Legolas smiled at the three people he saw waiting to greet him as he entered the valley of Rivendell. When he'd ridden his horse the final few feet, he dismounted gracefully. "Greetings from my father and myself, Lord Elrond," he recited the proper greeting to his host.

"Such a polite young elf," Elrond said, his eyes twinkling. He signaled to Legolas' guards, who were watching from the top of the valley. Assured by Elrond's signal that their prince was safely in his care, they turned their horses to start the long trek back to Mirkwood. Elrond turned his attention back to his guest. "And to think," he teased, now smiling, "this is the same young elf that managed to sneak enough dye into my shampoo to turn my hair blue on his last visit!"

Elrohir and Elladan, who were standing beside their father, snickered at the memory. Legolas' face broke out into a smile and he grasped the elf lord's shoulder. Elrond reciprocated the action, though his movements were slower and a little clumsy. "Are you feeling well, my lord?" asked Legolas.

The twins hurried forward to Legolas' side, eager to greet their friend. "Don't fret over Ada," reassured Elrohir. "Poor health is not to blame for his less-than-elven grace today."

"You see, Legolas," piped in Elladan, "it is difficult to move when a child is clinging to the back of your robes."

"A child?"

"Yes," said Elrond, fussing with something close behind him. "I have a - Estel, let go of my robes! - I have a new son. Estel, let me introduce you to Legolas."

A boy finally stepped out from his hiding place behind Elrond. Legolas stared at him, confused. A new son? It had only been a little more than 100 years since his last visit and this child looked much older than that! How could he not know about him? There was something odd about the boy too, but Legolas couldn't place it at first. He bore a passing resemblance to Lord Elrond and his sons, with the same gray eyes. Estel also had the same dark hair all Rivendell elves had, worn long and tucked behind his ears...

Legolas started. The child's ears! Estel's ears were round. "Yes," said Elrond, seeing his guest's surprise. "Estel is of the race of Men. Eight years ago, when he was two, he came into my care and I'm now blessed to call him my son."

"Lucky us," said Elladan, amusement in his eyes. "We got a new little brother just in time for toilet training. What a horrible time! It was such a mess."

"It was disgusting," agreed Elrohir, shuddering at the memory.

Estel, for his part, didn't seem to mind or even notice his father's words or his brothers' teasing. His eyes were wide and fixed on Legolas. His head was tilted up to see the elf better and his mouth had dropped open. Legolas smiled at the awestruck boy. "Greetings, Estel Elrondion," he said, lowering his body to the boy's level. "I am Legolas Thranduilion, or Legolas Greenleaf if you like that better."

Estel stared at him for a while longer. "You're pretty," he finally said.

Legolas' smile was a mixture of bemusement and the serene smile he gave to the troubadours in his father's court. "Thank you for your kind words," he said.

"Your horse is pretty too. I like brown horses."

Elladan couldn't resist the opportunity to tease both his little brother and Legolas. "Estel," he mock scolded. "Do you dare to compare a horse's beauty to that of the exquisite Sun Star?"

Estel's ears turned red. "I didn't mean it like that!" he cried. "I just meant..."

"I know what you just meant," comforted Legolas. He threw Elladan a Look. "Pay no attention to the ramblings of a feeble-minded elf. I happen to think my horse is pretty too. Most of the people in Mirkwood have white horses and I like how he stands out. He's got a lot of spirit too."

"Can I ride him sometime?" asked Estel. "Maybe we could go horseback riding together! We could go down to the river. The river's nice to swim in, especially this time of year, so if we ride down there, we might as well go swimming. We could take a picnic and make it a day trip! And -"

"Estel!" exclaimed Elrond, chuckling at his youngest child's enthusiasm. "Perhaps we should allow Legolas a chance to settle in his room and rest before we plan out his entire visit."

"Oh," Estel looked awkward for a moment; then his face brightened. "I can show Legolas to his room!"

"Elladan and I will do that," Elrohir cut in. "We haven't seen Legolas for awhile and there's a lot we need to catch up on."

Elrohir and Elladan linked arms with their friend and the three headed in the direction of the Last Homely House. They had only gone a few feet when they heard footsteps behind them. Turning their heads ever so slightly, they saw they boy, who hurried to hide behind a statue. "Estel," Elladan whispered to his companions, nodding over to his younger brother's hiding place.

Elrohir looked slightly embarrassed. "I fear you may have a new shadow, Legolas," he told his friend.

Elladan frowned. "Just tell him to go away," he advised. "You don't need our little brother ghosting your steps for your entire visit."

"It's all right," Legolas assured them. "Estel seems like a nice boy, who is just curious about the new person in his home." He looked over at Estel's hiding place and smiled. "I look forward to spending more time with him."

Estel grinned and bounced with glee. Legolas wanted to spend time with him! A rush of pride he hadn't felt since the time Elrohir taught him to ride a horse filled him. He squared his shoulders and raised his chin. Elladan noticed his movements and sighed. "That is good," he told Legolas, "because I fear that now you wouldn't be able to get rid of him even if you wanted to.

To be continued...