Part 2 requested by the lovelies fluffyfoxella, theambernightingale, and Gabr1ella-Chan! Thanks so much, to all of you!!

Type: One-shot

Pairing: We have here a love triangle situation involving Thranduil, Legolas, and a Female (Elleth!) Reader

Notes: This is the ending to 'Double Affections' that ends with Legolas winning the reader's heart. I will publish the alternate end, in which she falls for Thranduil, soon.

Translations: 'Rhaich' = 'Curses' or, if I may, it's essentially 'OH FUCK'

Hope you like!

"We're under attack!"

"Rhaich!" Eliza curses, moving to draw her knives, then realizes she can't, as she's floating down a river while clinging to a piece of driftwood. She gives a grunt and manages to climb onto the driftwood, balancing delicately on its wobbly surface. She crouches and makes a flying leap toward a nearby fallen tree, the log stretching across the river. Her companions have to duck as they fumble for their weapons, Eliza dashing along the riverbank, drawing her throwing knives. She sprints at the closest orcs and leaps, spinning around and slicing open the wicked creature's neck and drawing a bloody slash across another's chest at the same time. She fights, a blur of quick, calculated movements and a spray of orc's blood flying around her as she cleaves a path of destruction through her enemies.

She hears an alarm horn blow and assumes the elves have discovered the orcs on their territory. She continues to fight, the lone warrior on land, her companions helpless to assist her much from the river. Before too long, she spots a patrol of armored elves out of the corner of her eye, racing this way. She's distracted and one of the orcs manages to land a searing blow on her leg. She gives a yelp and promptly decapitates the creature, fighting with renewed vigor. The rest of the Company seems to be stuck, trapped before a gate in the river, and Eliza wants to help, but she can feel the strength in her leg waning. 

The brave elleth leaves most of the orcs at the Mirkwood patrol's mercy and slashes her way across the narrow bridge above the water gate. She manages to find the lever to let through the barrels with her friends inside and pulls it, falling to her knees as her bloody wound sends a wave of pain through her body. Her vision grows blurry for a moment, but she shakes her head and it clears just in time to see Legolas give a flying leap to land at her side, sword drawn and gaze worried. He helps her to her feet and she sees her companions already far down the river. She looks to the prince of Mirkwood and they exchange a calm glance. "Go."

In his words, she can hear a promise that he'll follow. She nods and leaps back into the river, sheathing her daggers as she lands with a splash, right next to the driftwood she clung to earlier, which is caught on an embankment. She pushes it back into the current and swiftly floats to catch up to the rest of the Company. A trail of blood streams through the water behind her and she clenches her teeth, trying desperately to ignore the pain. The next few minutes pass in a blur, but once Eliza and her companions manage to land on a rocky landing quite a ways down the river, time resumes its normal pace.

She drops to sit with a groan, coughing up water and clutching at the gash in her lower leg. Her companions surround her worriedly and Bilbo offers her a handkerchief to mop up the blood. She gives him a stiff nod of thanks and does so, then rips off the corner of her tunic and binds the wound, wincing at the pressure. "Can yeh walk, lass?" asks Bofur, who helps her to her feet as she replies, "Yes, I think I can. We must hurry, though, I do not know how many orcs died back there. We could have been followed." Thorin nods and says he agrees with her, and they head along a path nearby, situated to get out of the forest and along the riverbank.

A few days pass on the road. Eliza grows a bit weaker each day, but she doesn't let it show. She's no use to her companions if she acts like she's badly injured -even though she is- and so she pretends the wound isn't even there. The only ones who keep a close eye on her and seem suspicious of her lack of pain are Bilbo and Bofur. She appreciates their worry, but insists it's not too painful. By the time they arrive at Laketown, however, she's masking a limp with a slow gait and a forced smile at any inquisitions about her wounded leg. A celebration is thrown for the arrival of the Company, but Eliza has a bad feeling about the Master of the water-based town.

The next morning, when the group is supposed to head along to the Lonely Mountain, Eliza wakes in a cold sweat. She's had terrible nightmares of dragons all last night, but she shakes her head to clear her mind and stands. Her vision swims and she stumbles, her left leg feeling like a dead weight. She sighs and limps onto the creaky balcony of the inn the Company is staying in, relying heavily on the walls and railings to keep her balanced and upright. She gazes through the morning mist at the Lonely Mountain's peak, barely clear through the haze. So close, and yet so far. She heaves a disappointed sigh and heads back into the room, sitting on her bed and unwrapping her leg wound.

It doesn't look all that great. Sure, it's healing, but slowly, and it appears to be covered in flaking dead skin and dried blood. She washes it and feels a bit of feeling return to her leg, but it's mostly useless. She gives a sigh and drops her head into her hands. "By the Valar..." she mutters just as there comes a knock on her door. "Come in, the door is unlocked," she calls and hears a creak behind her as it opens. Fili and Kili enter the room. "We're just about to leave," says Fili as he and Kili notice her limp leg. "Is it getting worse?" he questions and crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow worriedly.

Eliza sighs again and nods twice. "I cannot feel anything in the lower half of my leg," she admits and the brothers both frown. "We should find a healer," says Fili and the elleth stands slowly, replying ruefully, "I do not think it could help, but I suppose it's worth a try." Kili lets her use him as a crutch and they leave her room, then the inn, wandering the streets of Laketown, knocking on the doors of house after house, trying to find a healer. After what seems like oh too long, they finally reach the home of a man named Bard, who opposed the town helping the Company. He reluctantly agrees to help Eliza if he can, seeing how weak she's become, and allows her and the two dwarves inside. A horn blows soon and the brothers leave to continue their journey with promises to come back and bring her to the Mountain once they've reclaimed it.

Bofur barges into the house halfway through the day, while Eliza is seated on a creaky bed, trying to rub some feeling back into her wounded leg, and grins at her. "Did ya miss the boat too, lass?" She shakes her head and points at the healing gash in her leg. "I can hardly walk, Bofur. I am sorry to hear you missed the boat, but I must admit I'm also glad for your company." The rest of the day passes rather uneventfully. Eliza gets to know Bard's children, who are all wonderful. His daughters are kind and caring and his son knows many good jokes. It's when night falls that Eliza begins to feel wary. Something isn't right, she can just feel it. Could it be the eerily moonless night? Could it be worry for her friends, at the Mountain by now?

Or could it be the a pack of orcs breaking into the house, through the doors, basement, and roof?

Bard's daughter Tilda gives a scream and Eliza stumbles to her feet with a yell of anger. She grabs an iron poker from the fireplace mantel and wields it like a sword. She protects Bard's daughters as his son holds his own, impressively. Two more figures leap through the holes in the roof and Eliza's heart leaps when she sees it's Legolas and an unknown elleth with red hair and mad skills with a bow. Together, the four of them defeat the orcs, Tauriel going to chase down the last two who flee as Eliza falls exhausted onto the bed behind her.

Legolas cleans his sword and sheaths it before approaching Eliza. She feels a fluttering in her heart as he sits on the edge of the creaky bed and takes her hand gently. Tilda giggles and Eliza shoos her away. Sigrid takes her younger sister back to the kitchen to tidy up the destruction, and to find their brother Bain, who disappeared into the lower basement area in the middle of the fighting. "Are you alright?" Legolas asks, glancing worriedly at her leg. "I think I will be alright. I cannot walk properly as of now, but I hope to again soon," she replies, blushing at the feeling of her hand in his. He smiles softly and brushes a strand of hair out of her eyes, looking at her with such a gaze she realizes she can't deny her feelings for him any longer.

"Legolas, I... I think I love you. I really think I do." His smile widens at her words and he leans in to kiss her cheek. She turns her head and catches his lips and they share a quick, tender kiss. Eliza feels like she's floating high in clouds with joy. "I love you as well," he replies and she gives a soft laugh. "'As well'? Who says 'as well' anymore?" she teases and he nudges her side. "Oh, Eliza..." He leans in again and cuts off her chuckling with another kiss. She wraps his arms around his neck and returns the kiss, so very glad that he followed her here and protected her and Bard's children from the orcs. She pulls back and says softly, leaning her head against his chest as he moves to sit closer to her, "I don't think I love you, Legolas- I do love you. With all my heart."