Chapter 54: Market

Haldir was so proud of Legolas. They had been travelling to the market for almost an hour and the elfling was very well behaved. Legolas stayed still in Haldir's arms, occasionally jumping down and walking to stretch his legs, then letting Haldir pick him up again.

When they arrived at the market, Legolas then began to fight against Haldir's grip. But Haldir did not release him until he was at a stand, which sold llamas.

Legolas jumped down and fell to his knees, luckily in the dirt. A hand reached down and Legolas took the hand, expecting it to be Haldir's, but it turned out not to be. As soon as he saw whose hand it was, he ran over to the hand's owner's leg and hugged it.

"Mister Neall! Mister Neall!"

Haldir looked down at the small elfling. "You know this man Legolas?"

"Yef! This is Mister Neall. He's Tavel's Ada."

"Who is Tavel?"

"My friend. Since Ro and Dan live in Rivendell, you live in Lorien and so do Rumil and Orophin, I have friends in Mirkwood."

Legolas let go of Neall's leg and turned his head to see his friend, Tavel. Tavel looked as young as Legolas, but he was not at all a resemblance of the prince. Unlike his mother or any of the golden-haired elves of Mirkwood (or Lothlorien), his hair was dark.

As soon as Legolas spotted Tavel and Tavel spotted Legolas, they ran over to each other and embraced each other, then started to talk, giggle and play together. Neall looked down at his young playing then back up at Haldir, an elf he had never seen before in Mirkwood.

"Who are you anyways, good sir? Friends of my elven-lord, the great king Thranduil?"

"Well, I suppose... Haldir, March warden of Lothlorien is my name. I am watching young Greenleaf-

"Yellow leaf, Hal. Yellow is I."

"... While his father is in my own home, Lorien."

Neall nodded his head.

"Neall son of Cuthalion, father of Tavel. Young Tavel is one of the prince's friends. I was truly amazed when I finally got it out of Tavel that his friend was Legolas."

"The young lads seem to be good friends."

"They are, which saddens me to think of separating them in some years."

"Whatever for?"

"I am a mortal therefore Tavel is only half-eleven. I fear for my young so much, as he is not as immortal as you or the other elves of Mirkwood. His mother plans to take Tavel and I over sea in ten years once he is eighteen. I will be then forty and ready to sail, while Tavel will be still young but of a good age. Seperating him from his home and friends will be difficult, luckily all the friends he has - or so I am aware of - are elves and will one day sail to Valinor as well."

"That is true... but I am certain he is safe here. I know four half-elves, all of a family, who live fine. So perhaps sailing to sea is not needed- for you yes. But not the child, not when he is so young. That is all I need to say on this matter, I am here for a new llama for Legolas."

"Ah yes. Here they are."

"Legolas, come here dear, choose a llama."

Legolas sighed and left Tavel to see Haldir. He went over to the llama fence, but could not see through the fence.

"Can't see Hal!"

Haldir gently lift Legolas up and the elfling surveyed the llamas until he laid his eyes upon the softest, curliest, fluffiest, brown-spotted llama there was.

"That one Hal! And that one too! And don't forget that one! I want three llamas!"

Haldir smiled as he looked at the llama and then he told Neall of the llamas. Neall fetched the llamas and Haldir paid for the llamas. He sat Legolas on the llama that was the fluffiest (though they were all quite fluffy).

"Good day Neall, and good day little master Tavel."

"Good Bye mister!" Tavel muttered.

"Bye Tavel!" Legolas yelled.

"Bye Legolas!"

The two left with the new llamas.

"I call him Haldiw, like you Haldiw. And this one is Haldiw 2. And this one is Haldiw 3."

Haldir smiled and gently rubbed the child's back as they continued on their walk. Haldir stopped by a river and sat beneath a tree, Legolas getting off his new llama and going over to Haldir who stripped himself of his weapons and thin armour.

"Why you stop now Hal?"

"Tired little Thranduilion. We shall just make a quick rest and then continue. I'll pick you some berries while we wait. You stay here."

Legolas forgot to tell Haldir all about the berries and how you could not eat them.

To be Continued...