Legolas and Tauriel the dream

The creature Gollum

[Tauriel POV]

"Mother, I want to play." Thrandriel complained. They had named her after her grandfather. She had Legolas' hair and Tauriel's personality. She sat by Tauriel as she was on guard duty with the creature Gollum. Legolas was busy conferring with Elrias and Thranduil.

"Not now, my little one. Mother is quite busy." Tauriel said to her. Fangorian had suggested letting Gollum climb the trees because that was what he enjoyed doing. Tauriel was keeping a close eye on Gollum, just as Aragorn had instructed. Thrandriel was sitting on the ground beside Tauriel, a pout on her face.

Gollum climbed further and further into the tree. The tree was surrounded by many other guards, all keeping a close watch on him.

"All right. It's time to come back down, Smeagol. You've climbed high enough." Tauriel called out to the creature. The creature climbed down from the tree and allowed Fangorian to tie his limbs. "Keep a weather eye on this creature. Aragorn said he is very tricky and one of these days he may try to escape." She cautioned Elros and Fangorian as they took Gollum to his cell.

"Now may I play, Mother?" Thrandriel asked her.

"Yes. But inside the palace. The woods are too dark for you to play in." Tauriel replied, taking the child's hand in her own and leading her back inside the palace. "Ada doesn't want you going out there." Tauriel led her daughter into the room where the other palace children played. "Keep a weather eye on this one." She cautioned the teacher. "She is quite spirited."

"Quite like someone else I know." Legolas teased from behind her.

"Actually, we'll take her back to our quarters." Tauriel said to the teacher. Legolas lifted his daughter and caused her to squeal with delight. The three went to their quarters to relax.

"I think Gollum is getting to be more willing to comply. I think we can safely lessen the number of guards watching him." Tauriel said to Legolas. "How was your day?"

"The forest is full of horrid creatures again. Our forces will be fighting them for a long time this time. Mithrandir thinks that the enemy Sauron is regaining his strength. It's only a matter of time." Legolas said, sighing. "Fortunately, our people have started leaving for the Grey Havens."

"Do not despair, Legolas. The darkness cannot last forever." Tauriel said, laying a hand to his cheek. "Thrandriel will grow up in a greener and better world."

"Have you foreseen that?" Legolas asked. Tauriel shook her head.

"No. But all we can do is hold on to that hope. The enemy may return, but as long as you and I are alive, not a one of them can harm a hair on our daughter's head." Tauriel replied.

The next day, Tauriel and three other guards were keeping watch over Gollum.
"May I be blunt?" Fangorian asked her. "I think this is a horrible idea. He needs more than four guards to look after him. If he escapes, it will be on you. I will take no blame for it."

"I assure you, Fangorian, that he won't escape." Tauriel said to him.

"We wants the preciousss. We could goes to find Bagginses and we takes the precious from him while he's sleeping and we kills him. No, precious. We stays here. The elveses gives us foods." Gollum said up in the tree. "We could escapes and make our wayses to Bagginses' home and we takes the precious."

"He's thinking about it." Fangorian said, stating the obvious. "If what Aragorn says is true, then there's nothing stopping the creature from running off. I say we keep him bound."

"We have tamed him ever so slightly. We have gained his trust. Do you really want to betray that trust?" Elros demanded.

Smeagol climbed higher and higher into the tree. Soon he was out of sight altogether.

"Smeagol? Where are you?" Tauriel called out.

"We climbs the treeses. We won't go far." Gollum replied. Fangorian trained his arrow on the creature.

"NO." Tauriel said, grabbing her second in command by the shoulder. He shook her off. "We need the creature alive."

"Get off me, elleth." Fangorian snapped.

Elros saw the commotion and tackled Fangorian to the ground. "She is the prince's wife. Treat her as such." He snapped. "As for killing our prisoner, you shouldn't. Mithrandir placed him in our charge for a reason."

Tauriel looked up into the trees. "Smeagol, time to come down." She called out. No response. "Smeagol?" Still nothing. Tauriel cursed. "He's escaped. I'm going to find Legolas and tell him." She lifted Thrandriel from the rock she sat on and hurried inside the palace.

Legolas was in the throne room talking with Elrias. Thranduil was nowhere to be seen. "Tauriel, shouldn't you be guarding the creature?" Legolas asked.

"He's escaped. Your father will banish me for letting him escape." Tauriel said, tears running down her cheeks.

"Come with me to Rivendell. We will tell Lord Elrond what has happened. Elros will come with us and three other guards. We must make haste." Legolas said, thinking quickly.

"What about our daughter?" Tauriel asked.

"She'll come too." Legolas replied. Thranduil entered the room at that moment. "Ada, it wasn't Tauriel's fault. Please, don't banish her for the escape of Gollum."

"The creature escaped." Thranduil said, pensively. "How did this happen?"

"Fangorian tried to kill him. Elros and I stopped him, but the creature escaped as we disarmed him. If you're going to punish anyone, it ought to be him." Tauriel replied.

"Go to Rivendell with Legolas. I will decide your fate later." Thranduil replied.