"Legolas, is it alright if I ask you a few things?" Frodo asked, sure to say 'few' rather than 'a question' after learning that Leolgas always pointed out that technically counted as the question.

Carefully Legolas held his hand back out to a leaf where the large bug that had been crawling on his hands could call that surface home instead, "Certainly, Frodo."

"Why do you not tell any stories about your home? Any at all?"

Slowly Legolas lifted the branch back into its relaxed position, and instead, immediately began to braid the blades of grass in front of him, "Many elves are used to repetition and watching the world turn in such familiar circles. So quickly do our lives turn in circles at home that even our kin grow weary of the concept."

"You believe that your life at home is too repetitive to be heard?" Frodo asked with open curiosity.

Legolas thought about it while he undid the braid he had just finished, "Not that it should not be heard, just that perhaps it should only be told to certain people during certain times."

Frodo pondered the response, "Whys that, though? If you don't mind the questions."

"Not at all," Legolas answered with a smile and his fingers resuming the braid, "Repeptative news and stories of darkness will eventually weigh on even the lightest and most translucent of hearts if they cannot find the lesson."

"Why not tell a happy story, then?"

"Every happy story is tinged with sadness, Frodo," Legolas answered simply, "If there is no sadness then it is not a true story."

Frodo could think of many memories that weren't tinged with sadness. He must have looked as quizzical as he felt because Legolas said, "What memory had come to your mind?"

"Catching butterflies with my Uncle Bilbo soon after I moved in." Legolas nodded but didn't say anything. So Frodo prompted, "Well?"

"I didn't think you would want me to potentially ruin a memory with my theory."

"I'm good at learning lessons, and I think I would like to try and learn yours."

Legolas smiled again and finished undoing the braid again and turned to face Frodo more fully, "Alright. You had just moved into Bilbo's. Why did you move?"

Frodo swallowed when the answer came to him, "My parents died."

Instead of a smile, this time Legolas gave him one full of deep sympathy, "One of the favorite things about my life is that my father and I are so close. But we are only this way because my mother was killed, and our city burned."

"So what is the lesson then?" Frodo asked.

"The lesson, my dear hobbit friend." Legolas said, taking Frodo's hand gently, "The lesson is that no matter the dark that happens, there will always be a greater light beyond because of that darkness."

Frodo found it equally hard to break or to not break eye contact with his elvish friend, "Do you believe that? Even with your forest so dark even with the sun?"

It was comforting that Legolas didn't hesitate, "Yes. Even now we are given glorious lights because of it. Like our connectin to our forest, to each other, or habit of looking for good and light. And I'm sure that the lights that appear in our lives after this war will shine even brighter."

The elf took his hand back and resumed braiding the grass. Frodo let him in comfortable silence while he thought about home, his life, his memories, his future. And hoped Legolas was doing the same

"Have you found light in all of your darkness, Legolas?"

His fingers didn't still, hardly slowed, "Not all of it. Some of it I haven't even glanced at, nor do I intend to. But if I wanted to, I'm certain I would be able to see the good in it eventually."

There was something about being in the presence of Legolas that made it okay to say, something about his calm and comfortable understanding of everything. His easy and open face, with honest eyes. "There is a feeling starting to grow inside of me that says about to come would snuff out any light that I might find for it."

"I have queen eyes and a stubborn soul, dear Frodo," Legolas said, looking up from the grass to give him a warm and reassuring smile. "If you can't find something to call light, I'm certain that I'll be able to."