Disclaimer: Legolas and Thranduil belong to JRR Tolkien not me. Other
characters mentioned are figments of my imagination and nothing more.
Summary: A very young Legolas is struggles to cope with the death of his mother.
Author's Notes: I'm not going to lie - my elvish is pretty shoddy. But this is a awesome site to help with that. I insist you check it out if you have an interest in elvish.
http://www.geocities.com/almacq.geo/sindar/sdintro.html
Bits of Elvish that I Use (with eternal thanks to the Sindarin Dictionary Project)
Adar - father
Ada - daddy
Naneth - mother
Nana - mummy
Titenlaeglass - little green leaf
Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au' - My heart shall weep until it sees thee again (erm...I think that's right - if not tell me!)
Seeing as there is little information on Legolas's personal history I thought that I might make up a bit for my own entertainment and enjoyment. I hope you enjoy it too. By all means review. Constructive criticism is very welcome! It can only improve my writing. I generally strive to be historically accurate in my writing as well so if you spot any mistakes I will fix them right up.
As I have no idea if Legolas has any relatives other than Thranduil, I made up his brother and sister's names as well as that of his mother. They have simple meanings behind them. If you're at all curious - email me and I'll be more than happy to tell you.
Briefly, this is the family tree I've made:
Thranduil ~ Melethmir (nicknamed Melethril by Thranduil)
Doronorn Orchalorn Silagilgalad Lhendglir Bellass Bainalfirin Legolas
And on with the actual story.
ooOOoo
Watching the Squirrels
Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest son of Thranduil the King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood, watched the squirrels in the trees through the window, his eyes wide in wonder as he watched their playing. He watched as they jumped from tree to tree with ease, their furry tails streaming behind them. He smiled eagerly and twisted in his chair to get a better look at them, his hands gripping the back of his chair, his body tense with excitement. He whined forlornly like a puppy as they departed from his view.
"Legolas, turn around and eat your breakfast."
Legolas sighed dejectedly and sat down properly, looking at his mother, Melethmir. "Nana, can I go out and play?" he asked hopefully, his eyes wide and pleading. She glanced at him quickly then focused on her own breakfast. "Once you have finished your breakfast you may." Legolas furrowed his brow. That was not what he the reply sought after. He tried again with his request. "Please Nana? Can I go out to play? It's such a pretty day..."
Melethmir looked at him, one of her delicate eyebrows raised with bemusement. "Did I not just tell you that once you had finished your breakfast that you could?" Legolas squirmed. "But I want to play! Not eat!" he whined. Melethmir tittered then left him to eat his food. Legolas scowled and poked at his food, having no desire to eat it. He glanced over at his sister Bainalfirin and wondered how she would respond if he flipped a fig at her head. That way at least his food would go more rapidly.
His older sister Lhendglir glanced at him and hid a smile. All the rest of Thranduil and Melethmir's children were far older than Legolas, he was quite the spoiled baby of the family. Thranduil could deny him nothing and Melethmir lavished attention on him. She also adored her youngest sibling. Though sometimes he could try one's patience.
She noticed a dark smudge on his arm and frowned faintly. That identical patch of dirt had been there yesterday. She heaved a sigh and nudged him, distracting him from pitching figs at Bainalfirin. "Legolas did you have a bath last night?" Legolas shrank down in his chair, glaring at her and hoping his parents couldn't hear her. "No ..." he said slowly. Lhendglir wrinkled her nose in disapproval. "And I'll wager that you did not have one before breakfast either." Legolas sank lower in his chair, nearly disappearing under the table. "Not as of yet," he mumbled as he virtually fell off his chair.
Melethmir turned around yet again and pulled him up, patience starting to wear thin. "Eat your breakfast." He slid down again. She looked at him infuriated. "You are not going outside until you do." Legolas moaned. "Nana! I want to go outside now!" He glanced out the window, the squirrels were back, and tormenting him it seemed now. He gave up on his mother, as she obviously was not going to bend to his demands. He turned to his father instead. "Ada, can I go outside to play? Please?"
Thranduil tried to keep a stern face as Legolas looked at him expectantly. He had six other children and all of them tried that same trick on him on him at one point or another in their youth. If Melethmir said no then they begged him. Melethmir shook her head in amusement having seen her other children try this trick and knowing how her husband would respond. Thranduil pretended to mull over the child's request. "Well," he mused, "I do not know Titenlaeglass. Have you eaten your breakfast?"
Legolas wriggled, wondering at all the fuss over his eating habits. "Not yet. I'll eat it after I go outside and play!" Legolas was rather keen on that plan. He would go outside then they would forget about breakfast with any luck. Thranduil laughed at the child's cunning. "But then it will be dinner." Legolas's brow furrowed as he tried to think of another way to get away from the table and outside. Doronorn smiled at him. "Might as well give up Legolas. This is a battle you simply cannot win."
Legolas glared at him then at his plate. I don't want food - I want to play outside he thought sulkily. His sister Silagilgalad smiled playfully at Lhendglir. "Who do you think will win the war of Legolas and the bath then?" Lhendglir smiled and snuck a peek at her youngest brother as he scowled at the food on his plate. "Well I would be inclined to say the bath. Unless he wishes to look as unkempt as a dwarf." Legolas tried to ignore their mockery, wishing dreadfully that they would stop harping on about it. His father frowned on dirty elves according to his mother. Bellas smirked as Legolas dared a peek at his father, trying to judge his reaction to the news that he was a little unclean that morning. "A dwarf? I think he smells more like an orc than an elf prince."
Legolas's resolve to ignore their teasing vanished. He whirled to look at Ballas, outraged at the insult. "I smell of nothing of the sort Bellas! I think that your sense of smell is not truthful at all." Ballas opened his mouth to retort but Thranduil silenced him with a swift glare as Legolas scrunched up his face, ready to throw a childish fit of temper. Melethmir pointed at his plate to divert him. "Eat half of it and you may go outside Legolas."
Legolas instantly forgot about his temper tantrum and looked at his plate, concluding he could agree to that deal. He shoveled as much food as possible into his mouth, keen to go outside. He promptly started choking. Silagilgalad expressed amusement as he spat the food out back onto his plate. "Well that will teach you to not eat so much so fast," she scolded affectionately. Lhendglir grimaced, shaking her head. "Such prince like behaviour," she said dryly.
Melethmir shook her head and pushed his glass toward him. "Here - drink it slowly." Legolas grabbed the offered drink and gulped it down nosily. Thranduil shook his head, watching his sputtering son with amusement. Legolas calmed down and glanced out the window, smiling proudly at his mother. "Can I go out now?"
Melethmir glanced at his plate. He hadn't actually eaten much - merely choked on it and spat it out again. She raised an eyebrow. "You have hardly eaten and you are all dirty still…" she trailed off, looking uncertain. Legolas stared at her, aghast at the notion that she might not permit him to play yet.
Panicking, he appealed to his father "Ada! Please may I go out? Please? I swear I'll have a bath tonight if I can! I'll even wash behind my ears! I promise!" Thranduil chuckled. "Well that is a relief indeed. I would not want a son that reeks like an orc in my house" He waved his hand. "Fair enough. Off you go Titenlaeglass. But will I be expecting a proper young prince in your seat tonight, not a stinking little dwarf."
Legolas scrambled off his chair as his family rose to see him out. "I'm not a dwarf," he said cheekily as he paused at the door, "Ballas is the dwarf." He darted outside before Ballas could get a chance to insult him again this morning. Ballas smiled good naturedly.
Melethmir chuckled as they sat down to finish off their breakfast. She looked at Thranduil, shaking her head in amusement. "We spoil that child you realise," she said matter of factly. Thranduil glanced up at her and smiled affectionately. "And you would not have it any other way Melethril." She smiled in agreement and kissed his cheek. "Nor would you." The family finished their breakfast in peace without the youngest member's interrupting antics.
It was after breakfast when Melethmir decided she wanted to go out into the woods for a stroll before attending her other duties as queen. She waved to Thranduil across the room as she walked out. He was already busy with various officials, all demanding his attention. He smiled at her apologetically, knowing she understood. They had been married for centuries - she was use to his frequently divided attention. Melethmir walked outside into the sunshine and smiled as it warmed her face. No wonder Legolas had been so eager to get out and play she mused, looking around for him. She spied him in the treetops, fearlessly leaping from one branch to another chasing after squirrels. She smiled lovingly, her heart burning with love for her youngest child as she stepped off into the forest. As she roamed through the woods her thoughts wandered. She became so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the spiders trailing her until too late. She heard a noise behind her andthat caught her attention, causing her to turn around. She screamed.
Guards heard her cries for help but by the time they reached her it was too late. The spiders had killed her. The pair of guards were distraught and angry. Melethmir, Queen of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood was dead. They would have the grim duty to present her body to their king.
They encountered Doronorn before they found Thranduil. Doronorn cried out in horror at the sight. He looked at the body of his mother, pained. "By the Valar! How did this happen?" he demanded. The guards glanced at each other, troubled. "We merely heard her cry for help - we were too late though," they told him sadly. Doronorn looked away, fighting back tears. He had to find his father to tell him the tragic news.
Summary: A very young Legolas is struggles to cope with the death of his mother.
Author's Notes: I'm not going to lie - my elvish is pretty shoddy. But this is a awesome site to help with that. I insist you check it out if you have an interest in elvish.
http://www.geocities.com/almacq.geo/sindar/sdintro.html
Bits of Elvish that I Use (with eternal thanks to the Sindarin Dictionary Project)
Adar - father
Ada - daddy
Naneth - mother
Nana - mummy
Titenlaeglass - little green leaf
Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au' - My heart shall weep until it sees thee again (erm...I think that's right - if not tell me!)
Seeing as there is little information on Legolas's personal history I thought that I might make up a bit for my own entertainment and enjoyment. I hope you enjoy it too. By all means review. Constructive criticism is very welcome! It can only improve my writing. I generally strive to be historically accurate in my writing as well so if you spot any mistakes I will fix them right up.
As I have no idea if Legolas has any relatives other than Thranduil, I made up his brother and sister's names as well as that of his mother. They have simple meanings behind them. If you're at all curious - email me and I'll be more than happy to tell you.
Briefly, this is the family tree I've made:
Thranduil ~ Melethmir (nicknamed Melethril by Thranduil)
Doronorn Orchalorn Silagilgalad Lhendglir Bellass Bainalfirin Legolas
And on with the actual story.
ooOOoo
Watching the Squirrels
Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest son of Thranduil the King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood, watched the squirrels in the trees through the window, his eyes wide in wonder as he watched their playing. He watched as they jumped from tree to tree with ease, their furry tails streaming behind them. He smiled eagerly and twisted in his chair to get a better look at them, his hands gripping the back of his chair, his body tense with excitement. He whined forlornly like a puppy as they departed from his view.
"Legolas, turn around and eat your breakfast."
Legolas sighed dejectedly and sat down properly, looking at his mother, Melethmir. "Nana, can I go out and play?" he asked hopefully, his eyes wide and pleading. She glanced at him quickly then focused on her own breakfast. "Once you have finished your breakfast you may." Legolas furrowed his brow. That was not what he the reply sought after. He tried again with his request. "Please Nana? Can I go out to play? It's such a pretty day..."
Melethmir looked at him, one of her delicate eyebrows raised with bemusement. "Did I not just tell you that once you had finished your breakfast that you could?" Legolas squirmed. "But I want to play! Not eat!" he whined. Melethmir tittered then left him to eat his food. Legolas scowled and poked at his food, having no desire to eat it. He glanced over at his sister Bainalfirin and wondered how she would respond if he flipped a fig at her head. That way at least his food would go more rapidly.
His older sister Lhendglir glanced at him and hid a smile. All the rest of Thranduil and Melethmir's children were far older than Legolas, he was quite the spoiled baby of the family. Thranduil could deny him nothing and Melethmir lavished attention on him. She also adored her youngest sibling. Though sometimes he could try one's patience.
She noticed a dark smudge on his arm and frowned faintly. That identical patch of dirt had been there yesterday. She heaved a sigh and nudged him, distracting him from pitching figs at Bainalfirin. "Legolas did you have a bath last night?" Legolas shrank down in his chair, glaring at her and hoping his parents couldn't hear her. "No ..." he said slowly. Lhendglir wrinkled her nose in disapproval. "And I'll wager that you did not have one before breakfast either." Legolas sank lower in his chair, nearly disappearing under the table. "Not as of yet," he mumbled as he virtually fell off his chair.
Melethmir turned around yet again and pulled him up, patience starting to wear thin. "Eat your breakfast." He slid down again. She looked at him infuriated. "You are not going outside until you do." Legolas moaned. "Nana! I want to go outside now!" He glanced out the window, the squirrels were back, and tormenting him it seemed now. He gave up on his mother, as she obviously was not going to bend to his demands. He turned to his father instead. "Ada, can I go outside to play? Please?"
Thranduil tried to keep a stern face as Legolas looked at him expectantly. He had six other children and all of them tried that same trick on him on him at one point or another in their youth. If Melethmir said no then they begged him. Melethmir shook her head in amusement having seen her other children try this trick and knowing how her husband would respond. Thranduil pretended to mull over the child's request. "Well," he mused, "I do not know Titenlaeglass. Have you eaten your breakfast?"
Legolas wriggled, wondering at all the fuss over his eating habits. "Not yet. I'll eat it after I go outside and play!" Legolas was rather keen on that plan. He would go outside then they would forget about breakfast with any luck. Thranduil laughed at the child's cunning. "But then it will be dinner." Legolas's brow furrowed as he tried to think of another way to get away from the table and outside. Doronorn smiled at him. "Might as well give up Legolas. This is a battle you simply cannot win."
Legolas glared at him then at his plate. I don't want food - I want to play outside he thought sulkily. His sister Silagilgalad smiled playfully at Lhendglir. "Who do you think will win the war of Legolas and the bath then?" Lhendglir smiled and snuck a peek at her youngest brother as he scowled at the food on his plate. "Well I would be inclined to say the bath. Unless he wishes to look as unkempt as a dwarf." Legolas tried to ignore their mockery, wishing dreadfully that they would stop harping on about it. His father frowned on dirty elves according to his mother. Bellas smirked as Legolas dared a peek at his father, trying to judge his reaction to the news that he was a little unclean that morning. "A dwarf? I think he smells more like an orc than an elf prince."
Legolas's resolve to ignore their teasing vanished. He whirled to look at Ballas, outraged at the insult. "I smell of nothing of the sort Bellas! I think that your sense of smell is not truthful at all." Ballas opened his mouth to retort but Thranduil silenced him with a swift glare as Legolas scrunched up his face, ready to throw a childish fit of temper. Melethmir pointed at his plate to divert him. "Eat half of it and you may go outside Legolas."
Legolas instantly forgot about his temper tantrum and looked at his plate, concluding he could agree to that deal. He shoveled as much food as possible into his mouth, keen to go outside. He promptly started choking. Silagilgalad expressed amusement as he spat the food out back onto his plate. "Well that will teach you to not eat so much so fast," she scolded affectionately. Lhendglir grimaced, shaking her head. "Such prince like behaviour," she said dryly.
Melethmir shook her head and pushed his glass toward him. "Here - drink it slowly." Legolas grabbed the offered drink and gulped it down nosily. Thranduil shook his head, watching his sputtering son with amusement. Legolas calmed down and glanced out the window, smiling proudly at his mother. "Can I go out now?"
Melethmir glanced at his plate. He hadn't actually eaten much - merely choked on it and spat it out again. She raised an eyebrow. "You have hardly eaten and you are all dirty still…" she trailed off, looking uncertain. Legolas stared at her, aghast at the notion that she might not permit him to play yet.
Panicking, he appealed to his father "Ada! Please may I go out? Please? I swear I'll have a bath tonight if I can! I'll even wash behind my ears! I promise!" Thranduil chuckled. "Well that is a relief indeed. I would not want a son that reeks like an orc in my house" He waved his hand. "Fair enough. Off you go Titenlaeglass. But will I be expecting a proper young prince in your seat tonight, not a stinking little dwarf."
Legolas scrambled off his chair as his family rose to see him out. "I'm not a dwarf," he said cheekily as he paused at the door, "Ballas is the dwarf." He darted outside before Ballas could get a chance to insult him again this morning. Ballas smiled good naturedly.
Melethmir chuckled as they sat down to finish off their breakfast. She looked at Thranduil, shaking her head in amusement. "We spoil that child you realise," she said matter of factly. Thranduil glanced up at her and smiled affectionately. "And you would not have it any other way Melethril." She smiled in agreement and kissed his cheek. "Nor would you." The family finished their breakfast in peace without the youngest member's interrupting antics.
It was after breakfast when Melethmir decided she wanted to go out into the woods for a stroll before attending her other duties as queen. She waved to Thranduil across the room as she walked out. He was already busy with various officials, all demanding his attention. He smiled at her apologetically, knowing she understood. They had been married for centuries - she was use to his frequently divided attention. Melethmir walked outside into the sunshine and smiled as it warmed her face. No wonder Legolas had been so eager to get out and play she mused, looking around for him. She spied him in the treetops, fearlessly leaping from one branch to another chasing after squirrels. She smiled lovingly, her heart burning with love for her youngest child as she stepped off into the forest. As she roamed through the woods her thoughts wandered. She became so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the spiders trailing her until too late. She heard a noise behind her andthat caught her attention, causing her to turn around. She screamed.
Guards heard her cries for help but by the time they reached her it was too late. The spiders had killed her. The pair of guards were distraught and angry. Melethmir, Queen of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood was dead. They would have the grim duty to present her body to their king.
They encountered Doronorn before they found Thranduil. Doronorn cried out in horror at the sight. He looked at the body of his mother, pained. "By the Valar! How did this happen?" he demanded. The guards glanced at each other, troubled. "We merely heard her cry for help - we were too late though," they told him sadly. Doronorn looked away, fighting back tears. He had to find his father to tell him the tragic news.