Fathoms Below Progress Log

This is my fix-it for Tauriel and Thranduil's argument in The Hobbit

FYI, Kíli and Tauriel are queer-platonic, and their love goes beyond friendship, but they aren't lovers, so when Tauriel refers to her love for Kíli, she doesn't mean it romantically. For video reference, this is how the original argument went. It looks good at first glance, but it's not.

⚠️Trigger Warning: suggestive language and content, violence, war, and death.

As Thranduil retreated from the battlefield, he was surprised to see a redheaded elf standing in his way.

Tauriel was shocked at Thranduil's expression yet remorseful for disregarding Thranduil's orders. She had yet to realize why he was so upset, that Legolas had secretly followed her and Thranduil believed that he got killed by Smaug or kidnapped the dwarves because of her, unaware that Tauriel had assigned a guard to look out for the people of Mirkwood in her place and had not been reckless, but not even she could anticipate Legolas's bold yet reckless choice to follow her. "I owe you an apology for disobeying you, but let me explain," Before she could, however, Thranduil cut her off, enraged by the sight of Tauriel due to the misunderstanding. "Get out of my way!" He barked, too enraged to listen to reason. "What is there to explain!? Do you think your life is worth more than theirs!?" Thranduil gestured to the corpses of his fallen people, clearly blaming Tauriel and her bond with the youngest nephew of Thorin for their deaths as well as Legolas's disappearance. "You think this is love!? Are you willing to die for it!? What you feel for him isn't real, and even if it was, he's an uncivilized, unfeeling dwarf!"

Tauriel didn't flinch despite Thranduil's harsh words. If they stung her, she didn't show it. "That's rich coming from you. Everyone knows you're secretly in love with Thorin. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Thranduil's face turned scarlet red before he glared at her for revealing his blasphemous display of hypocrisy.

Tauriel gave him a look. "What? Don't look at me like that. With how you were screaming like a common whore in your chambers the other night, it was never a secret, to begin with. And this isn't about Kíli, Thorin, the dwarves, or the elves. It's about all of us. Gandalf is right. If Bolg and his forces win this battle, then The Necromancer wins the whole war. Erebor's location will allow his armies to go around Gondor and Rohan and meet up swiftly, and Erebor and the dwarves are the only obstacles in his way. If the dwarves don't reclaim their home, there will be nobody to beat Sauron back or stop him, and he will be able to conquer Middle-Earth and, eventually, all of Arda, with or without the one ring." Thranduil's eyes widened as the weight of Gandalf's words fully sunk in now that Tauriel confirmed that he was correct, "The Necromancer will be able to reach Gondor, Rohan, Lothlórien, Rivendell, The Grey Havens, The Shire, and not even Mirkwood will be safe. I'm trying to save my people and YOU. My life is not worth more than theirs, but the lives of all living beings, mortal or otherwise, are not worth less than ours."

Thranduil was stunned into silence. That was a valid point. Maybe Tauriel was right, but Thranduil would sooner bathe in poisoned wine than admit it. "If we don't pull out of this attack, we'll die, then no one will be left to oppose that monster."

Tauriel knew that Thranduil was right about that, but she had been aware of that from the very beginning. "You're right, but if we pull back, we'll still perish. I understand that you desire to protect our people: a good monarch should put their people first, but not at the risk of all else. Withdrawing from this fight won't protect our people. It's hardly a fair fight as it is. If you abandon the Men of Laketown and Durin's Folk, this will become a massacre. Don't you understand!? If you forsake this battle, you won't be protecting our people! You will kill them!"

If Thranduil was angry before, he's infuriated now. Though Thranduil loved Tauriel like a daughter, sometimes he thought she was a self-righteous ass who acted as though she was the only one in the right when that wasn't true, and Tauriel just came off that way without meaning to because she's as stubborn as Thranduil is. It worsens when Tauriel is genuinely in the right, and Thranduil disagrees with her regardless to spite her. At the moment, this was one of those times because he did not know Tauriel was unaware Legolas had followed her, and neither Tauriel nor Thranduil were aware he was still alive.

"Did I not tell you to get out of my way!? If you don't, I'll move you by force, even if it means hurting you, even if it means killing you." Thranduil snarled, his voice dripping with venom. At this, his soldiers began to hesitate. Harming or killing other elves was serious business because of the kinslayings, and Thranduil did not make idle threats. Tauriel's eyes widened in fear as a result. Thranduil had crossed the line.

"What happened to you!? You're not the Thranduil I remember, nor the king I swore my loyalty to," Tauriel inquired, her voice quivering.

"That version of me is dead, and I'll never be that person again. Are you satisfied with that answer?" Thranduil sneered. That's when Tauriel found her courage.

"No, I'm disappointed. From the moment Laegnis died, you've sometimes acted in our best interest, but you've also been a selfish, wicked, lack-witted cur, yet for the most part, you weren't without reason, except at this moment. You've lost your mind. Your wife wouldn't want this, and you know it. Do you know what she'd think if she saw you now? If she saw the person you've become, she wouldn't recognize the elf she loved. She'd run away screaming!" At those words, Thranduil completely lost it. This time, it was Tauriel that went too far. Thranduil's deceased wife was a sore subject, and Tauriel shouldn't have brought it up, especially considering he still believed Tauriel was responsible for Legolas's disappearance.

Thranduil, in a blind rage, raised his hand and prepared to slap Tauriel across her cheek. Tauriel immediately shielded her face with her hands and cowered in fear, tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly, Thranduil realized what he was about to do to Tauriel and immediately lowered his hand.

"I'm sorry. I went too far. I shouldn't have brought Laegnis up." Tauriel choked back a sob as she apologized to Thranduil. Thranduil brought his hand to her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb, realizing he had acted irrationally and that Tauriel would never voluntarily endanger Legolas. She acted like she didn't know, and he had jumped to conclusions over being an overprotective father. "I'm the one who should apologize. I threatened to hurt you and raised my hand against you. I have no excuse for that." Thranduil's lip trembled, his eyes threatening to well with tears as he continued to speak.

"You sound like Laegnis, and that's a good thing. At least one of us does."

The moment was soon interrupted by one of their generals. "Your majesty! It's Legolas! He's at Ravenhill! Bolg is attacking him!" "He followed me here!?" Tauriel's eyes widened in shock as she pieced together why Thranduil was angry at her initially. Thranduil became horrified as he realized his son was still alive, but he assumed that Legolas had suffered some ill fate due to following Tauriel, and now Legolas was in real danger. "My son!" Thranduil raced to Ravenhill as fast as he could to save his life, Tauriel not far behind! "Legolas, it's not safe!"