I don't anything but the characters of my creation.

Very, very loosely a sequel to Real World Luxuries. No need to read that one though.

I hope you enjoy it!

….

The festivities within the Hall of Fire was steadily growing to an end, the lively music had stopped playing some time ago. There were still a few elves who lingered to continue playing music, but it was softer. More meant for quiet conversations than energized dancing.

Elladan and Elrohir had fallen asleep on a couch near their father, with Estel sprawled across both of his brothers and snoring with delight. Both Glorfindel and Erestor were reading near the fire, many small groups of Elves of the Valley were sitting in one another's company. But what interested Elrond was the young prince and his companions.

He had sensed a deep change within Legolas and his friends when they had first arrived in Rivendell early that morning. They had been greeted exuberantly, both of the twins had come running from the house to see them, in such a hurry that Elrohir was still in his sleeping clothes. Estel had come running after them, half changed and hair uncombed, not knowing who these new elves were but wanting to copy his brothers.

Elrond had been surprised but not displeased when he had gotten word that the Prince of Greenwood was entering his borders. It had been nearly a century since he had last seen Legolas, when he had suddenly stopped visiting. Perhaps of his own volition, perhaps on his father's orders. Usually, Elrond knew well in advance when he was on his way for a visit. But this had been a surprise.

Unsurprisingly though was taht he had brought his two closest friends with him, the had all known each other since the early stages of childhood. They had grown up together, entwining with one another like tree roots in a forest. They had learned to write and read together, and spent endless days playing and exploring their forest. Now, if his sons were correct, they were captains in Thranduil's army together. How things change.

Estel had been absolutely taken with Legolas, insisting they play together nearly the entire day. Much to his delight, the Prince was more than accommodating. The small boy had been overly joyful to learn that he could also convince the other two visitors to play, as well as his brothers.

The Greenwood elves had seemed quite themselves during the day, if not a little tired. Yet Elrond was not able to shake a feeling that something had shifted in them. But now that most everyone that they knew in the valley were asleep, and they talked only amongst one another he had understood.

They were sitting in a triangle, feet propped up on one anothers chairs. Tzipora had picked up an instrument and picked lazily at the chords, sometimes playing songs, and sometimes playing whatever he liked.

Sometimes Legolas and Avalein sang to what he played, other times they all talked and paid no attention to it whatsoever. Her legs were propped on his lap, rather than on his chair and the princes hands softly tapped a rhythm out on her legs. They had voices of those who had too much wine and too little sleep. Full of long comfortable silences, loud laughter, and honesty.

Suddenly Tzipora snorted, lifting his head from where it had dropped to his head rest and opened his eyes. His hands still picking seamlessly on the chords.

"Hmm?" Legolas grunted in inquiry, also lifting his head.

"Remember when we tried to lead all those spiders into the crack in the earth so we could set them aflame."

Both Legolas and Ava let out small rumbles of laughter at his words, and Legolas replied "That was such a bad idea."

"Hey!" Ava called, shaking a finger at him in warning, "I told you it was a bad idea when you asked what the plan was, nobody had anything better."

Tzipora held up one hand in mock surrender, " I wasn't criticizing your plan, I was just laughing at the look on the Princlings face when he realized how fast a two dozen angry spiders are."

Legolas shoulders still shook with laughter, "I have never been so close to my end before, I was almost certain I could see the doors of Mandos opening up before my eyes."

"I was equally close to my end," Tzipora said, "For if I were to return and tell your father of your passing he would end me right there and send me to the halls with you. I might as well just lay down right next to you next time, save the King some trouble"

Ava gave them both a sour expression, "And leave me there all alone? I don't think so."

Legolas shrugged, "Come with us then. The more the merrier."

"Sounds like an excellent plan to me" Tzipora agreed, and the three of them raised their glasses in a silent toast.

"A better plan than trying to corral spiders like horses, thats for certain." Legolas muttered into his cup after taking a long drink, grinning at Ava when she shoved at his arm with her foot.

"Fine, next time I will keep my idea to myself and lets us be overrun." She sniffed, dramatically turning her head away from her friends.

"I thought that's what the plan was anyways?"

The three joked about their deaths with the confidence of those believing that their deaths were certain, not a possibility. He shared a look with Glorfindel over the top of his book.

"There would be one good thing about us going to the halls." Legolas said, voice gaining honestly but remaining warm and light.

"That the first thing I can do wen I get there is nap for four consecutive days?" Tzipora closed his eyes again and let it tip back down to his head rest, his fingers playing a sleep filled song.

Legolas gave a smile, bumping his foot against Ava's leg "You could finally meet my Nana."

A moment hung in the air between them and Elrond felt his heart clench in sympathy. He knew how these youngs elves were feeling, for he had felt the very same thing. Those who had marched across the poisoned earth to the mountain had all made the same kind of jokes. Gil - Galad had done it, quietly and to not many people. But he had made the jokes, the comments, and it turned out to be true.

His death had been a certainty.

Glorfindel closed his book and set it on the table beside him. He also knew how these young elves felt, for he had felt the same at the fall of Gondolin. Had said the same. His death had been a certainty, he knew that the moment he looked into the Balrogs eyes.

Why were such young elves feelings such things from their home?

Tzipora broke the silence, "I met your Nana a few times, she changed me when I was very young." His fingers played a happier tune, "I don't remember any of it, but it was lovely of her to do that and it would be nice to thank her."

Elrond stood, moving over to where the younger elves had clustered and moved the closest chair next to them. They all smiled to him in greeting, already knowing the question he was going to ask. If they had not been prepared to answer it they would not have come to Rivendell. Perhaps that is why Legolas had stopped visiting.

They knew he would ask. They also knew the only reason he hadn't yet was the small human boy. A boy with a sad past and the name of Hope.

"Tell me," Elrond began, settling into the chair, "What is the reason for your sudden vacation after all this time?"

"Sometimes it's nice to take a break." Legolas shrugged, always so vague when forced to talk about things he didn't want to, a habit he had learned from his father.

Tzipora snorted, stopping the music for the first time in a few hours. "Don't let the princeling fool you, we aren't on vacation. We're in time out."

Elrond raised an eyebrow, a silent question directed to all of them.

Legolas tapped Ava's foot, it was her turn to speak. She gave him a sour look before speaking.

"We went somewhere where we weren't supposed to go." She paused for a moment, as if finsihed but continued speaking when Elrond's eyebrow only crawled higher, "We went to Dol Guldur."

Elrond heard Glorfindel shuffle behind him, well aware he was listening closely. The other elven realms had heard whispers of the darkness growing from Greenwood, for many years they assumed it was just because Thranduil was not gifted one of the rings of power. He did not have their magic to keep his borders safe.

But then, slowly Greenwood had stopped contacting the other realms. The already sparse correspondence nearly ceased completely and their messengers stopped arriving. Many elves simply believed that Thranduil had finally been done with everything to do in the outside world.

Elrond feared otherwise.

Whenever Rivendell sent out messengers they were met at the entrance to the forest, and denied access entirely. The elves of Greenwood world take the cargo, supply them with food and water and send them on their way.

Elrond began to hear whispers that those that lived near the forest had begun calling it Mirkwood, and Legolas had not visited for many years. Nobody had ventured out of the woods for many long years, as far as Elrond could tell.

He knew something was wrong, but Thranduil had not said a word about it. Not a word about anything. But Elrond had his suspicions.

"Why were you not allowed to go to Dol Guldur?"

Legolas dropped his eyes, his hands tapping a swift and nervous beat on Ava's legs "Because Ada was afraid of what we might find."

Elrond took a long, slow breath. He had a feelings very one of his suspicions and concerns were about to be confirmed, "What did you find in Dol Guldur?"

This for the first time Legolas looked at Elrond directly. The Prince gave another shrug, his eyes the calm one gets when they reach hopelessness, but do not lose resolve. " Exactly what he feared we would find."

Elrond felt like he had been punched in the stomach, and the sign he heard from Glorfindel told him he felt the same. It was one thing to wonder, and guess, and suspect about such evil. It was easy to explain it away when you did not see it, only hear whispers. But he had known all along.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" He knew Thranduil world not ask for anything, not after all this time.

As infuriating as the Elven King could be, Elrond couldn't help but keep a small degree of fondness in his heart for him, and a tremendous amount of respect. There was no denying he was a good King, even better than his father had been. But eve he was surprised at how long Thranduil and his people had kept such an evil contained from the world. Kept it from consuming them.

"In the long run? No." Ava answered, her eyes holding the same look that Legolas' had. "None of your warriors can move fast enough in the tree's, and using the ground is impractical now."

Tzipora began playing another tune, and Elrond had no trouble imagining him lounging in a tree in the middle of a war, playing a song in his spare time. At night to lull the others to sleep, sooth nightmares, and fill the darkness.

They had done that at the Last Alliance too.

"In the short term then?"

Legolas sighed, taking his hand off Ava's leg to wipe it across his tired face, "Healing supplies would be nice. If you could make more powerful antivenoms that would be better."

Elrond nodded, "It will be done. I will send someone often with supplies, we will drop them at the gates to your borders. Is there anything else?"

"Have hope for us." Tzipora sang softly, too swift and happy for the words and their meaning.

Elrond looked over to where Estel still slept peacefully. So young and beautiful, his soul already so kind. He was a wonderful boy, and world make and ever better man. While he still grieved over happened to his boys parents, he was honored to have a part in raising such a child.

Hope. It was a fitting name for the boy.

So much rested upon his still so small shoulders, he saw great things in the child's future. He could just not yet tell if it ended in joy or pain, although he suspected he would never known until the end. The only thing to do was try his best to raise him, teach him what he would need to know. Show him love and protection.

Hope it would be enough. Hope Greenwood could hold until then.

Estel gave a small twitch in his sleep and Elrond smiled, "Fear not, we will never lose hope."

…..

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

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