I own none of Tolkien's characters and just love to write about them.
To King Thranduil, It was one of the most memorable moments. Time of when his son still held the wonder of the world aglow in his eye, when 'twas all new to him. The time seemed so green to him now as he recalled his son running about in his dapple-gray tunic making him a bit harder to spot in the shadows. It was not a time of peace or necessarily a time of joy and not so very long ago his beloved torn from him. Yet, when they found jubilation they held to it with both hands.
When at last he had found his son he was remiss. So soon had he been ready to scold him that now he only found his mirth. His son's pale blond locks were tousled and tendrils blew into his eyes as he bounced on one foot now, quite the jester. Two hands full of dirt, grass, and dandelions with worms now squirming out between his fingers seemed to delight his son.
"Legolas!" The King of Mirkwood called to this ungovernable son and as cued the prince stopped remembering his ada's loss of fondness for undignified thing, yet it had been fun. Relinquishing his hold the dirt, Legolas then noticed how dirty his hands were then he raced to the water's edge to tidy up after. It was then he noted his son's look into the water and thoughtfully Thranduil pressed each finger tip to it's twin on his other hand. He was amused watching his son wetting his hands and began to tame his hair once again.
Thranduil sat upon a mere knoll but to see his regal satire was to think he sat on his very throne. He found himself lamenting at the sight of his son, so much like his mother.
"What was it that you were doing?" He demanded lightly of his son.
"Looking for mother," he said absentmindedly as he began to pleat his regal locks.
"Your mother?" Thranduil sighed at the topic still sore in his heart, "Legolas, she passed."
He could hear a sigh from the youngling, "yes, ada. Still she told me I would find her within nature."
"In filth, weeds and insects?" Thranduil scoffed loudly.
"No, ada," Legolas sighed and he presented a small crystal from within the opening inside his soft tunic. 'Twas but a shard but lit as if it was the very arkenstone with a rainbow swirling within it as an everlasting glow. So tiny that the small elf held it in the palm of his hand and could be called a pebble to compare, a mere trinket
Taking a knee to his son's side he narrowed eyes at the diminutive gem in his son's palm. "Your mother gave you this?"
He gave a inclination of his head as he once again donned his princely mannerism. "Long ago she said it would help me to always know her."
Thranduil touched it and all he could see that would set it apart was it's look. Legolas shook his head as a mild breeze began to blow and he held up his hand with the gem flat in his palm, as tall as he could stretch.
A voice began as if a whistle upon reeds but soon limpid. Thranduil felt a bit haunted hearing a voice but Legolas was transfixed with a smile taking over his tiny face.
"I would never leave you, Legolas," her sweet voice sang from the very air and not as lucid but sure as he stood he knew he could hear his wife humming the lullaby she had sang during her living years. Thranduil closed his eyes nearly feeling her beside him until Legolas' voice rang as a gentle knell.
"She said, when you need to bathe I will be the water in the lakes to clean you. When you feel the grass surrounding you when you fall that is my hug for you." Legolas and Thranduil found himself choked up longing for the elleth that had blessed their lives. "She said when you feel the air upon your face that is my kiss." Taking a deep breath he looked to his father, "the water grass and wind are also mother now." When his hair blew aside gently tickling his face the small elf's smile lit his face up and aglow.
Legolas loved listening but soon the wind slowed to a stop and he turned to his father with his vast smile gone. Now he was confused seeing the glassy eyes of his father's unshed tears, "ada? Have I done something wrong?" He looked to the elf many considered cruel, unjust, ill-tempered and truly some said 'mean' but this father drew his son into his arms tightly with a smile.
"Never could you do wrong in my eyes," Thranduil whispered in just above a breath
"Why is it you cry?"
"I miss her," he grazed his cheek with a trifling of kiss.
"Why?" Legolas wrestled from his father's embrace acting as willful as he could but then palmed the gem lifting it aloft as the wind blew. The shard glowed to life again but only faintly as the elf turned with the stone's vibration.
Slowly the sound of the humming waned and they strained to listen, "In you my son I will always dwell," began his mother's soft whisper haltingly. "In you, I leave the best of me and to comfort and love your father, loving one another more than life itself." Suddenly it ceased hastily leaving them with no song and no breeze after then slowly the birds began to sing and nature resumed as it ever was.
By now Thranduil's face was near a waterfall and his son halted feeling he had done something wrong. "Ada?" He ran to his father worriedly, "what have I done wrong?" When Thranduil tossed his head into his hands and finding Legolas ambling into his arms his father let go of his tears finally.
Ebbing away he found his father's same look without the tears he had heard falling, showing no weakness after. Thranduil stood slowly taking his son's hand gently as they walked away together.
"Have I done something wrong?" Legolas wondered aloud and much like his mother.
Thranduil minded him and knew very well he did have his mother's heart and spirit. "Never have you, my son," with a deep exhalation he looked to his son. "Your mother had done something very right." They walked on together as the sun warmed their skin but it was the wind's kiss upon their cheeks that brought a smile.