I see my precious Ionneg deep within the wood. The Elvenking gazed through the tangled branches and flowing leaves to see white blonde hair identical to his. His own hands were folded perfectly upon the balcony before him and his perfect face held no emotion, save his eyes. The pools of gray reflected nothing but a deep compassion for his dear son. But a mysterious sense of unease settled over the Elvenking as he watched.
He is with someone. I see hair that is the colour of calm fire. I see strong broad shoulders. I see an arm wrapped around my Ionneg, and I see his arms upon the others body Thranduil watched his son lay on his side, folding against the other body with a gentle hand on the others chest. Was Thranduil ready for this? A fear crept into his heart. His only son, his heir, might have found someone to love. What a wonderful thing, shouldn't he be gleeful for the young elf? He remembered when he himself had fallen for love. For a pale beauty in soft starlight, a slender body adorned with crystal eyes and hair like silk. His son deserves such a feeling, such a companion, does he not?
Then why...why do I not smile? Legolas laughed at something the other had said, and kissed the others nose. Thranduil turned and walked calmly from the balcony into his home. His son deserved his privacy when it came to tender moments like this. As he passed from shadow to shadow in the large halls, the fearful feeling grew inside his heart. His steady footsteps echoed off the wooden walls until he stopped at a large doorway. He hadn't seen this doorway in years. His life had simply no need to walk this hall anymore. Curiosity took it's hold on the Elvenking and he reached out for the door to take a peek inside. He was overwhelmed by the rush of memories that met his eyes.
'Ada!' A high-pitched childish voice exclaimed as the Elvenking's head appeared from behind the door. A soft smile touched the lips of the Elvenking, "my precious Ionneg," he replied as he crossed the room to the oak framed bed where a mess of white blonde hair bounced with arms extended up for the older elf. The Elvenking sat on the edge of the soft bed covered in soft silks and scooped up the child and a warm laugh came from his lips, "shouldn't you be asleep, little one?" The child played with a lock of his fathers hair with a guilty look on his face, "Goheno nin, Ada. I'm not tired. Tell me a story?" A softness came over the father's eyes and he laid his child down on the bed and laid himself beside him, "you nearly know all my stories." The child looked disappointed and his bottom lip poked out further than usual. "But," continued the Elvenking, "I could tell you one of dwarves." Blue eyes widened and the child pulled the silk blankets up to hide himself from the older elf beside him, "no! Those scare me before bed, Ada!" The Elvenking smiled and peeled the blankets back down, "then close your eyes, Henig. Rest your head, I will sing for you." The child smiled happily and settled close to his father's chest and closed his eyes after gaining a fistfull of the white blonde hair of the Elvenking. The Elvenking gently stroked his son's hair and began to sing with his deep, soothing voice.
Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You have come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears
will pass away
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping
What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
All souls pass
Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don't say:
"We have come now to the end"
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping
What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West
When he finished with the final whispered line, he kissed his son's hair and carefully rose to his feet, "Ollo vae, Ionneg."
Thranduil found himself sitting on the oak framed bed when the memory faded. He has grown up. He stood and ran his hand along the soft silk sheets that had not changed a bit from his son's younger years. A sad smile crossed his lips and he departed from the room smoothly to retire to his own chambers.
A soft, almost tentative knock came to Thranduil's door late that night. The Elvenking looked to the doorway from his window in slight confusion. He stood and made his way across the room to answer the door. Who could be needing him at this hour? When the door revealed the visitor, it was none other than the Elvenking's own son, Legolas. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Ada," the young elf said. "Û! Û! Ionneg," Thranduil replied in their native tongue and stepped aside to allow Legolas entry, "Gi nathlam hí."
Legolas appeared troubled as he made his way into the room. Thranduil closed the door and watched his sons body language closely. He was standing less proud than usual, more vulnerable, as if he was afraid, and his fingers were fidgeting with something on his other hand. Thranduil was concerned to see Legolas this way, he had never seen such behavior; not even in younger years when Legolas was a boy. "Ionneg, I see it in your eyes, what is the trouble in your mind," the Elvenking asked softly. Legolas hesitated before he replied, which worried Thranduil even more, "Ada I...I have found someone I have strong feelings for." Thranduil couldn't help but chuckle in his own thoughts, was his dear boy afraid to confess the feeling of love to his own father? It seemed clear that he was, but Thranduil didn't understand why. The Elvenking nodded and Legolas continued, "but it is...it is not the way it should be." Now Thranduil was lost completely, "what do you mean, Ionneg." Legolas shut his beautiful eyes and said, "they are for a male, Ada." Thranduil was lost. Lost for words, lost for a single thought to form. He stood silent for a long time, until he saw a drop of darkness appear on the ground before him. He looked at Legolas face and saw tears staining the young blonde's cheeks. He stepped forward to embrace his son securely, "Ionneg why do you cry?" A broken sob reached Thranduil's ears before he was granted a reply, "I have dishonored you, Ada. You are not pleased with me." Thranduil's eyes widened when he realised how much his silence must have hurt his precious son, "Legolas no," he said as he ran a gentle hand through his son's white blonde hair, "you have not dishonored me."
"Then why your silence, Ada?" The young elf's voice matched that of a scared child. The sound of it seemed to break Thranduil's heart. "I am merely shocked, Ionneg. I am not angered by this, or displeased."
"But I can't continue our family like this," Legolas spoke into his father's neck. He clung to the older elf, begging for the comfort of a father. Thranduil chuckled warmly, "you say that as if you expect me to die soon." Legolas froze, not hearing his father's humor, he began to apologise, "Û! Goheno nin! Goheno nin! Ada I didn't-" Thranduil cut him off gently, "Ionneg hush," he pulled away a little so Legolas could see the warm smile that he wore, "hear some humor, Legolas." The young elf looked at his father and a flash of a smile passed over his face. Thranduil thought he imagined it once the smile was gone and Legolas once again clung to Thranduil's chest. Legolas fought more tears as he spoke, "Gwestog, Ada?" Thranduil was once again confused "What do you mean?" Legolas stepped away from his father's embrace and looked him in the eye, "Do you promise I am not a disappointment?" Thranduil nodded, still confused from his son's now suddenly changed behavior, "of course, Ionneg. I promise." When Legolas finally stepped away from his father, Thranduil noticed that Legolas was once again fidgeting with his fingers, "have you something wrong with your hand?" Legolas jumped in surprise, "mm? Oh...this is also something I came to tell you…" he revealed his hand and showed that his middle finger has become adorned with a plain gold ring. Thranduil stepped closer and took his son's hand to inspect the ring closer, "where did you find this," he asked. Legolas pulled, or more like yanked, his hand back and held his ring hand in the other possessively a few steps further away from the Elvenking. Thranduil fought an irritated look, but he couldn't stop his eyebrow to twitch upward slightly. Legolas didn't take his fingers off his ring, and he didn't meet his father's eyes when he spoke, "It was given to me."
"By whom," Thranduil replied as politely as he could manage. The young elf hesitated once again, even opening and closing his mouth a few times before finally speaking, "The male I have fallen for." Thranduil almost said something of sarcastic nature for his foolishly frightened son, but he was rendered absolutely voiceless when Legolas finished.
"A dwarf."