Hello to all readers. Just a quick disclaimer before the story: this contains original characters and events which are not canon. There will eventually be a backstory to the new characters, but for now please bear with it!

I'm also a huge fan of The Mellon Chronicles series by Cassia Siobhan, so much so that over the years I have incorporated it (at least partly) into my own view of Middle Earth. Because of this, I have made some allusions to its events in my own work – especially of how Aragorn and Legolas meet. Hopefully this won't offend anyone and I hope that you can forgive any conflicts with your own LOTR views. :)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

It had been surprising knowledge to Legolas's immediate family to discover that he had made acquaintance, and even the beginnings of a friendship, with a human. It was even greater news when he addressed them one day in early winter to ask for permission to invite the man to stay at the palace for Yule, which was traditionally a large-scale celebration for Wood-elves.

Humans were seldom, if ever, brought into the main province of the kingdom of Mirkwood, and the only human contact the King usually tolerated was with the people of Esgaroth – and this was strictly for trading purposes, so the relationship was only one of diplomatic courteousness.

His father and cousins had been aware of this new friendship with Strider for some time, ever since Legolas had related to them his meeting with the ranger during one of his scouting trips outside the forest. Aragorn was still an inexperienced young man and had forayed into the area, hoping to cross into the woods unseen. It was through an unfortunate encounter with orcs that the human had been badly wounded and required the prince's intervention to save him. When Legolas brought Aragorn back to the palace for recovery, King Thranduil had taken him in only out of his moral sense of duty to save the young man's life – however insignificant it may have been to him – and at his son's own insistence. Legolas had learned of Aragorn's association with Lord Elrond, and the prince had made sure to emphasise this connection to his father to help gain his approval of such a relationship with a human.

This morning the family were at breakfast – Thranduil, Legolas, and the king's nieces, Luana and Lamiel. A servant walked away after placing the last of the serving dishes onto the dining table.

Legolas had chosen this morning to question his father about a matter that had crossed his mind a lot recently.

"Adar?" he said tentatively.

Thranduil looked up in answer.

"You know I have become increasingly good friends with Strider."

There was a pause.

Legolas decided to abandon caution and ask his father plainly. "I'd like your permission to invite him as a guest for Yule. Would it be fine with you?"

The king furrowed his brow a little. "Legolas…" He began. He looked down at the fork in his hand and sighed. "You should know I don't approve of your making any close connections with humans." He then looked at his son directly in the eye. "I appreciate the fact that you may have already formed acquaintance with him, and perhaps even trust him, but I do not. I barely know the man from the last time you brought him here, and in all honesty I do not have any great desire to do so." He did not insult the ranger intentionally, nor Legolas's choice of friendship, but the king usually spoke plainly about his opinions as was the privilege of his status.

Legolas ignored the comment and answered cheerfully, "but you could get to know him."

Lamiel cut in before her uncle could have any time to respond to this. "So how would he be getting here – if he were to come?" she asked pleasantly.

"Oh, he'll be walking here from Imladris, I'm sure. He prefers it to riding. I think he enjoys having the freedom to roam, as one of the Dunèdain. Sometimes he goes for weeks in the wilderness!" Legolas said with a grin. He himself enjoyed wandering and would venture far beyond the borders of the forest to satisfy his desire for exploration, and to be on his own, but he had never been away from home for as much time as his mortal friend – his duties as a prince restricted the time he could spend away.

"He sounds very intriguing!"

"He is!" laughed Legolas. "I'd love for you to meet him. I'm sure you'd get on well," he said to Luana and Lamiel, although he intentionally avoided making this last statement about Thranduil.

"I trust he'll avoid the plateau this time; from your account of your last excursion there, the presence of orcs is becoming an increasing problem," said Lamiel quite seriously.

"Oh, I'm sure he won't be making that mistake again," replied the prince in a low voice.

"What does Strider do in the wild?" asked Luana.

"Well, you are aware of what the rangers do to protect their lands from threat."

She nodded.

"Strider has chosen to follow this path, and has been training to track and fight, as well as improve his survival skills. He is young and has a lot to learn."

Thranduil watched with some irritation. He interjected, trying to claim back the role of speaker in this conversation. "I've never invited a human as a special guest at one of our celebrations before."

"Adar," said Legolas with great sincerity, "please let him come. I understand that it is no small gesture on your part, but please do me this favour. He is my friend and I wish to welcome him to our home."

Thranduil sighed again. "Very well," he said at last, but with no small hint of reluctance in his voice.

Legolas smiled gratefully back at his father, and the four continued on with their meal, the conversation topic quickly changed.

Although it could not be seen from the windowless breakfast hall, the snow had already begun to descend in small flakes in anticipation of the coming season.

Thranduil and Legolas relaxed together in a private sitting room that evening, enjoying a glass of wine after dinner, as they often did. On the other side of the room a fire was crackling gently. They often devoted this time to discussing the events of their day, and to enjoy talking to each other about every possible subject as father and son. In their current conversation, the matter of Aragorn's visit had surfaced again.

The king rested his head against his hand, supported by the arm of the elegant sofa. He looked at his son. So much had changed in the last year since the prince's chance encounter with the ranger. As peculiar as it was for any elf to develop a friendship with a human in these days – and to be so eager to kindle it – for Legolas this was an even greater milestone. His past experiences with humans had been few and unpleasant; their race had caused him severe pain in his early youth. Thranduil was certainly not of the mind to encourage this relationship. However, his son's apparent forgiveness of the wrongs committed by those whom his father saw as Aragorn's people, made his father very surprised and even a little proud, although he did not admit it. Thranduil, however – although a just king with a reasonable heart – had no personal regard for humans. Legolas's rapid change of heart was bewildering to him. So much had changed in a short time, and all because of the ranger… He was intrigued to know why. "What is it about this particular man that you like so much?" asked Thranduil.

Legolas paused for a moment and smiled, although he did not look directly at his father. "You know, I haven't really thought about it," he murmured. It took a few minutes for him to delve into his own mind and question what exactly it was he liked about Strider. "He has so much courage in him for one so young, it's quite surprising –" he stopped short and remembered how he had encountered Aragorn in the first place, alone and injured on the border of the forest after boldly attempting to cross through what was, unbeknownst to the confident fledgling ranger, familiar orc territory. The man had been caught off-guard and outnumbered. Legolas reworded his description quickly. "Well, courage to the point of stubbornness would be the best way of describing him!" laughed the prince. "Maybe we have that in common." He saw his father raise an eyebrow at this. "He has a very good heart, and keen intelligence. And I think above all, great loyalty to those he regards as friend."

"And you say he lives with Elrond in Imladris?" Thranduil asked rhetorically, although he knew it was true, since Legolas had told him this fact many months ago when Strider was brought to their healers. Thranduil knew what this implied about the man's identity, as he had heard the tale of Elrond taking in the heir of Isildur during childhood. "Then I suppose he must be made welcome."

"It is more than duty to make him feel welcome, Adar!" said Legolas imploringly. "He is my friend. I wish you would like him, and treat him as you would any other friend of mine."

"Legolas, you know I cannot warm to him as much as you would like me to," sighed his father truthfully. "But you have my word that I will try to make him feel comfortable as your guest."

This was enough for Legolas to be satisfied, and as much as he expected from Thranduil for now. He knew it would take a great deal of time for his father to become truly trusting of Aragorn.