The journey to Mirkwood was eerily silent. Escanor and Arwen rode side by side, each lost in their own thoughts, each processing what lay ahead.
Arwen had been brave to agree to try, but Escanor could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands gripped the reins a little too tightly. She was scared. And she had every right to be.
" What are you thinking about?" Escanor finally asked, breaking the silence that had stretched on for hours.
"In that this is the most terrifying thing I've ever done," Arwen admitted. "And I've lived for three thousand years. I've seen wars, I've lost loved ones, I've faced darkness beyond comprehension. But this... this is different."
—Because it's personal.
"Because it's my heart," she corrected. "In battle, you know who your enemy is. You know what you're fighting against. But this... I don't know if I'm going to win or lose. I don't even know what winning looks like."
Escanor reached out, taking her hand.
—Winning looks like everyone being honest. Everyone being respected. Everyone having a choice. Whatever the outcome, if we do it with integrity, then we've already won.
"That's very noble," Arwen smiled sadly. "But it doesn't make it any less terrifying."
"I know," Escanor said, squeezing her hand. "And if at any point you want to turn back, if you decide this is too much, just say so. There's no shame in protecting your heart."
"I won't turn back," Arwen said resolutely. "I've come this far. I need to see this through to the end. I need to know her. I need... to understand."
"Then you will," Escanor promised. "And I'll be there, every step of the way."
Arwen looked at him, and in her eyes there was love mixed with fear, hope mixed with pain.
—Do you really think this can work? Honestly?
"Honestly... I don't know," Escanor admitted. "But I think it's worth a try. Because the alternative is living with lies or living without one of you. And neither of those options is acceptable to me."
"Then we'll try," Arwen nodded. "The three of us together. And may the Valar help us."
Forest Kingdom, Two Days Later
Thranduil greeted them with an expression that mixed surprise and caution. His eyes moved from Escanor to Arwen and back again, clearly assessing the situation.
"Escanor, Dragonslayer," the Elven King bowed his head. "And Lady Arwen Undómiel. This is an... unexpected visit. And if I may say so, potentially complicated."
" Complicated?" Arwen spoke, her voice clear and firm. "How so?"
"Because my Captain of the Guard has been unusually… distracted ever since a certain sun warrior left our realm," Thranduil said with dry humor. "And now that warrior is returning, but he's brought with him another elf who clearly shares some kind of connection with him. I don't need centuries of experience to see where this is going."
"You're perceptive," Escanor said.
"I'm old," Thranduil corrected. "And I've seen enough romantic dramas to recognize one when it unfolds in my own kingdom." He leaned back on his throne. "Does Tauriel know they're coming?"
"No," Escanor admitted. "I thought it would be better... to talk in person. Without warning."
"Brave or foolish," Thranduil murmured. "Possibly both." He gestured to one of his guards. "Bring Tauriel here. Tell her she has visitors. But don't tell her who."
The guard bowed and left. Thranduil turned back to face them.
"They'll be using my private room for this conversation. It's more... discreet. And something tells me they'll want privacy for what they're about to discuss."
"Thank you," Escanor bowed. "That's very generous."
"It's not generosity," Thranduil said. "It's curiosity. And perhaps a little concern for my Captain. Tauriel is precious to me. If you cause her unnecessary pain, Escanor, hero or not, you will have to answer for it."
"Understood," Escanor nodded. "And I accept that responsibility."
They were led into a smaller parlor, decorated with elven elegance but intimate in scale. There were comfortable sofas, a softly crackling fireplace, and windows that revealed the forest beyond.
Arwen sat down, her hands folded in her lap, her expression calm but her eyes betraying her nervousness. Escanor remained standing, too restless to sit, his hand resting on Rhitta more out of habit than necessity.
And then the door opened.
Tauriel entered, her red hair catching the firelight, clad in her green and brown leather armor. Her expression was one of curiosity, but when she saw Escanor, her face lit up with joy.
" Escanor!" He started to move forward, then stopped when he noticed Arwen. "Oh. I didn't know that..." Their eyes moved between them, and Escanor saw the exact moment he understood. "Arwen Undómiel."
"Tauriel of Mirkwood," Arwen stood, her bearing regal but her voice gentle. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Finally," Tauriel repeated, and there was a note of understanding in her voice. "So... he told you."
"She told me," Arwen confirmed. "Everything."
Tauriel looked at Escanor, and in her eyes there was pain mixed with acceptance.
—So you came to tell me that you chose her. That what we felt... what I thought we felt... wasn't enough.
"No," Escanor said quickly, taking a step forward. "No, Tauriel. It's not that at all."
"So what?" Tauriel demanded, her voice cracking slightly. "Why are you both here? Why bring her with you if it's not to...?"
"Because I love them both," Escanor interrupted. "And I can't... I won't choose. I can't choose. My heart is big enough for both of them, and I came here, I brought Arwen here, to see if... if there's a way this can work."
The silence that followed was absolute. Tauriel stared at him, speechless, clearly not expecting that answer. Arwen stood calmly, waiting.
" What?" Tauriel finally managed to say. "What are you... what are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Escanor took a deep breath, "that I love you. That I love Arwen. That my heart refuses to choose between you because you are both essential to me. And I'm asking... I'm begging... that you consider if there's a way to share me. To share this impossible love."
Tauriel slumped down on a sofa, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
—This is... this is...
"Crazy," Arwen finished, shifting to sit across from Tauriel. "Impossible. It goes against everything we've been taught about love. I know it. Believe me, I know it. Because when he first told me, I felt all of it, too."
" And you still came here?" Tauriel looked at her. "Knowing how I feel about him?"
"I came because I need to get to know you," Arwen said honestly. "I need to understand what you are to him. What he is to you. Because if I'm even going to consider this, I need to know it's not just… a whim. That you're as real to him as I am."
Tauriel looked at Escanor, seeking confirmation.
—Is that true? Am I as real to you as she is?
"Yes," Escanor said without hesitation. "Different, but no less. Arwen is my soulmate. The connection we felt was instant, profound, as if our souls had been searching for each other throughout time itself. But you, Tauriel… you are my kindred spirit. The one who understands my purpose, who shares my fire, who sees me not as a hero but as an equal. Both of you are essential. Both of you are irreplaceable."
"So you really mean it," Tauriel whispered. "This isn't... you're not playing with us."
"Never," Escanor knelt between them, looking at each one. "This is the most serious thing I've ever done. More serious than fighting Smaug. More serious than any battle. Because this is about hearts. Their hearts. And I wouldn't take that lightly."
Arwen and Tauriel exchanged glances, and Escanor saw something pass between them. Assessment. Recognition. Perhaps even understanding.
"So," Tauriel finally spoke, "you're asking us to accept sharing you. To accept that when you're with me, you'll be thinking about her. And when you're with her, you'll be thinking about me."
"No," Escanor shook his head firmly. "When I'm with you, I'll be fully present. Completely yours. When I'm with Arwen, I'll be completely hers. Love isn't a distraction. It's a focus. And I can love them both fully without diminishing either."
" How?" Arwen asked. "How is that possible?"
"Because the heart is not a limited resource," Escanor said. "It's not something that divides. It's something that expands. If you allow it, if you allow me to love you both, my heart will grow large enough to hold you both completely. Both of you."
Tauriel stood up, walking towards the window, looking out at the forest.
"I've always been different," she said softly. "I've always wanted more than what my culture said I should want. More freedom, more adventure, more life. Thranduil has held me back for centuries, and I've accepted it because I understand his fear. But this—" She turned to face them—"this is another level of different."
"It is," Arwen agreed, rising as well. "And I won't pretend it will be easy. I won't pretend I won't have moments of doubt, jealousy, fear. But..."
"But," Tauriel continued, as if she could read Arwen's mind, "the alternative is to say no. It's to reject this love because it doesn't fit into the boxes we were told it should fit into. And I…" she hesitated, "I don't know if I can do that."
The two elves looked at each other, really looked at each other, and Escanor saw something extraordinary happen.
He saw recognition.
He saw respect.
And she saw the beginning of something that could, in time, become her own kind of love. Not romantic, but sisterly. The recognition of two women who loved the same man and, instead of becoming enemies, chose to become allies.
"I have conditions," Arwen finally said. "If we're going to do this."
—Like me —Tauriel nodded.
"Then let's say them," Escanor said. "All of them. Now. Honestly."
The three of them sat down, forming a circle, and the most important conversation of their lives began.
Arwen came first.
—Absolute honesty. Always. No secrets between any of us. If something is wrong, we say so. If we're hurting, we share it. If we need space, we ask for it.
"Agreed," Tauriel nodded. "And I would add: respect. Respect for each other's feelings, for each other's needs, for each other's boundaries."
"Agreed," Escanor said. "And I'll add: commitment. Not just to you individually, but to this... arrangement. This relationship. If we're going to do this, we commit to making it work. To pushing ourselves when it's difficult. To not giving up at the first sign of trouble."
"Time," Arwen said. "We'll need time together . The three of us. To build… whatever this becomes. But we'll also need individual time. Escanor with you, Tauriel. Escanor with me. And maybe…" she hesitated, "maybe Tauriel and I will need time together too. To get to know each other outside of you."
"I'd like that," Tauriel said surprisingly. "I think... I think we could be friends. If we let it happen."
—I think so too —Arwen smiled, small but genuine.
"Family," Escanor said softly. "If this works, if we really make it work... we'll be family. Not in the traditional way. But family nonetheless."
"Family," Tauriel tasted the word. "Yes. That feels... right."
They continued for hours, setting boundaries, discussing expectations, navigating the entirely new territory they were venturing into. It wasn't easy. There were tense moments, painful moments, moments when it seemed like everything might collapse.
But it did not collapse.
Because the three people in that room shared something fundamental: a commitment to honesty, to respect, to love that refused to be contained by convention.
Finally, as the sun set outside the windows, Arwen spoke.
—So... are we doing it? Are we really doing this?
Tauriel looked at Escanor, then at Arwen, then back at Escanor.
—I think so. May the Valar help us, I believe we truly are.
"Then let's seal it," Escanor said, rising and extending his hands. "Not with a formal vow. Not yet. But with a promise. A promise to try. To be honest. To love each other completely, without reservation, without apology."
Arwen took one of her hands. Tauriel took the other. And the three of them stood, forming a circle, their hands joined, their destinies intertwined.
"I promise," Escanor said, "to love you, Arwen Undómiel, with all my being. To honor you. To respect you. To never give you any reason to doubt my love."
"I promise," he continued, turning to Tauriel, "to love you, Tauriel of Mirkwood, with equal fervor. To cherish you. To celebrate you. To never make you feel less than Arwen, because you are not. You are different, but equal in importance."
"I promise," Arwen said, her voice trembling slightly, "to try. To try to accept this. To try to love you without possessiveness. And..." She looked at Tauriel, "to try to get to know you. To respect you. Maybe even, in time, to love you in my own way."
"I promise the same," Tauriel said. "To try. To respect. And not to let jealousy consume me. Because if Escanor says his heart is big enough for both of us... then I'll choose to believe him. I'll choose to trust."
They stood there for a long moment, their hands joined, their hearts opening to this impossible possibility.
And then, surprisingly, Tauriel laughed.
"This is crazy. Absolutely crazy. If someone had told me six months ago that I'd be here, agreeing to share the man I love with another woman..."
"You would have laughed in his face," Arwen finished, laughing too. "Like I would have."
—And yet here we are—Escanor smiled, clasping both hands together—. Three crazy people choosing love over convention. Choosing courage over fear. Choosing... possibility.
"Possibility," Tauriel repeated. "Yes. I like that. This is a possibility. Not a guarantee. Not a certainty. But a possibility."
"And that's enough," Arwen said. "For now, that's more than enough."
The door suddenly opened, and Thranduil entered, his expression interested.
"Well," he said, "should I prepare a funeral or a celebration?"
"Neither," Tauriel smiled. "Or both. Honestly, I'm not sure yet."
"We've reached an understanding," Escanor explained. "An unconventional one."
"Unconventional," Thranduil repeated dryly. "That's one way to put it." He studied them for a moment. "But I see sincerity in their eyes. All three of them. And I suppose that's what matters. Not how they love, but that they do it honestly."
—Wisely said—Arwen bowed her head.
"I am old," Thranduil said again. "And I have learned that love rarely follows the paths we expect. If all three agree, if all consent, then… who am I to judge?" He looked specifically at Tauriel. "But my child, if you are hurt, if this turns out to be a mistake…"
"Then I'll deal with it," Tauriel interrupted gently. "As I've dealt with everything else. But Thranduil… for the first time in centuries, I feel truly alive. Truly seen. And I'm not going to reject that out of fear."
"Then you have my blessing," Thranduil said. "Reluctant, cautious, but my blessing nonetheless." He turned to leave, then stopped. "And Escanor... if you break my Captain's heart..."
"I know," Escanor nodded. "A slow and painful death. Understood."
"Good," Thranduil smiled slightly. "I just wanted to make sure we were clear."
After he left, the three of them looked at each other and burst into laughter, the tension finally breaking, replaced by something lighter, more hopeful.
—So—Tauriel said when her laughter faded—what comes next?
"Now," Escanor looked at them both, "we'll take it one day at a time. We'll learn to navigate this together. We'll make mistakes, forgive each other, try again. And in time... in time we'll discover what this becomes."
"It sounds terrifying," Arwen admitted.
—Sounds perfect —Tauriel smiled.
"It sounds like us," Escanor said, embracing them both. "Imperfect, complicated, but honest. And that's all I could ask for."
That night, they sat together under the stars, the three of them sharing stories, learning about each other, building the foundations of something none of them fully understood yet.
Arwen spoke of Rivendell, of her mother who sailed west, of her long life and the burdens it entailed.
Tauriel shared about Black Forest, about her desire for more, about the feeling of being trapped even when she was loved.
And Escanor... Escanor told them about his awakening without memory, about finding purpose, about learning what it meant to be a hero not through power but through choice.
And as they talked, as they laughed, as they occasionally cried, something beautiful began to take shape.
It wasn't traditional love. It wasn't what either of them had imagined.
But it was real. It was honest. And it was his.
One love for three. One heart big enough to hold them both.
An uncertain future, but full of possibility.
And for now, at this moment under the stars of Black Forest, that was more than enough.
That was it.
End of Chapter 16