Title: Long Under Tree

Author: Caspian55

Rating: PG

Summary: Legolas is an elfling giving his ada headaches and heartache. The young life of Legolas 'long under tree'.

Feedback: yes please

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Please Review if you like it:)

Thranduil sighed, As dedicated as he was to his work, even Kings get bored. He considered a break. He had put in a lot of work today, perhaps he could take a walk in the garden.

Smiling to himself he made up his mind to take Legolas out with him. He knew that Legolas would make his break more like a holiday but he couldn't hold back a chuckle when he thought of how excited his little greenleaf would be.

Settled in his decision, Thranduil stood up and stretched before heading to his son's room.

Thranduil tapped on the door before opening it wide. " 'Las! It's Ada, what say we go for a walk outside!" He said excitedly clapping his hands together beforehe realized that his son was not in sight.

Frowning he scanned the room. Empty.

Then he noticed little boots poking out from under the bed. "Legolas are you hiding?" Thranduil called out as he snuck to the bed.

'Perhaps he is angry with me for punishing him.' he thought. "Legolas, don't you wish to go outside with me?" Thranduil asked, frustrated at the timidness in his voice. 'Alas to be so undone by a meer elfling.'

Getting on his hands and knees, he grabbed the little boot and was surprised to find it not attached to his son.

Feeling very foolish in his fine robes on the floor, Thranduil's face pinked. He got up brushing and smoothing his robes as if it would replace his dignity. He was walking to the tapestry covered doorway when a gust of wind blew in a torrent of leaves. Deciding that the room was dirty enough without nature adding to the mess, he went to close the window.

There on the windowsill perfectly imprinted in the dirt were two little boot prints. 'Surely Legolas did not hop out the window.' Thranduil thought laughing lightly to himself. ' Besides, he would not disobey me.' he thought asuredly.

Leaning out the window he spotted the tree that had unwittingly helped his son escape. "He wouldn't have." Thranduil said outloud as if to convince himself.

There was a sound in the distance carried on the wind to his sensitive ears. Very faintly in the distance...yes he knew that sound, it was his son calling for him. The cry seemed to fill his ears now, there was panic in his child's voice.

Terror seized Thranduils heart, he knew where that cry was coming from!

Legolas turned to where he heard the vicious hissing sound, he hadn't heard anything like that before. The spider stood poised to strike beside him. Never had he imagined something so hideous and so frightening as that spider!

All of the color drained from his face and his struggles were forgotten as he became paralyzed with fear. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to scream. Finally gulping air into his tight chest he was able to let out a piercing wail. "Adar! Adar help me!"

A wave of ice cold hit him as he panicked, The spiders fangs were dripping with venom and the hissing rang in his ears. "Ada where are you!" He called desperately. The fear was too much for him, he felt very dizzy.

Legolas turned and gave an open mouthed gasp as he was confronted with multiple eyes all staring at him. Terror reflected back to him in the spiders gleaming eyes. Legolas felt his contiousness slip from him and his head came to rest weakly on his chest.

Thranduil dashed from his childs room as if a fire breathing dragon was chasing after him! Down long stair cases, and through echoing halls as silently and swiftly as only an elf can until he reached his stables. "Legolas is in the spiders nest!" He gasped, out of breath and trembling.

The guards in the paddock startled as their King threw himself on the nearest steed not caring whose mount it was as long as it had legs and could take him to his son. He turned to them with more of a pleading look than a command before they had even the time to process the information. Grabbing a sword on his way he tore out of the stables and headed for the darkest region of Mirkwood

As quickly as they could the guards armed themselves and mounted their stallions taking after their King who had already departed. The six guards had to hurry to keep up with him.

'Please let me not be too late!' he prayed silently. His heart had never been in his throat in such a way before. He had faced terrible battles and daunting tasks that befall a King, but never had he felt so desperate as he did at this moment.

The spider recoiled her fangs. No use wasting precious venom to subdue pray that was already defeated. Perhaps she would need it for a wild bird, but not this pathetic creature.

She had just feasted on a great falcon the day before and was satisfied. Wanting to save this morsel for later the spider made quick work of wrapping Legolas up in a sticky tight package, dragging his body to an open space not littered with the remnants of her recent pray and left to tend to her babies.

It didn't take long for Legolas to come around. He was confused at first, he felt very warm and he couldn't move his arms but a little. It was hard to see, but the spider had not wrapped his face so much so he knew he was still in the forest.

Whimpering he remembered the spider. He had heard his father talk about the spiders before with the other big elves but he didn't pay much attention, adults were boring, always talking on and on forever when there were so many things more fun to do.

He wiggled and wiggled, but his arms seemed glued to his sides and he could not even sit up. He tried to yell even though his chest was very tight. "ADA! Ada come get me!" He pleaded.

'My Ada can't hear me, I have wandered too far from home, the spider will eat me.' Legolas thought, tears streaming from his wide eyes. 'If only he would come I would never be naughty again.'

Luckily Thranduil knew where his sons screams had come from and it was not as far from his palace as he wished it were. Galloping at top speed he reached the area swiftly but to his rapidly beating heart it could not be fast enough.

He steadied his horse and the six guards halted behind him. Thranduil dismounted and drew his sword. "Legolas!" His voice was shrill and commanding "Where are you my son?"

Legolas' heart swelled, his Ada was close by, he would save him, no spiders would eat him with his Ada there! "ADAR! Ada help me I am stuck in white stuff!" Legolas said once more trying to twist free and then laying back with a puff of spent air.

Thranduil let out a breath at hearing his child's voice. "I'm coming to get you my son, keep talking to me until I find you!"

Thranduil had told the guards not to attack unless it was absolutely necessary, there would be other times to fight the spiders, for now he just wanted to get his son out of this place and into his arms.

They could feel spiders watching them but they stayed still as their King followed the prince's tearful voice.

Thranduil climbed the tree closest to his son, grunting all the way as it had been ages since he had done such a thing. When he reached the web Thranduil sliced an opening gently. He did not wish to draw the owners attention as the spiders were not known so much for their hearing as the sensations under their hairy legs

That was a good thing with legolas calling for him at the top of his lungs.

Crawling through the hole he immediately saw Legolas' little body and crawled to it, the thick web strong enough to hold a hundred elves.

Legolas beamed at his father as Thranduil gently cut away the web. "I knew you would come Ada, I knew it!" He declared, looking at his father through adoring eyes.

Sweat dripped from Thranduil's brow and he wiped it away with a shaking hand. "Hush my son, I am here. Although you may not be so glad I have come when we get home as I plan to teach you quite a lesson." The King had to gulp through his releaf that for the moment his baby was alright. Legolas knew he was in big trouble but at the moment it didn't matter, all he wanted was to go home with his father and never see another spider again!

Once he was free of the web, Thranduil delicately lifted his son into his arms and crawled back to the hole he had made, holding Legolas to his chest with one arm. Descending the tree as carefully and quietly as he could he set Legolas on his feet and tugged him to where the guards were watching them intently.

Thranduil grabbed Legolas about the arms and all but tossed him onto his horse before mounting behind him. The little prince kept his eyes down and away from the guard's stares as they began to ride gingerly out of the dark part of the woods.

'Ada is so mad at me, I have never seen him so mad!' Legolas thought as he felt Thranduil tremble with rage behind him. In truth, the King shook with fear over what could have happened.

Never in his long life had Tranduil been so afraid, he had not known fear when his wife passed into Mandos' Halls only sadness, Legolas had been the only thing to keep him from fading himself through that pain. Things could have been very different, if Legolas had been taken from him now he knew that he would not have been able to carry on. His kingdom would fall to ruin.

His son hadn't ever disobeyed him so recklessly! Surely the spider had frightened the little elfling enough that he would never go into the woods unattended again Thranduil surmised, But what of the other dangers Thranduil had warned him of? Must his son learn them all the hard way? No! He couldn't risk loosing his only child that way. Legolas must fear him! Fear what his disobedience would bring so that he wouldn't think to try and ignore his father's warnings.

When the sun hit their faces, the small party visibly relaxed. Thranduil tensed even more if that was possible, what he planned to do was almost as difficult as what he had just done, except this time any harm brought to Legolas would be by his own hand.

When they reached the stables Thranduil gave his appreciation to the guards, bowing to them in great thanks before grabbling Legolas' arm and trudging toward the palace. Legolas glanced up to catch the sympathetic smiles on a few of the men before he was hauled away.

The fear in the kings heart swallowed him, fear wouldn't help him now, he must be strong for Legolas he thought as he thrust aside the tapastry door to his chambers and shoved Legolas in.

Legolas cowered from his father. 'Why do I have to be such a bad boy?'He thought wringing his hands. 'Father must hate me, see how he cannot even look at me?' Thranduil couldn't look at his son, 'I love him so much, all I want to do is hold him and never let go, how can I strike him?'

"Legolas! You stand in that corner until I come back!" Thranduil bellowed pointing to a far corner of the room. Legolas gave him a tearful look, his lower lip trembling, before ducking his head and shuffling to the corner nose to the wall.

Thranduil pushed back the tapestry leaving the room and got no further than a few feet before slumping against the wall cradling his face in his hands. 'You cannot be weak... you cannot be!' He commanded himself. It took him several minutes to calm his beating heart and settle his nerves.

Taking a deep breath and swiping at his eyes, Thranduil came back to the room and looked over at the tembling back of an elfling in the corner. Taking off his sword he slipped the sheath from the leather and laid the weapon on his wardrobe. Legolas looked over his shoulder and watched wide eyed as his father turned to him and doubled the thick belt.

Legolas' mouth dropped open. "I...I'm sssory adar." He stammered.

The soft voice stilled the King for a moment before Thranduil walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Calling his son over Thranduil was surprised at how quickly his elfling came to him. Little hands rested on his knees and tear filled blue eyes gaped into his. Thranduil tried to swallow past the boulder growing in his throat.

"Legolas, why are you being punished?" Thranduil asked after clearing his throat from the fog of remorse.

Legolas suddenly wished that the spider had stung him, at least the pain would be swift and he would not have to listen to the disappointment in his fathers voice. " B because I...because I'm bbaad!" Came the sobbed reply.

Thranduil swallowed hard. "No, no my son you are not bad, what you did was very bad though. You must always listen to me and do as I say, do you understand me?"

"Y..yes a..ada! I will be g...good. Please do not hh...hate me anymore Ada!" The elfling gasped out.

Thranduil's mind throbbed. He tossed aside the belt as if it had bitten him and stilled himself. "Legolas I love you! You are my life! I love you so much my son, I would not be able to continue in this world without you." Tears fell from Thranduils eyes as he lifted his son into his arms.

" Y..you still l...llove me adar? Ev...ven after I was so bbad?" Legolas asked him peering up through dark wet lashes.

"Of course I do! Nothing could ever change that! EVER!" Thranduil nearly shouted.

Legolas buried his head in his fathers robes and continued to cry. 'he still loves me!' His heart sang.

"What if I hadn't heard your cries my son? Do you know what would have happened? When I tell you you cannot do something it is not because I want to spoil your fun, it is because I know of dangers you do not!" Thranduil gritted out through his growing tears. 'It will be my love for him that will make him obey not his fear of me' He decided clutching the child to his chest.

Thranduil hugged his son as tightly as he could. "You are a good boy Legolas, even good elves make mistakes sometimes. There is no mistake so big that I would not forgive. I only want you to obey me so that I can keep you from all of the bad things that are in the world."

Legolas snuggled deeper into his fathers robes. "If there is ever a temptation to do something I have told you not to do, you can talk to me about it little one. I promise I could never ever hate you."

Yawning, Legolas nodded his head against Thranduils chest. "Come, I think you should take a nap before dinner don't you?" Thranduil jostled his sleepy son. Legolas just nodded and clutched him tighter.

Legolas rested his head in the space where his ada's neck and shoulder met and continued to cry quietly. He had never had such a busy day and he never wanted to have one again!

Thranduil carried him to his own room holding him tightly as though he would fly away. Thranduil tenderly wiped the tears from his sons face marveling at the sweetness in his eyes before undressing him and pulling a short sleeping tunic over his golden head.

Laying him on his stomach on the little bed the King tucked a lock of hair behind his elflings ear and kissed him as his child's eyes fluttered closed. Sitting down on the bed Thranduil ran his finders through silky gold strands tucking it behind a little pointed ear before kissing the elflings warm forhead and getting up.

Thranduil was almost out the door before he heard a little voice.

"What was that my son?" Thranduil asked.

"Could you say it again ada?" Legolas said drowsily.

Thranduil thought for a moment. "I love you Legolas."

His Greenleaf smiled before drifting to sleep.

TBC