
“Father!” Shouted the child as she ran forth from the wood line to her father clad with bow and arrows. Dropping his bow to the ground as the child leapt on to him with more force than he wouldd ever care to admit to.
“Ooof!” He chuckled as she latched on to his upper torso, nuzzling her head into his neck. Pulling at his bark colored hair. “I have missed you! Do not go anymore, remain with mother and I. I do not like when you leave with your weapons and armor..” She gripped his straight hair in her small hands, pulling herself farther in to him. Blue eyes turned from steel to a soft hue as he stroked the back of her copper curls tenderly.“You belong with us..” Tauriel pleaded.
“Ai, Tauriel,” He kneeled now, gripping her petite form in her hands, she was young. Younger than most with perhaps only 15 years of life. Pulling her from his form to set her on the ground in front of him. Holding her shoulders under his worn hands, love overflowed from his words. But she was much too young, clouded and naive to realize such as he began to speak.“Yes, I belong to you and mother but… I also belong to the woods, the one that loves and care for you so tenderly, more than I may ever care for you. I guard not only the woods but the King, the Princeling, your mother and even you— though I am not certain if I should guard you so much as the others! You are quite strong.
You are safe, and that is all I truly care about. Whether I am allowed time with you or not. I am in the woods, I will always be in the woods with you. I will always, I swear to you Tauriel, I will always be with you in these woods.”
Unsure of how to grasp what he said, she was at least able to comprehend his tone vaguely. It was… mixed between love and great sadness. A sadness the elleth would not understand till she was in his place millenias later recalling this moment and knowing it was one of her last with her father.
“Dad…” She began, her voice brimming a high pitch tremble. Tears came forth, but before they could not even fall from her vivid hues for her father scooped her up in to his arms once more and spun her around laughing.Forgetting the emotions before, Tauriel laughed and giggled enthusiastically. Enjoying the wind blowing through her hair, kissing her sustained skin. The whirl of blended colors and shapes came in to her vision but the only form she could focus on was his. “Dad, Put me down! Put me down!” She called in between giggles.
Obliging, he threw himself to the ground, taking the fall on his side. Simultaneously he growled and tickled her relentlessly. Causing the child to squirm and flail while laughing all too hard. “No!” She laughed out over and over again as her father growled playfully and continued his assault.
The two would be best friends if fate allowed, that much was certain.
****************
Tauriel awoke from her meditative sunder, glancing down at her callused and worn hands that seemed to be stained with war and death. With a sigh, she stood. Her armor shifting on her form, she never rested without a knife or armor when about the woodlands. Walking, she disappeared into the shadows of the woodlands. No fear upon her fea, her father and mother were always with her.