The night in Black Forest was unlike any darkness Escanor had ever experienced. It wasn't simply the absence of light, but an active, suffocating presence that pressed against them like heavy water. The trees seemed to lean closer in the darkness, their branches twisting like skeletal claws.
Escanor and Tauriel moved silently through the forest, she leading with the innate grace of someone who had walked these paths for centuries, he following with surprisingly quiet steps for someone of his size.
"You're not making any noise," Tauriel observed after an hour, looking back curiously. "Most men stomp through the woods like wounded bears. You... you move like a hunter."
"I've learned that uncontrolled strength is a waste," Escanor replied softly. "Just because I can smash a path through obstacles doesn't mean I should."
"Unusual wisdom for someone with your power." Tauriel stopped, raising her hand. "Wait. I smell something."
Escanor detected it too: the acrid stench of rotting flesh and something else, something chemical and off-putting. Poison.
Spider venom in large quantities.
"Close," he whispered. "How far is the lair?"
"Another kilometer south," Tauriel said, drawing her knives, the blades gleaming faintly with elven light . "But the spiders patrol widely. We could encounter resistance at any moment."
As if to prove their point, a snapping sound echoed above them. They both froze, looking up to see shadows moving among the trees. Large shadows. Multiple.
"Five," Tauriel said softly. "Maybe six."
"I'll take the left, you take the right?" Escanor suggested .
"Working together would be wiser," Tauriel said, looking at him. "Can you keep up with me?"
In response, Escanor simply smiled.
The spiders attacked.
They descended like living nightmares, multiple legs pounding the ground with blows that shook the earth.
His fangs dripped green venom, his multiple eyes shone with malevolent hunger.
Tauriel moved like flowing water, her knives flickering in silver arcs. She sliced through a spider's leg, twisted beneath a snapping bite, and buried her blade in the creature's brain in one fluid motion.
Escanor was no less impressive. Rhitta chanted as he decapitated a spider, then spun around to smash another against a tree with such force that the tree cracked. He wasn't using his full power, not here, not yet. But even his base strength was more than enough.
" Behind you!" Tauriel shouted.
Escanor spun around, grabbing the spider that leaped out of nowhere, his fingers digging into its chitinous carapace. He hurled it upwards with such force that it slammed into the branches above them, becoming impaled on its own web.
In less than two minutes, all the spiders were dead.
Escanor and Tauriel stood among the corpses, breathing lightly, assessing each other.
"Impressive," Tauriel said, sheathing her knives. "I have rarely seen a non- elven move with such... efficiency."
"You could have handled them on your own," Escanor observed . "Your technique is impeccable."
"Six hundred years of practice," Tauriel smiled slightly. "But thank you. It's not often I receive compliments from warriors of your caliber."
— My caliber?
"Legendary," she said simply. "I've heard the stories, Escanor . All of Middle-earth speaks of the Lion of the Sun. The man who shines like day and fights like a god of war. I thought the stories were exaggerated."
- And now?
"Now I think they might be underestimated," Tauriel began walking again. "Come on. We still have a way to go."
They remained silent for several minutes before Tauriel spoke again.
— Can I ask you something personal?
-Of course.
"Earlier, when you spoke with my king, you mentioned purpose. That you felt this was your purpose." He looked at him sideways . "What does that mean to you? Purpose?"
Escanor considered the question carefully as they walked.
—It means... knowing why you're here. Not just existing, but living with intention. With meaning. —He touched the
Elessar around her neck—. I don't remember my past, Tauriel . I don't know who I was before I woke up in the Shire. But I know who I am now. Someone who protects. Who defends. Who faces the darkness because someone has to.
"That's... beautiful," Tauriel said softly. "And rare. Most men seek glory or wealth."
You are looking for meaning.
—And you? What are you looking for?
Tauriel stopped, looking towards the dark forest.
"Freedom, I believe. My king… I love him, I respect him. But he also suffocates me. He keeps me here, in this forest, when I know there's a wider world out there. A world that needs defenders as much as Mirkwood needs them." She turned to him. "Have you ever felt you were destined for more, but circumstances keep you locked away?"
"Every day before I left the Shire, " Escanor admitted, " Bilbo offered me peace, tranquility, security. But I knew my purpose lay elsewhere. In the world, facing threats, protecting others."
"So you understand," Tauriel smiled, and there was warmth in her. "I like you, Escanor . You're... different."
Honest in a way that few people are.
"I like you too," Escanor replied , and was surprised to realize how true it was. "You're strong, wise, and you clearly care deeply for your people. Those are rare qualities."
Tauriel stared at him for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. Then she shook her head slightly, as if breaking free from a spell.
—We should continue. The lair is nearby.
But as they walked, Escanor noticed that the space between them had decreased slightly. Not deliberately, just... naturally. As if their bodies were instinctively moving toward each other.
This is dangerous , he thought. You love Arwen . You made a promise.
But even as she thought this, she couldn't deny the warmth she felt when Tauriel was near. It wasn't the blazing flame she'd felt with Arwen , that instant recognition of intertwined souls. This was something gentler, more gradual. Like embers slowly warming to a glow.
— Escanor —Tauriel 's voice interrupted his thoughts—. We've arrived.
They stopped at the edge of a clearing, and what they saw made even Escanor stop.
The lair of the Web Queen was vast, a dome of cobwebs as thick as ship's ropes, stretched between ancient trees that had been drained of all life. The floor was carpeted with bones, bodies wrapped in silk cocoons, and the occasional half-eaten spider carcass.
And in the center, hanging from a throne of cobwebs, was she.
The Queen of the Web.
It was massive, the size of a small house, its body swollen with egg sacs that throbbed with obscene life. Its eyes, dozens of them, gleamed with malevolent intelligence. And when it saw Escanor and Tauriel , its jaws opened in what might have been a smile.
" Visitors! " Her voice was a screeching hiss that made Escanor 's teeth bristle. "How... unexpected. And how delicious ."
"We have come to kill you," Tauriel called, her knives already drawn. "Your plague upon this forest ends tonight."
" Kill me?" the Queen laughed , a sound like shattering glass. "So many have tried. All have failed."
They all hang on my webs now , sustenance for my young.
—They weren't me— Escanor took a step forward, Rhitta glowing softly with barely contained power—.
And I will not fail.
The Queen studied him, her many eyes narrowing.
"There is light in you. Light that burns. Light that could hurt me." Black venom dripped from his fangs.
Then I'll kill you first. Quickly. Before you can use it.
And it launched itself forward with a speed that betrayed its massive size.
Escanor met her attack head-on. Rhitta struck one of his legs hard enough to snap it, sending the Queen screeching backward. But before he could follow, more spiders emerged from the shadows. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.
" The cubs!" Tauriel shouted. "Take care of the Queen! I'll keep the cubs away!"
— Are you sure?
—Just go!
Escanor didn't argue. He trusted Tauriel could handle the lesser spiders. He lunged at the Queen, who was now enraged, spitting venom that hissed and steamed wherever it hit the ground.
" You will die !" she shrieked. "You will die and feed my children for years !"
"I don't think so." Escanor dodged a stream of poison, closed the distance, and plunged Rhitta deep into one of the Queen's eyes.
The creature howled, thrashing wildly. One of its legs struck Escanor , sending him flying backward through several trees. He crashed to the ground, the impact enough to have killed a normal man.
Escanor simply stood up, dusting himself off his shoulders.
"That hurt," he commented. "My turn."
She let her power flow, not completely, but enough. Her body began to glow with golden light, the air around her rippling with heat. The Elessar around her neck resonated with her power, shining like a miniature star.
The Queen stepped back, her eyes widening with what might have been fear.
— What... what are you ?
"I told you so," Escanor said , walking forward, each step leaving gleaming footprints on the ground. "I am the sun. And you, creature of darkness, have no place in my light."
He raised his hand, and a golden sphere of fire materialized on his palm.
—Cruel Sun.
She threw it.
The explosion lit up the entire forest for miles. The Web Queen had time for one last shriek before being consumed by the solar fire, her body incinerated in seconds. The egg sacs exploded, the spiderlings dying before they could hatch.
The cobweb dome caught fire, the flames consuming decades of corruption in minutes.
Escanor let his power recede, breathing heavily. He had used more than he intended, but the Queen had been formidable. It was worth the effort.
—Escanor !
He turned to see Tauriel running toward him, covered in green spider ichor but unharmed. She stopped in front of him, her eyes wide with astonishment.
—That was... that was...
" Excessive?" Escanor offered with a small smile.
"Incredible," Tauriel breathed. "I've lived six hundred years. I've seen elven magic , ancient and powerful. But I've never seen anything like this. You... you really are the sun, aren't you?"
"In a way," Escanor said, looking into the dying flames. "It's who I am. For better or for worse."
Tauriel took another step closer, studying his face in the firelight.
—Does it hurt? To use so much power?
"Sometimes, " Escanor admitted . "It's like... like holding a star inside your chest. Warm, bright, but also ready to burn if you're not careful."
"Then you must be very careful," Tauriel said, hesitating for a moment, then gently touching his cheek. "The world needs your light, Escanor . Don't waste it recklessly."
The touch sent a wave of warmth through Escanor that had nothing to do with his power. He looked at Tauriel , really looked at her, and saw something there that made his heart race.
Admiration. Respect. And something more. Something softer, warmer, more...
"No ," she said firmly. " You can't."
But even as he thought this, he found himself leaning into her touch, his own hands rising to cover hers.
— Tauriel —he began, unsure of what he was going to say.
"I know," she whispered. "I feel it too. This... connection. This understanding. Like we've met before, even though I know we haven't."
"I... I can't." Escanor took a step back, though it pained him to do so. "There's someone. In Rivendell . Arwen ."
I... love her. I made a promise to return to her.
Tauriel 's eyes . Disappointment, perhaps. But also understanding.
— Arwen Undómiel . Daughter of Elrond . I have heard of her. They say she is the fairest Elven maiden in Middle-earth. —He lowered his hand—. You are fortunate. And she is fortunate to have your love.
"But," Escanor hesitated, "I can't deny that I feel something for you too. Not in the same way. Not so... immediate. But it's there. An attraction. A connection. And I don't know what to do about it."
Tauriel looked at him for a long moment, then smiled sadly.
—You know what I think? I think the heart is bigger than we think. I think it can hold multiple truths at once. You can love Arwen and still feel something for me. That doesn't make your love for her any less real.
—But it's not fair. Not to any of you.
"Maybe not," Tauriel shrugged. "But life is rarely fair. And Escanor ... I'm not asking you to choose. I'm not asking for anything. I'm just... grateful. For this time together. For getting to know you. For seeing your light."
— Tauriel ...
"We should return," he interrupted gently. "My king will be waiting for news. And your friends will be worried."
He was right, of course. But as they began the long journey back to the Forest Kingdom, Escanor couldn't shake the feeling that something important had happened here. Something that would change everything.
He had come to kill a spider.
But he was leaving with something much more complicated.
A divided heart.
And no idea how to cure it.
The Forest Kingdom, Dawn
Thranduil received them on his throne, his expression as inscrutable as ever. But when Tauriel reported the mission's success, something that might have been approval flickered in his eyes.
"Well done," he finally said. "The plague has been eradicated. My forest will heal in time." He looked at Escanor . "You kept your word, Lion of the Sun. That is... rare among non- elves ."
"A deal's a deal," Escanor bowed. "So, do we have your permission to leave?"
"You have more than permission," Thranduil said, rising. "You have my respect. And that is something I rarely give." He walked over to Thorin , who had been watching silently. "Dwarf. Your grandfather was a fool. Don't be like him. Remember what truly matters when you reclaim your mountain."
"I will remember that," Thorin nodded respectfully. "Thank you, King Thranduil ."
"Go then. And may the luck of the Valar be with you." Thranduil hesitated, then looked at Escanor once more. "And Escanor ... when this quest is over, when Smaug is dead and Erebor is reclaimed... you are welcome in my realm. Always."
"That's... very generous." Escanor bowed deeply. "Thank you."
As the Company prepared to depart, Tauriel approached Escanor one last time.
"Safe travels," she said softly. "And Escanor ... about what we talked about. Don't forget. The heart is bigger than we think. Give it permission to feel. To be complicated. That doesn't make you weak. It makes you human."
"I'll be grateful," Escanor said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "And Tauriel ... thank you. For understanding. For not judging me."
" How could I?" she smiled. "We all struggle with our hearts. We all want things we can't have. That's part of living."
— Even so. Thank you.
Tauriel reached out and kissed her cheek gently, a brush of lips that sent shivers down her spine.
"Come back safe and sound," she whispered. "The world needs your light. And who knows... perhaps one day, when your quest is complete, our paths will cross again."
"Perhaps," Escanor agreed , though part of him hoped so. And another part felt guilty for hoping so.
As the Company left the Forest Kingdom, Escanor glanced back once. Tauriel stood on a balcony, watching them depart, her red hair catching the morning light.
He touched the Elessar around his neck, Arwen 's gift , and felt its warmth against his skin.
I love you, Arwen , he thought. That hasn't changed. It never will.
But Tauriel ... Tauriel is something more. Something I didn't expect.
And I don't know what to do about it.
Bilbo rode alongside her, noticing her thoughtful expression.
" Are you okay?" asked the hobbit .
"Honestly, Bilbo ," Escanor sighed. "I don't know."
—Does it have to do with a certain red-haired elf ?
Escanor looked at him sharply.
—Was it that obvious?
"Only for someone who knows you well," Bilbo smiled sympathetically. "The heart is complicated, Escanor . There's no shame in admitting it."
—But I love Arwen . I made a promise.
"And you still love her. That much is clear." Bilbo considered her words carefully. "But perhaps… perhaps there is room in your heart for more than one kind of love. Perhaps Arwen is your soulmate, the love of your life. And perhaps Tauriel is… something more. A kindred spirit. A friend. Something that doesn't take away from Arwen but adds to who you are."
" How can you be so wise about these things?" Escanor smiled slightly. "You're a hobbit from the Shire. They're supposed to be concerned with gardens and food, not romantic philosophy."
"I've been reading a lot," Bilbo smiled. "And observing. Hearts are complicated, Escanor . But that's not a bad thing. It just means you're old enough to love deeply. That's a gift, not a curse."
"Thank you, Bilbo ," Escanor said, squeezing the hobbit 's shoulder . "I don't know what I would have done without you this past year."
—You probably would have been fine. But I'm glad I was there anyway.
As they continued their journey to Erebor , to Smaug , to the destiny that awaited them, Escanor allowed himself to think of them both: Arwen , waiting in Rivendell , his love like the stars, eternal and bright. And Tauriel , in her forest, their connection like fire, warm and comforting.
Two loves. Two truths.
And a heart trying to hold them both without breaking.
The search continued.
But now, there was more at stake than just a dragon.
There were hearts to protect.
Promises to keep.
And a future that, somehow, would have to accommodate the impossible truth that Escanor , the Lion of the Sun, had done the unthinkable.
She had fallen in love twice.
And I didn't know how to live with that.
Not yet.