Hello and welcome back to the final chapter!
I am still so incredibly thankful for everything I have received for you guys, you're all so amazing.
Hope you enjoy!
…
Gandalf hadn't been sure if he should come, regardless of the fact he had been invited by Legolas himself. Actually, at first he planned to stay as far away from whatever celebration they were having as he could get, but Celebrian had given him no choice. He was comforted by the fact that Elladan and Elrohir had apparently been here since early afternoon after hearing the wood elves incredibly loud and joyful music on a horse ride with their parents earlier in the day.
Neither parent could say they were particularly surprised, although now it sounded like Celebrian had decided to go as well. She had claimed it was to check on her sons wellbeing, but Gandalf still had the distinct impression that she just wanted to watch whatever happened when Thranduil finally got ahold of him. Glorfindel offered to escort her too quickly for his liking either.
Elrond had decided to stay behind, and the wizard called him a coward on his way out, for he had yet to see Thranduil either since allowing Legolas to join the fellowship in the first place.
This would be the first visit he had made to Thranduil's realm in Valinor. It would be the third time in total he had seen the great king at all, since his arrival to the blessed lands. The elf had not yet been healed and strong enough to bother hunting him down the years before Gandalf had sailed west, now however, he was very much alive and well. And angry.
Much do Gandalf's immense relief, the other two times he had seen Thranduil on this side of the ocean he had been with his beloved wife, and had been too caught up with her to do anything except give him a cold stare. A silent but deadly warning that 'Later,' would be a very unpleasant time.
Surprisingly, the king was not even upset with Gandalf on his own behalf, for the great wound and suffering that plagued his last years in Middle Earth. No, it was much worse than that. He was angry with the wizard on his son's behalf. Legolas had never wanted to be king, but thanks to the injuries his father suffered, he had been more or less forced to be one.
Gandalf arrived to the celebration nearing midnight as the hastily scrawled invitation had asked. There was not a doubt in his mind that the wood elves had attracted enough attention from those outside their forest half a day ago with their meeriment, judging by the state of some of them. The celebrations of Greenwood in Middle Earth had been well known for a reason, often held without any actual reason other than they wanted to. But here in Valinor, where so many were being reunited with their loved ones with no risk of them being stolen away again, they had much to celebrate. And it showed.
He would not have been surprised if they never stopped their celebrations.
There were dozens of fires burning brightly through the forest, with candles in lanterns hanging from all the tree's in such a plentiful number the almost looked like blossoms. Loud music was playing from somewhere deeper in the tree's, not the kind one would hear in the Hall of Fire in Rivendell, but the much more lively tunes of the Silvan Elves. The kind of music that was not meant to tell stories of epic battles or long lost loves, it was not meant for official and stiff dances, it was meant to lift even the heaviest of hearts and keep up with the wood elves as they danced, ran, and played beneath their trees and stars.
An elf melted away from the trunk of a tree, where he had been hiding so well in the shadows even Glorfindel had not noticed him, "Ah! Mithrandir, we were not sure if you were going to come." He pressed a hand against his heart and bowed his head, "Lord Glorfindel, Lady Celebrian you are always welcome among our people."
There weren't words that could convey how relieved the wizard was that it was another younger servent that had been sent to greet them, and not Galion, who cared so deeply for the royal family that he might as well have been apart of it as this point. And he did not take kindly to those who injured his king, or brought heartbreak and distress to his prince. Plus, he was the one who would have had to deal with all of Thranduil's horrid moods due to the pain of his injuries and initial helplessness.
It seemed very likely that even with the eternity spreading out before them that Galion might never forgive him, or lose his anger.
"One can not exactly refuse a personal invitation from Prince Legolas, but it is my pleasure to attend nonetheless."
Behind him Celebrian snorted, well aware that he had fully intended to not come at first, linking arms with Glorfindel she commented, "Yes, it would be in very poor taste indeed for one to ignore such a gracious invitation, wouldn't it Glorfindel?"
"Yes, incredibly so. Especially given the certain - history - with our dear Prince Legolas."
"It is such a good thing our dear friend has such impeccable manners."
"It really is."
Gandalf glared at them openly, while the two elves merely laughed off his disgust easily. They were having too much fun with this already.
"If you will follow me, I shall take you to the prince."
The elf set off without another word, trusting the three of them to follow him through the twists and turns of their new forest home. All about them the wood elves continued with their celebrations, dancings, singing, and playing around to their heart's content. It was a beautiful sight to see.
It took them several minutes to reach what he assumed was the center of the celebration, judging by the size of this fire, and the fact there were several tables weighed down with impressive amounts of food and wine in the clearing as well. The crowds here was much thicker than it had been other places in the woods, but more of them were sitting in clusters on the ground happily enjoying one another's company, and the lively music.
The sight in found in the clearing was far more beautiful than anything Gandalf had seen on his walk through these enchanted tree's.
Thranduil and Mereneth, the great and caring King and Queen of these woods were dancing among the others in the clearing. Eyes only for each other, and a smile was painted on Thranduil's face the likes of which Gandalf had not seen him wear in a millenia. Whatever injury he had suffered seemed to be finally healed, judging by the speed in which they twirled and danced about, with no cain in sight.
There was also something about the ElvenKing that Gandalf had not seen in quite some time, peace and calmness. A deep sense of both radiated off of him, and his light shawn brighter than ever. Finally, after all these years, all his power was for himself. Every inch of his light was within his body and not spread throughout a withering forest, his mind only on the the executive elleth in front of him, and not a thousand places at once.
Was this what Legolas had wanted him to see?
Near him Celebrian sniffed, and wiped at her eyes, clearing seeing everything Gandalf was and probably more. She had always known Thranduil better than both the wizard and her husband, and after knowing the pain he suffered everyday after the loss of the love of his life, it was no surprise her compassion, love, and happiness for her friend had filled her with tears. She was a gentle creature, Celebrian.
A near shriek of laughter that he had never quite grown out of, much to his father's delight, announced the arrival of Legolas. He and his friends raced back into the clearing, all soaking wet for some reason, but all completely unfazed by it. Without giving Thranduil time to anticipate his actions, the young elf darted over to the King and nearly threw himself onto his father's back, effectively soaking him.
Thranduil gasped in shock, and Legolas released his grip to collapsed onto the ground in a fit of laughter, Mereneth quickly joining in on her sons' mirth, "You looked warm, Ada, I thought you might like some help cooling down." Legolas managed around his laughter.
In a painfully fluid motion, Thranduil grasped a piture of water of the nearest table, "Allow me to return the favor, my dear Greenleaf." And with a wicked grin, he poured the freezing ice water over his son's head.
Except the king made one vital mistakes, he took his eyes off of his wife. Who rose to her sons defense and poured her own jug of freezing water over her husband's head, collapsing next to Legolas in the grass in a fit of her own laughter at the look Thranduil gave her.
Legolas raised a first into the sky, "I have been avenged!"
"And I have been betrayed! By my own beloved wife." Thranduil poured every ounce of faked hurt and betrayal into his voice that he could muster, which was not much, since he as fighting off his own laughter.
"I'm not sorry." Mereneth told him, struggling to compose herself.
"I did not suspect that you would be." Thranduil sniffed, while he helped her from the grass regardless, and promptly gave her a crushing embrace. She nearly shrieked as the ice water soaked into her dress too.
What a beautiful sight indeed.
Galion appeared out of thin air and scuttled his way over to the royal family, something unidentifiable in his hands, stepping over Legolas who was still cackling merrily in the grass, and had a few words with Thranduil before scuttling off again. After a several more moments, in which Legolas finally managed to compose himself and get to his feet once more, the lively music came to a halt and a drum was beat four times.
Wordlessly the wood elves began to converge on the clearing, as if anticipating something. The air was alive with excitement and good cheer.
Carefully Legolas climbed atop of the highest table that he could and held up his hands for silence, which descended so swiftly and effectively Gandalf might have thought it a spell, "And now, the moment we have all been waiting so many years for!"
A great cheer rose from the crowd, as they call clapped and hallered wildly.
Thranduil raised his great cane into the air, as high as it could go, and another wild cheer ripped through the night. He walked around the great fire burning in the middle of the clearing, and came to stand on the opposite side from the table Legolas perched upon.
"Are you ready?" He asked his people, who somehow managed to scream louder than the other two times.
Swiftly he brought the cane down on his knee, snapping it effectively in half, and Gandalf winced at the strength he must have used to accomplish that. Wordlessly he tossed half of it to Legolas, he caught int easily, though he looked completely stunned at the gesture.
"Long has this infernal but necessary piece of wood haunted my life, my sons, and Galion's." A rumbled of laughter went through the crowd, and Galion raised his hands in thanks for the acknowledgement of his suffering, "But no longer! I thank all of you for being here to witness its glorious demise!"
The cheering began once more, until Legolas held his hands up once more, one still grasping half of his fathers cane, "Are you sure you're ready?"
In response the woodland realm began a chanted countdown from ten, once they got to one, Legolas and Thranduil tossed both halves of the cane into the fire with grins so wide it might have split their faces.
The cane light on fire instantly, and nobody cheered louder than Legoas. Nobody.
Jumping down from the table he raced over to his father and threw his arms around his neck, seemingly expecting this reaction Thranduil caught him easily and hugged him fiercely. After several moment he set his son back on the ground, placed both hands on his face and said one of the most sincere, 'Thanks yous' Gandalf had ever seen. Even if he could not hear it.
Legolas' ears burned a bright scarlet color, and it appeared as if he attempted to shrug off his father's praise, but Thranduil would not allow such a thing. Raising his voice he spoke to the crowd once more, "And while we're here, allow me an extend a much more official appreciation for everything that Legolas did for me during those years, for taking over all of my duties so wonderfully and making the best of a terrible situation. So thank you, my little leaf, you have far exceeded every expectation I have ever had for you, and I a forever grateful that you are my son. And I swear that I will do everything in my power to keep you from being a King ever again."
"Thank the Valar." Legolas sighed, and the crowd laughed.
Somebody shouted a toast that Gandalf didn't quite catch, but he raised a glass along with the other anyways.
Legolas lifted his own cup after and elbowed his father in the ribs, and then both his and Thranduil's eyes were resting on the wizard, "To friendship and forgiveness."
As the others took a drink, both Legolas and his father gave a long-distance 'cheers' in Gandalf's direction before taking a drink. The celebration began with even more exuberance than before, and the ancient wizard felt the final darkness and pain from Middle Earth leave his heart.
…..
It took me… so long to try and figure out the right name for Thranduil's wife.
For those who are interested "Mereneth" means "Joyful Nature."
Nature works both in the sense of the great outdoors and somebody's personality.
I hope you all liked it, thank you again for reading!
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