𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗿 | LOTR & Marvel Crossover [PART 1] ✓

17 | Questioning Elven Architecture

17 | Questioning Elven Architecture

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Tauriel | Princess of Erebor

Location: Imladris, Middle Earth, Arda

Time: October 2980 T.A

Tauriel always regarded the valour and bravery that was held in the greatest elves of the First and Second Ages.

Of course, there was her king: Thranduil Oropherion, who was first brought up in the ancient kingdom of Doriath. She always wondered what it would have been like to live in one of the greatest forests of Beleriand, to be under the protection of Queen Melian and King Elu Thingol.

Then it had been the High King of the Noldor himself: Ereinion Gil-Galad. His stature mirrored the strength and valour he brought, to be the son of Orodreth in the line of Finarfin. How he was able to bring the Alliance of Elves and Men in the last years of the Second Age.

Beside him was his Noldor-Sindar wife: the radiant silver queen – Celebrían of Lothlorien. The child of both Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel of the Golden Wood. She was every bit worthy of a queen. Caring and compassionate to her people even after her husband's death. Tauriel was not born then but there was a lot of books concerning their love and their strength with the people of Rivendell and Lothlorien.

However: there were two elven women which Tauriel aspired to follow the most.

One had been King Thranduil's wife, the fair Teleri elf: Mereneth of The Greenwood. The very one who lost her life during the pillaging of dragons of the North. Despite her heritage, many of the Silvan population admired her for her love of the woods and the stars. It was said that her hair could reflect starlight itself, allowing it to flow in the wind as she ran across the great woods of what was their kingdom.

What she loved about the stories was how there was a significant friendship between the former Queen of Mirkwood to the Lady of Rivendell. How Lady Elemmírë and Queen Mereneth (who was still Lady Mereneth of Mithlond) met in Lindon just after the War of Wrath to then aid in the War of the Elves in Eregion with Queen Celebrían.

Legolas (despite not knowing his mother for a long time) remembered that Queen Mereneth, Queen Celebrían and Lady Elemmírë were inseparable.

She may not be fond of her books like the loremasters and scholars of Mirkwood, or Ori's passions in writing tales of the history of recent years – but hearing tales of elven queens and shieldmaidens brought her to remind herself who she was.

Every day it still daunted her. She was a princess, a daughter of Durin now through marriage and love. Tauriel knew of duty for she was once the Captain of the Guard of Mirkwood even before finding herself a circlet on her head. However, the duties that lay with the title felt heavier.

Sometimes she wondered how her beloved could allow the weight to appear weightless. Kili had always carried a strength that got her to push herself more, to see what was beyond the physical and mental barriers of her life and to see the truth. He was strong in heart, willing and loyal – loyalty to his family. Tauriel knew the moment he left on that boat to cross the Long Lake that after Kili gave a part of his heart to her: she too gave the same in return.

Now, they were at the place which her husband once visited.

"It has been a while since I came here. Almost forty years," Kili said as they crossed over the great arched bridge.

Undeniably, it has been almost forty years. More specifically: it had been thirty-nine years since she came across the Company of Thorin Oakenshield in the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood. (Sadly, it was still named so, and was gradually becoming more of desolate darkness ready to swallow anyone entering it.)