He stood on the beach staring out to the waves, towards where the shores of Arda would be. Lost in his mind, his memories, and his heart. Thranduil had noticed Legolas become nearly transfixed nearing ten minutes ago.
At first he had planned to allow him to swim amongst the memories of the life he had sailed away from, until Thranduil felt the painful downturn of his heart. He turned away from his son to look for a specific group of elflings, spotting the one he was looking for Thranduil gently called, "Lavien!"
Hearing her name the little elfling froze in her game and turned to her grandfather with questioning eyes, Thradnuil beckoned her over with a gesture. Smile splitting into a grin that was near a mirror of her father's she raced over, leaping when she got close enough and trusting her grandfather to catch her.
Which he did easily. Thranduil tossed her in the air a few times to her shrieked delight, before settling her in his arms and smoothing out her now wild hair.
"You called for me?" She asked, huge green eyes the shades of her mother's staring at him widely.
"Yes, I did." He turned the two of them around and pointed to where Legolas still stood completely still on the sand. Still absolutely lost within himself.
Lavien noticed her Ada quickly, and tilted her head to the side in puzzled concern. "Is Ada okay?"
"Yes, your Ada's fine." Thranduil kissed his only grandchild on the head, "But I think he could use a hug, why don't you go and give him one?"
"Okay." She answered cheerfully, waiting until she had been placed gently back onto the ground. She glanced up only one for encouragement from Thranduil before she raced over to her father, dark hair trailing behind her effortlessly.
Unlike usual, the presence of his daughter's spirit didn't rouse Legolas from his thoughts, and he stood just as statuesque until Lavien gently touched his hand. The spell broken, Legolas jumped in surprise.
Lavien looked up guilty.
Immediately, Thranduil watched as Legolas reached down for her and lifted her into his arms in the same manner Thradnuil had so recently. From here, he could see that Lavien's concern for her father hadn't yet diminished, and so it seemed likely a few tears were on Legolas' face.
The elfling wound her arms around her father's neck and help him tightly, Legolas, in turn, began to rub a soothing hand up and down her back while rocking very gently side to side. With small hands, she reached up to wipe her Ada's face for him.
Even if Thranduil couldn't see his face, he felt Legolas' soul smile at that, and he kissed her cheek approximately thirty times in rapid succession. Her laugh filled the air and he knew Legolas' heart would only climb higher at the sound.
Good.
The two of them long lingered on the sand together, Lavien's face glued with rapt attention as her father painted vivid stories from another world for her. She looked so much like Legolas had whenever Thranduil had told him about Doraith that it nearly stopped his heart.
The celebration continued on behind them, but Thranduil was content to keep his back to it. He was more important matters to observe. He only looked away when he felt Avaleina come to stand next to him, her pregnant belly starting to clearly show from under her dress.
Thranduil put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into his side. "Are you alright? Do you need to rest? Food?"
He could feel how tired she was, this pregnancy had already been more difficult and taxing than the one with Lavien, and it was only hardly halfway over. Still, she shook her head. "No, I just came to check on my husband. I felt him wandering so far from home again."
Finally, Legolas turned away from the water, having also probably felt his wife's approach. Thranduil could nearly see the outlines of Minas Tirith glowing in Lavien's eyes. He put his daughter back onto the ground, and she ran back to Thranduil. "Grandadar, is it true that in Arda you kept treaties with all the human villages?"
"Well, not all the human villages. That is far too many villages. But I did keep treaties with the one's around our home." Lavien's eyes grew wide with wonder.
Legolas reached his family, casually but lovingly kissing Avaleina on the lips before bending to kiss her stomach, "See, I told you I wasn't lying."
Removing his arm from Ava, he reached down to scoop his granddaughter back up, "We also had treaties with the great eagles and the Avari elves."
Avaleina moved from leaning against his side, to her husbands, and Legolas wrapped an arm around her waist. "Are you alright, my love?"
He looked at her with a dazzling smile, the sorrow Thranduil had felt from his heart earlier growing fainter and fainter. "Yes, I was just lost in the past for a few minutes. Lost in memories."
She looked at him with sympathy and understanding, "Found your way back home to us now?"
"Yes."
Turning in his arms so that she could look at he father once more, Lavien brightly said, "Its okay Ada, we can make more memories today so then it'll be harder to find the sad ones again."
Legolas kissed her cheek and began leading his family back to the festivities, "That sounds like an excellent plan, my beautiful girl. Let's go and find your Grandnana too."
.0.
I thought it would be fun to try and write some Parental Legolas, it was.
(Valien means 'Elm Tree' or 'Elmwood' its a little homage to the common tree's that used to grow in Greenwood.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts!
