Chapter 13
"W-What?" stammered Thranduil mindlessly in his shock.
"You heard," muttered Legolas bitterly, "don't pretend you didn't."
"Where ever did you get that idea? Why would I ever want you to leave?"
"Why would you want me to stay?" countered Legolas.
"Why would you ever believe I wouldn't?"
Legolas rolled his eyes – this conversation was absolutely pointless. He rose from his chair and made to walk out of the room but Thranduil grabbed his wrist.
"Amin hirathea, ion-nin,*" Thranduil said gently, "Please, I don't want you to hate me."
Legolas sighed and sat back down. "I don't hate you."
"You do a fine job of showing it," remarked Thranduil sardonically.
The prince made to stand up again. Immature, he knew, but Legolas was tired of the pointless conversation.
"Amin hirathea," his father said again, cursing at himself for being immature. "Please. If you don't hate me, then what is it? You aren't yourself."
Legolas rolled his eyes under his lowered eyelids. "Of course I'm not," he muttered in a bitter tone. "How am I supposed to be? Nothing is right. Nothing ever will be right," his voice grew louder and louder. "Nothing can ever go back to the way it once was – and it's all my fault!
"Nothing will ever be the same without Naneth*, or Ithilwen. And it's all because of me! I killed Ithilwen, I killed my sister!" Legolas was beside himself in rage and grief and guilt. His usually pale face was flushed and angry tears of shame streamed down his face.
Thranduil stood up and reached gently towards his son, pulling him close. "Nothing ever was your fault, ion-nin," he said gently.
"I was to blame, and you were right to blame me," Legolas said vehemently, ignoring his father's gentle words.
"Legolas, I—" Thranduil started, but his son cut him off with a shake of his head and tried to wrench himself away.
Thranduil grabbed the prince's wrist again and pulled him to face himself. He tilted Legolas's chin so that he was forced to look up.
"Legolas, please, just listen. I never blamed you. It never was your fault. I knew that, we all knew that. You never should have blamed yourself.
"I love you, ion-nin, and I treasure you, even more so than I ever did before. I now have only you and your brothers, and to lose you would be more than I can bear. I thank Ilúvatar everyday that you have been returned to me safely. Don't you ever think that I would let you go willingly and without pain."
Legolas nodded as tears slipped down his cheeks once more and collapsed into his father's embrace. "Amin hirathea, Ada. Amin meltha lle*."
"Amin meltha lle, ion-nin," Thranduil whispered back, his tears lost in his son's golden hair.
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* Amin hirathea, ion-nin = I'm sorry, my son
* Naneth = Mother
*Amin meltha lle = I love you.
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amy – Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Zammy – No problem. Thanks for reviewing!
Evenstar – 144 human years equals one Elf year. I remember reading it in the Appendix of RotK. It was the one with all the calendars – Appendix D I think.
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