This was one of those chapters where I had a very interesting idea halfway through, couldn't stop laughing, and had to add it in.
If you haven't already picked these up, Ada and Nana are Sindarin for dad and mom (Adar and Naneth are the more formal versions). I suppose I should technically translate them, but they're too cute...
"Good morning, Legolas." The king of Greenwood bent over the crib to lift his son out. "Shh, do not wake up your Nana... She never sleeps this long, you know. She must be very tired."
Legolas blinked up at his father.
Thranduil silently carried the baby out into the living room, not wanting to bother Eithryn, who was indeed still out cold; of course, she had been up several times during the night to feed Legolas, never mind what had happened yesterday morning. "So, how does it feel to be a day old?"
Legolas appeared to think it felt just fine, as he yawned and went back to sleep. Thranduil smiled and went to attempt to make breakfast with one arm, only to discover Galion already at that task; he thanked his butler (and shushed him when he tried to enthusiastically say good morning to the sleeping baby) and wandered outside, gently rocking his son back and forth.
Approximately seven minutes later, just as Galion finished the pancakes he was making, Legolas cracked his eyes open, decided it was breakfast time for him as well, and began to howl at the top of his very small lungs. The resulting sound was impressive.
Thranduil winced; he had hoped poor Eithryn would be able to sleep for a while longer. "Oh, Legolas..."
Eithryn appeared at the window within moments. "Give me the baby."
He reluctantly did so.
. . . . . .
"Ada has to go to work now, Legolas," Thranduil said unhappily, kissing the baby's forehead.
"Does Ada wish he wasn't the king?" Eithryn asked. She claimed she did not need any more sleep, though she looked quite tired as she half-lay on the couch, cradling Legolas protectively in her arms.
"More than ever," Thranduil agreed, "but I have already taken one day off." He sighed deeply. "What are you going to do, may I ask?" He hoped the answer was give the baby to Galion and take a nap.
"I thought I might take Legolas to meet some of the elves who haven't seen him yet. Is that okay?"
He frowned doubtfully. "As long as you have the energy..."
She snorted. "You know who you're talking to, right? You're such a worrier."
"Just be careful." He kissed her, then Legolas again, and sadly headed for the door. "I love you both."
"Legolas says he loves you too," Eithryn informed him.
. . . . . .
Thranduil trudged into his office a few minutes later, where he found one of his advisors—not the blond one—waiting for him. "Ah, Alagon."
"My king," the other elf—a Silvan—replied with a crisp bow. This one—Kilvara's brother-in-law, though Thranduil had trouble thinking of him that way—was a soldier through and through, and he looked the part, down to the knife in his belt and his polished black boots. Even his blood-red hair accurately reflected his intense personality. He held out a scroll. "A report from our scouts in the north. I thought you would wish to see it."
Thranduil opened the scroll and scanned the writing inside. It was not good news.
"We must do something about this threat to our borders," Alagon insisted, not for the first time. This was a reoccurring debate among the king's inner circle.
"Greenwood is still recovering from the last war," Thranduil replied tiredly, as he always did.
Alagon began to pace. "Recovering slowly. Whatever dark power consumes that land is growing far faster than any elven nation; if we wait until we're ready, we will not survive. We must strike now!"
Thranduil put his head in his hands. They were supposed to be entering a time of peace, a time when his son could grow up without the threat of attack looming over him, or the possibility of becoming a soldier as soon as he was fully grown. Legolas was supposed to be safe!
"I am sorry," his advisor said. "I simply do not see any other way."
Alagon was the king's newest advisor, the only one who had not previously served his father, and though he could be rather rash at times, always seeming to suggest the most aggressive course of action, Thranduil knew he needed the fiery elf to cancel out his—and Taensirion's—tendency toward caution. Unlike Oropher, who had been bold to a fault, Greenwood's new king found that he hesitated to take any action with the potential to harm his fragile kingdom; after all, he had seen more than once what a single reckless decision could do. And perhaps Alagon was right this time; at the very least, they had to be prepared for the worst.
But how could he tell his people they were going to war again, so soon after nearly every elf lost someone they cared about? He shuddered, remembering the lists of dead upon his return from Mordor—not dead soldiers, but hundreds of elves who perished of grief alone!
And yet, he had to do something... "Greenwood will begin preparing for war," he agreed. "But we will not march yet. I wish to delay this war as long as possible."
Alagon bowed and left without further comment, wisely accepting the partial victory.
Thranduil leaned back in his chair, trying not to remember the piles of corpses they had buried only a few short years ago. The stench of burnt flesh... His father's body, which Eithryn did not let him see.
Curse this place called Angmar.
. . . . . .
"So... this is what I looked like thirty years ago?"
"Yep."
Firith did not seem impressed. "Okay..." He regarded the baby from a safe distance, looking perplexed as to why everyone was so excited about it.
"Galion wants another baby," Caliel told Sky. "I guess I could go for that. Getting to sleep in every morning, eating whatever I want, no responsibilities..."
Sky laughed.
"Can I hold him?" Galion hadn't gotten an opportunity to do this yet.
Sky's grip on Legolas automatically tightened slightly. "I'd rather keep him for now," she said quickly.
Galion looked hurt.
"...He's only a day old, you know?" She felt bad—Galion took such good care of all of them, after all—but she didn't like the idea of her baby being in someone else's arms, even if it was a harmless elf like Galion.
"No, don't apologize, I understand," said the butler, trying not to feel rejected. He consoled himself by stroking Legolas's silky hair, which Sky seemed fine with. "He's so quiet."
"You weren't," Caliel told Firith.
"He mostly seems to cry when he's hungry," Sky remarked. "You're a happy baby, aren't you, Legolas? Am I taking good care of you?" She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Anyway, we have a lot of people to visit today, so we'll see you later. Say bye, Legolas!"
Legolas looked in their general direction.
"Bye, Legolas," Galion cooed. "See you tonight."
"Um... Goodbye, Legolas?" Firith said, figuring the baby must understand them to some degree if they were talking to him like that. They were grown-ups, after all; surely they knew more than he did.
. . . . . .
"Hi, little prince!" Silana beamed at the baby, while Feren subtly inched away.
Aleinia, whose dark eyes were, as always, still sad despite the soft smile on her face, came over to see Legolas. "Hello. I'm surprised to see you up and about, Sky; would you like to sit down?"
"No thanks." Sky's naturally through-the-roof energy levels had returned despite her lack of sleep. "I'm not any more tired than I would be after a battle, honestly."
"Really?" Silana's curiosity was aroused. "How long were you in labor?" Her adopted second mother, meanwhile, went to make a snack for Sky, knowing she would need the energy.
"About five hours."
"Huh... Are we talking a five-hour battle, or shorter? How would that compare to an average border skirmish? Also, do you use the same muscles for giving birth, or is it a different set than we strengthen by training?"
"The only real battle I've been in was the one at Mordor," Sky admitted. "But I think it's fair to say I'd rather have a baby then get stabbed in the lungs again like I did way back when the Sindar came. My first-ever patrol with my future husband, and I almost got killed," she reminisced. "But at least I saved Felrion."
"Why was Felrion in danger? Feren, come see the baby, he's adorable." Silana sighed dramatically. "I've got to get married so I can have babies... but all the potential husbands are such idiots."
"Someone thought it was a good idea to give the healers 'experience'..." Sky grinned as Feren, in response to Silana's invitation, fled into his room. This was technically his house, but Aleinia lived with him half the time and with Taensirion and Lanthirel the other half, and Silana visited almost daily. "Have you considered my brother as an option? He needs a wife."
Silana snorted. "I had not. Oof. He's quite a lot older than me, but cute for sure..." She winked at Sky. "I'll have to think on that."
Sky laughed so hard she had to sit down, which appeared to rather confuse Legolas.
"I wonder what would happen if I tried to flirt with him?" Silana mused. "I ought to try that... Give him a good scare, you know, and get some practice."
Aleinia came back in with a mix of nuts and dried fruit, which the other two eagerly dove into. "Flirt with who, and why haven't your Naneth and I heard about this yet?"
"Storm," Silana giggled. "He's so sure he's never going to fall in love; it'll be great. Sky suggested it," she added innocently.
"Just naming the single male elves I know," the queen told Aleinia, grinning. "And, I mean, they'd make a great pair." She contemplated Silana between handfuls of dried fruit mix. "I wonder what would happen if you kissed him...?"
"Ew!" The younger she-elf made a face. "I can't kiss Storm! Gross!"
"Even if I pay you?"
Aleinia interfered. "I don't think she needs to go quite that far."
"Flirting should be hilarious enough," Silana agreed. "I should ask Naneth for tips. Hey, Sky, can I try holding Legolas?"
"Um..." She knew she should give her hopeful young friend (and possible future sister-in-law?) a chance, but she still didn't want to let go of her fragile son.
"No? That's okay. I can wait a few days."
"It's not that I don't trust you... I'm sorry, I guess my mothering instincts are out of control." Sky held Legolas a little closer.
Silana shrugged, hardly offended. "I'll have plenty of chances. Now, about Storm..."
. . . . . .
Thranduil quickly gave up on planning the changes he had promised Alagon; half an hour after his advisor left, he was sitting by the window, his chin propped in his hand, staring out into the trees. He missed his son.
It really was amazing how quickly he had bonded with the child, given that there was really no meaningful way he could interact with him, but there was something about knowing the tiny elfling was his...
Unbidden, a memory sprang into his mind—a burst of flame, a wave of flesh-melting heat, a glimpse of blue eyes just like his own as his father knocked him roughly to the ground, taking the fire for him.
He imagined Legolas—not the baby he had held in his arms that morning, but an older elf, a young warrior—in the path of the flames and knew he would have done the same. The very thought of his child being in danger made him sick to his stomach.
. . . . . .
"Naneth! Faena! Sky's here with the prince!"
The other two she-elves joined Milaera in fawning over Legolas (quietly, because he was starting to doze off), though Lanthirel spoke to Sky as well. "So, what is this about Silana and your brother?"
"Well," said Sky, not knowing how Lanthirel felt about this and not having realized Silana had already visited while she was talking with Aleinia about baby-related topics, "she'd make a great sister-in-law."
Lanthirel laughed. "Everyone needs a sister-in-law. Mine's name is Minuial; I have not seen her in a long time, but she is a lot like Silana."
Sky grinned and went to sit on the couch, bouncing Legolas up and down gently; Lanthirel joined her on one side, and Faena on the other; all three she-elves were attracted to babies like magnets. "Go to sleep, little Greenleaf."
Milaera knelt on the floor in front of Sky, watching the almost-asleep baby. "Is Silana serious about this? I only caught the end of that conversation." She was careful to speak quietly.
"Half-serious," said Lanthirel. "If Storm shows any interest whatsoever, I think she will run with it... You know, I do like him." She winked at Sky.
"You're okay with the possibility of your grandchildren having striped hair?" Sky asked, just to make sure. Legolas was almost asleep, but his eyes were still just barely cracked open...
"I think it is a rather pretty effect, like a tiger's-eye stone," Faena put in. "Did either of your parents have striped hair, Sky?"
She was rocking back and forth, trying to get Legolas's eyes to close that tiny fraction more... "I think Storm said our father had copper hair and our mother's was black, but maybe hers was too dark for it to show up?"
The other three turned their attention from the baby for a moment. "I forgot you never met them," Lanthirel murmured.
Sky shrugged. "At least I got the interesting experience of being raised by Storm."
"I am not letting Tairen raise his next brother or sister," Milaera remarked, referring to her eldest child. "And he is fully grown."
"I think I damaged Storm more than he did me," the queen remarked. "That's probably why he doesn't want to marry; he's afraid he'll have to raise copies of me."
"Especially if they are Silana's children, my goodness," noted Faena.
"Ah, I hope this works out," sighed Milaera. "But if not, I suppose it will make a good story, just like Faena and Thranduil."
Faena yelped. "Milaera! You had to say that in front of Sky?"
"Shh!" said Sky, but it was too late; Faena's shout startled Legolas, and he began to cry.
"Oh, I am so sorry!" the blond she-elf apologized. "Here, let me take him, I will get him calmed down—"
Sky tensed up again and held her baby away from the would-be thief. Legolas's wails made it worse; some instinct deep within her told her to protect him at all costs.
Faena dropped her arms and backed up a few feet before sitting down again. "I did not mean to..."
Lanthirel intervened. "It is all right, she is just being a little overprotective. Perfectly normal." She rubbed Sky's back; the new mother looked as upset as Faena.
Sky took a deep breath and cuddled Legolas closer; he'd already stopped crying, and was going to sleep again now that the sudden loud noise was gone. "I know it's unreasonable, but every time someone asks to hold him, I get all worried..."
"I know," Lanthirel sympathized. "It happens to a lot of first-time mothers, trust me." Sky still looked miserable. "Did you hear what Milaera said?" the Sindar asked mischievously.
Sky shook her head; she'd been too distracted by her baby to process it.
"Mother!" Faena hissed, at an acceptable volume this time.
"Faena had a crush on Thranduil once," Milaera repeated cheerfully, ignoring her sister's threatening stare. "It was all 'Look at his eyes, are they not stunning?' and 'Do you think he knows how I feel about him?' until she met Heledir, and that was that."
Sky's jaw dropped.
"All the girls were in love with him," Faena protested weakly. "Sky, please, please, please do not tell him. I would never be able to speak to him again."
"Hmm," said Sky, filing that information away with the rest of her blackmail possibilities.
. . . . . .
Silana considered her target, who was passing directly below her tree on his way back from a hunting expedition, it appeared. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, noting how his sleeves were rolled up to reveal lean but well-muscled arms, and how, when he glanced back, the green patches in his eyes caught the light differently than the brown; he had a slightly exotic appearance, like Sky. "Not bad," she decided.
She descended gracefully and landed lightly behind Storm; he wasn't surprised in the slightest, but tilted his head curiously at her. "Hello, Silana."
"Hey," she returned, smiling charmingly and brushing her loosely braided hair out of her eyes in the most flirtatious way possible. "Been hunting?"
"...Yeah," he said, looking at her funny.
"And successfully," she added, sounding very impressed as she moved closer—maybe a little closer than strictly necessary—for a closer look at the five rabbits and the duck he was carrying. "How far away did you shoot these from?"
"It varied," he told her slowly, raising a bemused eyebrow. "Fifteen trees away for some of them."
"Wow." That actually wasn't all that impressive for Greenwood's elite archers, but she had a part to play here. "I'll bet you missed at least once, right?"
Storm was rather offended. "I don't miss."
She bumped his shoulder. "I know. You're going home, right? Mind if I tag along?" It wasn't far at all, but it would give her time to do a bit more.
"O... kay?"
Silana had to hold back her giggles as she trotted after him in a deliberately puppylike manner; this was fun. "So what are you doing later?"
He glanced back at her, blinking as if wondering whether she was really going where it sounded like she was going with that. "Probably bothering Sky and Legolas."
"Oh. All right." She let herself look just the slightest bit disappointed. "I suppose I will probably hang out with Feren, then... Always open to other options, though." She shrugged noncommittally.
"Uh-huh..." Storm looked genuinely terrified now.
"Ah, there's your house," she observed. "Well, I should go, so have fun cutting up your dinner there." She squeezed his shoulder and let her hand linger there for an extra second. "And I will see you later." She winked.
Storm stared at her.
Silana jumped into the nearest tree and headed for the upper branches, showing off a little with the occasional backflip. "Bye, Storm."
He cleared his throat, still blinking a lot. "Goodbye."
She figured he'd gotten the message.
. . . . . .
"Hello, my lord. What do you need?"
Thranduil pulled out the chair in front of Taensirion's desk and sat down. "Do you have time to talk, father-to-father?"
Taensirion instantly put down his quill and folded his hands in front of him, giving Thranduil his full attention. "Of course. What is on your mind?"
"How can you watch Feren and Silana go off on patrol, knowing they will face orcs and possibly worse?"
"Ah..." Taensirion's gaze dropped to the desk. "I remind myself that they are more than capable, and that they have rarely been harmed before... but in truth, all I can really do is try not to think about it. I know that does not help you, but that is how it is."
"And when they do return injured?"
"Then all I can do is sit by their bedside while they heal and pray it does not happen again. It is painful watching them go into danger, Thranduil; I still have nightmares about it on occasion, even though I know, as I said, that they are quite able to care for themselves."
"And yet you still trained them to fight, even your daughter."
"I taught all three of my daughters to fight, as you know, and Lanthirel as well; I was not originally expecting Silana to have a life so different from that of her sisters, but I agreed to her request for advanced training because I knew she could do everything Feren could do, and it came so naturally to her. I could have said no, but it seemed wrong to hold her back simply because we were Sindarin, because I was not used to thinking of she-elves as warriors. And despite everything, I do not regret my choice; she has so much potential, both as a fighter and as a leader. I suppose there is a point when we must let them make their own choices and take their own risks, even when it hurts us." He went quiet and met Thranduil's eyes.
Could Thranduil do that? His father had; Oropher encouraged him to develop his skill with blades, and always emphasized that it was their job to protect their kingdom, even before they were kings, and yet, looking back, Thranduil remembered plenty of times when a brief wince before a patrol or a sharp cry when he returned injured showed his father's true feelings. But Oropher had always reacted to fear by pushing forward, while Thranduil pulled back.
"There is no easy answer," Taensirion admitted.
Thranduil nodded. "Thank you anyway."
"Of course. Oh, and Thranduil, I spent the first days after Faena was born worrying that we would somehow get in an argument someday and end up not on speaking terms for the rest of our lives, so do not be embarrassed if your mind gets stuck in a loop."
Thranduil added that to his list of Legolas-related fears.
"Hey, Taensirion?"
They turned around to discover Coryn at the window. "What can I do for you, Storm?" Taensirion asked curiously. Though the queen's brother did sometimes bring him messages or stop by to see if he wanted to talk, it was highly unusual for him to need anything from, well, anyone.
"How old is Silana?"
"Nearly eleven hundred. Why?"
"Oh, no reason..." Storm shook his head and walked away, looking rather unsettled.
Taensirion watched their friend depart, than raised an eyebrow at Thranduil. "Speaking of worrying..." he joked.
"I wonder what that was about?" the king agreed.
. . . . . .
"Why am I not surprised you're taking walks across the forest?" was Felrion's first comment when Sky showed up at his door. "Hello again, Legolas."
Kilvara was more inclined to fuss over both of them. "Legolas, your eyes are open this time! That's such a cute outfit... Sky, you look so tired, come sit down."
"One thing," said Sky as she was ushered over to a large, soft chair usually reserved for any of Felrion's patients who weren't feeling particularly well but were still tired of lying in bed. "I know you both want to hold the baby, but I keep getting nervous whenever I think about anyone except me and Thranduil holding him—yes, even you and Galion and Storm—so please don't ask. Everything else is fine."
"Your mother was the same way with Storm for the first few days," Felrion commented. "No worries."
"Really?"
"Yup. Wouldn't let anyone even touch him except your father. It should go away before too long, don't worry—oh, hey, Storm. Come in."
The elf they'd just been talking about came in through the window, appearing thoroughly confused. "Hi..."
"What's going on?" asked Sky, who was pretty sure she knew exactly what it was.
She must have hid her amusement well enough, because Storm shook his head in amazement and said, "Silana, that's what."
"Silana?" Kilvara's attention was diverted from Legolas, to whom she'd been cooing. "What do you mean?"
Storm went over to see Legolas, squeezing in between Kilvara and Felrion. "How's my nephew?"
"Feeling crowded," said Sky, kicking people's legs to make them back up a step.
"Storm," Kilvara repeated, "what happened with Silana?"
"Um," said Storm.
Sky winked at Kilvara. "Is it just me, or is he blushing a little?"
Kilvara had been bending over Legolas and Sky again, but now she stood up straight. "You have a crush on Silana?" she gasped excitedly. "Felrion, you're hearing this, right?"
"No!" Storm protested. "No, no, no, Kilvara, she has a crush! She does!"
"On you?" Sky inquired innocently.
He held his hands out helplessly. "Apparently!"
Felrion was just laughing, while Legolas appeared to be wondering why the big elves were being so loud.
"Well, do you like her back?" Kilvara demanded.
"I don't know! I still think of her as an elfling!"
Sky was thrilled; Silana must've done her job well. "Maybe you should give her a chance," she suggested.
Storm's brow furrowed.
"C'mon, you need to get married someday," Sky urged. "Why not Silana? She's clever, she's playful, she's a good fighter, and she's pretty, right? Anything else you need?"
"Hold on a second, who says I have to get married?"
"Maybe you're not the only one who wants nieces and nephews?" Felrion suggested.
Storm stepped back and folded his arms. "I'm not getting married."
"Sure you're not." Sky stood up carefully (she wasn't going to let soreness stop her, but it was still very much present). "Thranduil should be done with work soon, hopefully; I'm going to go see him. You can all come if you want."
"That's all right," Felrion said. "We're going to visit Kilvara's family in an hour or so." His wife nodded to confirm their plans.
"I'll come if you let me hold Legolas," Storm told his sister hopefully.
"Baby-holding is unavailable today," she apologized. "Weird protective instincts are messing with me."
"I haven't gotten to hold him yet!" he complained, but he held the door open for her and followed her outside and down the tree (she'd already mastered the skill of carrying a baby while climbing).
. . . . . .
"Hello, Ada."
"Hello, Silana. And what are you doing here this evening?" They were in Taensirion's office in the building which also housed the king's audience hall, at least until they all moved into the underground palace.
"I'm hoping Sky will come by; I have something to tell—" She stopped and cocked her head, listening, and a grin spread over her face. "I will be right back." She stepped out into the hallway. "Hi, Storm. Hi, Sky and Legolas."
Taensirion noted his daughters tone of voice on a certain two words and slowly put down the scroll he was reading.
"Hey, Silana." That was Sky's voice, and she was giggling.
"Oh... Silana... hi..." That was Storm.
Taensirion poked his head out the door.
Silana was leaning against the wall next to Storm, and... fluttering her eyelashes at him?
. . . . . .
Thranduil jumped off his throne and ran across the hall to take his son from his wife. "Hello, Legolas, I missed you."
"Ow, my arms," complained Eithryn, massaging her aching muscles, which had held a baby for much longer than they should have. "Ouch, ouch, ouch... You're ignoring me."
"Hmm?" Thranduil looked up from Legolas.
"Never mind," she said. "I'm gonna sit down for a minute." She walked to his throne and collapsed onto it, her legs hanging over the side.
He followed her. "Are you all right?"
"I'm great," she assured him. "I'm just sore all over and I'm going to pass out in ten... nine... eight... seven..."
He smirked. "Legolas, your Nana needs to learn to pace herself."
"Three... two... one..." She went limp and let her tongue hang out the side of her mouth.
"Oh dear," Thranduil chuckled. He turned as Taensirion approached.
"I am going to pretend I did not just see my daughter flirting with your brother-in-law," the advisor said, raising both his eyebrows. "Hello, Legolas."
"Coryn? Silana is flirting with Coryn?" Thranduil needed to see this for himself, but before he could go outside, the aforementioned elves followed Taensirion in.
"Hello, king Thranduil," Silana said cheerfully. "May I hold Legolas, please?"
"My turn first," Coryn announced. "I'm his uncle, and Sky wouldn't let me earlier."
"Sky wouldn't let anyone hold him," Silana sympathized, moving out of the way to let Thranduil hand the baby to Coryn, which the king looked unlikely to do.
"Come on, Thranduil," Coryn begged. "He's a day old and I haven't gotten to hold him yet."
"And I have not gotten to hold him since this morning," Thranduil grumbled, but he gave the baby to his brother-in-law. Coryn looked thrilled.
Silana took that opportunity to move even closer to him so she could see Legolas's face. His blue eyes were wide open, though, as usual, they weren't focused on anything. "You like children, Storm?"
"Older ones are more fun," he answered (a bit warily), "but babies are okay, especially if they're my sister's. Been a good baby today, Legolas?"
Silana propped her arm on his shoulder and leaned against him, and used the attention that got her to flash him a winning smile. He did not appear to know how to respond to this.
Thranduil and Taensirion, meanwhile, were exchanging well-this-is-an-interesting-development glances, and Sky, who had managed to resist snatching her son back from Storm upon seeing how confidently he held the baby, giggled from her surprisingly comfortable position on the throne.