Disclaimer: I do not own. Me Wish

Title: And Now You Are Here

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Angst

Pairing: Tauriel/Legolas

Type: Two-shot

Summary: 'I have hurt you.' She stepped forward, closing the distance between them. At the lifeless look in his eyes, her heart burnt with sorrow. Slowly, he reached for her hand, softly clasping it in his own. 'Will you heal what you have hurt?' He murmured. Two-shot.

Important Note: This second chapter will span from where we left off in chapter one and go through all the events of DoS, BotFA and very briefly through LotR.

'Then marry me.' Legolas felt Tauriel tense in his arms, hands tightening on his back at his words. He waited with bated breath for her reply, but knew it would not come.

'We must leave,' Tauriel murmured. 'Laketown is still quite the distance away. We have no time to waste.' She pulled back, and Legolas allowed her to slip from his arms, hands falling by his side loosely. He stared at her, but she could not return the gaze, bending to pick up her bow. She paused a moment, as though considering her actions, but dismissed it, turning on her heel and heading towards the forest exist.

He could see it, in her stance, the sadness that burned in her eyes and the worrisome lines alone her forehead, which told him stories of internal battle, between the heart and the mind. A stab of sorrow sliced through his heart, and he picked up his bow, collected his arrows and followed her.

-X-

She stayed back for the dwarf. Stayed back to heal him although he insisted she accompany him to tail the orcs. Tauriel had never been one for obedience. She'd disobeyed his father many times since she'd become captain, and had never given into his wishes as an elfling. It should not have surprised him, that she did not follow him out of the home of Bard the dragon slayer to kill the orcs she had claimed to want the blood of. But it had, hurt him even, to see her heart torn between following his orders and saving the life of a mortal dwarf who Legolas did not doubt would die in battle.

It is I you love, he wanted to accuse, I you kissed. And yet, after Smaug destroyed Laketown, he felt nothing but relief and peace upon sighting her on the shores not far from Dale, well and healthy. As for the dwarf, he was less than thrilled to see. He felt nothing but anger towards him. Anger for taking away his Tauriel, for ruining the chance they had ever had. For causing her to stray further from Mirkwood than she ever had before.

The remaining people of Laketown began to head towards Dale, and Legolas watched the dwarves prepare for their departure to the Misty Mountains. 'Come with me.' Kili urged Tauriel. A surge of jealousy coursed through his veins at his words, and it boiled to rage when Tauriel's head turned to the side to address him, strain obvious in her voice. 'Ernil Legolas,' she said. Legolas refused to allow his jealousy to seep through, and turned away. 'Maewado i Naug. Boe i nadh egeno.' He wanted, but did not expect it stop her, as nothing ever had before. But this time, she listened. She watched the dwarves sail away in their boat, and Legolas eyed the runestone in her hand that she tightly held.

It gave him a different feeling, as though there was a symbolic meaning behind her decision to stay behind with him rather than follow the dwarf. She had told him she loved him only two nights ago, and yet, Legolas felt it quickly dissolved upon meeting with the dwarf once more. He felt ashamed for asking her to marry him, but knew he would never forgive himself if he hadn't. A band, glistening silver and carved, remained in the inside breast pocket of his shirt. He felt the weight of it on his heart, as though a large boulder had been placed on his chest instead. Watching the broken expression on his beloved's face, Legolas wondered if she had ever truly loved him in the first place.

-X-

'You saw something out there,' Tauriel observed, following him through the temporary camp of men. 'The orc leader we pursued out of Laketown, I know who he is,' he explained. 'Bolg, spawn of Azog the Defiler. An orc pack was waiting on the outskirts of Esgaroth. They fled into the north. These orcs were different from the others, they bore a mark I had not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad,' he said gravely.

Tauriel stopped, stunned. 'Gundabad?'

'An orc stronghold in the far north of the Misty Mountains.'

'Ernil Legolas,' a voice interrupted them, and he turned to see Feren, riding his horse. 'Celin 'winiath o adar lin. Can i hi danwenidh na le.'

Legolas stepped forward. 'Tolo, Tauriel.'

'Ernil,' Feren spoke again, dismay evident in his tone, 'edlennen Tauriel.'

Legolas furrowed his brows. 'Edlennen?' He repeated, astonished. He did not need to think twice to know his response. 'You may tell my father if there is no place for Tauriel, there is no place for me.'

He felt Tauriel step up beside him, her voice a soft warning. 'Legolas. It is your king's command.'

He turned to her, facing her without shame. 'Naw aran nin. Mal u-gan innas nin.' His words, however little, seemed to have affected her, but they had no time to dwell on the matters of the heart.

'I ride north,' he said, striding passed her with renewed purpose. 'Will you come with me?'

'To where?'

'To Gundabad.'

-X-

'Gundabad,' Tauriel murmured, looking onto the mountains from where they crouched amongst the stones. 'What lies beyond it?'

'An old enemy. The ancient Kingdom of Angmar. And this fortress was once its stronghold. It is where they kept their great armories, forged their weapons of war.' Legolas examined what seemed to be a dead, deserted mountain. A flickering caught his eye.

'A light. I saw movement,' Tauriel said, voice hushed, confirming his suspicion.

'We wait for the cover of night. It is a foul place, Tauriel. In another age our people waged war on those lands.' He looked away for a moment, reliving a memory.

Tauriel glanced at him, wondering what he meant to say, and was stunned when he spoke. 'My mother died there.' Her eyes searched his frantically, asking for an explanation. 'My father does not speak of it. There is no grave, no memory. Nothing.'

Sorrow and sadness filled his heart at the memory of being told his mother was not coming back. His younger, innocent self could not digest such a fact, refused to believe it. It wasn't until he was old enough to understand the concept of death, realize that elves too could be faced with the end, that he allowed the years of yearning to swallow him whole. He met Tauriel's gaze and understood her desire to comfort him, but was not allowed to, nor would he have accepted it. Pity was not what he wanted from her. Anything but pity. What he wanted was understanding, a connection, the love she claimed to have for him. He yearned for it with his entire being, but did not speak nor mention it.

They spent the night in wait, watching the dormant mountain. It was almost midnight, when the silence became too much, or too comfortable, he wasn't sure, that he spoke.

'The day we captured the dwarves,' he told her. 'You reported to my father of the incident.'

She stiffened. 'What of it?'

'I was coming to speak to him when I overheard what he said to you.'

He was met with silence, and when he glanced at her, he saw the shock and dread plastered on her expression. She had nothing to say, too taken aback to respond. But he could see the fear, the building panic in her eyes to realize what he said disturbed her.

'I did not think you would abide by his words so easily.'

'Why did you pretend that you did not hear?' she demanded suddenly, hands tightening into fists. 'You came to me afterwards, asking of what your father said of the spiders. You acted as though you heard nothing.'

'It is true that I did not hear his instructions on what to do with the spiders. I merely heard what he said to you. About me. Or rather, about the both of us.' He watched her carefully. 'Is it truly why you stay away from me? Why,' his voice caught in his throat, 'you did not accept my proposal?'

Her face contorted into that of sadness. 'Is it not reason enough?'

'It is nothing but an excuse.' He retorted, unable to control his frustration. 'We marry for love, not out of duty. I want no other, Tauriel. If it isn't you,' he searched for her reaction. 'I won't accept another.'

She leaned in, and the proximity was suffocating. His heart sped, akin to a galloping stallion in a meadow. 'I am but a Silvan elf,' she murmured. 'I am banished from Mirkwood. You saw for yourself that your father would never accept me as your bride. I beg of you, Legolas. Do not give me hope where there is none, as I have done for you.' And yet, she had. He'd never felt as alive as when he was in her company, receiving her banter, her teases and endless compliments and retorts. She awakened the yearning in his blood, revived long suppressed love. She had given him all the hope in the world before the wretched company of Thorin stumbled into their forests.

Softly kissing his cheek, Tauriel pulled away, but he grasped her wrist.

Reaching into the breast of his tunic, he pulled out the ring. When she caught sight of it, she froze. Her hand fell limp in his own, gaze fixed on the silver band. 'I had it made for you.' He told her, placing it into her palm and curling her fingers over it. 'It is the only ring I intend to give to any elleth. When this is all over,' his grip tightened, 'give me your answer. You've yet to say no. I hope for your acceptance.'

Her hand fell away and he despised the break of contact. For the rest of the night, they did not speak, nor touch. But they did not need it. They watched the mountain with the concentration of soldiers, but their minds were elsewhere.

-X-

'Gandalf!' Legolas shouted, stopping the horse and dismounting.

'Legolas Greenleaf,' Gandalf breathed as he approached. 'There is a second army,' Legolas informed without wasting time, 'Bolg leads a force of Gundabad orcs. They are almost upon us.'

'Gundabad? Gandalf's face darkened. 'This was their plan all along. Azog engages our forces then Bolg seeps in from the north.' He spat out Bolg's name like poison.

'The north?' The little hobbit, Bilbo questioned. 'Where is the north exactly?'

'Ravenhill,' Gandalf replied, and Bilbo followed after him.

'Ravenhill? Thorin's up there. And Fili and Kili, they're all up there!' he exclaimed urgently, and Legolas noticed the alert on Tauriel's face, and knew it was where she would go. He did not have the heart to stop her.

Nearing her, he raised his hands to her cheeks and kissed her firmly on the forehead, conveying his emotions through the simple press of his lips. 'Just stay alive, Tauriel.'

She nodded into his hands. Later, when she confronted his father, he stood up for her, bold in his advance against Thranduil as he raised a sword to the king of the Woodland Realm. But he held no fear.

'Cí hen naethathog, ulu genithon.'

-X-

'Maybe I should return the position to the previous captain,' Tauriel said uncertainly, laying beside him on the grass. 'I am not ready for it. Your father has overestimated my abilities.'

Legolas frowned, turning his body to face her, leaning on his side as the grass tickled his cheek. 'In contrast, Tauriel, you do not seem to be aware of your own capabilities.'

'Perhaps,' she voiced, but he could hear the lack of confidence in her voice, the doubt that was reflected in her tone. 'But I am still inexperienced. I am afraid that I will fail the guard and lead it to its demise and be forever condemned the captain who couldn't do what her position required of her.'

Legolas laughed lightly, arm coming around her torso to pull her closer. 'Your dubiety is charming,' he said, and felt her smile against his neck when her lips stretched. 'Do not stop fighting, Tauriel. Once a person loses one fight, they lose a second, and then a third. Soon enough, your life would be nothing but failures. You deserve the position of captain more than anyone in the guard. Embrace it.'

'I wish I could have as much belief in myself as you do.' She muttered.

'You will,' he assured. 'And a day will come where you no longer need me for support, but I will still not leave you.'

Her hand gripped his tunic. 'Don't.'

'I won't.'

The memory was brought to the forefront of his thoughts as Legolas watched Tauriel clutch Kili's dead body to her, cradling it in her arms. Struck with grief, he noticed the silent tears, and wanted to help her, lend her a shoulder to mourn on. He wanted to share her suffering, share her burden so she had less to carry. But the image of her crying over the dead dwarf proved too heavy for his heart. Foolishly, he searched her hand and found nothing but dry blood and dirt staining her fingers, and a runestone he knew belonged to neither he nor her. She pressed it into the dwarf's hand.

Keep fighting, Tauriel, he yearned to say, because no matter how much of his heart she had taken from him and shattered, it caused him ache to see her in such grief and despair. Turning away, he sheathed his daggers and walked away from Ravenhill, wishing to leave it behind as nothing but a memory.

He encountered his father on the way back to Dale, and the weary tiredness on the elvenking's face did not go unnoticed. 'I cannot go back,' he told his father. He had no hard feelings, wanted to depart with nothing but good memories. 'Where will you go?' Thranduil asked as he walked passed him.

'I do not know.' Legolas admitted, pausing. 'Will you give her a home?'

His father watched him gravely. 'If it is her wish to return, I will lift her banishment.'

Legolas nodded, knowing he would be forever grateful. 'She grieves,' Thranduil said, 'but grievance is healed with time.'

'Indeed.' He agreed, turning away once more.

'Legolas,' his father called again, 'your mother loved you. More than anything. More than life.'

Anguish filled his heart, and Legolas bowed his head in respect.

Finding a horse was a matter of asking two people, and once he believed he had sufficient supplies to last him a few days journey before he encountered a village, Legolas set out. He left everything behind. His father, his kin, his responsibilities as prince. Tauriel. He left it all behind, determined to move forward. But that night and the next, his dreams consisted of an elleth clutching a dead dwarf with all the might in the world, and in neither of those dreams did he see a ring. Just a runestone.

-X-

On the third day of his journey, he happened upon a small waterfall in a beautiful forest he was passing. It reminded him of good times, and he explored the forest thoroughly, memorising every tree and crevasse. The waterfall was peaceful rather than violent, the sound of the gushing water pleasing to the ears. Although he knew he could get far if he continued on, Legolas felt content in the forest, and spent his time soaking the beauty it gave off and practising archery. He lay under the stars and found constellations, the stars forming an elk lulling him to sleep.

It was the following morning that he felt a presence, as he was preparing his horse for the journey once more. But it was not the presence of a threat or an enemy.

'It seems I have been able to catch up with you, my lord,' her voice echoed in his mind, and Legolas wondered whether he imagined it. But when he turned and saw Tauriel dismount her horse and approach him, he knew it was all but a dream.

'What are you doing here?' he asked, frowning.

She smiled softly. 'I heard you were heading north, and so I followed. Although I feared I wouldn't be able to meet with you until your destination.'

How she knew his destination, he need not know. It was their bond, he knew, that led her to him. Their connection, like a red string of fate that tied them together, ensured they would never lose sight of each other. All these years, Legolas had wondered if it was true. In that moment, he couldn't find anything he believed in more.

His heart clenched as she approached, stopping only a foot away from him. He did not know what to expect, and didn't intend on asking once more why she followed him, but when his gaze fell on her hand, he had no reason to. His heart doubled in speed, thundering like lightning in his chest. The silver ring that gleamed back at him was bright and shimmering under the sun's light, and slowly, Legolas reached for her hand.

'You left before I could reply.'

'I did not anticipate this to be your answer. You were in mourning.' He used it as means of explanation, and although Tauriel's face clouded over with anguish, there was a subtle content in her smile. 'Your father has lifted my banishment,' she said, 'and I am forever in His Majesty's debt. But there was something else I had to do. I couldn't let you leave while hope still thrives in my heart.'

Relief flooded him and a weight was lifted off his chest, as though allowing him to breathe for the first time in days. Without a word, he pulled her in for a soft kiss, entangling one hand in her hair and the other cupping the back of her neck. She responded in kind, pulling him closer as their tongues met in an ancient dance. His passion and heat came to life. Pulling back, Legolas wrapped his arms around her. 'Marry me,' he murmured in her ear, 'right now. This very minute. Will you give me that? Will you give me the honour to be your husband?'

She tightened their embrace.

Legolas spent his second day in the beautiful forest with his wife, succumbing to the passion that had dwindled between them for centuries, and giving her all the love he had to offer. When they left the following day, he left feeling whole, like a part of his identity had been with her, and now that she was his for eternity, he was complete.

-X-

They travelled Middle Earth, exploring everywhere he knew she wanted to see, and everywhere they felt mild curiosity towards. Supplies, they gathered from every village they visited, and through their travels they accumulated a set of materials they always took with them. They slept under the stars, in caves, in trees and sometimes in inns, always in each other's arms. Some mornings, he awoke to the soft caresses of his wife's hand against his cheek, tracing his features. Other mornings, he awoke her with kisses and gentle murmurs. 'Ci bain sui in elin.'

He never sent word to his father of his marriage to Tauriel. He would greatly disapprove, he knew, but there was nothing he could do to a couple who had already pledged themselves to each other. But despite his intentions, Thranduil was still of his own flesh, the man who acted both as his mother and his father to provide him with happiness. Blood called to blood, and Legolas could not deny the call he felt to the ruler of Mirkwood. One day, he would write a letter to the elvenking.

-X-

'So you are leaving,' Tauriel's voice vibrated against his chest as they lay on the bed where he held her close.

'I must. The fate of all races depends on the destruction of the Ring. Someone must take it to Mordor.' He felt her smile against his skin.

'Frodo Baggins is a very brave hobbit. As his uncle had been.'

'Indeed. I have no particular fondness for hobbits, but I admire his courage. If he is the only one who can destroy the Ring then I will protect him.' He pulled her closer, nuzzling his nose in her rose-scented hair.

'You will be missed.' Tauriel voiced.

'And I will miss you.'

'Try not to die. I will wait for you here, in Rivendell.'

'I've already spoken to Lord Elrond about your stay here. He says you are more than welcome to remain as long as you like.' Legolas said.

'Even though you know I'd rather accompany you on the quest. A tenth member of the fellowship will be an advantage.' She pointed out, but he shook his head. 'You may be the most skilled warrior I know, Tauriel, but it does not make me worry any less.' She sighed at his reasoning.

'I will lose the will to live if I lose you. Give me something to come back to.' He murmured.

'Then I will be here. Waiting.'

He pulled back to kiss her affectionately, losing himself in the feel of her for one last time before he departed to join the fellowship. It was a night he would constantly recall once on his journey, forever embedded in his memory.

-X-

'Have you ever felt love, my friend?' Aragorn asked the night of Gandalf's mourning. They were the only ones awake as they listened to the finishing of the lament for Gandalf the Grey. Grief and agony were in all of their hearts at losing one of their dear companions.

'I have,' Legolas replied. 'The love you have for Lady Arwen, I too feel for another.'

'Does she wait for you?'

'She does,' he confirmed. 'Perhaps the only reason I continue this journey is so that I could return to her once more.'

They had a moment of silence as they observed the night sky.

'It's consuming, love is,' Aragorn remarked. 'Sometimes I believe I will lose my sanity to it. Other times it gives me strength like nothing ever has before.'

'It is fickle,' Legolas agreed, 'but that is the beauty of it. You never know what it will give you.'

'Indeed.'

-X-

'She is in her chambers,' the maid confirmed. 'She's been resting often recently due to her condition. It is the best way to remain healthy.' Legolas was puzzled at the elleth's words, but did not comment, instead asking in which direction her chambers was. Up two sets of stairs, third corridor to the right in the sixth room on the left. He had it memorised as he took the steps by twos and sped through the corridors to the chambers.

When he knocked, it heard a faint 'come in,' and twisted the knob without hesitation, closing the door behind him once he entered. Tauriel stood by the vanity in a simple white gown, happiness and surprise lighting up in her eyes as she neared him.

'You're back,' she breathed, but it was cut short as he pulled her in for a kiss, swallowing her words whole. He hadn't felt so alive in months as he scraped his tongue along her teeth, kissing her repeatedly until she was left breathless. Turning his attention to her neck, he breathed in the scent that was entirely Tauriel, arms wrapped around her like he would never let go again.

'I have something to tell you,' she whispered, taking his hand in her own. Leading it down to her stomach, she paused a single moment, as though listening. Legolas only had a moment to wonder what she was trying to say until he felt it. A faint but firm thump against his palm. A myriad of emotions rushed over him as he listened to the heartbeat of his child, alive and healthy like his mother. His hand explored the span of her growing stomach, cleverly covered by the gown she wore.

Overcome by joy, he only stared at his wife, unable to relay in words how he felt. He thought to ask for how long, but the half year he was not by her side indicated how far along she was. Suddenly, the past months felt like nothing but a dream, and when he kissed her again, Legolas wondered if they had ever occurred. All the deaths, all the sorrow and grief they suffered that he believed he could never truly recover from, were now dull and distant. That night, he slept with his future in his arms. The following morning, he wrote a letter to his father.

ELVISH TRANSLATIONS:

Maewado i naug. Boe i nadh egeno: Take your leave of the dwarf. You are needed elsewhere

Celin 'winiath o adar lin. Can i hi danwenidh na le: I bring word from your father. You are to return to him immediately

Tolo, Tauriel: Come, Tauriel

Edlennen Tauriel: Tauriel has been banished

Edlennen? Banished?

Naw aran nin, mal u-gan innas nin: Yes, he is my king. But he does not command my heart

Cí hen naethathog, ulu genithon: If you harm her, you will have to kill me

Ci bain sui in elin: You are as beautiful as the stars

You guys are absolutely amazing! I'm honestly so blown away by all of your beautiful reviews and they honestly make me so happy! Hopefully I did my own story some sort of justice by giving this happy ending. I didn't want to end it the way I ended my other Legriel story, which is they just end up together after the Hobbit, so I concluded with the events of LotR as well so that we can have a real closed-off ending where we don't need to be plagued by dreams of Legolas leaving her and then blah blah.

As I've mentioned before, this is obviously a series of chronologically ordered events, not meant to be a fully flowing story. No one's made a comment about it, but I thought that if anyone found this chapter choppy because of the major time skips, its because I selected specific scenes I wanted to write about. I would have driven myself crazy if I tried to cover everything!

And ohmygosh something has been really bothering me about this story. In the summary above, there is a typo where a question mark is missing where it says 'will you heal what you've hurt' and its driving me UP THE WALL. I tried to edit it but for some ridiculous reason every time I save the changes it goes back to the summary it is. I normally never have typos in my summaries but I posted this story very late at night, half asleep, so my head wasn't on straight when I was writing the summary. If anyone is annoyed by it, I am honestly so sorry, just know its agitating me too.

PS: Mostly unedited, forgive me for any mistakes I couldn't spot.

Thank y'all so much for all your lovely words and hopefully you'll leave your two bit on this chapter too?

Love and respect

xx