Darkest Nights | Love of Royals: Book II

XXVIII: Belong

Fíria's POV

Legolas almost outright refuses to let me get up and walk around this afternoon, after he's got back from some meeting with the guards. It's only when Tauriel arrives, with my brother and Lyrenna in tow, to inspect my back that he finally gives in. Apparently I've made a surprisingly swift recovery, even for someone assisted by the magic of a Star. They expected me to be too weak to walk for at least two days, but like Legolas said, I'm strong. And I don't have time to lay around bedridden while I have things to do—feuds to resolve, wars to prevent. The usual kind of thing.

I insist on needing some fresh air, so all five of us go out to the gardens not far from Legolas's private sparring ring. It's cold, but still. Far too still. Not a whisper of a wind on the horizon, nor a hint of a breeze through the trees nearly devoid of leaves. We're on the cusp of winter, and unless I do something about it, winter means war.

In the middle of an intense discussion about my brother finding out his true heritage, Fírion, sat on a log, braces his arms across his knees. 'I know I'm his son, but I still oppose him. My being the heir should change nothing. It was us against Fínegel, and it still is. And Lyrenna—are you with us?'

My lifelong friend sets her jaw and nods. 'Yes. I stand with my friends, not the deranged King who abused and tortured one of them. Of course I'm with you.'

'We could try and negotiate with him again,' I suggest.

'And if he doesn't listen?' Fírion counters.

'Then we make him,' I say, 'Dû-edhel to Dû-edhel.'

Tauriel pushes herself up from her position leant against a tree. 'This is our fight, too. We cannot just leave it to you three.'

'But we are the first line of defence,' I reply, 'I am. I swore to myself that I would protect all of you and this kingdom—'

'But you didn't swear to me!' Tauriel says hotly. 'I will not stand by in the crowd while you fight our kingdom's battles for us! None of you live here. None of you belong here!'

'Tauriel...' Legolas begins, but I interject.

'She's right, we don't.' I avoid the Prince's eye contact. 'But we're tied to this battle by blood, and we're going to protect your kingdom at all costs.'

'Maybe you are,' says Fírion, rising from the log, 'you're wanted here. Loved even. I'm not.'

'Don't.' Tauriel turns to my brother and places a finger swiftly over his lips.

'Don't what?' He carefully moves it aside.

'Say that you're not loved here. I was wrong. You do belong.' Colour starts to rise in Tauriel's face. She gazes longingly into my brother's eyes while her own begin to swim with tears.

'So was I. I belong with my sister. And with you...' Fírion tails off, leaning closer to Tauriel and wiping her tears away with his hand. It is as though it pains him not to kiss her as he embraces her gently and cradles her to his chest. My brother holds my friend tight while my own love is reaching out and slipping his hand back into mine.

It's only after a moment that I notice the despondent pallor of Lyrenna's face, and the way she's shrunk further back as if to bolt out of the clearing. I open my mouth to speak, but Tauriel has already pulled out of my brother's arms and turned to her, furious.

'And how do we know you're not a spy of Fínegel's?' Tauriel accuses, and instinctively my fingers brush over the hilt of my dagger. 'Fíria claims to trust you, but you've done nothing to prove that you're not one of her father's lackeys.'