Title: Long Under Tree

Author: Darkhorse

Rating: PG

Summary: Legolas is an elfling giving his ada headaches and heartache. The young life of Legolas 'long under tree'.

Feedback: yes please

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Good shot Legolas!" The twins exclaimed patting the little archer on the back.

Legolas tried not to smile so big and pretend like their praise had not meant the world to him. He wanted to impress them, he didn't have many friends and Elladan and Elrohir were so much better at every thing than he was.

"It wasn't in the middle of the target like yours is." He said pointing at their arrows clustered in the centers of their respective targets.

"Still, it was very good. It was the best one yet I think." Elrohir informed him.

"If I had a real bow an arrow I would never miss and my arrows would stick like yours do!" Legolas said looking forlornly at his toy bow. He had been so excited to get the bow only recently and now he felt embarrassed.

'I must look like such a baby to them.' He thought as his face flushed.

"Come on Legolas shoot again!" Elladan encouraged when he noticed the elfling spent an in ornate amount of time studying his bow.

Instead of firing one of his now decidedly pathetic untipped arrows, Legolas approached Elladan. "Can I hold your bow please?" Legolas asked expectantly. It wasn't really a request. He knew if his ada was there he would get a scolding, but he wasn't and these were not big elves anyway, he decided that he did not have to be polite.

Elladan hesitated and looked at his brother who only shrugged and continued shooting. Legolas had his hand held out and Elladan laid the end of the bow in his palm while he continued to hold the other end himself.

Legolas tugged but Elladan would not release the bow. Elrohir looked over and laughed lightly before stifling it at his brother's glare.

Realizing this was all he was getting, Legolas put on his most regal face and claimed that it was a fine bow in the same manner he had witnessed the weapons master do on several occasions.

Elladan thanked him and they made no more of it, though Legolas no longer shot any of his arrows. He only watched as the twins shot many times until the sun began to set.

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"Ada I am very lucky to have my bow...." Legolas began. He was splashing in the bath Thranduil had insisted he have before bed.

The prince had spent a good amount of the day with the horses and when he had sat beside his adar for the evening meal the smell was so strong the King's eyes had watered.

"Mmm hmm." Was Thranduil's mumbled reply. "Put your head back in my hand so I can wash your hair."

"It is a very nice bow isn't it." He said looking up as his adar as the flowered soap was rubbed into his scalp.

"Yes Legolas very nice. Hold your nose now, we are going to rinse." Thranduil said waiting for him to do so before submerging him and rubbing the soap out.

"Ada...." "Yes Legolas." "Ada, Elladan an Elrohir have very nice bows too." Legolas spluttered as he wiped water from his face.

"Legolas?" "Yes ada?" "What do you want." Thranduil asked while dunking a cloth and slathering it until it frothed with soapy bubbles.

"Adaaa..." Legolas replied trying to look affronted which was very hard to do when ones face was being thoroughly scrubbed. "I don't want anything......" He struggled trying to stop the cloth from further assault on his face. "I was only thinking............ada did you know that Selle's Elleth is very fat? That means she is going to have an elfling ada."

"Yes Legolas, but not for some time." Thranduil commented thinking on the weapon's master's wife while soaping a wriggling foot. "Oh and Legolas, do not call her fat, Elleths don't like that."

"Yes ada....well I was thinking it would be nice of us if we could give the elfling a gift. I think the elfling would really like a bow and arrows......" Legolas stated as he kicked a little and splashed his adar.

The king glared at him before grabbing a towel. "I suppose you know just the bow and arrows to give the elfling don't you."

"Yes ada, I do. The elfling could have my bow and arrows." The Price inspected his wrinkled fingers with feigned interest.

"Why Legolas how very generous of you!" Thranduil exclaimed with fond amusement as he plucked his freshly scrubbed elfling out of the bath. "But Legolas wouldn't you be sad to have no bow at all?"

"Oh no ada! I could have a bow like Elladan and Elrohir, Captain Selle has loads of extra ones, I wouldn't mind getting an old one. It is ok." Legolas grabbed hold of his adar's hair to steady himself as he was rubbed dry.

"No Legolas." "But...Adaaa." "NO." Thranduil stated firmly, putting an end to it.

Legolas knew saying anymore would be a mistake, people did not talk back to his ada.

He simply could not help himself. As soon as Thranduil put him down to find suitable night clothes Legolas stomped his foot. "It is not fair!! I want a real bow!"

The King turned around so quickly and with such a gleam in his eyes that Legolas immediately covered his bottom with his hands.

"I am not a baby." He said shakily.

"You are my baby." Thranduil said as he ignored the defiance for a moment to gather the sleeping tunic and came back to the bed. "You are tired elfling, we will discuss this in the morning. You are never to speak to me in that manner again Legolas or you will be a very sorry little elf." He scolded calmly pushing the neck of the tunic over damp golden hair.

There would be no games of 'where is the elfling' tonight as both parties were decidedly grumpy.

"Goodnight ion." Thranduil said kissing him as he snuggled into the covers. "Goodnight ada."

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"Ada." Legolas whispered. It was hard to see in the dark bedroom. Legolas crept closer to the bed. "Ada are you awake?"

There was no response to his quiet question. Going up to the head of the King's bed Legolas whispered in the delicate curve of his father's ear. "Ada wake up."

Under normal circumstances Thranduil would have woken to the sound of a body entering the room, but he was deep in reverie. He had finally come to some agreements with Elrond this day and was getting his first night of full rest in many weeks. His eyes were half closed in weariness and he was near snoring with his heavy breaths.

Legolas furrowed his brow, his father looked very different when he was sleeping he decided. He was suddenly afraid, he didn't like it when his ada was so still. The prince stood for a few minutes staring at Thranduil's lax features before poking his little finger in his sire's eye.

Legolas let out a grunt before Thranduil rocketed off the bed.

"What! W...who goes there!" Thranduil jumped to his feet with the speed of a batting eyelash and had pulled a sword so quickly from beside the bed it was as if it came out of thin air.

He scanned the dark room his eyes glittering and full of fire to see only Legolas looking at him with his mouth gaping.

"Legolas! What are you doing!" Thranduil fumed at him, yelling so loudly the bed post seemed to tremble. Legolas stood silent, mouth still open.

"Legolas....is.....something wrong?" Thranduil's rage changing to concern when his son stood as still as a statue with his mouth still open after many minutes passed. When he didn't receive a response, Thranduil placed his sword back in its resting space and sat down in front of the little statue.

The King turned his son's face to him. Legolas swallowed and his eyes were wide. "Do it again ada."

"What!" Thranduil's rage returned.

"Do it again! Do it again!" Legolas giggled at him clapping his hands.

"Legolas! This isn't a game! My heart was near my nose!" The King was incredulous. Thranduil had often scared his son in their play and Legolas had learned to delight in it.

"Oh" Legolas realized that his adar was indeed angry and ducked his head. Thranduil Let out a sigh and dropped his hands to his knees. "Well, what is it? Why do you wake me in the middle of night?"

Suddenly Legolas did not think the reason he came seemed so important. He remained silent. "Legolas, I am in no mood for this. Speak!" Waiting for the child to speak only served to increase Thranduil's ire and Legolas' timidity.

"A...aada I am big enough for pointy arrows." Legolas replied. Thranduil ran a hand down his face, lifting his son onto the bed he grit out, "Unbelievable."

Legolas ran his fingers over the smooth cover on his father's bed as Thranduil gnashed his teeth audibly. He was feeling no mercy for the elfling at the moment and he knew he must regain his calm. It would be good practice for the meetings he would have in the coming days.

Thranduil was feeling his age. Mayhap he wanted to throw a tantrum like an Elfling though.

"Legolas what are pointy arrows for?" The King asked with his mouth forming a thin line.

"For sticking in targets ada, my arrows do not stick and I don't know how I am improving. See ada that is why I need pointy arrows." Legolas reasoned.

"No Legolas, an arrow is a weapon meant to defend us from harm. An arrows sharp tip.....Legolas.....is meant to kill. Killing is not a game and killing is not for the young and innocent, you must learn to value life before you can take life." Thranduil stated holding both of his son's arms and staring deeply into wide blue eyes.

Legolas gulped. He had never thought of it that way. "I want to be a warrior ada, I want to defend you from harm."

"One day you will Legolas....when you are a grown elf. First you must grow your mind and listen to me so that I may guide you. I know what is best for you. One day you will be ready for a weapon that will defend our kingdom but not until your King commands it!" Thranduil said sternly.

"Now then...did I not say we would discuss this in the morning?" An eyebrow was raised high at this.

"I forgot" Legolas mumbled quietly

Thranduil snorted at this. "Mmm hmm.....Go and bring me your bow and arrows Legolas."

Legolas' eyes widened. "Why ada?"

"Did you not hear me?!" The King bellowed.

Legolas found his feet and ran quickly to his room to retrieve said items. On his way back he tripped several times on the edge of his night shirt and left a few arrows to litter his trek as he could not put them back into the quiver with his hands overly full.

It was a sad elfling that returned to the exhausted King's bed chamber.

"These will be staying with me for a time, until you learn to appreciate what you have." Thranduil said as he plucked the items from his son's precarious grip.

Suddenly Legolas realized that while he may not have had a big elf bow like Elladan and Elrohir he loved his bow and play arrows deeply. He began to wail. This was the worse punishment ever!

"Adahaha *sniff* I abresheate my bow!! Please don't take it away.....I abresheate ada! I do!" Legolas cried while wringing his empty hands.

"That's enough now Legolas. Ada is tired. You were very naughty to wake me for something so meager." Thranduil scolded gently despite his frustration.

Legolas quieted and gazed forlornly at his lost favored toy. "Can I sleep in your bed ada there is a spider under mine." he hiccupped while holding his arms out expectantly.

Thranduil rolled his eyes and lifted the elfling into his lap.

"I'm sorry ada. Are you still angry at me?" Legolas sniffed.

"A bit." Thranduil sighed.

Legolas wrapped his arms around His adar's neck and peppered Thranduil's face with kisses until his stern face couldn't hold back a smile.

"But.....I love you forever." He said kissing the drying tears from Legolas' cheeks. "You will stay with me tonight but You will be quiet and sleep, understand? Your adar is very tired."

Thranduil lay down rolling Legolas on his stomach by his side. The King let out a frustrated sigh as he tried to regain his rest.

After several minutes of peace, he was disturbed by wriggling.

"Lay still! I won't say it again!" Thranduil commanded.

Just as he was beginning to drift off he felt breath on his ear.

"Ada? how long is forever?" Legolas whispered.

Thranduil clenched his fist and grit his teeth.

"Too long." He groaned.

TBC

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