Chapter 51: Thranduil leaves
"Thranduil?"
Galadriel entered the room. Thranduil looked panicked.
"Fair lady Galadriel. I am so worried for my young. What about the Necromancers? Morgoth? Sauron! Legolas was brought into a world of danger, and now, I am far away from him. He mustn't feel very safe without me! There is so much evil, as well as the forest he was born in is filled with bloodthirsty animals!"
Galadriel watched Thranduil ramble on , all about the evils of the world and how his youngest son was in grave danger. She finally shut his mouth when she interrupted.
"OROPHERION!"
Thranduil hushed and looked at Galadriel in horror; never had he seen her so mad at him (only this mad at Celeborn). Galadriel looked at Thranduil with her furious eyes, and eventually Thranduil got the hint.
"...Yes?"
"You must calm down about Legolas. But seeing as how everyone has been trying to get you too calm, and all have failed, we believe that you should return home now. It should take you two days, so you may arrive on the night of the seventh day Haldir will be in Mirkwood, instead of the eighth morning."
Thranduil looked at the floor, thinking about the option. After long minutes of 'obserbing and admirring' the oak floors, he finally came to a decision.
"Yes. That is a good idea."
Thranduil rushed over to his luggage and quickly packed, then ran out to the stables. He bid everyone good day and he also warned Elrond that he wanted his daughter home soon or he WOULD go to war, though that he would only do if Elrond refused giving his daughter back, and then he rode off on his finest horse (not knowing that his other finest horses had been a last meal to a pack of wargs).
While he travelled out of Lothlorien he though of the past. He recalled one night when Legolas was even younger, only five. He could talk then, worse than now. That night, Thranduil was certain, he would remember forever.
---Flashback
Thranduil lay on his hammock, gazing up at the stars. The beauty of the stars, he would love always, but not as much as his children or his wife.
Five short mortal years ago his wife had given birth to the smallest elfling he had ever seen. Thranduil had already three children, two male. The little boy his wife had just given birth too was a surprize that she had hoped would suprize him and please him, but Thranduil was rather nervous: Cield was still under age and too young to care for himself, and Illiendal still an elfling.
He barely played with the newborn, but did look at the infant while he slept, his beautiful son, and soon Thranduil began to play with the baby, and then there was a bond between Thranduil and the infant, Legolas Greenleaf Thranduilion, Prince of Mirkwood.
Now, Thranduil heard the sound of his youngest son's feet running across the cement path, and then they where silent as he walked through the grass. The small child came up to his father and smiled brightly.
"Ada!"
The elfling smiled as his father ruffled his already messy blond hair.
"Is it not your bedtime? You truly should not be outside at such late hours!"
"I know Ada, but I wanted to see you."
Legolas jumped onto the hammock, his knees landing on Thranduil's wrist.
"Careful Legolas! Caref-
The hammock was now unbalanced by Legolas, and rejected the elfling and his father, then two landing onto the ground, Thranduil squishing his son as he was flipped out.
Thranduil stood up and brushed off some dirt from his green tunic, then helped his son up to his wobbly feet (he had only learnt how to walk some years back), and then he removed some twigs and dirt from his child's hair.
"Sorry Ada. Are you mad now?"
"No, my little angel, I am not mad at you. How could I be mad at you an your adorable little face?"
Thranduil smiled as he picked up Legolas up into his arms, holding him against his chest as he lay back down on his hammock. Legolas found a comfortable position on his father's chest and then settled down, looking up at the stars like his father did.
"What was those stars called again ada?"
"Big dipper sweetie."
"And those?"
"Little dipper."
"Oh."
Legolas began to shiver. Thranduil put a hand on his son's cheek and could feel the coldness. He removed his own cloak and wrapped Legolas in it, then continued his conversation with the child.
"Ada?"
"Yes Legolas?"
"Can we play... hide... and...seek?" Legolas yawned.
"Tomorrow sweetie, now you are tired and I must get you to bed."
"Can I sleep here with you?"
"You should sleep in your room-
"Please Ada? I want to sleep with you under stars!"
Thranduil chuckled and smiled.
"Alright little birdie, as you wish, we can sleep under the stars."
"Can you sleep too under stars Ada?"
"Aye Legolas, I will stay with you. I would never, ever leave you to sleep alone, in the dark in these treacherous woods."
"Okay Ada."
Legolas brought his knees to his chest and took a clump of his father's hair in his hand.
"Ada?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you to little Greenleaf. I love you so much."
"Ada?"
"Yes?"
"Nothing."
Thranduil ran his fingers down Legolas' hair as the small bundle slept peacefully, under the stars, as he wanted. Thranduil did not plan to actually be sleeping under the stars as the elfling wanted too, but, since Legolas was his baby and he wanted Legolas happy, he stayed under the stars for the sweet elfling. In the morning though, Legolas' reaction that he stayed outside all night was not as he expected.
"ADA! WAKE UP!"
Thranduil blinked and learnt he was on the floor. He knew he should not have slept with Legolas on a hammock, as Legolas tossed and turned so much he knocked the two off.
"We did not sleep under stars! Look! They gone now."
"No Legolas, they are still there. But the sun, she came up, and so she hid the stars. But don't you worry, the stars will always be there, you just cant see them."
"Oh. So we really slept outside?"
"Aye."
"Yay! Ada thank you!"
Legolas kissed his father's cheek as he pranced away towards the palace.
"Where are you going their Greenleaf? Thranduil raised an eyebrow.
"Inside... don't we go inside now?"
"Well, we could go in, but I just thought you'd rather eat breakfast outside too!"
"Oo! Really Ada?"
"How many times must I say 'Aye' in one day little Greenleaf?"
"Yay!"
Legolas wrapped his small arms around his father and sat down as the butler, Galion brought them their breakfast outside.
---End Flashback
Thranduil was near tears thinking of that night; the first time he ever had a 'campout' with his youngest son.
To be Continued
--- When I last posted this, I was pissed off... Now I am not. Yay!