The Odyssey of the daughter of the forest

Chapter 30 : The Final Battle

Sitting alone on a small wall overhanging the Pelennor fields, on the highest story of Minas Tirith, during this last night before the great battle that will seal their fates, Tauriel was looking at the sky. But it was no longer the sky of Mirkwood, nor the one of her childhood. The stars were not visible, hidden behind a thick black fog coming from the east.

The power of their enemy was growing faster and faster. The longer they delayed, the less chances they had to defeat him. The lives of thousands of people were in their hands, and in the hands of Frodo and Sam, who, she hoped, were very closed to their goal, now. If the hobbits could not put back the ring back where it came from, then there was no hope anymore. Everything would have been in vain. All their quests, their sacrifices. Everything would have been useless. 

And, for the first time in her life- or almost- she was beginning to be afraid. But not for herself. For all the people around her, who deserved to live more several hundreds of years, even though many of them were mortal. The coming day was decisive. Of course, she knew there would be deaths, probably many deaths. All she hoped was that every sacrifice would be rewarded.

They could not fail.

Her hands began to untangle her long red hair, and then braided it in the elvish style. But these hands, which had always been so firm and sure, were now shaking. Her fingers were having a hard time styling her hair.

Suddenly, a soft hand rested on hers. She froze, only to relax immediately. She was so tensed and lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the Prince of Mirkwood's singular walk. Relaxing her shoulders, she withdrew her hands and let him comb her fire locks.

''I have never seen you so tensed'', he noticed. " What is it ? "

She brought her knees to her chest, and rested her chin on them.

''I'm scared. But not for me. I'm scared for everyone around me : Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, Pippin and Merry, Frodo and Sam...And you, especially you. Tomorrow is perhaps our last day in Middle Earth. "

"If it is the case, we will leave together. I will never let you alone again. ''

She smiled, and he finished her braids, letting them fall gracefully in her back. The prince of Mirkwood leaned to her and kissed her neck's crook, now uncovered.

"Whatever happens at dawn, I will be with you", he added.

His words relaxed her more than she would have thought. She leaned against his chest, observing the streets of the town underneath, where everything was already closed and immersed in the dark for hours. To say the truth, the elves must have been the only ones still standing. With Gandalf, maybe. But yet, they will be the ones with the most strength on the morning.

''Sometimes, I think to Arwen, in Rivendell, and I'm scared for her too. Far from Aragorn, she must feel terribly lonely. "

''She still lives'', Legolas whispered. ''I feel it".

"I feel it too. But for how long if nothing changes ? "

"We will see her again, I'm certain of it. And when the war will be over, Arwen and Aragorn will finally taste the peace they are longing for years and years. Like us."