Mereth Nuin Giliath- The Hobbit- Tauriel, Legolas (M)

[TaurielRiver]

Being a bit of a hopeless romantic, it kind of crossed my mind that I am often drawn towards writing love in the relationship sense, even though I equally adore the kind of love that comes from friendship and generally the feeling of knowing someone forever.

So, with this in mind, I really wanted to write something between Legolas and Tauriel in their ever-so-slightly-younger years (so, you know... like around 500 ), set prior to the events of The Hobbit (the title- 'The Feast of Starlight', is the celebration referenced whilst the company are in Mirkwood in the second Hobbit film). And here it is!

Mereth Nuin Giliath

The Hobbit

Tauriel, Legolas (M)

The chorus of harps and viols spilled through each dip and wind of the chamber, brooking the distance between ceremony and mirth. The evermead too, was not without blame. To folk from further lands, the wine was oft known only by its more telling effigy- ‘the one to which others are compared and found wanting’. And it was in no short supply tonight. A loose clattering heralded the approach of two of her kin, a heavy wooden barrel strung between them, hastily parted with at the closest sturdy table. Brushing themselves of the grimy residue that inhabited the oldest and finest corners of the cellar, the more familiar of them caught her gaze and lingered, a glow kindling at the pull of his mouth.

Returning the acknowledgement with an almost imperceptible bow of her head, she turned and wove back to the gathering. A refrain of pipes and flutes now coupled with the strings, the euphony lifting her feelings with as much unexplained force as any high magic. She was glad, for there was little and less of that in the world these days. A number of her companions had been stirred to movement by the melody, paired by the touch of a single hand to their partner's waist. It was a gesture of fondly remembered custom rather than ritual, as were the steps.

“May I lead you, for a time?”

Turning to her friend, the hopeful smile and his outheld palm, she brought it to rest at her waist and matched the gesture in turn.

“For a time.”

He drew her into the pattern with quiet agility, an innate softness to his movements that she made up for in deliberate concentration.

Indiscernibly, he slowed. “Forgive me, but I have not seen your face.”

Barely a breath of distance between them, she warmed to the feather twitch of his eyelid, the gently playful tone.

“I travel from realms afar. I heard the parties are very good here.”

A graceful sweep sideways and he caught her in a curving lift, a half-turn up from the floor and rejoining the pace. “I cannot fault the tales, though I did not believe them to be so widespread. I should counsel the Elves of Mirkwood to be more careful. We could lose our bad reputation.”

Unable to maintain feigned composure at the remark, she ducked her head against his shoulder, poorly concealing her knowing amusement and stumbling over the next few steps. “Apologies, I suspect the potency of your vintage may also exceed what is told. Or, so my balance tells me.”

The ripple of amusement catching at his own stoic pretence, he bubbled with a laugh, slightly louder than intended during a particularly delicate glide. “I do not think us of the Woodland Realm impervious to it either- or, clearly not myself at least.”

“It is well, for when my feet next fall, I shall blame my wobbly dance partner.”

A wry grin turned at his mouth. “Ah, it would but be worth it to catch you though.”

She gave his sleeve a playful swipe, a haze of dust echoing in the aftermath. “La, my friend has had too much wine indeed!”

“Indeed.” Legolas agreed, passing the back of his hand at his nose before spinning her into a more intricate lift, wholly balanced regardless.

“And still, somehow skilled enough for both of us.”

A faint colour brushing his cheeks at the sentiment, he followed with a modest incline of his head, then a blink of worry. Eyebrows tipping to a pre-emptive apology, he turned into his shoulder, cupping his free hand over both the edge of his tunic and his nose.

“Huhphtchhh! Pardon.”

“It is nothing.” She watched as he fidgeted with the idea of returning the hand to his side, then resolved it would still be required.

“HuhptCHHH! -Forgive me, I suspect I may need to return that compliment.”

With her own hand still loosely trapped at his waist, she gave a gentle squeeze. “Despite it, still you have not missed a step.”

Indebted, his glance steeped sideways, eyes crinkling to warmth. “…that you noticed.”

An affectionate smirk, and she wondered if she ought not trip him purposefully when he took care of the matter himself, whirling back into his shoulder with a startled gasp and equally unexpected consequence.

“Huh-TSCHHHU!”

The dimly muffled force having gleaned a smattering of polite awareness nearby, he offered a rueful grimace. “Ah. Forgive me.”

She answered with a quiet rub to the side of his ribs. “Shall we take a moment outside? Long have we walked these woods, yet I’ll wager there are still parts that would surprise you.”

Thankful, he acquiesced by way of a nod and a sniffle. Long had he known her, and much did still surprise him.

-

Tumbling down the stone passageway without the cloak of music nor company, the steps of the two elves fell heavy, their voices manyfold. Tauriel had once assumed the cavernous walls and breathtaking ceilings of their kingdom absorbed all sound. Now, she realised, she must simply never make any. Lightheaded, she burst through the archway ahead of her companion.

“Oh my, did you glimpse his expression?”

Stumbling after, he pushed back the bow of the door in their wake, releasing a barely withheld laugh no sooner had it closed. “Glimpse it? How could it escape my line of sight? Never shall I look at that staircase the same!”

They regarded each other, amusement washed with shared guilt.

“It is well they found their way to each other though. Finally. It only took four hundred years.”

“Four hundred more, before that image leaves me!”

Blushing at their collective incapacity to smother a second bout of giggling, she took his hand and started down the forest river path, not long breaking where no trail could follow. “The Feast of Starlight is an unrivalled matchmaker. Isn’t that what all the songs say?”

“The songs also say beware dwarves, a single wave of an axe will swap your braid for a beard. I trust them not.”

With a guilty smile, having not believed that one ever, not at all, not for a century at least, she made a slow dip of her hand to infer their speech should fall in lower tones. The woods were not a place to be caught off-guard, whether you stood at the heart of a spider’s nest or a skip from your doorstep.

Lowering his eyes in acknowledgement, they proceeded in silence, easing into the familiar tune of each others thoughts and movements, even in near-darkness. She gave no hint of their progress, leading him through the densest of sticky saplings then turning sharply, letting the unexpected clearing break upon him with all suddenness. In its center lay a full, deep pool, the milky blue water a perfectly aligned reflection of the stars for which the night was named.

She watched him take it in, lips falling unashamedly apart. Touched, a sparkling warmth crept upon her own senses just to see his wonder. A lesser known saying of the Eldar came to mind- ‘which is the more striking- the sight of true beauty, or those who have walked the whole earth and not til now known it’.

“For what reason…” he started, pausing in need of breath. “For what reason does the water shine that colour? It is starlight and sea combined.”

Folding her knees, Tauriel dipped to the ground to collect a handful of small stones in her palm. Dark and dull against the hard-packed soil, she held them up to wax transparent in the moonlight, a coarsely ground blue quartz.

“The water rests above these minerals- a relic of the First Age, I let myself imagine.”

“I should too” he murmured, earnest.

Approaching the edge, she knelt and quickly beckoned him, dropping her hand beneath the smooth surface. Eyes wide with reverence, he fell to her side, gazing deeply beneath the water, a well of anticipation and awe.

“I see not what you see?”

“You would need to look closer.”

Regarding his own puzzled reflection with increasing gravity, his nose had almost come to meet its twin when she flicked her hand ever so gently, sending a splash of water over his expectant frown. Leaping back in surprise, he toppled in an ungraceful thud, breaking into a spluttery grin whilst trying to press a dry sleeve to his face.

Giggling like an elfling but a third of her age, she nipped forward to stop him, lightly batting his arm down before any more smudges of black cellar dust could mingle with his dripping features.

“Here, here” she raised her own sleeve, dabbing around his nose and eyes, trying to halt the grimy droplets before they bounced to his dress tunic. “Stop laughing, you are making it worse.”

“It is already worse!” he protested, shuffling back and holding up both palms to discourage her pursuit. It was with a twinge of remorse that she noted the catch at his last word, before the sharp twist and spill of silvery hair in his wake.

“Huh’tSSHHH!”

With his arms still vigilantly outstretched to keep her at a safe distance, the unchecked sound was wetter and more irritated than she recalled. Hitching through a twitchily anguished smile, he shook his head to indicate the need had not yet passed.

“Huh-TCSSSHU!”

Inching closer, she softly raised a hand to the thick-spun cloth at her companion’s wrist. “My friend, I think you best remove this garment.”

A small, fluttering gesture- wait, wait- again, whirling to his side.

“Huh’TCSSHH! Huh-TSCHEHU!”

“Blessings. And apologies, the blame lies with me.”

He sniffled past the words, still blinking at the vacant space where he had allowed himself to sneeze. “No, it is nothing. Forgive me too, that was not polite. I was worried you would come too close.”

Rising to full height, he strayed closer to the pool whilst his fingers tugged at the fastening of his tunic. “You are right, this is the source of the problem.”

Joining him, she reached to start at unbuttoning the clasps too, a gesture of fond penance. Too late, she saw the glint of mischief in his eyes as he plunged both arms firmly around her, launching them forward into the untouched water.

Sinking in the crashing luminescence, bubbles spun and popped over her face, a shimmering veil through which she viewed him. His hair mellowed and melted above, whipping in the current of the slipstream, eyes flickering apart to catch the last slow moments of their descent.

Kicking and pulling, they broke the chasm of air in a gasp, Tauriel desperately trying to subdue the threat of a joyful smile against her surprise.

“Aei, you are an orc! Never have I cause to seek trouble, with you by my side!”

Grinning, Legolas slurped a mouthful of water into his cheeks, poised to release it at her with the same vigour of maturity that the whole evening had so far entailed.

“Oh, I dare you!” she yelped, quickly foundering backwards, the folds and layers of her formal garb providing a happy weight with which to strain against. “I double-dare you!”

Exclamations were all the more amusing in the tongue of menfolk, a view clearly shared by Legolas as he tried to swallow most of the water before a splashing into a laugh, turning away in a gesture of amended decorum.

Silently rippling forward, she waited until he had almost regained his composure before pouncing on his back, wrapping her arms playfully around his neck as she had in their youth. Hands tangled at her wrists, he whipped her around, a sheet of droplets echoing in their path. It was surely an effort to dissuade her with dizziness rather than defeat.

“Ach, you are not so light as you once were” he teased, which earned the release of one hand from his collarbone, only to find it now firmly pinched at his nose instead.

Mounting a slightly more spirited protest, his ribs ached from laughter and turned his grip to jelly, he could no more prise her thumb and forefinger from his nostrils than he could control the effect it was having.

“I yield, I yield!” he blurted, voice turned stuffy without aid of the appendage. “It's still too sensitive, you’re going to make me sneeze.”

Surrendering the grip, she relaxed to a more considerate hold round his shoulders as he gave a thick sniffle, raising the back of his wrist to massage the base of his septum rather too aggressively. Too late, the insistent disturbance took its toll, and a single inhale saw him snapping down against her arms without pause nor warning.

“Huht-TSHHH! AHT-TSHSHU!”

The indelicate spray, not surprising given her earlier assault, was mitigated by the fact of their already soaking limbs. This knowledge did not, however, do anything to assuage the sinking dismay that spread from the elf’s cheeks to the tips of his ears. As Tauriel slipped down from his back to offer a reassurance, the harm was none at all, he took both her hands between his own, a spontaneous gesture of regret and not at all a common custom.

“I beg your pardon- for that, I am truly sorry.”

She exhaled, a pang of sadness glancing at her chest just to see him so upset. Bringing the clasp of their hands to her mouth, she pressed her lips upon the back of his, lingering between the smooth knuckles.

“Forever, you are my friend.”

He dipped his head in slow acknowledgement. It was an expression known and used since the First Age, recognised in each Elven dialect yet spoken lightly in none. There were no offhand turns of phrase when it came to eternity, and so he took the meaning as was intended.

“I shall treasure your gift in my heart.”

Seeing him brighten, even if only to offer the most solemn response she had ever heard, cheered her too. Sincere, she raised and upheld both palms, flat, fingertips pointed toward the sky. A moment, and he brought his own to join them. Though hardly more intimate than their bond otherwise allowed, the performance of the more traditional expression of familiarity was as deep in feeling as it was soft in touch.

Trailing to the side of the pool, she tilted her head, then eventually angled a hand sideways, fingers loose. Voices.

He heard them too, and finding himself much returned to his usual poise, pulled himself to the forest floor without the tiniest lap of water falling where it might be heard. Quiet as the spread of dawn through dark, they slipped back between the looming trees toward the sound, emerging on the path purposefully afar of whence they came. Legolas hailed the scouting party with a low whistle, bringing their kin about them in a hushed crescent.

“Legolas, your presence is sought at the feast- the time for speaking nears.”

The older elves were stern, but equally tactful in averting their eyes to every place but the two soaked sets of ceremonial garb.

“My thanks to you. Tauriel and I will return shortly.”

Another round of respectfully unsaying nods, and she took the meaning where her companion has surely missed it- her presence had not been requested. A touch to his hand and he turned to her.

“I will remain out here a while longer, the beauty of the sky falls heavily upon my heart this night.”

Surprised, he looked as though he might insist to remain, so she shook her head, almost imperceptibly, and smiled. He nodded an ascension, faintly troubled.

At the turn of his departure, the sentries mirrored in fluid formation, a single phalanx toward their great halls. As Legolas halted, so too did they fall still.

Looking back to face the Silvan Elf once more, he raised a hand between his shoulder and chest, spreading his arm, palm tilted upward.

“A star shines on the hour of our meeting.”

What their elder kin thought of this incredibly dignified and dramatic farewell, they did not say. What Tauriel thought of it spread brightly through her features, and she placed her hand at her chest to return the gesture.

“May the leaves of your life never die.”

He walked a little further, before calling, “May the sun shine upon your path!”

“May your paths be green and the breeze behind you!”

“Safe passage and joyous laughter til next we meet!”

As the gate turned closed behind him, she could almost believe it could be so.

-

[KickingUpTheDust]

Omg toooo cute <3 I loved the little kiliel reference there but LEGOLAS sneezy baby Prince!

[Subtly Clashing Wishes]

Oh so beautifully written! I love this pairing and the playfulness between them is so sweet. Your descriptions of the party, the woods, the pool are magnificent. It makes me feel wistful that such places don't exist.

[Garnet]

So I saw that you'd posted this right before I left for work this morning and I kept sneaking little paragraphs and bits of it throughout the day. But now I'm home and can devour it and comment properly and oh man buckle up because I have a lot of feelings about elves.

(Really, Garnet? You don't say.)

So first of all, I'm with you in that I love friendship love -- if there is eventually a romantic slant to it as well, or even if there isn't. All about that philia. I think these two are perfect candidates for it. Like Evangeline, I have a great disdain for love triangles, but when they weren't dancing around that idea on-screen, I really enjoyed the mutual respect and affection they showed each other and wanted more of it. I've been a little wary of actively seeking out fics or anything of that nature because most fandom stuff tends to be pretty "shippy" in nature and I'm not really in for that. But look at this, you've delivered exactly what I wanted, unexpectedly, and it's lovely. It especially helps here that your Legolas is a bit more similar to book!Legolas, and less stern brooding action elf. Which he can be too, of course, but let's face it. They're all dorks.

Also, A+ for Silvan elves being the party sluts they are. So disappointed we didn't see more of their wild nature in the films. How cute are these two idiots, though, with the "oh have we met?" roleplaying banter.

A wry grin turned at his mouth. “Ah, it would but be worth it to catch you though.”

Oh Lego :| You smooth-talker.

I also have a great appreciation for dust-induced sneezing, so that was like an extra benefit to all of this. And those sounds, lovely Exactly as rushing but abbreviated as I imagined, I'm totally gonna steal them.

An affectionate smirk, and she wondered if she ought not trip him purposefully when he took care of the matter himself,

And this. Oh Tauriel, you so sassy and yet kind at the same time. I love her.

Also OH NO did they catch two elves canoodling in the halls, I'm dying! That's so adorably funny, as is the friendly horseplay beside the mineral spring.

“Aei, you are an orc! Never have I cause to seek trouble, with you by my side!”

THEY'RE SO CUTE oh nooo.

As usual, I also like some of the unexpected but very fitting little descriptions, like the "happy weight" of their wet clothes, and the "vigour of maturity" (not!)

AAAA she pinched his nose that's so familiar and endearing and I am full of grinning feelings.

She exhaled, a pang of sadness glancing at her chest just to see him so upset. Bringing the clasp of their hands to her mouth, she pressed her lips upon the back of his, lingering between the smooth knuckles.

I realize that I say this in nearly every fic, but oh, my heart.

Shortly followed by cracking up at the stiff countenance and sort of resigned understanding of the Elves that find them! I love their tactics. Just pretend it isn't happening, and it isn't happening. Including their ridiculously dramatic, flowery farewells. You precious babies.

Anyway. UGH. Yes. This hit the spot. Thank yoooou for sharing.

[RiversD]

Well, this is just delicious.

An affectionate smirk, and she wondered if she ought not trip him purposefully when he took care of the matter himself, whirling back into his shoulder with a startled gasp and equally unexpected consequence.

This part made my stomach all happy-jumpy. Just so's you know.

Long had he known her, and much did still surprise him.

Nice. Just the right side of sugary.

Pfft. Poor whoever-it-was they found on the stairs.

The description of that pool in the woods was just superb.

‘which is the more striking- the sight of true beauty, or those who have walked the whole earth and not til now known it’.

^this^ And I could totally visualise Legolas during this whole passage. Love.

Speaking of which- ahahahaha, "look closer"SPLASH.

Everything Garnet said about both philia in general and these two dorks messing around in particular. So much love.

It was with a twinge of remorse that she noted the catch at his last word, before the sharp twist and spill of silvery hair in his wake.

nghhh. I don't know why this works so well, but it doeees.

Hitching through a twitchily anguished smile, he shook his head to indicate the need had not yet passed.

Guh. You're killing me here.

Grinning, Legolas slurped a mouthful of water into his cheeks, poised to release it at her with the same vigour of maturity that the whole evening had so far entailed.

“Oh, I dare you!” she yelped, quickly foundering backwards, the folds and layers of her formal garb providing a happy weight with which to strain against. “I double-dare you!”

This made me so happy. So very, very happy. They're adorable. (I laughed a bit at the comment about 'vigour of maturity'. Nice phrase, that one).

I love that throughout this Legolas is both aware of his nose's sensitivity and easily surprised by his sneezes. Precious boy. He's so cute, too, when he's apologising for the impoliteness that results.

They're just both so darling and I wish this review properly expressed how much I love your Tolkein-fic. *throws confetti and leaves*

[AngelEyes]

More Elf Love! So much wonderfulness! You are such a lyrical writer it fits so well with the Elven universe. I'm so totally drawn into the whole atmosphere through your style, pace, word choices, etc. It builds a really realistic synaesthetic feeling. I crave it!!!!!

[beatlelover22]

OH my GOD. THere are too many parts I liked to quote! Ahhh, Legolas and Tauriel have the best relationship. I envy it, of course. Nice job, this was such a pleasure to read!

[TaurielRiver]

One day I hope not to start a reply like a deer in the headlights, but I am just constantly so overwhelmed by these unbelievably lovely comments! Thank you...

KickingUpTheDust- Aw, YAY! Yep, he finally worked his way into my soft, gooey, elf-loving heart… aaand where would I be without a few sly references to the Elf/Dwarf rivalry??

And, I'm also going to seize the moment and tell you… I love your tribble DP! That episode was so quirky and fun. And the ENDING… (“well, where are they?”… “I gave them a very good home, sir”… “WHERE?”)

scw- Oh my goodness, thank you so much! That is actually a large part of my motivation for writing those kind of scenes too. I just really, really want to… be there.

Garnet-

So I saw that you'd posted this right before I left for work this morning and I kept sneaking little paragraphs and bits of it throughout the day.

AGH this is just too flattering, if you could have seen my face as I read this…

Similarly, when it comes to fandoms I’ve appreciated for so long (and this one reeeally takes the cake here), I do find myself hesitating to read a lot of the fiction- shipping is never my preference over capturing the subtle nuances and complexities of elvish relationships.

So, my heartfelt response to that is, *I* have felt delightfully spoiled to read your work in this space too since joining the forum, your writing has a sense of joy that always makes me so happy, aaaaand…. you also totally get that the elves are COMPLETE DORKS!!

Oh god, stern brooding action elf, is his motto for the whole Hobbit trilogy if I ever heard one!! And, ah, what can I say… a side I also shamelessly adore.

Silvan elves being the party sluts they are. So disappointed we didn't see more of their wild nature in the films.

Hahaha, YES. Whoops, I might be having a little moment of realisation on why I identify a bit too much here.

Thank you for such a wonderful, wonderful comment, you are oooodles of fun and I’m so thoroughly getting my good ol' fashioned jumpy and silly on about you liking this!

RiversD- Gosh, this comment is too excellent. Yep, you’ve officially made me all happy and gooey, it’s all too lovely, thank you soooo much!

Haha, and I’m just several shades of ludicrously pleased to hear my ridiculous elf-humour was well-received! I have so much affection for these two, and I’m glad all their mucking around was all I hoped it would be. <3

Oh and it dooooes express it, believe me! It’s an absolute joy to read any and all of your comments, they never fail to make my day!

AngelEyes- Ohhh thank you so much, I’m so thrilled to read this, you have no idea. I am such a fan of the Elven universe, so honouring that whole sensory feeling of the world is something really special to me.

I really feel no choices made in writing fiction should be arbitrary, so it’s a pleasure to hear a lot of my choices worked here- I had so so much fun writing it too!

Beatlelover22- I am so happy to hear that, thank you! Oh I agree- there is something so uniquely heart-warming about the way they know each other inside-out… so touching. I can never have too much of that stuff!!