Galion knocked on the door, running the list through in his head while he waited for the call to enter. The King was reading one thing or another but Galion started talking without waiting for him to look up, "All the messages have been delivered, I have three replies for you, I crumpled two others because they were ridiculous, Lord Ferdan says and I quote, "Tell him he's being an idiot," and lastly Legolas is playing in the garden and making friends with what I presume is a squirrel but has asked that you come and fetch him for dinner "
The king looked up at him looking a bit amused, "Were you a practicing that?"
"A bit, yes."
"Its was beautiful."
"Thank you. Is there anything else I can do to help?"
"Actually I wanted to talk to you about something-" Thranduil paused, "Why are you looking at me like I just told you I'm going to light you on fire."
"Because I know that tone of voice, I've heard you use that tone of voice on other people and every single time have been glad it wasn't for me."
"Stop being so dramatic."
"Unlikely but I'll try."
Oropher had been so pleased with himself when he met Galion and assigned him to his son's service on the same day. He had heard one of the more senior servants yelling at Galion in a hallway and after hearing the reason why knew he was a perfect fit or Thranduil. He had been right, of course.
"Can you sit down please," Thranduil gestured to a chair across from his desk, "And stop hovering like a frightened deer."
"I am a frightened deer."
"Then hover in fear in a chair."
With incredible flourish, Galion leapt into the appointed chair, sitting cross-legged, "Has anybody ever told you that you are very demanding."
"You, every day."
"Well, I'm not wrong."
"Never said you were." Thranduil sat back in his chair and laced his fingers together while Galion almost visibly braced himself, "As you know everyone on the council and several others people have been demanding for some time that I choose somebody to entrust Legolas to in case something happens to me."
"You've chosen someone?"
"I've chosen you if you'll accept the offer."
Galion stared at his king, "Me?"
"You."
He went perfectly still, and Thranduil just waited for him to decide on something to say, "If this is what Lord Ferdan called you an idiot about then I think I'm inclined to agree."
"Actually we are arguing about a game of chess that he insists he didn't lose, why shouldn't I choose you?"
"Have you hit your head? He's a prince! How am is supposed to raise a prince to be a king, I know nothing about that. I can carry letters, take messages, somehow keep you alive-"
"You will not raise him to be a prince or a king, you will raise him to be happy."
Galion crossed his arms and went still again, a habit of his whenever he was trying to not be too disrespectful. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. It's part of the reason Oropher had chosen him if there was anything his son had valued it was speaking your mind. "Do you not think that Lord Ferdan would be better suited?"
Thranduil copied him and crossed his arms, "No."
"Would you stop being so smug and at least explain yourself?"
"This way is more fun."
"Thranduil I swear I will get up out of this chair and never come back."
"No, you won't."
"You're right I won't, but I'll spit in your food."
"I assumed you did that anyway." But then the king took pity on him, much to Galion's relief, "If he cannot have me, who does he call for? Who takes him swimming? Who spends their free evenings reading with him? You love him. If it not I who gets to raise him I want it to be someone who I think cares for him as much as I."
Galion remained silent and so Thranduil kept talking, "When others were making suggests to me for who to pick they only considered those who could shape in him into a king, but I will not allow for him to be shaped in any way not his own. You will raise him happy, you will let him be himself whoever that might be, you will love him for who he is in the moment and not who he could become."
Thranduil cleared his throat and uncrossed his arms, "I'm not asking you to do anything more than you are doing already."
"Fine. I'll do it, but you're still an idiot."
