Thank you to all who reviewed, it means the world to me.
Lifting the Gray Veil – Chapter 2
A King of elves could handle many different situations, but getting a son down for his nap was not one of them.
"Come on, Legolas, you're tired! I can see your eyes drooping. You stayed up much too late last night."
"No!" Came the forceful remark, "Not tired!" Mithrandir laughed at the small one, as stubborn as a dwarf and able to easily stand up to a powerful elf lord.
"Legolas" Gandalf cooed, "How about I read to you?" The Prince's attention was easily captured for he had a great love for books just like the Wizard.
Going to the bookshelf, Gandalf saw a book that looked interesting to a keen young mind.
"Get into bed, Legolas and I shall read you 'The Elf and the Dragon of the Lake'." Quickly, Legolas jumped under the covers of his bed and stuck his head out, eyes glued on the one holding the book as he got into a chair next to the bed.
He began. "Once, many an age ago, there lived a young elf in the wood."
"Like me!" Legolas chirped.
"Yes, like you. Let me continue: This elf loved to spend his days roaming the trees."
"Like me!"
"Yes, of course. Now, one day this elf came upon a great lake….." A short time later, Gandalf noticed that the child had finally fallen asleep and placed the book on the night stand. He also realized that Thranduil had snuck out, leaving the pair alone.
"Sweet dreams, small one." He whispered before leaving and shutting the door to find the child's father.
*****
"The Easterlings are gathering a great force to them. I believe they are aiming to make an assault on your lands, Thranduil, for it is rumored that your defenses are not what they used to be"
"Is it?" The King questioned, "Perhaps many flee or fall in our countless battles in the dark of our lands, but we are not as weak as some would think. We can handle the assault of a force of men." Contempt laced his voice and a little of the so-called arrogance of the elves shone in his words.
Gandalf shook his head, "They are unlike the men you have faced in the past. Their organizational abilities are strong and they are confident beyond that of most mortals. Eagerly have they awaited an opportunity to strike."
"They can strike whenever they wish and when they do they will see that we are not as weak as they would believe." The King's words gave an air of finality. There would be no more spoken on this subject at this time.
A Wizard would never let their subject drop though, and Gandalf would soon bring it up again to his friend. For now, he decided to take his leave and wander the paths of Mirkwood.
*****
Deep into the heart of the great forest the Wizard traveled. Dark and thick, it almost seemed to press in on the heart and soul.
Most did not venture out this far for the elves had quickly learned to keep to their own walls, though it damaged their entire being to do so. They hated leaving the forest and abandoning her in a great time of need.
Mithrandir, however, still saw the beauty the forest possessed, hidden behind the evil and under the blackness. This place would be a forest of light again. He would see to that. The laughter of elven children would once again ring in her boughs.
His thoughts turned to the King's young son and only heir to the great throne of this land. What a heavy weight on such young shoulders. Innocence would soon be lost to responsibility, playing to study and wonder to fear.
"Not as long as I am his friend." Gandalf swore to the trees around him.
As he walked slowly along the mysterious paths, something up ahead caught his eye and he strode over to see what it was. Recognizing it immediately, he grabbed it and quickly made to return to the stone halls.
*****
King Thranduil was performing a very dangerous task, an operation of the most delicate sort. Only the skilled hands of the ruler of Mirkwood could see this to completion. A very anxious person waited practically holding his breath for the outcome.
"All better." He finally broke the silence, "Here you are, Legolas, but be sure to play a little gentler with your toy."
Thranduil handed back a stuffed cat to his son complete with new stitching on its tail. Smiling with relief Legolas grabbed the toy to hold it close, relieved to see his friend all better from his accident in the trees.
"Thank you, Ada!" Legolas said. Toy in hand, the child went to run out once more before being called back.
"Don't I get payment for my labor?"
Twirling, Legolas ran back to his waiting father who was already kneeling for his son. The Prince gave his father a giant hug and kissed him on the cheek.
Before he could even stand up once more, all Thranduil could see of his son was a flash of blond hair going out the door. His eyebrows flew up when he heard a muttered 'oof' coming from where his son had run followed by a spark of laughter from Mithrandir.
"Careful, Prince, who knows what you could run into in times such as these!" Shouted Gandalf after the running child who had made a quick apology but had not really slowed down.
When Thranduil saw his friend he could not contain his laughter. The Wizard's run in with one so small had dislodged his great hat so it sat lopsided on his head, not even an orc attack could mess up Gandalf's hat, yet there it sat.
"Please forgive my son, he has such energy as I have never seen." Laughed the King.
No reply was needed except for the adjusting of the hat to its rightful place. Gandalf then reached into his pocket and produced a small item to present to the elf in front of him.
Slowly reaching, as if it would bite him, Thranduil took the piece of cloth into his hand.
"Do you believe me now? I found this snared on some thorn bushes. That is the emblem of the easterlings sewn upon it. The threat is real."
Thranduil pondered the words while holding the cloth before suddenly turning it and throwing it into the fireplace.
"Why?" he asked, "We fight so many foes, why must another be pressing in upon us?"
"I cannot answer that, my friend, but they are closer than even I thought. An attack could come at any time to any place. None are safe."
The King nodded, thinking on this latest development when an elf came rushing into the chambers.
"My Lord, an enemy is attacking our east gate right outside the Great Hall."
The pair rushed out not even noticing that they were following the exact path to the woods that Legolas had taken moments ago when all was safe and a small child could run into the forest alone to play.