Míriel came to a halt with her horse without even consulting with Legolas. He noticed her stopping and turned around and did the same to his horse. He rode up to her, worried because of the expression on her face in the dark. Míriel was listening and what she was hearing made her more afraid than she had even been in her life. Slowly she turned around so that she was facing the Lonely Mountain yet again and from afar she could see a copper-red beast getting closer and closer to the small Lake-town.
It was Smaug, the fire-breathing dragon from the North, who had come for the people of Lake-town. This meant that Thorin Oakenshield and his company had fulfilled their mission and entered Erebor, but there they had done the worst thing that they could have done. They had awoken the dragon and now it was spreading terror to the very unknowing people of Lake-town.
The seconds it flew felt like days and Míriel could do nothing more than to watch as it took a deep breath and breathed fire over the wooden city, quickly turning it to a city of flames and ashes. Thorin, Balin, even Gandalf had been wrong to think that there was a chance of success. Elrond and Legolas had spoken truly when he had tried to advise Gandalf against marching to the mountain for the only thing that they had caused was fire and destruction upon innocent people.
"What have we done?" Míriel said and her voice would barely carry her words. If she had never set the Dwarves free, perhaps none of this would have ever happened. It was her fault; she had brought shadows over Lake-town.
"This is what was predicted," Legolas said quietly and rode forward to Míriel. "This is why the Dwarves should have never left their home. The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone, the King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own. And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the Mountain King's return. But all shall fail in sadness, and the Lake will shine and burn."
"I should have listened to you," Míriel whispered as tears were forming in her eyes.
"It isn't your fault, Míriel," Legolas said and grabbed her hand carefully. "You were only trying to help."
"I regret that now," she said.
The screams would haunt Míriel's mind forever as she sat upon the horse saddle quiet as a shadow.
"Legolas, we must help them," Míriel whispered to him. "Please, they are dying."
He glanced at Míriel and saw her teary eyes, which would have been enough to convince him that there was something more important to do than to follow Bolg, the leader Orc.
"Yes," Legolas said and nodded. "Let us go back then."
"We need to find Tauriel and the Dwarves," Míriel said as she realised that they were still in there. Her dear friends could have been trapped in the house, surrounded by fire.
"There is no need," Legolas said. "I trust in Tauriel, she would have gotten them out already. We will find them on the other side of the lake, I promise you."
And then, all of a sudden, the huge dragon Smaug suddenly stopped flying as if something had hit it. Míriel could see the black arrow in his stomach, the only arrow made that could penetrate the dragon's thick skin. Smaug turned from his copper-red to grey and as he fell a trail of dust was seen behind him. His body met the water with a large plunge, and he sank into the water like a large rock. Never was he seen again for finally, Smaug the Terrible was dead.
Legolas started riding back toward the town and Míriel was quick to follow. They rode away from the wailing flames as rain had begun to fall from the sky. The city was now empty of living people for they had all taken refuge across the lake on a shore. Those who were still in the town had died, and it was horrible to see them helplessly at the ground or floating in the water.
The morning had already come when Míriel and Legolas dismounted their horses for it had taken them ages to get to the other side of the lake. They had helped those they could, but since they were riding they had to take a detour over a bridge. Those who hadn't walked had swum all the way if they did not possess a boat.
Míriel started searching with her eyes for the Elf-maiden with flaming red hair or the short Dwarves that surely still had to be alive. Tauriel's hair would serve as a banner so it could not be hard to find them despite the number of people screaming and trying to find their loved ones.
"There!" Míriel said to Legolas and pointed toward Tauriel. They hurried toward her and to Míriel's joy, she could see the Dwarves starting to push a boat into the water. They were leaving to the mountain, finally being able to return to their home.
It was strange to think that Smaug would have left Thorin and the other's completely alone on the mountain, though. Were they even alive still? Perhaps Míriel had lost all of her companions during this night. It was her duty as a member of Thorin's company to get herself to the mountain and see for herself what had happened. To leave Legolas behind yet again, though, was something Míriel did not know how to do.
"There is no chance that you would ever go with me and the Dwarves to the mountain, I assume?" Míriel asked Legolas quietly before they even made themselves known to the Dwarves and Tauriel. She just wanted to know before she took a final decision.
"I told my father that I would return to the realm with you and Tauriel, within two days," Legolas said and sighed. "I cannot go with Dwarves to the mountain, you know how much my people despise them."
"Your people despise them, but do you?" Míriel asked him and glanced into his eyes. "You are your own person, Legolas."
"I am my people and my people are me," he mumbled and glanced away. "Though I owe Thorin Oakenshield my life and for that I am thankful. Most of all, I owe him that he brought you to me. I would hate it if you left me now, Míriel. I think both you and I know that I have grown very fond of you, and I would like it if you would want to return with me."
"I know you do," Míriel mumbled and sighed deeply. "But as much as I care for you I care for my friends. The decision is not easy."
Míriel knew that Fíli, Kíli, Bofur and Oín would return to the mountain and for some reason, she felt that Thorin and the other would be found unharmed. Thorin was clever and Bilbo even more so. They would have survived the dragon somehow, or perhaps it was just wishful thinking so that Míriel would not have to face what was awaiting her. One thing she knew for certain, though, and that was that leaving the Dwarves for Legolas would be the hardest thing she could ever do. They would despise her, at least Thorin would, but despite all this Míriel's heart told her that it was the right thing to do. This was where her adventures would end and perhaps one day Thorin would forgive her and let her visit them all again.
Legolas opened his mouth to call for Tauriel's name, but Míriel placed a finger on his lips quickly. She was speaking to Kíli and they were having a moment that Legolas shouldn't interrupt. Míriel and Legolas walked closer slowly, but of course, Tauriel heard them and tensed with her back toward them.
"My Lord Legolas," she said tensely, her voice failing her at the end.
"Take your leave of the Dwarf," Legolas said. "You are needed elsewhere."
Míriel stared at him and shook her head in disbelief. Legolas couldn't possibly ask Tauriel to leave Kíli behind, not now when he had confessed his love for her and asked her to come with him to Erebor. It was heartwarming to see the unlikely love they felt for each other. It was a love that no one should ever get in the way of.
Tauriel slowly turned away and so did Kíli, disappointment in his eyes for it now appeared as though Tauriel had rejected him. Míriel couldn't bear watching them, she broke away from Legolas and started walking toward the boat. The Dwarves saw her and smiled, she embraced them all dearly and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead as a final goodbye.
"I wish you all the good luck," Míriel said to them with teary eyes. "It has been a pleasure to meet you all and share this adventure with you. For that I thank you."
She loved them all so much, never had she experienced such friendship before with anyone. She thought of all the times she had been annoyed with them, or when they had teased her and wished that she had been kinder. Míriel should have used the time they had together better, and she would miss their times together dearly. She did not regret anything now that it came down to it, for they had changed her life.
"You won't come then?" Fíli asked sadly.
"No," Míriel said and shook her head. "Your mission is completed, you have your home. And I have mine." She glanced back at Legolas who was looking at her nervously. "I want to help the people of Lake-town as well; they are in the greatest of my need. But I will visit you of course if you will have me."
"Of course we will," Bofur said with a smile. She would miss his songs and his little hat, and how he had always cheered her up. "We will all miss you."
"And I will miss you," Míriel said with tears stuck in her throat. "Thank you for bringing me on this adventure. It has truly changed my life... Remember to give Thorin my thank you's and tell all the others that I will miss them but that we will see each other again very soon."
"We will," said Oín.
Míriel nodded and slowly turned away from them, walked back toward Legolas. He seemed relieved that she was on her way back, but Míriel didn't look at him. She watched as Kíli had placed something in Tauriel's hand, he had turned to talk to her again. He now turned back to the Dwarves and blinked a little toward Míriel who smiled at him. Tauriel had tears in her eyes, but Legolas was merely staring blankly at the Dwarves. Míriel walked toward Tauriel and placed her hands on her shoulders, embraced her softly. Tauriel let a few tears fall over her cheeks while she hid her face in Míriel's neck.
"Why is love so difficult?" she whispered.
"I know as little as you," Míriel said with a small chuckle.
When Míriel glanced at Legolas she knew something, and it was that you would do anything for those you loved. Even if that meant staying behind when all others went.
*
For the entire day, they helped the people of Lake-town as best as they could. Míriel healed people the old-fashioned way and tried not to use her gift unless in the greatest need. Legolas constantly talked to the new leader, Bard the dragon slayer, the one who killed the great dragon Smaug by shooting one of the only arrows in the world that could kill the beast. He was now the one all turned to ask what to do. Tauriel arranged to save anything that could be useful for all the wrecks, and Bard's children, Baín, Sigrid and Tilda constantly followed them around.
"Take only what you need," Míriel heard Bard say to his people. "We have a long march ahead."
"Where will you go?" Legolas asked. There was no town left for them to live in which meant they had to travel long to find shelter and maybe a city that would take them in. Míriel felt very bad for the people, they were hungry, wet and freezing. The snow had even started to fall from the sky since this was the last day of autumn and winter was coming.
"There is only one place," Bard said and looked at the Lonely Mountain. Míriel followed his gaze and shuddered down her spine for some odd reason. Her friends were there now, surely they would help the people of Lake-town if they needed anything. It was after all the Dwarves' fault that the people were there without a home anymore. The city of Dale would be empty, but it was a ruin so it would be better if Thorin let them all into Erebor.
"The mountain," said Alfrid with a toothy smile. He was following Bard around everywhere, trying to get on his good side, just like he had been with the other leader. Sigrid and Baín said that he was the counsellor of their old Master, a greedy man and a coward that tried to escape with all the gold. "You are a genius sire. We can take refuge inside the mountain. It might smell a little bit of dragon, but the women can clean it up. It'll be safe and warm and dry, and full of stores. Bedding, clothing and gold."
"What gold in that mountain is cursed," Bard said and shook his head, ignoring Alfrid. "We will take only what was promised to us. Only what we need to rebuild our lives."
Míriel was relieved to hear that Bard knew better than to just take all the gold, but she wondered what he meant by it being 'cursed'. It took her a moment to remember when she was back in Rivendell when Gandalf talked to Elrond and Elrond said that Thorin surely would succumb to the sickness of the gold. It felt like ages ago, and now Míriel could just hope that Thorin was stronger than what Elrond had thought.
"News of the death of Smaug will have spread through the lands," Legolas said, and he was right. The death of the dragon would mean that more people would dare to go seek after the treasures inside the Lonely Mountain. Besides that, Thorin would never let anyone take the kingdom that he had just reclaimed. It was his home, and he would defend it to his death.
"Ai," Bard said and nodded.
"Others will now look to the mountain for its wealth, for its position," Legolas told him. Legolas was hinting at something to Bard.
"What is it you know?"
"Nothing for certain," Legolas said and sighed. "It's what I fear may come."
He glanced at Míriel with a concerned look. Míriel thought of what the Orc had told them and Thranduíl back at the palace about their world would burn in the flames of war. Somehow everything that happened connected to what the Orc had said back in Mirkwood, but none of them knew how. It was before their time - what happened in Middle-Earth long ago had been before either of them were born.
Legolas and Míriel caught up with Tauriel to plan on what to do next. They had helped the people of Lake-town as much as they could and now it was time to move on. Even if Míriel's quest with the Dwarves were over, she still wanted to keep away from going home. If she had to go back to Mirkwood, she would, even though she had no great desire to see Thranduíl again. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to convince Legolas to go to Erebor. Tauriel would probably want to go to see Kíli as well.
"You saw something out there," Tauriel said to them, talking about when they had left Bard's house to follow Bolg.
"The Orc we pursued, I know who he is," said Legolas suddenly, and Míriel realised that they were far from going home at this point. "Bolg, son of Azog the Defiler. An Orc pack was waiting for him in Escargoth. They fled to the north. These Orcs were different from the others, they wore a mark I have not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad."
"Gundabad?" Míriel said and frowned. This did not make much sense to her anymore, now suddenly the son of Azog the Defiler was after the Dwarves too? Azog had not been seen since before the Dwarves entered Mirkwood, and they had just assumed that he had finally given up. But now it seemed that he had left the job for his son instead.
It was alarming that Bolg seemed to be in allegiance with Gundabad, an Orc mountain-stronghold which was north of the Misty Mountains. They had been sent out to kill Thorin for another reason than what they had all thought previously - for they would have given up if it was only for Thorin's sake. Something else was going on, and Míriel remembered what Beorn the skin-changer had told them before. The Orcs of Moria were in allegiance with the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, and Azog had previously been an Orc of Moria. Now that he presumably dwelled in Gundabad there had to be a connection.
"My Lord Legolas," said a sudden voice. One of the Mirkwood Elves came riding on a horse towards them, and his face told them that the journey there had been long. The Elf was the same one who had stood by the main gate and had told them that Tauriel had gone. "I bring words from your father. You are to return to him immediately."
"Come," Legolas said to Míriel and Tauriel while started walking to get his horse again.
Disappointment rushed through Míriel like a cold shower for she would have liked to investigate Gundabad further if that was where Bolg had come from and if that was where he was heading. Legolas seemed to have a plan, one that was much more interesting than going back to Mirkwood and Thranduíl. Something was terribly wrong, and all these puzzle pieces had to be set together to fit.
"My lord..." the Elf said and looked a bit disturbed. They all stopped and looked at the Elf again, he seemed very resistant to say what he needed to say next. "Tauriel is banished."
"Banished?" Legolas repeated and frowned.
Míriel glanced at Tauriel who was staring down at the ground. The King's patience had run out, Tauriel had drawn the last straw for leaving the palace and betraying his orders. Somehow he must have found out that they had gone to Lake-town because otherwise, this Elf would not have been there. Surely then Míriel wasn't welcome back either to the kingdom of Mirkwood for she had done just the same as Tauriel, she had helped convince his son to go with them.
"You may tell my father if there is no place for Tauriel there is no place for me."
Tauriel stepped forward without any look of sadness on her face, at least not from the news the Elf had brought them. She got herself together so incredibly fast even though she had lost her home now.
"Legolas," she said to him quietly. "It is your king's command."
"Yes he is my king," he said to her and nodded. "But he does not command over my mind nor my heart."
Míriel smiled as she felt a sense of pride over Legolas. He had finally been able to think for himself and listen to his own heart rather than following orders all the time. It was like she had told him before; he was not his father, nor did he have to stand for everything his father did. Legolas had broken out of the bubble he had been in for so long, the bubble that told him that he was not his own person but only a copy of his father.
"I ride north, to Gundabad, will you come with me?" Legolas asked.
"My lord wait," said the Elf and made Legolas turn around again. He seemed a little annoyed at this point, expecting the Elf to try to convince him to go with him. "I also bring word from Lord Elrond of Rivendell. He sends for Lady Míriel as her cousin Lady Arwen has fallen very ill."
"What are you saying?" Míriel said and frowned, walked toward the elf and shook her head. "Arwen is ill?"
What could have happened for an Elf to become ill? They did not know sickness, so she had to have gotten herself hurt in some sort of attack. Míriel's heart raced as she started to realise that her closest relative was hurt. Arwen, who was like her older sister, meant the world to Míriel.
"He wants you to return immediately," the Elf said stiffly and glanced down at the reins he was holding in his hands. "King Thranduíl will have you escorted by a guard, provide you with all that you need for the journey."
"I'm going," Míriel said firmly. She couldn't stay when Arwen was ill, she knew that Elrond wouldn't call for her unless something very bad had happened. Arwen who had been staying in Lothlórien with their grandmother must have done something reckless to get herself hurt, but that wasn't like her at all. Arwen was always so careful and cautious, which must have meant that someone else did this to her.
Míriel turned toward Legolas who looked sad about her words, but she would not stay even if it was for his sake. "I must leave, Arwen is like my sister."
"I understand," Legolas said quietly and nodded. "I just wish we could have had more time together."
Míriel stepped closer to him, grabbed both his hands and smiled while gazing into his beautiful eyes. She wished that too, but at the same time, she knew that they had all the time in the world after this was over. They were Elves, and they would live for thousands and thousands of more years. Sometime they would be able to explore what feelings they felt for each other, and how fond they had grown of each other.
"Do not worry, Legolas. We will see each other very soon again. I will come back to you if you will wait for me."
"Of course I will," he said and smiled. Their eyes locked and Legolas planted a kiss onto her lips.
The kiss was soft and quick, but it made their hearts flutter, nonetheless. It was enough of a goodbye for them both, and after embracing Tauriel, Míriel had to turn away from Legolas yet again. This time there was no room for sadness, though, for the warmth and happiness of their kiss lingered in her for a very long time.