Legolas awoke to the gentle sounds of birds chirping and the feel of a warm breeze on his face. He took a deep breath as he tried to remember where he was and why he ached so much. Suddenly the memories came rushing back. Malgath, the poisoned blade, his ada saving him.
"Ada", he called, looking around the room.
His eyes quickly found Thranduil, sleeping in a chair next to his bed. At Legolas' call, the king blinked his eyes back to awareness and immediately turned them to his son's face.
"Legolas, ion nin, I'm so glad to see you awake", Thranduil exclaimed softly, moving to sit on the bedside. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine", Legolas answered by force of habit.
Thranduil gave a very unkingly snort at his son's response. "Oh, I'm absolutely sure you must feel completely fine after being stabbed with a poisoned blade, ion nin. Now let me see if I guess more accurately as to your condition. I would image your shoulder is throbbing, your body aches from the lingering fever, and you are extremely exhausted. Have I left out anything?"
"Aye, you left out the most important thing I feel."
"And what might that be, son?"
Legolas carefully pushed himself up and hugged Thranduil as tight as he could with his injured arm. "I am incredibly happy that you are here."
Thranduil smiled and returned the embrace. "I am incredibly happy that you are here too, my little chipmunk, almost well and mostly whole. I've learned that is often the best I will get with you."
"Ada, what happened to Malgath", Legolas asked, pulling back to look Thranduil in the eyes. "The last thing I remember was you stopping him from stabbing me with his poisoned sword."
Thranduil's eyes filled with pain and he looked down at the bed sheets. "He killed himself, ion. I tried to reason with him. I tried to help him. But wasn't enough. It was never enough."
Legolas gently turned Thranduil back to face him. "It wasn't your fault, Ada. I know you tried. I know you never stopped loving him. Never stopped hoping he could heal. I'm sorry it ended like this."
"He would have most likely been put to death or exiled for his crimes anyway," Thranduil sighed, wiping a stray tear from his eye. "Oropher hurt him too badly. His mind and spirit were irreversibly damaged. The fact that he murdered people he wanted to rule was testament to that. I sent a group of soldiers to retrieve his body. He was buried in the royal cemetery with our father and mother."
"WAS buried", Legolas asked in surprise. "How long have I been unconscious?"
"Today is one week from the attack. Malgath poisoned you with concentrated spider venom and having to fight him afterward only accelerated its spread in you body. You burned with fever for the first four days and then you have slept the past three to regain your strength." Thranduil took his son's hand and held it close. "Forgive me, ion nin. I could not get to you in time to stop him from hurting you. I never meant to put Malgath above your wellbeing. He was my brother, but you are my son. I would never have knowingly jeopardized your safety, ion nin. I'm sorry."
"Ada, none of this was your fault", Legolas said. "I wanted to help Malagth as much as you did. He was my family too. Please don't blame yourself. Malgath made his own choices. The consequences are his to bear, not yours."
Thranduil chuckled and leaned forward to kiss Legolas' forehead. "When did you grow so wise, ion nin?"
"I have always been wise, you just don't listen to me enough."
"Indeed? Well why don't you listen to me now and try to get some more sleep. You still have much recovering to do."
Legolas yawned and nodded. He laid back down, snuggling under the warm covers. Thranduil made sure the blankets were wrapped securely around his son before leaning down to kiss him once more. "Sleep well, my jewel."
Legolas hummed in sleepy happiness, dropping back to sleep in minutes. This time, much to Thranduil's relief, he slept with his eyes open as an elf should.
Several more days passed and Legolas was finally able to leave the healing ward, much to his relief. As soon as he was dressed, he nearly sprinted to the nearest passage outside. The breeze would blow through the healing ward when the windows were open, but nature always seemed so far when he was stuck in bed. He quickly found his favorite oak tree and began scaling up it to the very top. The tree moved its branches to help the elf since Legolas' injured arm still hurt him a bit. As soon as the prince's face broke into the sunlight, he took a deep breath of the clean, midsummer air, exhaling slowly. It felt wonderful to have the sun on his face again.
"I knew it would not be long before you came here." Thranduil's voice startled Legolas.
"Ada, what are you doing up here?"
"Waiting for you. I figured as soon as you were free from, as you say, 'the prison disguised as the healing wards', you would be up at the top of your favorite tree."
"You know me well", Legolas chuckled. "But don't you have to work?"
Thranduil shrugged. "It's about those advisors of mine did something besides bicker amongst themselves. They can earn their keep by running things for a few hours and Galion is just as capable of yelling at them if need be as I am. I thought you might like to take a ride to the meadow on your first day of freedom and then have dinner just the two of us this evening."
Legolas' eyes lit up in excitement and he quickly nodded. Thranduil grinned and helped his son from the branches. Together they went to the kitchens and packed a picnic lunch before mounting their horses bareback and making for the meadow.
They spent a wonderful afternoon together. Once they had eaten their lunch, they simply laid back in the soft grass, talking long about nothing in particular and watching the clouds drift lazily by.
When the sun began to sink, they returned to the palace to wash up for dinner. Thranduil had their meals brought to the family's private dining room and he and Legolas had an enjoyable evening together, just the two of them like he'd promised.
"I've had such a wonderful day with you, Ada", Legolas said, sipping his wine. "I wish we could do this more often. I miss spending time with you like we used to when I was a child."
"I miss it too, ion nin", Thranduil agreed. "But it certainly makes our private moments that much more special."
"Indeed", Legolas agreed.
He finished his wine and stood from where he sat with Thranduil by the fire.
"I think I shall go to bed. Master Elre has promised to clear me to begin light practicing tomorrow and I would like to get an early start."
"Do not push yourself too hard", Thranduil warned sternly. "I need not remind you what straining your injury too far could result in."
"Nay, Ada, I shall be careful. I promise."
"Good", Thranduil said. He took Legolas in his arms and kissed his forehead gently. "Sleep well, my little leaf."
"You too, Ada", Legolas said around a yawn.
He made his way to his chambers, gently closing the door behind him. Thranduil smiled after him and shook his head, marveling and cursing at his son's stubborn refusal to let any injury stop him. He returned to his seat by the fire and stared into the dancing flames long into the night.
Legolas was abruptly awoken the middle of the night by a loud cry. He jumped up and raced into the hall, twin blades drawn. He wondered what in Arda could possess someone to be screaming so loud this late! The cry sounded again and he was shocked to hear it coming from Thranduil's chambers. The prince nearly ripped down the doors blocking his way in his haste to get inside. The door to the ElvenKing's sleeping chamber banged open and Legolas rushed in, expecting to find his father being attacked. Instead he saw the king curled in a ball in tangled and sweat-soaked sheets, moaning and twisting in the throes of a nightmare. Legolas dropped his swords and rushed to his father's bed.
"Ada! Ada! Wake up, Ada! Wake up!", Legolas called, shaking Thranduil. "It's alright, it's just a dream!"
Thranduil woke with a sharp gasp. He sat bolt upright, his hands reaching out to latch almost painfully tight onto Legolas' shoulders.
"Ada, it's alright, it was just a dream", Legolas repeated, gently cupping Thranduil's face.
"Legolas", Thranduil gasped, pulling his son into a crushing embrace. "Legolas, oh ion nin. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Sorry for what", Legolas asked, returning his father's hug.
"I shouldn't have ever brought him here. I shouldn't have let him anywhere near my most precious possession. I KNEW he was not of a sound mind. I…I just thought I might could help undo some of the wrongs Oropher did him."
"Ada, hush", Legolas murmured, guessing now as to what his father had been dreaming about. "You did the right thing. What kind of a brother would you have been if you did not try to help Malgath? It wasn't your fault. None of it."
Legolas slowly drew back and untangled Thranduil from the sweaty sheets.
"Come, Ada", Legolas said, pulling the king from the bed and toward his own sleeping chambers. Once there, Legolas gave Thranduil a fresh set of sleeping clothes, climbing into bed with him when he'd changed. Thranduil sighed and held his son close, stroking his long hair gently.
"He killed you", Thranduil whispered finally.
"What", Legolas asked, looking up at his father.
"He killed you", Thranduil repeated. "That's what I dreamed. Malgath stabbed you with that tainted blade before I could reach you. Y…You were bleeding out in my arms and all I could hear was his wicked laugh."
"It was just a dream, Ada", Legolas soothed. "I'm fine and Malgath is at peace. The Valar will not hold his crimes against him. Not when he did them in the state of mind he was in."
"Elves lost their lives because of my decision, Legolas. I am responsible for the deaths of others' family and friends and you were almost one of them. Valar, Legolas, you could have been one them!"
"But I was not", Legolas said, trying to calm Thranduil down. "And you are not responsible for the deeds of Malgath. Only he and Oropher are to blame for his actions. You did nothing wrong, Ada."
Thranduil sighed and pulled Legolas closer. "I do not know what I would do without you, my star. Sometimes you are the only light I see this side of Valinor. I love you so very much."
"I love you too, Ada", Legolas said. "You are my only strength and comfort."
He kissed his father's cheek and both elves snuggled down into the blankets and slept, together where no nightmares could ever touch them.
Elvish Terms:
Ada – Dad
Ion Nin – My Son
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