Chapter 12

It had been six months to the day the Dragon attack the Woodland realm and the king was watching his son and having a play day with his grandson. Legolas was now a toddler elf. The times in the realm were getting worse. More attacks from evil force. Evil creatures that he had not never know before were invading his realm. He had to have more of his solider elves on guard at the borders of the realm to protect it. He thought sending that Lavenyia away the evil would leave, but it did not. He thought to himself that maybe out of anger and revenge she would call upon more evil on the land. He was not sure, but all he knew was the evil had be stop and it had to be stop soon. As he watches his two greatest loves walk among the land, his heart began to melt as the thought about the day he told Thranduil his lie that his wife died by the Dragons, it was not the reaction he thought Thranduil would have, and he would never forget it.

Thranduil screams after he told him his beloved was dead haunted him for days. He sounded like an animal who had lost it young. He rembered him riding out into the night into the forest trying to find her, not believing she was dead. The king rode out to find him to make sure he was safe. He found him screaming her name looking through every cave and lake, even digging in the ground with his own hands hoping she would come to him in the moonlight. When the king found his son he was by the lake deep into the forest, and his clothes were wet. Thranduil had dive into the water to find his beloved. The king pulled Thranduil in his arms to help him back to the palace. He had a glass of the forest wine to be brought to his son's room so he could sleep, but he did not.

After putting his grandson Legolas to sleep, thinking Thranduil was already in bed, the king was surprised to see Thranduil awake on the balcony looking out at the bright full moon he had been crying.

"My son you should sleep you should rest." Said the king

"Father I cannot I don't know if I will ever sleep again, she is not by my side."

"My son I know you are hurt and feel this pain of her gone, but in time you will heal. "

"No father I can never heal from the loss of my beloved wife, my life mates my one and only, nothing else matters." Thranduil said with tears.

"My son come with me" And the king walked Thranduil back to his room, where little Legolas was sleeping in his bed. They both look down at him.

"My son you are not alone, you have me and my love. Most of all you have Legolas, you need to give him love he needs you now more than ever."

"Father don't you see I cannot. My beloved loved him more than anything. She fed him milk from her breast, she told him stories to help him sleep, what can I do." The king picked up a sleeping Legolas in his arms and held him.

"Son yes there is so much a female elf must do for her child, but it is not impossible for a male elf to raise a child alone if he must, for I had to do the same with you". Just then little Legolas stirred and began to cry he wanted his father.

"He knows you are near Thranduil hold him in your arms, hold him". The king gave Thranduill his son. Thranduil held him in his arms and they lay down in the bed to sleep. The king pulls the cover over them both, as he looked down at his son sleeping with his grandson in his arms, his heart began to melt. He began to think if lying about his daughter in law death was worth it.

The next day the king and his son met with other rulers around the realm. This includes the elves in Rivendell and warriors from the land of men. Their goal is to build a super army to defeat this evil before it spreads though middle earth. After the meeting The king had a grand banquet for his guest. He invited many female elves of royal blood to come hoping his son would be enchanted by one of them. It was not the case, when he went looking for Thranduil he found him out in the moonlight with Legolas in his arms, the toddler elf had fallen asleep.

"My son you do not want to entertain your guest". Ask the king

"Father they are more your guest than mine, I am fine here alone with Legolas, we went for a moonlight walk and now he is asleep" Said Thranduil with a slight smile.

"That is good my son, but there are many young female elves here tonight, who would love to be enchanted by you."

"I am sure they are father but Legolas is my company tonight, and I know what you are trying to do". Said Thranduil with a smile, the king was happy to see his son smile again.

"What do you mean my son."

"Father you want me to find a new bride, to replace the one I lost. I must tell you father that will never happen".

"what!" son what are you talking about"? The king said with shock

"I have taken a vow, not to take another bride, there will be no other female elf to replace her. I will spend all of my time raising my son and protecting our realm".

"My son you don't mean that, raising your son alone"! The king said in shock

"At first I felt I could not, Lavenyia was such a wonderful mother to Legolas I did not think I could take her place. After you helping me with Legolas and showing me how to care for him, I believe I can give him all the love and care he needs, and I owe it all to you father".

"My son I am moved that you feel that way, but you can't be alone forever, you just can't you must find love again"

"I understand your concern father, but don't you see I had found love in Lavenyia. I will never find that kind of love again, no one will take her place she will always be my beloved, forever. Now I will raise Legolas and help you father defend out land from evil"

The king was speechless what a fool he had been not knowing his son love ran so deep.

"Now father if you excuse me I must put Legolas to bed". Thranduil rose and carried his sleeping son back to his room with him. As the king watch his walk away he now knew what a fool he had been, and he knew what he needed to do, to make things right.