TA 2941

Legolas sat across from Thranduil in the meeting room, the two elves looking at each other. Thranduil had feared that his son might leave without another word, but he had been relieved when he had returned. Thranduil was finishing writing his letters while his wife bathed their daughter and readied her for bed. Thranduil had looked up as soon as he saw Legolas enter the meeting room. He perched in a chair halfway down the table as Thranduil stopped what he was doing and gave his son his full attention.

"I trust you had a lovely time with Elora?"

"She is beautiful," Legolas spoke with a nod of his head. "She will grow up to make a fine Princess."

"I agree," Thranduil nodded in agreement. "I confess, Legolas, I had many fears when I heard that Ava was pregnant."

Legolas allowed his brow to furrow as confusion took hold of him. His father was confessing that he was nervous. His father always came across confident. At times, he was overly cocky, but Legolas knew that was just the way he was. He did not often see his father look worried. He did not often see him unsettled.

"Why?" Legolas could not help but wonder.

"Because I feel as though I failed you, Legolas," Thranduil admitted to his son. "Following the battle I know that I pushed you away. I pushed both you and Tauriel away. Ava, I confess, was annoyed with the way I handled the situation. She also misses Tauriel terribly. She was a good friend to her. She misses her just as I miss you."

"I needed time," Legolas responded. "I simply needed time away from Mirkwood."

"I confess, Legolas, I feel as though I was the one who pushed you away."

"I left on my own accord," Legolas responded. "Tauriel is in Rivendell with Lord Elrond. I am glad that she is doing well, Ada."

"As am I," Thranduil said. "She was a very skilled fighter."

"And she will make an even finer teacher."

Thranduil let his lips quirk. "I am uncertain of that," he said to his son. "She trained to teach Ava and she is still terrible. On the other hand, I suspect that might just be Ava."

Legolas smirked at hearing that, nodding his head while looking to his father. "She tries very hard," he offered. "However, I thought that I should tell you that I intend to leave tomorrow. There is more of Middle Earth that I wish to explore. I suspect you also have places you wish for me to visit and conduct business? Now that the war has finished, I trust Mirkwood is looking for further peace and trade?"

Thranduil nodded. "We are always looking for peace and trade, my son," he informed him. "However, I am surprised to hear that you wish to be the one who does it. I had thought that you would want not to discuss Mirkwood."

Legolas shook his head. "I am a Prince of Mirkwood. I accept the responsibilities that come with that. I want to help whenever I can…I have had time to come to terms with everything that has happened and I believe I am ready to resume my duties, but I do not wish to stay in Mirkwood. I wish to travel."

"I see," Thranduil said with a nod of his head. "If that is what you wish then so be it, Legolas. I can think of no one better to represent Mirkwood's best interests in this time of peace."

"Thank you, Ada," Legolas said and moved to his feet. "I will speak with you in the morning."

"Of course," Thranduil said and watched his son leave the meeting room.

Thranduil finished his business and moved to his feet, his robes falling to his feet as he walked the hallways towards his own chamber. He opened the door and found his wife laid on the bed already, the blanket covering her waist as she lay on her side. Her hair was sprawled all over the pillow and her eyes were closed. Thranduil smiled at the sight of her before moving to her side of the bed. He perched down on the side of the bed and ran his hand down her bare arm. She opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, looking up to her husband and moving her hand to grab hold of his.

"How was Legolas?" she enquired from him.

"He…I do not truly know, Ava," Thranduil admitted as his wife moved to sit up, her back resting against the headboard as her hair fell down her shoulders. "He wishes to conduct business on behalf of Mirkwood throughout Middle Earth. I think that is progress."

"Legolas loves you," Ava promised him. "I think he just does not appreciate the way you have handled things."

"I suspected as much," Thranduil responded. "Perhaps there were times when I was too brash, Ava. I banished Tauriel and Legolas defended her. I…he was loyal to her. He was loyal and I should have seen that. I should have seen how much he truly cared for her."

"Well, anyone could see it, Thranduil," Ava said, tilting her head to the side. "I am certain that he shall forgive you. He shall come back home for good one day. For now, let him explore. He is young and he wishes to see what is beyond these walls."

Thranduil nodded his head, his hand moving to brush through his wife's hair, tucking it behind her ear as he kept his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes for a second, moving to cup his wrist in her grip and pull his hand from her cheek, kissing the back of it.

"Come," she urged him. "You must be tired."

"Indeed I am," Thranduil said with a nod of his head and began to prepare for bed.

Once he had removed his crown from his head, he climbed into the comfort, laying down and moving his arm out to take hold of his wife, allowing her to nestle against his side. She did so, her hand moving to rest on his chest as she felt him kiss her forehead. Closing her eyes, she moved her head slightly, letting it fall against his shoulder.

"He was besotted with Elora, however," Thranduil said in a whisper.

"It is difficult not to be," Ava responded. "She is his sister. No doubt he will return soon enough to see her."

"I do hope so."

…

Thranduil was not one to show affection openly. His subjects knew that. He reserved his true emotions for private, but there was something different when he was with his daughter. He would spend as much time as possible with the babe, carrying her through Mirkwood and standing on balconies, overlooking the views over his home as he spoke to her. No one knew what he said. Some suspected he was trying to educate her already while others suspected he spoke nothing but nonsense.

"May I?"

Thranduil looked over to the doorway, noticing his soon stood there as he remained on the balcony. Legolas moved forwards, holding his arms out as Thranduil nodded, delicately handing Elora to her elder brother. The babe was silent; her eyes wide open as her hands stretched in front of her. Legaolas smiled down to her as he cradled her in his grip.

"She has certainly taken a shine to you," Ava's voice entered their ears and she moved to stand by Legolas's side, a hand on his arm as he held her daughter.

"Well, she is a lovely babe."

"That she is," Thranduil agreed with his son.

"I hear that you are leaving us so soon. Do say you will be back sometime within the year."

"Of course," Legolas said. "I cannot miss seeing this one grow up."

"I am glad to hear it," Ava beamed.

Legolas bid his farewells, handing Elora back to Ava before he left them alone. Thranduil stared after his son before feeling his wife stand by his side. He moved to wrap an arm around her, bending down to kiss her chastely as she held onto Elora. It was another few moments before she spoke, her voice low and soft.

"Do you think we should have told him of Aragorn?" Ava enquired. "Tauriel is training him. Perhaps he might need training from Legolas too? He has a large weight placed on his shoulders if he is to take his rightful place one day."

Nodding his head, Thranduil seemed to consider what he was hearing from his wife. "Perhaps he will know one day," he said in a soft voice. "But for now, let him have peace."

TA 3018

The years passed on by and Thranduil watched his daughter grow. He watched her develop from a babe to a child and now she was a young woman. She had grown into a mixture of her father and mother. She had her mother's look. Her dark hair was unruly down her back while her eyes were exactly like her father's. She had turned into an excellent fighter, much to Thranduil's worry. She could wield a sword to rival her father and she was very much the one who preferred to fight than to read.

"Ada, when is Legolas returning home?"

Elora looked to her father as she finished breaking her fast with him that morning. Ava was still getting ready and reading through letters she had received. Looking to his daughter, Thranduil had to admit that he could not answer his daughter's question. He did not know when his son would return again. Legolas had proven to be rather flighty.

Thankfully, Thranduil did not have chance to answer as his wife entered, cradling a letter to her chest as she saw him. She moved with haste, her feet hitting the ground quickly as Thranduil moved to his feet and held his arms out to his wife, sensing her distress as he moved his hands to her arm. Elora looked confused at her parents movement, but she remained mute.

"What is it?" he asked from her.

"It…Thranduil…it is back…"

"What is back?" Thranduil worried.

"What my father sought to destroy all of those years ago. The One Ring has been found. My father has called for a council. Elves…dwarves…men…he has asked for them to come and work together. Thranduil, he worries for the future. He worries what will happen. Arwen wrote to me and she agreed. She has never seen Ada this worried."

"What is the One Ring?" Elora was the one to question.

"It is evil," Thranduil answered, his hands still holding onto his wife as he looked to his daughter. "It was crafted by Sauron in the firest of Mount Doom. It was created in the hope-"

"-That it could be the one ring to rule them all. The Rings of Power…he wanted it to be more powerful than that, correct?"

"Indeed," Thranduil responded with a nod of his head and then looked to his wife. "What does your father want?"

"He wishes for us to travel to Rivendell and attend," Ava said. "He wishes to see us to discuss the options. He does not think it possible for us to hide in Mirkwood throughout this."

"And what do you wish for?" Thranduil asked of his wife.

"I want to go to him," she said with a nod of her.

Thranduil brought her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "Then we shall go."

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!