Author's Note: I'm back! I decided to go with and elf fic this time. So why not Thranduil and Legolas. This is Pre-hobbit but will probably include the dwarves as well. Also, Rimis is the name for Thranduil's wife.

Thranduil wasn't always like this. Vain yes, but quiet? Never. At one point, he had been the most jovial of the kingdom, dancing and laughing into the night. He and his wife threw a party at least once a week.

But those days are long past now. No longer would Thranduil throw lavish parties and dance. He barely even smiled now. At first, everyone expected it. The death of an elf would put anyone into grief, and Thranduil hated to lose even one patrol guard. As the months progressed, people were still not surprised. The death of one's wife would leave an even bigger hole. But as the years progressed, he still was melancholy. The rest of the kingdom wished he would awake from his miserable stupor. He had a son to look after. Of course, his son was no longer a boy, but a father was always important in the life of an elf.

It was not as if Legolas minded. He had grown quite used to it. After all, his mother's death had been a century ago. Since then he was free to roam the halls of his father's kingdom.

He was the talk among the ladies. At ripe age for marrying, he had never even given a thought into women. His days were filled with hunting and more hunting. He would nod his head to any lady he walked by, but never really expressed much interest in actually courting one. The only elf maiden he paid any mind to was Tauriel, and even that was usually for the sole purpose of giving orders. She was one of the head guards and was very good. He saw it as his duty to make sure training went smoothly. It always did. He could see Tauriel becoming captain of the guard in a feed decades. The current captain was hoping to become an ambassador. He selected a few trainees to carry out his duties when he stopped. Naturally she was one of them. Only Legolas's skill gave contest to her own.

Thranduil spent his days seated on his throne and staring flippantly in the distance. Many hours a day he barely moved from said position. Getting up only to eat and sleep, one could always find him on his throne. He used to frequent the library. Books of his father and his people could be found on the shelves. He had been an elfling who loved history. Nobody knew the history of Greenwood the Great better than he. He used tell anyone willing to listen the stories of his kingdom. But not anymore. He wished only to sit and stare. Many people believed he sat in a dream-like sleeping state all the day through.. However, Thranduil never dreamed. He sat and thought of his wife. She had been the most beautiful elf he had ever seen. He long blonde tresses flowed down her back and gracefully brushed her waist. Every morning he had braided her hair for her, and then at night he had combed it out again. This was not really necessary, but she loved the way his hands gently brushed her head as he braided it. Thranduil never complained, because he too loved to play with her hair. She would comb his long blond locks out as well. Now he did it alone. If he bothered at all. He never really needed to anymore. Nothing he did could ever cause his flowing locks to tangle. His son on the other hand, he was a handful. Always running he was.

Legolas roamed the halls by the healing wing, making sure to check that everything was in order. He let his mind slip to a time long ago with his father. Thranduil had always done this job. A few times he would take little Legolas with him, and he would wave to everyone in the room. Now he walked alone, doing the job his father was supposed to be doing. Stopping, he ducked into a corner. Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine the last time his father had done that. It had been a long time...

"Adar wait for me!"

"Legolas! I am just going out for rounds! Are you sure you want to come again! I had to carry you at the end last time because your feet hurt."

"I am sure. I promise to walk the whole thing."

"Alright. Come here and lets go."

Legolas had run ahead and his in a little crevice, trying to scare his daddy when he walked by. it worked, he jumped out of his hiding place and screamed. His dad jumped and yelled back. Scooping him up, Legolas landed on his father's shoulders and they continued the journey.

Thranduil had known where Legolas was, of course, but he didn't want to ruin his son's fun. Legolas had figured this out as well, but still clung to the memory.

Shaking his head, he tried to get the thoughts out of his mind. Of course things would be different. His mother was dead, killed by spiders long ago. He had long since exacted his revenge on the spiders and now only wished to obliterate the foul species from the earth.

He stepped back out and then continued on his rounds. Nodding to a group of giggling elf maidens, he continued on, wondering what on earth he had done that was so terribly funny. He glanced down at his cloak. No spills. So he just continued to walk on.

Truth was, he was attractive. The rest of the elves envied his looks and the attention he got from the ladies. Legolas was oblivious.

His father, on the other hand, knew exactly how attractive he was. His perfect face was the only thing he had left for himself. Everything else was gone. In his eyes, Legolas looked too much like his mother. His face was so in the likeness of his deceased Rímis that he could not stand to look at him for long. His mouth, nose. Of course, he looked like his father in respects to hair, (though Rímis did indeed have blonde hair and blue eyes.) Thranduil had not laid eyes upon his son in a long time. Thranduil chose to eat alone in his chambers, and Legolas preferred to eat with the people. A fact neither of them minded. They had not talked in so long it would be rather awkward. But there would be a day when they would be close again, Thranduil could feel it. So he called a meeting.

A/N: For those of you who think that Thranduil is too sullen bear with me. He will change. As will Legolas.