Title: Until Hope Awakes Me
Chapter 7: That Which I Have Never Known
Elrond sat at the desk in his study, staring at the two words that he had written on a piece of parchment.
'King Thranduil'
He sighed; that was it. For a thousand years, he'd had no reason to write to Thranduil. But now that Legolas was awake, and Thranduil needed to know it, he could not find the words.
Sudden laughter drew his attention outside. He stood and went to stand at the stone railing of the balcony that looked over some of the great gardens of Imladris. Elrond not only saw the beautiful green life, but also his three sons and Legolas.
Legolas was smiling, it was a sight that warmed Elrond from deep within. His body had not stopped growing during his thousand year sleep; though he was far from old, Legolas looked maybe around the age of eighteen in human years. The young elf's eyes had changed; no longer were they sad and searching for love. Perhaps Legolas still wanted that, but for now his eyes were alight with happiness.
Elrond turned away as his sons tackled Legolas to the ground and they all collapsed in a fit of laughter. He sat back down at his desk to write his letter to Thranduil.
'King Thranduil,
It is with great joy that I can finally tell you that your son Legolas had awoken. Though his sadness seems to have subsided, he still needs your support and love. Legolas is welcome to stay with my family here in Imladris for as long as needed. When shall I expect you?
Elrond Peredhil'
Elrond sealed his letter and then took it to the messenger, who was saddling his horse.
"Lothron le garo band lend," Elrond told him. The messenger nodded and kicked his horse into a trot. Elrond watched until he had disappeared before turning to go find his sons to let them know that dinner would be served soon.
---
1 month later…
"These are next month's lessons that I have planned for your children, my lord," Erestor told Elrond as he handed him a piece of parchment.
Elrond read over the lesson outlines and nodded just as a knock came at the door.
"Minna!" Elrond called.
Glorfindel, the great general, entered, bringing light into the room of dark-haired elves.
"A messenger returned from Mirkwood moments ago with a reply to your letter," he said, handing it to him.
Elrond nodded, taking the letter and opening it. A frown graced his features as he read. Finally he sighed and looked up at the two elves that were still present in the room.
"It seems that Legolas will be our guest for a while longer. Erestor, would you mind taking on another student?" he asked.
"I do not mind, but it will require much for him to catch up with Elladan and Elrohir. However, the prince has sat in on my class with them before and seems very bright. It will be a pleasure," Erestor answered. Elrond nodded and looked to Glorfindel.
"And you Glorfindel, would you teach him the ways of the sword and bow?"
Glorfindel nodded. "Of course, my lord."
---
As the next few weeks passed, Legolas attended to the studies that he had been assigned and worked hard on the weapon techniques that Glorfindel showed him. He woke early nearly early morning, hours before many others, just to enjoy the tranquil peace that Imladris offered before sitting on the archery fields to make his own arrows.
Legolas found that he loved archery, and he was very good at it. Elrond had even returned to him the bow that he bad brought with him all those years ago. Legolas remembered the day that his mother had presented the bow to him.
---
Legolas sat on a counter in the kitchen, his little legs swinging slightly as he chewed happily on a strawberry pastry. The elves cooking the evening meal did not mind his presence…now. Before he had been given the pastry to keep his mouth busy Legolas could be…well… annoying. He was a child and with being a child came the unless questions. Legolas was very curious for an elfing, he always wanted to know how and why something worked the way it did, why it was done this way and not another…and the details. It did not satisfy Legolas with just a simple answer, he wanted to know everything!
A new person came into the kitchen, and his blue eyes lit up when they landed on Legolas. The young blonde elf came over to the elfing sitting on the counter and picked up a napkin, wetting its corner slightly.
"Your highness, just look at you," Tithenaraf scolded gently as he cleaned the strawberry filling from around the elfing's mouth. Legolas giggled when Tithenaraf finished and started tickling him. The older elf smiled, picked Legolas up and set him on his feet on the floor. "Come, penneth, your mother wishes to see you."
"Alright," Legolas replied. He reached up and slipped his hand into Tithenaraf's as they walked from the kitchen. "Tithen?"
"Yes, your highness?" Tithenaraf replied, a smile on his lips at the nickname Legolas had given him almost three hundred years ago, because he had not been able to pronounce his whole name.
"Why did naneth not come for me instead of you if she is the one that wanted to see me?" Legolas questioned, looking up at him with big blue eyes.
"Her highness was occupied by a surprise that she has for you," Tithenaraf answered.
Legolas's eyes first got big and then lit up. "A surprise? What is it!" he exclaimed.
Tithenaraf laughed. "If I told you, it would not be a surprise, now would it?" he asked.
Legolas looked down at the floor, crestfallen.
"Perk up penneth, you will find out soon enough."
Legolas looked back up at him, his eyes sparkling.
A few moments later, Tithenaraf stopped in front of a door that led into the adjoining sitting room to his parent's bedchambers. Tithenaraf knocked and waited for the 'enter' command before opening the door.
Legolas did not wait for any of them to speak; he ran right in and jumped into his mother's waiting arms.
Ithilwen's musical laughter filled the room as she hugged her son. Thranduil stood proudly behind her, a slight smile on his face, but the true happiness was in his eyes.
"Tithen said you had a surprise for me! What is it?" Legolas asked.
Ithilwen smiled down at him, brushing back some of the stray golden locks from his face with her fingers. "Yes, your adar and I do have a surprise for you, Greenleaf. Today is the anniversary of something very special to your adar and I, to celebrate this event we thought we would present you with a present. Do you know what today is, Greenleaf?" she questioned.
"No, does that mean I cannot have my surprise?" Legolas asked, his bottom lip already coming out.
Ithilwen smiled and cupped her young son's cheek. "No, penneth, you still get your surprise. But on this day, five hundred years ago, your adar and I received the most precious gift one could ever get." She leaned in and kissed his cheek then his forehead. "Your adar and I received you," she whispered.
Legolas's eyes widened and he looked up at his adar, who was smiling openly now. He had never given any thought to his birthday, elves tended to lose track because they lived for so long. "Today is my birthday!" he exclaimed.
Both Ithilwen and Thranduil smiled down at him. Thranduil turned and took a long box off a nearby table. Legolas was nearly jumping with excitement, watching with wide eyes as his father knelt down to his level and slowly opened it.
"Happy birthday, ion nin," Thranduil told him.
Legolas slowly reached forward and pulled the expertly-made bow out of the box.
---
Glorfindel walked down the small hill to the archery fields. Legolas had not been in his room when he had gone to wake him. He had checked the kitchen and dining area next but there was no sign of the young Mirkwood prince. He glanced over the fields and his gaze fell on the smaller form of the golden haired prince, sitting on the grass, staring off into the distance as his hands worked without thinking to making arrows. Glorfindel was surprised that he had gotten this close without Legolas hearing him.
"He must be lost in deep thought… or memory," Glorfindel thought and he stopped behind Legolas. Looking down, he saw about twenty-five arrows in the pile beside Legolas, and he was working on the twenty-sixth. "You are doing good work Legolas," he stated, kneeling down to pick up one of the finished arrows.
Legolas jumped to his feet and spun around, bow ready, arrow notched and the string pulled back taut.
Glorfindel froze, arrow held between his fingers, as he stared up at Legolas. There was a fierce look in those blue, almost silver eyes. In that moment, Glorfindel knew that Legolas would be a great warrior one day.
Legolas's eyes widened and he immediately relaxed. "Dihena nin, Hir Glorfindel," he said.
Glorfindel gave him a smile and waved it off as he stood straight, arrow still in his hand. He brought it up and studied it for closer inspection. Legolas used light wood for the base of his arrows, sharpened pieces of stone and stiff golden feathers. Used with the right amount of force Legolas's arrows would be quite deadly.
"Your arrows seem to have improved quite a bit since you first began making them. It is as if your fingers are meant for this," Glorfindel said with a smile.
"Hannon le, hir nin," Legolas said, returning the smile.
For hours they stood, or sat, and talked about anything that came to mind, mainly about bows and arrows. Legolas felt himself going quite attached to the golden warrior. It was as if they had a connection that only they understood, it felt much like the one that he had with Estel, but also different at the same time.
Legolas watched and listened intently to the story Glorfindel told him of The Great War. The general did not leave any details out, even though some had to be painful.
---
2 months later…
Estel ran into Legolas room; it was even too early for the golden haired prince to be up. It was quite a surprise when his stomach was jumped on, the air forced from his lungs in a 'oof' as Estel jumped on him.
"Up Legolas! Up! Today is a special day!" Estel exclaimed, bouncing on him.
"Get…off…me…and…I'll…get…up…" Legolas gasped out between the child's bounces. Estel giggled and rolled off Legolas, instead bouncing on the bed. Legolas reclaimed his breath and then sat up. "Now… what is so special about this day?"
"Today is my birthday and adar has promised me a special surprise!" Estel told him with a huge smile.
Once more flashbacks of his own birthday when his parents had presented him with his bow came to mind. He forced a smile even with the sad memories that came with it.
"Do you know what your surprise is yet?" Legolas questioned. Estel shook his head.
"It wouldn't be a surprise then!"
Legolas laughed softly as he got up and dressed.
"Of course, well come penneth, shall we go find out what this surprise is?" Legolas asked, holding out his hand.
"Yes let's!" Estel smiled as he jumped down and took Legolas's hand.
Together they walked down to the dining hall, which was empty aside from Elrond himself. He looked up questionably from the parchment that he was reading as they came in.
"Is it not a little early for you two to be up and about?" he questioned.
"I was woken by a small bouncing person who is excited about his birthday surprise," Legolas explained.
Estel giggled, looking down at the floor, a light blush coming to his cheeks. Elrond smiled as they sat and another elf brought plates of food for Legolas and Estel. The little boy only took moments to swallow everything that was on his plate.
"May I have my surprise now?" Estel questioned. Both Legolas and Elrond shared a small smile.
"Your surprise is not anything that you can hold right at this moment, it is not an animal, or a material thing," Elrond explained watching as the confusion grew on his youngest son's face.
"Then what can it be?" Estel questioned. Elrond waited for a moment, letting the suspense build until Estel was about to burst.
"Our family will be taking our first true trip with you to Lothlorien," he stated watching as Estel's eyes grew wide.
"That…that is…exciting! I've never seen the golden leaves before! Have you Legolas?" Estel questioned.
"No I have not," Legolas answered quietly. He played with the pieces of fruit on his plate, Elrond had said his family was going, that would not mean him. He would be here… alone… for however long they were to be gone.
Estel jumped out of his chair and ran from the room to wake his brothers and tell them of this trip. Elrond watched Legolas play with his food.
"Are you not hungry penneth?" he asked.
Legolas looked up and then back down at his plate. "No…I mean yes I am but I…" he stammered.
"You also seem sad," Elrond commented.
Legolas let his gaze rest on his plate. "It is just that… I will be alone while you are gone, Hir nin… it will be very lonely," he answered in almost a whisper.
Elrond studied him for a moment and then smiled. "Penneth, you will not be lonely unless you do not enjoy Estel, Elladan, Elrohir, and myself."
Legolas's eyes snapped up to meet his. "What? But… but… you said that your family...I am not part of your family, no matter how kind you are to me, hir nin," Legolas told him.
Elrond stood and knelt beside his chair. "Legolas, look at me," he commanded gently.
Legolas slowly brought his eyes over to meet Elrond's.
"You are part of my family. Family does not just consist of blood relations, but of the love that holds one's family together."
Legolas searched his eyes slowly and then wrapped his arms around Elrond's neck in a tight hug. "Hannon le hir nin…hannon le…" he whispered.
Elrond smiled softly and returned the hug. As he sat there holding onto Legolas, who felt like he was holding on for dear life, the words to Thranduil's reply came to his mind and made him tighten his hold.
'Elrond,
My son left on his own and he may return on his own… but I have missed him… my little Greenleaf…'
-Seylin-
Elvish Translations
Lothron le garo band lend - May you have a safe journey
Minna - Enter
Tithenaraf - OC, name translation means 'little wolf', Legolas's guardian
Penneth - Young one
Naneth - Mother
Ithilwen - OC, name translation means 'moon', my name for Legolas's mother
Adar - Father
Ion nin - My son
Dihena nin Hir Glorfindel- forgive me Lord Glorfindel
Hir nin - My lord
Hannon le - Thank you
A/N: Whoo! I finally updated! Sorry this took so long, I have been soooo busy. But guess what? I have almost made it through my first year of college! Yeah! What would you guys like to see happen? I'm sad to say I am out of ideas pretty much after the next chapter. Yes in the end Thranduil has to see Leggy again but I'm looking for this story to have around 12 chapters… so I need some ideas. Ah! And I now have a beta, so all the chapters will be going through some editing and such. Oh yeah… -SDA-
