"Oh Greenleaf, little Greenleaf. Where do your adventures end?"
Chapter 1
"Arriving at Elrond's."
A/N: Patronizing this fic will be a specially modified song since I drew inspiration from the TV series it star in, lets see how many of you still remember it ;) :
"Go, Leafy! Go!
Deep inside the forest where nature's running wild
Coming to the rescue is a very special child.
Talking to the animals and swinging from a vine.
This rough and tough adventurer is working all the time.
So there goes Leafy… Leafy… Leafy… Go, Greenleaf, Go!
Elrond's on a meeting, we're going for a ride
Leafy is on the road with tiny Ruben by his side.
Discovering together Yeah we're always having fun!
Helping out each other is good for everyone.
And there goes Leafy… Leafy… Leafy… Go, Greenleaf, Go!"
After that little trip to the past, let's begin!
Elrond smiled atop his loyal stallion, Dallas as the small Mirkwood party slowly made their way into the clearing.
Because of the growing shadow in the once beautiful Greenwood the Great, King Thranduil Oropherion decided it was wise to send his elfling son, Legolas to spend his childhood in the safe lands of Rivendell. Having already lost his wife Leanna to the cruel hands of orcs shortly after little Las was born, the Mirkwood king wasn't going to take any chances with his one and only child.
The lord of Rivendell looked to the three elves that accompanied him to welcome the visiting party. Two of the elves were his teenage, twin sons Elladan and Elrohir, the 'Terrors of Rivendell' as Erestor likes to call them. Though they might not be the most responsible elves in all of the realm, there was no doubt that the young Lords will be far more qualified to watch over young Thrandulion than any of the elder members of their race.
With their large amounts of imagination and witty humor, not to mention all the practical pranks they like to pull on the two oldest elves in their father's realm, they'll be able to keep up with the energetic elfling and keep him entertained before bed time.
Ever since the twins heard about Legolas staying with them for a longer period of time, they made a whole list of things they need to show and teach him. Ensuring that the little rascal will have so much fun, he won't have time to be thinking about the fact that his Adar was nowhere in sight. Because he never remembers having a mother, Thranduil is the only parental figure Legolas knows and the thought of separation always brought tears to the cute, little face.
The other elf that came to greet the Mirkwood party was Rivendell's personal living legend and one of Elrond's closest friends, Glorfindel the Balrog Slayer, sitting proudly on his loyal stallion Asfaloth. Ever since their first meeting during the day the young prince of Mirkwood was delivered to this world, Legolas had stolen the elf Lord's heart so much so, that Thranduil had no choice but to name The Balrog Slayer, little Greenleaf's Godfather. Much to Elrond's disappointment.
Continuing from that day onward, Glorfindel was always there when Legolas visited Rivendell, serving as a replacement 'father-figure' when Thranduil was not available. Having his room close to that of the golden haired elfling in order to hear him if he cries, monitoring the little one from the shadows as he played with Elrond's twins and telling Legolas stories of his heroic deeds as well as his lost city Gondolin, before the prince went to bed.
Elrond smiled at the memory of the one-time Thranduil's heir fell from a tree and broke his leg, he could swear the warrior was more nervous during the time Elrond bandaged the tiny limb, than during any of the battles the Lord of Rivendell saw him in.
After the little adventure Glorfindel gave the four-year-old a long lecture about climbing trees, before enveloping the little body in a big hug and not letting go until dinner time. The Lord of Rivendell couldn't remember the other Lord fret over someone so much, since Arwen was little and got a splinter in her finger.
Eyeing the proud warrior fondly Elrond knew that, under all that yelling at the twins for their numerous pranks and verbal arguments with Erestor, Glorfindel was just a big teddy bear with a huge soft spot for elflings.
The sound of elk hoofsteps pulled the master healer out of his musings about his long-time friend, he turned around and was met with the weary icy-blue eyes of Thranduil Oropherion the Mirkwood Elvenking.
"It's good to see you, old friend." The king spoke with a sad smile as he and Elrond exchanged an elven greeting, by squeezing their arms tightly.
"Likewise, mellon-nin." The Lord of Rivendell nodded and offered a soft smile to the lone father, knowing how much it must cost him to leave the only living member of his family, his only tie to Leanna, for such a long amount of time, under the care of someone that wasn't him.
Thranduil managed to exchange greetings with both the Rivendell twins and Glorfindel, before a small rubber-ended arrow zipped through the air and struck Elrohir square in the forehead. The twin let out a quiet sound of distress as the wooden end of the toy arrow wobbled up and down in the lines of his vision.
Where it any other arrow Elrond would rush towards his son and immediately demand to see his wound, but seeing that the weapon was just a toy that was only designed to leach onto everything the user targeted and not cause harm, the elven lord just chuckled at the shocked face of his son that the little plaything left in its wake.
After a few minutes of shocked silence, a bright giggle could be heard somewhere behind the mighty king of Mirkwood, along with the soft sound of tiny hoofs hitting the muddy ground.
Soon a small, green dressed elfling with golden hair and light-blue eyes so bright they could be used as lanterns in the darkness, riding a young, cream colored elkling (most likely the son of Thranduil's mount) and clutching his toy weapon.
"I got you, Elwohiw!" The little prince chirped happily, pointing at the younger twin with a large smile on his face. "See, Ada? I can shoot big, mean monstews now! I'm a big boy! I'll pwotect Ada from nasty owcs with my mighty awwows!" The child squealed, delighted at his accomplishment.
The grown elves laughed heartily at the little scamp and his desire to be a warrior like the heroes in legends Glorfindel shared with him, during bed time.
"Ah so I'm a monster now, huh?" Elrond watched his son pull out the rubber arrow from the center of his forehead, with a mock-angry look on his youthful face.
"Well, on the kid's behalf, you do look a bit like an orc, Ro." Elladan jabbed, playfully at his twin.
"Need I remind you that we're twins, brother dearest?" Elrohir snapped back before focusing his attention back on their little guest. "Now…a certain little princeling better start running, because this monster is hungry for some yummy little elflings!" The elf then jumped off his horse, licked his lips and twiddled his fingers like a supposed 'monster' would.
Legolas reacted like any elfling would, with a loud squeal and a mad dash towards the palace, the shot twin not far behind. Soon the elder elf caught up to the tiny prince, picked him up from his mount's back and tackled him playfully to the ground, much to the youngster's delight.
The rest of the elves watched the younger generation play and enjoy their youth, with smiles on their faces. With the exception of Glorfindel, who's 'mother-hen' side was beginning to kick in, as he watched the large trouble magnets (that is the twins), play around with Arda's last elfling.
Shaking his head at the warrior, Elrond turned to Thranduil who watched the scene with tears in his silver-blue eyes.
"He will be safe here, Thranduil." The lord of Rivendell assured the troubled king. "I won't let anything happen to him, ever."
"I know." The lone father whispered back, for a long moment he just looked at the happy five-year-old play around with Elrohir, before turning to Elrond. "Thank you, old friend." He added, nodding his crowned head.
The Lord of Rivendell just smiled at the fair headed being. "It's the least we can do for Arda's last elf child."
And that there, was the painful truth. Elves are slowly leaving Middle-Earth, their dominant space being taken over by the race of men. Before Legolas was born the elven kind was confident that Arwen was the last elfling to be born, since no other attempt at conceiving one was ever successful. That news left both Thranduil and Leanna devastated at the thought of never having the sound of young giggles and tiny feet stomping, echo in their great palace.
After many years of silent prayers and futile attempts, Eru finally decided to grant the pair their shared wish and soon Leanna was pregnant with the cute, little elfling Elrond promised to take care of today.
The day Legolas Greenleaf was delivered to the word, brought great joy and celebration to the Elven realms. The most important figures from Lothlorien and Imladris came to welcome the newest addition to the Mirkwood.
And stayed there for Leanna's funeral a week later. For, it turned out, the arrival of the Prince of Mirkwood, had to come with a heavy price.
A life for a life.
The loss of his wife so soon after their greatest wish came true, was enough to destroy any happiness Legolas's birth brought and, for a short amount of time, the princeling had to stay with Elrond and Celebrian, since the freshly-baked-lone-father was in no condition to take care of a new-born elfling.
When Thranduil came a few months later to retrieve the baby, he looked like a skinny shadow of the proud elf he once was. His hair messy and greasy, his eyes red and sleep-deprived, his breath stinking with alcohol overuse…
Both Elrond and his wife were skeptical about giving the child back to his father, but it turned out that was one of the best decisions they ever made. Having someone to take care of, gave the lost king meaning in life, one that prevented him from sailing to the Undying Lands and reuniting with Leanna.
Legolas became the center of Thranduil's galaxy.
And now the cruel world, in the form of ruthless orcs attacking the Mirkwood borders, was separating them, yet again.
The lord of Imladris could only hope the father and son will reunite soon, and hopefully in a much more peaceful time.
