"'Quel amrun, Aran-nin!" (Good morning, my King!) A servant from the nearby corridor greeted warmly as King Thranduil passed-by. "Quel amrun!" He greeted back with the same warmth. "Have you seen Legolas?" asking her straight after.
The servant blinked twice before grinning brightly. "Prince Legolas and the head butler are in the garden, my king. They have been in there since they woke up!" Now it's Thranduil's turn to blink. "Galion?" Honestly, those two—ever since Legolas returned they never seem to get separated! He thought as he gave her his thanks and strode to the corridors leading to the private gardens.
Laughter erupted from the garden as two elves ran after one another, uncaring for the inquiring eyes. "You've been cheating, Ernilen!" (my prince!) Galion huffed-out as he continued chasing the ellon. (male elf.) "Tis not my fault that you lost your senses due to your old age, Galion!" Legolas laughed melodically evading Galion's attempt to catch him for he knows that the tickles would come next. Galion just tried harder to catch him. Servants who had spare time to look-see what the two was doing giggled and grinned.
Since before dawn, Legolas had been tossing and turning in his sleep. Unable to place any particular reason for it, he tried shifting to a more comfortable position—only to end-up standing and getting ready for the day. He went straight to the kitchens afterwards in search for some apple. Again, the reason behind looking for the fruit evaded him. He wasn't hungry for it; rather he just wanted to hold it, keep it in his pocket, and maybe throw it around if the kitchen servants won't hit him for making a mess. Right after picking up one lone green apple, he spotted Galion with his head leaning on the kitchen window; slumbering. He chuckled knowing that his friend was never a morning person; had his father known this he would've just scheduled him work for the afternoon. He sneaked-up on him tickled the poor-sleeping ellon and ran like hell as Galion instinctively gave chase.
"Have I not been resting my eyes for that moment, I would've caught you before hand!" The butler attempted to regain a bit of vanity. "Really now~" the prince sing-sang as he twirled and ducked narrowly missing one of Galion's long arms. He ran again, having the endurance of an elf—funnily enough, he IS one.
And that's how the King found them.
Running around and having too much fun to even notice that they have a steady audience, they laughed after Galion's 4th attempt in capturing the beaming prince—for he too, had twirled; almost that of a ballerina, too. After the 5th attempt he truly gave it up and just sat on the grass. Legolas jogged to his friend and pounced on him, being on the mood of high adrenaline—and endorphin. After a minute passed, Galion had Legolas begging for release from the tickles. Pleas and sweet laughter filled the air as Galion continued with the assault—that is until he saw that his prince needed air. Legolas lay breathless on the grass grinning at his friend. "What has possessed you today, Ernilen?" Galion asked with a breathless chuckle. "Amin caela n'noa, mellon-nin." (I have no idea, my friend.) The prince replied as he reached for the green apple he had pocketed whilst being chased around by the butler. "Green apple?" Galion gave him an inquiring gaze. "I do not know why I have taken it with me." The prince answered truthfully. The butler lay beside the prince and held-out his hand for the apple, which the price gave knowing that his friend wanted to examine it. "Tis just an apple." Galion says after a moment of examining it. "That is why I am curious as to why I have been so drawn to it." The butler laughed and gave the apple back. "Maybe you have just been hungry, Ernilen." Legolas elbowed his friend on the ribs playfully, ending with both of them rolling around the grass; trying to get the upper-hand.
Thranduil watched with much amusement as his son and the head butler tackled each other on the grass of the private gardens. Laughing softly as he made his way to them. When he got close enough still unnoticed he grinned, unable to contain himself. "I could've have sworn that the last elfling was born 3,653 years ago. How come is it then that I now see two?" Relishing the moment when two shocked faces snapped their attention to him, he gave them an amused laugh; as both hurried to their feet to retain their dignified aura. "Ada!" Legolas grinned after recovering from the initial shock. "What on Middle-Earth have you two been up to?" The King asked feigning seriousness. "W-we were—I was… er…" Galion stuttered. The prince giggled as he held out the green apple to his father; whispering 'now I know why I brought that with me.' His father gave him a cheeky grin of his own before taking the apple. "Like old times, Tithen Pen? I'm afraid you won't evade the question that easy this time." The King was surprised to see confusion cross his son's face. "I've done this before, Adar?" Thranduil's grin broke. 'Ai, Valar! Must I always be the one to destroy his day?' He prayed to whoever who could hear him that Legolas wouldn't be miserable the whole day because of him. "You do not remember, Greenleaf?" he started cautiously. "Every year, around this time in summer? You and your naneth—" (mother) Sadness marred his son's face and he paled in comparison to his already pale complexion. The King faltered and took a very deep breath. "Why don't we take a walk?" he suggested—although it sounded more like a statement. Galion bowed respectfully and backed-away, giving the prince a sympathetic look before vanishing in the corridors.
"Adar… I don't remember." Big soulful blue eyes turned to his father for any hopeful explanation. "It's probably because your mind won't allow you to remember because of your mother's death." They walked along the beautiful garden side-by-side, "Come to think of it… I really don't remember anything before her death." Legolas admitted. "It's not something for you to grieve about, Ion-nin." Thranduil smiled slightly, trying to get his son to do so—and failing.
"We had fun then?" the prince asked, not able to move-on from the thought of forgetting the memories of his mother. "Yes." It was all the King could answer—it was the truth after all. "Legolas—" he started, thinking of an idea in an instant… Well, not really—but he did thought about it before the day went away, yes? "Do you want me to tell you?" The younger elf turned to him with renewed interest. "Yes, I want to hear about it. Maybe, I haven't forgotten. Maybe—" A hand rested on his shoulder for comfort. "Maybe, you are just really, really depressed." He smiled, earning him a small one in return. Well, that's one step closer to cheerfulness—he made a mental check.
"Nana! Ada! LOOK, LOOK!!!" A tiny Legolas ran to the garden where his parents where having a peaceful afternoon tea—that was until he burst-in on them. Miniel giggled as she picked her tiny 4 year old elfling. He was so small that one would mistake him for a 2 year old. "No! NO, Nana! Come with me! Look at what I found!" but being very, very lazy the couple just looked lovingly at the child and waited patiently. "You must see, you must see, you must see, you must see, you must see—OOOH! BIRD! Let me down, let me down, let me down~!" Miniel placed him on the ground where he scrambled-off to where he saw the bird flew; faithful Galion following him. Both the King and the Queen laughed happily as their gazes follow their young. "You really should have Elrond take a look at him, Mela-nin. I do not think his level of attention-span is normal." The queen gave her husband a warming smile. "Aye, that I will do." Thranduil nodded after sipping at his tea. "Thranduil?" even the Queen's voice is smiling. "Yes, Mela-nin?" the King turned to her once more. "What did I just say?" A blank air met the question. "Never mind taking him to Elrond, love. He takes forgetfulness out from you." Her laugh resounded in the gardens like tinkling little bells as the King pouted—un-kingly.
"Nana!" Legolas' tiny voice called both their attentions. A green apple flew out of nowhere and landed straight on the Queen's open palms. "Oh?"
The tiny elfling ran to her filled with giggles and laughter. "Galion's dead!" the young one grinned, shocking the couple. The King hurried-off to where he saw them disappear earlier. "Ioneamin!" (My son!) the Queen gave a silent prayer that his son was merely jesting. "He is! He fell down and he didn't stand-up!" Legolas insisted as he subconsciously took the apple from her. The Queen gasped as she was torn into going to their friend and staying with her son.
Thranduil came back to them fuming. Demanding an explanation from his son as to why Galion has a concussion. The fuming however was replaced with: "At least he's okay now. Ninien took him to the Healer." When Legolas offered him the green apple with an apologetic look. The Queen laughed feeling at ease: "My silly husband."
"I cannot believe that I rival the attention span of a dog!" Legolas laughed merrily. "That you certainly did, much as I rivaled the memory of a goldfish." Thranduil laughed in equal mirth. Comfortable silence followed suit. "Adar?"
"Yes, Ion-nin?"
"Do you want to have a father-and-son friendly archery competition?"
"That sounds like a great idea!... What is your catch, Tithen Pen?" Thranduil gave his son a sly smile.
"One who loses wears one of Naneth's gowns the whole day."
"LEGOLAS!"
"I just miss her, Ada." Greenleaf gave his father a wistful smile.
"I know, but—wait, what makes you think you'll win?"
"I'm the greatest archer in Middle-Earth. Even those in Caras Galadhon said so."
"Ah, but you take after me, Ion-nin."
"Really~"
"Yes, really."
"Would you not prove it?"
"Legolas, I won't take any—"
"Unless you fear to lose to me, Adar." Legolas openly smirked at him.
"Oh, do not be over-confident! I shall beat you to it, and you know it."
"No, you won't."
"Yes, I will."
"No, you won't~"
"Legolas, come with me to the Archery Fields and I will show you!"
"Alright~"
That night, servants from every part of the household became terrified as they rumored about an Elleth ghost running on and around the Royal chambers. Some says that it was the Queen—came to visit her beloved husband and sweet little prince. Others—specifically, Galion; who came to the Prince's private quarters every night to see if he needs anything, came face-to-face with "the ghost".
He couldn't stop laughing when he went to fetch some wine and the other servants thought he went nuts.
While Galion laughed in the background, the King sat smugly in the prince's bed awaiting his 'elleth' son. "I did told him that I'd win." He grinned. "I'm still not sure what his mother would think when she sees this from Mando's Halls."
The time came when Galion had already stopped laughing; and was in-dire need of air, and the King sat comfortably with his goblet of wine. Silence was emanating from the usually musical night. Unable to find themselves stressing about the silence they waited. That's when they heard the softest whisper, one that could be distinguished as the whisper of the Late Queen. The hairs at the back of their necks stood and they were about to react when the Prince returned.
"My silly Husband~"
(A/N): Again, Happy Mother's day! This story is kind of plot-less and I made it for my mom. To whom I owe my unpredictability to. Love you, mom.