Title: Destiny Calls
Author: ME! Innocent_Immortal
Summery: Legolas knows he is destined to go to Rivendell to attend the Council, but his father will not let him. How will he get permission? And if he cannot convince his father, what will he do?
Rating: PG due to (very) minor language.
A/N: Since in the book Legolas tells the Council about Gollums' escape, I'm going with the movie. (In the movie Legolas has no message, he just arrives. This is what happened to lead him on such a journey.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father why can I not go?" Legolas asked in exasperation.
"Legolas, you are barely come of age." Thranduil replied, his temper growing, "The pass through the mountain is a long, dangerous road. It is no place for a child!" Placing his hands on the desk he lifted himself from his chair, glaring at the elf. Most would have cringed at the look Thranduil was giving his only son, but (as they say) the apple does not fall far from the tree, and Legolas leveled his father with one of his own.
Legolas took a deep breath, willing his anger to cool. Yelling would get him no where with his father. After all, Thranduil was a great king who had to deal with many threats and complaints from his people, yelling would have no effect. "I am not a child." He said calmly. "I am 2000 years old. Why will you not accept that I am an adult now and have been for the past 500 years?"
"An adult are you? If you are such an adult, then why are you throwing such a tantrum just to follow the foolish ways of the Noldor?" Thranduil shot back.
"Father!" Legolas anger burst from its' cage. "Can you not see? The whole of Arda's fate may rest on the shoulders of those who attend this council."
"I said no, Legolas, end of discussion." He absently sat down and picked up the letter again. "This is the bane of men. Elves should not get involved, especially that fool of a lord, Elrond. We have enough problems here in Mirkwood to keep you busy for generations. Let the rest of the damn world deal with their own problems however they like, but you will not be there when fate plays her hand."
"Fate has already played her hand, and now it is up to us to aid men however we can!" Legolas tried again, playing off of his fathers' words.
"Legolas Greenleaf, I said no! Now stop arguing before I place you under house arrest!"
Legolas stiffened at his fathers' remark and went deathly still. Narrowing his eyes he replied, "You would arrest your own son?"
Thranduil looked up, noticing the ice in his son's voice. "I would, and I will if you even breathe another word of this foolish council."
"I am sorry father." Thranduils' son replied coldly." I must do what my heart tells me is right."
"The heart is foolish and should not be listened to in such matters. Especially when it will endanger you or others. Now go to your room. There will no more talk of this matter."
"Father I must go!" Legolas tried one last time, hoping his father would change his mind or risk more hurt than was necessary.
"No! How many times must I tell you?"
"At least give me one good reason why you deny what I know is right."
"Legolas, you are the only heir to the throne. If something should happen to me, Mirkwood would need a ruler. What will happen if both you and I are gone? Mirkwood would fail; the people would leave its borders and sail into the west. The elves will be forgotten. All this would rest on your head for being so foolhardy. Do you want that guilt?"
Legolas did not answer. He only glared at his father for making a reference to the most heated of topics between the two. All of Legolas' long life his father had held the 'only heir' statement over his head, forcing him to feel guilty. Therefore, Legolas had never done much outside the borders of Mirkwood and had never been out of sight of the woods.
Realizing that every attempt to change his fathers' mind on this subject would be futile and would only lead to the little freedom he had to be taken away. Turning on his heels, he quickly left the room before his temper really exploded.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Legolas hurried down the halls, carrying his saddlebags over his shoulder. There was only one hour until dawn, no one should rise until then.
"Your highness!"
Skidding to a halt, the young prince feared whom he might find behind him. No one was usually awake at this hour of the night. Quickly thinking of an excuse, he turned around. Relief washed over him as realization hit him. "Galenfirith! What are you doing up at this hour?"
"I should be asking the same of you, which I will. What are you doing up this at this hour of the night?" Galenfirith was a slightly shorter elf than Legolas. With golden brown hair and evergreen eyes, he was a real rival for Legolas where she-elves where concerned. He was Legolas' best friend, but when it came to keeping secrets, lets just say it would be safer to tell a tree than this brown haired elf.
"I would tell you, but I cannot." Legolas replied, not wishing to have the news of his midnight departure known throughout the kingdom before he even left.
"Of course you can! I can keep it a secret if that is what you wish." Galenfirith pleaded, he loved a good secret.
Legolas glanced at the window, dawn was fast approaching. Hoping to be rid (in a friendly way of course) of his friend quickly, he told Galenfirith of his plans. "I am heading to Rivendell, my friend. It would be wise if you did not tell anyone about this. My father does not approve."
Galenfirith looked astonished. "You are going against your fathers' commands? You will be in serious trouble, not just with your father, but with the law as well!"
"I know." Legolas whispered," but I must. If I do not go, then I feel that my life will be wasted and without purpose. Please, Galenfirith, do not tell anyone."
His friend nodded, "Of course. Have I ever not kept one of your secrets?" Legolas almost laughed at that remark. Galenfirith was a good-natured elf, both loving and respectable, but there had been many times when he had let a secret slip that had gotten them both into trouble. A memory of one of those times crept through Legolas' mind. Smiling, he nodded his approval.
"Thank you, friend."
"Anytime. All I ask is that you come back in one piece."
"Of course. Namarie." Galenfirith and Legolas parted ways. That was the last time Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, would see his home and his friend for the nearly two years he was with the fellowship plus many more. But Galenfirith did not keep his secret as he promised. No matter how much he wanted to, the fact that Legolas wanted his departure to remain unknown was lost on the elf when Thranduil questioned him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After receiving the news of Legolas' midnight ride, Thranduil sat alone in his study, wishing he could have somehow stopped Legolas from leaving. Sighing heavily, he placed his head in his hand. "Legolas, what have you done?" Thranduil whispered to himself with deep regret and sadness in his voice. And there he sad, alone, reflecting on memories of the past. He did not believe he would ever see his son again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Legolas, as I am sure you all know, joined the Fellowship of the Ring. With the other eight members, he helped defeat the center of all evil on Middle-Earth, protect the people of Helms Deep, and accomplished many other great feats, including the establishment of the kingdom of Ithilien.
Legolas did not return home for many more years, and when he did, the reunion was bittersweet.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~THE END~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N:I am currently thinking about writing a sequel to this story about Legolas' return home. What do you think? Should I? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this fic, I am finally out of that darn writer's block thanks to Arwen Lune and her Plotbunnies 'R Us! Thank you Arwen Lune!
Author: ME! Innocent_Immortal
Summery: Legolas knows he is destined to go to Rivendell to attend the Council, but his father will not let him. How will he get permission? And if he cannot convince his father, what will he do?
Rating: PG due to (very) minor language.
A/N: Since in the book Legolas tells the Council about Gollums' escape, I'm going with the movie. (In the movie Legolas has no message, he just arrives. This is what happened to lead him on such a journey.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Father why can I not go?" Legolas asked in exasperation.
"Legolas, you are barely come of age." Thranduil replied, his temper growing, "The pass through the mountain is a long, dangerous road. It is no place for a child!" Placing his hands on the desk he lifted himself from his chair, glaring at the elf. Most would have cringed at the look Thranduil was giving his only son, but (as they say) the apple does not fall far from the tree, and Legolas leveled his father with one of his own.
Legolas took a deep breath, willing his anger to cool. Yelling would get him no where with his father. After all, Thranduil was a great king who had to deal with many threats and complaints from his people, yelling would have no effect. "I am not a child." He said calmly. "I am 2000 years old. Why will you not accept that I am an adult now and have been for the past 500 years?"
"An adult are you? If you are such an adult, then why are you throwing such a tantrum just to follow the foolish ways of the Noldor?" Thranduil shot back.
"Father!" Legolas anger burst from its' cage. "Can you not see? The whole of Arda's fate may rest on the shoulders of those who attend this council."
"I said no, Legolas, end of discussion." He absently sat down and picked up the letter again. "This is the bane of men. Elves should not get involved, especially that fool of a lord, Elrond. We have enough problems here in Mirkwood to keep you busy for generations. Let the rest of the damn world deal with their own problems however they like, but you will not be there when fate plays her hand."
"Fate has already played her hand, and now it is up to us to aid men however we can!" Legolas tried again, playing off of his fathers' words.
"Legolas Greenleaf, I said no! Now stop arguing before I place you under house arrest!"
Legolas stiffened at his fathers' remark and went deathly still. Narrowing his eyes he replied, "You would arrest your own son?"
Thranduil looked up, noticing the ice in his son's voice. "I would, and I will if you even breathe another word of this foolish council."
"I am sorry father." Thranduils' son replied coldly." I must do what my heart tells me is right."
"The heart is foolish and should not be listened to in such matters. Especially when it will endanger you or others. Now go to your room. There will no more talk of this matter."
"Father I must go!" Legolas tried one last time, hoping his father would change his mind or risk more hurt than was necessary.
"No! How many times must I tell you?"
"At least give me one good reason why you deny what I know is right."
"Legolas, you are the only heir to the throne. If something should happen to me, Mirkwood would need a ruler. What will happen if both you and I are gone? Mirkwood would fail; the people would leave its borders and sail into the west. The elves will be forgotten. All this would rest on your head for being so foolhardy. Do you want that guilt?"
Legolas did not answer. He only glared at his father for making a reference to the most heated of topics between the two. All of Legolas' long life his father had held the 'only heir' statement over his head, forcing him to feel guilty. Therefore, Legolas had never done much outside the borders of Mirkwood and had never been out of sight of the woods.
Realizing that every attempt to change his fathers' mind on this subject would be futile and would only lead to the little freedom he had to be taken away. Turning on his heels, he quickly left the room before his temper really exploded.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Legolas hurried down the halls, carrying his saddlebags over his shoulder. There was only one hour until dawn, no one should rise until then.
"Your highness!"
Skidding to a halt, the young prince feared whom he might find behind him. No one was usually awake at this hour of the night. Quickly thinking of an excuse, he turned around. Relief washed over him as realization hit him. "Galenfirith! What are you doing up at this hour?"
"I should be asking the same of you, which I will. What are you doing up this at this hour of the night?" Galenfirith was a slightly shorter elf than Legolas. With golden brown hair and evergreen eyes, he was a real rival for Legolas where she-elves where concerned. He was Legolas' best friend, but when it came to keeping secrets, lets just say it would be safer to tell a tree than this brown haired elf.
"I would tell you, but I cannot." Legolas replied, not wishing to have the news of his midnight departure known throughout the kingdom before he even left.
"Of course you can! I can keep it a secret if that is what you wish." Galenfirith pleaded, he loved a good secret.
Legolas glanced at the window, dawn was fast approaching. Hoping to be rid (in a friendly way of course) of his friend quickly, he told Galenfirith of his plans. "I am heading to Rivendell, my friend. It would be wise if you did not tell anyone about this. My father does not approve."
Galenfirith looked astonished. "You are going against your fathers' commands? You will be in serious trouble, not just with your father, but with the law as well!"
"I know." Legolas whispered," but I must. If I do not go, then I feel that my life will be wasted and without purpose. Please, Galenfirith, do not tell anyone."
His friend nodded, "Of course. Have I ever not kept one of your secrets?" Legolas almost laughed at that remark. Galenfirith was a good-natured elf, both loving and respectable, but there had been many times when he had let a secret slip that had gotten them both into trouble. A memory of one of those times crept through Legolas' mind. Smiling, he nodded his approval.
"Thank you, friend."
"Anytime. All I ask is that you come back in one piece."
"Of course. Namarie." Galenfirith and Legolas parted ways. That was the last time Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, would see his home and his friend for the nearly two years he was with the fellowship plus many more. But Galenfirith did not keep his secret as he promised. No matter how much he wanted to, the fact that Legolas wanted his departure to remain unknown was lost on the elf when Thranduil questioned him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After receiving the news of Legolas' midnight ride, Thranduil sat alone in his study, wishing he could have somehow stopped Legolas from leaving. Sighing heavily, he placed his head in his hand. "Legolas, what have you done?" Thranduil whispered to himself with deep regret and sadness in his voice. And there he sad, alone, reflecting on memories of the past. He did not believe he would ever see his son again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Legolas, as I am sure you all know, joined the Fellowship of the Ring. With the other eight members, he helped defeat the center of all evil on Middle-Earth, protect the people of Helms Deep, and accomplished many other great feats, including the establishment of the kingdom of Ithilien.
Legolas did not return home for many more years, and when he did, the reunion was bittersweet.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~THE END~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N:I am currently thinking about writing a sequel to this story about Legolas' return home. What do you think? Should I? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this fic, I am finally out of that darn writer's block thanks to Arwen Lune and her Plotbunnies 'R Us! Thank you Arwen Lune!