Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. For people who were wondering about Glorfindel, well it is an idea I have been toying with and I really don't know if I should go through with it. Send me an email or a private message if you want to know more. Anyway let's begin.

More and more grief messages came for the king of Eryn Lasgalen and Thranduil read them all with growing concern. It was time for him to go back but he doubted if he was ready for it. He frowned at the sunny weather outside, walking to the window when he heard Legolas' happy laughter reach across the courtyard. The young Elfling had made friends here, friends that would last a lifetime.

Thranduil watched a while with a smile on his face before he turned back to his desk. It had been months since he had thought of returning but he knew it was inevitable. He closed his eyes briefly, wondering if he should speak to Elrond before he left the room, intending on finding the lord of the house.

Legolas ran away as quickly as he could from the golden warrior that was chasing him. "No, Glorfy, do not catch me." He hiccupped the sentence when two strong arms lifted him up and he was brought face to face with a grinning Glorfindel. "But I already have you, now whatever should I with my pretty catch? Bring you to your Atar perhaps? I wonder what I shall get for bringing him his lost child."

"If I am lost I am sure Ada will give you a kiss. It was he gave Nana the day she brought me back from the archery field for dinner." Legolas responded, not seeing the way the colour drained from Glorfindel's face. The warrior settled the boy upon his hip and asked. "Legolas, have you ever thought about returning back home?"

Laughing, Legolas shook his head and answered. "But why should I want to return? Ada likes it here and I do too. I like Elrond, Celebrian, Ro and Dan and you of course." He hugged the older elf around the neck and Glorfindel brought his hand to rest upon the Elfling's shoulder as he answered. "I like you too, Legolas."

"And what about my Ada?" Legolas asked softly. "I like him very much as well." Glorfindel answered but when the child drew back in confusion, Glorfindel's brow raised. "No, I mean does my Ada wish to return?"

"I really would not know, little one. But he may have to very soon for he is the king and people need the king. Why, do you wish to stay here with the rest of us?" Glorfindel assumed his light tone again so the child would not be too confused. "But I want to stay with Ada and he needs me." Glorfindel could see Legolas was torn. The child did not wish to leave Rivendell but he wished to stay with Thranduil as well, as should be expected.

"Perhaps we are talking about things that will not happen for quite some time…" Glorfindel looked up when a young servant girl came rushing over to tell him he was needed by Elrond in his study. He gave Legolas over to her with the instructions to let him play with Elladan and Elrohir.

Knocking on the door lightly he stepped inside. He frowned when he saw Thranduil sitting on the couch. The king looked up at him and smiled while Elrond gestured for him to take a seat. "Thranduil has reached the decision to go back to Eryn Lasgalen soon. He will leave within the next week. Now he has asked the question if we would like to go with him…" Elrond paused as he looked at Thranduil and continued. "I cannot leave my home for this moment but I can send some of my people with you if that is what you wish, Thranduil?"

Thranduil merely nodded as Glorfindel spoke up. "I will go myself." He received an odd look from Elrond but ignored it, seeing the way Thranduil smiled was enough for him. The young king looked at him with a beaming look, glad to have an old friend there so there would always be something to fall back upon. "Then I will go tell Legolas." With those words Thranduil stood up and walked out of the room.

Glorfindel rose as well but when Elrond coughed he looked upon his lord with concern. "Are you ill, Elrond?" He asked but when Elrond waved his concern away with a serious face and gestured for him to take a seat once more he obeyed. "How long until Thranduil will notice do you think, Glorfindel? By all means, Thranduil is not stupid. He will know some day that your concern for him stretches out far from beyond the boundaries of friendship."

Glorfindel felt rage well up within him as he hissed. "You may be my lord, Elrond, but this I shall not listen to." He made a move to rise but Elrond shook his head, the mask fell away as Glorfindel could see Elrond was concerned for him as he spoke. "I cannot foresee where this shall be going. But heed my council, Glorfindel. Elves can love more then once in their lifetime but they will not bind twice. Thranduil has lost his wife but most importantly he has lost a part of himself, but it is not for you to bring it back for it can never be recovered. It was lost the day Elanie was lost to him. Even if he grows to love you in a way I cannot say at this moment his answer to your question shall be no, for if you ever gather the courage to ask such a question. Think well on it my friend. I would not have you return a shell of your former self and heartbroken till the end of your days."

Glorfindel looked at him with anger before he hissed. "Can I leave now?" Elrond nodded while his mind briefly brushed Glorfindel's. "I say this for I love you, Mellon Nin and I do not wish to see your light go out because of a love that is not returned. I do not say Thranduil is beneath you but remember well that if you allow these feelings to grow more intense you shall not be able to turn back and then more then just friendship will be at stake, namely your heart. You have faced a Balrog and lived, I will not add to that tale that you died because of a broken heart."

Glorfindel closed his eyes briefly as he nodded at Elrond and asked. "Do I have leave of this house to embark on this journey?" He turned when Elrond nodded at him and came forward so they were face to face. "Please, mellon, come back whole and with your light still there. I would have it grace my life for as long as you remain with me in Middle Earth and long thereafter." The golden elf before him reached out his hand and touched him upon the shoulder before walking away.

Thranduil soon found Legolas and the young elf gave a cry of glee before throwing himself into the elder's arms. Thranduil could not help but laugh at the youngster's happy mood. He smiled at the twin sons of Elrond as the came to stand before him and Elladan said. "Is it true that you have to leave soon?"

Thranduil could not help but sigh as he sat down on the bed, seeing the children crawl up next to him before he answered. "That is true indeed. My people need their king back and we have been gone for too long. I wish I could stay longer, little one." He could feel Legolas's happy expression changed to one of grief as he asked. "But can we not stay here? I like it here; you do too, Ada, right?"

Smiling sadly Thranduil drew his son in his lap as he answered. "I do like it here, Legolas, but when you are an adult and especially if you rule a realm you cannot always do what you want. It is one of the stupid things in life. But if you really do not wish to be parted from Elladan and Elrohir I am sure you can stay here a little while longer while I make sure everything is secure for your to return to Eryn Lasgalen within the near future."

"But then I would be parted from you." Legolas cried out and Thranduil was reminded at how fast his son was growing up. "They can always come and visit, little one and we can always come back. But for now your place is by my side and my place is in Eryn Lasgalen and there is nothing I can change about that."

"But you are the king, people have to listen to you so when you say that you cannot go back home then they will have to listen and we can stay here." Legolas answered stubborn. Thranduil laughed as he ruffled his son's hair and spoke. "I wish that were true, Legolas but you will learn this when you are older. Remember that you did not want to go to Rivendell because you were afraid I was going to leave you. Well, ion nin, since then we have come a long way and now it is time to return home. It will be another step on the journey in life. You have made many friends here and those people will remain your friends and one day, when you are older, you come back here yourself or with me."

"But I still do not wish to go back." Legolas pouted but Elrohir spoke up. "But Lass, do you not wish to go back to the trees and the lakes that you used to play nearby? You always tell us that you wish to go back and what your Ada says is true, we can always come and visit and we can write letters. I can write my name and nearly Dan's as well."

He could see Legolas beginning to brighten but then the Elfling asked. "When are we returning? And what will it be like? Do you think the people missed us?" Thranduil smiled once more as he answered. "Yes, little one, I think our people have missed us very much and I am sure we can have a great feast when we return and perhaps we can even get you a pet cat or something like that so you always have somebody to play with."

"I would like that, Ada. I think I am ready to return." Legolas crawled into Thranduil's lap as the elf lord spoke. "I think I am ready as well, ion nin. I really think so." He hoped with all his heart that everything was well within his realm and not every step he took or every corner he turned to would remind him of what he had lost. He could still feel the empty space within his soul but like he had told Legolas they can come a long way since then and perhaps they were indeed ready to return.

I hope I have given you some insight in what is going on with Glorfindel. Tell me what you think and please review and post some ideas if you have some because I am kind of running out.