The Lost Hope

Chapter ILIII

Tauriel's pov

It pained me to see Legolas upset. It always had, even when we were kids, but seeing him now, more upset than ever before, made my heart ache.

We continue to hike south, following a rough path that was left by countless waunderers. Legolas led while I continue to watch. I constantly search for any sign of the orcs.

I didn't see anything but I found that the longer we walked, the faster Legolas began to move. This made me wish we had brought the horses.

"Do you believe Lord Thranduil is safe?" I ask, scared that I was going to ask a bad question for the timing.

Legolas stops, looking down at the ground. I couldn't see his face, thankfully because I would've likely broke down.

"I don't think he is, but I will keep my hope up for now." He says, continuing.

I quietly follow. I felt the same way. My logic explains that orcs don't take captives without a good cause. The only hope was for the wizard to keep him alive for some reason.

We continue, finding an occasional dead elf and orc. Most of the elves are regular townsfolk, and it pained me to see the dead mothers that cling to their children.

Orcs don't offer mercy, they only offer death.

I try to distract myself, but my thoughts come back with every corpse I see littering the forest floor. It was an impossible escape.

"Tauriel..." Legolas whispers, slowing down and crouching. "Do you feel that?"

I follow suit, happy to try to focus on something other than the dead. After a few seconds, I feel a light pressure, almost like an aura around me. I look at Legolas and nod, deciding that the feeling was likely coming from a threat.

Legolas moves quietly towards the power, and I reluctantly followed. The closer we got the more powerful it got also. I had felt the power before, or one similar to it, but I couldn't decide where it came from.

The closest thing I remember it feeling like was the wizard that erased my memories...

"The wizard!" I whisper louder than I meant to, making Legolas jump. We both exchange glances, slight worry showing in both pairs of eyes.

"Please come out." A voice says in a calming tone.

Legolas and I look towards the sound then back at one another. Legolas decides to take the initative, pulling out his bow and aiming it towards the sound while standing. I pull out my own and aim an arrow at the intruder.

This wizard is different than the one I had met previously, but he still seems similar. He wears a blue robe instead of black, and didn't have a hat. He has brown hair roughly tamed. He didn't seem hostile, but did keep his hold on his staff, which was different than the black wizard's.

"I mean no harm, I am just looking for my brother." The wizard explains, surprising both Legolas and I.

Legolas puts down his bow, but I wasn't letting my aim off of him yet. I guess I wasn't taking a second chance.

"Tell me who your brother is." Legolas says. "And why you think he would be in the Mirkwood forest in the middle of a war?"

"War?" The wizard asks, then pausing. He sighs, shaking his head. "Pallando you really did it now..."

"Is Pallando your brother?" I ask him.

The wizard nods. "Yes, a stubborn and quite blunt wizard like myself. We used to travel together, but after our trip in Moridor, he changed personalities. The last time I saw him, he said he had some business to do alone. I haven't felt his magical aura until today, coming from this forest."

Legolas and I exchange looks, and I could tell that we were likely thinking the same thing. I lower the bow while Legolas puts his away.

"The only wizard we know of is one that has been leading the orcs against Mirkwood." Legolas says coldly. "We are headed to the place we believe is their lair. We think my father is there."

"Your father?" The wizard asks.

"Yes, the king here, Thranduil."

The wizard's eyes open wide. "You must be his son Legolas Greenleaf."

Legolas nods. "Now if we are done here, I would like to find my father." He walks past the wizard, and I simply decide to put away my bow and follow. I am not 100% sure that this wizard isn't a threat, so I decided not to invite him along or continue the conversation.

"Please allow me to help you." The wizard kindly says. "I am after a wizard, and if what you say is true, the orcs are my closest lead."

Legolas pauses, looking back at the wizard. "I don't know if I can trust you, especially after these turn of events. A wizard is the cause of this, and you are a wizard as well. How do we know that you aren't the one causing this destruction?"

I place my hand on his shoulder. "I don't think he is the same wizard I remember in the past." I whisper. "The wizard I saw wore black and had a different staff."

Legolas looks at the wizard, then back at me. He nods, turning towards him. "I will allow you to come, but don't think I won't put an arrow in your back if you betray us."

The wizard nods. "I understand Legolas, and I feel grateful for your generosity. My name is Alatar, the Blue Wizard. I promise to help you get your father back to safety."

Legolas and I nod, turning back towards the direction we were heading. "Do you feel the wizard's power coming from that direction?"

Alatar walks beside us, pointing slightly to the left of the direction we were going to travel. "I believe it is that way, but I walked around where I felt it the strongest and found nothing."

I shake my head. "I bet it is underground, that's the only explaination."

Legolas starts walking towards the direction Alatar points towards. "I am sure the three of us can find the entrance easy enough."

The three of us start walking together, mentally preparing to invade an orc lair.