A/N: It started with two chapters from my one-shot series "Let me show you that I care". Upon request, I made them into a full story, although some insistent plot bunnies had a major paw in crafting this fic. Andy the willow tree, this is for you! And wswpub, this is the backstory you asked about in your review for "A gentle passing".
What you will find is angst, drama, hurt/comfort, family, friendship, and humour. No romance of any kind, but lots of bromance. What a surprise.
Starring (in alphabetical order): Elladan, Elrond, Elrohir, Elros the Guard, Erestor, Feren, Galion, Glorfindel, Legolas, Thranduil.
Timeline: About a year after Celebrían sailed. There will be some references to my other story "Home Truths". Legolas and the twins are young adults.
Please don't look for canon; none of this appears in the books or the films. But if you would like to put faces to the characters, insert PJ's choice of actors – I love them. Just don't go searching for an idiot Thranduil, because you won't find him.
Disclaimer: Not Tolkien, not Jackson, not owning anything but the plot.
Chapter 1
Afterwards nobody could tell exactly how it happened.
They were out in the woods that surrounded the palace, inspecting the damages left by a catastrophic storm two days before. The Elvenking stood in the middle of a clearing, discussing something or other with one of his wood wardens, while the crown prince carefully moved around from tree to tree, putting his hands on rough or smooth bark and connecting with the life force underneath.
A tender smile played around the king's lips as he saw and felt the trees happily greet their prince. Sensing his father's attention on him, Legolas half-turned to see what was the matter. Their eyes met across the distance, and for a long moment the chatter around them faded into the background. Many centuries of living the way they did – a two-person family of father and son, king and crown prince, nearly always on display in the midst of a busy court life, in a kingdom hard-pressed by the ever growing darkness – had taught them to perfect the art of wordless conversation. Legolas smiled, revelling in the unbridled affection and approval in his father's eyes, and returned the look with one of his own, full of love and joy. 'It seems we have made it through another storm, ada.'
Thranduil inclined his head just the tiniest bit at the gentle brush of his son's mind against his own. 'Aye, ion-nin. We always do. Together, we always do.'
Suddenly a stiff gust of wind swept through the treetops, much stronger than the light breeze that had been blowing all day – an ungentle reminder of the recent storm that had wreaked havoc on vast parts of the Greenwood. The next moment, everything happened too fast. One of the giant old trees screamed out a warning just in time for the Thranduil to whip his head around and see a massive branch break off from a forked part of the trunk, crashing down towards the spot where Legolas was standing. The young elf was frozen in shock, the scream of the tree still painfully piercing his senses, effectively paralysing him.
Thranduil moved with a speed and agility that surpassed even his natural elven capabilities, driven by the force only a parent in desperate fear for their child possessed. In the end, though, he was a fraction of a second too slow. He managed to push Legolas out of the way, practically catapulting him to safety. The infinitesimal reduction in speed resulting from this manoeuvre, however, was too much. With a sickening crack, the broken branch hit the Elvenking's shoulder, felling him and burying him underneath.