Disclaimer: I do not own any recognisable characters from Tolkein's masterpiece.

Rated: PG13 for future violence, and elf torture. You have been warned.

Notes: In this story, Legolas has four siblings: Derwen, Leila, Thúleor and Luindór. Their ages by human reckoning would be: Derwen about 18yrs old, Leila about 15 yrs old, Thúleor about 13 and Luindór about 12 years old, while Legolas is only about five years old.  (actually, their age would be over hundred years old, but as I said, In order to create less confusion, I'm stating what age they look like rather than their actual age)

This is still an introduction basically… sorry for the delay.

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2. Arrival

The three elflings watched as the caravan passed beneath them. "Real edain!" whispered the youngest, in awe.

"Of course they are silly! whispered Thúleor impatiently without taking his eyes off the humans. The older elfing was as excited as his brother. It was not an everyday occurrence to see men in Mirkwood. Legolas had not even been born when he had last seen men.

"Lu? What's that on their horses?" Luindór glanced at where Legolas was pointing. "I think they're called saddles… men aren't good as riding as elves are you know," he explained. Legolas nodded wide-eyed. He felt proud to be up here with his two older brothers. Lately, they'd been unusually nice to him, and they had taken him with them to see the edain as they were travelling to his adar's palace. They would have seen them anyway, but it was more exciting to spy on them from the trees.

The riders passed by, followed by other men on foot. They were about thirty in all. Thúleor knew they were bringing weapons to his father, and wondered if they stored them in the large wooden boxes in the horse-drawn carts. He nudged Luindór and motioned him to move. If they stayed here late they would catch it from Leila. He brother nodded and tugged Legolas's sleeve. The three elflings moved silently through the trees, making their way to the castle.

~.~.~.~.~

"It is an honour to trade with you, your highness." Melchoir bowed low. He had been more than pleased when he had been requested to take some weapons to the King of Mirkwood for trading, as he knew that the elves were not especially friendly to humans. Luckily, they were even less friendly to the dwarves, and so had to choose between remaining without weapons, or trading with men.

"I thank you, Melchoir, son of Melchesedec. We hope that this will be the first of many meetings," Thranduil replied. "And now, come. You must be famished."

The raven-haired man followed the elven king and his councillors out of the court room.

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"Where on earth have you been?" Leila glared at her three younger brothers. They were filthy. What's more, they were late. Dinner was about to be served, and her father had invited the leader of the edain to join them. "Never mind, just get out of sight before adar sees you in this state."

Thúleon sighed. They would have got back in time if Luindór had not got trapped in that spider's web. And they might just have made it if they hadn't to remove all traces of spider web from their clothing, to avoid anyone knowing that they had gone to the part of the forest forbidden to them in order to take a short cut. But certain details were better left out…

"What on earth have you been doing?" Thúleon gulped. They were in trouble. Big trouble. Adar was glaring at them. His councillors were with him, as well as a dark haired human. Thúleon met Derwen's eye and his older brother frowned. Great! Even he seemed mad at them.

"Leila, my daughter, take your brothers to their rooms and then come down to join us. Undoubtedly they will not make it in time to come for dinner." With that, the king turned away. Thúleon groaned inwardly. Things were not looking good. He watched them leaving, and turned to follow the others upstairs.

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They had been called downstairs and lectured by their father until Legolas burst into tears and they were sent up to bed in disgrace. If they didn't think of some way to get back into adar's good books, they would lose any opportunity to talk to the edain face to face.  Luindór frowned, trying to think of something. Thúleon was on the floor, playing with Legolas's golden hair as the other sat on his lap, half asleep. Legolas? A grin formed on the elfing's face, as he thought of a brilliant plant to get permission to meet the edain.

~.~.~.~.~

Derwen and Thranduil had been sitting in the garden, enjoying the peace and quiet which reigned at this time in the morning. It was the only time when they could be together, and the son could talk openly to his father undisturbed... Suddenly, a soft voice was heard. "Ada?" He and his father turned to see Legolas, still in his nightclothes standing timidly near the door leading back to the palace. "Legolas!" his father exclaimed, "Why out here so early little one?" At, this, the elfling burst into tears, and rushed to his fathers lap. Thranduil lifted his son onto his lap and held him tight. "Hush now… hush… What is the matter?"

Legolas lifted his large blue eyes full of tears and looked at his father. "I…I'm so sorry… it was all my fault that we were late yesterday…" he sniffed and his lip trembled. "Don't you love me anymore now adar?" Thranduil looked at his youngest child in amazement. He sighed. Legolas took things too much to heart. " Of course I love you little one. I punished you because you disobeyed me, not because I don't love you."

"Is the human very angry with me adar?"

"No, the human was not angry at all." Thranduil thought his son did not look very convinced and seemed ready to burst into a fresh bout of tears. Suddenly, he knew how to make him feel better. "Why don't you go ask him yourself, little one? You'll see that he's not angry."

Legolas sniffed and nodded as he looked up at his adar. He wasn't sure that he'd done the right thing, but Lu had said that otherwise his ada would stay angry and wouldn't let them go to visit the humans. And Legolas wanted very much to see a human up close.  His father took his hand"Now come inside, and let's get a change of clothes."

"Yes adar." Legolas followed his father obediently back into the palace, and his older brother noticed that his tears had magically dried up. Derwen watched in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his father had fallen for it so easily. He'd already used this trick at least twice with him when he'd been younger, sending Leila to get something he'd wanted from Thranduil.

Derwen waited until they had gone out of hearing and he turned to the trees behind him. "You can come out now." He heard a stifled giggle, and two sheepish looking elfings slid down a tree. Their brother tried unsuccessfully to look stern. "Aren't you ashamed to use your little brother in such a way?"

"How did you guess it was us?" asked his Thúleon grinning.

Derwen snorted. "Legolas would never have done that off his own bat!"

Luindór chuckled. "We taught him well didn't we? No one could resist such pretty blue eyes…"

The elfings looked at each other and started laughing, and soon, even Derwen joined in.

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Legolas pressed close to Derwen, glad that his older brother was near, for the sight of so many new people at once was overwhelming. These humans all talked in the common speech, and they seemed unusually large and loud to the small elfling. Thúleon and Luindór instead were running from one place to the other excitedly.

"Welcome, Derwen!" the dark haired man who had been at their father's court waved to their brother who answered with a grin as he walked towards him.

Melchoir had been expecting to see them. He looked at the two mischievous-looking elflings who looked almost like twins and one shy younger elfing holding the prince's hand. "Welcome to you too, young princes," he said. "I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of your acquaintance yet."

Derwen smiled. "These two are the terrors of Mirkwood, Thúleon and Luindór. And this one is Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest of my father's children." Melchoir smiled at them. He liked children, and had three of his own back home, with one on the way. His eyes softened as he thought of his family… he was brought back to reality by Thúleon's voice. "Can we ask you a few things?" The man nodded as he invited them to sit down on the grass together with him.

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They were unquenchable. One question followed another, and another, and another. No sooner had he replied to one question, they thought of another.

 "Thúleon! Luindór! Stop bothering our guest!" exclaimed Derwen, who suddenly noticed that perhaps it had not been fair to allow his brothers to ask so many questions. The man laughed softly at the elfings' disappointed faces and shook his head.  "Do not worry. I have young ones of my own, and they are just as curious as your brothers." The dark haired man turned to the one who so far had not spoken at all. "Do you have no questions to ask, little one?" The golden haired elfing blushed at being spoken to, and looked shyly at his older brother. Derwen laughed gently, and nudged his little brother. "Speak up Legolas… he won't eat you." But the elfling shook his head, and looked down. 

"Don't take it personally," Derwen said to the man. "He is very shy, and rarely speaks to strangers." Melchoir smiled. The elfling looked as though he were of the same age as his little daughter, though he knew that Legolas was probably much, much older. He placed his hand into one of his pockets out a small red box. He could see that the young one was watching curiously. "If you come here, I will show you what this box can do."

Derwen chuckled as he watched his little brother struggle between curiosity and shyness. Finally, curiosity won, and Legolas  edged slowly closer to the man, eyes never leaving the red box. Melchoir laughed softly, as he twisted a small key at the side of the box, and placed in on the grass. It opened, and a sweet tune started playing as the small figure of a dancer rotated slowly inside the box. Legolas was mesmerized, and slowly reached out to touch it. He liked the melody, and wondered how the little figure kept on turning round and round that way. "Would you like to hold it?" Legolas nodded slowly, and took it in his hand, almost afraid that he would drop it. He had never seen anything like it before. Melchoir watched him kindly. "It is called a music box. Take it, and keep it in remembrance of the first human you have talked to." Legolas looked at Melchoir in surprise, wondering if he really could keep it. Melchoir nodded, and smiled again. The elfling smiled back. He was not afraid of this man. "Thank you."

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He watched the others set up the camp. His small eyes looked at the elves coming and going… pretty elves, but too big. He needed a small one, it wouldn't be that hard to hide. But the young ones kept away from the camp, or stayed close to their elders. They were crafty too, and they could hear you coming from a mile off. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. One had to be careful…Never mind. He was sure he'd manage to catch a little elf unawares.

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A/N Edain / edan: humans/human

        Adar / Ada : father

Again, sorry for the delay. This chapter may have seemed a bit long, but it's in the next chapter where the action begins… This has started off in a light tone, but believe me, it gets darker and darker… Thank you to all those who reviewed! Glad to see so many Legolas-torture lovers out there!!! (yes.. I admit it… I love it too…)

I hope you will continue reading and that I won't disappoint you!! ^_^