Legolas creeped into the living room as slowly and gently as he could, pausing in the doorway to make sure there were no voices drifting from his father's room.

Galion and Lord Ferdan had departed an hour and a half ago, and as far as Legolas could tell, his father had fallen asleep.

Hopefully he stayed that way.

He stepped lightly across the room and to the window, and then laid on his stomach to peer under the doorway looking for any hint of shadows or movement of any kind.

Nothing.

He got back to his feet, very carefully and very slowly easing the lock on the window open. Pausing as soon as he was done to listen.

Nothing.

He pushed one side of it open, ensuring the hinges wouldn't squeak as it swung open. He glanced back to his father's bedroom door and then eased himself into the edge.

The trees outside laughed at him, but didn't wake his father. Which was all that really mattered.

Avaleina and Farlen waited for him at the bottom of the tree, cheering very softly as he swing himself out of the window and into the branches, leaning back only to close the window behind him.

Doubtlessly the rest of their friends were performing their own feats of stealth and danger. He scrambled down the tree and landed softly in the grass.

With wide grins they raced off into the night to find the rest of their illegally free companions.

0o0oo0o0

Legolas awoke the next day to the sounds of his father bustling about in his own bedroom, earlier than usual.

His sneaking back in seemed to have gone as successfully as the sneaking out had, and so he allowed the curiosity to get the best of him and went to investigate.

His father's bedroom door was open and so Legolas just walked inside, "You're up early."

Thranduil paused in brushing out his hair and redirected his gaze in the mirror so that he could see his son standing in the doorway, "The trees woke me."

It was something bad, then. It had to be. "Oh."

Thranduil put the comb down and turned in the chair he sat on, giving Legolas a soft look. "But that is no concern of yours, my leaf. Nobody has died, and in the end, everything will mend."

"It will?"

"I will make it be so." Thranduil stood up and placed his crown on his head, one of the last things he did before leaving. He wore his simple silver circlet instead of the usual one.

He was leaving home to deal with it whatever was happening, then. It was bad enough or urgent enough to draw him out.

Legolas knew better than to ask for specifics, his father never gave him any until after everything was dealt with. Galion claimed that with time that would change, when he was older. Legolas wasn't convinced.

Legolas stepped out of the doorway to allow his father to pass, "Be safe, please."

"I will. Always." Thranduil kissed his forehead, "It's early, go back to bed and sleep." He moved away, pulling on his boots with ease, "After all, you were up very late last night."

Legolas groaned loudly while his father laughed wickedly, "I thought I was sneaky."

"You were, just not quite sneaky enough." He opened the door leading to the hallway, calling back over his shoulder, "I love you, even though you never listen to me and I'm going to tell Ferdan what you were all up to last night so training might kill you!"

"Love you!" Legolas shouted before the door closed, mumbling to the empty room after it did, "Even though you're betraying me and offering me up to a starving wolf slathered with spices."

And then he went back to bed.

0o0o0o0o0

Sorry it's a day late, but here you are! Hope you like it!