Title: Until We Reach Valinor

Chapter 1: Prologue

NOTE: This story is sequel to "A Teacher's Duty" and you'll have to read that one first to understand this one.

SPECIAL THANKS: to Orlando's Sweetheart for helping me pick the name of the woman, and the title to this story. Help is much appreciated, thanks a lot.

That said, I'll let you read in peace.

…

"You sent for me, father?" Legolas stood at the entrance of Thranduil's bedchamber, looking at his father inquiringly.

"Yes, Legolas, I have something to ask of you," Thranduil motioned for him to sit down on a chair.

He complied to this somewhat apprehensively; the last time his father had asked something of him it had turned his world upside down.

"What is it, ada?"

"I went to see Ivana last week."

"Yes, you told me you were going," Legolas said, immediately on his guard.

"Yes, I saw her, and what I saw worried me." He looked closely at his son, saying, "That does mean something to you, doesn't it Legolas?"

"Ada," Legolas said, hurt that his father was even asking, "Of course it does."

"Then why is it that you haven't visited her even once since she left here?" Thranduil asked, unable to keep an accusing note out of his voice.

Legolas winced inwardly. "I told you, ada," he said evenly, "I've been busy, teaching the children…" he stopped as he realized how pathetic this oft-used excuse sounded now.

"Not that busy," Thranduil said with a glare, "She was so disappointed when you didn't come. She was sad and pensive the whole evening."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Legolas said, hating himself for the detachment in his voice. But if he didn't sound detached, he would sound guilt-ridden. And that was infinitely worse, even if true. "Maybe I'll come next time," he said.

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't," Thranduil said, deciding to leave it for the moment, "She was upset the entire evening, but the next morning her mood had changed slightly. And not for the better. She was very…nostalgic about her childhood."

"Oh?" Legolas said in an even voice, but his insides were bleeding. I don't want to hear this.

"Yes. She talked about Gilrain and when we were a family, and then after, when you were a baby…" his voice trailed off as he became lost in memories.

Legolas couldn't say anything. He waited helplessly.

"She misses her family very much," Thranduil said finally, "Not just her mother, but me, and you as well. But most of all you."

Legolas didn't know what to say to that either, so he waited again.

"I think it's time we were a family again."

Legolas looked up, startled, "What?"

"Don't you think she deserves as much? After all the years of misery and heartache she's suffered?"

"Of course I do," Legolas said hurriedly, "But, ada, that isn't possible, there's no way-"

"There is a way. I've thought of one, but it will cost you a great deal," he gazed at his son apprehensively. "You're not going to like this, Legolas," he blurted, "You're not going to like this at all."

"Ada, if there is anything, anything that I can do to further Ivana's happiness, and yours, then I will do it," Legolas said with conviction.

He owed at least that much to her, after all, he reflected. The guilt which he had felt on the day Ivana had sobbingly left his father, alone and unescorted, had never abated. It was his fault. If he hadn't been born, then she would have been happy and safe. He knew he could not blame himself for merely existing, but his heart would not listen to his reason. Instead it forced him to avoid Ivana like the plague- the main reason why he hadn't been to see her even once, although nigh on six months had passed since she had gone.

"I know you would do anything for Ivana, Legolas," Thranduil said, breaking into his thoughts, "But this will cost you a great deal more than you can imagine. I know you will say no."

"And I know I will say yes," Legolas said, wondering what could possibly cost him so much, "Please, ada, tell me of your thoughts. How will you give Ivana her family back?"

"By sailing," Thranduil waited for Legolas to protest, and when he didn't, he said, "If I decide to sail to the Undying Lands, then no one will ask any questions if I whisk her away with me. She can put on a veil again and pretend to be my servant. When we reach, Valinor, of course, she will finally have her family back."

"But, if you sail….." Legolas stopped short, his eyes widening as he considered the implications.

"I know. You will have to be King. And to be King…." Thranduil looked down, unable to finish the sentence.

"I'll have to what, ada?" Legolas said, suddenly apprehensive. What could be worse than becoming King and dealing with all its responsibilities?

"I made a law," Thranduil said finally, "I wish I hadn't now, but I thought it made sense at the time. Every King should be able to sail to the West when his soul is hurting too much to heal, and he can only do so if he has an heir to leave the Kingdom to. And to have an heir he has to be married."

"Don't tell me," Legolas said, eyes wide in horror, "Please don't tell me that I have to get married to become King!"

Thranduil bowed his head miserably. "I can't change the law," he said, "Even if I made it."

Legolas felt his world come crashing down. He knew what he had to do; knew that if he had a heart or a conscience to speak of, he would have to give Ivana her chance to be a family again, whatever the cost. And in this case, the cost was his freedom.

He looked up. His father was watching him anxiously. "So we can just forget about the whole idea then?" the latter said abruptly, "You're not going to consent to being married are you?"

"Of course I will consent, ada," Legolas said, in a slightly strained voice, "I'd do anything for her, you know that."

"But…" Thranduil protested weakly, but he was unable to keep the joy out of his eyes and voice.

"No buts," Legolas said wearily, "Just give me time until after the children graduate."

Thranduil gasped again, this time really amazed. "But that's only a month a way! Legolas, are you sure-?"

"Of course I'm sure," Legolas said gruffly, although every fiber of his being was protesting at the very idea of wedlock.

"Are you already attached to someone, that you've been hiding from me?" Thranduil asked, slightly hopeful.

"No! No, of course not," Legolas exclaimed, startled, "Can you imagine me being…" his voice trailed off as he realized how that sounded after he had consented to marriage.

"So then, if you have no particular preference, will you choose the bride?"

"No! I'll marry her if every limb in her body is deformed, ada, but for heaven's sake do not give me a choice. You decide the woman, and I'll marry her even if she's a ten-headed monster."

"Then perhaps we can try something that has been weighing on my mind for awhile now," Thranduil suggested slowly, pausing before plunging into an explanation, "Your mother had a very good friend, her sister almost. The two were inseparable. When Caladel died, she made me promise that if Alanna died of grief, I would care for her family. The woman, who was a widow, was eight months pregnant at the time, and her health deteriorated rapidly after your mother's death. She died just after giving birth to her daughter, named Alanna after her mother, whom I put in the care of a number of nurses and servants-"

"-and completely forgot about for the next two millennia, right?" Legolas said, in slight irritation. He knew that if his father had given the matter any importance whatsoever, he would have spoken of it at least once to him.

Thranduil lowered his head, crushed, "Don't, Legolas," he said, trying and failing to keep emotion out of his voice, "I am ashamed of how I treated your mother, and I wish I could make it better, but I can't. Over the last few years, I have been feeling guilty about Alanna, and how little I have done for her, and after Ivana left, I've been trying to get her suitably matched, because by 'taking care' I assume your mother meant that as well.

"But…" he sighed heavily, "For some reason, every time I bring anyone to meet her, he runs away in five minutes flat. I don't know what the matter is, I've met with her on countless occasions to ask her what she says to them to chase them away, but she won't tell me. Every single time I arrange for her to meet someone, they come to me, all hot and bothered, and beg my pardon, but apparently have no choice than to decline."

"Well I won't decline," Legolas said decidedly. He guessed that his father wanted him to marry Alanna, and made up his mind that even if the woman was a monster in disguise, he would still marry her. His father did not need a guilty conscience when he was sailing off with Ivana to start a new family, and he really didn't care whom he married as long as he didn't have to choose the bride. So if he married her, all their problems would be solved. Well, except mine, he thought to himself.

"Legolas," Thranduil said warningly, not at all surprised that his son had guessed his intentions, though amazed at the fact that he had agreed so easily, "Don't say that until you've met her. You don't know what secrets she's got up her sleeve. Don't commit yourself until you know what has scared all her other suitors away."

"How many suitors have there been?" Legolas asked, more out of curiosity than actual concern about the matter.

"Fifty or sixty," Thranduil said, somewhat sheepishly.

"What!" Legolas said, amazed, "Fifty suitors in less than a year! Ada, I think she just made up a deep, dark secret to scare them off because she didn't want to insult you by saying she liked none of them!"

"Oh, no," Thrauduil said, shaking his head very decisively, "Oh, no, Alanna is beyond that sort of tact, at least in these matters. She's extremely…direct. She told me plainly that tough she's not thrilled about being married off in this way, she too believes that she must honor her mother's wishes, as marriage would certainly have been one of them, and she is as keen to get the process of 'choosing' over with as I am."

"She sounds…quite charming," Legolas said, struggling over the words in such a way that they sounded insulting, to his dismay.

Thranduil began laughing. "Oh, she's going to be very amused by you," he said between chuckles, "Just keep talking like that, and she'll be rolling around the floor, speechless with laughter. And while she's doing so, she'll manage to knock down a glass vase or two as well, for good measure."

"How's that?"

"She's very accident prone."

"Ah," Legolas said, determined to form his opinions after he had met her, and not before, "Fascinating. When do I meet her?"

"Whenever you want to."

"The day after the graduation, then. Hopefully the children will perform well in front of you, and I'll be in a good mood, and therefore won't be too dampened by her deep, dark secret."

"Legolas, there's no need to rush into this," Thranduil began, only to be interrupted.

"There's every need. You must notify Ivana of the good news. Go tomorrow! Eyebrows might be raised by the suddenness of another 'hunting trip', but you can blame it all on the foul mood this conversation has put you in, making it necessary for you to get away. Your subjects know I can be quite…rebellious."

"Be serious, Legolas. I need you to think about this. I know what it is like to suffer a loveless marriage, and I don't want you to rush into this. Take your time and consider it. Alright?"

"Ivana will be thrilled," Legolas said as if he hadn't heard a word.

"She'd be even more thrilled if you took the message yourself, and explained in detail the suddenness of this whole thing," Thranduil said pointedly.

"The children, ada! The graduation!" Legolas exclaimed. But he had a different reason altogether. If Ivana saw him, she would instantly be able to fathom that the reason for his sudden marriage was guilt. And then she'd never go. "She will understand," he said, "She knows how much the graduation means to them."

"I give up," Thranduil said, defeated, "You won't listen to reason. I'll arrange the meeting on the day after the graduation. Alright?"

Are you joking? He thought, how am I supposed to be alright with this? "Yes," he said.

"Alright then. You can go if you want to." Thranduil knew he needed some time to think.

Glad to get away, Legolas rose and walked slowly from his father's bedchamber to his own room. His mind was in a whirl. He did not want to get married. He really did not want to get married. He liked his life the way it was, liked the independence that he enjoyed that only a bachelor could enjoy. Now he had only one month of freedom left. Only one month. How would he spend it? He did not know.

He entered his room and closed and locked the door. He did not want to be disturbed. He had not yet fully absorbed how momentous the change in his life was going to be. He looked at his bed, and shuddered at the thought of sharing it with somebody. That started him thinking about what his wedding night would be like, and he suddenly panicked. He would have to expose himself to her! When no one in the world had seen him unclothed since the age of three…

He took a deep breath to calm himself and sat slowly down on the bed, battling with disturbing images that the last line of thought had brought on. Oh ada, he thought achingly, squeezing his eyes shut and falling back onto the bed, The last time you asked me for something it turned my world upside down. This time, I think it might just destroy it.

…

TBC…

Hello, again! What did you think of the first chappie? I know it was a horrible start but please bear with me. Next chapter- the children, and what became of them! See you around, guys! And do please review, all of you.