Although his mind continued to swim with questions, Celeborn allowed him the dignity of sorting himself and his thoughts first. Elrond and Glorfindel left with a hushed promise to return to this spot later.

And so Oropher allowed himself wander somewhere a bit more private. Which, according to Celeborn, apparently, meant climbing onto the the roof of a building that did not belong to him.

The view was spectacular and the breeze refreshing.

They sat in silence for a while longer, comfortable and relaxed. "It is good to see you." Celeborn said.

"It is good to see you, too."

"So."

"Legolas."

"Ask."

How could he pick what to ask, when he knew nothing at all? But his mind and his tongue had gotten a taste of freedom and spoke without his consent once more. "Did he look for me?"

Did Thranduil mention him? Did Legolas care?

"Always."

Oropher frowned at him, he disliked vagueness. Perhaps that was why Thranduil was so painfully forward.

"Always he listens for rumors, or stories of family members he has never met. Always he asks elves from other cities if they have any information. Any idea. Even before he got to these blessed shores."

It had been a while since four sentences had brought him such measurable comfort. His grandson had looked. He wanted to find him.

"He has no family by blood alive apart from Thranduil."

Oropher blinked in surprise again, and while Glorfindel and Elrond had not noticed his shock Celeborn did. And he laughed. "Valar, I forget you make that ridiculous face."

"None?" That was the thing about eternal life, elves tended to have large families. Even if they did not like most of them, they existed.

Celeborn shook his head, "None."

"No wonder Thranduil raised him to be so formidable."

All they had was each other to support and rule. How lonely that would be.

Celeborn laughed again, "If anything Legolas raised himself to be so, and demanded Thranduil help. I mentioned he is protective, and he never had any intention of leaving his father."

There was a unique ache in his heart. Perhaps if he had not been so prideful and charged too soon he would have survived, perhaps Thranduil could have stayed unaware the weight the crown rested with, perhaps his grandson wouldn't have to be an unstoppable warrior, perhapes Legolas could have been raised by a family.

Perhapes, perhapes, perhapes.

"What is he like?"

Celeborn looked out over the streets teeming with people, light and laughter. "He is many things and people, all at once. Depending who you are and how he knows you."

"How does he know you? How do you see him?"

"I don't know if he thinks of me as an old friend of his father's, or the grandfather of his dear friends. Either way I do not know him as well as many."

"Then what do you know?"

"I know he is the kind of soul that would stay until the bitter end and decay of mortal life, because he loved his friends. I know that he is the first person my beloved Arwen spoke to after the passing of Aragorn. I know he fought and survived the frontlines of an assault that lasted centuries."

Centuries. Centuries of fighting and loss.

"I know that his laugh is so loud it echoes even in the woods, I know that just his presence near them delights the tree's. I know that he helped teach Arwen both her archery and her dance. I know that as far as my grandsons are concerned he might as well be a third twin."

"But I also know that he has been through a lot of pain and suffering, of the body and of the mind. I also know that he would never have made it this far without Gimli."

"Who my wonderful companions nearly threatened to drown."

Celeborn winced, "He also has his father's temper."

How cruel a joke of the Valar to play. Allow him to finally meet his grandson, only to ruin the chance before he even knew what was being offered.

Celeborn bumped his arm, "Take comfort that he doesn't hold grudges like his father, at least."

Oropher finally looked away from the dancing lights and back to Celeborn, "So I still have a chance?"

"You will have to swallow your pride down to your toes and apologize."

Oropher offered his hands up in an empty gesture, "What pride?"

"Well, you'll have to do better than that when you talk to Legolas."

Oropher shoved his arm gently, "Oh, who asked you anyway."

Celeborn laughed and righted himself and looked back out across the market. "For the record, Legolas asked to live with Elrond and Celebrian. He was … unwell in all aspects when he arrived."

"And now?"

"He is certainly better, it is good to see him laugh again. But his heart will not know peace I fear until several decades after Gimli's passing. His life is haunted with the ticking of mortal life."

Celeborn thought about it, "He will also not know peace until Thranduil finally arrives upon these shores, either."

"So he is coming, then?"

"Yes." Celeborn sounded certain, and that was reassuring, "He promised Legolas within three decades at the very latest. And he does not break promises to Legolas."

Oropher struggled against the clamp in his throat, he had fifteen years to decide what he was going to say to Thranduil. How he was going to apologize.

It sounded dumb to ask, but he did anyway, "Thranduil loves him, then?"

"More than all the earth we live upon and everything else on it. I cannot wait for you to see the two of them together."

He was glad, then, that Thranduil was able to have something he and his had never been able to.

He loved Thranduil, there was absolutely no doubt about it in his mind. Everyday his heart swelled with pride at the thought of his son, at the astounding elf he had grown to be. At everything he had accomplished.

"What do I do, Celeborn? How do I fix this?"

"You go and apologize, the sooner the better."

0o0o0p0o0o0o

Elrond crossed his arms, "I will not surprise him with something like this. Absolutely not."

"So you plan to try and keep my grandson from me?"

Before Elrond could snap a response Celeborn held a hand up between them for peace, "I understand Elrond, and I would ask you to do such a thing to the boy."

"I will compromise," Elrond offered, "I will tell Legolas that it is you that wants to speak with him, but I will not tell him that you already met you today."

"Is that all?" Oropher asked, keeping his voice even and neutral.

"No." Celeborn hadn't really thought Elrond was done to begin with, "The very moment Legolas, Glorfindel or I say you need to leave, you will leave at once." He held out his hand for Oropher to shake, "Those are the conditions, agreed?"

Oropher galanced at it, "And if I do not agree? If I decide to go and find him this very moment? Then what?"

Elrond tilted his head to the side slightly with a twinkle in his eys and did not retract his hand, "Then I offer you another deal. Then I will watch as someone, who, as far as Legolas is concerned at the momonet, has absolutlny no buisness being anywhere near himself or Gimli seeks him out for a second time in a night. When he already, and literally, broke your friends. I will watch as he breaks you too, assuming you mean harm to Gimli. And after that, when you tell him your are his Grandfather and his wounded heart cannot yet find any shred of forgiveness for many, many years. I will not say 'I told you that would happen."

Elrond had the nerve to smile, "Which offer is more appealing to you? Waiting until tomorrow afternoon or trying your luck to see if I am right?"

"I will see you tomorrow afternoon." Oropher answered and turend away without shaking Elronds offered hand, he had never been a graceful loser.

…

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