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Council with Elrond.

Tegalad and Hérion stood next to each other, watching Thranduil. "Sit, saes." They were both last to arrive at the council that morning. Tegalad had been the first there that morning, but excused himself when someone asked for his aid, concerning the decorations. Hérion had fetched Thranduil a nice goblet of wine for during the councils.

"Aran-nin? Are you well?" Cervus asked. The king looked a bit pale as well as tired. Others also looked and nodded, agreeing with the head healer. The almost black eyes of Hérion gleamed almost evilly when Thranduil took a sip from the wine.

"I am well. I just slept little last night." Thranduil waved his hand as to wave away all concerns. The reason why he had slept bad was because the splitting headache had returned not long after dinner. "Let us start." Hérion blinked a couple of times confused before he stood and made a short recap of the reports of the warriors. The Beorn did his best keeping the wolves from his land, which resulted that less wolves made it into Mirkwood. When Hérion was done with his report, Tegalad stood and told his things concerning the remains of the ended Yule feast. After Tegalad several other councilors spoke concerning several different things.

When the councils were done for the day, Cervus waited for everyone to leave before he would speak to the king again. "Aran-nin?" Cervus asked when he sat down next to Thranduil, the chair normally occupied by Chief councilor and scholar, Tegalad.

"What is it?" Thranduil asked, getting rather annoyed.

"I just mean well." Cervus softly said. "I wished to ask you again if there was something wrong. You know I only wish to aid if I can."

"I do not need any aid, just I want everyone to stop nagging for a while. So, if you will excuse me?" Thranduil drained his goblet and stood. Cervus noted that Thranduil swayed slightly before he walked away. What was he to begin to the king if he was not willingly to? Maybe Elrond would have time for a council with him. With a sigh he stood and went looking for him. It had not to become a reoccuring event…

He found Lady Celebrían and Anameleth in Legolas' room together with the three elflings.

"Ellith." Cervus greeted with a nod.

"Cervus." Anameleth greeted as both ladies turned their attention from their conversation to him.

"Tell us what we can do for you, for I do not assume you came here for nothing." Celebrían smiled. Cervus felt the blood rush to his cheeks.

"I, ahem, was looking for hîr Elrond." He asked, almost shyly.

"The last time I saw him, he was going to speak with Glorfindel and Erestor. I do not know if he already has returned or what they were about to speak." Celebrían said. "I thought they went to the library."

"Hannon-le." Cervus nodded and made it over to the library. The curtain that hung in the doorpost leading to the library was still bound to the side when Cervus walked up to it. He could hear hushed voices, but since the curtain was open so, he stepped inside.

"Cervus." Elrond acknowledged him after a couple of moments where in the three finished their conversation.

"If you need me, I will go and see if I can help training some warriors." Glorfindel said. "I am sure the new recruits would be delighted to taught by me." He snorted, stood, and walked away.

"I am going to see if Tegalad has some spare time for me." Erestor said before he left Cervus alone with Elrond. Cervus closed the curtain before he sat down on the seat that Glorfindel had occupied moments ago.

"How may I be of service?"

"I have come for council. I think there is something ailing Thranduil." Cervus sighed. "I asked him, but he either brushes it off or gets agitated because he finds I prod him too much."

"We both know he is too subborn to admit. But for the most part I understand why he acts that way. Is there anything that I am not yet aware of?"

"Thranduil looked a little pale this morning. Besides he said he had only a little bit sleep last night. Elves do not simply have a bad night of sleep. I am almost sure that this was not the first night he did not sleep well, for I could see it on his face. For the other things, I think you are already aware. It was not the first time either."

"I have not seen Thranduil that much the last past days. I shall go and see if I can visit him this afternoon and talk with him." Elrond mused. "Is there anything else that I need to know about, Thranduil or otherwise?"

"I thought that I saw him sway a little when he stood. Could it be the headache again?"

"It might be." Elrond nodded. "Except for the last time that he had a headache, when was the last time he had one?"

"I would not know. Besides a couple of days ago, the last time I treated him for a headache, was not long after her passing." Cervus bowed his head in honor of the late queen. Elrond also bowed his head in respect.

"I will go and see if he would tell me something." Elrond stood. "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

"Only because my master invites me." Cervus said and stood.

"Master?" Elrond frowned and fastened the curtain to the side again. "I am sure it was long since that was the case."

"Well, every time we meet, I learn something new." Cervus smiled as they made their way over to the dining hall.

"Well, then we should do something about that." Elrond said with a chuckle. "Smells good." Elrond said when they entered the hall, finding the three elflings, his lovely wife and Legolas' nanny already present.

"It is not a problem I join you for your meal?" Cervus asked almost shyly at the sight of Celebrían.

"Nay, saes, join us." Celebrían smiled. Both joined the table.

"Where is your ada, Legolas?" Elrond asked as servants brought soup.

"I have not seen him yet." Legolas softly said.

"Shall we go and seek him after we finished eating?"

"Okay." Legolas said and continued eating. The twins happily chatted away, giving lunch still quite a lively appearance.

"Shall we go, Legolas?" Elrond asked when everyone had finished eating.

"I shall go and see to my journals if I might be able to find anything." Cervus said.

"Go and see if you can find anything." Elrond nodded. "Where do you think we have to go and look first?" Elrond asked Legolas as they entered the hallway.

"The kitchens." Legolas said after a moment. "I want to bring some strawberries for ada." Legolas smiled.

"We can go and see if the cooks will spare us a few." Elrond chuckled. "And after we visited the kitchens?"

"I think ada will be in the throne room, his own room or workroom." Legolas said. "Or he has other kingy-things to do."

"Then I think we should go and look in his own room first. If he is not there, then we will go and look in the work room, aye."

"Aye, but first strawberries." Legolas happily said.

"Kitchens first." Elrond chuckled. The kitchens were not far, two short hallways and small stairs.

"Can I have a few strawberries?" Legolas asked the first elf he assumed to be a cook.

"Caun-nin." The young elf greeted with a little nod. "I am afraid that we need all strawberries for dessert tonight.

"Can I not have even one?" Legolas asked putting up puppy eyes.

"One would go unnoticed, don't you think?" The ellon asked and picked out a nice red one.

"Hannon-le!" Legolas beamed at the cook when he handed him the strawberry. "Now we can go and find ada." The cook frowned, for it did not made sense to him. He shrugged and went back preparing the dessert for that evening.

"I do not think your ada is here." Elrond said when they had all looked around the royal quarters.

"We go to the work room, right?" Legolas asked, his happy mood from moments earlier slowly fading.

"Aye. I am sure we will find him there." Elrond gently placed his hand on the elfling's shoulder as they walked to Thranduil's study.

"Ada?" Legolas asked as he softly pushed open the door. Elrond had knocked but they had not received an answer. "Ada!" Legolas face lit up at the sight of Thranduil. Elrond opened the door, so he could enter as well, and closed it softly. Thranduil's figure was almost slumped into the chair behind his desk while his head heavily leant into his left hand. The curtains of the windows were down, so the only light came from the well burning fireplace and a single candle on the desk.

"Aye?" Thranduil said and lifted his head from his hand.

"I brought you a strawberry." Legolas smiled as he walked up to him and presented him the strawberry. Thranduil eyed the strawberry for a moment before he looked at his son.

"I do not want it now. You may eat it yourself." Thranduil softly said. Legolas face fell. His father would never refuse a strawberry!

"Ada?" Legolas asked confused. He put the strawberry down on the desk. He was about to climb onto Thranduil's lap when Thranduil picked him up and set him back on his feet on the floor.

"Not now, Legolas." Thranduil softly said and was about to turn back to one of the pieces parchment that he was reading when Elrond decided to step in. He gently placed his hand on his shoulder. When Thranduil noticed something touched his shoulder, his head whipped around to see what touched it.

"Easy there, mellon-nin. I had not means of startling you." Elrond softly said when even in the little light he could see Thranduil pale considerably.

"Elrond." Thranduil barely whispered when he finally recognized him.

"Aye. I wished to speak with you."

"Cervus came to you, didn't he?" Thranduil sighed.

"He did. I can understand why." Elrond said. "And don't dare to tell me that you are well, because even Legolas knows it is not." Thranduil turned around and looked at his son, which he found nodding with watery blue eyes.

"Very well." Thranduil said after turned his gaze from his son. He could not bear it now if Legolas would start to cry. "But only under four eyes." Elrond nodded.

"Legolas?" Elrond asked gently.

"Aye?" Legolas whispered.

"Shall we go and see where Elladan and Elrohir are?"

"But ada?" Legolas asked. Elrond walked to the other side of Thranduil where Legolas stood. Elrond kneeled and turned Legolas so, that he faced him. How was he to explain that his father did want him to leave.

"Legolas, I need to talk to your ada alone. Besides it probably will be very boring for you." Elrond tried to explain as gently as possible. "If your ada feels a bit better I will come and get you right away. For you know I will make the hurt go away." Legolas nodded, but could not hold in the tears that shined in his eyes. "Let us go and find Elladan and Elrohir. Or would you rather go to Anameleth?" Elrond stood and picked Legolas up.

"'Dan and 'Ro." Legolas muttered in Elrond's robe.

"Do not dare to move a muscle." Elrond sternly said to Thranduil before he left the study.

"I want Elky." Legolas softly said when he had calmed down a bit.

"Where is he?" Elrond asked as they slowly walked though one of the hallways.

"My bed." Legolas said before he buried his face again.

"Then we shall go and visit him first." Elrond replied and continued to rub Legolas back. "Legolas?" Elrond softly called when they had arrived at Legolas' bedroom.

"Elky!" Legolas said when Elrond handed him his beloved stuffed animal. Legolas hugged his 'Elky' and held him in his left hand while in his right hand he held a small fist full of robe.

"Do we go to Elladan and Elrohir now?" Elrond asked before they left Legolas' room.

"Aye." Legolas said as he already felt better by the comfort he had received from Elrond, and his stuffy that was now present.

"There you go." Elrond softly said as he put Legolas down where Elladan and Elrohir were playing.

"Did you find Thranduil?" Celebrían asked from a nearby chair from where she was tending a hungry Arwen and watching the twins.

"Aye, I am going back to him now." Elrond kissed his wife before he walked back to Thranduil's study.

Dictionary:

Hîr - Lord

Caun-nin - My Prince

Aran-nin - My king

Mellon-nin - My friend

Hannon-le - Thank you

Saes - Please

Ada- Father

Ellith - She-elves