-General-
Everything was a celebration in Thranduil's realm. The elves were drinking themselves into oblivion. The reason? The recovery of Mirkwood—or as it was now called, the Forest of Renewal. Only the interior of the mountains remained inhabited by the last remnants of spiders, but it was only a matter of time before they were hunted down, finally freeing the entire forest from the plague that had once dwelled within it.
Among those celebrating was Galadriel, whose unparalleled beauty lifted the hearts of all who admired the arts. At her side, her beloved husband Celeborn smiled at the dances and songs being performed.
Seated next to the stoic Thranduil was Elrond of Rivendell, smiling as he watched the pure laughter of his daughter, who was enjoying herself dancing with Aragorn. They were also joined by Gandalf, who gently shook his head from side to side as he calmly puffed on his pipe.
Coincidentally, just the day before, Aldril had received a request from Thorin, and today he was setting off for Erebor, missing the festivities. Accompanying him was Tauriel, who was only following to say goodbye, for she planned to stay and celebrate with her adoptive mother, Thalwen, who—besides enjoying the festivities—kept insisting that she tell her how things were going with Aldril (as any good mother would).
....
Aldril arrived at the port where trade with Lake Town used to take place. Now, those wine-filled boats were bound for Dale.
"Why not cross the forest and head straight to Erebor?" asked Tauriel.
"I want to see Bard. It's been years since I last met with him," Aldril replied, though he also wanted to see how the city was doing.
Before boarding the boat that would carry him—along with several barrels of wine—he said goodbye to Tauriel with a warm kiss.
"Be very careful," Tauriel said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
If any elf were to see the once-strict captain now acting like a wife bidding farewell to her husband before work, they would surely be surprised—or envious of the man who had brought about such a change in her.
Aldril nodded, wrapped his arms around Tauriel's curving waist, and pulled her close to his chest.
"I will. If I end up agreeing to go with them to Moria, I'll come back to say goodbye… and to take Shadow Star," he said, kissing the top of her head. The faint floral scent she carried filled his nose, easing his spirit.
"I love you," he whispered.
"And I love you, my love," she replied.
Tauriel looked up, and Aldril saw how the sunlight lit up what he considered the most beautiful and pure smile in the world. And on top of that… she had just called him "my love" for the first time. If not for his willpower, he would have thrown himself at her and showered her with kisses.
With one last kiss, Aldril climbed aboard the boat and set course for Lake Town.
Tauriel waved as she watched him depart. As the boat disappeared into the distance, she felt an emptiness inside. She had grown used to having him by her side. Her gaze drifted toward the horizon, and for a fleeting moment, she wondered what would happen if Aldril were mortal. She would undoubtedly love him just the same and would be willing to stay by his side until the end. But if he were to die… she would soon follow.
After all, with the exception of one elf, everyone else loved only one person in their lives, and when that person died, the pain of loss eventually consumed them.
She shook her head to dispel the terrifying thought and turned back toward the noisy celebration. However, on her way, she placed a hand over her stomach.
"Maybe I wouldn't feel so lonely if we had a child," she murmured with a faint smile.
At that very moment, she caught sight of a very familiar figure. She couldn't help but smile as she walked toward the elf.
"Legolas!" she called out.
He turned, and with a cheerful smile, nodded.
"Tauriel. It's been a long time," he replied.
"Likewise, though for us, time hardly matters," she said softly, brushing off the passage of years.
However, she noticed the woman standing next to Legolas. Something caught her attention—the bump in the woman's belly. Her eyes didn't move away from it, causing the woman to let out a nervous laugh.
With a radiant smile, Legolas took Sigrid's hand.
"I imagine you already have an idea of why I've come," said Legolas, his voice calm and serene. "As you can see, my wife is pregnant. We can't travel with our unborn child, so I've come to settle here with her."
Snapped out of her daze, Tauriel nodded and gave him a bright smile. She hadn't even known such a thing was possible. For centuries, fate had dictated that only a few unions between Elves and mortals could exist… but now, Legolas had added to that number. (With Eru's blessing, of course.)
"Mother will be delighted to receive you," Tauriel said, casting a kind glance at Sigrid.
And so the trio made their way toward the celebration.
…
Just as Tauriel had imagined, Thalwen's reaction was unforgettable. Never before had she seen her adoptive mother lose her composure. Her eyes were fixed, almost hypnotized, on Sigrid's belly, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Beside her, Galadriel smiled with the calm grace that only Elves of her age possessed, and whispered softly:
"Destiny is not set in stone. If it is Eru's will that something change… then it shall."
On the other side, Thranduil rushed toward Legolas and pulled him away from the celebration. The ever-stoic King of Mirkwood's face wavered; at the corner of his lips, a smile was forming… almost imperceptible, yet real.
All of this was observed by Elrond and Gandalf, who, for once, offered no opinion. The surprise left them speechless: soon, another Peredhil would be born.
Gandalf, being a Maia, quickly understood this was no mere whim of fate. To him, it was an act of goodwill from the great Eru. That's why he wasn't entirely surprised… though he did wonder what great destiny awaited the unborn child.
However, the shock didn't last long. A now-energetic Thalwen stepped forward and gently took Sigrid's arm, guiding her to a resting place.
"At your stage, you shouldn't be on your feet for so long," she said with a maternal tone that left no room for objection.
The joy radiating from Thalwen was so intense that, wherever she stepped, small flower buds timidly emerged from the grass, as if responding to her happiness.
Meanwhile, Elrond, having shaken off his astonishment, walked toward Tauriel, who was walking beside Sigrid, carefully ensuring nothing would harm her.
"Tauriel," he said in his calm voice. "Where is Aldril?"
Gandalf, still thoughtful as he traced circles with the smoke from his pipe, paused at the sound of that name. His gaze slowly swept across all the revelers until it settled on the red-haired elf.
Tauriel stopped for a moment, turned to Elrond, and shook her head.
"Aldril isn't here. Not long ago, the King Under the Mountain requested him to travel to Erebor. Apparently, he had something to discuss with him regarding the possible recovery of Moria."
"Khazad-dûm…?" Elrond whispered, slowly turning to look at Gandalf.
The Istari watched him silently, and with a slight nod, confirmed it.
"I will go see what's happening," Gandalf said, before leaving the celebration and heading toward Erebor.
The recovery of Moria was no small matter. If the dwarves managed to reclaim the ancient home of Durin's line, they could establish an impregnable fortress in the heart of the Misty Mountains. Such a stronghold would be vital in holding back Sauron's forces—a key piece in the balance of the war to come.
**
Filthy orcs!!
I'm back. Sorry for the delay, but I had serious problems... depression hit me like a tsunami. I had to get treatment, and recently I started to notice changes.
Those who have been following me will already know the reason for my depression, but anyway... here I am again.
"[email protected]/Mrnevercry" 15 advanced chapters