To Love a Half-Blood (A Kili Fanfic)

Chapter 1

            Laughter echoes through my ears as my toes touch the surface of the water, scattering the fish and the petals that sit at its surface.  My thin dress flows from my tiny shoulders as I run as quickly as I can to follow my brother.

We're late!

We scatter a flock of birds and continue on our crash course through the forest. Legolas skids to a stop at the base of the stone bridge. I pad up beside him and reach up to take his hand. He looks down at me with a grin and we walk through the towering entrance of Mirkwood Castle together.

 Before we enter our father's throne room Legolas leans down to push my unruly red locks out of my eyes.  He lifts me onto his hip to carry me up the innumerable steps to our father. The closer we get the more fidgety I become. I haven't seen my father in several days. These days he seems he is always too busy and stressed for children. Legolas sets me down to walk the last few steps and I clamber up them as quickly as my tiny legs will carry me. I grab my father's leg with an excited squeal and wait for him to pick me up.

He doesn't. I look up at him and reach out my arms to be picked up. He simply shakes his head with a swirl of anger and grief in his eyes. I look back at my brother, confused and slightly frightened. Legolas begins to walk forward to comfort me but my father's guards block his way. "Wait?! What is happening?" Legolas says, raising his voice. Another guard comes and rips my grasp from my father's robes. "Let her go!" He protests again, trying to shove the guards aside.  Tears stream from my face as I kick at the guard holding me, but his grip doesn't loosen. "What are you doing to my sister?!" Legolas shouts, diving between the guard's legs and coming nose to nose with our father.

"She is not your sister." Our father says. Legolas takes a step back.

"Of course she is. The resemblance to our mother is undeniable." He whispers, uncertain.

Tharanduil takes a deep breath, preparing for the ensuing anger.

"She is your mother's daughter, but she has the blood of dwarf-scum in her." The king says, standing to tower over my brother. "She is a living abomination! The picture of your mother's treachery!" He bellows at Legolas, slamming his fist so hard on the stone throne that the entire room echoes. Legolas flinches, and looks at me.

I bite my lip to stifle back a sob and whisper "Brother?" Legolas simply sinks to his knees at his father's feet and watches as they take me away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thranduil was so ashamed of me that he had me locked up in a tiny room in the farthest reach of the castle. However, the king was not a cruel man. There was a small trunk of toys in the corner along with a bed and some bland but comfortable clothes. I had a nanny up until I turned 5 and she was kind, if gruff. But then a day came when she didn't knock on my door. I was alone. Food was slipped under the door, but no one spoke to me. There was a single window at one end and that was where I spent the next several months of my life. I gazed out the window and watched the seasons change. I watched the leaves fall from the trees and the forest turn green again with new leaves. But no one ever spoke to me. No one ever came. Until, one day, the door creaked open. I looked to see a face that I didn't recognize at first, but then a smile spread across my face. I opened my mouth to shout in delight, but he put a finger to his lips, and I abruptly stopped. I ran and jumped into his arms. He hugged me tightly as we had a silent reunion. When he finally set me down on my bed I whispered, "You've grown, brother."

"As have you, sister." He returned, holding my hand. "Sister, I miss being able to say that word. After you were taken father hasn't let anyone speak of you. He wants everyone to forget you exist." 

"You wouldn't forget about me!" I said, terrified at the idea.

"No. Never. I could no sooner forget my own life than forget you." He responded, squeezing my hand.

"Why didn't you ever come see me? I waited and waited but you never came." I whispered, remembering all those lonely months.

"Do you honestly think he would let me see you? Father wouldn't even tell me where you were being kept. I was afraid you might even me dead." He said, a tear running down his face. "But I looked for you. I looked every chance I could. You have no idea how many stupid rooms there are in this blasted place." He said with a choked laugh. Then he looked out the window and said, "I need to go, they'll be missing me soon. But now that I know where you are, I'll come and see you every day." We both stood and exchanged one last hug before he slipped out of the door.

                 And so my life continued for years, watching the forest through my window, and waiting for my brother to visit. It really did seem like everyone had forgotten about me. And, in a way, this was a good thing. Legolas was able to visit my room daily without being noticed, he even brought the occasional gift. And, for my 60th birthday, he gave me a mirror. My first glimpse of myself in several decades came as quite a shock. Although I was only about 4' 5," I had the build of an elf, slender legs and arms along with a delicate torso and a small waist. I was pleased to see that I had no facial hair to speak of and I was delighted at the similarity I had to my mother.  My wavy red hair cascaded down to my lower back, and my green eyes gleamed out from under my untamed locks. "Wow." I murmured, stunned at the transformation from toddler to adult.

"See, I told you that you were gorgeous." Legolas stated with a satisfied smirk. "Don't stare to long now, your face'll stick that way." That comment earned him a good jab in the ribs with my elbow. However, he quickly grabbed my arm and tackled me to the floor. The ensuing wrestling match quickly ended with me trapped on my back.

 "Okay! Okay! I give up!"  I said with a smile, "Now let me up."

 "No."

"What? I said let me up, you're hurting my arm!"

 "No. You have to get me off."

 "You're too heavy, I can't! Let me go!"

 "You can get me off. Look, here, hook my leg with your ankle."

 "There. How does that help?"

 "Now put your hand here, very good, and shove me over!"

 "I can-" I protested as I threw my weight into him. But, to my delight, he toppled off of me. "Oh my gosh!  That actually worked!" I said, jumping to my feet in triumph.

 "That was good Larien, but next time use your hips a little more and your back a little less."

           And thus my training began. It was a great way for me to pass the time practicing the things he taught me, waiting to try new things with him that night. My life became far less boring, especially when he started to train me with swords and knives. Legolas had wanted to train me with a bow as well, and he spent several hours talking to me about its use in hopes it would be easier for me to learn it if I ever left my room. However, the confines of the bedroom made it rather impractical to actually put my knowledge into practice. Despite this, it turned out I had a natural affinity in knife and sword fighting and within a few years I was finally able to beat my brother. However, today, my close-to-perfect life came crashing down.