2016, 24th of February

Hello my loyal readers!

Wow, guys! I'm really flattered by this turnout :3. Thank you for all the feedback and I hope you'll enjoy the rest of what I've written. The reviews certainly make it more motivating to write, so keep 'em coming :D

I was on vacation so sorry for the 10 days pause but I guarantee you that I will finish uploading this story so no worries. As always, I will put an end to my stories. This one and the supernatural one are atm the only ones ongoing and I'm confident both will come to finish :)

I'm really glad you like what I've written! If any of you bother to read these little rants at the top and bottom I really thank you for that too. I know it's a little wordy sometimes.

This chapter is from Thranduil's POV. I must say, it's more difficult to write him since most of his character is kind of my headcanon, since he's very cold and doesn't really let the viewer have a look into his inner thoughts. So I tried my best here, I hope it's not too unrealistic.

Let's get going then! I hope you enjoy the first chapter :)

Chapter 02

Thranduil stared down upon the battlefield. A frown adorned his royal face, testament of how much regret he felt. But his expression didn't betray how deep this regret went. So many lives lost, so many elven blood wasted. He had sworn to protect his people and they had not prepared for this big an army. If he had known about the orcs he would never have come here. Not even the jewels of his lost wife could make up for all of this.

A sigh escaped his lips and he closed his blue-grey eyes, clearing his expression of that frown. Dale was quiet now, the battle in these parts was over. The surviving elves were tended to by the healers in their tents and Thranduil thought about their next steps when a guard approached him, bowing down before him. He had brown hair and as Thranduil recalled, his name was Gadordir, one of the youngest members of his guard. A short gladness that he was still alive went through his mind. The king knew all of his subjects and that made the losses of this day all the more grave. Every single elf on this road had a story, a place in his heart and he knew that coming to terms with their losses would be one of the hardest parts in the next months, maybe years or even decades. Sure, he was often perceived as distant and cold but he had learned that this was required to be a proper king. And it was required –for him at least- so he did not fade completely.

"I have a report to make, my Lord. Aiwendil is coming to join the battle with the Eagles from the south. It could mean a turn of the tides." He stood up straight again, awaiting Thranduil's reaction patiently.

"I see. Then we shall depart soon. The great eagles will be more than enough to determine our victory. Enough elven blood has been shed today. Gather our forces and prepare for departure." That of course included piling up the dead but he didn't want to voice that thought. Also, Tauriel wasn't here now to stand in his way again. They would depart this time. Her words still rang in his ears. He balled his fist and pursed his lips in anger, breathing out through his nose to calm himself. The soldier was about to depart when Thranduil stopped him.

"Oh and send for Legolas. I have to speak with him." He added as an afterthought. After that incident with Tauriel and him he wished to discuss this with his son. There was a place for stubbornness and defending the elleth that openly attacked and insulted him was not it. The king simply assumed that the pair of them was back with the troops by now. He would have to deal with both of them…He was dragged from his thoughts when the guard was still present, apparently suddenly nervous.

"M-my Lord?"

"What is it now?" he asked, sounding cooler than he had meant to. Then again that was almost out of his control these days.

"The prince, he…he has not returned from Ravenhill yet, my Lord. Tauriel either. Should I still prepare for departure?" he asked. For a second, Thranduil's eyes widened. Then, with a deep breath and closed eyes he shook his head slightly. It was enough a gesture to be understood though.

"No. We will not depart before my son is not with us. But you shall-"

Suddenly, a pain shot through his heart so sudden he almost tumbled over. It was like a pang of numbness passing right though his core. For a second he thought an arrow had hit him. He grabbed his chest but nothing was there. His eyes wide, he realized that it wasn't his body that had been injured. The pain was in his mind, no, his heart. The king hadn't felt anything like this since…

"No…" he whispered. The guard seemed alarmed by his actions. He had come closer and hovered before him.

"My lord?" he asked. Thranduil didn't hear him. His eyes were wild, his mind racing. The pain had been spiked by a connection he hadn't felt consciously for a long time.

"Legolas…" the ellon breathed. Clarity returned to his mind and he stared Gadordir directly in the eyes. The elf backed up a few paces, clearly shocked and intimidated but determined to hold his ground anyway.

"Prepare our best healers for an emergency. Bring me a medical bag. And I need two horses. Fast ones." His voice held as much authority as he could muster and detecting the urgency the guard was gone within a second. It didn't take long to get the horse with a medical bag and clean bandages and Thranduil was on his mount before anybody could ask what was going on. He held his kingly composure but inside, his heart was racing. The second mount would be for Legolas. Because he kept telling himself that yes, he would be in a state to ride home on his own. Everything else was unacceptable. But the pang in his chest…

You have to know, Elves have connections, strong emotional bonds to each other or some to nature. As Thranduil was king of the Greenwood, he had a connection with the forest. He felt its darkness growing every day and was probably the only thing keeping it from completely dying. There had been a connection with his wife as well and her death he had felt like his own. He tried to bury the weight of that memory every single day but little things still brought it back and it didn't get any lighter over all these years.

And Legolas…oh Legolas. He was so much like her in some ways it pained him sometimes. There were days he couldn't even look at his own son because of it. Ever since his mother's death, Thranduil had been more and more distant a father. Of course he was aware of that. And maybe he had only himself to blame for his offspring's rebellious streak lately.

Still, Legolas was his son. And losing him was his worst nightmare. He was the only thing even keeping him in these lands. He might already have faded from grief or sailed if not for him. The woods were growing dark, he wasn't strong enough to hold the spiders and orcs and other filth back much longer. But Legolas would succeed him and he was stronger than Thranduil had been in a long, long time. Legolas had spirit and promise, wonder and kindness. This pang in his heart just now couldn't mean anything good. In fact, as he rode to that mountain at full speed, he feared for the very worst. The bond with his son had been dormant inside him, he barely visited it nowadays. In fact, he had cut himself off from any bond for that matter, maybe even the one with the forest. He had given up, realized that his inner borders were the only ones worth protecting. That the forest may be a lost cause. Today, he realized for the first time what a fool he had been for those actions.

His thoughts were with the last conversation he had with his son. It had been an argument and there were so many things he still needed to say… so many he regretted and only now thought about. What if he was too late and could never resolve them?

Dismounting his horse when he reached the frozen water, he took a path that led him to the other side on which his horse couldn't follow. The Elven King took the medicine pouch upon his broad shoulder and told the mounts to wait for him there and they would, like any of the elven horses these ones were just as loyal and intelligent. A short pain went through his heart as he mourned his lost mount, the mighty elk. He had hoped to be its companion for many more years to come.

As soon as he reached the ruins on the other side, his keen ears heard a scream that ran through him like a second knife in that short span of time. That was Legolas. That was his son, screaming out in pain. Oh please no... His fast walk changed into a run, which was very unlike him but he couldn't help himself. Finally, he reached the open space where the scream came from, sword out and prepared for a fight, and saw Tauriel in attack position facing him. He lowered his sword, not spotting any enemies. The person next to her…

"By the stars, Legolas!" he immediately fell to his knees –also very unlike him- and totally ignored the completely bewildered Tauriel. There was a bloody handprint on her cheek and she looked dirty and battered but fine. So his focus wasn't on the former captain but on his son, lying upon the stones of this mountain and it just felt wrong. Blood on his chest, his forehead, his hair, his face…Thranduil never wanted to see this much blood on his little leaf and it made his heart ache so much he could have doubled over just from that feeling alone. His robes fell around him in a dramatic way and his hand went for Legolas' neck, feeling the weak but present pulse. Immediately he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and swung the pouch from his shoulder. The king wondered in panic why he hadn't brought one of the healers with him. He realized they had their hands full with other wounded, but right now he would prefer one of them here by his son's side, maybe a selfish thought. The pain in his heart had been so sudden and the drive to rush to his son's side so urgent that he hadn't even thought this through properly. Maybe a part of him had hoped that the pain Legolas transferred unintentionally had been emotional…not that that was much better. His rashness could get Legolas killed…

Thranduil tried to calm his mind quickly. He tried to remember his medical training, reaching for the strength deep within him. Thranduil had never been a good healer. The stench of war pressed on his fea and corrupted it enough to make healing almost impossible. Plus, healing required compassion and it was hard to feel compassion and hide it at the same time. So most of the time, he left the work to his healers. And he really should have brought one of them, even if they were busy. However, this was not a time to pay attention to masks. He would gladly give up his reputation and even his own heart if it meant Legolas could live. Briefly, he wondered how long he had been here, bleeding and how he had gotten over here in the first place when this was obviously not the spot where the fight took place. But he did not dare ask, not wanting to spike his worry and panic even further. The ancient words soon fell from his lips and he felt his own strength poor into his son. It wasn't enough, not by a long shot. He could detect damage beyond his abilities, a darkness that shouldn't be inside his own flesh and blood and it made his breath spike. But the bleeding had stopped for now and the king decided to quickly bandage it properly and make a fast way back to Dale. For his son wouldn't have a chance otherwise.

His quick fingers took out a potion for pain and clean bandages. A healing paste for wounds was applied after taking off the makeshift bandage, then he pressed one clean bandage against the giant wound and used the other to wrap around the prince's chest tightly, hopefully binding the bleeding further.

"Why did he scream?" he asked in a quiet, almost hoarse voice but he saw that Tauriel was very tense in his presence. He was sure she heard him quite well.

"I tried to lift him up to get him down to Dale. He refused and when I did, he lost consciousness. I..I think his shoulder is dislocated." She stated matter of factly but Thranduil had seen her tears, saw her panic. A short glance behind her told him there had been another death. He just couldn't help his next comment while he tended to Legolas' wounds. The bitterness of their argument was still too fresh in his mind.

"Shouldn't you be mourning your dwarf?" he asked. Tauriel's hands tensed into fists but she didn't argue. She had obviously learned that sometimes words were a waste of time. She looked down and her green eyes instead focused on Legolas, worry clearly swimming in them. Thranduil's gaze softened. Clearly, she was in pain and the king –however much he wanted it to not be this way- knew how that felt. Knew what she was going through. So he gave her a short nod of apology, which she seemed astonished about but nodded in return, short and with a still quivering lip while the king turned back to his son, lifting his chin lightly with two fingers.

"Ion-nîn. Echui là." He touched Legolas' cheek again, this time a bit firmer. To his delight, the young ellon responded.

"Ada?" he asked, his icy blue eyes fluttering open. He seemed to recognize his voice. Good. Thranduil suddenly noticed how long he hadn't been called that and smiled a little. But this wasn't the situation for nostalgia. Oh by the Valar there was so much blood here…

"Yes, Legolas. We will have to move you. But first, who did this?" he asked. Remaining his outer coldness was the only thing keeping him from collapsing right now. Legolas didn't seem to notice anything off. He also seemed to try and pull himself together at the sight of his father. Thranduil wasn't surprised. The king had never given his son much room for weaknesses. Deep down this filled him with sadness but he couldn't do anything about it right now.

"Bolg. He's dead." He explained. Good. At least he didn't have to go after the filth for vengeance. On the other hand, he might have enjoyed that a bit. But he shook the thought away and held the potion in his hand to Legolas' lips.

"Here, drink this. It will help with the pain." The prince nodded slowly. His head hurt and he didn't want to move it much. He drank the potion and was surprised when it also made him even sleepier than he had been before.

"Adar, what…?" but he didn't get any farther, as he drifted off into dreamless sleep.

"What have you done?" Tauriel asked, alarm and slight anger in her voice.

"That is not your place to ask. He's going to rest properly now. A potion to open passage for a healing sleep. The healers will have to do the rest. Take this." He practically threw the medical bag at Tauriel, who caught it against her chest. The king leaned down to wrap his long ropes around his son as to keep him warm. Then he lifted the prince from the ground with his arms, carefully adjusting him so his head rested on his shoulder. Finally his warm gaze for his son turned cold as he gazed upon Tauriel. The bloody handprint on her cheek made him furious somehow. He had been aware that Legolas had feelings for the elleth but this clear evidence that he caressed her cheek while injured wasn't really helping his already foul mood.

"You will have to make a choice. Come back to the woodland with me and stand trial for your actions.." he suspected she knew what her king was talking about, judging by her clenched fists and downcast gaze. "or stay with the dwarves and wander the wilderness like you always wanted." There was no smile in his voice as he said that. "You can be glad I revoke your banishment to give you that choice. I hope you're aware of that." And without awaiting her reply, he turned away.

Sure, he had applied first aid so to speak but Legolas was still in peril, Thranduil could tell. His breathing was shallow even in sleep and sweat was glistering on his bloody forehead. The king's steps were light but hurried, knowing Legolas didn't have much time.

If he was too late, he would never forgive himself.

Aiwendil - Radagast the Brown

Ellon - Elf (male)

Ion-nin - My Son

Echui là - Awake / Wake up

Ada - Father/Dad (informal)

Adar - Father (formal)

Soooo yeah. Suspense! Sorry for teasing you haha. I know this chapter isn't as doesn't seem as long but this seemed like a good spot to end it and according to the word count it's about the same. Also I'm talking more so that might be it. Sorry.

I imagine the feeling Thranduil got to be kind of like an invisible bond. Honestly, I don't remember where I read about it but it should be canon (?). If it's not, I just like the sound of it and think it's something that at least should exist xD. Also, the fae (I think it's something that could be described as the elves' soul of some sort?) talk was also some meta LotR Theory I read but it seems plausible that not all elves are healers and that the act of killing corrupts their ability to give healing. How Elrond functions if that's true though, I have no idea. Just...this seemed plausible at the time, okay? xD

What Sindarin I used I looked up online so I take no credit for if it's actually right or not. I hope I depicted Thranduil's worry and inner thoughts correctly and in character. I also hope it's not too unrealistic that in the spur of the moment and with the healers being so busy, Thrandi didn't take one with him. As to why he wakes Legolas up and then makes him sleep again: That's a healing potion he's giving him that just happens to also put him in a healing sleep so it's a bit different from simple unconciousness. I hope that sounds plausible.

See you next chapter! Would love to hear your musings on what Tauriel will decide and why :)

Please just drop a comment, even if it's short. It always warms my heart and makes my day! :3