Chapter 29: Walking on snow
"Come Haldiw! Come!"
Legolas pulled at Haldir's hand, trying to get him to come outside.
"Can you walk on snow yet, or do you still sink?"
Haldir recalled the last time he had visited the elfling when he was a tad smaller, Legolas could only sink down into the snow and always got stuck.
"Ada teach me how to walk on snow!"
---Flashback
Legolas sunk into the snow. Thranduil had been trying for the past hour to teach the happy elfling how to walk on top of the snow, but all the elfling could do was sink. On the brighter side, the elfling had learnt how get out of the snow on his own and Thranduil was gaining more patience with his elfling.
Legolas climbed out of the snow, and just before sinking back down flung himself over to his father. Thranduil nearly missed the elfling as the jump was so sudden and low, but he quickly managed to bend over and catch his small baby.
"Little Greenleaf, look. Your skin is all red from the cold. Perhaps we can try again another day, all right sweetie?"
"Bu-bu... Ada..."
Legolas sneezed.
"You're catching a cold too!"
"Ada, please, just one mowe time? Just once?"
Thranduil sighed and pulled the small bundle up to his chest.
"Please?"
Thranduil knew that nobody could say no to his adorable little face save Thranduil himself. But Thranduil decided that just this once he could say yes, but only once more.
"Alright Legolas..."
"Yay! Oh thanks Ada! Thankies!"
The small elfling embraced his father tightly and allowed Thranduil's fingers to go around his waist, lifting the elfling off his father and onto the snow, though Thranduil did not remove his fingers once.
"Now Legolas, this is just like walking. Pretend you are on the grass walking. Take your time, don't try to run... concentrate, carefully now, yes..."
The elven king took the few first steps with his hands tightly on his son. Slowly his grip lightened until he released Legolas. Usually after another step without his father's loving hands he would sink, but this time he continued. He walked and walked and even managed to go around his father a few times.
The elfling then got uneasy and tripped. Thranduil gasped and slid his arm under his son jut before he hit the snow, pulling the elfling up and into his arms. The elfling placed his cold arms around his father neck in joy as his father cuddled him to keep him warm, smiling fondly at his baby who had just learnt to walk on top of the snow.
"I love you my little Greenleaf. I am so proud of you."
The elven king kissed his son many times, Legolas overjoyed his father was showing so much affection towards him.
---Flashback ends here...
Haldir smiled as the elfling pranced around over the snow.
To be Continued...