Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I updated this fic but thank you for all the wonderful comments and reviews, I have loved reading them. Here is chapter 4, I hope you like it let me know what you think.
Chapter 4
When Harry awoke again, he sat up groggily, completely disorientated about the time of day. Judging from the way the light was coming through the windows, he would guess that it was early morning. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus, momentarily amazed that he could see perfectly without his glasses.
A soft cooing noise had him looking around quickly, to find an elf standing close to his bed watching him adoringly.
Ah, that's right, elves. Though different to any elf Harry had ever met before. These elves were tall and very beautiful and all of them had been kind to him so far, he didn't know what to make of it.
"Good morning, Harry" the blonde elf said. "Nice nap?"
Harry pouted at the grinning elf. "Ok, maybe I was more tired than I thought."
"You slept all afternoon and night" and Harry's eyes widened in surprise. Wow he had been tired.
"I'm not sure how much you remember from yesterday, but my name is Legolas."
"Legolas" Harry said softly, as though getting a feel for the sound of the name on his tongue. Your father is the king" Harry continued carefully, "so that makes you a prince?"
"It does" Legolas said with a small smile.
"Prince Legolas" Harry said feeling a little unsure, he had never spoken with a prince before.
"Just Legolas is fine."
Harry nodded in understanding.
"Do you feel well enough to get up and join us for breakfast?"
Harry stretched once again noting his much smaller stature. He still felt a bit sore and achy, but the long sleep had done him some good and he was feeling almost back to normal.
"Yeah, that would be nice" he said as he made to climb down from the bed.
Legolas stepped forward to lift him down and it was only then that Harry noticed just how high the bed was. He should feel annoyed at Legolas treating him like a child, but he had to remind himself that to them he was still a child. Besides it was sorta nice to have someone care for him, he certainly hadn't had that during his previous childhood.
Legolas handed over a change of clothes that had been laying on the bed, before politely turning his back while Harry changed. Harry pulled on the flowing white shirt and pale blue leggings. They were soft to the touch but still warm enough that he didn't feel chilled in this cooler weather.
"Father has already commissioned our master builders to build a nursery for you" Legolas said happily. "I believe they have already started on the bed, so great was their excitement."
Harry looked completely flummoxed for a moment.
"Surely I don't need a nursery?" Harry asked looking up at Legolas unsurely as they started walking from the room, two guards falling into step behind them.
"In elvish society you are considered a child until you reach 100 years of age, right now you are our equivalent of a toddler."
Harry was so shocked at this announcement that he didn't even notice when Legolas bent to take his hand, to guide him through the halls.
"Exactly how long do Elves live for?"
"Oh, we're eternal" Legolas said with a casualness that belied his words. "Unless killed, we just keep on living. I myself am close to 3000 years old."
"3000 years old!" Harry croaked, subconsciously gripping Legolas' hand tighter. "Goodness, no wonder your father thought 17 years old was young."
Legolas chuckled, "indeed."
They came to a door and Legolas pushed it open guiding Harry inside before following after.
The room was as beautiful as everything Harry had seen since entering the Woodland realm. A large room that still managed to feel cosy, with a softly crackling fire to keep the chill away and rich brown rugs that softened the wooden floors. In the middle sat a table, it was obviously not meant for large formal dining but more intimate meals with close family and friends. The elves who were gathered around it stood as Harry and Legolas entered, all staring at him avidly and Harry was unhappily reminded of all the unwanted attention he had gotten in his life. Thankfully here no one seemed to expect him to save them all or were in awe of him for something he couldn't even remember. They stared simply because of who he was, a child in a place where children were few and far between.
"So glad you were able to join us" Thranduil said. "These are some of my closest advisors, we were just discussing a few matters over breakfast, please won't you join us."
Harry followed Legolas towards the table, blushing furiously as he realised that he was still holding the others hand. He paused beside a chair next to Legolas's, completely dismayed at how tall it was. Why did everything here have to be so very large when he was so very small. He leaned up on his tip toes, wrapping a hand around the arm as he attempted to pull himself up, the chair wobbling precariously at the added weight. Legolas who had been watching the whole thing reached out a hand to stead the chair.
"Would you like a hand little one?"
After two more failed attempts, one which left him stumbling into Legolas, Harry finally conceded.
"Thank you, Legolas" Harry murmured as he sat on his chair, only to realise that he was too small to see the table properly. With a sigh he got up on his knees, so he was at a more appropriate height to eat.
"We will need to commission a chair for Harry to eat his meals. Preferably one that is higher and with a strap or some kind of harness so there is no risk of him falling from such a height" Thranduil said thoughtfully as he watched Harry rearrange his position.
Harry stared at the king; eyes wide. He had seen such a thing before.
"I do not need a highchair!" the once wizard said indignantly.
"But that is what all elflings sit in" Thranduil said kindly. "You will see, it will be made so superbly you won't want to sit anywhere else."
Harry rolled his eyes but refrained from contradicting the king.
Now that he could finally see the table, he looked around at the food provided. Fresh fruit, breads, butter, jams as well as what looked like a large tureen filled with porridge. Before he could move to start serving himself, which would have admittedly been rather difficult, the elf next to him handed him a bowl briming with warm porridge as well as a plate of buttered toast and fruit.
"Oh, thank you" Harry said awkwardly. It was strange to have so many people willing to assist him with every little thing.
"It is my pleasure," the smiling elf said. "Hopefully you find the food to your taste."
"I've been living off hardly anything for months" Harry said, thinking back to the months and months of little food as they travelled around searching for horcruxes. "I'm sure it will be delicious."
He took a great big bite, nodding happily for indeed it was very yummy, missing the looks shared amongst the other elves.
Thranduil had shared with his closest advisors the news of the elflings arrival and his origins, but they decided not to question Harry just yet. Best to leave him to settle in and regain his strength before bringing up his past just yet. They had also decided to wait a few days before making an announcement to the general population about the elflings arrival. It would no doubt be big news and he didn't want Harry to be overwhelmed by excitable elves.
Thranduil was annoyed at himself for already sending missives to the elves at Lothlorien and Imaladris. He hadn't specifically mentioned the elflings arrival but no doubt his questions would be met with curiosity and suspicion. He supposed that he couldn't keep the elflings arrival hidden from the others for long but no doubt he would soon be hosting delegations from both.
He bit back his sigh, instead focusing on the small miracle before him. A small miracle that had already finished his porridge, toast and fruit in that small amount of time.
Harry smacked his lips as he bit into the last strawberry on his plate. All the food had been very enjoyable.
He glanced up to find Legolas grinning at him, "you will give yourself a stomach-ache if you keep eating that quickly."
Harry looked around and found that everyone else was not even halfway through their own meals and his cheeks flushed hotly.
"Sorry" Harry said, looking down in embarrassment.
Legolas merely laughed and patted him on the back.
"No need to be sorry, I would just hate for you to become ill."
Harry glanced up shyly at the kind elf before nodding. Though he made a mental note to eat slower in the future.
"Harry" Thranduil said softly, gaining the elflings attention from his son. "You will be confined to our families private wing for the next few days, while you recover. Once we make the announcement or your arrival to all the elves you will be able to move around more freely, though I will insist on you having a contingent of guards with you at all times."
Harry thought about this carefully, he wasn't thrilled about having guards with him everywhere he went, but he supposed it made sense, seeing as how he didn't know this place at all and that children were so rare. Not wanting to push his hosts who were just trying to protect him, Harry simply nodded.
"I understand. Thank you for being honest with me."
"You are most welcome, little one" Thranduil said warmly while several of the other elves murmured about what a polite elfling he was.
"Your parents must have been wonderful people" an elf sitting across from Harry said with a soft smile.
Harry smiled grimly at the elf, it felt strange talking to people who didn't already know his whole history. It was actually kind of a relief.
"They were, though I unfortunately didn't know them. They died when I was only one year old."
Mutterings broke out around the table in a language that Harry couldn't understand, while several of the elves looked stricken at the news.
"It's OK" Harry said softly, reaching out a hand to rest on Legolas' arm in comfort, the elf looked particularly upset at the news. "It happened a long time ago."
Legolas let out a cry of dismay and Harry found himself pulled into the blonde elf's lap, long arms wrapping around him securely.
"16 years is not a long time ago" Legolas whispered into Harry's pointed ear.
"I suppose it isn't to someone who is nearly 3000 years old" Harry said sardonically, feeling as though it was just him and Legolas in the room, regardless of the elves around them. "Don't feel too sorry for me. I had some wonderful friends who became like my family." Harry thought fondly of Hermione and Ron.
"I never would've made it this far without them." But as he thought of his best friends, he was struck with the realisation that he would probably never see them again. They were lost to him just like everything else he had ever known. It caused his stomach to sink and his heart to thud painfully in his chest.
Legolas immediately noticed his change in attitude.
A comforting hand ran through thick curly locks.
"What is it, Harry?"
"It's nothing" Harry said despondently. "I guess I'm just realising that I'm never going to see anybody from my old life again."
Legolas made a soft noise of understanding.
"I- I think I'd like to go back to my room, please" Harry said quietly, green eyes swimming in tears.
There was a flurry of movement around the table as every elf moved to comfort the distraught elfling or made offers to help him back to his room.
"I will take him" Legolas said seriously, scooping Harry up into his arms. A task that was made infinitely easier by the fact that Harry was already sitting in his lap.
Legolas tucked the tiny elfling under his chin and strode from the room, ignoring all offers of assistance. With Legolas not having to shorten his strides to match Harry, they made the trip back a lot quicker.
Legolas ran a soothing hand down Harrys back as he firmly closed and locked the door behind him. He glanced down at Harry to find him staring off into space, eyes watery but no tears had spilt.
"How about a story?" Legolas asked gently, moving to the shelves of books and picking one he thought would interest Harry.
Again, Harry made no sound of either agreement or protest as he laid limp against Legolas' chest. So, the tall elf settled back on the bed, getting comfortable as he lifted the book of elvish tales up to start reading.
Harry took comfort from the warm body holding him and the melodic voice sounding in his ears as he thought of bushy brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, nights spent in laughter and a castle that had felt like home more then anything ever had before. Hopefully everyone else had survived and were happy even if he was no longer a part of that happiness.