A/N: Thranduil and Legolas do not belong to me but Merita, Rolen and Thorel sure do! I made them up. Please leave me feedback xo
Merita looked behind her, and ducked immediately. She grabbed Legolas and wrapped him close in her arms. She closed her eyes, and could hear Thranduil pulling his sword and cursing under his breath. Legolas was shaking in her arms.
"Don't worry, penneth," she mumbled soothingly, trying to sound calm and brave. Her dream was coming true, and she feared for Legolas. She had dreamed of this. It was the reason why she tried to tell Thranduil to not let Legolas into the forest, but then decided she better trust the Valar and hope the dream was just a nightmare and nothing more. She bit her lip and looked up at her husband.
"Thranduil," she called. He turned to her immediately, his eyes wide open with worry and alertness. "Take Legolas."
Thranduil walked over and stood in front of her and Legolas, holding up his sword defensively. "Run, Merita. Take him with you. I'll kill these orcs."
"There's three, and you're one." She declared, scared.
"I have slain many more. Take the boy!" He ordered her again. Merita nodded and stood up, grabbing Legolas, who was crying and clinging to her dress. She tried to urge him forward, but he refused to move, burying his face in her robes.
"Legolas," she began, "come on, tithen-las. The sooner you leave, the sooner these monsters will be gone."
"We can't leave Ada here!" Cried Legolas. "There are monsters!"
Thranduil had slain one of the orcs, and the other two surrounded him in battle. He glanced back to find that his wife and son were still standing, perfectly vulnerable with no protection or shield from the orcs. He cursed again. "Legolas! Run! Merita, don't spend any longer! Go!"
Merita shook her head. "He's too scared!" She yelled in response.
Thranduil tried to push the orcs further back and away from his wife. "Run and leave him." He hissed. "Do not risk your life for his."
Merita gasped and pushed Legolas further. "Little Las, please, your Adar will be fine. He's brave, remember? Come on, Legolas."
She would never leave Legolas out in the open. Her heart fluttered. This is exactly what she feared. Thranduil was willing to risk his son's life when she was still alive and well, and when his son was only five years of age. What would he do to Legolas after her death? Her sight blurred and she pushed Legolas again. "Legolas!" She bellowed. "Do not anger me!"
Legolas, at her angered tone, moved slowly along, still glancing back to see his father. Thranduil was still fighting the two orcs, who seemed to be moving cautiously around. Legolas' eyes met one of the orcs', and he shivered in fear. The dark, foul creature grinned and walked towards them whilst Thranduil was preoccupied with the other Orc.
"Nana," whimpered Legolas. "Nana!"
Merita looked back and found the Orc running to them. Her eyes widened and she pushed Legolas. "Run! Go!"
"Nana, I'm sorry!"
"Go, Legolas! I will not forgive you if you stay here and get yourself slain!" Merita yelled urgently. "Go! Go!"
Legolas ran blindly into the forest, his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face. He got hit by many branches as he ran at full speed. The trees muttered soothing words to calm him down, but Legolas kept running. He could not forgive himself. He had promised his mother he would be a brave soldier one day, and he had failed. Not only did he not protect her, but he had also lead her to her death. Legolas ran, one scene replaying in his head: the last glance he took when he turned around, when he saw the Orc lunging at his mother.
Thranduil locked himself in his room for the next week, unable to speak to anyone or control his tears. Thorel and Rolen endlessly knocked on his door, but he would not respond.
Thorel leaned on Rolen's shoulder, sobbing softly. "We are too young," he whispered, "to lose our mother. Far too young, Rolen."
Rolen nodded, his eyes still closed and silent tears escaping them. "Ada will not cope well with this. We must stay string and brave for his sake." He wiped away a tear. "I cannot believe… I cannot believe I lost my nana only at thirty years of age."
"And I only twenty seven." Murmured Thorel.
"And Legolas…. Only five. Legolas—Legolas!" Called Rolen urgently, standing up. Thorel stood up immediately along. "Where is he? I haven't seen him since Nana's death!" He stormed out of the room, searching for a servant.
A servant walked by, nodded politely and walked away. Rolen chased him. "Where is Legolas?" He called. "Where is he?"
The servant looked alarmed. "My lord, I do not know. I know that he was out with the king and queen but I imagined he had returned with the king."
Rolen looked at Thorel desperately. "Like we need this to deal with now! Send patrol parties, search for him everywhere!"
"My lord," a knock sounded on Thranduil's door again. He ignored it. "My lord, we have found your son."
Thranduil shrugged it off. Rolen and Thorel had been in the palace all along. How could they have "found" one of them? Oh, Merita. He thought. I miss you gravely.
The guards walked away and hurried to Rolen's room. They knocked on his door, hoping that he would answer. As expected, he opened the door. When he saw Legolas in the guard's arms, he gasped softly and grabbed him, taking him into his own arms. His hands shook as he hadn't held Legolas in almost three years. He was still tiny.
"Legolas?" He murmured. Legolas was awake, but had his eyes shut tight and refused to even turn his direction. "Little Las… Answer me." Then he turned to the guards. "Where was he?"
"He was in the woods, my floor, lying on the ground."
Rolen thanked the guards and closed his chamber doors, then walked back to the bed where he sat and kept Legolas in his lap. "Legolas." He whispered. "Open your eyes."
Legolas slowly opened his blue eyes, tears filling them. He whimpered.
Rolen's heart shattered at the sight of his brother. He hugged him closer. "Little leaf."
Legolas did not look up at his brother and tensed in his arms. Rolen sensed his discomfort and stood up, holding Legolas tightly. He walked out of the door and down the grand hall to his parents'—now his father's—room. He threw another worried glance at Legolas before knocking on the door.
"Ada, please, answer us." Pleaded Rolen. "It has been a week and two days. Ada, speak to us."
About two minutes later, the door clicked open. Thranduil stood in the doorway, bags under his eyes, hair messy and clothes worn out. "Rolen. Why is he with you?" He asked gravely.
Rolen raised an eyebrow, confused. "Ada, what do you mean?" He sighed. "Let us in, please. You finally opened the door, I would like to speak with you. I want to have someone beside me. We need each other now, Ada."
"You may not come in with him." Stated Thranduil. "Throw him in this hall, for all I care. He will not be allowed near me." That being said, Thranduil walked back into the room, leaving the doors open.
Rolen clenched his jaw. His father was not being serious, was he? He tried to laugh it off and walked in with Legolas anyway, but Legolas squirmed in his hold. Rolen loosened his grip on Legolas, and once freed, Legolas ran away from them as fast as he could. Rolen watched in agony as Legolas disappeared from view, his tiny figure but a speck in the view.
Legolas was not present when their mother was killed. At least, that is what everyone assumed. They say he must have ran off while playing, and thus was not attacked by the orcs. Whether or not that was true, only Thranduil and Legolas knew. Rolen had, however, expected that Thranduil would embrace Legolas even stronger than before, not refuse to have him anywhere near. Why was Thranduil doing this?
Rolen sighed. Thranduil was a king, and a wise one at that. He must be acting under the effect of the depressed state he was in.