"When may I leave bed, ada?" Legolas asked.

Thranduil reached for Legolas's hand. "You are still hurt, little leaf."

Legolas lowered his eyes. "I-I—to be truthful, ada, I am feeling better then I have in weeks and I grow impatient to move and breath the fresh air. Because of the hard work I had to complete with Eigil, I had little time to experience the joys of the outside world, and I miss it. But I will obey you."

Thranduil touched Legolas's cheek. "I wish not for you to be hurt, ion nin, and I fear if you leave bed, your wounds will reopen."

Legolas swallowed and shook his head, leaning his cheek against his father's hand. "I will be fine, ada. When I was hurt and alone, I lived in pain every day and survived." His voice trembled. "Please, I beg you to allow me to leave bed if only for a few hours!"

Thranduil heart exploded into a well of grief at the expression in Legolas's eyes. "No, no, little leaf, never will you have to beg me for anything. You may venture outside but I ask you to accept the company of Raileen or Ellhamier or even me in case you feel the need to rest."

Legolas felt his cheeks flame hot. He was not as weak as his father may think but he could not find the courage to put his embarrassed and ashamed feelings to word. He faltered, "I-I was hoping to be alone . . ."

Thranduil sat back, pinching his lips. "I wish . . ."

"Could I not go with one of my brothers?" Legolas said quickly.

Thranduil's face relaxed. "Yes, you may. I wish only for you to be in the company of someone in case something happens . . ."

Legolas nodded. "I understand, ada."

Thranduil slid off the bed and held out a hand to Legolas. Legolas took it as he slid from beneath the blankets. As he legs hit the floor, he realized how long it had been since he had actually walked as his tight muscles began to loosen up.

"I will leave you to change while I ask Brenen to join you on your walk," Thranduil said, stepping from the room.

Legolas flexed his back muscles, feeling the old cuts stretch. As he straightened up, the pulled flesh slid back into place. He reached for his father's comb and pulled it through his hair, encountering a few tangles at the end only for his parents had combed his hair every morning and night, and Legolas had enjoyed it. As he set down the comb and dressed in the clean clothes hanging over the back of the chair, the door opened and Brenen bounced in.

"Are you ready to go for a long walk?" Brenen asked with enthusiasm.

Legolas pulled his hair out of the back of his tunic as he jerked it down and gave a slow nod. Thranduil looked at him with anxiety. "You are sure you wish to do this?"

"Yes, adar," Legolas answered. His eyes brightened as he thought of the green his eyes had missed for so long outside.

"Have a good walk," Thranduil said as Brenen skipped past him and Legolas followed more slowly. "Come back when you tire."

Legolas looked up into his father's eyes as he passed and the bright light shining in them brought a spark of happiness to Thranduil's heart as he realized how much joy he was bringing to his son's life. He closed the door behind his sons and leaned against it with a long sigh. The memory of Legolas's unwillingness to say if he feared him or not drifted back to him, and a shadows lingered over his face. He pulled himself away from the door and sank into his armchair, dropping his head into his hands, the flash of joy he had felt minutes ago lost in the sudden shadow.

"Thranduil, mellon nin?"

Thranduil raised his head to meet Raileen's questioning eyes as the elf peered around the door of his chamber, his red hair falling to the side of his face as he peered questioningly at Thranduil.

"You do not feel well?" Raileen asked, entering the room and closing the door. "I hoped to find you happy; Legolas is looking much better. The color in his cheeks has come back. What ails you?"

"He does not love me," Thranduil said miserably. "Days ago I asked him if he still feared me and he has given me no answer but a faltering and unspoken no."

Raileen crossed the room in firm strides and knelt down before his friend. He found Thranduil's hands and crushed them in a strong embrace. Looking up into Thranduil's clouded eyes, he said, "The steps to happiness are many and taken slowly at a time but the end will be reached."

Thranduil met Raileen eyes and tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind his ears. "I hope it will be so. But I have taken no steps in many days and the stairwell before me is long, with no top in sight . . ."

"Ah, but that is not true," Raileen said. "For you have taken more then one small step by giving Legolas the freedom of the outdoors. The wind has already blown color into his cheeks and happiness into his eyes. How can you not have seen it?"

"All I see is misery," Thranduil answered.

"Then let me show you joy," Raileen said. He gripped Thranduil's arm and dragged him from the anchor of his chair, across the room to the window and flung back the dusty curtain. "Look."

Thranduil coughed on the dust flying from the curtain as he followed Raileen's outstretched finger and looked down at the green stretch of grass on the riverbank below. Trees were beyond the grass, casting a cool shadow in the summer heat. A lump came into his throat as he saw Legolas sitting with his back against the strong trunk of a tree, his head resting on Cinwe's shoulder. Ellhamier leaned against the tree trunk above him, shaping a small moose out of rocks between his hands. Brenen, Realn, and Mykar were wrestling in the shallow water of the river, an occasional burst of fire erupting from Realn.

"He said he wanted a walk," Thranduil murmured, his emotions a turmoil within him.

Raileen smiled. "He changed his mind."

Thranduil turned away from the window, biting his lip as tears sprang into his eyes. The happiness in his heart banished the sadness into a waterfall of tears that coursed down his cheeks unchecked. And even Raileen's presence brought him no shame as he buried himself in the elf's embrace and wept.

"You may not have reached the top of the stairs yet," Raileen said, holding Thranduil. "But you are about to step onto the landing."

Thranduil sniffed. "I was wrong to despair, Raileen. I fear without you I would still be lost in misery."

"Now, come with me and let us join your family under the trees," Raileen suggested. "The last traces of despair will soon fade."

Thranduil wiped his watery eyes. As he turned to face the window and drink in the happy scene below, knowing he would soon be a part of it, he noticed Legolas was laughing. The sight of the smile on his son's lips, burning in his eyes, threatened to cause the tears to flow again. But, as they welled up, a ball of mud hurtled through the window and plastered itself onto his face.

Ellhamier cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Come and join us, o' yonder king!"

Thranduil's tears dissolved into mirth. Leaning out of the window, he shook a fist at Ellhamier. "You wicked elf!"

Ellhamier grinned. "You needed it! We cannot have you crying your eyes out up there and spoiling the party! Besides, you look awful covered in mud. Better get into the river and wash up. Be careful, though. I heard Ciran is breeding a new type of flesh-eating trout. Might get bitten and infected by their poisonous fangs!"

A strong gust of wind tipped Thranduil out of the window. He landed with a heavy splash in the water as Raileen floated down with a gentle smile. The air-bender walked on the current of air and stepped out onto the bank, hurrying the join Ellhamier under the trees.

Thranduil floundered out of the water, his heavy robes dragging at his feet, and staggered up the bank, stripping off the outer layers of the many robes he had put on for the meeting earlier in the morning. Leaving the embroidered robes in a heap, clad in a much lighter, white undergarment, he flopped down beside his wife with a sigh.

"I did wonder when you would come out," Cinwe said, running a hand over Thranduil's face, and touching his muddy hair with a small smile.

"If Ellhamier must sling a mud ball at me, I would be unable to refuse," Thranduil replied, throwing a glance at the elf standing behind him. Ellhamier gave a naughty grin.

Legolas straightened up and looked across Cinwe at his father. His eyes were bright and his lips curved into a smile, small dimples showing in his flushed cheeks. Thranduil's smile reached his eyes as he gazed into Legolas's happy ones. Water from his hair dripped down his back and trickled over his shoulders.

Legolas cleared his throat. "Ada, I-I am more then happy you allowed me to leave my bed."

"You may leave your bed whenever you wish it," Thranduil answered. "If I had known how much it meant to you, I would never have expressed doubt."

"I know you feel doubt," Legolas said. He looked down at his hands for a long pause before he continued, glancing up at his father. "I do not fear you, ada. I love you, and I hope my love is worthy of you for it is all I can give you in return for the kindness and—and—" He broke off as tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Thranduil lunged across Cinwe without a thought to grab his son in a tight embrace and cover his face in kisses, drinking in the salty tears. The landing at the top of the stairs felt his foot upon it as he finally reached the top of the long flight walked in darkness and saw the light.

"Your love is more then enough for me, little leaf, for I never expected anything in return for mine." He felt Legolas wrap his thin arms around him and hug him, resting his cheek against his chest.

"Now that you have settled that, would you mind getting off me?" Cinwe asked, her voice muffled from beneath Thranduil after his ungracious lunge at his son.

And so the embrace of love and acceptance, though it would have otherwise ended in more happy tears, ended in a laugh as Thranduil dragged himself off his wife with a million apologies, leaving behind upon Cinwe's person a trail of mud and water while Legolas giggled in his arms.

But the horrors are not over yet!