Title: A-da? 5A/5

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta:Niroveka

Rating: G

Warning: Mention of character death, OOC for incase, and tissues are probably needed.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Tolkien. I just borrowed them to my own bunny.

Spoiler: Total AU.

Summary: could one word save the king from falling completely to grief?

Note: Legolas – Greenleaf (his elvish name) is only a baby. A short vignette.

5A.

Thranduil glanced at his son with surprise, not believing what he had heard.

"A-da?" Greenleaf called again with a sweet voice that seemed to melt his father, leaving him open mouthed.

Thranduil moved his eyes from his son to Galdor in wonder.

He spoke with excitement, "He called me 'Ada'! Did you hear him? He called me 'ADA'!"

Thranduil seemed to forget about the unexpected visitors, his attention now on his son, as he spoke his first word; it made Thranduil cry.

The King could feel the tears burst from his eyes, as he trembled yet smiled. He knew then...the tears were cries of happiness.

Galdor knew that the guests still waiting, though he did not want to ruin the king's happiness, so he remained silent, only smiling at the sight.

The door was opened as Saelbeth entered in, only to find his king cheerful with the princeling in his hands, and Galdor smiling at the couple.

"My King?" Saelbeth asked, aware that he might disturb them.

Thranduil looked at him, still smiling, and answered: "He called me Ada!"

Saelbeth smiled, noticing his king's own smile. Saelbeth could feel the change in his king; he hoped in his heart that this elfling might give all blessings to the widowed king, and filled his life with smiles and laughter.

Saelbeth coughed: he wanted his king to know he was still there, so he waited as patiently as he could, knowing that the guests were waiting more impatiently than he.

At that point, Galdor walked over to him, and whispered in his ear that he would take care of it.

Saelbeth nodded and left the room, smiling, the sight of his joyful king brightening his face.

As Saelbeth left, Galdor walked over to his king, and touched the king's shoulder; he spoke softly. "Your Highness, the guests are waiting for you. Would you like to show them your son?"

Thranduil smiled with pride as he heard Galdor's last words, and decided, "I will come with my son. Let them know, that I am coming to them soon."

Galdor nodded and left.

Thranduil looked at his son, and whispered to him as he softly stroked his cheeks, "I love you, ion-nin, I hope you will not forget it, my…my…ion-nin."

Greenleaf moved his little hands over his adar's face, and tickled him, murmuring that strange, unknown language; his adar found difficulty translating his son's meaning.

"Let us see who the visitors are, my sweet Greenleaf," Thranduil said softly, as he continuously moved his hand over Greenleaf's cheek.

Greenleaf giggled at his adar, and moved his own hands to feel his adar's skin, and to smell his scent.

But before Thranduil left the room, he felt the need to hear his son say the word, only to him, alone in the room.

"Say A-da…A-da?" Thranduil spoke softly, scanning his son's eyes, noticing more the shade of blue than gray that he had seen before.

"A-da?" Thranduil kept asking when he only saw his son smiling at him; he smiled back.

Greenleaf did not say the word that his father wished, instead he moved his hands over his adar's chest and played, giggling.

Thranduil was disappointed that his son had not called him Ada again, and it is hurt him a little. His heart ached.

That little smile reminded him of his wife, and the pain...he could still feel the pain... it felt like it would never let go.

End of Chapter 5A.

One chapter to go... lol!