Title: Maethor Ada
Chapter 3: Warrior Father
The next day, Legolas watched as Aragorn took an arrow from the quiver he kept with him and positioned it right where it would fly towards the target. After hitting the center, he noticed Legolas was watching him intently. "Legolas?" Legolas looked up and Aragorn asked, "Would you like to practice archery?" Legolas got up and took the bow and arrow Aragorn gave to him, and trying very hard, he attempted to position the arrow on the bow. Legolas sighed and said, "Ada, I can't even position the arrow. How am I supposed to do that?"
"You mean you have never learned?" Legolas replied, "Mae, my father wouldn't teach me. He said I could never be a warrior." Aragorn's hate for Legolas' father grew and he replied, "Your father should have never said that. You will be a great warrior, Legolas. Now, let me show you how to position the arrow." Aragorn took Legolas' hand in his own and moved it slightly, so that it rested on the leather grip. "Now, you set the arrow on top of your hand, and pull back the string…"
Snap! The arrow flew towards the target, and Legolas watched as it hit very close to the center. "Look at that, Legolas. How easy was it?" Legolas replied, "It was easy, but I will need alot more practice." After about a week, Legolas had forgotten about his father, he had already replaced his father with Aragorn. One day, while Aragorn and Legolas were out riding in a meadow, they brought their horses to a stop, and dismounted. Once they sat down, Legolas rested his head on Aragorn's shoulder.
Aragorn, like any loving father, gently kissed Legolas' forehead. "Ada?"
"Yes, Legolas?" Legolas hesitantly said, "You know how I didn't tell you that I was the Prince of Mirkwood?"
"I remember."
"Well…I'm running away from Mirkwood." Aragorn was puzzled, Legolas was trying to run away from Mirkwood? "Why are you running away, Legolas?"
"My father, the King of Mirkwood, doesn't love me. He hates me." Aragorn realized why Legolas wanted to call him his father, and suddenly everything fell into place, why Legolas had told him that his father would have punished him for the smallest things. His anger reached its limits; he could no longer stand Legolas' suffering. "And that's why you look up to me?" Legolas nodded and responded with a tear-filled voice, "I just wanted him to accept me and love me." Aragorn nodded and replied, "And you know that I will accept you and that I will love you like you are my own son?" Legolas nodded and Aragorn asked, "Will you go back?"
Legolas shook his head and responded, "No. I can't go back." Aragorn thought this over and spoke again. "Will you go back if I accompany you?" A day later, they were back in Mirkwood. The road had been long and hard, but Aragorn and Legolas were both riding the horse. At Mirkwood, Aragorn sent his horse off with an elf to be taken care of. The guard at the door of the King's Hall motioned to Aragorn's weaponry.
"If you may, sir…" Aragorn took all of his weapons off, handing them over. He felt Legolas grasp his hand and the two entered. "King of Mirkwood." The King turned to address his visitors. "A-ada." The King did not take the comment made by Legolas. "You are…"
"Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
"What did you come for?" Aragorn hesitated, "To bring back your son." The words dropped like lead as each one fell from Aragorn's mouth. "I have no son."
"According to Legolas of Mirkwood, yes you do have a son." The king said, "Heir of Gondor, I would like for you to step out of the hall for a moment." Aragorn did not like the idea of leaving Legolas with his abusive father. But trying not to get on the King's bad side, he did as told. Legolas cried out furiously, "Maethor ada! Do not leave!" The door Aragorn had disappeared behind slammed shut and the King of Mirkwood stood, walked down to Legolas and backhanded him. "How dare you call him your father!"
Legolas burst out in tears. "A-a-ada! Maethor ada! Aragorn!" Legolas' father continued to beat him as Legolas cried out, "Maethor ada! Aragorn!" Aragorn cursed at the King, desperately trying to reach Legolas, but the minute he pushed the door open, he froze to the spot, watching as the King repeatedly beat the young elf over and over again. Legolas' cries continued; "Maethor ada!"
Aragorn could do nothing, he was not Legolas' father. But it made no sense, as Legolas cried out, "Stop! Ada, please! Aragorn!" Aragorn watched as the King grabbed a whip and tore open wounds, all the while he cursed and said, "You have no father but me! The descendant of Isildur is not a maethor ada!" Aragorn was shocked at the brutality of the punishment Legolas was receiving. He had no sword, he could not come between the King and Legolas.
Legolas' cries of 'maethor ada' were getting extremely hoarse and Aragorn shouted, "I think you done enough harm to Legolas." The King stopped and, looking up, he said, "You are not his father." Aragorn retaliated with all his might. "But he has enough trust in me that I will not beat him for every little mistake…in fact, I have not beaten him once since I found him in the middle of a road, half dead and badly bruised!" He slid his arms under Legolas' limp body, the pale skin stained with blood. A few small words escaped from Legolas before he fell asleep, "Hannon le, maethor ada. Hannon le."
All of the Elvish words found in Chapter 3 are in Chapter 1 and 2.
