You took your first breath today, and I don't think anything has rendered me so helpless or so full of tears so quickly before.

You're perfect.

The moment you're put in my arms I know I never want to let you go.

You laugh and take my finger, and I swear you are the smallest thing I have ever seen. I briefly look at your mother and she laughs at me, and I know I'm still crying but I can't bring myself to care.

I'm in love with everything you do. Everything you'll be. Oh, my sweet tiny little Greenleaf. I am so in love with you.

You scrunch your face and cough once before breathing normally again, and I've never been more proud of anything in my entire life.

.0.

You laughed again today, and it was the greatest gift Eru has ever bothered to give me. I don't remember what it was you were laughing at, but my whole world stopped moving so I could hear it.

Nothing else existed in that moment.

You are so young and have already seen so much pain, and somehow your laugh sounds exactly as I remember it.

How has it only been two weeks since the last time? It feels like centuries.

My world only continues to spin when I feel you tug on my hands before holding your arms up expectantly.

I look down at you with a smile, and I think I might also be crying but I don't really care. I grab you under the armpits and toss you lightly in the air before catching you and snuggling you again me, my fingers searching for that one particularly ticklish spot.

They find it and you laugh again.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

.

You came home with a fawn today, having apparently found her next to her dead mother. And there was no possible way I could have said no to either sets of your pleading eyes.

One set brown, one set blue.

And while I did not exactly expect you to convince me to let her sleep in our bed with us, nonetheless, I have never been more proud of you in my life.

0.0.0.

We left our woods to travel to another realm today. I could feel how scared you were at being away from not only your elven friends but also your tree friends.

They make you feel safe, as if there's always a pair of warm and loving arms wrapped around you. I know this feeling all too well, my Greenleaf.

And so as we past the final edge of our borders I make sure to hug you tighter and push my soul more strongly against yours.

Not surprised when I feel Ferdan and Galion do the same. You had closed your eye right so that you would not be scared by too much empty space.

You open them now and gasp with wonder, "Whoa."

Your eyes grow impossibly wide trying to soak up the fields that stretch for miles, fear long forgotten and replaced with excitement and curiosity.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

0.0.0.

I'm furious with you. I do not actually recall, ever, being this angry. And I can tell by your face that you know this as well as I.

Ferdan stands behind your chair with his arms crossed over his chest, and I know you can feel the burn from his eyes.

The bow you and your friends stole layer across my desk. By far the loudest thing in the room and I am determined to keep it that way.

You are a very lucky elfling that it was Galion who found the four of you. You know that, too.

"Go to your room. Stay there until I come and speak to you."

Silently you get up from the chair, eyes downcast the entire time. Not tonight. Tonight you will see my anger. "Legolas look at me."

You glance at Ferdan once before turning to my face. "I want you ready to explain to me exactly why you did this, and what you think a good punishment should be."

You nod, eyes brimming with tears at my stern tone. I will wipe your tears later, for now I want you to think.

"Go."

You literally run for the door, leaving it open in your haste. As soon as your gone I let my own tears fall, and thunk me head onto the desk.

Ferdan goes to close the door and I take a moment to compose myself, this is the closest I've come to losing you since that night.

And it was to your own foolishness.

"Galion says Legolas hit his target three times, even with a bow significantly too big for him."

"I know." I say, my face still on the desk.

I'm so angry with you, but still I can't help but be proud.

0.0..0.0

The room is overflowing with giggles, and you and Avaleina are no exception. The dance mistress allows is for a few more more nerve to leave before she claps her hands.

You all come to the first position. Faces struggling to remain neutral.

"Come now; you are all soon to be graduated warriors. You cannot dance our customs in front of our people."

"Again." The music resumes, and you all begin again.

Naturally, Avaleina is your partner, and one of you makes a comment as you pass, your hands held close to another but not touching.

You snort, and Farlen is send into his own giggles.

But still you all dance perfectly, or so, it seems to me.

She calls her hands again, "No. It's all wrong. All of it. Again."

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

.0.0

Even with your eyes covered with the blindfold 8you manage to hit every clay ball perfectly, shattering it into equal sized pieces.

The crowd is impressed, but I'm not.

Still, it looks like you might throw up.

You have done this hundreds of times with the same flawless result, but you have never been one for performance. Yet here you stand.

Of course you're going to pass this test. Of course.

Even if you didn't, you came and stood before the gaze of our entire realm for judgement; and I've never been more proud of you in my life.

.0.0

You appeared in the middle of the night, and dark shadow to block the moon. You climbed into the bed and collapsed into my arms.

Distraught sobs overtake you, and suddenly you're my tiny little elfling again.

Help is hard to seek. Especially after a loss you blame upon yourself.

But you're here, and I'll tell you it's not your fault as many times as you need to hear it. And that I still love you a thousand times more than that.

And I will tell you over and over, that even now, I've never been more proud of you.

0.0.0. 0.0.

I can hear your laugh, although I know you are absolutely nowhere near me.

I'm glad you're finding so much joy and merriment in your moment. Even if your heart is still saddened.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

..0

Inspired by Kat-anni's suggestion : "you're doing great sweety" and a time or times Thranduil thought similarly towards Legolas.