Hobbit 1. Chapter 1

Every two hundred years or so, when the planets appear closest together in the sky, a great celebration takes place and both houses of woodland elves converge in Lothlórien - The chosen realm of the Lady Geladriel. Men may know the place as The Golden Wood in the common tongue, but this isn't a story of men, this is a story of the fairer race; the race of elves.

The trek from Mirkwood forest had been long and arduous and as usual, fraught with danger, if not from the colonies of giant poisonous spiders, then from the confounding dark magic that the elves were only just able to keep at bay. Even though the woodland elves kept to the forest as their home, they were happy to finally be through the never-ending forestland and on their way to Rivendell at last.

After a hop skip and a jump over the Misty Mountains, the rather large company arrived at the refined riverside city that lay halfway between their home in Mirkwood and Lothlórien of The Golden Wood. Rivendell was truly breathtaking, with its delicate filigreed arches, low rising mist and gentle waterfalls. It was a much more refined city than their own forest dwellings, which were rugged in comparison. Though beautiful, and even though Lord Elrond was ever the kind and generous host, Tauriel just couldn't feel at home there. There were too few trees for her liking. Not only were there too few trees, but there was too little to do in order to fill her time.

As captain of the guard at their dwelling on the edge of Mirkwood forest, Tauriel was used to staying busy and constantly vigilant from the ever present threat of being so close to the magical forest. She was used to gracefully moving from limb to limb, all the while remaining one with the unit under her charge. She was used to being relied on as a leader, and being constantly in command. Here, in this peaceful city, she was a guest and therefore didn't need to be the one barking orders or coasting from limb to limb looking ahead and all around for possible threats.

Tauriel let out a sigh and did a back flip from a sturdy branch of one of the only trees within the city, onto the ground. She heard a shocked gasp as she landed next to one of the gazebos with perfect form.

"Eru, where did you come from?" gasped a beautiful elven lady with long dark hair and stunning blue eyes. She was wearing a deep lavender shade that brought them out strikingly. Tauriel peered backwards over her shoulder towards the voice. When she saw the other woman, her features softened immediately and she forgot the gloomy mood she was previously in. The redhead turned around completely and said, "You're lady Arwen are you not? I'm sorry to have startled you."

"Yes, but please just call me Arwen. How did you know who I was when I have never made your acquaintance before? What might I call you?"

"I would know you anywhere. I can see why they call you the Evenstar" commented Tauriel, referring to her beauty. Arwen wondered if this stranger knew how much it sounded like she was flirting with her. This thought was amusing and put a smile on her face. "My name is Tauriel. I am captain of the guard for his majesty in Mirkwood forest. I am pleased to meet you."

"I am pleased to meet you as well. Why were you up in the tree?" asked Arwen, truly perplexed having momentarily forgotten that they were in fact hosting a rather large company of their brethren from the wooded lands.

Tauriel gave Arwen a quizzical look. "I needed a place to think, I suppose. I am not exactly sure what to do with myself. Being this worry free causes more worry if that at all makes sense." She wondered if it was Arwen's relaxed quality made her so easy to open up to.

"You are not used to being this stationary. I understand. There are plenty of times when I would much rather do something more exciting than read, study or simply relax," Arwen said with a far off look in her eyes.

"What do you study?" Tauriel asked as she walked forward and leaned against the frame of the gazebo. She was really intrigued by the tranquility of the woman sitting in the cushy enclosure. She had never met anyone quite like her before and had a strong desire to learn more.

"I've mostly researched different healing methods, though I do enjoy weapons practice and reading our histories of adventures in far off realms." Arwen looked down and bit the corner of her lip; her eyes sparkled as a brilliant idea hit her, though the rest of her features remained as peaceful as usual.

"I have an idea that will benefit both of us. I want you to teach me how to climb trees and in return I will teach you some of the healing techniques we have developed in Rivendell."

Tauriel's raised eyebrow was the only indicator that she thought the idea was clearly off-kilter. Just imagining this epitome of femininity sitting in front of her climbing a tree was mind-boggling, but she had a feeling that Arwen was a woman who would have her way once her mind was set on something. She had no choice but to agree to the arrangement and said "Your father will have my head if anything were to happen to you".

Arwen stood while marking the place in her book. She walked over, gently squeezed Tauriel's shoulder, smiled softly and said "You won't let anything happen to me" with complete confidence.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Arwen stood at a distance and admired Tauriel's leadership skills and how she worked with the guards as the Mirkwood and Rivendell units wrapped up their joint training exercises for the afternoon. The sun shined down brightly upon the grassy training area and caused Tauriel's hair look like fire. She was wearing her green guard uniform with long jacket, even though it was fairly warm outside for the early yávië (autumn) day. Her cheeks were flushed due to the mild exertion she underwent during weapons practice with the two units.

Instead of wearing one of her usual elegant dresses, Arwen chose to wear supple suede pants along with a fitted leather vest and white silk shirt with loose sleeves tied at the wrists. When it looked like Tauriel was completely finished, Arwen made her approach towards the redhead.

Sensing the brunette's presence, Tauriel looked up and immediately smiled at the sight before her. "It looks like you are ready to go tree climbing" she said appreciatively after a long gander.

"Yes I am" Arwen smiled back. "Am I dressed appropriately?" She asked while doing a half turn to show off her outfit.

"You are, but we are going to have to tie your hair back in the front at least. I can braid it for you if you like. Promise to keep this a secret, but I am the one who puts the pretty braids in Legolas' hair for him." This earned a laugh from Arwen.

"They are very pretty braids" Arwen agreed with a half-smile.

"I found the perfect tree for you to practice on after we talked yesterday" continued the redhead. "It is in a nice private location so that we do not have to worry about any onlookers."

"That sounds perfect" Arwen said.

"Wonderful. Let me grab some things from the room that we will need and we can go" replied the redhead.

The two women walked to the guest room Tauriel was staying in. Arwen made herself at home on the edge of the bed while Tauriel busied herself packing ropes and other equipment into a nap sack. "Now to braid your hair, if you'll let me." She said to Arwen.

"Of course" Arwen replied back and Tauriel climbed onto the bed behind her and began braiding a beautifully expert and slightly complex pattern into the brunette's silky locks.

When Tauriel was finished she said "Your hair is much softer than Legolas'" in appreciation of her beautiful brown tresses and nodded in satisfaction at her own handiwork.

The two ladies made their way to the giant ancient apple tree Tauriel found in an orchard about a mile and a half's walk outside of Rivendell.

Arwen looked up at the massive apple tree with excitement and anticipation glimmering in her eyes. She watched as Tauriel expertly climbed the tree, leaping with supernatural speed from limb to limb with all of the grace of an acrobat and the power of a panther. When she reached the perfect spot on a thick branch up high, she rigged the belay device to the rope and made her way down again. She handed a leather harness to the brunette, assisting her into the apparatus and helping to secure her tightly.  
"Take your time going up, don't do anything too risky. Make sure you have at least both hands and a foot or two feet and a hand supporting you on the tree at all times. I'll be down here holding the rope in case you fall. If you manage to fall off, these ropes and harness will help me support you in the air with little effort, so do not worry and just have fun," said Tauriel. She loved teaching others to climb for their very first time up and teaching Arwen was no different, actually it might have been even more pleasing helping Arwen with this than with any other.

Arwen wasted no time and began climbing almost immediately. She had a natural grace and made the task look almost effortless even though this was the first time she had ever attempted to do this as an adult. When she got just below the belay device, Tauriel asked her to stop at a thick branch, tied the rope off securely and climbed up to meet Arwen. She stood on Arwen's branch, picked two ripe red apples and handed one down to the brunette. Arwen happily took the apple and the two snacked while looking down at the earth below from their untouchable perch, in their own private world above.

They sat in peace and chatted comfortably for what seemed like only a few minutes though it was actually closer to an hour and a half, when Legolas snuck up and shouted from below "Tauriel and Arwen Sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G".

Arwen looked startled and Tauriel wasted no time in chucking an apple at Legolas' head.

"I sit in a lot of trees with a lot of people, Legolas!" she yelled back.

"Oh the scandal," he yelled and laughed from below. This of course caused Arwen to openly laugh which in turn softened Tauriel's scowl into a smile."

* * *

Thank you to therealsaturn for the comment about Arwen and Tauriel sitting in a tree (k-i-s-s-i-n-g) when I was going over plot points with her yesterday, which I borrowed for the story!


	3. Chapter 3

Tauriel leapt down from the tree within the span of a couple heartbeats, punched Legolas on the shoulder, and with a very serious look on her face, demanded to know why he had been drinking without her. Legolas took the abuse good naturedly and tipsily promised to wait next time, not that he had even been drinking heavily at all. For all his many years he was still a lightweight. Tauriel rolled her eyes at him, but her sprits changed for the better as she remembered Arwen sitting in the tree above them and why she had been preoccupied in the first place. She really enjoyed spending time with the other woman even though they had only just met, and it was as plain as daylight to Legolas as he watched the guard captain interact with Arwen. Her usual gruff, impulsive nature had softened considerably around the other woman, and he wasn't sure if he could think of a time when she had smiled so much within the span of a day, let alone a week or even a month.

Tauriel had coached Arwen up and down the apple tree at least a dozen times before the sun hit its lowest point in the sky, burning bright orange and turning the clouds a vivid pink so colorful it was easy to recall there was magic in this world. The chilly breeze made music from the rustling of the crisp autumn leaves strewn about the ground. Arwen stared appreciatively as the wind blew through Tauriel's long orange mane, making it flow and ripple like a ribbon streamer as she packed away the climbing gear and a few apples to eat for later. Legolas saw Arwen watching Tauriel with that look on her face and smiled to himself knowingly.

Arwen made sure to do her reading closer to the training area the following day. Every once in a while she would look up from her book and watch Tauriel interact with the two units as they learned to fight in a more unified manner together. This would be important for the quickly approaching trip south to Lothlórien. The sparring exercises especially caught her attention and she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away as the redhead displayed her superior fighting prowess against the home guard. Tauriel made a violent art form out of kicking, punching and hacking at two of the guards she was sparring against. When Arwen was finally able to look back down at her now closed and forgotten book, she had also completely forgotten what topic she had even been reading about let alone which page she had been on.

When the training exercises were completed for the day, Arwen sat reading her book comfortably when Tauriel approached. Arwen looked up from her comfortable seat and smiled at the redhead. "Would you like to learn healing today?" she asked.

"That sounds nice, but you must know that I have never been very skilled at it," explained the redhead.

"That will be fine. We will just have to figure out what you know and we can go from there," said Arwen.

"Let me change out of this sweaty uniform and freshen up before we start. I'll meet you in a candle's mark?" Tauriel asked.

Arwen told Tauriel to meet her at the big fountain by the waterfall when she was finished and they went their separate ways.

Tauriel chose to wear what would normally be considered a dark green silk dress, except she wore a brown leather armored corset and armored leather wrist guards over the ensemble as well as pants underneath, but you couldn't see those very well since the material was so long. She of course had both of her daggers on her as well. She never went anywhere without them, dress-like uniform or not.

Arwen hummed to herself appreciatively as Tauriel walked towards her as she sat on the edge of the fountain. She had a full meal of fruits, cheeses, breads and wine waiting for the warrior when she arrived. "You look lovely" Arwen said. Tauriel felt an unfamiliar heat rise to her cheeks at the compliment.

"So do you. That color really suits you." Tauriel said referring to the sky blue, semi-transparent chiffon gown Arwen was wearing. It was low cut enough that you could see the Evenstar pendant hanging around her neck. That also brought blush to Tauriel's freckled face, but she had never experienced a feeling like this before and therefore remained completely oblivious to it.

They snacked on the meal Arwen had brought to the fountain as Tauriel went over what she knew about healing.

"I am able to do the basic things such as preparing simple poultice mixtures, stitching deep wounds and counteracting small amounts of spider venom. If a soldier has been bitten more than once, I must rely on a more adept healer's skills." Tauriel said.

"Pretend that I have been bitten by a spider. Show me how you would handle a situation like that," Said the brunette as held out her arm.

Tauriel gently took the brunettes wrist in her hand and began her work. A faint glow could be seen emanating from the redhead's hands and Arwen could feel a cold tingle in her arm as Tauriel tenderly rubbed it. She had a surprising gentleness for such a fierce warrior. Arwen was able to quickly assess the technique now that it was being practiced on her and had a good idea of where to begin. She put her other hand over Tauriel's and began teaching.


End file.
