Galions walked into the shared sitting room attached to Legolas and Thranduil's bedrooms to find a very exasperated caretaker sitting alone reading a book.

She closed it with a snap and a sigh, "He's in a mood today. Doesn't want anything to do with me."

Galion smiled with sympathy, "You can go home. I'll take care of him now."

"As you say, Galion. I hope he is happier with you." Quickly, she was gone.

To say that Legolas was in a 'mood' was perhaps one of the least helpful things she could have told him. Legolas was always in a mood, of one sort or another.

That was like saying 'Thranduil's upset about something,' because as far as Galion could tell, Thranduil had come out of the womb complaining about the colors of the walls.

While Legolas was always in a mood of some kind, and Thranduil was always upset, the little one was happiest with his father and Thranduil could never be upset around his little leaf.

But Thranduil was not here, and so instead Galion walked over to Legolas' bedroom door and knocked softly before opening without waiting for an answer. Legolas laid on his side, wrapped up in one of Thranduils cloaks, with his stuffed toy in the shape of an elk pressed to his chest.

Oh. So he was in that mood.

"Hello, little prince." Unsurprisingly, Legolas just stared at him without saying a word, not even acknowledging his presence in the slightest.

But Galion was not deterred, and he crossed the room to scoop Legolas into his arms, taking care to ensure he was still wrapped snugly in the cloak.

Legolas for his part seemed content as he was carried back to the hallway and eventually outside and into the forest, to the base of some of his favorite trees.

There, bathed in the late afternoon sun and chirping birds Galion sat with Legolas on his lap, wrapped both in the cloak and his arms.

They sat together in the company of the forest and each other a while before Galion asked, "why so sad today?"

Legolas sighed, "I had a dream about Nana, and I miss her. And Ada isn't even here to help make it hurt less."

He kissed the elfling on the head, "I'm sorry, little prince." Legolas shrugged, "At least your Ada is home tomorrow."

Legolas nodded without a word, no doubt wishing that Thranduil hadn't needed to leave in the first place and Galion tightened his arms, and rested his cheek on top of the elflings head.

"Do you want to hear about the time your Ada got bit by a huge lizard because he embarrassed himself in front of your Nana and tried to hide in a pond?"

Suddenly, every once of his usual energy appeared once more and Legolas jumped in his arms, scrambling to get a better look at Galions, "Is that where the bite scar in his ankle is from?"

"One of them, I think the other is from Ferdan."

Blue eyes got wider, "Can you tell me that one too?"

"Can I get through the first one first?"

Legolas laughed, and the trees sang to hear it, and then he settled in Galion's lap again, "Yes, sorry."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

He only woke up when Legolas shifted next to him in the grass, both now covered with the cloak.

A delighted tiny voice woke the clearing, "Ada!"

And then the prince was gone, running to where his father's arms waited for him. Galion blinked sleepily from he still laid, noticing that Thranduil was suspiciously clean, even if he had only be gone for two days.

Freshly clean.

He never washed before finding Legolas, unless he had something to hide from him. Like blood. "Alright?"

Thranduil cradled his son close, and took a few deep breaths. Chances were, he needed that hug as much as the prince. "Yes. We're going to bed, are you coming inside?"

"How long until sunrise?"

Thranduil adjusted his grip on Legolas, "Two hours?"

"Leave me here, the weather is nice. But take your cloak back, and we're going to have a problem."

He smiled and kissed the top of Legolas' head, "Keep the cloak forever for all I care, I have what I came for."

0o0o0o0

Omg look at me posting on the actual weekend.

Told you it was going to happen!