Never in the two thousand or so years that he had known Legolas had he witnessed him being this withdrawn. Almost as dark and still as the (hopefully) empty mine around them. Not even Aragorn could rouse him into any sort of conversation.

But Aragorn was asleep now, along with the rest of the mortals. Legolas had not moved from where he had settled nearing seven hours ago now.

Gandalf got up, careful enough to not wake the cluster of hobbits sleeping near him or Boromir when he stepped over the man's outstretched legs comfortably close to the fire; and the hobbits.

Legolas sat near the edges of the fire's ring of light, staring out into the darkness and no doubt listening to his approach. Back straight, bow laid comfortably in his lap and arms folded overtop. Breathing evenly; purposefully.

He sat on the ground with a small grunt, and nestled his back against the base of a beautiful but headless stone statue. "Come now, Greenleaf, it does one ill to sit in their troubles alone."

A ghost of a smile appeared for a second or two before vanishing again. Looking very much like his father, though Gandalf was certain he did not intend to. It seemed with each passing visit it was easier and easier to see the King in the Prince, where once he could only see and energetic and inquisitive elfing. The weight of a crown is a heavy one.

"Did Ada ever tell you about what happened on the night Nana died?"

"No." Thranduil had always seemed to like him well enough, but it was obvious that he did not trust him.

"And the rumors you've heard?"

"I hear a great many rumors about a great many things, most I take no note and forget."

"Most." Legolas repeated back. "Most you take no note."

"I've heard one or two." He patted Legolas kindly on the knee, "Is that what is bothering you so much tonight?"

Legolas almost laughed, "How can you possibly tell it's night?"

"We can call it daytime, if you prefer. It matter not to me."

He waved a hand dismissively in the air. Expressionless he said, "The night my Nana died I was still hiding in the woods when the started setting it on fire. They took so long to leave that everything was burning before I had the chance of running. Somehow, I don't know how, I managed to run far enough to find a cave, and I hid inside, at the very back, by myself."

He blinked away the few tears that threatened to form, and Gandalf took one of his hands sympathetically. "A great tree fell in front of the doorway to keep anything bad from following me. Eventually the world outside stopped burning. I sat alone, in the dark, all night. And all day. Hoping and praying that there was a tree alive enough nearby to tell somebody that I was there. That there was anybody alive to even remember I was missing. Trying not to think about Nana, and trying not to make noise in case the Orcs came back."

"Ada found me eventually, obviously. Then I was safe." He laughed insincerely, "I'll be fine, Mithrandir, don't worry. I've just never liked small enclosed spaces after that, and no matter how big I know it is down here, that somehow only makes it feel smaller."

Like his father, Legolas did not respond well to much sympathy. Prying further into the matter would yield nothing, he had said what he wanted to say on the subject and would say no more. "When was the last time you slept?"

Legolas it blinked at him, apparently not expecting the question. To gandalf's mild satisfaction, "I do not know. I've never been good with time but down here…" He looked around the dark expanse, and then shrugged after failing to find the rest of his sentence.

"Come lay down by Aragorn and try to sleep. You will feel better when you wake." Legolas looked skeptically at him, "You will also have peace for a few hours."

With an accepting but defeated sigh Legolas got to his feet, reaching down to pull Gandalf to his. Together they made their way back to the rest of the fellowship, this time stepping over Aragorn's legs on the other side of the fire.

Gandalf settled himself nearby with his staff, settling him for his watch. Legolas, as instructed, got comfortable between him and Aragorn. The man woke briefly at all of the movement near him, disgruntledly reaching over to Legolas' pack to retrieve his blanket and throw it across the elf, before closing his eyes with sigh.

Legolas smiled a good and genuine smile at his friend, before adjusting the man's own covers to his satisfaction.

Gandalf searched the back of his mind to find any Sindar lullabye's he could remember enough of the words from. When his search came up emptier than he would have liked, he settled for humming the tunes instead. One's he knew he had heard Thranduil hum to his son on several occasions. Legolas gave him one startled but impressed.

Thankfully, within several minutes the poor thing was sleep.

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