The Golden Ones

VIII - A Tale from Six Centuries Prior Pt. 8

Thranduil narrowed his eyes down at the elf standing before him. “Do you joke?” He questioned.

“No.” Tauriel said. “I come to you in complete seriousness.” 

Thranduil envied Tauriel. When Tauriel spoke even the simplest of statements, she communicated them with such a sincerity and confidence. This girl was completely fearless, he decided, looking down upon her. Perhaps she should fear her foolishness.

“Legolas will be upset.” Thranduil mentioned casually. He watched the girl carefully to gauge her reaction.

“I- I am aware.” She said with a sad little sigh. “However, I cannot let that deter me. If I can serve you, it is my pleasure to do so.”

“How dutiful of you. A perfect little subject. Tell me, Tauriel, why do you do this?” Thranduil questioned. He saw her surprised expression. “Oh, you cannot expect me to believe that you are doing this by pure desire, can you?” He asked. “The truth. Only but a lie will bring repercussion to you.” 

“My Lord, I am very grateful for what you have done for me. You have provided me with a home and many opportunities, and it was your goodness that drove you to do so. Everyone seems to believe that my talent lies with the wielding of arms. If I am most useful with this trade, then it is what I will provide to you.” Tauriel said, keeping her eyes at his feet.

“I did not expect you to give yourself to the kingdom like this. Very diplomatic. Very queenly, I must say.” Thranduil said. Tauriel shot up.

“My Lord, I-“ She began desperately, but he held up a hand.

“I saw you with Legolas. He cares for you deeply. However, I do not know if it is the care that would drive him to desire your flesh. I must inform you, Tauriel, that being a princess and a queen is not what you would imagine. If that is your driving factor towards my son, I would advise you against it strongly.” Thranduil said. Tauriel opened her mouth to speak. Thranduil continued. “But we will not speak of it any longer. If you truly wish to join the guard, you have my blessing.” The elvenking watched the girl before him steady herself before speaking.

“I thank you, my Lord.” She said quietly. “I will go to tend to your elk now, if your business with me is done.” Thranduil felt something in himself stir. He feared he had been too harsh on her. Thranduil descended the steps from his throne. 

“Will you accompany me for a walk?” The king requested. 

“Of course, my Lord.” Tauriel replied. She always complied to everything. Actions like these made it hard to dislike her. Thranduil walked at her side, leading her from the throne room. He set out in the direction of the stables.

“Would you like to know why I kept the elk?” Thranduil asked. Tauriel nodded. “When I was informed by my advisors of the elk, they suggested that I release it the moment it had recovered. I had agreed and alerted the healers of this. Then, one day, I saw you by it. You appeared to care for it, as if this creature with such a short life mattered so much. However, I began to watch you care for the elk. I watched how it responded to you, how it began to love you. I realized that it would be cruel to pry the little thing from you, which you had grown to love. It would also be cruel to the elk, who now looks to you as a child would look to its mother.”

“I was told I was raising it to be your mount, my Lord.” Tauriel said.

“That was the best excuse I could muster. Initially, I did not intend to take it as my mount. However, you have changed that. I began to visit the elk. I wanted to see the elk through your eyes. Over time, I did. I now have developed a fondness for the thing. The excuse is no longer an excuse.” Thranduil said. At this point, they had reach the stables. “I will leave you here.” Thranduil told the girl. As she stepped towards the door, he could not help himself. In this moment of helplessness, he reach out for her arm, stopping her. Very quietly, he pleaded to her, “I beg you, whatever you do, you must not hurt my son.” At first, he thought that she had missed his words, but with a glance over his shoulder, he saw the girl, leaning against the stable doors with a hand clasped over her mouth. Her face was contorted with hurt. More than anything, Thranduil wished to turn back to her, to apologize, to make this better for her. He could not.

So Thranduil walked away, breathing deeply to maintain his composure. He thought of the crushing pain that his love had brought him. How could he allow his son to experience the same? Still to this day, he felt fire in every breath he took, and a stabbing pain in each voice he heard that was not hers. No, he could not allow Legolas to love like he had. Perhaps he should have not pressed his son towards a suitor. Tauriel was the only one his son had expressed an even remote interest in. The king could not fathom why. His son had been presented with many girls, all of high stature. They were pretty things, all with fair faces and fertile bodies. Why did he reject them all?

At the time, Thranduil had been very frustrated. But at this exact moment, he had a realization. Legolas was very gentle of heart. While the world around him battered him, and he appeared as cold and tempered as the finest sword, he carried a softness within himself that was so rarely reflected. Legolas did not want to be hurt by love. Perhaps his son kept his care locked because he knew what giving it freely could do. However, if the king was correct in his assumptions, one thing became true:

Legolas trusted Tauriel with his heart. Thranduil knew that Tauriel suffered from the loss of her parents. For many moons after their passing, he could sometimes hear her sobbing through the night. Also, he knew that those who had the ones they loved ripped from them did not actively seek love. When love came to them, it was not their seeking that brought it, but rather chance. Legolas and Tauriel were not seekers of love, but somehow, they had found it.

-+-+-+-

There were murmurs among the Guard the next day. Whenever Legolas approached to better hear them, they faded into silence. Information was being kept from him. He was displeased. Legolas was not an official member of the Guard, but he often traveled with them. Surely he could work the secret from one of the members. However, upon seeing the assembling Guard, he knew.

Beside the Captain stood another elf. The Captain was quite large. From what his father had told him, the Captain had lived many more years than most of the elves in the halls. He had grown to an impressive height, even for an elf, and he could move his lean, muscled body in impossible ways. However, the girl beside him, who was much shorter than he, appeared as the tallest in the room. How could Tauriel have gotten in to this? He watched her as she spoke to the Guard. She told them of the spider she killed, yet not one word of her speech was self-praise. Legolas felt a pain in his chest. He could not let Tauriel stand with the Guard, to put her life at risk. When her speech was finished, the ranks broke. Legolas strode to the Captain.

“Amathon,” Legolas said as he came close to him. Amathon turned, and smiled at Legolas. 

“The girl is as bright as her hair, is she not?” Amathon asked with a smile. “She will make a good leader.”

“Leader?” Legolas asked, nearly choking on the word.

“Oh, of course. Your father came to me. He told me that she came to him, requesting membership. Not only did he permit her entrance, he gave her his blessing. She will rise among the ranks quickly.” Amathon said.

“She may die.” Legolas insisted.

“Why do you worry for her? She saved your life, if the stories I have heard are correct. If they are of truth, I must say that you should fear for your life more than hers.” 

-

“Tauriel, you must not do this.” Legolas pleaded upon seeing her. 

“Why? Do I not have my free will?” She asked.

“You do, of course, but,” Legolas began.

“If I have my free will, does it not permit me to do what I wish?” Tauriel asked gently.

“Tauriel, you must understand, there is danger.”

“What of the danger? It is one that I aim to eliminate. If I meet my death trying, then it was a noble death.” 

“What does nobility matter? Your life is worth much more than nobility.” Legolas pleaded. Tauriel shook her head sadly.

“You are mistaken. The worth of my life is what I make it. I wish my life to be one spent ensuring the safety of the others. My parents lived and died for the same purpose. I wish to continue out their mission.” Tauriel said. She was so determined. It hurt Legolas.

“I cannot take this from you, Tauriel. But please know that if you take an arrow, I will be hit as well.” Legolas said, resigned.