I admit that this is a filler chapter. This is one of the last chapters I will do like this because after this point, Anariel's life gets complicated.
"All that I am suggesting, my lord, is that the dwarves of Erebor and Moria may have had a change of heart in their following generations. It may be possible to traffic with them again." Tithrandil said, following Thranduil across the room.
Anariel sat on the floor of the room, making chains and crowns out of the flowers she picked on the way to the palace. She looked up as they swept by her. She turned her little face down to her handiwork and began to fashion another chain.
"Tithrandil, how many times must I tell you that I have no great desire or interest trading anything with the dwarves for anything else. We have everything we need already. The forest provides for us."
"The forest does not provide mithril for stronger weapons." Tithrandil supplied.
"Mithril swords are too light. Though they would be nigh unbreakable, the soldier wielding it would have no built strength from training with it to fend off a blow." Thranduil answered.
He continued after a moment.
" Not to mention the sword would be unbalanced. Would you then suggest we hollow out the handles of the swords to compensate for lost balance in the blade?" Thranduil asked.
"Orc swords are heavy, father." she said.
"How do you know this, daughter?" Tithrandil asked, slightly amused.
"Prince Legolas told me."she said.
"They are heavier, Anariel." Thranduil said softly. "Which is why our blades need to stay as they are."
He turned back to Tithrandil and added "What makes you think the dwarves would readily give up this precious metal to the elves? They would not. They would ask us to either trade or pay more than we can readily give."
While her father and the King were talking, Legolas came into the room. Anariel turned to the door.
"Legolas!" She cried running to him. The prince laughed and lifted Anariel into his arms.
"Did you miss me?" he asked, smiling.
Anariel nodded.
He turned to his father and Tithrandil and greeted them both.
"Can we go play now?" she asked. Legolas smiled "I do not see a reason why we can not. Ask your father."
"Father can we play?" she asked hopefully.
"If Legolas is willing and if the King has no quarrel with it."
"I have none!" Thranduil said smiling, "save only that I receive a hug in return for the borrowing of my son."
Legolas let Anariel run to his father and watched laughing as Thranduil swept her up in a hug as he used to when he was young. Upon putting her down, Anariel hugged her father and then ran back to Legolas's side. He took her hand and shut the door.
"Where shall we go today?" he asked.
"To my mother. I made these for her." she said, lifting her carefully wrought chains of Evermind.
Legolas smiled warmly, but inside his heart ached. He knew of Waelith and her suffering and it pained him to see her grave, but he knew Anariel delighted in playing in the presence of that statue saying that her mother was there and that she had heard and seen her. He found it difficult to believe, but it was not unheard of for the dead ones of the race of men to linger for a while before they moved on. He lead her to the spot she wished to see.
Upon seeing the statue, Anariel let go of Legolas's hand and ran to it, greeting it and talking to it, saying that she brought Legolas to play with and that she had gifts for her. Anariel placed them as far up as she could reach on one of the statues hands.
"Would you not rather have me lift you up so you can place them on her neck?" Legolas asked.
"No." Anariel said. "Mother will put them on when she wants to."
Legolas looked to the statue, expecting it to move and place the garlands where it felt they should be. He turned his gaze again to Anariel. She too was staring at the statue, as if listening. Still gazing at the calm figure of her mother, the elfling asked a strange question:
"What would you call me?"
Legolas tilted his head. Anariel looked at him then, the question held in her large, dark eyes.
Legolas sat down on the ground, resting his back against a large beech tree. He opened his arms to Anariel and she followed, sitting on his lap.
"Why do you ask me this?" he said.
"I want to know what you would call me."
"A game?" he asked, smiling now. In return, he received a grin from the small child.
"Tell what you would call me first, then I shall name you." he said.
Anariel pouted in concentration, trying to think of a name for her Prince, as he requested. She thought of all the stories of brave elves her father told her. She studied his face, thinking of all these stories until one name came into her mind.
"Glorfindel." she answered, smiling.
"Glorfindel? Why this name?" Legolas asked.
"Because, he is strong and brave. Father said he faced a Balrog and he wasn't afraid."
"What makes you think I would not be afraid?" Legolas asked turning Anariel around to face him.
Legolas refrained from telling Anariel exactly what he had read and heard a Balrog was thinking it best not to plague the child's waking dreams with images of towering, fiery demons.
"Because Thoroncar tells me what you are like in battle and he says you are afraid of nothing."
Thoroncar, Legolas's best friend and confidant, was bragging of him to the little one again.
Legolas only smiled and said "You are right, I fear nothing!"
"My turn! My turn!" Anariel cried, bouncing enthusiastically.
"Alright." Legolas said as he thought for a moment. He wanted to give her a name that was not only to her liking, but would be symbolic as well. Something caught Legolas's attention across the glade. A large, blue butterfly hovered and dived over the Everminds and when done there began to flutter over to them. He watched the insect landed on the tip of Anariel's ear.
"Butterfly." he answered.
Anariel tilted her head waiting for an explanation.
"Because like this little one," he started, gently lifting the insect off of her ear. "You take interest in all around you. This and you are beautiful, not unlike this creature here."
Anariel giggled. She gently blew under the butterfly's wings.
It took to flight, leaving the two to their games of dancing and hiding.