Usually Thranduil considered himself rather adept at keeping track of his son, even though he seemed incapable of staying in one place for any amount of time. Even in his younger years, Thranduil could never recall having as much ceaseless energy like Legolas did. He had been like that even before his birth, spending all of his time kicking his legs into his mother's ribcage and stomach. More nights than not Thranduil had spent staying awake with his wife while they waited for their tiny unborn prince to stop his assault from the inside.

Once he had learned to walk it was game over. Thranduil had to learn the tricks of tracking him down or risk never finding the wandering soul again.

Admittedly, he had gotten somewhat better since he started his warriors training. But that was only because all his energy was finally getting spent in different ways, rather than having less of it.

But that did not mean he was perfect at keeping an eye on him, even after so many years, "Galion, do you see my son?"

His longtime attendant looked about the clearing, being the only other blonde elf in all of Greenwood usually made the prince somewhat easy to spot in the sea of dark haired silvan elves, "It would seem he has vanished into the night, sir."

"So it would seem."

Thranduil considered his options while Galion returned the spirited conversation nearby, already well into the wine that had been brought out for the summer solstice. From what he could see all Legolas' dear friends were still present, so he hadn't wandered off for some ridiculous purpose that was likely to injure at least one of them. He had not come to say goodnight, so it seemed unlikely that he had gone to bed. He could wait a while and see if he returned, or he could try and track him down.

But that meant checking any number of his favorite spots.

He hummed in thought, attracting Galion's attention again, "Would you like me to send some servants to look for him?"

Thranduil waved him away, "No, its fine. Let them enjoy the night, I will investigate myself."

Galion shrugged, expecting that exact answer, "As you will."

Thranduil got to his feet with a mighty stretch, and set off into the crowd to begin the search. First he turned towards that largest cluster of exuberant and intoxicated young elves on the far side of the clearing finding exactly who he had had been looking for: Ferdan, Legolas' best friend since before he could talk.

Noticing his kings approach, Ferdan excused himself and broke away from the group and came to stand before Thranduil, "I don't know where he went."

"Do you know why he left?"

Legolas loved summer solstice, he had always looked forward to it every year and it was troubling that he had departed so early. As a elfling he would beg every year for his father to not take him inside to be put to bed, even if he had fallen asleep in his lap hours before.

"No, he was here one moment and gone the next."

Thranduil hummed in thought again, and glanced at another one of Legolas' best friends Avaleina who at the moment was dangling from a tree, suspicoulsy lacking her usual blond companion, "She doesn't know either." Ferdan answered before he could even ask the question, "I've already asked."

"How did he seem today?"

Ferdan shrugged, "Fine a guess. A bit quite I suppose, but other than that fine."

Interesting.

Bidding him a pleasant evening, Thranduil swept away from the conversation and back towards the stronghold, the music growing softer behind him. He was about to start his search when he heard the laughter of the tree's coming from one of the smaller gardens.

It was not a garden that Legolas usually spent time in, preferring the Queens garden that he had grown up playing in. Thranduil would never complain, for he could see and hear whatever happened in that particular garden through his study window, and listening to the sounds of his son's and his friends laughter and joy could make any bad day better.

Sometimes he thought that's why Legolas always used that garden. It seemed every truly bad day he had Legolas would sing his favorite songs in the garden for hours, however long it took his father's work day to be done.

To this day, he didn't know what he did to be blessed with a son as great, loyal, and caring as Legolas.

Thranduil turned into the garden, easily spotting exactly why the tree's had been laughing.

There his beautiful mess of an heir laid, seemingly passed out under a bush. Drunk as could be.

Thranduil couldn't help himself but burst out in a delighted laugh, the likes of which would have echoed for a great distance had he been inside. At least he had come to pass out in a more or less private location, rather than in the middle of the celebration.

He came to stand above his son, "Rise and shine, my sunshine!."

Legolas did no so much as twitch.

"Legolas." He tried again, but louder.

Still nothing.

"Legolas!"

With a wicked grin he scooped some water from a nearby fountain and dropped the freezing liquid onto his face, which woke him in a matter of moments with a loud sputtering sound.

"Ahh yes, welcome back to the world of the living and the reasonably sober."

Legolas squented up at him and even though he was still sitting in the dirt Thranduil was fairly certain he was still swaying, this was the first time he had ever seen his son this drunk. He knew it happened, of course, elflings will be elflings and all the missing wine had to have gone somewhere.

It was a bit delightful.

"I want..at least six pies and a sandwich. And my bed. I want to eat six pies and a sandwich in my bed." Legolas' words were quite slurred yet, but were walking a very dangerous line.

Thranduil tried to suppress his laughter, "I'm not sure about six pies, but I'm certain we can find you a reasonably large piece of cherry pie and a sandwich."

"Can I eat the rest of the pies tomorrow?"

"I doubt you will be up to eating much of anything tomorrow, but you are more than welcome to try."

Legolas seemed satisfied with this answer and nodded a little bit before becoming distracted by a lizard moving in one of the bushes he had collapsed near, '"Ada?"

"Yes, my son?"

"I think I might need some help getting inside."

"I think so too."

..

(This is technically too long but only by like 100 words shhhhhhh)

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