Disclaimer- I own nothing!
SofiaB- Thanks- I needed something that would sound real, not just made up to fit in with elvish culture if you know what i mean. Ahh...you'll find out.xx
Laurenke1- thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much xx
Petra- I love your replies lol! But thanks for that- now i know- it makes sense. Reminding you of german...I hope thats a good thing. Ahh, he might...but he might not, hes a kid whos not sure what's going with life- hes confused bless him. Oh and thanks for the Tolkien Fact! No I'm not ending it there- But I am setting up the ending from here. Please review and let me know what you think! Thalia's cutting stems from my own problems, as you might be able to tell, theres less of it in this fic than the previous two because I've stopped doing it, therefore I can't identify with that part of cutting any more. Thalia's cutting in this fic represents her healing, it isn't obvious but its there. The choice of making her a cutter, as I stated came form my personal life and it helped me to get through it- it wasn't necessarily a plot device-I needed an outlet and it came in the form of 'Salvation'. And don't worry, I didn't take it personally, I just thought I'd give you my view. Its interesting to hear other people opinions. Thanks xx
Mortal Evenstar- aww hunni don't cry! It was...well i'm glad you liked it! Review and let me know what you thought! xx
And a HUGE thanks to EldarExilePrincess for once again helping me perfect this! Thank you- you're such a great help! xxx
"Do you think we can do this?"
Tearing his eyes away from the wooden door that his son had slammed behind him, Legolas turned to his wife.
"I do not wish to go over this again, Thalia."
She blushed and looked down at her entwined hands as she whispered an apology. Feeling frustrated, the prince sighed and sat down on the bed beside his wife. He placed his hands on her shoulders and tried to pull her down onto the bed, but stubbornly she resisted.
"You cannot be angry with me."
Her head snapped up and she jumped up from her seat.
"And why not? Do you honestly believe that I am going to sit here and simply take whatever it is you're going to dole out. He doesn't want to come with us and I won't force him."
Legolas' blue eyes hardened and his lips thinned.
"Thalia he is our son, and despite your wish to pacify him, he will do as we say."
"You mean what you say."
"Yes, if that is what it must come down to. I am his father and I will be damned if I am to leave him behind. I have already lost my daughter, I will not lose my son!"
She stepped back, feeling his words slap her in the face. Her eyes widened as she watched him stand from the bed and a shiver ran up her spine as he looked at her. His eyes were dark and stormy and his shoulders tense. But the power in him frightened her and she couldn't help her body's natural reaction as he neared her.
"You don't even realize what you're doing, do you?"
He watched as his wife wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, a sloppy action it was, but all the same, it was one of fear. She was frightened of him, frightened of being backed into a corner. She blinked, a loose eyelash falling onto her flushed cheek.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Her voice was cold, but the quiver in her voice betrayed her once again. Legolas' eyes narrowed and his eyes darkened.
"You forget yourself. I feel everything. I know what it is you are trying to hide. I hear your thoughts princess, and you would do well to remember that."
Her eyes flashed and her mouth twisted into a sneer. She was met by somebody whom she had only seen upon the battlefield, but never had that person entered her private life.
"Don't you think for one minute, Legolas Greenleaf, that I'm going to let you walk all over me."
"You forget your place. I will do what needs to be done and at this moment I am telling you that you will finish what needs to be finished and then you will dress for dinner."
His eyes softened a little and his posture relaxed.
"I am having enough doubts of my own, Thalia, and I do not know what to make of them. Please do not do anything foolish. This has been planned and tomorrow at dawn we leave for Imladris."
Her eyes left his face as she sat down heavily on the bed.
"I just don't want to leave him. since…we…she…"
She shook her head in frustration as she struggled to say the words, eventually abandoning them for a growl and a glare of contempt aimed at her husband
He took a step closer to her and lifted his hand, but as he did so, she yelped and immediately stepped back against the wall in an effort to avoid the blow her body was ready for.
Legolas recoiled in horror at their exchange. Reigning in his feelings he moved away and held out his hand to her in the hope that she would take it. Her body relaxed and her chest heaved with an obvious feeling of relief.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this."
Her whisper penetrated his heart like the sharp point of a blade and yet the warmth he felt when her hand clasped his pained him far more. She smiled slightly and wrapped her arms around him in an effort to bring them both back.
----
The sun set upon a scene freshly painted by the delicate hand of an artist.
The light bathed them in a golden glow as the last of the pink streaks lined the skies streamed though the window. The soft light glittered on the silk of Thalia's long silk dress, outlining the soft curve of her face as she turned to look at the child who lay sleepily on her chest, holding the long strands of her silver hair. Legolas looked at his wife as he ran his slender fingers through her hair, watching with a tender smile as his wife smiled back at him from beneath closed lashes.
Thalia stretched as best she could without dislodging her son or disrupting her husband from his reverie.
"You slept."
She started, her eyes opening and a grin forming on her face.
"But not for long…the sun has not yet set"
Legolas shook his head as he lifted his son into his arms.
"Nay, not for long, it was but a few moments."
She giggled before sighing contentedly and comfortably settling her head back into his lap.
"I'm so tired. I can't believe I fell asleep…even if it was only for a couple of minutes."
"Well it matters not. Dinner is not till late and I have no wish to travel with a grouchy wife.
Therefore, you shall sleep for however long you wish."
She shook her head indignantly.
"Legolas Greenleaf, I am never grouchy!"
She started as the heavy wooden door to their bedroom slowly swung open with a creak, but not wishing to move from her comfortable position, she stayed where she was. Her hand stroked Lynden's small toes, making the baby sigh sleepily.
"My angel."
She whispered, though it was loud enough for the new occupant of the room to hear.
Legolas sat, his son had come to them willingly for the first time in what seemed like eternity. Sensing Niall's wish to speak candidly to them Legolas remained silently, waiting for him to alert his mother to his presence and in a way giving him an option. If he wished he could easily leave the room without his mother knowing that he had ever been there.
"You used to call me that."
Legolas felt his wife's body stiffen as she turned her head to look at her eldest.
"Niall!"
Her voice croaked as she gazed at him in disbelief. The child remained where he stood, dressed in a matching outfit of charcoal grey, his eyes narrowed and his lips tight as if he did not wish to let the words that he had carefully prepared with his grandfather come forth.
The air stood stagnant, waiting for something to tip it one way or the other. Did it make a difference that he stood before her, was he here to say goodbye? Or to say that he was sorry?
Seeing the difficulty that his wife was having in trying to form the words she so wished to speak, Legolas stepped in, placing the baby on the bed he rose from his comfortable place on the bed and stood with his arms folded across his chest.
"What is it you wish to say to us?"
Legolas' voice was soft as he spoke and luckily it did not betray his feelings of sorrow and guilt.
The elfling before him shifted his feet, his eyes cast on the ground.
"Grandfather says that I have been…in…in…insinsidat"
Legolas found it hard not to smile at his son's mispronunciation.
"Inconsiderate?"
Niall nodded, he may not have been able to say the word but he knew full well the meaning and he was ashamed of himself.
"Why you going 'way?"
His voice was so small and quiet, but Thalia felt it rip through her chest and pierce her heart. She slid off the bed and knelt on the floor so that it seemed that she was smaller than Niall,
"Niall, my son, my little one. We are not leaving you. We must go because…for now it is too painful to remain. You little brother needs somewhere peaceful to grow up."
His face fell and Thalia immediately regretted her words.
"Niall, we are not leaving you, come with us, please I beg of you come with us."
Undone with his wife reduced to begging to their son, Legolas let his anger seep out into the room and his presence became commanding. But before he could do or say anything, Niall turned to his mother, a look of contempt on his face.
"I am not going anywhere with you mummy, you'll kill me and then you'll kill Lynden! That is if you can stop crying long enough!"
Thalia looked crestfallen, her body slumping as her head turned to look at her baby on the bed who has started crying at the sound of Niall's shouting.
Legolas approached his son, his anger now fully apparent, and he could see the look of fear in his son's eyes.
"Niall Greenleaf. You will go to your chambers. You will retrieve a trunk from under you bed and you will fill it with whatever belongings you wish to take with you. You are coming to Imladris."
Niall's eyes narrowed and his hands shook.
"Adar! That is not fair!"
"This is not up for discussion. I have not taught you to be disrespectful, and it will not be tolerated! Do you understand?"
Legolas' voice was perfectly level as he locked his gaze with his son, waiting for a reply.
"I understand."
"You are dismissed."
The prince sat down on the edge of the bed beside his wife, who now held their youngest son in her arms.
"Why? Why did you do that? We shouldn't force him."
Legolas sighed and shook his head.
"Thalia, we are the parents and he the child. It is time that he learns to accept that he cannot always get what he wants. He will come to Imladris if I have to tie him to a horse and there will be serous repercussions for any disobedience."
"But I can't see why…never mind. This is going to be strange. I suppose I am nervous."
She turned to him, a huge grin on her face.
"But then again I'm excited. Silly really, I suppose."
She laughed and allowed herself to fall backwards on the bed as Legolas stood up.
"Thalia, come."
He pulled her up all the while being careful of his son whom Thalia held securely to her chest. Tenderly he took her into his arms, feeling her soft skin against his as he rubbed his nose against her cheek.
"I love you."
They both uttered their words at the same moment, and together they felt their hearts beat as one.
Smiling, he kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose before placing a light kiss on her lips.
"We must dress."
"Hmmm…we really should?"
"No, wait, we really should. We can't be late for our own leaving feast."
Legolas laughed at the look of horror on her face as she placedLynden down in his cradle and dashed to the tall wardrobe that luckily still held three gowns and three of his dress robes.
He was content as he watched her flit across their chambers, putting on her dress, brushing her hair. And he realized then with a sickening feeling that he was leaving a piece of him behind, and although he knew that he would return, he could have wept at the grief.