Chapter Two

Legolas got up at five for his morning run. Manwathiel was still fast asleep. He untangled himself from her and quickly dressed in silence as he had every morning since they had arrived. He ran from the palace, through the formal gardens into the forest and made a loop around the western edge of the forest seeing his people as they started to get up and start their days. He waved to a couple of elves that he saw most mornings, including a baker who always greeted him with a pastry, and made it back by six. Manwathiel was just getting up.

"Morning." She muttered, wiping sleep from her eyes. Never a morning person, she stumbled into the bathroom. When Thranduil had been gone from middle earth she had slept in most mornings. The only exception had been when her nieces and nephews were small. She had gotten up at all hours to help Arwen. Although those episodes had been short lived. One benefit of having human children is Arwen's children had only been infants for a year. It took an elf five years to age one year for a human.

Now they were all reunited, though, Manwathiel was back to waking up at six. His obsession with schedules were not her favorite thing about her father-in-law. As she dressed and Legolas bathed, maids came in carrying a tray of tea and set it down in the dining room.

Manwathiel made herself a cup of tea and sat down in the sitting room waiting for Legolas to dress so they could go down to breakfast. They had been in Valinor for a little over ten days and were starting to settle in. He came in, hair still wet and kissed her.

"Ready?" he asked, buttoning up his coat. He had started dressing like his father fifty years ago when he had been elevated to crown prince, though much more subdued if similar in style. He no longer spent his days outside so he had no excuse to dress comfortably. He put on his crown. His father always expected it.

Manwathiel nodded and stood. Thranduil was already at the table when they came down. Gimli chose to go without breakfast rather than wake up so early. Manwathiel understood where he was coming from perfectly.

"Good morning." Manwathiel said, sliding into one of the chairs. She adjusted her tiara.

"Good morning." Thranduil said, looking up from his papers. They were beginning to settle into a routine. "Legolas I need you to go over the ledgers this morning. I want to see where the coffers are now that you've arrived with the rest of the treasury."

Legolas nodded. The school they were building was expensive and Thranduil wanted to make further investments and help finance the building of roads, shops and pubs. They were a week's ride from the nearest city. They needed to be self-sufficient and they had enough elves to have a bustling town at least.

"Manwathiel, do you remember Lainos?" Thranduil asked. She nodded. Lainos had been one of Thranduil's commanders in middle earth. "I've assigned him to your staff. The school will fall in your workload. He will help you."

Manwathiel looked at him, surprised. "Thranduil, I'm not sure I'm qualified. I attended lessons more recently than anyone here but I wasn't exactly a top student."

"You don't need to teach just oversee the construction and the staff. Lainos will help you. He's never run a school either but he's run a military. He knows how to get things done and oversee a staff." Thranduil said. "We may have to look to Valmar to find enough teachers. We should have enough children to have a class per decade."

Manwathiel looked at Legolas unconvinced. In middle earth she had done very little governing. She had split her time between Gondor, and her sister, and healing, spending all her free time with Legolas or writing music. She had been a favorite of all the children, it was true, and often threw events for them at the palace with music, jugglers, food and fireworks but she never attempted to educate them.

"I will help you too." Legolas said soothingly. "It will be fine." He knew that look on her face well by now.

"The other thing is eventually I will need to send you on a diplomatic tour to the other nine kingdoms and the capital. The Counsel of the Wise has a general assembly every decade so I've met all the other kings and queens, except Lendis of Este, but he is new to his throne, tragic accident with his parents. Still, I haven't had a chance to establish formal relations with any of them. I've been too busy getting everything built and everyone settled." Thranduil said. He had been waiting for Legolas and Manwathiel to arrive. They were perfect for this mission since Manwathiel's connection to Galadriel would open many doors. Thranduil also had an ulterior motive. Legolas could search for his mother.

The thought occurred to Legolas immediately too. "We should visit Galadriel and Celeborn first." Legolas said.

Thranduil nodded. "They come for Solstice." Solstice was in three months. "We can plan your trip for some time after."

After breakfast Manwathiel went to her office where her assistant, Arvellas, was waiting for her. Arvellas had been an advisor of her grandmother's. Manwathiel wouldn't say she knew Arvellas well but she had known her all her life. Thranduil, true to his word, had tried to integrate Galadriel and Celeborn's people with his people. All three of their staffs were made up with a mixture of Mirkwood and Lothlorien elves. Thranduil truly tried not to show favoritism. He had kept a much larger staff than he needed for forty years because he knew he would be dividing it by three (and four eventually, he hoped) so he kept all of Celeborn's and Galadriel's advisors and top military commanders on staff as well as his own.

Arvellas was waiting with a parchment with Manwathiel's schedule. She bowed deeply to Manwathiel.

"My lady, today you have a fairly light day. In the morning you are scheduled to be in the infirmary from 8-11. After luncheon, you are needed in the eastern forest. There has been an outbreak of fever among the children in the village."

"Children who just arrived?"

"No my lady. Children who have been here. Two new families did settle in that village but their children aren't unwell." Arvellas said. She had been briefed by Galur, Thranduil's staff healer an elf from Lothlorien, early that morning. Arvellas had worked for Manwathiel a week but she already knew that she had lots of questions when it came to healing.

"The children from middle earth likely brought something with them." Manwathiel said. "I will go see the children first. Tell Galur I'll be downstairs after lunch." She said. "If it's an outbreak, I want to keep it contained."

"Very well." Arvellas jotted down some notes. "This afternoon after you finish in the infirmary, you have a meeting with Lainos to discuss school construction. The materials have been gathered. They need your final approval to break ground. Then this evening you and his highness have dinner with your parents. You will need to leave around 4 in the afternoon. I recommend you finish with Lainos by 3:30 so you have time to change for the journey."

Manwathiel nodded. "Please interrupt us if we're not finished by 3:30." She said, pushing away from her desk.

Arvellas nodded.

Manwathiel spent the morning healing children. Given how quickly the children had gotten ill she suspected it was quite contagious and was glad she had treated them first.

Her meeting with Lainos was productive. She had never noticed before but he was a huge elf. However, much time Legolas spent running, she suspected Lainos spent twice as much time lifting weights. He was in exceptional shape. He was also exceptionally organized. He came to the meeting prepared with exact counts of materials, builders and a timeline. She quickly approved his plan. The school would be built in six months.

She, Legolas and Gimli arrived at her parents' house, Eryn, a little before seven. Built on the very edge of the forest, Eryn sprawled out along the tree line. It was a little smaller than Rivendell and lacked the stunning views but it was a very pretty. Technically built in Thranduil's realm, Elrond actually operated autonomously. He had gone regularly to Orome to warn of a new shipment of elves arriving or to check on the progress of the building of the palace, the music room had been his idea, but he didn't consider himself subject to Thranduil and Thranduil let him be. Some Rivendell elves had chosen to stay at Eryn with Elrond and some had settled closer to Thranduil's people.

This was the second time Manwathield had seen her family since they had arrived. She greeted everyone warmly, giving long hugs to Sam and Frodo, now both very old hobbits.

"How have you been?" she asked Frodo, taking his hand as she sat down.

"We've been fine, haven't we Mr. Fodo." Sam said, his red hair long since grey. Frodo nodded. His injury caused him no pan in Valinor.

"We brought you something." Gimli said reaching into his pockets.

"Longbottom leaf!" Frodo laughed.

"Give me the seeds, Mr. Frodo. I can grow it!" Sam said excitedly. He started to chatter about his plans to garden as Legolas turned to Elrond.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" he asked.

Elrond raised his eyebrows but nodded and led him to his study down the hall. He gestured to the seat in front of his desk. Legolas sat down.

"I was hoping you could help me." Legolas said.

"Name it." Elrond said, spreading his hands out.

"My mother is alive. Do you have any idea how I can find her?" Legolas asked.

Elrond sat back in surprise. "Meleth has been reborn?" he asked.

Legolas nodded. "That's what my father says."

"I don't suppose he can communicate with her? He'd probably need to restore their soul bond." Elrond said thoughtfully.

"I don't know, based on what he said, if he was ever able to communicate with her over distances but he can feel she's alive." Legolas said.

Elrond sat back and looked in the distance. He was quiet for a long moment. "She has light brown hair. She is not wearing a coronet. She looks to be near water."

"How old is she?" Legolas asked eagerly. This was something. There were probably a lot of elves with brown hair living by water who didn't wear coronets but this narrowed it down somewhat.

Elrond shrugged. "An adult but I have no idea how old. Younger than you mathematically. Beyond that I can't say. You should ask Galadriel. She knew Meleth well. She would better be able to find her. I can barely make her out."

Legolas nodded. "I intend to ask her at solstice. Will my mother remember me?" he asked.

Elrond shook his head. "No, not at first or if she does it will seem from a dream. Her memories will come back after your father restores the soul bond."

"How does he do that?" Legolas asked.

"He has to make her fall in love with him again." Elrond said, raising his eyebrows. Legolas laughed. He wondered if his father knew this.

"He has to court her again? I think he almost made a mess of it the first time." Legolas said laughing.

Elrond shrugged. "Well hopefully he's a little better at it this time."

"What happens to elves that are reborn but don't have a soul bond?" Legolas asked thoughtfully.

"They never retrieve their memories. The soul bond merges your soul with another elf. They are a container for your essence and vice versa. Your father has been carrying your mother's memories for nearly two thousand years. For elves without soul bonds, there's nothing to restore their memories from. They may with time have a memory or two but never full recall. Your mother will remember eventually though if your father is successful." Elrond said.

"Will she be different? She had different parents. A different upbringing." Legolas said, his eyes knit with worry. It was odd to contemplate getting his mother back but having her be a different person.

"She will be her but some superficial things may have changed. At her core she is who she is. She may have a different favorite book and food and name but she will her in the ways that matter." Elrond reassured him.

Legolas nodded thoughtfully and glanced at the clock. "I've kept you too long. We should join everyone for dinner."

They got up, Legolas lost in his own thoughts.

That night they returned late and Legolas went to find his father. He found him lounging in his bedroom with a book.

"I spoke to Elrond." Legolas said. Thranduil looked at him curiously.

"About? I speak to Elrond a couple times a week." Thranduil said wryly.

"Mother. He said she has light brown hair and is near water." Legolas said. "He couldn't make out her age but said she's an adult."

Thanduil put down his book. "Water. So she is in Valmar or one of the coastal kingdoms."

Legolas nodded. "Also did you know you had to restore your soul bond with her for her to remember you?"

Thanduil just stared at him. "What does that entail exactly?"

Legolas grinned. "She has to fall in love with you again."

Thranduil sighed and put a hand to his head. Courting Meleth had been a disaster the first time. She had not liked him at first at all. He couldn't believe he had to do it again. At least he had the advantage of having been married to her for millennia. He knew her better than anybody.

"I actually have some experience courting my own wife if you want tips." Legolas laughed.

Thanduil waved him away. "Goodnight, Legolas." He said rolling his eyes.

"Night father." Legolas said still laughing as he left.

Over the next three months, Legolas and Manwathiel settled into a comfortable routine. Thranduil was glad to have them back, not just because he missed them but because his days were much more manageable now that the work was split up. Manwathiel mainly took care of the construction of the school and the infirmary. Legolas and Thranduil split everything else.

Galadriel and Celeborn arrived three days after the first snowfall. After greeting them and showing them to their room, they all met in Thandruil's office. Galadriel very carefully pulled her mirror out of its wrapping and placed it on the desk.

"So we are searching for Meleth?" she asked. Thranduil nodded. She gazed down into the mirror and everyone sat silently watching her. "She goes by Massira now. She lives in Tuile. It looks like her father is a shopkeeper of some kind. Books maybe." She stood aside and gestured to the mirror.

Thranduil stepped forward to see a small elf with light brown hair and blue eyes - eyes he recognized. "That's her." He said with complete confidence. It took him only a moment to recognize her. Legolas glanced curiously but didn't recognize the elf putting books on a shelf in the mirror. He got a good look at her so he would recognize her if he saw her again.

"Manwathiel, come look." He said. She stepped forward and looked down into the mirror.

"That's your mother?" she asked, surprised. She wasn't sure what she was expecting but this looked like a completely ordinary elf. She looked nothing like the beautiful, haughty elf in Legolas' painting.

"Yes, that's her. Legolas?" Thranduil asked.

"I'll find her." Legolas promised taking another look at her face. "Write to the King of Tuile. Manwathiel and I will visit there first."

Thranduil nodded. "I'll write him now."

"If Palyar doesn't extend an invitation, come stay with us." Celeborn said. "Tuile is a day's ride from Valmar. You could easily go back and forth."

"Thank you." Legolas said, clasping his arm.

"We're going to get ready for tonight." Galadriel said, carefully wrapping the mirror back up.

"Tomorrow I have some presents for you." Manwathiel said as her grandparents got up to go.

Galadriel smiled at her. "From Arwen?" she asked.

Manwathiel smiled and nodded. "She wrote to you often before I left. I also brought a portrait for you."

"We will be glad to have both." Celeborn said warmly and hugged her. "It is so good to see you."

She hugged him back. Legolas and Manwathiel settled on one of Thranduil's couches once they had left.

"So should we just go to every book shop and ask for her?" Manwathiel asked.

Legolas nodded. "I don't know Palyar but I doubt he knows all his subjects by name. He won't be helpful locating a shopkeeper. What do you want us to do once we find her?" Legolas asked.

Thranduil considered this for a moment. "Write to me. I will come immediately. She doesn't know me. She won't just come home with you. Don't tell her she's your mother. I have to figure out the right time to tell her…everything." Thranduil said.

Legolas nodded. "The people will be arriving soon." He said gesturing to the clock. That night was one of Thranduil's Solstice celebrations. All the people would be arriving soon. That's why Galadriel and Celeborn always came. Their former people liked to see them.

Thranduil nodded and dismissed them. That night he was a distracted host. As Legolas and Manwathiel greeted elves and danced and Gimli drank his way through Thranduil's reserves, he kept picturing his wife's face, wondering when he would finally get to see her again and how he was going to get her to fall in love with him all over again.

"Is your father ok?" Manwathiel whispered to Legolas around eleven. Thranduil had barely moved from his throne all night.

Legolas glanced at him and nodded. "He has a lot on his mind."

"He loves parties! Especially his own." Manwathiel insisted.

Legolas shrugged. "Not tonight." All around them elves danced and sang and Thranduil stayed on his throne staring into the distance.

"Is he worried we won't find her?" she asked.

Legolas considered this. "Actually, I think he's afraid we will. I would be very intimidated to restart our relationship from scratch and they have a much longer history than we do."

"Are you worried to find her?" Manwathiel asked.

"Yes. A little." Legolas admitted. "It's been a very long time."

Manwathiel hugged him. She had been nervous about seeing her mother again and she had only been separated from her for a century and her mother remembered her. She felt for Legolas. "It will be ok." She said smiling warmly at him.

He kissed her. "Let's worry about it in the morning."

The next day, Thranduil's letter to King Palyar and the other kings went out and Legolas and Manwathiel made preparations to start their tour, while they waited for word back.

Manwathiel shared Arwen's gifts with her grandparents who received them with happy tears. She hugged them both for a long time before they left though she would see them soon in Valmar.

"Are you ok?" Legolas asked, putting his arm around her as she watched them leave.

Manwathiel nodded. "Yes. I'll see them soon. Are you?"

He nodded. "Now we wait." He said, sighing and turning back inside. He wondered for the hundredth time what he would say to his mother when he saw her. He was no closer to working it out as he went back to his office. Thankfully he had time.