This chapter is, hopefully, a bit of an insight into the way little Legolas thinks and sees the world. Hopefully. Of course, with my lack of technique it is probably awful but oh well. If you have any feedback, positive or negative, please review and tell me? I can't improve if I don't know what is wrong, and I lack the incentive to continue posting if I'm not encouraged! As ever, thank you to those who have reviewed, followed and favourited this story and a huge, huge thank you for reading!

A quick reminder that I am forever changing this story slightly, so if you want continuity at times you may have to go back and re-read chapters. This was not my intention at all; I just made the mistake of posting too soon. Thank you for your patience and support!

Chapter 4

Thranduil awoke to the steady rhythm of his son's breathing. It took a second or two for his head to clear and remember that he had stayed in Legolas' room for the past couple of nights. The elfling wasn't sleeping too well; his nights were plagued by terrible nightmares. Of what, Thranduil had no doubts. Legolas spoke in his sleep, sometimes incoherently, sometimes as clear as if he were awake. He would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and crying inconsolably. Always, his dreams were about spiders and his naneth. Thranduil comforted him to the best of his abilities but he couldn't help feeling like he was failing the elfling – even more than he already had. Constant guilt gnawed away at him inside. He turned his thoughts to the mound of paperwork waiting for him in his office. In just a day the work had amassed so that it covered his entire desk. He knew Arandur was doing his best but most things that went through the king's council needed his own signature as proof of agreement. He needed to do some work today. Perhaps it would even be good for him. It would be good for Legolas to get out and about too. The elfling had spent the entire day yesterday cooped up in his room, seeing no one but his adar. It was bad for him and Thranduil wanted life to continue as normally as possible. The elfling was subdued, and of course he had his nightmares, but that was to be expected. Other than that he played and generally seemed happy. He didn't ask after his naneth at all. He worried that Legolas didn't really understand what had happened to Lostariel. It was all so easy for the elfling to say "yes" to having understood something, when really it hadn't sunk in. How does one tell a little elfling in no uncertain terms that his naneth is never, ever coming back? Perhaps the burial would help them both come to terms with their loss. But, Thranduil had not yet been able to think about arranging the funeral, yet alone carrying it out. He didn't want to say goodbye. He should never have to say goodbye. The king sighed and stretched out, attempting to shake the thoughts from his mind.
"Ada?" Legolas whispered, stirring and squinting against the bright morning light.
"Good morning, tithen las." Thranduil smiled as warmly as he could. He was rewarded with a small smile as the elfling fished his cuddly pony, Mellon, from underneath the duvet. "I must go to my office now, Las." As the elfling's face fell, Thranduil hastily added, "Only for a little while. You can come in whenever you like. Be good for Gwireth." At Legolas' reluctant nod he rose and went to his own rooms through the door that connected their bedchambers. He noted that the room had been meticulously cleaned in his absence and freshly cleaned clothes hung in his wardrobe. He swiftly dressed and settled in his office next door, after poking his head through the door to ask a servant to fetch Arandur and instead finding a somewhat subdued Gwireth on her way to his son's room. The paperwork was staggering...he had never liked it in the first place, but when there was twice as much as usual? Thranduil picked up the first stack of papers and began to read.

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Legolas clutched Mellon and watched his ada go. Not long after Gwireth, his nanny, came in carrying a tray laden with porridge and honey, a bread roll and a cup of milk.
"Fair morning, ernil nin." She said quietly. Legolas thought she looked sad, which was different because normally she was very happy.
"Good morning." He replied in a very small voice before frowning at himself. Warriors and princes were meant to sound strong and brave, not small and weak. He hugged Mellon even closer. His nanny placed the food down on the small table in the corner and left him again. Gwireth came back quickly, this time with a basket of washed clothes. She looked happier now.
"I've brought these back for you, perhaps you can help me hang them up?" Gwireth said kindly, placing the bag by his wardrobe and beckoning to him with one hand. He didn't really want to work; he wanted to play with ada. But he remembered his ada's lessons about doing chores in return for time to play so he went over to his nanny. They slipped clothes onto hangers which Gwireth placed in the wardrobe and the chest of drawers across the room. As they worked Legolas stayed silent whilst Gwireth talked to him about her family. Legolas liked visiting Gwireth's home. Her naneth and adar were old and full of stories about faraway lands and kings and dragons and her brother was an archer. Maeron was fun and as happy as his sister. He had a nice bow, but it wasn't as nice as his ada's.
"He is on leave at the moment," Gwireth said whilst speaking about Maeron. "He was hurt on a patrol – but he's better now," she said quickly when Legolas froze. "That is why I was a little upset earlier. Perhaps you would like to visit him? He always enjoys your visits, as do we all." Maeron had been hurt, like his nana had been hurt. He didn't really listen to Gwireth after that. Soon, the bag was empty. Gwireth decided that it was a lovely day so go outside and walk for a while, so Legolas picked up Mellon from the floor and fetched his other favourite cuddly toy, a fawn called Arasse. He wanted to be happy to be outside. But nobody else was. The elves in the courtyard were all sad and quiet. When he came out they had stopped talking. Legolas was used to them looking at him, but he felt different this time. When he reached the middle of the courtyard the blacksmith, Beldir, came over to him and bowed. Legolas frowned. These people were his friends; they rarely bowed to him properly.
" Ernil nin," He began, then paused to loom back at the others. Everyone had stopped to watch. "I am very sorry for your loss. The queen was adored here; we all loved her very much and we will miss her greatly." He nodded gravely and others came forward too, each of them saying the same thing. Legolas didn't know how to respond. He was reminded of all the pain he felt at being separated from his nana, and he didn't know what to do. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Hush now, quiet! Can't you see he is upset?" Gwireth scolded everyone around him. He missed nana so much. He clutched Mellon and Arasse to him and said a quick "thank you" to the people, before fairly fleeing through the gates. The trees were quieter; they greeted him with soft whispers. He was very glad they weren't screaming and he couldn't see any danger. But he stayed as close as he could to Gwireth anyways, just in case. If his nanny noticed she didn't say anything.
They reached the Green and the people there were happier. There tables and a makeshift bar in one corner, where elves sat and talked and drank together. Traders had set up tables displaying their wares along the one borders of the field, and Legolas wanted to go see what they were selling. He knew a couple sold toys. In the far corner of the field were the archery targets for the games. Legolas loved watching them. In the evening and on holiday days they held archery and fighting competitions, and horse races. Most of the time though, they just played cards on the tables. Galion and another elf were sitting there now, with a group of others watching their game. Gwireth tutted her disapproval and Legolas knew he was meant to be working.
"Come, Legolas." She ushered him back over to the trees but he wanted to go to the trader's tables. "No, Legolas. Not today." She said sternly. Whilst he was looking back at the traders, he tripped and dropped Mellon. He picked him up as fast as he could, but the pony was covered in earth on one side. "Oh, clumsy!" Gwireth said, but she didn't mean it nastily. She took Mellon and shook him slightly but it didn't get him clean. "We'll have to have him washed when we get back to the Keep."
"You can't wash him!" Legolas looked at her in horror and, when she raised Mellon out of his reach, he positively shouted. "Give him back! He's mine, I need him, give him back!"
"Legolas!" Gwireth cried but he didn't listen. "Legolas, calm down! You can have him back for the time being!" With that, she lowered her hand and Legolas snatched Mellon back. He was hot and angry and crying. Ada and nana and Mellon and Arasse were his best friends. Nana was gone and now Gwireth was trying to take Mellon too. He hugged the pony as hard as he possibly could. "We're going back inside now." Gwireth said. She sounded angry, he had upset her. Legolas sniffed and scowled even more. She still tried to take Mellon. As they walked he got more and more frustrated because the tears in his eyes were sticky and sore. He couldn't see properly but he couldn't wipe his eyes because Mellon and Arasse were under each arm. He tried to reach his arms but couldn't and he wouldn't let go of his toys. And Gwireth was leaving him behind. He still wanted to stay close to her just in case something happened. When he nearly walked into a tree trunk Gwireth noticed and came over to him. "Oh, Legolas, silly, why don't you wipe your eyes? Come here." She cupped his cheek and user her handkerchief to wipe his eyes. "Don't cry. I won't take Mellon, I promise." She said with a smile and with that promise, he smiled back. They continued back home and by the time he reached his room, Legolas was quite happy again. He sat down on the floor with Mellon ad Arasse and started playing. He pretended that Mellon was a prince, and Arasse was his best friend. They were travelling and exploring together. Gwireth watched him a moment, before busying herself making some minor repairs to some of the elfling's clothes. Legolas was so caught up in his game, that when Gwireth asked him what he wanted for lunch he didn't hear at first. He startled at his nanny's light touch on his shoulder.
"I said, what would you like for lunch, little one?" He glanced up at her to answer – and froze. It was on the wall behind Gwireth. Black and hairy and huge. He stared at it for a second before fear overtook him.
"Adaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

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Thranduil had barely unearthed a third of his paperwork by lunchtime. He already felt exhausted and ready for bed, and he idly wondered whilst listening to Arandur, whether it was an effect of losing Lostariel. He hardened his heart to the grief and pain that the thought caused.
"Hir nin?" Arandur said, watching him concernedly. He shook his head slightly.
"I'm fine. What were you saying?"
"That it would perhaps be best if we looked around for a better price before we accept the trade from Dale." Thranduil pursed his lips as he thought.
"We've never had to before. What has caused the price to raise so?" Arandur opened his mouth to reply but he was interrupted.
"Adaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Thranduil leapt to his feet, knocking over his chair in his rush to get to the door. He had just opened the door to his own chambers when a terrified Legolas flew into his arms.
"Legolas, what is it? Calm down!" He said, but the elfling ignored him and sobbed into his shoulder. The poor child was shaking. Thranduil was confused; what in Arda had upset his elfling this much, inside his very own walls? He rocked Legolas gently, trying to soothe him. Gwireth had followed her charge out and, after a hasty curtsy, proceeded to explain the cause of his elfling's distress and the interruption to his work.
"A spider, aran nin. There was a spider on his bedroom wall." Ah. Thranduil understood immediately.
"Is it still there?" Thranduil asked, both relieved and saddened by the fact that a small, harmless spider had upset Legolas. He felt guilty, though he knew that he couldn't be blamed for a spider on the wall. Gwireth nodded. Thranduil smiled and thanked her before leading the two adults through to Legolas' room. Legolas sniffled and wiped his eyes as they moved. Thranduil eyed the spider on Legolas' wall distastefully. He wasn't bothered by small, everyday spiders but it didn't mean he liked them and anything that scared his Legolas was a foe to him. Still, he put the elfling down and spoke. "Not every spider is bad, Legolas. You've seen spiders like this before and never been bothered, hmm?" The elfling nodded, still unsure but much calmer than a few moments ago. He gently reached out and swiftly scooped the spider into his hands. It was as though the spider knew the lesson being taught. It stayed relatively still after taking a few tentative steps. "Look, ion nin. It is harmless."
"What will you do with it?" Legolas asked, not taking his eyes off the spider.
"Gwireth will take it outside." Thranduil said, depositing the spider in the elleth's hands before she could protest. She looked at him with a mixture of anger and horror as he quickly steered her towards the door. He closed the door and acknowledged that the poor creature had probably been squashed already. Both Arandur and Legolas were smiling when he turned round.
"I don't think Gwireth likes spiders either, ada." Legolas said quietly.
"No, I don't think she does." Thranduil grinned then caught sight of the dirty toy on the floor. "What happened to Mellon?"
"I dropped him outside." The elfling's lower lip trembled and Thranduil suspected that there was something else to the story.
"Legolas, he is dirty. I know you love him and take him everywhere, but he needs to be washed. I promise he'll be done by the end of the day?" Thranduil held out a hand for Mellon.
"But, but, I don't want him to leave at all, I want him to stay. Nana made him for me!" The words tumbled out of the elfling's mouth and Thranduil saw tears in his eyes. He tried to ignore the pain that the mention of his wife brought.
"I know. I know nana made him. And nana would like him to be looked after properly, yes? That means he needs to be washed. You know he won't be gone for long. Just the rest of today."
"Just for today?" Legolas clarified.
"I promise." The boy hugged the toy closer before handing it over with a whispered goodbye. Thranduil went to open the door to find someone to take Mellon for him but the guilty expression that crossed his son's face stopped him. "What have you done, tithen pen?"
"I...I shouted at Gwireth, ada. She was trying to take Mellon away and I got angry."
"She was trying to take him away?" Thranduil questioned. It was unlike the nanny to do that without an explanation, and it was unlike Legolas to ever protest so vehemently against so little a thing. Legolas hesitated, evidently re-thinking the entire encounter, before shaking his head slowly.
"She just wanted to wash him. I'm sorry ada." He said, head bowed. Thranduil was concerned. His elfling didn't shout at people, especially not in a nasty way. He wanted Legolas to be the happy, carefree little boy he always was.
"It's not me you need to apologize to, ion nin. Shouting is never nice especially when directed at friends and good people. I think you overreacted a little, don't you?" He said sternly and Legolas nodded. Thranduil opened the door to find Gwireth outside. He invited her back into the room and turned to Legolas expectantly.
"I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier. I know you were only trying to help." The elfling said. His eyes were sincere and he looked straight at Gwireth as he spoke, and Thranduil knew he meant every word.
"It's quite alright, ernil nin." Gwireth smiled and touched the boy's shoulder.
"Could you take this to be washed? Oh – and you can go home afterwards, or attend any other duties you may have. Legolas will stay with me this afternoon."
"Are you sure, aran nin?" Gwireth said, knowing how likely it was that Legolas would disturb him even further. But at her king's nod she took the cuddly toy and left. "
"Come on, Legolas. You can play in here, my room and my office. But try to be quiet. Arandur and I are working. And don't even think about going near my bow, sword or knives, eh?" Legolas nodded and quietly hugged Arasse. Thranduil returned the elfling's small smile before gesturing to Arandur and returning to his office. "Now, where were we?" As Arandur began to discuss the increasing price of wool, Thranduil heard Legolas move into his adar's room and begin to wage a miniature war.

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It was mid-afternoon when a lightly armoured messenger from one of the patrols came cantering into the Keep's courtyard. Thranduil had already been made aware of the ellon's approach, and he stood waiting to receive him outside. The elf dismounted lightly and bowed.
"Aran nin, my patrol encountered riders along the Enchanted River. Lord Elrond approaches, accompanied by five others. They will arrive within the hour." Thranduil thanked him and bade him rest his horse a while before returning to duty. Then he turned to those standing behind him. "Marcaunon?"
"Yes, aran nin?" The chamberlain bowed briskly.
"Make ready chambers for our guests and alert Ivreniel to their presence."
"Yes, aran nin." Marcaunon scurried off back into the caves, barking orders as he went. Ivreniel, the housekeeper, and Marcaunon would between them ensure that the guests would have chambers, servants to see to their needs and food ready for them upon their arrival. Thranduil sent a questioning look at Arandur, who smiled not at all sheepishly.
"I thought it wise to alert the other realms as to the, ah, your loss. Surely, you can understand him wanting to visit in person? His children knew Lostariel very well." He said, before Thranduil cut him off.
"Of course, yes. They are welcome." He didn't know if he believed that, or whether he thought Elrond had come to meddle. Perhaps the past day or so spent in almost complete isolation was rubbing off on him and he was taking on the characteristics of a recluse. Either way, before Celebrian sailed West they had been friendly and he was willing to rekindle that friendship. Thranduil retreated to his rooms where he proceeded to search his wardrobe for a suitable tunic for greeting guests.
"Ada?"
"Aye, tithen las?"
"Who is coming?"
"Lord Elrond, of Imladris and doubtless his children." He decided on a more formal blue tunic and after glancing at himself in a mirror turned his attention to his son. "Go and wash your hands and face." The elfling raced to his bathroom and did as he was told before running back.
"I know them! You and nana have told me about them!" He said excitedly, jumping on and off his bed. The elfling's mood was infectious and Thranduil smiled happily at his joy. It was good to see the elfling so cheerful...but the thought quickly died and became guilt, guilt that Lostariel wasn't here with them, guilt that he had ever felt happy without her at his side.
"I know we have. Stand still," Thranduil gave Legolas a tunic similar to his own. It was blue and silver and it matched the elfling's eyes brilliantly. After giving him leggings to match he sat the elfling down at his little table and started to brush his flaxen hair.
"Will they be here soon?"
"Yes, they will. You must be good for them, Legolas." He separated the soft hair into strands that he wove around each other to form a neat braid.
"I will ada. I promise!"
"Stay still, Las! There," he tied off the braid with a small strip of leather and sat back to examine his handiwork. "You are ready." His elfling was beautiful. He loved him so much. A horn rang out, echoing through the stone rooms and corridors of the Caves. It signalled the impending arrival of Elrond.
"Let's go, ada!" Legolas grasped his hand and tugged, and he willingly followed his son to the courtyard, where they stood and awaited their guests.