It was late in the morning when Legolas finally appeared from his room and joined Oropher in the garden, he glanced up over the top of his book in time to watch Legolas climb over the railing of his balcony and down a tree rather than use the stairs inside. Not entirely surprising, he seemed to have an aversion to doing things normally.

He sat in a chair across from his grandfather, "Goodmorning."

Oropher took careful note of his page and then closed his book, "Goodmorning, Legolas. You and the twins seem to have returned earlier than usual."

He himself had returned home a few hours past midnight, while he had heard the twins returning Legolas to the house hours before sunrise. The three of them got along well with the youth here in the city and all of them enjoyed the festival to the height of their abilities. Which, usually meant finding their beds in various places in the city at sunrise.

Apparently, Glorfindel had friends in the city where the three of them stayed, while Legolas always stayed with him in the room Oropher had set aside and tried his best to decorate in a way he hoped Legolas would like. He hadn't complained about anything yet, so he could not have done too bad of a job at it.

"Yes, we figured we ought to at least return before sunrise at least one day. That, and Elladan threw up in a bush."

"How noble of him."

Legolas smiled and shrugged, "At least it wasn't your bush."

Oropher pushed a plate of various fruits towards Legolas, "Sometimes it is the small victories in life."

He picked a strawberry off the plate, and popped it into his mouth "Life after death, as the case may be."

"Perhaps if I found more appreciation of the little things, I would not have died in the first place."

"Or," Legolas countered, grabbing a few blueberries, "You would have died twice as fast. It really is impossible to tell."

"Eru is funny that way."

"I think he is funny in many ways, but only to him. To us, it just seems a cruel irony." He looked at the cover of the book Orpher had been reading, after finding it incredibly dull, he turned his attention to a small book filled with half scribbled pages. "Still working on your apology speech? For lack of a better word."

Oropher sighed and rubbed one of his temples, "Yes. It seems to me that I will never be through with it. Every time I write it, it sounds worse than before. I might as well be an illiterate swamp rat."

Legolas let out a surprised but delighted laugh, "Well, you've done very well for yourself as an illiterate swamp rat.

"Thank you."

"That being said, I still don't think you need to plan out an apology at all." He grabbed another few blueberries, "But then, what do I know about dealing with your son? Practically nothing."

He tossed a few in the air and caught three out of four, looking only briefly at the dejected one on the ground before trying again.

"You sound like Galion."

"Probably."

"If I don't need it, I don't need it. But in case I do, I will be prepared."

"Suit yourself."

Oropher watched as Legolas tried to catch the last of the blueberries. Touchingly carefree, considering the dark and cold he could sense in every part of Legolas' soul, yet to be shaken.

Those in Lord Elrond's home all claimed a noticeable difference already since Legolas had come to the shores. He wasn't sure if he found that more comforting or heart breaking.

"What do you want to do today?"

"That depends." Oropher said, choosing a grape off of the plate and tossing it far into the air and catching it with his mouth to Legolas' delight, "On how you are feeling today."

Both knew he didn't mean the wine.

It was, taxing, to say the least to be one of the most well known elves in recent history. Famous but never infamous, which was significantly more than Oropher could say for most well known elves.

He had long since guessed that was the real reason he had returned early last night.

"Perhaps something outside the city…"

0o0o0o0o0o

"My Lord Oropher!" A young elf he did not recognize raced up to him, nearly skidding to a stop before him. "I am to tell you that you Legolas Thranduilion just arrived with all haste and needs to speak to you."

Oropher blinked in surprise. Legolas? Here? Their next visit was not supposed to be for several months, and even then it was his turn to travel the distance. Legolas had expressed concern and fear leaving the dwarf so late in his life, and so the last visit would be his last for some time.

"He says it's an emergency."

His blood went cold. There were very little things that happened in Valinor to be considered an emergency, but the idea of what Legolas might consider one was almost haunting. Especially to travel the distance between them when there were so many who cared for him much closer.

He had sounded fine in the letter Oropher had received just this week. Perhaps it was his sea longing. Perhaps the dwarf had died.

"Where?" He demanded.

"His room in your home, my Lord."

Not caring in the slightest who might be watching he broke into a sprint at a pace he had not set since long before his death, leaving the messenger in the middle of the street. Thanks to the swiftness of Elves he only nearly knocked over three of them on his way, but he did not slow enough to see exactly who it was. Just shouted an apology over his shoulder.

He reached the steps to his home and took them three at a time, not bothering to even close the door behind him before he started on the indoor staircases. Legolas' bedroom door was open and he all but spilled inside.

His grandson was standing by the window and Oropher frantically looked him up and down, coming to stand before him and putting a hand against his face.

He looked fine. He felt fine. His soul didn't feel in any form of distress. None of the trees were trying to get his attention. "Legolas, what's wrong?"

Legolas' own hand came up to rest against the one on his face and he smiled, "Nothing. I'm alright, I promise. Im sorry to have worried you so much but I wanted you to get here quickly."

Oropher looked him up and down, taking his hand back to turn his grandson in a circle just to make sure, he allowed it with a laugh. "Well, I'm here."

Legolas' eyes strayed behind him and he indicated with his chin that he should turn and look. Before he managed a voice from a body he hadn't noticed was in the room with them in his frantic concern said, "Yes. So am I."

"Thranduil."

His son. His beautiful, stubborn son.

He was as taller and prouder than ever. So much older than when Oropher had left him, both in time and experience. He looked weary and tired. But strong, every ounce of stubborn strength Thranduil had as an infuriating young elf.

Yes. This was an elf who could withstand and thrive for centuries at war.

"Hello, Adar." Thranduil's gaze flicked to Legolas for a moment and then back to his father.

Oropher had carefully practiced what to say to Thranduil when him, but now that it had finally happened the only thing in his mind was the look of heartbroken terror on Thranduil's face as he died in his arms. "I'm so sorry, oh my son, I'm so sorry."

He hadn't meant for his voice to crack but he didn't have time to feel betrayed because his legs moved forward without him, Thranduil met him halfway. He crushed his son to him like he hadn't done since Thranduil was a small elfling, hand cradled behind his head and down his neck, the other one holding him tight.

At least he wasn't the only one crying.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you, I'm sorry I didn't listen, I'm sorry I'm a prideful idiot sometimes. I'm so proud of you, you've done so well. I am in awe of you."

To his surprise Thranduil didn't hasten to pull away, "It's alright Adar. We all make mistakes. And yours were made in a world away, both time and distance."

Legolas' voice drifted over from the window, "Told you." Oropher got the distinct impression that he was talking to the both of them.

"Yes well, you know as well as I that sometimes no matter how many times you tell the Greenwood royals anything, they must figure it out for themselves."

Thranduil and Legolas both laughed, potentially both at the words and the surprise on Orophers face. It was a foolish surprise, he should have known he would be here too.

"Galion!"

Thranduil stepped away and Oropher turned to where the attendant had looped his arms with Legolas as he gave the suggestion of a bow, "My Lord Oropher."

"When Thranduil told me he hired the same elf who had gotten fired for losing his temper and his tongue, I admit, I was worried. I didn't think you would last the week."

Galion laughed, "He deserved it. Also, you had a right to worry.'

"Certainly, just not for the reasons I initially thought. It is good to see you Galion. Thank you, for everything you've done."

He nonchalantly tossed some dark hair over his shoulder, "No thanks necessary, I'm only here because Thranduil pays me." Then he glanced over to Legolas, who bent at the knees so that he would not be taller, "And I love my little prince too much to leave him."

"Yes, well, who could resist loving me?" Legolas asked and copied Galion by flicking hair over his shoulder.

Oropher looked back to Thranduil, "You've raised an amazing son."

"He was amazing on his own, I just kept him from getting himself killed."

"No easy task, I've come to learn."

"No. It is not."

Legolas rolled his eyes, "And yet here I stand."

"Yes." Thranduil looked at his son with the kind of open love and pride Oropher had painfully realized he had never been good with. "Finally, there you stand."

But he could learn.

"I'm returning home tomorrow, but Ada sa-"

Oropher cut him off, "I'll go with you."

Legolas turned a grin to Thranduil, "Told you."

"Lady Yavanna is growing us a home to live in, her own offer, it might be done by the time we return. I'm sure our people will be thrilled to have most of their rulers under one canopy again." Thranduil added. "As long as you can stand to live under the same tree's as a dwarf."

"For my family? Anything." Then he added with a look in Legolas' direction, "Besides. I guess the dwarf isn't that bad."

"At least we'll be easier to find when the rest of our family is released from the halls." Legolas added, "So I don't break any of their friends faces on accident. Well, not technically on accident…"

Oropher tried to suppress a smile but failed in light of hearing Thranduil's laugh again after so long, "I am still so disappointed I missed that."

"He is still a bit scared of you, you know."

Legolas smirked, "Good."

0o0o0o

Thank you for reading and every nice thought and comment I got along the way!

I can't wait to hear your final thoughts.