The Fifteenth Member

Like the Stars in the Sky

Attara's POV

I followed Legolas through the familiar halls of the woodland realm. We talked idly as we went, until we reached one of my favorite places in the palace. It was a high terrace, overlooking the forest and open to the night air. From here I could not only see the vast reaches of the greenwood below, but also the sky with millions of starts twinkling above us. I loved the stars, they reminded my of late nights spent flying through the gardens with my sisters. I laughed as I rushed to the railing and glanced back at Legolas over my shoulder, who was watching me with a bemused expression. 

"You remembered!" I exclaimed, with a huge smile on my face. He simply nodded in response. 

"I have missed you Atty" he said with a smile, "the woodland realm is rather dull without your presence" I grinned back at him.

"It's Mereth-en-Gilith" I suddenly remembered, "why are you not at the party?" I asked him. I remembered that it had always been one of his favorite celebrations when we were younger.

"Ah yes, the feast of starlight" he began, "Although all light is sacred to the Eldar, Wood Elves love best the light of stars. But I do not love that light nearly as much as I love being able to see you again Attara." he said with a smile. 

"I missed you too" I told him, "much as changed since we last spoke." I said, looking off into the night.

"And here I come to find you in the company of dwarves" he said as he came up next to me and leaned on the rail, "tell me Atty, did they force you to come with them? Threaten to let people know of your true identity? I heard that creature call you princess." he asked with a worried expression on his face. 

I chuckled lightly in response. "Since when has anyone forced me to do anything?" I asked him, "No. I came with them willingly. They are my friends and I wish to help them on their quest to regain their homeland. I more than anyone can relate to the horrors they have gone through. And that 'creature' that you're referring to is named Kili." I told him more seriously. 

"That is true, no matter how hard anyone has tried I have never seen you be forced to do anything you don't want to - not even when its my father" he laughed, "but still, I do not like the was this Kili  looks at you." he told me bitterly. I thought back to how the princes had glared at each other earlier. 

"I don't know what you mean" I said uncertainly, "the only person I have seen him offer a strange look is you, and that is because you threw him into a cell." 

"Oh Atty. Of course you don't see it. You have always been so blind to these things." he said, refusing to meet my eyes, "he looks at you the way you look at the stars in the sky." he sighed.

"You are surely mistaken" I replied quickly, "and I must head back to the dungeons before the dwarves think I've abandoned them" I added before he could get anymore ideas.

No sooner had those words come out of my mouth than Tauriel came running out onto the terrace. "The dwarves!" she cried, "They've escaped."