Tauriel fell silent, burning in the shadows.Thranduil’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I sent him there for his protection, not for him to go….prancing off on a dangerous quest! You cannot blame me for this. If anyone is to blame it is Elrond, and he will know my wrath if Legolas does not return to us. How dare you say this to me? Get out of my sight, Tauriel.”
“You know nothing, child.” He didn’t blame his son for Gollum’s escape. Legolas hadn’t even been there when the incident occurred. “You speak of things that you know nothing of.”Rage boiled within him, but he became eerily calm. “I am no victim and I did not claim to be. I pray you never see the flames of Mordor as I have, that you do not see Sauron in his very flesh. I did not want my son to fall like my father fell. You do not have children. You do not understand. He may be grown but I will not bury him.” Had he known what this council was about…he would not have sent Legolas. He would have sent him straight to Círdan. “I did not know he would decide to go off on a quest that will kill him. I did not know the nature of the council.”Thranduil glared at her. “Do not twist my words, Tauriel. His realm is safe. Ours is not. My son is our only heir and if I fall, there would be no one but him to claim kingship. I did what I needed to do to try and keep him safe.”