Light and Shadows (Thranduil's story post BOTFA)

A New Era

This is one of my favourite Thrandiel videos, 'More than our scars'. Doesn't belong to me.

Just a little warning: this chapter contains erotic content towards the end.

Tauriel was inside the forest, coordinating her scouts to continue to repair in any way they could the damage that the spiders, the darkness of Sauron, the fires and the battles had done to the forest. She was wearing a beautiful captain tunic made of silver chain combined with a deep green-coloured material. Her belt was also new and adorned with small gems and the two long swords were tied to it. She was walking alongside Feren and his scouts, with the other two captains further away, taking care of different parts of the wood. 

It seemed as though the forest was somewhat already healed ever since the destruction of Dol Guldur and the annihilation of the spider nests. Ullúme flowers were seen more than before as well as other good types of plants that had adorned Greenwood long before the darkness fell upon it. The elves were healing the trees damaged in the fire through enchantments and the ones completely burnt were being removed. The wood elves were also planting new seeds so that new beautiful vegetation could grow. The only thing now that was needed to bring the forest back to its former glory was Galadriel's Ring.

A warm sun was shining upon Eryn Lasgalen that day. Tauriel went inside the fortress after spending almost half a day outside with duty. After the official announcement of her and Thranduil's relationship, she found that there were some whispers in the dark corners of the palace and elves were sending her glances every time she walked by. Not all were bad though she did not know what they were thinking because they kept silent in her presence. Of course, it was an unexpected turn of events for many, she understood, as their secret marriage had come to light apparently 'out of the blue' for some. Others had suspected their closeness long before and did not approve of it. Either way, she did not care. Most of the kingdom was cheering for their union and that's all that mattered. 

She had requested Thranduil to keep her old room, though she slept every night in his bed which was now their bed, just as his private chambers were also hers now. Tauriel would only go to her old room when she needed privacy and she felt she could only have it in there, where most of her belongings were still well kept, reminding her of who she was.

Thranduil also offered her a private chamber next to his to use for her own needs. Though she barely used it and still felt quite foreign to her, some of her possessions, especially her fighting tunics and her dresses were already there. She entered that room and hoped that in time she would get used to the spacious and elegant aesthetic and that it would feel more familiar to her. Most of the time, Tauriel would also find Aethin, her now handmaiden, in and around that room, until she told her that she was going to ask for her only when needed. 

Tauriel felt appreciative of the quiet inside that vast chamber as she walked to the wooden wardrobe to change into a dress for the evening. As she touched the heavy materials of her new gowns, she looked upon the silver ring on her index finger. Both she and Thranduil now had these rings, a symbol of their union. Her green eyes looked upon the beautiful, thick silver ring with a soft smile. Everything still seemed like a dream. Tauriel never believed she would ever get to the point of actually being in union with Thranduil yet there she was. The war was over, Sauron was gone. Legolas though was not back yet... 

A part of her wondered if he ever will be back. If he cared enough still for his people and for his father to even return. Even though the last interaction between her and Legolas had been friendly, it was long ago... Since then, the lack of communication from him and his unwillingness to return again made her believe that things were still not well within his heart. She crossed her hand over the heavy materials, looking still at her ring on the index finger. For now, she was too intoxicated with her newly found happiness to want to have another shadow cast upon it. If she would ever see Legolas again, then she would have to worry about it. Then they would have to sort things out. Not at that moment.