Chapter 5
Decisions
Legolas became very depressed after Irene's disappearance, much to the worry of his father and Celon. They were both used to seeing the Elf Prince very cheerful. "I am sure Irene is capable of caring for herself, my son," Thranduil said, trying to comfort his youngest. "Legolas! Legolas!" Celon came tramping through the forest to where father and son stood, holding an envelope of thick parchment in his hand. "You have a letter from Silverymoon, from the Sylverbranch house." "Let me read it." Legolas took the envelope and opened it, taking out a piece of paper with a decent-sized note on it. 'Dear Legolas, I am not sure if you know me at all, but I am Natannael Sylverbranch of Silverymoon. Just this morn I must report to you, I found a young Elfess wandering aimlessly in the forest about twenty miles outside of Mirkwood. She revealed to me that she belonged to you, and had made a big mistake of running away. She is at the house of Merythin, under the care of my fiencee, Erisanna. If you wish to retrieve her, you may come at your will. I just wished to let you know in writing that she is alive and well at any rate, except with a tiny hole in her foot where I removed a thorn.
Sincerely Yours, Natannael Sylverbranch'
Legolas sat down on the grass, taking a deep breath as he clutched the letter. "Well?" asked Celon, folding his arms. "Do you wish to take her back?" Legolas looked at him before looking down at the ground. "No." he said finally. "No? After all of your depression...you find her and you will not take her back?" Thranduil frowned. "I am not sure that your decision is wise, Legolas. She will be very upset when you reply that you do not want her." "It's not that I don't want her...I...I'm just not ready to raise a child yet. There is so much on my mind..." Celon chortled "But you did raise her, Legolas." "Not very well. I am not a father. Natannael told me she is staying with his fiencee and I think she is a much better person for Irene to live with until she is fully grown. That is my reasoning...she needs a female Elf's influence, not a male Elf's." "I see." Thranduil nodded. "Very well, my son. Write back to Natannael and tell him your decision. The poor child will be heartbroken, however, I warn you." Legolas watched his father and Celon walk away, and went to write a letter back to Natannael.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "He does not want me?" Irene cried a few days later when the letter came. "I thought..." "He thinks you will be better off living with us," Erisanna told Irene calmly, seeing the anger in Irene's eyes. Natannael gave Irene a half smile, understanding clearly how the young Elfess felt about the whole idea. Legolas had been a father figure to Irene, and now after everything they had been through, he had refused to take her back. "I am sure that he is very scared about raising you Irene. Do not take it personally...it says here: 'Natannael, I am writing this letter in response to yours, but also I am writing to my Irene. Irene, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but you will be much better off in the House of Merythn. I am not the best choice for a parent as you understand...royalty does not necessarily make a good choice. I do love you deeply as if you were my own child, but I just feel that I should leave you with Erisanna. Perhaps some day we will meet again...then we shall see. Love Always and Forever Legolas'
Irene grabbed the letter out of Natannael's hand and read it over herself. Her eyes filled with tears as she tore it up and threw the pieces into the fire that burned in the fireplace. "I do not wish to hear his name again," she snapped, rushing up the stairs to Erisanna's chamber.
Legolas became very depressed after Irene's disappearance, much to the worry of his father and Celon. They were both used to seeing the Elf Prince very cheerful. "I am sure Irene is capable of caring for herself, my son," Thranduil said, trying to comfort his youngest. "Legolas! Legolas!" Celon came tramping through the forest to where father and son stood, holding an envelope of thick parchment in his hand. "You have a letter from Silverymoon, from the Sylverbranch house." "Let me read it." Legolas took the envelope and opened it, taking out a piece of paper with a decent-sized note on it. 'Dear Legolas, I am not sure if you know me at all, but I am Natannael Sylverbranch of Silverymoon. Just this morn I must report to you, I found a young Elfess wandering aimlessly in the forest about twenty miles outside of Mirkwood. She revealed to me that she belonged to you, and had made a big mistake of running away. She is at the house of Merythin, under the care of my fiencee, Erisanna. If you wish to retrieve her, you may come at your will. I just wished to let you know in writing that she is alive and well at any rate, except with a tiny hole in her foot where I removed a thorn.
Sincerely Yours, Natannael Sylverbranch'
Legolas sat down on the grass, taking a deep breath as he clutched the letter. "Well?" asked Celon, folding his arms. "Do you wish to take her back?" Legolas looked at him before looking down at the ground. "No." he said finally. "No? After all of your depression...you find her and you will not take her back?" Thranduil frowned. "I am not sure that your decision is wise, Legolas. She will be very upset when you reply that you do not want her." "It's not that I don't want her...I...I'm just not ready to raise a child yet. There is so much on my mind..." Celon chortled "But you did raise her, Legolas." "Not very well. I am not a father. Natannael told me she is staying with his fiencee and I think she is a much better person for Irene to live with until she is fully grown. That is my reasoning...she needs a female Elf's influence, not a male Elf's." "I see." Thranduil nodded. "Very well, my son. Write back to Natannael and tell him your decision. The poor child will be heartbroken, however, I warn you." Legolas watched his father and Celon walk away, and went to write a letter back to Natannael.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "He does not want me?" Irene cried a few days later when the letter came. "I thought..." "He thinks you will be better off living with us," Erisanna told Irene calmly, seeing the anger in Irene's eyes. Natannael gave Irene a half smile, understanding clearly how the young Elfess felt about the whole idea. Legolas had been a father figure to Irene, and now after everything they had been through, he had refused to take her back. "I am sure that he is very scared about raising you Irene. Do not take it personally...it says here: 'Natannael, I am writing this letter in response to yours, but also I am writing to my Irene. Irene, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but you will be much better off in the House of Merythn. I am not the best choice for a parent as you understand...royalty does not necessarily make a good choice. I do love you deeply as if you were my own child, but I just feel that I should leave you with Erisanna. Perhaps some day we will meet again...then we shall see. Love Always and Forever Legolas'
Irene grabbed the letter out of Natannael's hand and read it over herself. Her eyes filled with tears as she tore it up and threw the pieces into the fire that burned in the fireplace. "I do not wish to hear his name again," she snapped, rushing up the stairs to Erisanna's chamber.