Note: I had a couple of reviews for the last chapter commenting on its shortness, most of these fics are ideas I have that are too short to be a story on it's own, as it is, these are just memories of Thranduil of Legolas life, some will be short, others reasonably long, that depends on the subject of the chapter. I apologise if any are short, but it is just the way this fic will work, normally if I write a many chaptered story, the chapters are longer. I can try to make them a bit longer but I can't promise anything.
Loss
How could he tell him? How did you tell an elfling his Mother was dead? How did you explain death to one who should not have known it? The King stood outside his son's room, his head resting on the wooden panelling. "Oh Valar, how can I do this?" he whispered.
A delighted cry echoed along the corridors from somewhere in the palace, and footsteps were heard running towards the King "Ada!" Legolas cried in joy "Where's Nana! She's alright! She isn't in the bed any more"
Thranduil's shoulders shook as tears began to run down his face, he fell to his knees before Legolas "No Legolas…" he choked out "She is…she has gone to Mandos." He said "Lady Elbereth wanted her for a special task, and your Mother has gone to her."
"Oh," Legolas cocked his head to one side "When is she coming home?"
"She is not" Thranduil whispered quietly "She is never coming home" he began to sob, his head in his hands
"Ada! Don't cry!" Legolas said, creeping closer to his Father
"I'm so sorry Legolas, I'm so sorry!" he choked out
Legolas looked confused "Why Ada?"
Thranduil could not answer for a while "Because if I had come with you yesterday, your mother would not have died"
Thranduil heard feet running away from him, and Legolas' voice calling for his Nana. The prince did not believe him, but his Nana would not answer his cries.
That was for Thranduil to do.
Three Days Later…
It was strange, Thranduil mused, how she could still be here, though she was truly not. Her scent still lingered in this room, every corner, ever item reeked of her. He shuddered, "Why must you haunt me, My love?" he whispered "You are gone, but yet your presence lingers here, in my heart, in my dreams…" he shook his head and walked from the balcony, musing on her would do little to help him, not today. He glanced over to the mirror , where a stranger stared back at him, his face pale, his eyes red from the many tears he had shed, new robes covering his features. Black. The colour of darkness, of evil, of death.
"Ada?" a small voice from the doorway startled him, he turned to see the small figure, he too dressed in black. His son too had been weeping, Thranduil had explained the truth to him, today they would say goodbye to the queen, the King placed his crown on his head, and walked to Legolas. The prince slipped his hand into the King's offering his what little strength he had to his Father. The King smiled at his son, so young, he thought, yet so mature. He has lost his Mother, and yet, though he understands, and he is only 300, he shows strength beyond his years. He gave his son's hand a quick squeeze. "Come along my little Greenleaf"
That evening…
After the funeral, Thranduil had retired to his room and locked himself in, the tears had not stopped flowing since then and he felt that he was drowning in his grief, nothing could be more painful than this loss. The door was pushed open "go away" he said tersely
"But Ada…some of the guards have been saying you are going to die too? You are not are you?"
Thranduil froze; I'm not dying am I? He mused, he couldn't leave Legolas alone, the young elf was grieving already, "No" he said "I promise you, I am not dying."
He turned to face his son "I promise you, I will never leave you willingly"
Legolas smiled, but Thranduil did notice it did not reach his eyes. The elfling flew across the room to him and leapt into his arms. "And I won't leave you Ada" he whispered "Because I love you and I do not want you to alone"
Thranduil felt fresh tears well up in his eyes "I love you to Greenleaf"
