Thranduil came to stand under one tree, not at all different than the trees around it except for the fact his son was currently hiding in its branches.
He waited one second, two seconds, to see if Legolas would attempt to talk to him first, he didn't. "Greenleaf?"
One, two, three, four, five. "The tree's already told me that you're there, no point in pretending you are not."
"I asked them not too."
"Well, you're going to have to take that up with them." They could tell that none of the trees were particularly remorseful, "Am I coming up, or are you coming down?"
"I have no intentions of coming down."
"I didn't think you did." Thranduil said softly, to nobody at all as he shed some of his layers, a branch nearby offered itself as a form of coat rack. "Ah, thank you."
And then he climbed. Up, up, up, up until finally his son appeared, as at home on his branch as any squirrel or bird would be. Looking thoroughly miserable, but trying commendably not to.
Thranduil settled himself next to his son, not yet even at his majority. Not even close to it yet, either, six decades. "How was your day?" He asked, pleasantly.
"It was fine. How was yours?" He watched as a few birds played in a puddle on the ground,
"Yes, that tone is very convincing; I'm assuming mine was better than yours."
"I said mine was fine."
"Then what's with vanishing on our dinner with no word and hiding here, alone? You did not even tell Galion."
Legolas didn't say anything, and this time Thranduil waited seven seconds, "Did something happen with Farlen?"
"No."
"Avaleina?"
"No."
"Did you step on a bee?"
"No."
"Fall out of a tree?"
"No."
"Read a sad book?"
"No."
"Did Ferdan say something rude or hurtful? Or both?"
"No, to both."
"Tell me if I'm getting closer, at least."
"Ada!" Still, Legolas did not look at him.
"I've already asked eight questions, but I am happy to keep going. Did you-"
Finally Legolas turned scalding eyes to his father, "Why?"
Thranduil was not deterred by anger, least of all Legolas' anger. As someone who experienced it often himself he knew that anger was more often than not a shield for something else.
Legolas was not angry at him, he was just angry.
"Because something is bothering you, and I want to help, and I love you."
Legolas turned back to the birds, already faltering in his temper, "Its stupid and ridiculous and it isn't important."
"If it is bothering you this much it is important to you, and therefor, it is important to me."
"You're going to laugh."
"Never."
"What if I don't pass the test for my warrior training? What if I have to do it again? What if I still fail? That's so humiliating, and I don't want to disappoint you or Ferdan like that."
"That's what you're worried about? You haven't even started your training yet!"
"See, I told you this was pointless, and unimportant."
"That is not what I meant. I meant; you do not even have to think about that for at least nine decades. That is a quite some time to learn, and you will. Ferdan has yet to have any warrior fail the test, and there is absolutely no part of me that thinks you could ever be the first."
Thranduil gently bumped Legolas' arm, he finally looked away from the birds, "That being said, if you do happen to fail for whatever reason at all, I would never be disappointed with you; even if you had to retake it ten times. I would not be disappointed if you decide never to become a warrior, and wanted to be a healer instead. I could not even be disappointed in you if you drank yourself sick, striped naked and declared war on Imladris."
"Regardless of what happens on that day, just know that you will have already made me the proudest elf in all of Arda everyday for the last 150 years. That's 1,800 months, 7,200 weeks, 54,750 days, 1,314,000 hours-"
Legolas started to laugh, finally, "Okay, okay, I get it."
"Are you my sure? I can keep going."
"I'm sure."
"Good." Legolas stomach growled, "Ready for dinner?"
"Yes, have you eaten yet?"
Thranduil and Legolas began to make their way down the tree, "I have not, you see I was supposed to have dinner with someone but they randomly vanished."
"What a pity,"
"It is."
"Guess you're stuck with me."
"I'm counting on it."
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I counted to ten in the chapter, did you notice?
Would love to hear from you!
