Hobbit 1. Hold my breath and I'll count to ten

_Rukhsul Menu (translated from Khuzdul) "You offspring of an Orc"_

* * *

"Ow!" cried Ori as he was pushed.

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded Gloin angrily.

"Rukhsul Menu, get your hands off me", insulted Dwalin causing him to be shoved forward.

These were the sounds the dwarves made as they were led blindfolded and bound through the forest. The hands that pushed and pulled ungraciously were the hands of elves, who bore no love for dwarves as dwarves bore no love for them. Many more grumbles and yells were sounded before they began to echo upon stone, and then they were shoved forward and forced to stand blindly waiting for what would be done to them.

Thorin seethed silently, his head throbbed where his hair was being pulled from the knot of the blindfold. He knew exactly where they were and who they were before; and he wished very greatly for his sword so he could drive it through the elf's belly. A soft voice filled their ears speaking a language they did not understand, and their rage bloomed in their hearts at the sound of the elvish language. Thorin knew very well who the deep vibrato belonged too, could easily picture the Elvenking's face as he had been for last one hundred and seventy-one years.

Another voice Thorin thought he knew answered, and as they talked the sound of soft footfalls met his ears and he felt someone come to stand beside him. He stiffened when he felt something tug at his hair though it was not an unpleasant feeling; it took a few moments before he realized the elf was picking the webs out of his messy hair.  
The elves continued to speak in their foreign language, creating an almost lyrical lull with their lovely voices that the dwarves did not appreciate – in fact, their voices grated on the dwarves' ears as they stood unable to see those who where speaking. When suddenly quiet surrounded them, and the silence felt more dangerous than the speaking of the elvish tongue.

The Elvenking spoke once more and again they did not understand the words he spoke, though one word was spoken that Thorin knew, _hervess_. That word was as familiar as the gentle hands that pulled the webs out of his hair, as the fingers that untied the knot of his blindfold so as not to pull his hair. He knew from the grumbling and the hissing from the others that they were not receiving the same kind treatment. He felt the tie loosen and he turned his head when it fell to the ground. Her face was as lovely as when he first saw her, barely even a day older. Her hair gleamed like the sun as the flames on the cave's walls flickered on each strand, a nearly imperceptible smile on her lips. She was as warm as the Elvenking was cold, as bright as the sun as he was pale as winter.

No kindness ever did Thorin give her, it was not in a dwarf's nature to; nor was it in an elf's to show compassion to a dwarf. And yet she had been nothing but kind towards him, and all others. Even then, remembering the feel of her gentle fingers in his hair only moments before, he could not bring himself to show her an ounce of friendliness.

...

_Thorin could not remove the smug look from his face at seeing the Elvenking of the Woodland Realm pay his respect to his grandfather. The elf king was followed by four of his men as he entered the great throne room of Thror. The elf was as lovely as elves were known to be, but unhappiness was in his eyes as he bowed his head towards the King. _

"_Welcome Thranduil, King of Mirkwood," Thror said nodding to the Elvenking. "Are your wife and son settling into your rooms?" _

"_Yes they are," the elf said in a pleasant voice though his eyes betrayed him. "You have been most gracious in your hospitality." _

_Thror's smile grew at the elf's kind words, knowing them to be true. "Your beloved is said to be most lovely to behold, I look forward to meeting her." _

"_As she does you." The elf king bowed once more before leaving the throne room once Thror dismissed him. Thorin had not missed the irritation that flashed across the elf's eye at Thror's dismissal, though he kept face well. _

_Thorin left shortly after, Thror and his father looking over the prepared feasts for the elves, and walked through his halls. The sight of the many elves that had accompanied Thranduil grew something warm in his belly, the thought that his grandfather was troubling himself to please the elves igniting the fire in his veins. Thorin saw the Elvenking standing near a young elf with a striking similarity to his appearance; the young elf had long pale straight hair, though it was more yellow than the king's, the same sharp features on his face, the same light blue eyes. _

_Thorin continued past them and his eyes found an incredibly beautiful face that brought him up short. Her hair fell in soft golden curls down her back, her deep blue eyes staring at the Elvenking and his son, her face no older than thirty, her features soft, her lips full and sweet. Seeing her ears ended in a point he shook himself and walked towards her. He watched her eyes follow the elf king rather than his young son, who Thorin thought she would seek out more. _

"_He is married," Thorin said coming to a stop in front of her. _

_She turned her gaze towards him at the sound of his voice, her brows knitted until she realized from his dress who he was and then she bowed to him. He smirked at seeing her bow, the top of his head going no higher than her breasts. "Yes, I know," she said, her voice as sweet as a birdsong. _

"_Is his wife truly as beautiful as they say?" he asked wishing to see her reaction and was surprised to see her blush slightly. _

"_I don't believe I could be the judge of that," she said and he was struck again by her sweet face. _

"_If it's true she is as enchanting as is said, he would not spare you a second glance," Thorin said mercilessly, hoping to see sadness mar her pretty face though he did not see it; instead she tilted her head to the side, reminding him of a bird, as she stared at him. He noticed then that even though she was taller than him she did not make him feel as though she were looking down at him. _

"_Are you sparing me from embarrassment?" she asked with a small smile.  
It was then Thorin's turn to look at her confused for that was not his intention at all, and from the smile on her lips he could tell she knew. _

"_I thank you for your concern," she said sweetly. He looked at her for a moment longer before straightening his back and walking away from her. _

_The next time he saw her again it was outside of the hall where they were to feast standing next to the young elf Thorin had seen before, though this time she wore a crown upon her head. Her eyes met his and she smiled before bowing and he bowed his head in return before standing at his grandfather's side who was speaking with the Elvenking. _

"_My son, Legolas," Thranduil said and the young elf stepped forward and bowed to Thror. _

_Thror nodded to Legolas before looking back to Thranduil. "And your wife?" Thror asked. _

"_Melda," the Elvenking said, and his love and affection could be heard in his voice as he said that simple word. The beautiful woman with the golden hair stepped forward and took Thranduil's hand smiling softly at him before looking to Thror. "My wife, Legawen." The elf king, who had been cold and distant, now smiled as he looked at the golden haired woman, his face full of love and adoration. Her eyes were on her husband and they shared a look of such a love that had lasted for over a thousand years and still stayed strong. She then bowed to Thror, who took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles and acknowledged her for who she was; the Queen of Mirkwood._

* * *

_So this is an idea that's been playing around in my head since I saw the Hobbit. And after reading The Hobbit and doing a little research, I learned Thranduil's wife is never spoken of, not even given a name. So I created a character to be his wife, and to give more of a reason why Legolas is so much nicer than his father. Legawen means Green Maiden in Sindarin, and it took me forever to come up with it. This will not be a love triangle with Thorin, because elves don't do that, but it's more of her possibly being a friend to Thorin. If I continue this story I will go into her past with Thranduil and through their lives together, staying as close to what Tolkien has already written as possible (changing things where Peter Jackson did). So please leave a review on your thoughts so I know how serious I should get about this idea, cause if people are interested I usually put up a chapter either once a day or every other day. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.  
_


	2. I'm the paper and you're the pen

Thank you all so much for reviewing and favoriting and following, it means a lot to me. So the beginning goes a little into her past with Thranduil. The first part of this chapter is mostly the basis for their meeting, so it isn't horribly interesting but it is fairly important. On the plus side, now that I have it out of the way I can just go into them meeting and falling in love.

* * *

Ellon(ellyn)/Elleth(ellith) - boy(s)/girl(s) elf

Ada - father

Ion _nín_ - my son

* * *

Preparations_ had been made for when the King's son was to visit. Many of the elves spoke about what he would be like, and already ellith were fancying him; it being known Thranduil had yet to take a wife. His father, Oropher, had long ago discovered a small colony of Silvan elves that dwelt within Greenwood the Great. Oropher and his men stayed under their hospitality for a long while, and the chief of the Silvan colony named Oropher their lord; as long as the chief would be his adviser. _

_Oropher's son lived in the Elven Kingdom, Lindon, while his father reigned in what was later known as Mirkwood. His small band of Sindar married and bore children with the Silvan elves, merging their peoples together; and it was the greatest honor that he wished his son to marry a Silvan elf as well. _

_And so excitement grew when Thranduil arrived, young ellyn stood close to the ellith they wished to wed, unclaimed ellith wearing their best dresses hoping to catch his eye. Though there was one elf Oropher greatly wished his son to wed. _

"_Ada," Thranduil said in greeting to Oropher. _

"_Ion nín." Oropher led Thranduil through the caves they had discovered many centuries ago where they now dwelt. "The Silvan chief has a daughter I believe you would find most pleasing," Oropher told his son. "Raven hair and a lovely face, her name is Meluwen. She is but a few centuries younger than you, perhaps you would like to meet her." _

"_You said I could take whomever I wished as my wife," Thranduil reminded his father. _

"_Yes of course, ion," Oropher said patting his son on the shoulder. "But these are your people, you should get to know them." _

_Thranduil followed after his father, knowing he would not take no lightly. He met with the Silvan chief, his father's advisor, and his dark haired daughter; it was true she was lovely, though she was very solemn. _

_Oropher smiled as his son lifted the daughter of the chief's hand to his lips, and saw the chief smile as well. For centuries the chief had spoken of their children wedding, now Oropher hoped the pretty elf would capture his son's heart. Though watching his son as they feasted, seeing the way his attention wandered from the quiet elleth, he did not think Thranduil would chose her. It was at times like these when he regretting allowing his son to chose his own wife; two thousand years after his birth and he still hadn't found one. Oropher knew his son well enough to know he valued beauty, and the chief's daughter was quite lovely; but _she_ wasn't. Even Oropher had to admit she was rather dull – she was very serious and quiet, she hardly smiled. _

_Thranduil would come to stay a few years with his father before returning to Lindon, though it was within a few days after his arrival that he met the woman he would come to marry and take with him back to the Elven Kingdom; though neither one of them knew it at the time they met. _

…

The Elvenking stood and offered Legawen his hand, and Thorin watched as her smaller hand fit in his, leading her to the throne beside his before sitting once more and looking at the dwarves.

"Welcome Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror, King under the Mountain," the elf king said in the common tongue. "And his friends."

Thorin looked at the Queen and saw that she was staring at him with a look of curiosity, before looking back to the king; who had noticed the brief look the dwarf had shared with his wife.

"How very kind of you all to visit, but I do not remember offering an invitation," Thranduil said with a smile though his eyes betrayed him.

"No invitation was needed," answered Thorin, "we did not mean to trouble you, and we will gladly be on our way." His voice was level and polite, but the look in his eye was anything but gracious. He was glad the others were remaining silent and he hoped they would continue to do so as the king further questioned them; knowing he would bring harm to anyone who spoke of his quest to the Elvenking, who had abandoned he and his kin so many years ago.

"If that were true then why did you and your friends, three times, try to attack my people at their merrymaking?" The king was staring hard at Thorin, hoping never again to see his dwarvish face and yet there he stood.

"We did not attack them," Thorin said, a flash of defiance in his eyes at being wrongly accused.

"Then what were your intentions when you stepped into our rings?" Thranduil asked barely a second after Thorin stopped speaking. Legawen placed her hand over his and wound their fingers together; Thranduil looked over at her, and upon seeing her concerned face, turned back to the dwarf king and patiently awaited his answer.

Thorin watched her touch calm the elf, as it had so many years ago, and waited until Thranduil met his gaze before answering. "We came to beg because we were starving."

Thranduil seemed to ponder this for some time, absentmindedly running his thumb along his wife's knuckles as he did so. "What brought you into the forest at all?" he finally asked.

At that, Thorin spoke no more, and pride in his Company swelled within him when not a single one of them answered the king that either.

"What have we done, O king?" said Balin indignantly. "Is it a crime to be lost in the forest, to be hungry and thirsty, to be trapped by spiders? Are the spiders your tame beasts or your pets, if killing them makes you angry?"

Thorin watched as Legawen's shoulders slumped as she sighed, releasing her husband's hand as he stood; his face a mask of rage. It was entirely untrue that the spiders were the elves' tame beasts or their pets; in fact, spiders were some of the few creatures the elves were without mercy for.

"It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave. Do you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road that my people made? After all the disturbance you have made I have a right to know what brings you here, and if you will not tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned sense and manners!" the Elvenking said harshly, though even in anger his voice was still lovely.

"Melindo," Legawen said softly, warming the ice that was her husband. Thorin knew that word and its meaning, having heard it from her soft full lips many times during the days she was a guest in his home. Thranduil looked back at her, taking the hand she offered and sat once more at her side. Though his face softened when looking at hers, enmity flared in his eyes when he looked over the dwarves before him.

"Put them in separate cells far enough away from each other they would not know another living thing was near," Thranduil ordered his men in the elvish tongue. "They are to be given food and drink at the passing of every meal, but they are not to leave their prisons. Not until at least one of them is willing to tell me what I wish to know."

And with that the dwarves were pushed further into the caves, and Thorin looked back once to see Legawen and Thranduil staring at one another. And then he lost sight of them and darkness surrounded him.

"You could have been nicer," she said once the others had left.

"I was more courteous than they deserved," Thranduil answered irritably causing her to smile.

"They were starving, you could have offered them food. Or tempted them with the wonderful smells. Perhaps one of them might have answered something."

Thranduil brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on her fingers as he thought. "Thorin Oakenshield would never answer me anything."

"The others might have," she offered quietly as she stared at him.

He pressed another kiss on her hand and smiled softly. "Melda nín," he said and her smile grew before she kissed him lightly on the lips. "Where are you going?" he asked when she stood.

"I am ensuring our _visitors_ food will not be spat in," she said simply before making her way out of the room they were in. He watched her as she left, following the flow of her hips, and smiling when she looked back at him knowing he was watching her. Even then after three thousand years she stirred things deep within his core. She was not the elleth his father had wanted him to marry, but there was no other he could ever have loved but her.


	3. You fill me in, you are permanent

_Meleth nín - my love_

_Naneth - mother_

* * *

The flames from the torches flickered on her hair casting a golden hue on each strand and Thranduil stroked her soft hair as she slept peacefully beside him. Dawn had risen an hour previous and with it he had woken, and as he had done every time she slept beside him after they had wed he watched her sleeping face; memorizing its features. He kissed her lightly as her eyelids fluttered causing her to smile sleepily.

"Good morn, meleth nín," he said softly still running his hands through her hair.

"What will you do on this day?" asked his wife as she sat up, her sleeping gown slipping down her shoulder.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her collarbone before pulling the other sleeve from her arm and slipped out of their bed. Legawen followed suit and the gown drifted to the floor baring her before him, and he rid himself of his own nightclothes. They stepped closer and ran their hands over each other's bodies, skin they had spent centuries memorizing and now over a thousand years later they knew every inch as though it were their own.

"Barrels of wine have arrived and I will taste them before our feasting tonight," he said before putting on that day's new clothes.

"Do not drink too much before we sup," she teased and he smiled before wrapping his arms around her and bringing her to his chest; feeling the warmth of her bare flesh through the fabric of his shirt. Her hair fell in loose curls down her back, the color of liquid sunshine, the color their son had inherited. It was her hair that he had taken note of when he first saw her and then he saw her face, her kind and lovely face.

"What will you do, melda?" he asked running his hands along her sides.

She stepped out of his embrace reaching for his crown and placed it atop his pale head. "I am thinking of speaking with Thorin," she said honestly knowing it would upset him; and she was correct, his eyes hardened and his smile slipped away.  
"I do not wish for you to share words with that dwarf," he said bitterly helping her into her own clothes.

"Has he offended you?" she asked and he sighed before placing her crown of golden leaves atop her head. "Perhaps he would be more willing to speak with me," she said placatingly.

Thranduil sighed once more before realizing it was not in his wife's nature to not offer Thorin some kindness, though he himself still did not understand it. A few weeks they had remained guests of Thror in Erebor and many times Thorin's words had hurt her, though Legawen had said nothing Thranduil had taken note; and he strongly wanted to keep his wife from the contentious dwarf. But Thranduil also knew that there was something about Thorin his wife had taken a liking to; though it had brought her nothing but unkind words, hard glares, and only a rare few moments when Thorin showed he may not loathe her as much as it seemed.

…

"_What is troubling you ion nín?" Legawen asked seeing Legolas' brows furrowed in unhappiness.  
"They said my hair was plain," Legolas answered irritably. It was true, to a dwarf, that his hair was plain; it hung down his back without a braid or a curl, much like his father's._

_Legawen's brows raised in amusement and she pursed her lips so not to smile. "And that has upset you?" _

"_They laughed," he said dejectedly and Legawen could not stop her smile. "Naneth," he said miserably when he saw her upturned mouth, and she tried her best to stop smiling. _

"_Would you like me to fix your hair?" she asked placing her hand on her son's cheek. She watched him think over her words before he nodded. And so she moved around him to stand at his back and thought of what to do with his hair; it was a lovely golden color, lighter than her own, and straighter than a board. _

_That was the sight Thorin was met with as he walked to the dining hall for the day's first meal. He stopped when he saw them, her hands moving through her son's hair pulling back the top most layer and braiding it so it hung down the back of his head. She then made a single braid behind both of his ears and stepped around in front of him when she had finished._

"_There," she told him though Thorin did not understand her elvish words, "your hair is plain no more." She placed a hand under her son's chin and he smiled up at his mother. _

…

Thorin stood when he heard the door to his cell open and squinted at the flickering of the torches seeing a figure step through the doorway.

"You should not have come," he said when he saw that it was Legawen.

"Did you honestly believe I wouldn't?" she asked softly.

Thorin looked up at her and shook his head. "I knew you would," he admitted. "I will tell you nothing of our purpose in your woods."

"Nor would I expect you to," she responded honestly. She stayed silent a moment wondering if asking would prove to be worth it. "But if I were to ask you something and you were to answer, would you be honest?"

Thorin thought over her words before answering. "That would depend on what you ask."

"Would you willingly risk their lives to retake your home?" she asked.

"They came when I called, they are willing."

"That is not what I asked," she said gently.

Thorin sighed and thought of what it was she wanted him to say when he realized something; "How did you know?"

She smiled. "You were found having traveled the forest path very few know of, one that would take you almost directly to the Lonely Mountain. It is not a difficult thing to discover if you look close enough."

"And your husband has discovered this as well," Thorin said feeling anger and hatred swell withing him.

"My husband does not like you enough to look closer," she answered and Thorin almost felt deflated at the realization that she knew and her husband did not.

"You will not tell him," Thorin said without question.  
Legawen looked at him, studied his face, which had more lines on it than she remembered. "Your nephew, the one with the golden hair," she clarified.

"Fili," Thorin told her wondering how she knew him to be his nephew.

It was simple really, she knew his brother had died leaving him with only a sister, and he had no children of his own so the two dwarves that shared a resemblance to him were obviously his sister's sons.

He was surprised at feeling her warm hand on his face, a tender embrace she saved only for those who were closest to her heart; her husband and her son.

"You braided his hair?" she asked and felt him nod beneath her touch. She was quiet a long while as she stared at him. "You gave him the braids I gave my son," she said quietly, realizing she meant more to him than she had thought.

* * *

_To julieAKAweirdo, thank you so much for your reviews. I'm so glad you like them together. _

_Thank you all for reading and reviewing, it really does mean a lot to me._


	4. And you leave me to dry

_Her hair clung to her sweaty forehead, her breathing deep, her body in agony, often times moaning or screaming through clenched teeth. Thranduil was at her side, both their crowns forgotten on the floor, whispering words of comfort and love to her as she tried again. She gasped at the feeling of being torn in two and she slumped against the pillows, the sound of crying filling the room. She looked to her husband, who could see the exhaustion on her face, and he kissed her lips gently smiling. _

"_You have a son," said the elven midwife, holding the now clean babe so they could see he was in fact a boy. "Would you like to hold him?"  
Legawen nodded holding her arms out and her child was placed in them, his golden hair gleaming in the candlelight, his eyes bright blue. "He looks like you," she said softly staring at their son in awe. _

"_His hair is your color," Thranduil said kissing her cheek before placing his finger in his son's tiny hand and smiled as his little fingers wrapped around it. _

"_What will his name be?" she asked too tired to think.  
Thranduil stared down at their son thinking of several different names, but seeing the tiny hand holding tight to his finger, none of them seemed right. "What do you think?" he asked looking at his wife to see her looking back at him. He smoothed the hair back off her forehead, loving her more in that moment than he may ever have. And looking from her to his son, he knew. "Legolas," he said looking back at his wife. _

"_It's perfect," she said smiling and he took her lips with his own. _

"_Legolas, our little green leaf." _

…

She stood cupping Thorin's cheek waiting for him to deny her words, but he did nothing but stare up at her. "Would you tell me about him?" she asked wanting to know more of the dwarf he had given a likeness to her son.

"He is strong and brave, loyal, a fighter," Thorin said thinking of his nephew. "When he sets his mind to something he is determined to see it through."

"He sounds very much like you," she said quietly removing her hand, and Thorin almost sighed in relief not fancying how honest he felt he had to be when she touched him.

"What about your son?" he asked and she gave a small laugh.

"You have met my son."

"Tell me anyway," he shrugged.

"He is kind and trusting, though not of dwarves," she said smiling and he felt his mouth twitch, having almost forgotten how honest she could be. "He tries to see the good in all things, though I am afraid he is usually disappointed."

"That reminds me an awful lot of you," Thorin said. "You have found the good in me and yet I continue to disappoint you."

"More often than not," she agreed. They stood staring at one another without speaking, the flames flickering on their faces. "You will not answer me."

"No," he said shaking his head.  
"If the signs of the dragon's end have been shown then this is the time you will retake your home," she said surprising him with how clever she was. "This is your only chance, no life is important enough to stop you," she said answering her own question. There was no judgment in her eyes, there never had been, only understanding.

"Will you tell him?" he asked wondering if she cared for him enough to keep this from her husband.

"No," she answered and he stood astounded. "But I will not help you either."

It was a decision he should have known she would make, she cared for him but she loved her husband – the elf who he most loathed and the elf who most despised Thorin – she was in the middle of all their hate and anger and so she would help neither of them.

"Then you are of no use to me," he said callously and almost immediately regretted it when hurt flashed in her eyes. He almost called her name when she turned back towards the hall, but she spoke one last time;

"I wish you all the luck in the world, Thorin Oakenshield."

…

_**Seventy-Seven years later**_

"_I don't see why you cannot send another," Legawen said as she angrily turned down the sheets on their bed. _

_Thranduil sighed before removing his crown. "Elrond has called a council to discuss what must be done should it in fact be the master ring," he said gently as he stepped behind her and removed her own crown. "News must be given of the creature, gollum, having escaped." _

"_I know," she said irritably. "What I don't understand is why it has to be him." _

"_Would you rather it be me?" he asked for it was the only other alternative. _

"_Of course not, but you know if it is the One Ring that he would volunteer for anything that is planned," she said, and Thranduil did in fact know this.  
"Do you want know what I don't understand?" he asked pulling her to his chest, seeing her angry yet fearful eyes staring up at him.  
"What is that?" she grumbled, entirely unhappy with her husband. _

"_Why you are angry with me when this is entirely your fault," he said and her eyes widened in shock. _

"_My fault?" she exclaimed. _

"_When you were his age would you have been able to resist the temptation of the quest to destroy the One Ring?" he asked with a small smile and his answer was given when she sighed frustrated. "I can honestly say that I would not have been tempted, therefore our son's desire for all that is good is entirely your fault."_

_She looked at him and he saw the anger leave her, though the fear and despair that it had been clouding was now visible. _

"_He will come back to us," he assured her.  
"What if he doesn't?" she whispered and he placed a kiss on her cheek before wrapping his arms around her and stroking her hair. _

"_You knew one day he might wish to leave," he said against her hair. _

"_I did not know it would prove so dangerous," said his wife. Though she wished to keep her son close she knew he would not be satisfied with remaining in their woods when he could be of use. She also knew that even if she did keep him by her side the world grew darker each passing day, and if something was not done not even she could keep their son safe. _


	5. I'm the writer and she's the muse

_Gerich veleth __nín_ - you have my love  


* * *

_Thranduil explored the caves, finding many small rooms deep within them, and then found a stream well beneath the caves and wondered if it crossed a river. He was quickly growing tired with the elleth his father wished for him to marry, knowing their being wed would further entwine his people with the Silvan elves. Though try as he might he could not bring himself to fancy anything about her, and he could tell she did not like him much either. In fact there was an ellon, a broad shouldered fighter, that she seemed keen on; and he on her. _

_Elves married for love, and that love could not be forced; it could be influenced, however. And so, at both their father's efforts and at an extreme effort of their own, he and Meluwen could love each other enough to be wed. And with time and extreme care Oropher believed Thranduil would grow to care for the chief's daughter – at least he thought so. _

…

"Were you able to get anything out of him?" Thranduil asked his wife, feigning uninterest.

"We spoke," she said quietly, "I did not interrogate him."  
Thranduil stilled when he heard Legawen's voice, it being uncommon not hear her love for life in its sound. "He has upset you."

"Only slightly," she admitted and he walked to her, seeing the sadness in her eyes that she tried to hide from him. "Thranduil don't," she said seeing his eyes harden into anger as he stepped away from her.  
"I will not allow him to continue to pain you. You have been nothing but kind to him, a kindness he does not deserve," Thranduil answered moving towards the door. "_Gerich veleth __nín_," he said before leaving her in as much despair as Thorin had.

…

"_I don't think I understand," the young elleth said softly, her voice as pretty as song. _

_Oropher looked at her lovely face, full of beauty and life, a face Thranduil was sure to notice. "My son is very fond of treasure, overly so," he admitted to her. "Beauty captures his eye and he cannot leave it alone until he has it. He can be unkind, cruel even, but he can also be very charming. He would take an interest in you and you would not be able to resist him."  
The young elleth's brows furrowed as she listened to his words, as she thought them over. Even he had noticed her, the kindness of her heart that reflected in her sweet face. But it was her hair that he knew Thranduil would take a fancying to; slightly curled strands of liquid gold that glittered in the sunlight. It would be her hair that was his son's downfall, and upon getting to know the elf, Thranduil would surely love her. _

"_It would only be for a short while," he assured her. "A few years, at least until he is wed to Meluwen." He watched her face intently, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes as well as the understanding. He knew she was very trusting, her own downfall, and that in the end she would agree; for Meluwen was her closest friend. _

"_Do you truly believe he would love me?" she asked and he nodded. "What if I do not love him?" _

"_I am afraid that would not matter. He would see you for the treasure you are, and there would be no one else for him but you. Whether you loved him or not." _

_She was quiet for some time longer as she continued to think, wondering if it was the right thing to do. "What would you have me do?" _

"_Keep yourself hidden, do not let him see you." He realized he was being unfair to both his son and the elf before him, it being possible that they could have a truly happy life full of love together. However, that was not what was needed. In this, their love did not matter. _

_And so Legawen, after Thranduil had arrived, had kept herself hidden from sight. She helped their healer one day, soothing an ailing ellon as the healer tended to him. She wore a scarf around her hair, keeping what their King, Oropher, had said would capture the prince's attention.  
"You should not have to hide yourself," Meluwen said as they sat on Legawen's bed.  
"He is right, your marrying would be best for our people," Legawen said, the older elf no longer surprised at her optimism. _

"_You do have such lovely hair," Meluwen said running her fingers through the golden tangles that had just been unwound from beneath the scarf. They were quiet for a long while before Meluwen's low voice broke the silence. "The prince has requested seeing the black river." _

"_It is enchanted, I suppose it would make sense that he would be curious," Legawen said thinking of the handsome prince with the long pale hair. _

"_Yes but he wishes me to come as well," Meluwen said unhappily and Legawen patted her knee sympathetically. Meluwen did not enjoy the dangers of the wood, though they rarely ventured near the elves.  
"Perhaps it would give you a chance to know him," Legawen offered. _

"_I would feel much better if you would come too."  
"I cannot, Meluwen," Legawen said though she very much wanted to. "It would be rather hard to explain to the prince why I hide myself from him." _

"_You could tell him his father made you," Meluwen grumbled. _

_Legawen sighed. "He did not make me, I agreed to."  
"Either way it is unfair to you. Though you would probably like him," Meluwen said thoughtfully. "Oh please say you will come, it would put me at ease to have you near," she begged.  
"Meluwen, I can't," Legawen tried to explain.  
"You could follow behind, unseen. Only I would know you had followed."  
Legawen turned to look at Meluwen, which had been a mistake for the older elf was pleading to her with her bright green eyes. She sighed before nodding in agreement causing Meluwen to hug her happily. _

…

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" sneered Thorin when the Elvenking stepped through his cell door.  
"Why were you and your friends found wandering in my kingdom?" Thranduil asked glaring at him.

Thorin's eyes darkened at the elf's tone. "I told you, we were looking for food because we were starving. Are you losing your hearing at your age?" Thorin smirked at the outrage that splayed across the king's face at his insult.

"I should have expected no more from a dwarf," Thranduil said, spitting the word 'dwarf'. "Why my wife has shown you fondness is unknown to me," he said before turning away, knowing Thorin would tell him nothing, and berating himself for ever thinking he would. Though he did noticed the dwarf's eyes soften at the mention of Legawen. "Is she truly so awful that you must continue to distress her?" he asked angrily seeing a flash of regret in the dwarf's eyes before he masked it.

"Is it any surprise for a dwarf to bear no love for an elf, especially one who is married to a coward," Thorin said watching Thranduil's jaw clench.

"No coward am I," the Elvenking hissed.  
"Then where was your help when the dragon came?" roared Thorin, having allowed his hatred for this elf in particular to grow for over a hundred years.

"Is this why you are unjust to my wife?" Thranduil asked, avoiding the question.  
"Will you give me no answer?" Thorin demanded.  
Thranduil face was lovely as he smiled, but hatred burned heavily in his eyes. "I will give you your answer when you give me mine," he said pleasantly, knowing they were now at a standstill.

Thorin looked at the elf's face wanting nothing more than to drive his sword through Thranduil's heart. "It is unfortunate Legawen is your wife, I may have shown her more kindness had she been another's." Thorin knew, before loathing flashed in Thranduil's eyes, that calling her by her name would greatly anger him. Satisfaction swelled in the dwarf to see such an ugly look marring the elf's face.

"Should you hurt her in any way again I will kill you," Thranduil said, his voice a low growl, his eyes blazing.  
"I guess we shall see."

…

_Legawen moved silently after the small group, having received another round of gratitude from Meluwen for her agreement to come. Her hair was wrapped in a scarf and another was around her mouth and nose, leaving only her eyes visible. Every step she took was calculated, knowing their elven ears would hear one wrong footfall, and not a single sound did she make. She heard small chatter, catching only a few words, but she could never figure out who had spoken for she was too far behind them. _

_They had reached the river, which Thranduil had stared in awe at for a very long while, and were now making their way back to the caves. Legawen had just placed her foot on the ground when she heard a distinctive rustling noise, freezing at thinking it was her. It wasn't until she heard clicking that she realized just what it was, knowing Meluwen had been right to have not wanted to venture so far into the forest. She followed the spider sounds, leading her closer to the small group of elves, who she saw from around a trunk had drawn weapons from the sound of danger. _

_The first spider dropped from the treetops and the elves below erupted into action; arrows were loosed, swords were unsheathed, Meluwen was running for the line of trees away from the group where she knew Legawen to be. "I told you it was dangerous," she said when she reached Legawen, and then moved to cower behind her. _

"_Yes, Meluwen," Legawen said notching an arrow in her bow as she backed both her and herself further into the line of trees. She felled a spider that took notice of them and aimed another arrow at one that was slowly dropping from a tree towards an elf who was backing away from two spiders. The elf turned when the spider fell landing on one of the spiders that was advancing on him, and she realized it was the prince. His eyes found her figure before he turned back to the other spider and swung his sword taking two of its legs, before stabbing it._

_Thranduil turned back to the person whose face was covered and saw them aiming their bow at a spider in the trees above them, noticing Meluwen's dark hair behind. He ran towards the two, seeing a spider behind the chief's daughter but the hooded figure dropped the spider from the tree and grabbed and loosed an arrow before he got their side, the spider already in the air. He reached Meluwen, who was wide eyed as she stared at the spider that was on top of the woman – he assumed it was a woman for the figure was of smaller stature than a man – seeing a flash of gold beneath the spider's furry body.  
"Legawen," Meluwen hissed capturing her attention as she struggled to get out from underneath the disgusting creature. She looked to where Meluwen's eyes motioned to and saw the prince standing near, though he could not see her face, only her hair. She wriggled away from the spider before leaping to her feet and running back through the trees, very much not wanting to go back on her word to the king. _

_Thranduil saw the woman, her hair long and golden and beautiful, begin running and without thought he ran after her. Her hair flowed behind her in the wind, the sun licking each strand, her lithe body moving quickly as she wound through the trees. However he caught her around the waist and pulled her to his chest, keeping her unable to move though she struggled against him. He tore the scarf away from her face and saw she was in fact a woman, a very beautiful she-elf._


	6. I'm the one that you always choose

_Ernil nîn - my prince_

* * *

"Did you get anything out of him?" Legawen asked shortly, her unhappiness clear in the tone of her voice.

"Nothing more than he already said," Thranduil answered coming to stand behind her, her back warm against his chest. "I do not believe he means to hurt you," he admitted unwillingly knowing it would make her happy. And he was right, when she turned to him there was a light in her eyes where anger had been.

"He told you that?" she asked quietly, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

"No, I saw the regret in his eyes when I spoke of you."

"You do not bear a single drop of love for him," she said quietly staring up at him, and he looked at her lovely face alight with warmth. "Yet you speak well of him."

He watched a smile lift the corners of her mouth and realized the spark of joy in her eye did not come from word of Thorin, but that the words came from _his_ mouth. Her happiness had come from knowing he bore great love for her to have spoken well of someone he hated.

"Melindo," she said softly and his own mouth quirked in a small smile.  
"Melda," he said in return before taking her soft lips beneath his own.

…

"_Who are you?" he asked still holding her, feeling her struggles. He had not seen her among his father's people, he would have noticed her. _

"_Let me go," she said pushing against his chest though he was far stronger than her. _

_He tensed his arms securing her more in his hold, her face both defiant and worried. "Not until you answer me," he told her staring hard into her deep blue eyes. _

_She stilled in his arms staring at him, taking in his handsome face and long pale hair, his eyes piercing as he stared at her. "Legawen," she answered softly. _

_He continued to stare at her, her youthful face looking up at him. "You have been hiding from me," he said realizing why he had yet to set her. He saw something flash in her eyes and her jaw clench, refusing to answer. "Why?" he asked not expecting her to answer, nor did she. "I am the son of your king, answer me," he ordered gently, wanting to know. _

"_The king thought it would be best," she answered quietly. _

"_He asked you to hide from my sight," he said incredulous releasing her as he realized he should have known. "Of course he did," Thranduil said bitterly. "I should have known he would have left me with no choice but to marry Meluwen." _

"_She would make a good wife," Legawen said softly, capturing his attention once more. _

"_Why did he have you hide from me? What is it about you?" he asked stepping closer to her. _

"_I am not sure, though he did think my hair would prove to be a distraction." _

"_It is very lovely," he said, his eyes trailing its length. _

"_Thank you," she said, feeling heat gather in her cheeks. _

_His eyes roamed over her face, seeing her flushed skin, before he held a hand out to her. "We should see if the others are well," he said waiting for her to take his hand. After a long few moments of watching her contemplate whether she should she finally did. _

_The others had killed several of the spiders and chased the rest of the hideous creatures away. Meluwen rushed towards Legawen and looked her over. "You are alright," Meluwen said relieved having thought she and the prince had come across more trouble._

_They starting walking back to the caves, Meluwen and Legawen speaking quietly to one another, Thranduil watching the two seeing Meluwen's face more animated than he had ever seen her. Though it was the other, Legawen, that his eyes kept straying to; searching for the reason why his father had specifically tried to keep her from him. _

"_You never saw me," she told him before wrapping her scarf around her head and walking ahead of the small group, his eyes trailing after her. _

…

"_Is something ailing you?" the healer asked as Thranduil stepped into her large hut.  
"Nothing at all," he answered. "I am searching for Legawen."  
The healer nodded smirking before excusing herself, leaving him alone in the hut. Hardly a few moments later the elf he had been looking for walked in._

"_You haven proven very hard to find," he said startling her. _

"_What are you doing here?" she asked shifting the linens in her arms staring at him wide eyed.  
"I see you are still hiding from me," he noted taking the pile of sheets from her before placing them in the cupboard he assumed they belonged in. _

"_What are you doing here?" she asked again watching him cautiously, though thoughts of him had been rolling around her mind since the day previous.  
"There must have been a reason why my father hid you, besides me marrying Meluwen. There must be something about you," he said stepping closer to her, backing her against the wall of the hut. _

"_You would have to ask your father," she whispered. _

_He stared down at her searching for what his father had seen in her, something he knew his father thought he would grow to love. "How could I when you asked it of me not to?" They continued staring at one another their breathing leveling with each other as they stood in silence, their reverie breaking when the healer returned. _

"_Do you plan to stay?" Legawen asked seeing Thranduil still standing where he was even after she had moved away.  
"I won't leave until I understand my father's reason," he said staring hard at her seeing her face flush under his eyes._

_And so he stayed, he followed her with his eyes as she assisted the healer in helping those who were ill, listening to her soft voice as she soothed them. He followed her after she left, asking her about herself over the next few days; learning her father had died when she was very young and her mother had sailed for Valinor half a century later, leaving Meluwen to take her in as a sister. He learned she had seen only six centuries, a far cry from his many. Though he had seen the great caring in her as she sang to a child who had fallen, her voice a lovely birdsong. _

"_You are a prince you cannot follow me forever," she said quietly as they walked through the caves, him having offered to walk her to her room as he had over the past few days. _

"_I can for some while," he answered quietly.  
"Have you understood your father's request yet?" she asked, struggling between wanting him to leave her and wanting him to stay, enjoying his company more than she knew she should. _

"_I believe I am starting to," he admitted, truly thinking he was. "Will you be at the feast?" _

"_I cannot hide from you there," Legawen said softly and Thranduil looked over at her feeling angry with his father. "Thank you for walking me," she said with a smile and he bowed slightly before leaving her. _

_He sat beside Meluwen, who he now noticed looked sad without Legawen, listening to the sounds of laughter and singing. He excused himself after an hour, earning a sharp look from his father.  
"Ernil nîn," Legawen said after he had knocked on her door. _

"_Come to the feast," was the first thing he could think to say. _

_Legawen stared at him in surprise seeing a flash of embarrassment in his eyes. "I cannot, your father,"_

"_My father should never have asked you to hide from me. Should I love you we will be married. He has no say in that." Her brows rose and he realized he had said more than he probably should have, his irritation loosing words from his tongue. She continued to stare at him uncertain, and so he tried again; "Would you at least join me outside?" he asked watching for her answer. _

_She went back and forth on whether she should in fact go with him, but looking into his eyes she found she couldn't say no. She took his hand and let him lead her out of the caves, hearing the faint voices of the elves grow louder the further outside they went. She could hear their lovely voices singing and the sounds of their harps as the others ate or danced. _

"_What are we to do now?" she asked, something he was wondering himself. _

"_What would you like to do?" he answered with a question. He watched as she thought, seeing her eyes shift from different ideas. _

"_Dance with me," she said surprising him. Staring into her large blue eyes he found that he wanted to, and so with a smile he offered her his hand before pulling her to him. _


	7. She will falter and gift her blame

_There is no hobbit-based period scene in this chapter, it's all in the past. Thank you all for reading, and especially to those who review; getting them means so much to me._

* * *

"You cannot continue to follow me," Legawen said with a smile when Thranduil stepped into the healer's hut as he had done everyday since when he first found her.

"I am the prince, of course I can," he rebutted before helping her turn down the beds she was making.  
She watched his slender fingers pull on the sheets, folding them over neatly at the foot of bed before he straightened and turned his light blue eyes to her face.

She felt her skin flush under his heavy gaze and she turned away from him and tried to slow her heart, knowing she should not let him affect her so. "I am sure the king has noticed your absence."

His brows furrowed when she turned away, her having previously been open and kind and now she was distant. "He believes I am spending my time with Meluwen, getting to know her."  
"Perhaps that is what you should be doing," she said quietly, fiddling with herbs as she kept her back to him. She struggled with knowing his father as well as Meluwen's father and the rest of their people wanted Thranduil to be wed to Meluwen, and then with her own budding feelings. Though she knew she was foolish to think of Thranduil in any way for he was the prince and there was no reason for him to feel anything in return for her, he simply only wanted to understand his father's decision to have her hide from him.

"I want to know you," is what he wanted to say to her, though he held his tongue. He watched as she began to press the leaves of one herb, watching the small muscles in her arms and shoulders move. It had been a little over a month since he had arrived in his father's realm and he still did not find himself caring for Meluwen in the slightest, though his father asked him of it often. He knew he should spend more time with her instead of with Legawen; she was clouding his thoughts.

"She spends most of her days with Bandir," he said drawing the large warrior to mind. He was a strange elf in appearance, fiery red hair and broad shoulders; his looks were those of man though his pointed ears said otherwise.

She smiled softly at the thought of Bandir, who had caught Meluwen's eye many centuries previous though it was he who was too shy to come forth and speak.

"And so instead you spend your days with me?" she asked before she thought of what those words meant, and upon the words leaving her lips she thought of what they _could_ mean though she shook the idea of him showing her any amount of affection from her mind as she continued to grind the herbs.

"I enjoy your company," he admitted quietly, stilling her movements.

She stood unable to move for several long moments, not knowing what he thought of her. "It is not my company you should be enjoying."  
"I know," he said softly before moving to stand behind her.

Her heart raced at the feel of his chest against her back. "What are you doing, Ernil nîn?" she asked, hearing her heart pounding in her ears and wondered if he could hear it too.

"Would you teach me how to do this?" he said motioning to the wooden bowl full of uncrushed leaves, wondering if she could feel his heart fluttering rapidly against her back. She turned her head to look up at him briefly, and upon meeting his eyes she turned back to the bowl.

"You hold it like this," she said placing the small bowl in his left hand and tilting it towards his right, her hand brushing against his sending both their hearts stuttering. "And then this," she said placing the pestle in his right hand, feeling her fingers again on his skin.

"And then what?" he asked, his breath moving her hair.  
"Then you press," she said placing her right hand over his and placing the pestle in the mortar, "and turn." Her fingers wrapped around his hand and she turned his hand, placing her left over his to hold the mortar as she usually did, breaking the leaves into pieces. "Now you try," she said softly releasing his hands.

His chest pushed against her back as he breathed, her hips pressed against his as he turned his hand on his own. The leaves then began to mush as he turned over and over, pressing closer to her with an arm around either side of her keeping her trapped against him. "Is that enough?" he asked looking at the orange paste from the leaves.  
"Yes," she answered, her entire body flushed from how close he was, feeling her heart beating in her veins. As he had been concentrating on crushing the leaves he had leaned his head forward to better see and they both then noticed his cheek against hers. He turned to her and feeling his eyes on her she turned to him, their faces barely an inch apart. They startled at the sound of someone clearing their throat and they turned to see Meluwen in the doorway trying her best not to smile.

"The king has sent me to find you," she said with a straight face, but when he bid Legawen farewell and left the hut Meluwen turned to her friend with a teasing smile before leaving too; Legawen was left alone still feeling Thranuil's touch and the weight of his gaze, wondering if perhaps she was wrong in thinking his only interest lay in discovering his father's purpose for hiding her.

…

_Thorin saw her golden hair gleaming in the torchlight, her eyes trained on a room she should have been forbidden to see. "Is there something you need milady?" he asked gruffly coming to stand beside her. Her eyes turned to him, glazed from staring at the treasure for so long, and cleared upon seeing his face. _

"_I was returning to my room when I saw a flicker," she answered and he knew of what she spoke, often time the glinting of gold had caught his own eye as he passed the hall. Though she was an elf and this the treasure of dwarves, therefore she did not have the right to look upon it. _

"_I thought elves were good people," he said rudely, sneering at the word elves. "Your hearts not easily tainted by such petty earthly things." Her eyes had turned back to the vastness of his grandfather's gold and jewels, staring in awe at its splendor. But her eyes were guarded when she looked back at him.  
"My husband should not see this," she whispered, knowing Thranduil's heart would be filled with a lustful greed to take their wealth. She stared at him for a long while, him seeing her age in her eyes and hearing it in her voice. "Elves are good people, though the evils of middle earth may corrupt our hearts should too many years living here pass." _

_His eyes followed her after she bowed slightly and walked away, wondering if she had been speaking of her husband. Though when he later saw the way the Elvenking warmed when his wife was near Thorin thought perhaps she was the thing that kept her husband from being consumed by his love of treasure._


	8. And it starts all over again

"You came back," Thorin said surprised when he saw her after his door opened. He took the plate he was offered before sitting on the ground and eating. She stood at his side for a long while, the only sound in his cell being from him chewing. He set his plate on the ground beside him before looking up at her, her body long and lithe, even more so from where he sat and where she stood.

"Do you ever think you could forgive him?" she asked softly, looking at him for the second time since she first entered his cell.  
A swelling rage rose within him at the thought of her husband, his answer coming to him easily. "Nothing on this earth would ever bring about my forgiveness," he said harshly. Looking up at her he could see his words had made her sad, though this time he felt no guilt.

"Nothing at all?" she whispered.  
"He abandoned me and my kin when we asked for aide. My people were slaughtered!" he yelled coming to his feet to stand defiantly before her.  
"Do you truly believe he could have been of any help?" she asked, and had she been anyone else he may have struck her. "Or perhaps you and your kin as well as mine would have perished."

"He would not have left a coward," he hissed.

"Was he a coward?" she asked. "Or was he a king who was doing what was best for his people?"  
He glared up at her, not thinking for a moment she could be right. "Doing what was best for his people," Thorin said laughing mockingly. "Would you still defend the king's decision if you were not his queen?" he said venomously.

Her eyes widened and tears filled them as she stared at him in shock, still feeling the blow from his words. The heat of his gaze softened only a little at seeing her tears, though his eyes still burned her. "No," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. She watched the anger leave him and he was left to stare at her in shock at what she had admitted. "But he is my husband, and the decision you so hate him for is why he came back to me."

He breathed heavily not knowing what to say, loathing for Thranduil swimming in his veins. But he understood why she defended her husband, she could not bear living without him; it was something he could not hate her for though he wanted to. "You should not return," he said quietly, knowing anything he said from then on would bring her nothing but pain. His eyes closed at the feel of her fingertips on his cheek, a featherlight touch he had found nowhere else. And when he opened his eyes she was gone.

…

_Thranduil would stay with Legawen throughout the day, helping her where it was needed speaking with her when it wasn't. When the sun fell he reluctantly left her side to join his father's feasts where he sat at Meluwen's side instead. He quickly noticed that Meluwen would bring most of their conversations back to Legawen, without ever speaking her name, making him yearn to be at her side once more.  
Legawen found herself caring more for the prince, knowing she should not but finding herself unable to resist. She learned that he was raised by his mother until she sailed for Valinor, leaving him with Gil-galad who was a great friend to him. He also told her that he was visiting his father's kingdom for the sole purpose of finding a wife, whom most wanted to be Meluwen. Though she saw that neither Meluwen nor Thranduil desired to wed one another. _

"_What is it we are looking for?" Thranduil asked as he stepped lightly through the forest.  
"Soothing herbs," Legawen explained as her eyes scanned the leaves of the plants on the ground for what she was looking for. "I'll know them when I see them," she told him with a smile. They had left the gate of Oropher's kingdom and moved deep within the forest away from the path; it had been when she told him that she would venture from the path that he insisted on joining her, it being absolutely thrilling to sneak past the elves guarding the gate as Legawen had gone through. _

"_Who was the one who saved you the last time you were in the forest?" she had teased causing him to laugh.  
"Then allow me to return the favor," he said, his voice low and his eyes heated. She had blushed under his gaze as she said yes. _

_They moved quietly through the eerie trees, the sounds of things moving all around them though she did not look afraid. Thranduil walked behind her as he cast his eyes around searching for danger. It took most of the day for her to find the leaves she was searching for, and the day's ending feast was quickly coming upon them as they stepped back onto the path. _

"_If I were to ask you to come to the feast tonight what would you say?" he asked, it having been months since he last asked her to join him at one.  
"I would say no as I always do," she replied quietly, the basket hanging from the crook of her arm as she walked over roots. _

"_What if I were to say please?" he asked and she stopped walking. He turned to her to see surprise on her face.  
"What is it about tonight's feast that would have you saying please?" she asked wary.  
He stepped closer to her, pleased when she did not move back. "My father wants an answer," he explained. "It has been months and he thinks I have been spending my days with Meluwen, that I have been coming to know her, that I may possibly be growing to love her. How can I tell him that I do not wish her to be my wife?" he asked not truly wanting an answer.  
"That does not answer my question," she said softly, feeling the heat from his body as he stood barely touching her. _

"_Why won't you come to the feast?" he asked instead of answering her.  
"The king," she replied but he interrupted her.  
"It is not just my father," he insisted stepping closer, his body flush against hers. "They all want me to marry Meluwen, you know this. That is why you will not come." _

"_Ernil nîn,"she said growing concerned at how despaired he was becoming.  
"How am I tell my father I do not wish to wed Meluwen, it is what is expected of me; from him, from her father, from our people. How am I to say that the elf I have been spending my days with is the one I am growing to love?" he yelled. "How am I supposed to tell him, to tell all of them, that it's you?"  
She stood staring up at him in utter shock, her heart racing her face flushed. He breathed deeply as he stared down at her, waiting for an answer. "Ernil nîn," she whispered and he turned from her laughing irritatedly.  
"Legawen," he said, her name rolling from his lips causing her heart to flutter, "we are far beyond you calling me your prince." He turned to her, no longer pressed against her body, staring hard into her eyes. "Just say my name," he said. He watched as she opened her mouth, his heart pounding at what his name would sound like coming from her mouth.  
"I cannot," she said instead, though she had wanted to. "You are a prince and I," she said trailing off, knowing she was nothing. "It would be unsuitable." _

"_Then lets not be suitable," he said stepping closer to her once more. He watched as she turned her eyes away from him, a small flustered laugh escaping her. He could see the wanting in her eyes when she looked back. "Say my name," he said again, his tone one of pleading. _

_She opened her mouth, her lips forming words though no sound would come out. Try as she might she could not tell him no. He saw this and stepped even closer, pressing her back against a tree, her chest trapped against his; their chests pushing further together each time they breathed. _

"_Thranduil," she breathed and his heart lept at the way her lips formed his name. Little more than a second after she spoke his name he captured her mouth with his own, the taste of her mouth sweet on his tongue._


	9. She is bright lights and cityscapes

"You saw him again," Thranduil said, knowing from the sadness on his wife's face that the dwarf had said something that upset her.

"I thought," Legawen said before stopping, shaking her head. "I won't see him again," she said softly.  
Thranduil could hear how much that was hurting her, and though he felt a strong distaste towards Thorin he could not help the hurt he felt at seeing his wife so distraught. She leaned into his embrace and he ran his fingers through her long golden hair as he held her. "Why do you let him treat as so?" he asked gently.  
She was quiet for a long while, long enough he did not think she would answer, and it was not until they laid in their bed for the night that she spoke again. "I do not think he means to," she whispered, her head on his chest.

"What do you think he means to do?" he asked, having never known the answer.

"I think he tries to show me kindness, though what I am proves difficult."  
"Who you are," Thranduil clarified.  
"I think you may be a reason as well."  
He smiled as he tightened his arms around her. "I think I may be the biggest reason yet," he said knowing Thorin loathed him for what he had done when the dragon had attacked. He remembered staring at the dwarves, hearing Thorin's cries for help, had wanted to help; Legolas had been at his back, as well as many of his people, and he could not let his son or his people so near such danger. And so he had retreated – a coward, as Thorin had said. Though in that moment, holding his wife as she laid against him, knowing his son was safe, he could not find it in his heart to regret his decision. And feeling his wife's soft lips against his own as she kissed him goodnight he did not think he ever would.

…

"_How has this day treated you, Ion nîn?" Oropher asked when Thranduil stepped into his chambers.  
"Very well, Ada," he said softly, still feeling Legawen's lips against his own.  
"Are you coming to tonight's feast?" the king asked not noticing the quietness about his son. _

"_Would you let me refuse?" Thranduil asked already knowing the answer. His stomach was turning as he tried to speak the words he wished to say.  
"Meluwen will be there," Oropher said smiling. "You have been spending much of your time with her." _

"_Ada, there is something I must say," Thranduil said quickly, his courage failing him fast. _

"_What is it?" Oropher asked growing concerned at the nervousness he could see in his son's eyes. "Has something happened?"  
"It is about Meluwen," Thranduil said. "I must confess to you that she is not the elleth I have been spending my days with."  
Oropher stared at his son surprised, not understanding. "Who is it you have been seeing so much of as of late?" he asked quietly.  
"If I were to say that I wish to court her, to see if love and marriage were something we could attain, would you allow it?" Thranduil asked, almost afraid of his father's answer.  
Oropher was quiet as he thought, wondering who had captured his son's heart – Legawen not once crossing his mind. "I have given my word that any wife you chose to have would be your choice."  
"Even if she is not the elleth you had wanted me to marry?"  
"Of course, ion, If you loved her then I could have no say in the matter.  
"Even if you had asked her to hide from me, so that I would not get the chance to love her?" Thranduil asked, and it was then that Oropher knew the young she-elf his son was desiring.  
"How did you find her?"  
"She had not meant for me to, and she has tried pushing me away," Thranduil admitted and Oropher began to realize that his son may in fact have found the elleth he would spend his unending life with; just as he had known. _

"_Meluwen's father will not be pleased," Oropher said and Thranduil nodded already knowing this. "She is his ward, you need his blessing."  
"I know, Ada. I do not wish to wed Meluwen," Thranduil said, finally admitting it to his father.  
"You have never met an elleth you could imagine a life with," Oropher said, seeing the truth of his words in the pained look in his son's eyes. "You are making things very difficult."  
"I know," Thranduil whispered. "Will you give me your blessing?"  
Oropher stared hard at his son, seeing the guilt and worry and love in his eyes. "I will give you my answer after the feast. Would you tell Legawen that I have asked her to attend?" It almost pained him to see the joy in his son's eyes, knowing Elendir would never consent. _


	10. And white lies and cavalcades

"_Thranduil," Legawen said softly before his lips covered hers, occupying her tongue with his. She smiled against his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She settled in his arms, enjoying the feel of him holding her. "What has happened to have made you so happy?" she asked, him having kissed her again the moment he saw her. _

_He rested his forehead on hers, a soft smile on his normally placid face. "My father has asked for your presence at tonight's feast."  
Her smile slipped and confused wariness took its place. "What?" _

"_I spoke with him," he explained, pushing closer to her. _

_Her hands came to rest on his chest as she stared up at him, his ice-blue eyes staring intently at her. "And what did you speak with him of?" she asked though she thought she already knew the answer.  
He continued to stare at her, the rise and fall of their chests matching. "Courting you," he whispered, seeing the surprised happiness in her eyes before it faded and all that was left was surprise.  
"You told him of me?" she asked and he nodded amused. "I don't understand, I did not think he wanted you to wed me."  
"He did not," Thranduil admitted. "He is too late." He smiled as her cheeks pinkened slightly.  
"I don't remember agreeing to you courting me," she said demurely.  
"Does that mean you say no?" he asked with a smirk, though his eyes betrayed his sudden worry.  
She bit her lip as she looked at him, seeing that he feared she would. "Was that you asking to court me?" _

_His eyes widened and he opened his mouth before he closed it, now undecided on what he wished to say. "How am I supposed to ask you?" _

"_Really?" she asked incredulous. "You are not romantic in the slightest. You are supposed to tell me how much you care for me, that I am the first you have ever imagined a life with. You are supposed to say that you wish to someday marry me. Why are you smiling?" she asked having taken note of his smile as she explained what he should have said. Her own eyes widened when she felt his body flush against hers. _

"_You are the most beautiful living thing I have ever met," he said bending his face towards hers, their noses brushing together. "You're kind and smart, caring and compassionate, trusting. I have seen you offer comfort to those who suffer, sing to a frightened child, push me away if only to please your king. You are honorable, and I have never found another who has challenged me more, who has thrilled me more. You are the only one I would ever desire to spend the rest of my days with." He said all of this staring hard into her eyes, sending her heart racing and her skin to warm. _

_She stared up at him, his face not even an inch from her own. Upon the seeing the truth of his words in his eyes she took his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers; giving him her answer. _

"_Not romantic in the slightest," he said smiling as he pulling away. "You will come to the feast?" he asked. _

"_I was asked by the king, of course I will."  
"Will you sit at my side?" he asked and she nodded. "Don't ever leave it." _

…

It had been four days since Thorin had asked Legawen to leave and he let himself, for only a few sparse moments, regret that decision; missing seeing her again. The last time he had been in her company had been more than a century previous, he had been young and foolish to have befriended her though he did not think he could regret having done so. She was far kinder than her husband, warmer; the same could be said for he himself as well. She had never showed him mistrust, and yet he could show her nothing else.

The sound of her voice, lilting beautifully in her elven tongue, echoed through the walls of the caves and into his cell; hope blooming in his heart that she had returned. Though a deeper voice, one he knew well and would never forget, burned that hope and left him searing in hatred. He recalled what she had admitted the last time they spoke – the knowledge that her husband should not have abandoned the dwarves to the onslaught of the dragon, though Thranduil would surely have fallen leaving her to spend her unending life in misery. When he allowed himself those thoughts, and those were even fewer and more sparse, he could not even hate Thranduil. Legawen loved more deeply than anyone Thorin had ever known, and she forgave more than was deserved. The death of her beloved would have destroyed her, and if not for her son she would have ceased living herself, her shattered heart not strong enough to sail to Valinor. And imagining the wretched state in which she would have been left had Thranduil aided him and his kin, Thorin almost began to hate himself.

"Melda," Thorin heard Thranduil say clearly. That one word coming from the king's mouth, knowing the look of undying love on his face, and Thorin was left in a state of scorching abhorrence once more. He stared at his cell walls, the door which he could not pass through unless it was opened, the fact that it was Thranduil, the elf who betrayed he and his kin, who had imprisoned him burned all compassion from him. His heart grew black from the flames of loathing, and the fire began to spread to the beautiful image of Legawen he had always held in his heart.

…

"_I will not allow it," Elendir said moving around Oropher.  
"I do not think we have a choice," Oropher said calmly, watching the former chief of his people pace angrily.  
"He is to marry my daughter not my ward. She is nothing, even you must see it."  
"She is not of noble birth, no," Oropher agreed. "Though she would make a fine queen the likes of this world has yet to see. If my son is to take my crown then I do believe she would be the best queen he could have."  
"You do not believe my daughter would make a great queen?" Elendir asked offended.  
Oropher sighed irritably, as unhappy as his advisor was. "Does Meluwen wish to be my son's wife?" _

"_Of course she does," Elendir said without doubt, though Oropher was still unbelieving.  
"And you are sure of this, so certain you would risk the wedding between my son and your daughter not being approved?" Oropher asked seeing the flash of doubt in Elendir's eyes. "If she does not wish to marry my son, and I wholly believe she does not, then I will tell him yes."  
"You would have your son, a prince, marry a ward?" Elendir asked trying to make the king see the fault of this.  
"My kingdom is growing darker, Elendir. A great evil is taking hold of my tree's roots, already beasts roam in the forest. If Thranduil desires to marry Legawen then I shall say yes. Many years I have paid witness to the kindness and gentleness of her heart; she would love him as no other could. I was blind and a fool to try to keep her from him." Oropher stared hard at Elendir, an elf who had become his friend over many years, seeing the refusal still bright in his eyes. Oropher sighed knowing his son would have fight for Legawen's hand, one he no longer knew if Thranduil could win. _


	11. And she'll take all you ever had

_It had been months since Thranduil had spoken with his father, months of growing closer to Legawen and seeing she was in fact the elleth he desired to live out his days with, months of watching Legawen worm her way into his father's heart with her kindness – months of receiving Elendir's refusal. Thranduil had at first left Elendir's company confused and upset, seeking comfort in Legawen who admitted she had not thought he would agree. After the third refusal Thranduil's anger began to grow; his father's people welcoming their courting better than he had thought. _

_Though Elendir continued to withhold his consent to their courtship Thranduil continued as though it had been given, already in love with her. Day after day, time after time, Elendir continued to refuse and finally Thranduil, against his father's wishes, confronted the former chief.  
"My answer has not changed," Elendir said upon seeing the ellon in his study was the prince.  
"Though my request has," Thranduil said moving further into the room.  
Elendir smiled at the thought of the prince coming to request courting Meluwen as he should have the first time. "And what would that be now?" _

"_I would like Legawen's hand," Thranduil said seriously, the disbelief plain on the older elf's face. _

"_You must know I will never consent to that," Elendir said recovering his wits and staring hard at the prince. _

"_No, you will give me your consent," Thranduil said, his anger flashing in his eyes. "I am the son of your king, should he fall or sail to the Undying Lands I will be the king. And Legawen will be my queen, you can give me your consent or I will take her hand without it upon your banshiment," Thranduil said coming to seethe before Elendir.  
Elendir stared surprised at the prince, seeing behind the ferocity in his cool blue eyes love for his ward. "Would it be within your grace to allow me time to consider your most generous offer?" Elendir asked, pleased at the prince's agreement if not only for the time to confront his father. _

…

"I do not understand how you can defend him," Thranduil said whilst pacing the room Thror had graciously given them for the week.

"Perhaps because he has done nothing to earn your distaste," Legawen answered sitting on the bed watching him. She knew her husband was concerned for her, that dwarves bore no love for elves – something she knew very well.

"Perhaps he is only using you," Thranduil muttered maliciously as he thought of the young dwarf prince.

Legawen's brows rose as she thought of what he had said. "What would he have to gain through me?"

"You are not seeing the point," he insisted coming to a stop as he stared at her from across the room.  
"What point is that?"  
"He is a dwarf, you are an elf. Melda you have a good heart and he will hurt you."  
Legawen stared up at him incredulous. "You can't possibly know that," she said affronted.

"I can, you choose not to," he said coming to stand before her, her having risen from the bed. "He will use you for whatever his will, and he will hurt you. He will not show you kindness, it is not in his nature," he said nearly yelling.  
"It is not in my nature to mistrust him," she said not understanding his frustration.  
"I know," he said, the anger in his eyes lessening. "I will not allow him to hurt you."  
Legawen sighed, knowing he truly meant well. "Is it truly so inconceivable that an elf and a dwarf show each other kindness?" She heard Thranduil's own sigh, seeing the defeat in his eyes.  
"When it is your heart at stake then yes," he said wrapping his arms around her. She folded into his embrace, the comfort of his arms something she had loved for centuries.

…

_Legawen walked quickly through the halls, knowing her husband would be in the library, having read the hastily written letter that had arrived that morning. The news had hit her with the force of a dwarf, one she had felt only once, and she knew it greatly despaired Thranduil. Having spent all her life within the trees of Greenwood the bright halls of where they lived in Lindon was a vast change from the canopy of leaves. She could still see the way he had smiled at her when she had first seen Lindon, his normally stony face transformed into something beautiful. Though remembering the words from the letter, in her mind's eye, that smile disappeared and sorrow filled his eyes. _

_She finally found him standing on the balcony in the library, where she had known he would be. "Thranduil," she said softly coming to stand behind him. Her arms ached to hold him when he turned to her, his face filled with sadness, though she knew it would be unwelcome. She felt him wrap a finger around the end of one of her curls, staring at how the sun glittered off her hair. _

"_My father is dead." _


	12. But I'm gonna love you

"_I know," Legawen said after a while. She had spent time coming to know his father, coming to care for him as family. He died a warrior in the war against Sauron though that offered little comfort for Oropher would now wait in the halls of Mandos, possibly until the end of his days; there was no comfort in that. And so when Thranduil took her lips with his own she let him, feeling his sorrow and anguish as well as the tears on his cheeks; she felt his love for her too. _

"_We leave tomorrow," he mumbled against her mouth as he pulled her dress from her shoulders, his kisses growing softer. She knew he wanted a moment to not think, a moment he could forget the letter; she gave herself to him as she had on her wedding night, though he was far less gentle and she felt her cheeks warm at the sounds she made – unable to lessen or stifle them and so she was left to cling to him moaning and panting, hearing his own as he muffled them against her neck. _

"_I need you," he whispered as he laid against her, thoughts of his father now flooding back. _

"_You will never lose me," she said in return, his arms tightening around her. _

…

"How?" Thranduil yelled, capturing his wife's attention from down the hall.

"What has happened?" Legawen asked after entering the room he was in seeing her husband was seething as he paced to and fro.

"They've escaped," he muttered as his long strides continued. "How can that be, they cannot leave their cells unless they are unlocked?"  
"Perhaps someone unlocked them," the king's butler said timidly.  
"And then locked them back!" Thranduil roared turning on his butler who flinched at his angry voice.

"Mundir, leave us," Legawen said gently and he bowed to both king and queen before running out of the room.

"I have been betrayed," Thranduil said as he resumed pacing once more.

"Perhaps not," Legawen said calmly. "Maybe help came from elsewhere."  
"That we did not see?" he asked turning to her. "No, no, one of our people assisted them. They must have for there is no other way. There must be someone who has shown kindness to dwarves, that will be the traitor and they will be banished."

Legawen stood watching her husband and wondering if he were right, there were not many possibilities for how they could have escaped. He turned to her and she looked up at him expecting him to name someone though he said nothing, but his accusation was clear in his eyes.

He saw the shock on her face, the hurt, and he immediately realized how foolish the thought was though he did not have the chance to the explain.  
"Until you can treat me as I deserve do not come back to our bed," Legawen said before leaving him, having seen it was her he thought had betrayed him in his eyes.  
"Melda," he called after her, rushing to the door though she had moved too quickly and was now out of sight. "I did not mean it," he said regretfully as he sunk in a chair, knowing it would take far more than an apology to set things right this time.

Legawen had nearly run out of the caves, Thranduil's eyes still burning her. "Naneth?"

She turned to see Legolas walking towards her and she quickly blinked her despair away. "Ion nín," she said smiling as he kissed her cheek.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, knowing his mother well enough to see she was upset.  
"Of course not," she said brushing aside his concerns, knowing Thranduil had meant nothing; that was the problem, he did not realize just how much a word or a single glance could cut someone as deeply as any sword.

…

_It had been a month since Thranduil had asked Elendir for Legawen's hand and the prince had not been entirely pleased with his answer; Elendir had asked that Thranduil court Legawen for some time more, and Thranduil had agreed upon his father's insisting. Legawen's smile had been breathtaking when he told her of what he had asked, so beautiful he had been astounded. He enjoyed freely spending his days with her, not having to hide any longer, kissing her as he pleased – and he very much did – not having to lie to his father about his feelings for her. Though he grew more and more frustrated each passing day Elendir did not give his consent and he could see it was upsetting Legawen as well. _

"_Will you not say yes?" she asked Elendir one day as she passed near his study.  
Elendir sighed as he looked up at her, having always cared for Legawen, often wishing his own daughter was more like her. "No, I cannot," he said bluntly seeing the hurt in his ward's eyes. She had been so young when her father had been killed, and still so youthful when her mother sailed for Valinor. _

"_He loves me," she said smiling, tears shining in her eyes, "does that mean nothing?"  
"He is a prince," Elendir said gently moving towards her. "If only you were my daughter, then it would mean everything."  
"And it means nothing that I love him," she said realizing he had never meant to say yes, her eyes swelling with tears. _

"_You," he said coming to stand in front of her, "are," he said grabbing her arms, "nothing."  
Legawen stared up at him, her chin quivering slightly at his words and what they meant. She stepped away from him, feeling the tears thick in her throat, her entire body nearly shaking. She shook her head in disbelief as she backed away, leaving him standing in his empty study feeling guilty. _

"_Legawen?" Thranduil called upon seeing her walking hastily towards her room, having been talking with his father. He rushed towards her, catching her around the waist as she refused to stop. "What has happened?" he asked upon seeing her tears. _

_Looking up at Thranduil, Elendir's words still ringing her ears, she finally let loose her tears. "You are a prince," she said, her voice shaking. _

"_Yes," he said confused, them both being very aware of that. Though looking in her eyes he could see what she was trying to say. "I love you," Thranduil said firmly and she shook her head growing more despaired.  
"You shouldn't."  
"Why can't I? I love you, I will love you til the end of time there is nothing that will change that," he said wiping the tears from her cheeks.  
"You can't," she insisted, "you are a prince and I am not good enough."  
"No," Thranduil interjected, "you are. I will love you, come what may," he said holding her face in his hands to make her look at him. "Don't ever doubt that." He saw the tears still shining in her eyes, the doubt, and he did his best to relieve her of it; it leaving her slowly with his every kiss.  
Oropher had silently left the two of them once his son kissed her, making for Elendir's room. He realized then, having yet to see Legawen's fears of not being good enough for his son – when he knew himself that she was – just how much his son loved her, and that she loved him just as much. And so he found Elendir and, as his king, he ordered the former chief to consent to giving Legawen's hand. _


	13. You say maybe it'll last this time

_Gerich veleth nín - You have my love  
_

* * *

Thranduil had drunk much wine at that night's feast, the seat beside him Legawen normally occupied remained empty as his wife was dining in their room. His wife had occasionally traveled to Rivendell, often times with their son, and he remained in Mirkwood. There was a room his father had lived in for a short while before he fell in battle, it was to this room Thranduil retreated when he did not sleep beside Legawen – whether she was visiting Rivendell or those in Lindon, or they had a disagreement as they had that night. It was in that room he rested, his head foggy and heavy when he woke the next morning.

It was after feasting alone for a second night that he returned to his and his wife's chambers, finding her just as she was about to retire for the night. "Legawen," he said softly, seeing in her eyes she had missed him too. "I did not mean," he stopped as he collected his thoughts before starting again; "I would never think." He was left unable to finish, not knowing what to say to earn her forgiveness. And so he was left to stare at her, realizing just how foolish he had been to believe, even for a second, that she would betray him; and that was what he told her, at least he had started to. In reality he was only able to tell her he had been foolish before he found himself once more at a loss for words.

Though he had not needed to speak at all for her to know of his regret, she could see it in his eyes, she could hear it in the way he stumbled over his words; something he rarely did. She swung her legs off the bed before standing and walking to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. She felt his lips on her cheek as his arms wound around her, enveloping her in his hold.

"I am so sorry, melda. Forgive me," he whispered against her cheek as he held her tighter.

She unwound her arms from his shoulders and pulled back slightly to look at him. "Come what may," she said in response, tears welling in his eyes as she repeated his own words from long ago.

_"Gerich veleth nín."_

…

_Thorin came across the Elvenqueen where he normally did, sitting beside the river as she watched the sun dance upon the water. He had seen the disapproval in his father's eye the day before when he had found Thorin speaking with the queen, feeling ashamed under Thrain's stern gaze. But seeing her then, he could not remember why he had. _

"_How has this day treated you?" she asked as he sat beside her. _

"_It has been kind, long and boring, but kind," he answered, and as he normally did he didn't ask about hers. "You must be happy to return to your home in three morns."  
She gave him a small smile, one he never understood. "You have a beautiful home, Thorin," she told him, her slight lilted accent making the r in his name deeper. "I do miss the trees," she admitted and he nodded. _

"_Your husband must be though," he said, knowing very well the Elvenking was ready to leave the dwarves. _

_Legawen smiled almost apologetically as she turned back to the river. "He has never been fond of dwarves," she told him honestly.  
"But you are?" he asked incredulously, knowing she bore no hate for his kind.  
"I must confess," she said demurely, "I had never seen a dwarf before."  
"Never?" he asked, his brows raised in surprise. "Have you never left your forest?"  
"The first time was after I married Thranduil, we traveled to Lindon. Though we never came across dwarves. I often visit Rivendell, but dwarves rarely ever pass through," she said smiling softly. _

_He sat staring at her in astonishment, the sun glittering off her golden hair, and he found that he was smiling in return. He shook himself, deeming himself a fool, and stood staring down at her. "Dwarves have never been fond elves either," he informed her gruffly. "I have duties to attend, I have spent too much of my time already." He turned from her and walked a short ways before her voice called him back.  
"Thank you," she said softly.  
"For what?" he asked suspiciously. _

"_Giving me a piece of your time," she said kindly as looked up at him. "I am sorry to have wasted it." With that she too stood and walked past him, gliding with the grace of an elf, leaving him to feel guilty for his mistreatment of her. In truth he was finding that he was growing fond her – her kindness too much for even his cold heart – and he wondered if this was how her husband had felt when he fell in love with her. _


	14. but I am gonna love you

_It had been half a century since Thranduil and Legawen had wed and left the Greenwood for Lindon, and now they were returning bringing with them the remainder of their people; for they were now the King and Queen of the Woodland Realm. It was something Legawen had not been prepared for, she had never imagined to be a queen nor had she imagined that she would ever love someone as much as she loved Thranduil. And so she rode at his side as they returned to their home, to their kingdom. _

_Thranduil was glad to have her with him, not thinking himself strong enough to rule without her. He could still hardly believe his father was dead, when they entered the wood was when he truly knew it. There were still remnants of the evil that had dwelt in Middle Earth, as though there had been a great earthquake and this was the time of the aftermath. There were still vile creatures that lay in waiting, not daring to attack the woodelves' numbers, though they were far fewer than they had been they were still great. _

"_You will stay close to her," he told his wife's handmaids; ordered them.  
"Yes, __hîr nîn," they said bowing in unison. _

_He then turned to the guards he assigned to Legawen when he was not with her. "You will be armed at all times, she will not be out of your sight; not even for a moment," he demanded of them severely.  
"Thranduil," Legawen said as they left them, two guards at their door as they settled for the night. _

"_Don't," he told her, "I will not lose you." He clenched his jaw when he felt her hands on hips, his throat burning with emotion. _

"_I will never leave you," she whispered against his neck as she embraced him. _

"_What if you choose to sail before me?" he asked, fearing the thought of being apart from her. He blinked the emotion from his eyes when he felt her lips on his jaw. _

"_I will not find peace without you," she mumbled against his skin. He sighed at the feel of her hands as they ran along his body to rest on his chest; her touch still electrifying him. His own hands found their way to her waist, his head bending down to find her lips. It was not long before he had removed both of their clothes and laid them on their bed, taking her as his wife the first time in their kingdom. _

…

He ran his hands along Legawen's back as she laid on his chest, something he had grown so accustom to over the centuries that he felt empty without her. Though at that moment that was not what his mind was on. "How do you think they escaped?" he asked, hearing her sigh of frustration at being back at this once more.

"I still believe they had help from some other force," Legawen said as she held herself up on her elbow.

"How do you believe they managed that?" he asked as he brushed the hair out of her face.  
She smiled when she heard the curiosity in his tone, rather than the accusing that had been there before. "I honestly do not know," she admitted softly and he stared up at her, his eyes gentle.

"You don't believe we were betrayed?" he asked, knowing the moment he had said we he proved there wasn't an ounce of suspicion against her left in him.

"I do not think our people would betray us in that manner," she told him, touched at his choice of words as he knew she would be.

He stared at her for a long while, seeing her love for him in her eyes. "I am truly sorry for thinking,"

"I know," she interrupting him, "I have already forgiven you." She pressed a light kiss on his lips, a butterfly of a touch but it made him smile.

A knock sounded on the door and Thranduil climbed out of the bed reluctantly to answer it. "There is news of the escaped prisoners, hîr nîn," a young ellon said.  
"What news is that?" Thranduil asked, Legawen sat up in the bed at the ellon's words just as curious as her husband.  
"Your men in the Lake-town have sent word that Thorin and his Company are being housed there," the ellon said, seeing the anger in his king's eyes.

"Thank you," Thranduil said and Legawen could hear the lividity in her husband's voice. The ellon bowed and quickly left, the king's wrath being something undesirable to bare witness to.

"Thranduil?" Legawen asked gently as she stood from the bed.  
"How did they get to the Lake-town?" he asked himself, not paying his wife mind. "How did they escape?"

"Melindo," she softly as she wrapped her arms around his waist. His eyes softened though not by much when he turned to her, his arms coming to hold her tight against him. "Perhaps they were never yours to imprison," she said knowing he would not be pleased; and from the dark look in his eye she was right.

"How is that?" he asked her through clenched teeth, keeping his arms firm around her.

"I have been thinking," she started timidly, feeling his anger vibrating in him, "that perhaps they had aide before they entered the forest."

His anger was clouded by his wondering and he nodded for her to continue.

"In all truth, this has Mithrandir's sign all over it."  
Thranduil nodded at her words, seeing the truth in it and remembering the wizard. "Perhaps, but what has that to do with their escape?"  
"Perhaps he gave the dwarves something to help them when in trouble," she said trailing off.  
"Such as being in my prisons," he finished, arriving at the same conclusion. "What was his purpose for assisting the dwarves, what was Thorin's?"

"You know," Legawen told him, surprising him when he realized that he did.

"I am fool to not have known," he said releasing her as he began to pace. "Of course Thorin would take the road to return to his Mountain, how did I not see this."  
Legawen was left to watch her husband pace angrily, knowing nothing she said would do anything but ignite his fury.

"The dragon will destroy him, and all with him," Thranduil said as he stopped pacing. "He cannot believe he stands a chance against the dragon, Smaug?" Thranduil asked turning to his wife. "He will get himself killed, the fool."  
Legawen nodded knowing this would be the outcome. Thranduil realized she had known Thorin's purpose for being in their kingdom, had purposefully not told him, though looking at her melancholy face he knew she was aware that Thorin would most likely perish in his quest – something he knew greatly despaired her.

She expected him to be angry with her for not telling him what she knew, expected his eyes to darken and his mistrust to grow once more. What she did not expect was for him to take her in his arms and hold her, and his love for her was clear in that simple act; to comfort her against the pain of losing one he detested, knowing she did not.


	15. you'd never have to ask

Guest: thank you very much.

julieAKAweirdo: thank you, I'm glad to hear you like them together.

* * *

_**Sixty-eight years later**_

_Legawen stood at the mouth of their caves, their home for the many years since Sauron had invaded Middle Earth. The smell of smoke filled her lungs as she breathed, tears filling her eyes from the hot pain in her chest. Their forest was burning, her husband somewhere South fighting the forces of Dol Guldur with Celeborn and Galadriel. _

"_You should be in inside, hiril nîn," Tauriel said coming to stand at her side. Tauriel had been greatly displeased when her king bid her remain and protect those who would not fight; knowing she would be of more use fighting. But standing beside her queen, her cheeks flushed from breathing smoke and her eyes filled with saddened fear for her husband and son, Tauriel did not know if she could have left her queen; for when her mother died it had been Legawen to love her in Meluwen's stead. _

_Legawen did not speak for a long while, her breathing growing more difficult the longer she stayed without fresh air, but she knew Thranduil was breathing the same thick air and so she stayed. "You are nothing like your mother," Legawen said finally, shocking the young elleth. "She would not have taken interest in a dwarf." _

_It was a sharp pain that filled Tauriel when she thought of Kili, the stupidly silly dwarf she had met when he and his uncle's Company had been imprisoned, and then who she had fought beside and watched fall with his brother in the battle months after. It was something Legolas, her dearest friend, had not understood; he had even alienated himself from her after the dwarf's death. She looked at her queen, the only mother she knew, to see tears in her dark blue eyes. _

"_You must have gotten that from me," she whispered with a sad smile, Thorin's death still a fresh wound in her heart. _

_Tauriel blinked away her own tears, having never been one to cry, but thinking of all that had been lost and what might be lost when the War of the Ring was finished made that nearly impossible. Though when Legawen wrapped her arms around Tauriel's shoulders and held her close, Tauriel buried her head in the crook of Legawen's neck holding her just as tight – bringing the young elf back to her childhood when Legawen had held a sad or afraid or hurt Tauriel, loving the young red haired elf as she had her own son. _

…

Thranduil had spoken often of sending his men to the Lake-town after the news that Thorin and his Company were being housed there; never did he speak of them when his wife was present, nor did he send any number of men. He would form plans of recapturing the dwarves, imagining chaining Thorin's hands to the wall of a cell degrading the exiled dwarf king. Though seeing Legawen's face always diminished his fantasies of punishing the stupid, arrogant dwarf who was paining his wife so much.

She did not show it, she always smiled and greeted him warmly, though he could see in the slight dimness of her eyes that she was upset. He did all he could to make the light in her eyes grow; suggesting her and Legolas visit Elrond and his daughter Arwen, even suggesting a visit to Lorien though he and Celeborn were not fond of one another at the moment. One night he had kissed her in a way he hadn't since their son had been born, surprising her with the ferocity in his desire; loving her slowly and gently; though he pleased her greatly it did little to make her happy.

"Will you not tell me what it is that pains you?" he asked looking down at her sweet face.

Legawen's brows knitted together. "Nothing, melindo. I am well," she answered though he knew her well enough to know that was not wholly true.

"Is it something I have done?" he asked, wondering if perhaps the answer to what upset her had been him all along; something that worried him.

She did not answer at first but after a while she shook her head, tracing his face with her fingers. "The world is growing darker," she said at last, having always been more intuitive than he on the changing of Middle Earth.

"How so?" he asked, even he too could feel something evil coming in waves from the abandoned Dol Guldur though it was only slight.

"I can feel it, taking root in the soil so even our trees whisper of evil," she answered, though their trees did not speak she could hear it in the wind as it blew through the leaves. "The world is changing and I am afraid."

Thranduil could offer her nothing but the comfort of his arms wrapped tight around her; realizing while he was thinking of arresting Thorin – something he now thought of as petty – his wife was suffering in her ability to feel the earth. Though his embrace would not protect her from evil it did drive it out of her mind and she soon relaxed in his hold, the rhythm of his heart lulling her to sleep.

…

_Tauriel had convinced Legawen to return to the caves where she would be safe from the smoke of the burning trees miles away. It was in her and Thranduil's chambers that she resided, smelling him on their sheets, thoughts of him falling in battle driving her mad. _

_Tauriel would come to the queen's room every morning and she began noticing Legawen slowly despairing near to hysteric. Her first thought had been to offer the room the king stayed in, his father's former room, but his presence was in there as well. The next was Legolas' room though that would make worse the fear already residing in Legawen of her son so near the gates of Mordor. _

"_You will stay with me, hiril nîn," Tauriel declared, having finally discovered a place that would not break Legawen's heart. No refusal did Tauriel allow her, instead it was Tauriel who bathed and brushed Legawen's hair as the queen had done when Tauriel was a child. _

_Evil was swirling all around her and Legawen felt as though she could not breathe, she did not understand. _

_Her son did, for he was near the gates of Mordor as the eye of Sauron searched fervently throughout the land for the ring, his eye raking over all before him as he searched madly. _

_The queen slept restlessly, horrid dreams of her husband dying waking her with a scream, or of Legolas falling; both of which reduced her to tears and Tauriel did her best to offer comfort. The only true comfort Legawen desired was for her husband to hold her, for him to whisper that all would be well. Days Legawen was tormented as evil grew, evil growing at a mad rate the more hopeless victory seemed, though a wave of relief washed over her and she knew Sauron had been destroyed. _

_There was not a single elf on middle earth who did not feel that moment, though Tauriel was left wondering if the queen had been feeling Sauron's reign before; explaining much of her fears. _

_Legawen waited for days before their warriors returned, having lost many though their numbers were still strong. _

"_Melda," Thranduil breathed when he stood before her. _

_She stared at him taking in every smudge of smoke and dirt on his face and in his hair, of the small bruises and cuts on his skin; he had faired worse in the battle at the Lonely Mountain where Legawen had thought she had lost him. _

_She continued to look at him, treasuring having him safe and alive standing in front of her before she wrapped her arms around him and took his lips with her own. Her husband was alive and evil was now slowly slipping away, and she could finally breathe again._

* * *

I'm so sorry this took so long. I can't honestly say how many stories I've started (at least one I finished and two I'm almost done with). And then a new one with Snow White. So, I'm very sorry this took forever.

I have a question for the readers, cause this is really based on your preference. I would like to go more into Thranduil and Legawen's intimacy (still T rated so not much detail) but more than I've done before. I would like to know how okay everyone would be with that? Thank you all so much for reading, and reviewing, and again I'm very sorry about the wait.


	16. I'm gonna love you til

_So for those who don't really like intimate scenes, this chapter is it for those scenes. I'm also going to start going back into Hobbit based times, cause this story is almost coming to a close. Thank you all so much for your patient and your reviews, I greatly apappreciate all of it. _

* * *

Thranduil woke as the sun did, and as always he sat himself up on one arm and stared down at his sleeping wife. He traced the planes of her beautiful face, kissing her sweet full lips, and then running his hands down the length of her body. He had been a fool in many things as of late, thinking she had betrayed him had been the worst; but loving her had always been his greatest achievement, even if he sometimes forgot that.

Legawen woke to his hands running along her hips and the inside of her thighs. He felt her smile beneath his mouth. "What has awakened your desire?" she asked smiling up at him as he laid on top of her.

"I have always desired you," he mumbled as he kissed along her neck, igniting the desire in her.

"You are alive," she said softly making him stop and move to look at her.

He smiled at the feel of her fingertips on his face. "We are alive," he agreed.

"Evil is gone," she continued, the tips of her fingers brushing over his lips.

"Our son returns this evening," he added, pressing his lips against her touch.

"All is right in the world," she finished, feeling him settle between her legs. She pulled his mouth to hers, loving more than anything that she was holding him again, feelings his slender fingers as he pushed up the skirt of her sleeping gown.

It was not much longer before he did away with her gown completely, having always loved the sight of her body bared before him. He traced every inch of her skin, her eyes falling closed a long many minutes previous, remembering every time they had laid together. "I would have you on my throne," he said lowly, calling to mind that particularly lustful memory.

Legawen opened her eyes to see Thranduil smiling at her as he pressed a kiss to her knee. She answered by sitting up on her knees and lowering herself onto his lap. "Will this do?" she asked alluringly causing everything in him to swell – his heart, his groin.

They did not burn quite as hot as they once had, they did not need the passion of love making as much in their olden years, but with as many years as they had seen together they were still in love.

…

"_Thranduil," Legawen greeted almost coolly when she entered the throne room. _

"_Melda," he greeted in return, the name he had taken to calling her, knowing she was unhappy. _

_He was right, she was not happy with him; though she could see the exhaustion in his eyes. "Meluwen tells me you have removed one my elleths for not accompanying me to my garden even though I had requested she not." _

_Thranduil knew his wife would be upset with him, but given a chance to do again what he had and he'd make the same decision. "I have ordered someone be at your side at all times when I am not with you," he explained. "She had her orders." _

_Legawen's mouth turned down in frown the longer she stared at him, her irritation lessoning the more she noticed how thin Thranduil had run himself. "Leave us," she said firmly, her voice offering no room for refusal; it had amazed him that his kind wife could be so stern, something he loved greatly about her. _

_Their people bowed to their king and queen, whose eyes never strayed from each other, before they hastily left the room and closed the door – wondering if the queen would yell at the king. _

"_Legawen," Thranduil said, his voice showing how burnt out he was. "I have told you, I will not chance losing you." He sat waiting for her to protest, knowing she was unhappy to not have time to herself, but he could not lose her; he wouldn't survive it. _

_Legawen's eyes narrowed as she appraised him, taking a few steps closer to where he sat. "It is a heavy crown." _

_He was surprised, not only that she had pushed aside her own frustrations, but that she had seen his. "Yes it is," he answered softly, wishing for nothing more than to hold her – something he had not done in days. _

_She stepped closer once more. "What would you give for a moment of reprieve?" she asked him, Thranduil feeling her hot eyes scorching him. _

"_I would give anything," he breathed wanting her more in that moment than he had for the few years they had been wed. "Oh," he sighed when she pulled the gown from her shoulders, feeling something twitch in his groin at the sight of her breasts. _

_She could hear him breathing as she stepped closer, the top of her gown now hanging on her hips where it was tightest. She pulled her skirt up before placing a leg on either side of him and lowering herself onto the bulge in his pants. _

_His hands immediately found her skin; one cupping her breast and the other her hip; his heart racing as she slowly undid the ties to his trousers. _

_As always when they laid together Legawen felt the familiar pull on something deep within her, something that was wrapped into the very essence of her being. They wanted a child, and they had spoken of trying to make one the next time they laid together – which had been months previous – but she knew this was not the time. And so she let it pass, regretfully, swearing until next time. So at the moment, she lost herself in her husband. _

…

_It had not been the next time they laid together that they made a son, though they tried. It often did not happen on the first try, though evil had seeped into the world and Legawen grew wary of bringing a child into it – and so they stopped trying. That did not mean they stopped laying with each other, in fact it was the opposite. The more the evil grew the more they clung to one another and the joy their comfort brought. It was not until over a thousand years, when evil was hidden and lying in wait, that they finally did create a son. _

_She could feel a piece of herself ripping away, it was blinding. She rocked with Thranduil's movements, barely hearing his moans let alone her own, knowing he was trying as much as she was. She could feel her energy waning, it was like a candle and she was flickering out; it would not have been the first time that she was not strong enough to finish. Only this time she was, and they both laid against each other gasping for breath and thoroughly exhausted. _

"_Melda," he mumbled against her throat from where he'd laid his head. _

_She ran her hands through his long hair, loving his white blond hair. "Melindo," she said just as softly, her breathing slowly returning to normal. _

"_We did it," he said rolling off of her, pulling her into his arms. "We have a child," he said with a laugh making her smile as his lips found hers. _

…

_Legawen woke to the sun shining in their room and Thranduil leaning on his arm as he stared down at her. "Good morning me__leth nín," he said stroking her hair. _

_"Melindo," she said smiling softly. Both she and Thranduil moved further apart. _

_"Good morning Ada, good morning Naneth," little Legolas said as he stretched before he curled himself against Legawen. _

_Thranduil smoothed Legolas' hair as he shared a smile with his wife. He would have refused their son sleeping with them but Legolas and Tauriel had snuck into the woods and they had both come back screaming and crying. Legawen's defense was that he was not yet seven years, and upon Legolas' tears and his wrapping his small arms around Thranduil's legs as he pleaded, the young elf slept with them. _

_"What will we do today?" Legolas asked looking up at his mother. _

_Legawen smoothed a line on her son's cheek from where'd slept. "You are practicing your weapons," she answered. _

_"I want to use the bow," Legolas said sitting up. "I want to shoot like you." _

_Legawen looked up as though she were thinking before she pulled Legolas into her arms. "Your Ada has skill with a bow," she offered looking at Thranduil to see his brows raised. _

_"I want you to teach me," Legolas insisted, staring up at his mother with big pleading eyes. _

_Legawen smiled down at him before she released him as Thranduil pulled Legolas off the bed, letting __him go at the last moment so Legolas could flip off the bed like he loved to do. "You mother is spending the day with Meluwen," Thranduil told his son. "Maybe we will work on your sword skills." _

_Legawen sat back as she watched Legolas grab his father's arm and hang on as Thranduil lifted it above his head, taking Legolas along with him. _

_"I'm going to be a better swordsman than Ada," he exclaimed happily as his feet dangled in the air. "But we'll practice the bow tomorrow, right Naneth?" he asked once he was set back down._

_"Of course, ion____ nín," she agreed standing and moving to kiss Legolas on the cheek. She stood and looked at Thranduil, the sound of Legolas' small feet racing to get ready sounding in their ears. _

_"__Gerich veleth nín____," Thranduil said before bending to kiss her lips. _

…

Legawen stood at her husband's side as they waited for their son to return, having had their numbers too diminished to travel to Gondor – having to take care and rebuild their home. And so they were now waiting, until they saw his familiar blond head.

"Ion nín," Thranduil greeted, placing his hand on Legolas' shoulder and squeezing.

"Ada," Legolas said with a small smile, glad to see his father. He could see the love in his father's eyes, the pride, and it filled him with warmth to see it. Legolas then turned to his mother. He had always thought her the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen; even after meeting the lady of the wood, his mother would always be most beautiful to him. "Naneth," he said softly.

Legawen could not speak, the knot in her throat too great. She cupped her son's cheek, thinking she would never see him again but there he was. They moved at the same time, wrapping their arms around each other. There had been a great evil in the world, one that had come close to destroying it. But that evil was now destroyed, and Legawen with standing with her husband at her side and her son in her arms. They had survived.


	17. you start looking back

"I am coming with you."

Thranduil turned to his wife surprised. "You will remain here where I know you will be safe," he said appeasingly, taking her in his arms. It did nothing to soften her.

"The dragon is dead," she said repeating his words, "what danger would you expect me to come across?" She knew why he did not wish for her to come, something that saddened her already pained heart. The dragon had been slain in the laketown, there was no word of Thorin who had already been in the Mountain. And now her husband was being seduced by the great treasure he knew to be within the now unseized Mountain.

He could see that she knew in her eyes, and it was his lust from the treasure that kept him from being ashamed. "There are more dangers than a dragon, melda," he soothed, running his hands up and down her arms; feeling how stiff her back was.

"If you wish to go then I will be joining you," she said simply, her voice losing its warmth.

Thranduil looked down at her surprised, his anger beginning to bloom. "Do you forbid me to leave unless you are at my side?" he asked dangerously.

It was usually here that Legawen would retreat, not wishing to test his anger. She did not this time. "Yes," she said just as dangerously. She knew if her husband left now he would not return to her. His body would, but he would be so taken with the treasure that he would never be the same. She would not let that happen, and so she would go.

It was seeing her eyes, which were usually so warm and loving were now cold and distant, that made him realize she would not be refused. "Should we come across any danger," he began but she interrupted him.

"Then we will face it together," she said sternly, her voice not offering any other solution.

It was her unyielding force that had her standing at her husband's side as they reached the Laketown, or rather a river bank; for the town was floating in the middle of the lake. The destruction was great, the dragon had breathed its last breath over the town and had destroyed it entirely – only three quarters of the people had survived.

They had arrived five days after the dragon had been slain, and their welcome was great. Reverence was given to the king and queen, who were the loveliest elves the people of the laketown had seen. And beside them their son, the prince. Legolas knew both his parents too well to not acknowledge a rift had formed between them. There was a darkness to his father's eyes, and all the warmth had left his mother.

Thranduil spoke with the man Bard who had slain the dragon and the Master of the town, bidding Legolas come with him. "Care for the women and children," Thranduil told her when she asked what he would have her do.

She watched him and her son walk to the Master's tent, giving Legolas a small nod when he looked back to her. And she sighed heavily before turning to the people of the town.

"Are you alright, hiril nîn?" Tauriel asked upon seeing her stoic face. It was so unnatural to see the queen without a smile that the young elleth was worried.

"Of course," Legawen told her with a false smile before turning back to the small child's wounds she was dressing.

Tauriel stared at her queen, the only mother she remembered, before finding Legolas. She found him speaking with the man Bard. Bard looked at her startled when she appeared at his side, and she stared at him with a brow raised until he took the hint and walked away.

"Tauriel what,"

"Something is wrong with the queen," she said interrupting Legolas.

He sighed and nodded. "I know."

"Then you know you must do something," she said, the worry showing on her face and in her voice.

"There is nothing I can do," he told her, knowing himself the problem lay with his father.

"You must," Tauriel insisted. "The last elf I saw looking as she does sailed. Can you imagine having to live for centuries and centuries without her presence on this earth to guide your heart. Because I cannot."

Legolas looked at Tauriel, seeing the tears glistening in her eyes. And then he looked to his mother, who's back was not so straight, who's face held no joy. Her face had been like this for days, since the dragon was first proclaimed dead. He could not imagine living with her gone – not even with the knowledge that she would be waiting in Valinor for when he sailed.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked her, not knowing how to make his mother happy when it was his father that was hurting her.

Tauriel opened her mouth to respond but she was interrupted. "That will be all Tauriel."

They both turned to the elvenking behind them, and Tauriel bowed wide eyed before making a hasty retreat, leaving Legolas to face his father.

He looked at his father out of the corner of his eye, seeing his face was as placid as his mother's, his eyes as pained. Legolas could remember only the sparest of times when his father looked like this – when he and his mother fought, or when his mother was away.

"You hurt her, ada," Legolas said softly, daring to tread on his father's anger if only for his mother.

Thranduil said nothing, instead he looked at the sky and knew the truth of his son's words.

"Does naneth not mean more to you than this?" Legolas asked, waiting for his father to say something – to say anything. But he did not speak.

Instead he turned his eyes to Legawen, seeing her soothing a mother and daughter. A smile on her lovely face, but her eyes void of joy. There was nothing in her eyes, and he had done that. He looked to his son to see the worry and sadness in his eyes, and Thranduil turned away ashamed. And yet his mind still did not leave the thought of the treasure, he was unable to.

Even when night fell and he entered the tent that had been made for him and his wife, his thoughts were still on the treasure – though they were also on her.

"Melda," he whispered. She was laid on her side turned away from him, and he could hear from her breath that she was not asleep. She did not turn to him when he laid beside her, she offered no words.

There was a single candle offering light, and it glittered on her hair making it shimmer like gold. He stared at the strands for a long while, trying to force his thoughts away from the treasure. Finally he blew the candle out, casting the thought of gold out his mind.

"Do you remember when my father died?" he asked her, his voice breaking the silence.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, willing the tears gathering in her throat away. "Of course."

Thranduil held himself up as he stared at her back, willing her to roll towards him. Days, a week – he did not know how long it had been since he had touched her. Since he had offered her a kind word, showed her that he loved her. He was ashamed of himself, and now here he was about to remind her of a promise she'd made. "You swore I would never lose you."

It broke her heart to hear him say that. He was losing her, she could feel her will to remain in Middle Earth lessening with each hour she watched the treasure take root in Thranduil. But that was because she had lost him. "You swore you would love me."

He was shocked by her words. "I do love you," he told her. "That has not changed."

She turned to him then, staring at his face in the dim light. She was quiet a long while as she stared up at him, memorizing the planes of his face. "Why could you not speak to me before blowing the candle out?"

Her answer was in his eyes, even then she could see it – she could feel it. "I will not contend with your lust for treasure," she told him, bringing her hand up and stroking his cheek. His eyes closed and he leaned into her touch, and tears knotted in her throat. "If that is the price of staying then I will not."

His eyes shot open at her words, but she had pulled away and turned away from him. He was cold without her, he was alone. He saw now how close he was coming to losing her, and it frightened him. "We are leaving for the Lonely Mountain on the morn," he said looking once more at her back. "Will you be joining me?" He waited for her to speak, it feeling like hours before she finally did.

What he did not know was that she was trying not to cry, that she held a hand to her mouth as her chin quivered and hot tears leaked from her eyes. She waited until her tears passed before she answered him. "Do you wish for me to?"

"Of course," he told her firmly. "I always wish for you by my side." And it was the truth, he could not imagine living in a world she was not apart of. If she sailed, he would last no more than months before he joined her.

Her answer was without warmth, without feeling. There was no love in her voice, no mirth. It showed just how much he had hurt her by how little emotion was in her voice. "Then I suppose I will join you."


	18. I'm gonna love you so right

Five days they marched to the Lonely Mountain, they arrived in Dale on the fifth night. Four small camps had been made as they traveled, the king and queen of Mirkwood having a tent; not once did they touch. Legawen refused, for he that was what he wanted. He wanted her touch, he longed for her to smile and kiss him softly, to look upon him with love. She could see it in his eyes. But she could see the lust for Thror's hoard in his eyes as well, and so she distanced herself from him.

She did not give him her love, she did not give him her touch; she gave him nothing, hoping his want of her would grow larger than his want of the gold. But that hardly mattered when the next morn after they had made their final camp in Dale word came from their bannermen that they had been hailed by Thorin King under the Mountain.

A fire grew in him then, at the thought of Thorin alive and well and in the Mountain with his treasure. It was then Legawen realized she had been a fool. Her husband was dressed in his armor, his sword sheathed at his hip; he had come for a fight, as though in the back of his mind he counted on Thorin being alive.

He did not come to her that night, he did not lay beside her. He instead staid under the stars where he thought of the treasure and of how to attain it. His eyes grew darker as the days past and Thorin continued to refuse, the longer he stayed from his wife's side. It was then Legawen began to despair, for her husband was truly lost to her. She did not leave the tent, she hardly moved. She laid with a hand curled under her chin, a wool blanket covering her. Legolas was growing afraid that he would lose his mother for she did not seem to notice when he came to speak with her. She did nothing but lay on her side turned away from him and blink.

Legolas left her side more worried than when he had come, but he did not have the courage to speak to his father as she would. She would have stood unrelenting as she stared at him, her voice offering no refusal and her eyes hard – even if Thranduil was angry, even if her husband was being a fool, she would not have backed down. That strength was what Legolas needed then, only it seemed to have fled him just as his mother had. And so what was he to do but sit and grow more worried as the days passed.

But nothing had made him more afraid then when he went to his mother one night to find her not there. That had been the night he confronted his father, that is the night he saved her.

...

"Ada," Legolas said calling his father aside. "You need to speak with Naneth, you are driving her away."

Thranduil was surprised at his son's words as well as the force behind them. "Ion,"

"No, Ada," Legolas said interrupting him, startling his father. "She does not eat, she does not move. How long of you casting her aside for nothing more than the whims of this earth before she does not live anymore?"

Thranduil stared at Legolas, seeing more of his wife in his son than he ever had before. Legolas was right, never before had he strayed so far from her side and only now was he realizing that he was destroying her. "I will speak to her," he said quietly.

Legolas nodded, pleased his father was starting to see he needed to do something before they lost her. "You will have to wait until she returns," he said surprising his father even more.

"Where has she gone?" he asked now concerned. He waited for Legolas to answer but he didn't, for Legolas did not know. It was then Thranduil knew where she was, for it was truly the only answer.

…

With her elven cloak wrapped around her, her hood covering her golden hair, she was almost invisible in the dark of the night. She was no more than a shadow, unseen until she was upon them.

"Who are you and what is your purpose here," a deep voice asked angrily when they finally saw her standing at their doorstep.

Legawen lowered her hood and looked up at the top of the rock wall fortifying the main gate, seeing a long beard and a nearly bald head. "I wish to speak with Thorin Oakenshield."

It was her voice, which held her old age, sounding so sweet and lovely that had Dwalin on guard. He opened his mouth to respond but he was stopped short.

"Leave us," Thorin's deep voice grumbled from the bottom of the wall.

Dwalin looked down to see the elf's eyes were on one of the holes as she looked at only a shadow of Thorin's outline. He sighed furiously before climbing down, leaving Thorin to the Elvenqueen.

Legawen sat on a large stone and leaned her head against the cool rock. He did not speak for a long while, he stood staring at her lovely face now highlighted in the moonlight. She was not the same elf he had last seen in Mirkwood. "You would be a fool to think I will give your husband even the smallest jewel from my treasure," he said at last, his voice offering no remorse.

A smile curled on her mouth, her first in weeks. "I never thought you would," she told him.

It was hearing her voice that he realized what had changed; there was not even a hint of warmth in her voice, no joy to be found. "Why did you come?" He closed his eyes sighing at the tone of his voice, it was harsh and cruel and not at all what he had meant. Even in his blackened state he could not help but wonder what had stolen her light.

"Perhaps I missed you," she said, smiling slightly when he snorted derisively. "I honestly cannot tell you," she answered truthfully.

He leaned against the wall and stared at her, seeing her eyes were staring at nothing; her face holding a lifetime of weariness. "Has something happened?" he asked, finding himself against all prejudice and hatred worrying for her.

She did not answer for a long few moments, and she sat staring at the stars. "I am tired," she said at last. "I'm so tired Thorin Oakenshield."

She sounded it, and that was why his worry was growing. She sounded as though she had taken all she could, and he knew what that meant – she was not just tired for rest, she was weary of life. "Where is your husband?" he asked, his voice darkening at the word the mention of Thranduil.

There was a sad, bitter smile curling the corners of her mouth. "He dreams of your treasure," she answered honestly, not having it in her to offer defense. "So taken is his heart that my place has grown smaller."

Thorin now realized what had taken her light, had stolen her happiness; it was not just her husband, it was Thorin and his treasure as well. It was why she had come to him, now when living seemed so impossible. She was looking for him to help her, but his heart was so taken with his treasure that the thought of relinquishing even a portion of it hardened him to her. "I will give you nothing," he told her harshly.

"You have nothing I want," she told him, not taking offense at his cruel treatment of her – so low was her spirit.

Confusion settled on his face as he looked at her. "Then why are you here?" he asked wanting to know why she had come all the way if she wanted nothing.

She shook her head. "I do not know," she said, her voice showing how desperate she had grown. And she didn't, she did not know why she had come to see Thorin other than he was the cause of it all.

He stood by the wall staring at her as she sat in silence, giving her time to think of what it was she would do; giving her the patience he did not have – so great was his care for her, even if his mind refused to admit it.

In the end there was nothing she could think of that Thorin could offer her, except for his companionship. And so she stood, realizing there was no reason she should stay and so she left. But she gave Thorin the most generous words she could have given to him, ones that proved she still cared for him – ones that touched his blackened heart. "In a different time, I think you would have proven to be greatest king under the Mountain."

She pulled her hood over her head, hiding her hair, and she disappeared into a night. Becoming once more a shadow in the night; becoming the very thing her spirit was turning into.


	19. I wouldn't need a second chance

Thranduil paced long into the night waiting for his wife to return, swearing to himself he wouldn't even raise his voice so long as she returned. He was realizing the utter fool he had been, seeing it was entirely him to blame for his wife's despair. He could not call to mind the number of days since last he looked upon her lovely face, and even longer since last he'd felt her touch; he could not bear the thought of living centuries without her. Nothing on Middle Earth was worth the price of losing her; if only he had realized it sooner.

He turned at the sound of approaching footfalls to see his son. "She has returned," Legolas told him.

Thranduil nodded. "You should leave us."

"But Ada," Legolas said wanting to refuse, but he was silenced when his father raised his hand. Legolas bowed his head and retreated, leaving his father to make right his mistake – only Legolas did not know if his father knew what to say, if there was anything to say to make his mother happy again.

Thranduil stood outside of the tent, impatiently waiting for when she would return and he could speak with her. He could see she was surprised at his being there, but that was the only emotion on her face; and even it faded until she looked at him blankly. He was shocked, and afraid, at how gone she already was.

He pulled open the tent and followed after her, staring at her as she removed her cloak and laid on her side away from him. She did not want his presence, that much he knew; he knew she did not want him anywhere near her at the moment, but he also knew the part of her heart that would always yearn for him no matter how displeased he made her. At another time he would have left her to solitude, that was not this night.

"Melda," he said softly, sitting beside her as he looked down at her back. What once used to warm her with love did nothing, she did not turn to him she did not speak, not even did she blink. It scared him to see her so unfeeling, so lost. They were the only things tying each other to this earth, and he had let her go; and so her will to remain had fled.

Shame, and guilt, boiled in his veins as he stared down at her. This was his doing, there was no one to blame but himself. He placed a hand on her arm, calling her name softly. It frightened him that she did nothing; if she had been angry she would have moved out of his grasp, if he were the one angry she would have flinched. But she laid still as though she could not feel anything.

He stared at her at a loss for what to do, wishing she would give him something – a hard look, a sigh, tears – anything. In the end he realized she had gone so far from him because he had left her, he had let his love for treasure overwhelm his love for her. And so he grabbed her shoulders and he pulled her to him, holding her with an arm around her back as he stared at her lovely face. He smoothed her hair back, wiping the tears he had not known she had been shedding, and he raised her chin to capture her lips.

He kissed her for a long while, his mouth moving over hers, his hand wrapped in the strands of her hair. She did not return his kiss, but it relieved him to feel her soften in his arms. He did not stop until he felt her hands on his chest, holding his shirt in her fists. He stared down at her face, seeing the surprise in her eyes, the confusion.

She stared up at him breathing heavily, not sure how to respond. She looked desperately at his eyes seeing there was no darkness in them, the treasure no longer had a hold of him; he was her husband.

Now that he had gotten a response he was left trying to form words. "I have been a fool," he said at last, realizing he could offer no more than a humble apology. "There are no words to express how sorry I am."

She stared hard at him, looking for a sign his words were untrue; she found none. For days she had felt nothing. She was not so cold anymore.

He cradled her to his chest, an arm around her shoulders and his other hand cupping her face. "Do you remember when I first spoke with my father of you?" he asked her, knowing the only way back to her heart was through his. He waited for her to nod before he next spoke. "I had to fight for you," he said stroking her cheek, seeing the tears well in her eyes as she stared up at him. "I had to prove to him that you were elleth who would complete me. Do you know what I said to make him realize that?" he asked, fighting his own emotion as her tears slipped silently into her hair. "I said; she is my love." He wiped the tears as they fell, watching her chin quiver and trying himself not to cry. "In her is the sound of my heart. Surely you can understand."

He heard her whimper. A small quiet sound barely audible in the back of her throat, but he heard it all the same. And he wrapped his arms around her and held her tighter as she cried. "I am so sorry I forgot that," he said, his voice strained. He held her for a short while longer, her tears growing fewer each second, and he kissed her once more.

"You left me," she mumbled against his lips, her voice a quaint desperate thing.

"I know," he whispered, happy she spoken at all. "I'll never do it again," he swore before taking her lips once more.

This time her mouth moved beneath his; gently, timidly. "Your love for treasure is great," she said softly, barely a breath, between each kiss.

He shook his head. "It is nothing to me," he said assuringly, pulling away to look at her face. He could see the remnants of uncertainty in her eyes, of the pain he had caused her. It brought tears to his eyes. "Melda, forgive me," he begged, his voice breaking under the weight of his shame.

She said nothing, no soft kind words of love. Instead she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him as he lowered his head to her chest and tried to stave off his tears. She felt the few that escaped his eyes run down her dress and she ran her hands through his hair as he felt the love she did not speak – the love that could only be found be in her arms.

...

His words proved to be true, his love for treasure and all that was beautiful meant nothing to him; not when the price was her.

"A hobbit, you said?" Legawen asked as she laid across his chest.

"Yes," he said running his fingers through her hair, watching the flame from the candle glint off the strands. "A strange fellow. And very small."

She laid against him pondering. "How did he get the Arkenstone past Thorin?" she asked, Thranduil having told her Bilbo had said it was the one possession Thorin wished to have.

Thranduil shrugged. "He is a good burglar," he said looking down his chest to see her face. "And noble."

Legawen wondered how the hobbit had freed the dwarves from their cells without being seen. But she did not think on it long for it truly mattered little now. "It is very beautiful," she said remembering how lovely it had been when they had visited Thror in Erebor.

"Yes it is," Thranduil said with a small smile as he stared down at her face, tracing the planes of her cheeks.

She looked up at him to see him smiling at her and she felt the corners of her mouth twitch. "I was not talking about me."

"Oh but I was," he said, his voice low as he pulled her further up his chest to kiss her. "It is beautiful," he agreed when he pulled away. "As though every color was captured in the stone."

She looked at his face, seeing his eyes were not darkened and his lips were curled in a lazy half smile. This was her husband, and she loved him so. He could see that in her eyes, and it delighted him that he could; that she had come back to him.

…

The hobbit had been right, Thorin wanted nothing more than he did the Arkenstone. And so when Bard came to the front gate Thorin agreed to giving him Bilbo's fourteenth share, nearly killing the poor hobbit in his blackened state in the process. But that meant little in what was to come. For when the sun rose the next day Thorin's cousin Dain arrived with five hundred dwarves, and an hour after them a hundred goblins and orcs. And a war was waged.

* * *

_I think I only have a couple chapters left of this story, so it's coming to an end. I'd like to thank you all for reading, and reviewing. _

_There's a poem by Paublo Neruda called "I Like For You To Be Still," that I think really personifies how Legawen was acting when she was almost fading. It's also one of my favorite poems. I put the link to it in my profile if anyone is interested in reading it.  
_


	20. shield your eyes from

_Amarthem túliel: Our fate has come_

* * *

She knew the moment she stepped out of the tent and breathed the morning air that something was wrong. The wind had changed and a darkness was rolling in on the clouds; she could not shake the feeling of dread that crept into her heart.

"Mithrandir," she called softly when she saw him.

"I know, Lady Legawen," Gandalf told her just as softly, for he knew what she did not; and he had hoped she would remain in the Laketown helping with its rebuilding.

She could see the worry in his eyes as he looked to the sky. "How soon?" A battle would be waged; she did not know from where it came, she did not know from whom – but she knew it all the same. He did not answer her, but when he turned his aged and knowing eyes to hers she knew that it would be soon.

And she was correct, a short time after Dain and his five hundred dwarves arrived and they clamored with the men and elves, a cloud black and impenetrable flew across the sky against the wind.

"Dread has come upon you all!" Gandalf yelled drawing silence among them. "Alas, it has come more swiftly than I guessed. The Goblins are upon you! Azog the Defiler is coming. Behold! the bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. They ride upon wolves and Wargs are in their train!"

Even as Gandalf had been speaking the darkness grew. The dwarves halted and gazed at the sky. The elves cried out with many voices. Thranduil reached for Legawen, holding him tight against his side, feeling her hands grasping his shirt in her fists as she leaned against him.

"Come!" called Gandalf. "There is yet time for council. Let Dain son of Nain come swiftly to us!"

Legawen looked up at her husband. "Go," she told him releasing her hold on his shirt and stepping out of his arms. "You as well," she said to Tauriel, the head of their elven guard, before stepping toward her son.

"You must be dressed for battle," he said before taking her to get armor.

…

She returned to Thranduil's side shortly after, wearing a chain of mail beneath her dress, and her bow and quiver strung on her back, her sword on her hip. She looked a strange queen, a cruel queen; her hair was pulled back in a braid, her weapons an opposing threat, her face grim.

The Goblins were the foes of all, and at their coming all other quarrels were forgotten. The plan Gandalf had made in council with the Elvenking and with Bard and with Dain, was to lure the goblins into the valley between the arms of the Mountain; yet this would be perilous, if the goblins were in sufficient numbers to overrun the Mountain itself, and so attack them also from behind and above. But there was no time to make any other plan, or to summon any help.

The bat-cloud came, flying lower, over the shoulder of the Mountain, and whirled above them shutting out the light and filling them with dread.

"To the Mountain!" called Bard. "To the Mountain! Let us take our places while there is yet time!"

Legawen shared a look with her husband before they hastily made for the Mountain, standing in the snow as they waited. When the goblins swarmed through the valley Thranduil gave the order for them to attack; their arrows and spears shone and glittered as they flew and hit their marks, felling many of the goblins. And still more came.

Legawen stayed at her place on the Mountain, loosing her arrows and felling her foes; her son and husband at her side; many of her kin racing down the Mountain and into the onslaught with men and dwarves at their sides. When the goblins came up the Mountain Thranduil drew his sword and cut them down. Legawen turned her bow and shot the goblins near her husband that continued to swarm the Mountain.

They were quickly overwhelmed and Legawen and Thranduil fought back to back, their breaths coming in quick pants – visible on the frigid air – their hearts raced, and fire churned in their hearts. There was a momentary pause when a trumpet call came from within the Mountain; they had forgotten Thorin. Part of the wall, moved by levers, fell outward with a crash into the pool. Out leapt the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. They were in shining armor, and red light leapt from their eyes. In the gloom the great dwarf gleamed like gold in a dying fire. Thorin wielded his ax with mighty strokes, and nothing seemed to harm him.  
"To me! To me! Elves and Men! To me! O my kinsfolk!" he cried, and his voice shook like a horn in the valley. Down, heedless of order, rushed all the dwarves of Dain to his help. Down too came many of the Lake-men, for Bard could not restrain them; and out upon the other side came many of the elves.

Legawen gave a small smile and short laugh as she aimed her arrow at the now stricken goblins. A roar sounded above her, loud and terrible. The goblins tittered at the sound and began shrieking and fighting once again; their wits and spirits renewed. Legawen looked up to see a large pale orc climbing down the Mountain, his eyes set on the small party of dwarves coming from the Mountain. He knocked aside elves and goblins alike with his mace in his determination to get to Thorin, he speared a great many with his metal spike and flung them off the Mountain. She aimed an arrow at him, seeing his path would lead him to her husband, and she let it fly; though he lurched forward – his eyes set on an elf - and it stuck in his arm rather than his chest. He growled at her, his eyes murderous. And he began his descent, changing his course for her.

She aimed another arrow at him but a goblin racing for her kept her from killing the pale orc. Goblin after goblin surrounded her, it seemed, as she tried to kill Azog. She would notch another arrow and aim only to have to duck when a sword flew at her head, or she'd have to jump aside as a spear was thrust at her. And so the pale orc came, standing on the ledge facing her with a snarl and a smile. She watched in horror as Thranduil lept into his path, seeing his eyes were set on his wife.

"No!" she screamed as Azog swung his mace sending her husband over the side of the Mountain. Her eyes watched her husband's fall, his body colliding with many goblins and elves sending them over as well. He hit a shoulder only to slide off and continue falling, though his body was now limp in the air as he fell to the ground. She turned her eyes back to the orc, seeing he had come closer, and she grabbed her sword and screamed as she charged him.

So startled was Azog at the deranged, animal-like sound that erupted from her as she moved toward him that he stepped back, raising his metal spike to ward off her sword. Her movements never slowed, she was vicious and he growled at the sting of her blade through his flesh. He swung his mace watching as she slid on the ground beneath it and then as she turned and faced him again; though her fervor was gone for she realized now, that he was no longer surprised, she could not outmatch him. He smiled and laughed before he stepped toward her and she surprised him again, by leaping from her ledge and down to the one below.

She landed and rolled heavily, it had been a farther drop than she'd thought, and she stood on shaking legs and cut through a goblin who'd taken notice of her. Azog landed in front of her with a growl, enjoying chasing the lovely she elf. And that was exactly what he did. She would jump and he would follow. Often time she would land on someone – mostly goblins – but she took no notice for she did not stop. On and on the Mountain seemed to go, unable to use the path she'd taken to climb up, and so she jumped from shoulder to shoulder landing on whatever part of her body she fell on. Until finally she hit the ground on her back and rolled out of the way of Azog's feet as he landed immediately after her.

When she rolled away from the orc she found she was face to face with her husband. He lay crumpled on his back, his eyes closed, blood pouring from the side of his head tainting his pale blond hair. But the one thing she noticed more than any of that, was the rise and fall of his chest; he was breathing still. Tears welled in her eyes as she felt relief burn through her, she had thought him dead.

The crunch of rock behind her had her whipping around to see Azog snarling, his fingers flexing over his mace.

"Thranduil," she whispered, fear laced in every beat of her heart as the pale orc stepped toward her. She moved so she was partly laying over her husband, doing her best to shield him from the blow she knew would come. She wrapped her arms around his head and laid her own on top of his when Azog raised his mace. "Amarthem túliel," she whispered, tears streaming down her face and onto his, as Azog brought his mace down on them.


	21. the truth at hand

"_Melindo," she said softly coming up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He looked over his shoulder at her and kissed her cheek as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Why have you come here?" _

_This was not the first time she had found her husband sitting at the top of their new home in Mirkwood, which Thranduil had renamed Eryn Lasgalen. It had been centuries since they'd last slaughtered the great wood's beasts, and they lived in peace within their flourishing trees. _

_It had been centuries since their son had sailed for the Undying Lands, taking with him his closest friend; who Legawen had been most pleased to meet. Thranduil had not been so joyful to shake the hand of Gimli son of Gloin, but his wife and son outnumbered him and so the dwarf had been welcomed to stay in their home for a time – reconciling the two peoples. _

_It had also been centuries since Legawen had first noted her husband's fraying hold on Middle Earth. In truth, she had wished to sail with her son; her husband had bid her go, for his love for her was great, but he wished to restore his kingdom and so he would remain until it was complete. Legawen's love for Thranduil was great enough that she had remained at his side, knowing he would spend centuries longing and aching for her should she leave him; so she'd stayed. _

…

Legawen shielded her husband's head as best she could, waiting for the blow that would kill them both. It did not come. She looked up wide eyed at the orc's scream – hearing not only the pain, but the rage beneath it – to see him staring at his arm. Below him was Thorin Oakenshield, standing erect with all the force of a dwarven king, the rest of Azog's arm and his mace on the ground at his feet.

Azog turned on Thorin with a roar and swung his metal spike, Thorin met his blow with his ax; the sound of metal clashing ringing loud in the air. So strong was Thorin's spirit that he drove his foe back, but the dwarf king had forgotten the warg. The white beast leapt at the dwarf and knocked him off his feet, crushing his leg in its powerful jaw, eliciting a strangled yell from Thorin. Azog leered down at the dwarf before impaling him with his spike, laughing as Thorin cried out.

The pale warg circled the dwarf, stopping at his head, and bared its teeth menacingly. Thorin yelled through clenched teeth as Azog twisted the spike in his gut, staring up at the warg as it opened its jaw. The warg collapsed dead with an arrow embedded in it's head, and Thorin turned to see Legawen standing with her bow in hand. She had lost her her arrows as she had jumped, and she had taken an arrow from a dead goblin and shot the beast; but it left her unarmed when Azog turned on her snarling.

Her bow did nothing but shatter when she hit him with it, and she was left with empty hands as she stared up at him. "No," Thorin yelled when Azog flung her against the Mountain, watching as she crumpled on the ground.

Everything had gone white for a moment when her head hit the rock, and she laid blinking as she caught her breath. She knew she was hurt but she couldn't feel anything, at least for the moment. She pulled herself along the ground trying to back away from the orc as he walked to where she laid, and then she could feel just how hurt her body was. Her head pounded agonizingly and she could feel her heart beating behind her eyes, and she sat with her back against a rock and nowhere else to go.

She did not close her eyes, she did not turn her head away as Azog descended upon her; she stared at him waiting for him to take her life. And for the second time she braced herself for a lethal blow that did not come. The sword moved too fast for her to see, and then Azog's head fell to the ground and then a second after his body fell.

"Thranduil," she said softly, seeing him swaying on his feet with a sword in his hand. He fell moments later, only having strength enough to save his wife before he could stand no longer. She crawled to him, her body screaming at her every inch she moved but she did not stop until she lay at his side staring into his eyes. "Melindo," she said cupping his cheek.

"I am sorry Melda," he said wearily, black stars dancing in his eyes. He could not protect her, his strength had fled him and he could see hers had as well. But unconsciousness took him before he could say anything else, and she was left alone.

Thorin had gained his feet only for a goblin to thrust its spear in his belly. Azog's roar had caught the attention of the goblins and they swarmed around him, tittering excitedly. With a battle cry Fili and Kili leapt in the middle of them and fought them back. Thorin watched as his nephews protected him, and then as they fell. And then he was left staring up at Bolg as he held his spear above his head. He gasped startled as jaws wrapped around Azog's son and flung him away, and then Thorin was left staring at a massive black bear.

Legawen watched as the bear gently picked Thorin up and carried him away, and then heard his roars and growls as he tore through the goblins – leaving them to run away in fear.

"Naneth," Legolas called when he saw her, and then he saw his father and the blood on his head. He gently cupped his mother's cheek in his hand, she smiled slightly at him; her blinking slowing and it growing harder for her to open her eyes after they closed. He felt something on his fingers and released his mother's head to see there was blood from where he'd touched her.

He called to those around him and told them to take the Elvenking to be healed, and he gathered his mother in his arms as men and elves alike carried his father. Legawen's arm fell from around his neck and hung limp down his back as the world turned dark behind her eyes.

…

_He turned fully to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and sighed as he held her to his chest. "Who am I to leave my kingdom to?" he asked her softly, wanting nothing more than take her by the hand and to sail with her – but he was coming to see he could not yet, though he greatly wished to. "Our son has gone and bore no heir of his own. There is no one to wear my crown." _

_Legawen ran her hands along his chest as she thought, for he was right; though there was one elf she had been thinking of. "Perhaps Tauriel could take up your crown." _

"_Your ward?" he asked as he thought, absentmindedly playing with her hair. "She is a fierce leader, she would make a strong queen though she refuses to wed." _

_Legawen smiled sadly as she thought of the red haired elleth she had loved for centuries as her own daughter, and of the dwarf who had taken a part of her heart to his grave. "She has no desire to leave Middle Earth, as do many of our kin. They have known her all her life. She would rule your kingdom justly." _

_Thranduil looked down into her eyes, imagining spending his unending days with her in peace; it was a dream he greatly hoped to make a reality. He was so tired. _

"_Let us leave together, as we swore to," she said gently, soothing his weary spirit. _

_He held her tight against his chest, breathing in the scent of her which hadn't changed for the four thousand years they'd been wed. When he breathed out he had come to his decision; it was time for them to leave._

* * *

_Next chapter will be the last one and then this story will be finished. I'll probably thank you then as well, but thank you all very much for reading and reviewing._


	22. tell me why it'll be good again

Legawen woke to Gandalf standing over her, her head feeling foggy, light pulsing within every object in tune with her heart.

"Forgive me, Lady Legawen," Gandalf said softly, though he could tell his voice was still too loud for her ears. "I would have let you sleep but he is asking for you." Her eyes shot open at that and she looked at Gandalf in fear. "I am afraid his life is leaving him, you have but a little time to speak with him before he is gone."

Legawen sat up and the world turned on its side but she looked around in utter terror. "Thranduil," she said searching for him.

"No, my lady," Gandalf said holding her still realizing he should have been more clear. "Your lord husband is alright."

That stilled her and she looked up at Gandalf, his face nothing more than a churning mass of color. "He is alright?" she asked, her voice a small weak thing.

"Yes," he soothed. "He should wake soon." He watched as Legawen sighed, relief flooding through her as she realized her husband was not dying. And then he saw the tears and knew she had realized who was.

…

The smell of blood filled her nose when she stepped in the tent, a smell she would always remember when she thought of Thorin Oakenshield.

"You have come," he said, his voice a painful croak as he looked upon her face. Other than a few small scratches her face was untainted – it was the back of her head, beneath her hair, where she had been hurt worst.

She gave him all of a smile she could manage, which was only a slight twitch of her mouth. "Of course I came," she told him softly. "My husband is most grateful to you."

Thorin smiled ruefully. "Is that the truth?"

She shook her sat and sat beside him on the bed, her legs quivering too much for her weary body to stand. "He has not woken yet," she told him. "But he will be when he does."

"I will be dead by then," he said honestly, seeing from her face that it had hurt her. "Let us speak of gentler things," he told her.

She looked at him, seeing the blood around his mouth. "Do you remember when you asked me what my husband called me?" she asked with a small smile.

He smiled at her, one that did not quite reach his heavy eyes for he hurt too greatly. "How could I forget?"

…

"_Where is your husband?" Thorin asked as he came to stand behind her, finding her where he always seemed to; by the river. _

_Legawen looked up at him with a small smile of greeting. "He is speaking with your grandfather," she answered kindly, wondering why he always came to her for he never seemed pleased to speak with her. _

_He nodded, they were leaving the next day it seemed only suitable that the kings would share words before the elves departed. "Why do you always come here?" he asked bluntly, his tone harsher than he'd meant but he did not apologize for it. Instead he looked at her expectantly, trying to see in her face why he should not care for her. _

_She did not take offense, she did not think he knew how to speak to her any other way. "It soothes me," she told me. "I can feel it flowing through my veins if I sit still enough." She looked at him to see him staring at her as though she were strange. "You do not enjoy sitting by the river?" _

_He shrugged. "It is the same river as from when I was a child, there is nothing special about it," he told her callously, and still she took little offense. _

"_That is not true," she said. "Even now the river is different from when you hailed me." _

_He looked at her with furrowed brows not understanding. "It looks the same as it did minutes ago." _

"_The water has changed," she told him. "It is flowing down the current as we speak, heading for the sea, or ending at a lake. And even then new water joins it so that it is never truly the same. Like us you might say." _

_He stared at her in awe, having never thought of a river as she spoke. "Like elves?" _

"_And dwarves," she said, "and men. You may know a person for years but you will never truly _know _them. Time moves too quickly, changing us, making us different. And some parts of us may remain the same but when our hearts are open to death and loss and pain, and even love," she said with a smile, "we change. So you see, Thorin Oakenshield, not even I am entirely the same as I was yesterday." _

_He was awed and bewildered, and entirely entranced. Her voice was lovely, and it was the most he'd ever heard her speak. But her words were so true, and so wise he could do nothing but smile slightly as he stared at her. _She is an elf,_ a voice in the back of his mind scolded him, sounding very much like his father. And his smile was gone as well all mirth that had filled him previously. _

_She sighed when she saw his eyes harden, knowing he was shutting himself to her. _

"_Melda," Thranduil called softly when he saw her. "Come we must make ready to leave on the morn." _

"_I will be there in a moment," she said to him, meeting his hard eyes with her own and he nodded before leaving for their room. _

_She turned back to Thorin to see him staring at her curiously, for he did not understand the elven tongue. "What does that mean?" he asked her, not liking that they spoke in a language he did not understand. "What he calls you," he clarified. _

"_Melda?" she asked and he gave a curt nod. "Beloved," she answered. _

"_Has he always called you that?" he asked, finding within himself he was not ready for her to leave. _

"_Since we were wed," she answered simply. _

"_Before you were wed?" he asked immediately after, seeing she had begun to turn as though to leave. _

_She smiled softly as she fully turned to him. "He loved me in secret," she told him honestly. "It would have been best had he loved and married our former chief's daughter, it was what everyone had wanted. But he loved me instead," she said smiling. _

_Thorin stared at her with knitted brows, not able to picture a Thranduil who had purposefully done what he should not have – he could only picture the hard faced elf that had just left them. "He went against his father's wishes, his people's wishes, to love you?" he asked amazed. _

"_Yes." _

"_How?" he asked quietly, not even able to let himself enjoy her company for she was an elf and he a dwarf – he could not imagine going against his father's wishes to marry someone he was not supposed to love. _

"_Because he could not imagine living an eternity if it was not me by his side," she told him gently. "And neither could I." She waited for Thorin to say something though he didn't, he continued to stare at her with furrowed brows. "You will understand when you meet your own woman," she said with a small smile before turning away from him. _

_Thorin looked after as she went and all he could think was that there would never be a woman for him, not one who could compare to her. _

…

"I tried so hard to hate you," Thorin said before he broke off coughing, and she wiped the blood from his mouth before he continued. "But you made that so impossible."

She smiled briefly at him, until tears filled her eyes. They both looked to the front of the tent to see Gandalf.

"I have found Master Baggins," he told Thorin.

Thorin nodded before looking back to Legawen. "Thank you for coming, for always coming to me," he said sadly knowing he was hurting her more than he ever had before.

She nodded, unable to speak, and stood. She pressed her lips to his cheeks, feeling him take a breath at the feeling. "May you find the peace this world did not offer you," she whispered before leaving the tent. It was not until she found the tent her husband was laying in, seeing his bleary eyes were open, that she finally let herself cry. And though Thranduil's head was greatly hurting at any and all noise, though his body was bruised and battered from falling from the mountain, he held her tight against his chest as she mourned for Thorin Oakenshield; the dwarf who had saved them both, and had died because of it.

…

_two thousand years later_

_Thranduil stood at his wife's side as they looked out on the horizon, Middle Earth behind them and the sea before them. She turned to him wrapping her arms around his waist, and he held her tight against him as the wind from the water cooled their warm spirits. Their time in Middle Earth had come to an end, and they sailed for the Undying Lands where they would reunite with their son and spend the rest of their unending days in peace._

**_Time to say goodbye.  
Places that I've never seen or experienced with you.  
Now I shall, I'll sail with you upon ships across the seas,  
seas that exist no more,  
it's time to say goodbye._**

_song is Time To Say Goodbye, suggested by Tolwen. _

* * *

_Thank you all so very much for reading this, it meant a lot to me. And a special thanks to those who reviewed, you not only made my day but mad finishing this story possible. Thank you._


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