For the Dancing and the Dreaming

viii • don't blame me

Legolas felt the tower begin the shake. He looked down and saw a troll was trying to take down the watchtower.

When he looked down, he heard swords clashing and saw Alvar and Bolg falling from a cliff, hitting the side of the mountain as they fell.

Bolg stood before Alvar could get up. Legolas reached for an arrow but his quiver was empty. He grabbed his sword and jumped from the tower.

He landed his sword in the troll's head and tried to turn him around. He directed the troll forward and knocked down the tower, creating a bridge between the mountain.

Bolg charged him, forgetting about Alvar.

Alvar watched them fight. She saw the wall of the tower collapse and Legolas fell inside. She looked around and saw her sword was on the mountain side.

She tried to move to get it but when she turned, her lungs felt like they were twisting around.

She pulled herself against the rocks and reached up for her sword. It fell into her hand just in time for her to turn and see someone coming up the steps.

She pushed herself up and held up her sword.

Alvar dropped the sword when she saw him. She leaned back against the mountain side in relief.

"We have to get Tauriel." Alvar tried to stand but Legolas grabbed her shoulders.

He noticed the mark on her cheek and her limp arm.

Legolas helped Alvar up the steps and they found Tauriel over Kili's body.

Alvar couldn't stand to watch her friend anymore. She went back through the tunnels passing the King and not sparring him a second glance.

Legolas followed after her, but was met by his father.

"I...cannot go back." He brushed past his father.

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know." Legolas pulled his eyes away from Alvar who was walking further away.

"Go north. Find the Dúnedain. There's a young ranger amongst them. You should meet him. His father, Arathorn, was a good man. His son might grow to be a great one."

"What is his name?" Legolas asked.

"He's known in the wild as Strider. His true name you must discover for yourself."

Legolas didn't speak as he turned, seeing Alvar stopped at the bottom of the steps just above the river.

"Legolas. Your mother loved you. More than anyone. More than life." Thranduil found that his son was more than the jewels in the mountain, but farther gone.

Legolas left, heading down the mountain until he found Alvar.

Alvar watched the Hobbjt crying over Thorin Oakenshield's body. A Hobbit and a Dwarf, almost as strange as an Elf and a Dwarf.

The death of a King and the end of his line.

She didn't know what to do. She couldn't go home, she no longer was needed. Even if she weren't banished, she wouldn't want to go back after seeing this world.

She heard footsteps behind her and saw Legolas. She didn't know what to do. Her life was gone and she had nowhere to go.

"I'm going north." Legolas said. He seemed to be thinking to himself, but it didn't last long. "Would you come with me?" He asked.

Alvar was shocked. "North? I thought you would go home." Alvar pointed out, wondering why it mattered, she could just easily say yes.

"I would not go where you cannot follow."

His words made Alvar let out a small laugh as she remembered what she had said to him.

His thumb ran lightly over the scratch on her cheek and slowly moved towards her jaw, pulling her closer.

Alvar grabbed his face and allowed their lips to meet.  All she could hear was her heartbeat in her ears. She pulled away, wide eyes, realizing what she did.

The next time it happened, Alvar kissed him confidently. So much time spent worrying how Legolas saw Tauriel, she didn't pay attention to how he saw her.