After the War of the Ring, Legolas and Gimli traveled to the Glittering
Caverns and Fangorn Forest. Years it had been since Legolas had been home,
Mirkwood. He wanted to see his people before leaving for the Undying
Lands. Deep in his heart, he knew Thranduil would be able to handle
everything.
"I haven't seen my land for just a few years-" Legolas started, as they were riding toward the Forest Gate.
"Have you not longed to be back home?" Gimli questioned.
"I have... Although this is a land where evil was once, perhaps still is, afoot, it is still my home, and I love it dearly," he replied deep in thought. They rode in silence until they reached the Forest Gate. They passed through and started on the path. Five short days later, they arrived at the Elven King's Halls.
"Legolas!" an elf guarding the door said. "Who is that, dwarf?" the guard asked, eyeing Gimli suspiciously.
"This is my friend, Gimli son of Gloin," Legolas replied.
"I am sorry, please come in! Lord Thranduil is awaiting you."
"Thank you." Legolas led his horse into the stables, with Gimli following behind. Legolas led Gimli to the great hall, where Thranduil sat upon his throne. Gimli waited at the door and Legolas walked down the hall, where Thranduil raised from his silver throne, his head adorned with silver leaves. Thranduil walked down to meet Legolas.
"Father," he cried, embracing his father.
"I know your strength in battle, I am proud of you, son. Come, eat and drink of the feast."
They walked together to the great dining hall. The pillars upon each wall rose, each adorned with gems and vines. The floor, a smooth, gray and ahead of them laid a feast fit for royalty...
King Thranduil sat at the head of the table, while Legolas and Gimli took the seats of honor.
He gave a hearty laugh, "Welcome back, Legolas my son. And welcome, Gimli son of Gloin. Do you care for some food? Wine? Mead? Ale?"
At once, the elven servants came and set up tables of food and drink, and the best wine in the whole Middle Earth. They feasted for hours until their bellies were full and their thoughts happy.
"Please, show Gimli to his room," Thranduil nodded to a servant. Gimli got up from his chair and Legolas rose.
"Good night, father. Good feast! May your ways be green and golden! Sleep well," Legolas bid his father good night.
"Good night, son. It has been too long! May the wind fill your sails... Sleep well... Until tomorrow. You did well; your heart is that of a lion. I love you," Thranduil said to his son. Legolas smiled as his eyes sparkled and he followed after Gimli.
"Rest here," the elf servant said to Gimli after leading him to his room before leaving.
"Good night, Gimli. Sleep well," he said, closing the door and walking up the steps to his bedroom chamber. Legolas walked about his room, remembering when he used to sleep here, long before his knowing of the Ring. He was but a elf boy then, young and careless. He sighed and lay on his bed unable to sleep. He wouldn't be able to stay long, for Legolas was more of a wanderer, always searching for something more. He tried to sleep, but tossed and turned. He gave up, for he couldn't win this fight and walked outside. The halls were empty now, the dining table long put away. Legolas sighed as he walked outside to the garden and to the main gate. He was surprised to find only one person there.
"What happened?" Legolas asked him, worried that something had happened.
"I sent them to find the human," he replied.
"There is a human- in the forest? Who is it?" Legolas replied, worried.
"I do not know, but at last they arrive here now," he replied. Legolas looked up and saw two elves on horses, hooded in silver gray and the third elf, carrying a human, wrapped in a green cloak. The two elves who weren't carrying the human dismounted and the last elf handed them the human as he dismounted.
"Legolas," they bowed. The two elves balanced the human between them as the third led them into the hall.
"Follow me," Legolas motioned to the two elves, "You wait here." They nodded and bowed again as Legolas led them into the healing center of the palace.
"Put the human here," Legolas commanded, motioning to the table in the small room. The humans face was shadowed in the dim, almost dark light.
"You may go now," he said to the two elves, who nodded and walked out back to their watching posts. Legolas sat watching the human for quite some time. He thought he had several human friends, including Aragorn, who was now in his kingdom with Arwen and Boromir who had left for a better place. He now realized he had very few human friends, much less knew anything about the world of Men. 'Maybe, I can talk to this human when he wakes up.' Legolas thought. He sat in a chair and stared at the human. The human was wearing a very long, green, hooded cloak, which covered its whole body.
"Legolas," came a voice, snapping him from his deep thought, "We found a horse," he said.
"Put the horse by the gate," Legolas replied. He bowed and walked out. Legolas took no note of the elf as he was still fascinated by the human.
"I haven't seen my land for just a few years-" Legolas started, as they were riding toward the Forest Gate.
"Have you not longed to be back home?" Gimli questioned.
"I have... Although this is a land where evil was once, perhaps still is, afoot, it is still my home, and I love it dearly," he replied deep in thought. They rode in silence until they reached the Forest Gate. They passed through and started on the path. Five short days later, they arrived at the Elven King's Halls.
"Legolas!" an elf guarding the door said. "Who is that, dwarf?" the guard asked, eyeing Gimli suspiciously.
"This is my friend, Gimli son of Gloin," Legolas replied.
"I am sorry, please come in! Lord Thranduil is awaiting you."
"Thank you." Legolas led his horse into the stables, with Gimli following behind. Legolas led Gimli to the great hall, where Thranduil sat upon his throne. Gimli waited at the door and Legolas walked down the hall, where Thranduil raised from his silver throne, his head adorned with silver leaves. Thranduil walked down to meet Legolas.
"Father," he cried, embracing his father.
"I know your strength in battle, I am proud of you, son. Come, eat and drink of the feast."
They walked together to the great dining hall. The pillars upon each wall rose, each adorned with gems and vines. The floor, a smooth, gray and ahead of them laid a feast fit for royalty...
King Thranduil sat at the head of the table, while Legolas and Gimli took the seats of honor.
He gave a hearty laugh, "Welcome back, Legolas my son. And welcome, Gimli son of Gloin. Do you care for some food? Wine? Mead? Ale?"
At once, the elven servants came and set up tables of food and drink, and the best wine in the whole Middle Earth. They feasted for hours until their bellies were full and their thoughts happy.
"Please, show Gimli to his room," Thranduil nodded to a servant. Gimli got up from his chair and Legolas rose.
"Good night, father. Good feast! May your ways be green and golden! Sleep well," Legolas bid his father good night.
"Good night, son. It has been too long! May the wind fill your sails... Sleep well... Until tomorrow. You did well; your heart is that of a lion. I love you," Thranduil said to his son. Legolas smiled as his eyes sparkled and he followed after Gimli.
"Rest here," the elf servant said to Gimli after leading him to his room before leaving.
"Good night, Gimli. Sleep well," he said, closing the door and walking up the steps to his bedroom chamber. Legolas walked about his room, remembering when he used to sleep here, long before his knowing of the Ring. He was but a elf boy then, young and careless. He sighed and lay on his bed unable to sleep. He wouldn't be able to stay long, for Legolas was more of a wanderer, always searching for something more. He tried to sleep, but tossed and turned. He gave up, for he couldn't win this fight and walked outside. The halls were empty now, the dining table long put away. Legolas sighed as he walked outside to the garden and to the main gate. He was surprised to find only one person there.
"What happened?" Legolas asked him, worried that something had happened.
"I sent them to find the human," he replied.
"There is a human- in the forest? Who is it?" Legolas replied, worried.
"I do not know, but at last they arrive here now," he replied. Legolas looked up and saw two elves on horses, hooded in silver gray and the third elf, carrying a human, wrapped in a green cloak. The two elves who weren't carrying the human dismounted and the last elf handed them the human as he dismounted.
"Legolas," they bowed. The two elves balanced the human between them as the third led them into the hall.
"Follow me," Legolas motioned to the two elves, "You wait here." They nodded and bowed again as Legolas led them into the healing center of the palace.
"Put the human here," Legolas commanded, motioning to the table in the small room. The humans face was shadowed in the dim, almost dark light.
"You may go now," he said to the two elves, who nodded and walked out back to their watching posts. Legolas sat watching the human for quite some time. He thought he had several human friends, including Aragorn, who was now in his kingdom with Arwen and Boromir who had left for a better place. He now realized he had very few human friends, much less knew anything about the world of Men. 'Maybe, I can talk to this human when he wakes up.' Legolas thought. He sat in a chair and stared at the human. The human was wearing a very long, green, hooded cloak, which covered its whole body.
"Legolas," came a voice, snapping him from his deep thought, "We found a horse," he said.
"Put the horse by the gate," Legolas replied. He bowed and walked out. Legolas took no note of the elf as he was still fascinated by the human.