The moment land was in sight, Legolas knew that he had made the right choice.
The trees were calling to him. Crying out in joy that one of the firstborn had returned to their lands. He smiled, thinking back on what his father had said to him.
"You have always had a closer connection to the trees than even the wood elves tend to have. Without them, your soul feels empty. They call to you with a voice far stronger than that of the gull that keeps us here. Go to them, and perhaps in time, I will find in myself the strength to leave these lands and live with you once again."
Legolas grasped the sword hilt by his waist. It was of the finest elven and dwarven make. Forged by the hands of both his father and his best friend. It was inlaid with dwarven and elvish rune, signs of hope, protection, and strength. It was named Arakhor, Protector of the Trees.
He would ensure the survival of Isildur's line and the last remnants of the age of magic.
His arrival in Gondor was unannounced and unexpected. Legolas hadn't expected otherwise, all the elves had sailed to Valinor, leaving nothing behind but legends and memories.
As he walked through the streets of the capital, his keen hearing picked up on whispers of magic and the former Queen Arwen. Legolas was not surprised, it had been almost two hundred years since an elf was seen. Since Arwen died and Legolas gave into to the sea-longing and sailed to the undying lands with Gimli.
Aragorn's son, Eldarion, had died almost a century ago and his eldest son, Electar was now on the throne, preparing to pass the crown to his eldest, Elrein.
Legolas was greeted at the gates of the palace with open suspicion and borderline hostility. They had only heard stories of elves passed down from their great-great-grandparents and had dismissed them as legends.
One guard, however, recognized the elf from the portrait that adorned the great hall.
"You are the Prince of Mirkwood, the companion of the great king Elessar on his quest to reunite Gondor." His mouth was wide open, dumbstruck at the sight before him. The other guards lowered their weapons.
"We have heard tale of you in legend. If you truly are the last elf of Arda, then we bid you welcome to the city."
Legolas smiled. This one had obviously paid attention to bedtime tales.
"Ay, I am he. I have returned from Valinor to seek and audience with your king."
The guard nodded and shouted at his companions to lower the gate.
Needless to say, Electar was shocked at his appearance. Legolas had met him briefly when he was a newborn, but shortly after, Aragorn died and Legolas sailed.
Electar, gratefully accepted Legolas' offer of advising the king. The elf had, after all, had nearly two thousand more years of political experience than he.
For years Gondor thrived, its fleet reaching out to previously isolated islands and settlements of men on the sea.
It seemed as if the prosperity would last forever.
Sadly, it wasn't so.
Electar died twenty years after passing the throne to Elreon.
Legolas, being painfully reminded that he was doomed to live forever while his mortal friends died, left the land of Man. He wandered for years, visiting old forests and young villages, defending fellow travelers and watching as even the men of Gondor stopped speaking of the elves.
Stories were told about the mysterious ranger that roamed the lands, protecting the people and slaying all dark things. The one who protected the wild and spoke with nature.
Despite all his wanderings, Legolas avoided the abandoned elven realms. he knew that without his kin there, men will have settled and built their own kingdoms. Legolas knew that seeing the changes in his home would be too much
After almost twenty years, Legolas found himself on the path to Mirkwood. His home for over two thousand years.
The moment he stepped foot into the forest, he sensed something was different.
There was a feeling of magic in the air. Magic of protection that he had not felt since he was in the elven realms before the ring was destroyed. He felt the familiar voices of the fae and unseen in the woods. Voices that had vanished from the world of Man.
"Puck, Puck is that you?" he called softly. A small head appeared in the tree next to him.
"Legolas, it is true. You have returned!" It exclaimed before stepping into view.
Puck was a small sprite, a mischievous one with bright green eyes and red hair. He stood slightly smaller than a hobbit and slender with pointed ears like an elf. He had a childlike appearance and was clad in a tunic of green leaves and a crown of berries rested on his head.
He grinned at the elf before him.
"We had thought the firstborn had all left until we heard rumors of your reappearance." he said, still looking with disbelief at the sight before him.
"Puck, my friend, I thought you refused to leave Rivendell." Legolas began walking, the sprite following alongside him.
"Yes, but with the absence of Eldar, men came into the valley. They don't understand magic anymore so I left. The rest of my kind came here as well, even the Hobbits are starting to migrate to these lands." He seemed sad, his aura dampened slightly, Legolas felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He had known how close the fae was to the twin sons of Elrond.
Together, Elladan, Elrohir, and Puck had formed a mighty team of pranksters for unsuspecting diplomats. Their friendship was strong and when the call of the Sea grew too strong to resist, they begged the sprite to join them. Puck, however, refused to be parted from his kin and homeland and remained in Arda.
"Ah, I had felt the absence of your kind throughout Gondor and Edoras but I have not allowed myself to go to Rivendell. I am afraid of what I will find there." He had put off returning to Mirkwood for fear of seeing what mankind had done to it as well.
"You wouldn't recognize it. I don't recognize it. The trees there are silent in mourning and the waters less joyful." Puck's eyes unfocused slightly, Legolas laid a hand on his friends shoulder.
"Tell me, why has your kind settled here, in Greenwood. Why not Lothlorien or Fangorn?" Legolas questioned.
"Oh, that's and easy answer. Radagast has shielded this forest from non-magic folk. Here us legends can live undisturbed and peaceful. The remains of the more peaceful clans of Goblins and Trolls have settled in the caves near Dol Guldur. Hobbits have built homes in the orchards and gardens close to the palace and the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, one who didn't settle in Erebor, moved into the palace." Puck paused and glanced at the prince who had a small smile on his face.
No doubt over the thought of what his father would say if he heard of dwarves living in his palace.
"Radagast will be happy to see you. He is probably in the southern border, reinforcing the wards."
"Thank you Puck, I am glad to see you here." Legolas said, taking Pucks hand in his own.
Puck grinned and squeezed his friend's slender fingers.
"I am glad that you are here as well. I will inform others of your arrival, you go see the wizard."
Puck leapt into the trees, disappearing amongst the foliage. Legolas smiled, his first true smile since returning from Gondor.
It was so good, so relieving, to see other immortals again. Legolas began humming a tune, a hobbit song. One he had heard from Bilbo many years ago.
"The road goes ever on and on.
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone
and I must follow if I can."
A/N: Hey If any of y'all want to write and in between story that captures the moments of Legolas's time in Gondor, feel free to do so. I had planned on it but I likely won't get there until this story is finished. I decided to do only a short summary of his first years in the world of man so I can focus on the Pirate crossover that I promised. As always, Thanks for reading.
kricket out.