In the time that followed Gimli's unexpected visit, departure (on "business" the dwarf claimed, demurring from offering up any more specific details by claiming that it would be boring), return and longer stay, and then finally taking his leave for home a strange sense of calm had settled over the older elf that remained in Edoras. There was no explanation for it, seeing that he and his son were in a much vulnerable position by staying in a city of Men with very strong ties to Gondor, expect that it gave him a place to be where he could feel like he belonged. Maybe it came from living in such an isolated realm for most of his life; maybe it came from the countless years of having traveling be literally a life-threatening endeavor; but for whatever reason Legolas Greenleaf hated being in transition.

That's why he had little problem agreeing to Gimli's request to stay in Edoras while the dwarf roamed around on his various errands and why he continued to stay after that vow had effectively expired. While Legolas loved Fangorn Forest with all of his heart he never felt like a permanent resident there; most of the time it was more like he was trapped in a proverbial hole that he couldn't climb out of: he couldn't find a way to leave and yet he always knew deep down that he would have to eventually. Edoras was something else, though: the Rohirrim seemed willing to welcome the elf and his son to their chief city and Eomer apparently had no limit to his hospitality toward his unexpected guests. In fact, he'd been more than helpful over the previous several days by assisting Legolas and Caladel in setting into what looked more and more like an indefinite stay in the Golden House of Meduseld.

There were so many reasons why remaining there was a bad idea – Legolas often stayed up late at night recounting them over and over in his mind – but every time he worked up the resolve to say goodbye he'd look at his son and suddenly couldn't bear the thought of uprooting the boy once again. Where would he take Caladel anyway; back to Fangorn? While he was certain that the Ents wouldn't stop them from returning he didn't want the boy to have to go into isolation again now that he knew what he'd been missing by not living among people.

Indeed, Caladel had bloomed quite nicely during their short time there, letting his natural curiosity and sweet nature guide him through this world of new faces, things, and experiences. He had yet to spend much time among children his own age – though that would soon change now that Eomer was helping Legolas find a proper tutor and school group for him – but every day the elfling got more and more attached to Rohan's king. Eomer had been very lonely, as the rest of his family was either dead or moved away, and he enjoyed those times of instruction and play with Caladel as much as Caladel did. Legolas counted himself quite lucky that the Man was such a positive role model for his son.

Others filled in their social circle as well. Caladel spent a lot of time with several various servants in the Golden Hall, helping the chambermaids make up the beds, watching with much curiosity as the cook prepared meals and snacks in the kitchen. They in turn were determined to act as guides in helping the boy adjust to the world outside of the forest – and helping his father get comfortable around people again. Even the young soldier Alfmund, who'd been the one to spy Caladel on the bank of the Isen, visited often, having grown quite fond of the little elfling who'd been brave enough to leave behind everything that he knew in order to help his father.

Alfmund was actually the reason why Legolas was in a fretful mood that day. The Man was determined to give to Caladel in just a few short moments an experience that, in his humble opinion, he should have had a long time ago: riding a horse all by himself. "Why, the children of Rohan more often than not can ride before they can walk steadily," he'd proclaimed one day while he and the boy walked through the royal stalls, after Caladel had confided in him that he'd never ridden a horse before the day he'd left the forest and not again since. "You should at least get comfortable with being on one that's just walking around, Caladel; as you've become a child of Rohan."

The boy, being utterly fascinated with the animals in question, hadn't needed any more prompting. He'd immediately begged Alfmund to teach him and, when the soldier wisely refused without having his father's consent, pleaded his case to Legolas. If he was going to stay in the land of the Horse Lords, he'd insisted while his father shook his head, he was going to have to start learning how to ride. It took a lot of beseeching on Caladel's part, as well as a steady stream of reassurances from both Alfmund and Eomer that his son would be safe, but in the end Legolas had reluctantly gave in.

Pulling himself out of his musings, Legolas sighed as he glanced across the fenced-in riding arena at the young Man who'd started this mess in the first place prepare a saddle and riding blanket for his son's first ride. "He doesn't like being saddled," he mumbled under his breath. "Though I guess after all these years he's used to it."

Caladel, who was standing next to him, paused in stroking the nose of the horse that he was about to mount – and ride…all by himself to look up at his father. "What did you say, Ada?" he wondered.

"Nothing of importance," replied Legolas. The last thing he wanted to do was put it in Caladel's head that he should be riding bareback. Let him get used to the saddle first!

"Oh," said Caladel, knowing that he wasn't going to get any answers out of Legolas when the older elf didn't want to give them. "Well, I like this horse. Did you name him yourself, Ada?"

"No, Arod already had his name when he and I crossed paths for the first time," Legolas informed him, patting his equine friend on the neck as he did so. He was so happy to have the loyal horse back, especially now – there was no other steed that he could trust with his son's safety besides Arod. "He's a little too small to be an elf horse," he added, laughing a little when Arod put his ears back at the joking insult. "Though there's not been a horse that I've been more fond and proud of than Arod here."

"He's a great horse," declared Caladel resolutely. "It was really nice of Gimli to let you have him back and all."

"Gimli was never one for riding unless great need drove him on," chuckled Legolas, remembering the dwarf's difficulty in guiding Arod and staying on the horse's back during the War. It was strange – before coming to Edoras a memory like that would have depressed him for the rest of the day but now it didn't hurt as much. He wasn't sure if it was because now he knew that he could – and would – see his friend on a semi-regular basis or if it was finally being able to share his son with Gimli (and vice versa) but he welcomed the change nonetheless. "But don't let that influence you. Arod's a little stubborn when you let him get away with it but he's going to be a good horse to learn riding on. And what would also be helpful is –"

Caladel was already shaking his head before Legolas could finish his advice. "No, Ada," he said insistently. "I'm a big boy now, and I don't want to be behind the other children my age! I want to ride on my own, not have you leading me around by the reins."

"I won't be able to bear to look," Legolas tried to guilt him, staring at him with wide eyes. "I'll be too afraid that something will happen to you out there."

"And that's why I asked Alfmund to teach me how to do this and not you," replied Caladel cheerfully. Legolas wondered quietly how young he'd been when he started becoming immune to his own father's attempted guilt trips and suddenly felt very sad. "He promised to watch out for me and I told you that I'd be careful. Don't change your mind now, please!"

"I – wouldn't do that," relented Legolas, though his frazzled nerves screamed at him to pick up this son and run back to their suite inside Meduseld. Still, he couldn't try to stop Caladel from growing up without having the boy resent it, and possibly doing something extremely dangerous in a fit of rebellion. "Just remember: don't go any faster than a walk – a slow, gentle walk. I know that some of the other children can gallop already but you've got plenty of time to properly learn to go faster later. You don't need to push yourself now."

In the meantime Alfmund had carried over the riding blanket and saddle to where the two elves stood with the horse in time to overhear the last part of what Legolas had advised. "I won't say not to worry, my prince, because I know that is impossible," he said politely, "but do not let your worries trouble you too much. I would have been more mindful of Caladel's well being than I am of my own life even if King Eomer hadn't ordered it."

"That is wise, as his well being and your life are one in the same as long as my son is in your charge," Legolas told him dryly while sending a silent thanks to Eomer for understanding how he was feeling about the situation.

The elf waited until Alfmund had put the saddle in place; then he inspected it (just to see for himself that everything that needed to be tied down had been) and, when it passed muster, hoisted Caladel onto Arod's back. Kissing his son all over his face Legolas struggled to keep his emotions from overwhelming him. "Be careful, for Elbereth's sake, Caladel!" he pleaded on last time. "And do not stay on for too long – remember how sore you were after riding all day when we first came here!"

"Yes, Ada," chirped Caladel dutifully. And then they were off – his baby was now in the care of a young Man who was little more than a baby himself in elf years.

Legolas stayed where he was, rooted to the ground in amazement as he stared out at the pair. That was his son – his baby, his light, and his reason for living – riding Arod with a grace that suggested that, if he hadn't already been riding for all of his life, it was a crime against nature if he continued to not do so. The elf could barely wrap his mind around how much Caladel had grown up. After all, it seemed like just yesterday that he'd given birth to his precious child.

O – Flashback – O

It was an almost unseasonably mild February day – a blessing, Legolas supposed, considering what he was going through. It had been mid-morning when he'd experienced his first contraction. He hadn't been too alarmed at first, as he'd been experiencing some false labor pains for about a month; but when his water suddenly broke just after he'd finished his lunch he realized that this was the real thing. Now, as the afternoon moved on, it was plan to see that his would be a relatively speedy labor. The baby was coming soon and not even the months of almost nonstop practice could have prepared him for the reality of having to deliver it himself.

For one thing, the accommodations were less than soothing. The thick tree coverage had kept most of the snow that had fallen throughout the previous weeks off of the forest floor but what little had made it through the branches had melted, making the ground uncomfortably cold and wet. The cold didn't really bother him – though he worried about what affect it would have on his baby, who was part-Man and might very well be as vulnerable to the weather as the other members of that race – but the wet was something else. Feeling the muddy soil squish beneath him as he writhed in agony brought on by another contraction, he decided that he could do very well without it.

The pain had come as a bit of a surprise too. He'd know that it would hurt – he wasn't that naïve – but he'd been planning on it being more like a bad stomach cramp and less of this abdomen-being-torn-apart feeling. As he tried to struggle through the pain to move himself in the position that he needed to be in so that he could better see what he was doing he almost cried out in agony. For the first time since entering Fangorn Forest his fears broke through his stubbornness and he wondered in a panic if he could really do this.

Treebeard must have been thinking the same thing. He'd been faithfully bringing Legolas water since the elf realized that the big day had finally come and had observed in wonder the emerging naked emotions on his face. Waiting until the latest wave of pain had left Legolas he spoke up. "There might be people going about," the Ent mentioned tactfully. "Rangers, Rohirrim, and the like. I could attract their attention and bring someone who can be more of a help to you if you wish."

Legolas was disappointed in himself when he found that he was sorely tempted to have Treebeard to just that. Then it would surely be over with: he'd be found out and quite possibly reunited with Aragorn. The child would be only a few days old when Legolas would come to Minas Tirith, bringing their child to the Man and tearfully explaining everything. He almost wept as he imagined Aragorn lovingly stroking his blonde hair out of his face…the shocked look on his face when he found out that he was the baby's father…the look of denial in his eyes when Legolas mentioned that they would have to tell Arwen…staring down at the baby who'd complicated and possibly ruined his life with a mortified expression…maybe even deciding that he wanted the child after all – after he ridded himself of the infant's birthing father…

No! Legolas' resolve intensified and he found the strength to push himself off of his back into more of a sitting position with his back up against a tree. He'd come to Fangorn in the first place to save his child from that rejection and himself from the possibility of having it taken away from him. He'd be damned if he was going to let all of that go now because of a little extra pain! The way his life had turned out in the year past he should have been used to it by now.

'Besides,' he thought spitefully, 'I really shouldn't trouble Aragorn with something as insignificant as the birth of the child that resulted from our so-called love. He's probably too busy impregnating Arwen right now to be bothered by good old disposable Legolas right now. Make Legolas wait for a more convenient time! He'll just step aside like he should for everyone else's happiness.'

"I can do this!" he declared in a roar as another contraction hit. He clutched at his stomach and glared up at Treebeard. "I don't need – any help! It's – me – and my – my baby – against – the world. We don't – need him, not ever!'

"I never said anything you needed any one person in particular," replied Treebeard carefully. He knew that he had to tread carefully once he realized what topic of conversation he'd inadvertently stumbled into. In the seven months that Legolas had been his guest the Ent had learned that anytime the elf had mentioned a him in such a tone that he was talking about the baby's sire. Once whoever that was entered the picture the elf became impossibly stubborn. "Just someone –"

"Do you know what he did to my life?" Legolas continued to rage on, oblivious to the Ent's words of protest. "He robbed it of its warmth, its companionship, its very light! I've been in a perpetual dark since the moment he left me and I won't let him be a part of this! The darkness must give way for the sunrise and that's what this baby is – my sunrise, my light – my Caladel!"

The contractions were coming closer and closer together and he knew that he would have to start pushing soon. Bending awkwardly, Legolas felt his back protest as it went further into the rough bark. Sudden pangs of pain attacked him from several parts of his body and he knew that, while he could get through this for his child's sake, he'd never felt so alone in his life. Feeling his hold over his emotions slipping, he mumbled something pitifully under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Treebeard comfortingly. "Do you need me to bring you any more water?"

Legolas' face crumbled and he cried for the first and last time since the night that he'd found out that he was pregnant. Looking up into the Ent's kind eyes, he knew exactly what he needed and what he wasn't going to get. At his lowest point, Legolas let out a heart wrenchingly piteous scream: "I want my ada!"

O – End Flashback – O

"Berry for your thoughts?"

Legolas blinked a few times, pulling himself out of his remembrance to find Eomer at his side. The Man was wearing an encouraging smile as he held out a container filled with a colorful assortment of various berries. "What did you say?" asked the elf.

"I was just trying to be funny by offering you a berry in exchange for telling me what's on your mind," replied Eomer, shaking the container a little as if offering as proof of his jest. "Of course you can have one even if you don't; but it might make you feel better if you talked to someone."

The corners of Legolas' mouth turned up ever so slightly. "Thank you," he said as he helped himself to a few blueberries. He raised an eyebrow at his friend was he popped one into his mouth. "Maybe I can use some of these to lure Caladel away from his riding lesson."

"Not likely," smiled Eomer knowingly. "You would need a much grander bribe to accomplish a feat as difficult as these."

"And yet they're supposedly enough to get me to blurt out my innermost thoughts?" questioned Legolas bemusedly. "And anyway, aren't you supposed to be offering me money in exchanged for those?"

"That's done too often," scoffed Eomer playfully. "Besides, I'd have to go all the way back to Meduseld to get some of that and these berries are right here."

Legolas snuck another one. "You just happen to be walking around with these?" he wondered.

"They're mostly for Caladel," replied Eomer, "to celebrate his first riding lesson. A boy's first solo horseback ride is a rather big deal around these parts."

"So I gathered," said Legolas wryly. His smile turned wistful as he stared out at his son. The boy was true to his word, riding around slowly while he laughed merrily. "Thank you, Eomer, for being so attentive to him; and for ordering Alfmund to take extra care of him; and for being so gracious about helping me find a tutor for him; and for giving us a place to stay; and, well, for everything."

"It's no trouble," Eomer told him. The Man was glad that Legolas was looking at Caladel; otherwise the elf would have seen how his eyes were shining. "I love having people living in Meduseld again; whatever else it may be, it's no big deal at all."

"It's a big deal to me," countered Legolas quietly. "You're very kind, Eomer; and because of that and not the berries I feel comfortable in telling you that I was just thinking about the day that Caladel was born."

"Oh," said Eomer in what he hoped was a casual tone. He'd been wanting to have this conversation with Legolas for a long time, but had been reluctant to broach the topic while he and Caladel were still adjusting to their new lives. "That must have been difficult. I don't suppose that you – had much help with that, being in Fangorn and all?"

Legolas shut his eyes momentarily. "I wasn't all by myself – Treebeard was there, fetching me water from the river and putting up with more than he should have had to from his guest," he recounted faintly. "Still, I had to deliver Caladel myself. It's not something I would recommend, but the two of us managed to get through it unscathed."

"Well, unscathed or not it must have been a terrible burden to have to go through it all by yourself," said Eomer, wondering if he should ease into the more difficult topics gently or just plunge forward and hope for the best. He quickly realized that he probably wouldn't get anther chance to have Legolas talk so freely, deciding to seize the opportunity and go for it. "And I'm not just talking about the physical pain."

The elf tensed but didn't say anything; but he didn't try to leave either. Eomer took it as an encouraging-enough sign and continued on. "You must have felt very alone without the presence of your family…and your friends."

Legolas still didn't look at the Man, but he did let out a weary sigh. "It's that time, huh?" he inquired in a resigned voice. "It's time for the two of us to talk about why I don't want Aragorn to know where I am or that Caladel exists."

"I don't want to pry or push you," Eomer asserted immediately. "But I don't feel comfortable in keeping something like this a secret from a friend, an ally, and a fellow ruler, especially when that person has not bothered to disguise his eagerness to find out what happened to you; and most definitely not when I don't know the reasons why that information has to remain a secret. It's not in my nature."

"And I did make you a promise that I'd explain myself," acknowledged Legolas softly. He was silent for a moment as he searched his mind for a way to say enough to satisfy Eomer's conscience without sharing too many details. "The time came a little over five years ago when Aragorn had to make a decision."

"Concerning the rule of Gondor?" wondered Eomer. "The relationship between elves and the Men of that realm? Something more personal?"

"Well, I suppose that it was a combination of the latter two," hedged Legolas carefully. "There were reasons enough to make arguments for either option, but one of them had the power to destroy our friendship. For the sake of himself, his family, and his people that was the option that he chose and while I respect his decision I can no longer be a part of his life."

Eomer reined in his surprise. "That sounds very harsh," he noted. "You two were so close; to let one bad decision destroy that –"

"It wasn't a bad decision, per say," Legolas interrupted him, not particularly interested in hearing about how harsh he'd been in his rejection of Aragorn. "It's just that the nature of it ultimately made it impossible for me to let our friendship continue. He's a king now – he had to choose what was right for his people over what was right for him personally, and for me."

The Man studied his face carefully. Legolas' voice might have been calm but there was an underlying pain etched in his expression. "Perhaps he didn't realize that in making the decision he'd be ending your friendship," he suggested.

"He would have to be either a fool or a self-centered jerk – or both – if he hadn't realized that," replied Legolas tightly. "But I guess that he feels guilty about it now that I've disappeared and so has been making his inquires. Well, I didn't leave because of his decision" – that was true; he'd vanished because to hide the baby, not because Aragorn married someone else –"and I don't pretend that I can hide from him forever. Indeed I can't when so many people know –"

"No one in my realm with breath a word of all of this to anyone," Eomer broke in to assure him.

"Still, there are no guarantees and the tongue slips sometimes," said Legolas. "I'll let him know where I am one day, but right now I still need some time – a lot of time, in fact."

There was a long pause and Legolas feared that Eomer would refuse to keep the secret. "Fair enough," the Man said at length. Legolas let out a quiet sigh of relief. "And what about Caladel's sire?"

Apparently relief had come too soon. "What about him?" inquired Legolas icily.

"You shouldn't be alone," stressed Eomer. "Whoever this Man is, he owes something to you and something to Caladel. I can't stand the idea of him gallivanting around as he pleases while you bore and raised your son by yourself. He must be held accountable."

"I don't want to account him for anything!" cried Legolas a bit too loudly. He shuddered and fought to control his volume. "Don't you understand, Eomer? It's – humiliating. I loved that Man with all of what I was, gave him my body when he asked me for use of it, and then stood by with meek support while he cast me aside when I got to be too much of a hassle. I couldn't put Caladel through all of that."

"What?" asked Eomer, confused. "You lost me there, Legolas."

"I couldn't bear to see him cast Caladel aside with the same disregard in which he cast me aside," confessed Legolas, knowing that Eomer couldn't really understand the significance of him being able to say what he was saying out loud for the first time. It was something that Legolas feared just as much as he did Aragorn taking Caladel should he ever find out about the boy: that the Man wouldn't care about their son at all. He'd barely been able to admit that to himself but it had always been there, haunting his dreams. "I don't ever want my son to think that he's as disposable as his father is."

Impulsively Eomer seized the elf's arm. "You are not disposable," he declared fiercely. "Anyone who would say or do anything that would imply the contrary is nothing but a wicked idiot. So many people care about you, Legolas." He swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the fact that he was touching the prince. "Your father, for instance," he added in a consciously lighter tone as he let Legolas go. "He came here for a short while after you disappeared."

"My father stayed among Men?" marveled Legolas, his depression reaching its deepest point as he imagined Thranduil's face. "I suppose that I shouldn't be too surprised but I am. Elbereth, I miss him."

"And he feels the same way about you," Eomer told him plaintively.

"Oh, I know," replied Legolas. "I can sense how he's feeling; we elves form that strong a bond with those that we love. Even now I can feel how worried he is, and how hopeful too; for he feels me and knows that he'd know if I were dead. He hasn't given up on me yet. Ai, were that I could see him! When things got really dark out there it was Ada that I wished for."

"Do you want to send a message to him?" asked Eomer. "We could have him come to visit too, if you'd like."

There was nothing that Legolas wanted more than to say 'yes' but all the reasons why he didn't go to him in the first place were still there. "He's better off not knowing what a mess his son's made of his life," he said glumly. "Not to mention that Mirkwood is better off not having to fight my battles because of it."

"You need to get out more," decided Eomer suddenly. Legolas looked at him strangely, confused by the abrupt change of topic. "I'm serious! You're quite depressed right now; maybe it would help if you interacted with more people."

"Is that so?" asked Legolas. "And I suppose that you have something in mind."

"Yes," answered Eomer with a nod. "You and Caladel have eaten every meal in your suite since you came here, not wanting to disturb anyone or some other nonsense. Well, as of right now I ask that you both dine with me."

"For how long?"

"Until you get tired of my abhorrent table manners."

Eomer made such a silly face that Legolas couldn't resist laughing. "I accept," he smiled, "although sometimes I wonder why you even bother making an effort to cheer me up."

"Because someone as strong, good, and fair as you should have cause to smile," Eomer told him warmly, "and then do so often."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was late at night and Eomer was still in his office, finishing up a letter and feeling guilty about it. He'd ended up spending the majority of the day with Legolas and his son, having lunch and dinner with them and accompanying them as walked the grounds in between those times. It had been a wonderful day; now he couldn't help feeling that he was about to ruin all of that. However, after his conversation with Legolas at the arena he knew what he had to do.

A knock sounded on the door. "Enter," he called.

He wasn't surprised to see a messenger come in; Eomer had summoned him, after all. "You called for me, my king?" the young Man asked.

"Yes," replied Eomer, sealing the letter and placing it in the messenger's hand. "Set out as soon as possible and in secret. I've written the instructions as to whom it's for and where it should be carried to on the envelope. You take with you my gratitude."

The messenger's eyes widened as he scanned the envelope. "Yes, King Eomer," he said breathlessly.

Eomer folded his hands and brooded for awhile after the other Man bowed and left. "I had to do it, Legolas," he whispered regretfully. "I hope that I made the right decision; but more than that I hope that you will understand – and can forgive me."

To be continued…

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story. It now has over 200 of them!