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air before ever reaching her frozen hands. She had already taken a seat close to the fire, trying to warm her cold hands. Elladan was securing the horses, Elrohir went to gather some more wood after he had ignited the campfire, and Legolas scanned the area to ensure that everything was secured.

Awarthrie could hear her stomach complaining of some food, as it was hungry. Her back was aching from the recent fall. And the stubborn dwarf-girl decline to acknowledge any of her problems. It was getting colder as midnight was upon them, and stepping away from the fire to get something to eat wasn't in her plans. Her gaze spaced out, watching the flames of the fire as her thoughts slowly unfolded. She recalled a few things that the 'tree-hugging princess' revealed to her. Her mother was Legolas's trusted friend.

This did not feel right. Her mother, a trusted friend of 'Princess of Mirkwood'? The truth was quite unbelievable, shocking, really. Her mind was sent reeling, unable to comprehend or process the new information that her mother was a close friend of him. Awarthrie looked away and then noticing him as he appeared suddenly walking towards her.

"Why didn't you seek her?" she asked Legolas and stared at him. He was holding strange flowers and weeds in one hand and the other a wooden mortar. "You said that the elf lady was your trusted friend and that you haven't heard about her for years. Aren't you worried about her? What if she is in any trouble?"

Legolas tilted his head, confused at her observation. "For someone who loathes Mirkwood elves, you seem troubled for one of our own," he said, taking a seat next to her. He placed the weed and flowers on his right and started cutting them into small pieces with one of his knives and placing them inside the mortar. "Tauriel wasn't just a random maiden; she was captain of the Elven guard. She decided to remain away from Mirkwood, lost in her grief. I haven't seen her for decades, but that's not a long time in the life of an elf."

Awarthrie paid attention to his bizarre actions as he was now crushing and grounding the weed blending it with the flowers. "What if she needed your help and reached out? You said she was banished from Mirkwood. Would any of the other elves aid her, or would they be in trouble? " She quizzed while gathering her arms around her legs and facing away from Legolas.

He paused now and observed the girl sitting next to him. Her questions confused Legolas. Was she asking out of pure curiosity, or was there a reason for asking those questions? "You mean since I wasn't in Mirkwood and if she needed to reach out. I wasn't. But common friends would answer; even the Elvenking would grant her access if she requested to return. She would ask Nastedir for aid, and even if no other elf aids her, he will." Legolas responded as he went on, making a small mixture of the weed and flowers.

"Nastedir," she repeated the name, and the memories sprang alive. Legolas was right; her mother reached out for an elf named Nastedir. She was very young, but she could recall a few details. He seemed kind and offered to aid her. He went and talk to Thranduil, but help wasn't given. Not even Nastedir helped her. She turned and looked at Legolas, her eyes pinned against his seriously. "And what if that Nastedir didn't aid her? And what if the Elvenking refused to grant her access? And she is lost, perished forever?"