Chapter 25 everyone!

I would like to thank every reader, follower, favourite and reviewer; you guys are wonderful!

x0PrimexRose0x: Thank you! Glad you like it and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.

Jessie Rae Baby: Thanks for your opinion! I hope you'll find this chapter a bit happier (though the next one definitely will be, if that's to any consolation).

I know that the last chapter was a bit sad (indeed; most of the reviews stated so and I'll admit that I almost got a bit teary-eyed when I wrote it), but I hope that you'll find this chapter a little bit lighter. If you don't, I promise that the next chapter will be much more cheerful. Really; scout's honour!

I do not own any characters or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do.

Enjoy!

Chapter 25: Legolas

There was sadness in the fresh air as they rode closer to Mirkwood. Everything seemed deader than before, as if the battle had affected the forest as well.

He rode next to his father, head down and his hands held perhaps a too tight grip around the reins. His knuckles were white.

A few of the elves travelling with them sang songs, both joyous and sad ones. They grieved for the days that had passed and celebrated the days that would come.

He felt heavy on the horseback and he had since long stopped listening to his father's conversation with the greying wizard. Their voices were like rain, talking but yet he was unable to hear about what. Neither of them seemed too upset and he guessed that after a few lifetimes of being alive, grief was easier to handle, as were mistakes.

He hadn't spoken to Tauriel since the battle, him being busy doing his duties as a prince and her doing her duties as Captain of the Guards. And he didn't know what to say to her. All his lessons, all pretty words he had been taught seemed useless now.

The trees in the distance looked like scary shadows, starting to loose leaves as the winter was coming. It didn't help improve his mood. Trying to take his mind of the battle cries, he started to softly hum a song under his breath. It was quite a sad song with hints of mockery. He had learned it from some rangers that had been trespassing many years ago. It didn't make him feel lighter, but it kept him occupied.

"What's the song you're singing?"

He looked up, startled for a change. It was the halfling that had asked, the hobbit. He looked really small, sitting on his pony with his hairy feet dangling from the sides. Bilbo was his name, if he remembered correctly. He was apparently the hero of the battle. It was strange how such a small creature could contain such power.

"I'm not sure", he admitted, looking thoughtful. "I do not know the words."

"Oh."

Bilbo lowered his gaze. His long, brown curls hid his face from view. There was something rough about him now, like a newly sharpened blade. He looked thin and tiny, with shadows under his eyes.

"How are you feeling, master hobbit?" he asked suddenly, his heart going out with the small man who was so far from home.

Bilbo looked startled and at loss for words. He tried to speak several times, but closed his mouth and frowned. His green eyes were dark and tired and the trees cast shadows upon his face. Bilbo nervously licked his lips.

"I don't know", was his final answer and his voice sounded a bit dreamy and vague. "I really don't know."

They didn't speak after that.

Eventually they came to a halt. Thranduil invited them to stay for a while, but the offer was politely turned down. It appeared that Bilbo and Gandalf would take one of the roads around the forest and he couldn't say that he blamed them. Sometimes the forest scared even him. It was wrong because no one should have to fear their own home.

Gandalf and Thranduil exchanged their farewells. Gandalf then approached him, his eyes twinkling, but looking tired still.

"Legolas."

"Mithrandir", he replied and Gandalf smiled faintly.

"You'll take care, I hope", the old man continued, lowering his voice. "One danger is gone, but there are more to come. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but someday. Evil just can't seem to keep away."

He could only nod, the wizard's words not new to him, but foreboding all the same. Gandalf nodded before steering his horse away from the prince.

The hobbit sighed as a goodbye, waving one hand and wore an expression that seemed to say 'I'll be fine one day again'. The prince hoped that was true.

"A strange creature, is he not?"

He turned to look at his father who was staring after the two travelers as they rode on. The king looked thoughtful, blue eyes having a far off look.

"He has seen many things. I think he's allowed to be a bit strange."

The king graced him with a smile that had become even rarer these days.

"True, but he's a friend of elves nevertheless." The king showed him a very fine necklace of white gems that looked like stars and tiny pearls that glistened like spider eyes. "He gave me this as a gift for my hospitality. He had been sneaking around and stolen food when we kept the dwarves prisoned. Now he felt that he needed to repay me."

Worry gnawed at him when he watched his father's eyes lit up as he looked at the necklace. He was tired of jewels and gold. It was the cause of all this misery from the beginning. He had seen one king fall for the lust of gold and he wouldn't have his father be next.

"Do you not already have what you need?" he questioned, not caring if he sounded rude.

Thranduil looked at his son, an almost replica of himself, and his expression softened into one of tenderness. He reached out a pale, slim hand and touched his son's cheek.

"I do."

Then he withdrew his hand and steered his elk onto the path into Mirkwood. Shocked at his father's open show of affection, he blinked a few times before composing himself and followed his father home.