DISCLAIMER: They are not mine, you know it.
Author Notes: English is not my mother language, sorry for the mistakes. Thanks a lot to Tonianne for the review!
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Chapter I
Legolas walked through the beautiful corridors of his father's palace, but lost in thoughts he was oblivious to the magnificent well-known surroundings as well as all the elves that bowed when he pass. He was very angry, angry with himself for being so careless with the prisoner; he had left the palace four days ago to see, as he did every day, how his guards were dealing with Gollum, and now he was returning after an exhausting search completely sure that the prisoner in his charge had escaped. And the worst of all was to have to tell the news to his father proving that he had fail.
When he reached the doors of the throne hall, the guards bowed and opened the door. He entered with the elegance and royalty for he was known, he could have lost a lot the past days but at least he still had his dignity.
The king was talking with few noble elves and Legolas cursed his bad luck, he had hoped that Thranduil was alone, but of course this wasn't exactly the best year of his life.
"Legolas, you honor us with your presence" Thranduil said and Legolas rolled his eyes. Just what he needed, his father was being sarcastic.
"Father I need to talk to you"
Raising an eyebrow the king dismissed all the elves whom where there and when everyone had left he told his son to came closer. Legolas breathed deep and taking sit on his place at the right side of the king's throne he stared at the floor finding it suddenly very interesting.
"I'm listening" the king said after a moment of silence
"Father, we had had a problem with Gollum"
"The creature Mithrandir and Elrond's foster son delivered?" Legolas nodded "What happened?"
"He... he had escaped"
"WHAT?! Legolas I don't have to tell you what this means, do I?"
"No father, I' m aware of it"
"I leave the custody to you believing that you were capable of this kind of responsibility!"
"I know" all this time Legolas eyes didn't leave his father's but with the last sentence his shame was too big to look straight to his father's face, so he looked away. Thranduil anger was increasing by seconds and he was to shout about the immaturity of his son when he noticed a red spot on Legolas' sleeve. He grabbed his son's arm and the prince tensed with pain, big blue-gray eyes looked at the king with surprise.
"What happened?" Thranduil asked now concerned. So Legolas told him everything looking how the rage of his father faded away.
"We followed the tracks but they were getting to deep in the south, far away of the realm and very close to Dol Goldur and I didn't want to loose more elves because of him. I sorry father"
" So you get hurt in the battle. Are you all right?"
"It is nothing, just a scratch." Thranduil nodded and remain silence for a long time. When he spoke again he wasn't angry with his son anymore, but with the circumstances
"Then I can't blame you entirely for this, but the responsibility was yours and yours alone and so you must face the consequences, that is one of the burden of being in charge and of being a prince" Legolas nodded, he knew. "Because it was Elrond's foster son one of the two more concerned about Gollum, you shall go to Imladris to tell the news."
"So that is my punishment. I have to go with lord Elrond and say that I was incompetent enough to allow Gollum to escape." He said sadly biting his lip. "But I don't deserve anything better, for that is the truth" Thranduil looked at him but said nothing "I will leave immediately"
"Take care" was all the king said looking at his son leaving the hall with a mixture of proud, sadness and worry. Proud because he had accepted the consequences as a true prince without excuses or denials; sadness because he knew how proud was his son, just like him and worry because the roads weren't safe anymore.
Two hours later he looked at the window to see his son leaving alone. He closed his eyes, of course Legolas didn't want anyone near to be witness of his failure.
TBC...
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