After The Glitter Fades
(
a prequel to: The Return of the Princess.
Chapter one: Before They Were One.
'Aim you're bow a little higher Legolas' Thranduil placed his hands on his son's little arms, guiding his bow higher. 'No, no. Do not squint your eyes closed, keep both eyes open. that's it. Now release!'
There was a whizzing sound as an arrow shot out of the bow, ripping through the air, dodging through trees and finally coming to a stop with a thud, hitting the target.
Thranduil used his keen eyes, looking out into the distance at the target; the arrow had landed smack in the middle of the target.
Big blue eyes looked up and caught those of his father. 'Did I do all right Ada?' Legolas blinked.
Thranduil stared at the child, whose head only came just above his waist. 'You. did. great!' Thranduil breathed in amazement. ' You are a natural Legolas, let's see it again.' He handed the child another arrow.
Legolas readied the arrow on the bowstring, pulled back and released. The arrow again shot through the air and hit the center of the target, breaking the previous arrow in two.
Thranduil stared in disbelief at his son. 'By the sea and stars! I think, my son that your archery skills surpass even those of the guards of Lorien!'
The small elf gleamed with pride at his father's comment. 'I can shoot better than you Ada!' Legolas boasted in his squeaky child-like voice. He strung a new arrow to his little bow.
Thranduil smiled and swiftly bent down, picking the elf child up, causing Legolas to drop his arrow and bow.
'Ada!' Legolas kicked and squirmed in Thranduil's tight grasp.
'Mani?' (what?) Thranduil asked as if he had done nothing.
'Put me down!' Legolas squealed.
'All right' Thranduil turned Legolas upside-down, holding him by his leggings, slowly lowering his son to the ground, letting go and laughing as Legolas rolled over a few times before stopping, his legs sprawled out in front of him.
Legolas turned his little head around, his blue eyes glaring up at his father.
Thranduil's shoulders shook with laughter.
Legolas got to his feet quickly, running at his father and pouncing on him like a cat. Thranduil allowed himself to be "tackled" to the forest floor; Legolas climbed onto him and sprawled out on his father's stomach, working his tiny fingers as he tickled his father on the ribs.
'Stop.I. give. up!' Thranduil gasped between fits of laughter.
'Never!' Legolas cried. 'Gurth gothrim Tel' Quessir!' (Death to the foes of the Elves) he smiled and continued to tickle his father's ribs.
Thranduil had taken enough, quickly he moved, grabbing Legolas, who found himself on the ground before he knew what had happened. 'And now it's my turn!' Thranduil declaired. He picked Legolas up and flung him over his shoulders, gripping his little legs tightly and began to spin in a small circle.
Legolas felt dizzy, his light blonde hair whipped around his face, he began to feel sick. But just when he thought the spinning would never stop; Thranduil began to lose his footing, as he too was becoming dizzy.
Thranduil slowed down, and managed to place Legolas upon the ground before toppling over.
Legolas giggled and tried hard to muffle it with his hand.
'All right,' Thranduil breathed 'So my plan backfired.' He raised his head from the ground; eyeing Legolas as his son tried desperately to hold in his laughter. 'Go on, laugh if you must!' Thranduil smiled and plopped his head back down on the ground.
Legolas crawled over to his father, lying down next to him on the soft forest floor. They both turned their heads to face each other, a smile playing on their lips. They burst out laughing in unison; Thranduil pulled his son close embracing him in a hug.
'Love you Ada.' Legolas sighed as he closed his eyes, resting his head upon Thranduil's chest.
'Love you too' Thranduil kissed the top of Legolas's head.
* * * * * * * * *
The leaves crunched softly under his feet, warning the little elf of his approach.
Aireromen climbed higher into the tree, staying in the shadows. She watched as the silver haired elf approached from below, scanning the forest around him. Aireromen giggled and moved loudly in the trees.
Celeborn smiled, he knew very well where his daughter was hiding, he glanced up and clearly saw her, feet dangling from a branch.
'Hmm' he stated loudly and rather melodramatically. 'I wonder where Aireromen has gone?' he scratched his head comically, listening as Aireromen scuffled around in the tree, preparing to pounce upon him.
Celeborn steadied himself, ready to catch her.
Aireromen leapt out of the tree, landing on Celeborn's strong shoulders.
'Ai!' He called, grabbing his daughter and pulling her around, holding her up infront of him. 'You've got me!' He slowly sank to the ground, going limp and closing his eyes.
'Take that you foul orc!' Aireromen poked her father with a stick on his chest, pretending to stab him.
'Owe!' Celeborn jerked. 'Easy little one!' he laughed.
'There is no mercy for orcs!' Aireromen squealed, jumping up on him and kissing him.
'No!' Celeborn held up his hands laughing. 'Don't kiss me! Nooo!' He sat up slowly scooping his daughter up into his arms, holding her close to his chest.
Aireromen looked up at her father, wrapping her arms around his strong neck. 'I love you Ada.' She kissed his cheek.
Celeborn gazed into his daughter's blue eyes, smiling. 'I love you too Aireromen.'
Chapter one: Before They Were One.
'Aim you're bow a little higher Legolas' Thranduil placed his hands on his son's little arms, guiding his bow higher. 'No, no. Do not squint your eyes closed, keep both eyes open. that's it. Now release!'
There was a whizzing sound as an arrow shot out of the bow, ripping through the air, dodging through trees and finally coming to a stop with a thud, hitting the target.
Thranduil used his keen eyes, looking out into the distance at the target; the arrow had landed smack in the middle of the target.
Big blue eyes looked up and caught those of his father. 'Did I do all right Ada?' Legolas blinked.
Thranduil stared at the child, whose head only came just above his waist. 'You. did. great!' Thranduil breathed in amazement. ' You are a natural Legolas, let's see it again.' He handed the child another arrow.
Legolas readied the arrow on the bowstring, pulled back and released. The arrow again shot through the air and hit the center of the target, breaking the previous arrow in two.
Thranduil stared in disbelief at his son. 'By the sea and stars! I think, my son that your archery skills surpass even those of the guards of Lorien!'
The small elf gleamed with pride at his father's comment. 'I can shoot better than you Ada!' Legolas boasted in his squeaky child-like voice. He strung a new arrow to his little bow.
Thranduil smiled and swiftly bent down, picking the elf child up, causing Legolas to drop his arrow and bow.
'Ada!' Legolas kicked and squirmed in Thranduil's tight grasp.
'Mani?' (what?) Thranduil asked as if he had done nothing.
'Put me down!' Legolas squealed.
'All right' Thranduil turned Legolas upside-down, holding him by his leggings, slowly lowering his son to the ground, letting go and laughing as Legolas rolled over a few times before stopping, his legs sprawled out in front of him.
Legolas turned his little head around, his blue eyes glaring up at his father.
Thranduil's shoulders shook with laughter.
Legolas got to his feet quickly, running at his father and pouncing on him like a cat. Thranduil allowed himself to be "tackled" to the forest floor; Legolas climbed onto him and sprawled out on his father's stomach, working his tiny fingers as he tickled his father on the ribs.
'Stop.I. give. up!' Thranduil gasped between fits of laughter.
'Never!' Legolas cried. 'Gurth gothrim Tel' Quessir!' (Death to the foes of the Elves) he smiled and continued to tickle his father's ribs.
Thranduil had taken enough, quickly he moved, grabbing Legolas, who found himself on the ground before he knew what had happened. 'And now it's my turn!' Thranduil declaired. He picked Legolas up and flung him over his shoulders, gripping his little legs tightly and began to spin in a small circle.
Legolas felt dizzy, his light blonde hair whipped around his face, he began to feel sick. But just when he thought the spinning would never stop; Thranduil began to lose his footing, as he too was becoming dizzy.
Thranduil slowed down, and managed to place Legolas upon the ground before toppling over.
Legolas giggled and tried hard to muffle it with his hand.
'All right,' Thranduil breathed 'So my plan backfired.' He raised his head from the ground; eyeing Legolas as his son tried desperately to hold in his laughter. 'Go on, laugh if you must!' Thranduil smiled and plopped his head back down on the ground.
Legolas crawled over to his father, lying down next to him on the soft forest floor. They both turned their heads to face each other, a smile playing on their lips. They burst out laughing in unison; Thranduil pulled his son close embracing him in a hug.
'Love you Ada.' Legolas sighed as he closed his eyes, resting his head upon Thranduil's chest.
'Love you too' Thranduil kissed the top of Legolas's head.
* * * * * * * * *
The leaves crunched softly under his feet, warning the little elf of his approach.
Aireromen climbed higher into the tree, staying in the shadows. She watched as the silver haired elf approached from below, scanning the forest around him. Aireromen giggled and moved loudly in the trees.
Celeborn smiled, he knew very well where his daughter was hiding, he glanced up and clearly saw her, feet dangling from a branch.
'Hmm' he stated loudly and rather melodramatically. 'I wonder where Aireromen has gone?' he scratched his head comically, listening as Aireromen scuffled around in the tree, preparing to pounce upon him.
Celeborn steadied himself, ready to catch her.
Aireromen leapt out of the tree, landing on Celeborn's strong shoulders.
'Ai!' He called, grabbing his daughter and pulling her around, holding her up infront of him. 'You've got me!' He slowly sank to the ground, going limp and closing his eyes.
'Take that you foul orc!' Aireromen poked her father with a stick on his chest, pretending to stab him.
'Owe!' Celeborn jerked. 'Easy little one!' he laughed.
'There is no mercy for orcs!' Aireromen squealed, jumping up on him and kissing him.
'No!' Celeborn held up his hands laughing. 'Don't kiss me! Nooo!' He sat up slowly scooping his daughter up into his arms, holding her close to his chest.
Aireromen looked up at her father, wrapping her arms around his strong neck. 'I love you Ada.' She kissed his cheek.
Celeborn gazed into his daughter's blue eyes, smiling. 'I love you too Aireromen.'