Chapter 1
“Elvish” (meaning)
P.S. story is told from King Thranduil’s point of view
One day in early spring, while the breeze played with the leaves of my beloved forest, I sat at my desk working on important documents to keep the kingdom running smoothly. Although I longed to go out into the forest, spending my time listening blissfully to the sounds of nature. But alas I knew the responsibility of ruling a kingdom must come first. It was mid-day almost time for lunch, I was about to leave and head for my chambers, when a soft tentative knock on the door sounded. I thought it was another advisor coming to haul me off to a meeting, or to bring me more paperwork.
“Enter!” I called harsher than I meant too. I reseated myself waiting for the unlucky advisor, who was about to be on the receiving end of my temper, to enter. But to my surprise, instead of one of my aggravating advisors, a tiny blonde head nervously peeked out from behind the door. I recognized the visitor immediately to be, my very curious, 157 year old elfling in the eyes of the elves, but only five in mortal years, Legolas. Whom I love with all my heart, and vowed to protect with my life after I lost my wife.
Stepping further into the room, “Las wanna ask something, but Las ask later, sorry Ada (Daddy).” he explained, turning to leave.
“No, that’s alright greenleaf, I was just finishing, in fact I have something to ask of you as well.” I called to him, amused by his respectful princely manner. When he turned to face me, I had to stifle a laugh, for his eyes grew big in wonder, and curiosity. I pushed my chair back, and crouched in front of my chair, and spread my arms inviting him to come to me. I couldn’t hold back a laugh as he threw himself at me, wrapping his little arms around my neck, and buried his face in the crook of my neck.
Still crouching, I asked my precious greenleaf. “Alright, ion nin (my son) what is it you wanted to ask me?” He was about to speak, but a frown appeared on his adorable little face. Worried yet curious I asked, “What’s wrong greenleaf?”
He look at me worriedly, with his beautiful silver-blue eyes, and answered, “Las not remember Ada!” Then he buried his head in my chest, in frustration.
Chuckling as I took hold of him and stood up, hugging him tightly to my chest, I reassured him, “It’s alright Lend Dithen Las nin (my sweet little leaf), I’m sure you’ll remember soon. Now, until you do may, I ask you my question?” Feeling him nod against my chest, I asked, “Would you like to go outside, and visit the Forest River? We could have a picnic?” I didn’t have to wait very long, for him to answer.
His head shot up, his eyes wide and mouth agape, staring at me in shock. At my questioning gaze he exclaimed, “That my question, how you know, did Ada (Daddy) read Las’ mind?” A moment later we broke out laughing, then headed for the kitchens to have a picnic prepared. After preparing the basket, and retrieving a blanket, we made our way to the Forest River, walking past smiling servants, happy to see their mighty king spending time with their precious little princeling.
Once there, I choose a spot that was shaded by the branches of a tree, setting my son down, working together we set out the blanket and food. I let him go play in the meadow, after making sure he understood where he could and could not go, or do. I sat down under the tree just contented to watch my most precious treasure, the last thing my wife left me, my only child, my baby play.
After about an hour of playing, I called out to my little elfling, who was chasing a butterfly, for it was time to eat lunch. He stopped chasing the butterfly, and ran over to me as fast as his little legs could carry him. When he was within reach I caught him and pulled him into my lap, and started tickling him.
“Ah .... no Ada .... no tickle .... Las!” he exclaimed between giggles, and watery eyes. “If you want me to stop, then you have to make me.” I answered knowing that he couldn’t make me stop, for I was too strong. Through his tears and giggles he said, “No fair Ada (Daddy), you .... too strong .... for Las.”
After I was finished tickling him senseless. I leaned against the tree trunk, with Legolas in my lap resting against my chest, and handed him his food. When we finished, I proceed to chase my son, trying to catch him. Once I finally caught him, I walked with him to the river, so he could look into the water from the rocks at the edge. I sat in the grass close to the river with my son on my right, ready to catch him, should the rocks give way and send my baby towards the fast raging river.
“Look Ada, a little bunny!” My son called, pointing to a bunny on the other side of the river. I turned to see the bunny my son pointed out, but then I heard a strange noise, emanating from my right.
That’s when I realized the noise was the rocks shifting beneath my child. That’s when I heard my baby give a terrified scream calling my name, screaming for me to help him. I reacted as fast as I could, but unfortunately not fast enough to catch him. I stared in horror as my baby slid into the river, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I watched terrified as my son struggled to keep his head above the water, struggling for each breathe.
“Hold on Dithen Las nin, Ada’s coming! (my little leaf, Daddy’s)” I called, before I dove in after him, without a second thought for my own safety. I proceeded to search the water for my precious baby, frantically looking for any sign of my son.
“Ada! Ada, please help, Las not good swim! Ada, please help Las!” I heard him scream desperately calling for my aid. With my hope renewing as I spotted my child clinging for life to a floating branch.
“I’m coming Las, just try to hold on till I reach you, alright! Everything’s going to be alright, okay just look at me, Ada’s going to help his beloved Las!” I yelled, trying to calm him down, trying to keep him calm so he wouldn’t panic. While, I was pushing with all my might to close the distance between us, desperate to reach dithen ion nin (my little son). I noticed the branch, my baby was clinging to, was headed towards a boulder. To my continued horror, I helplessly watch as the branch collided with the boulder, and sent my son into a powerful downward pulling current.
Time seemed to slow down after his golden head disappeared under the surface, I was beyond worried, and terrified for the well being of my son. I was not going to let another member of my family be taken from me. I had already lost my father to war, my mother to grief, and my wife to murderous humans. Legolas is the only one I have left, he is my whole world, without him I having nothing left to live for. I wouldn’t be able to keep on living for the sake of my kingdom, if I lost my precious Legolas.
Praying to the Valar, for my son’s safety, and dove beneath the surface after him, with the last of my strength. Once under, I calmly opened my eyes, I took in my surroundings careful not to miss a single thing. As the minutes went by unable to find my son, hope dwindling and dread rising, but finally I spotted him. Upon reaching him, I grabbed his little hand tightly in order to pull him to my chest, securing my hold on his tiny limp frame.
I shot up to the surface as fast as I could, desperate to get my beautiful baby to the top. A minute later reaching the surface, I stopped to take a deep breathe to calm myself, for I knew now was not the time to panic.
After, I finally calmed myself down a little, I began to swim towards the shore, desperate to get both of us out of the cold water. Swimming closer to the shore, I spotted a root from a tree, and put all my focus into grabbing the root. Grabbing the root, I pulled my son and myself towards it, and continued to climb out of the dangerous Forest River.
Once I was on the shore, I decided the further away from the river the better, so I moved a good twenty feet from the river edge. Finally, feeling my son and I were safe, I kneeled on the ground, I took off my cloak and spread it out for my son to lay on. Looking over my child, I was grateful he only had a few bumps and bruises and scratches, but what worried me the most was that he wasn’t moving.
“Legolas? Come on Dithen Las nin (my little leaf), can you hear me?” I called gently, and began to gently shake him, trying to wake him up. But, he remained unresponsive, and the longer he did, the more I began to think the worst. “Come on dithen las, please wake up, please. Ada’s here, I have you now, you’re safe.” I was beginning to become hysteric, terrified I had lost my only child, and my last living relative, I gently picked up the tiny elfling. And held the tiny form of my beautiful, precious baby to my chest, unwilling to let go.
I sat there, just holding him as tears started rolling unashamedly down my face, calling out, “No, no, no, please Valar, don’t let it be so! Not my baby, not Lend Dithen Las nin (my sweet little leaf)!” I wailed, allowing myself to fall deeper into despair over the loss of my son, whom had barely begun to live.
I continued to cry and call out for my son to come back to me for several minutes, but a faint noise caught my attention. I sat there just listening to the forest around me, trying to locate the source. Then, I heard it again, I determined it was a low raspy moan. Immediately I looked down at my son hope sparking deep within my core. As I watched my child, dreading each passing moment, waiting to see if what I heard was real and not in my head. Finally, Legolas shifted slightly, and started struggling to open his small beautiful silver-blue eyes. After, a minute of waiting, relief and utter joy flooded through my being, as his eyes finally opened. I sat completely still as he oriented himself, once he was oriented he stared up at me.
“Ada?” He inquired in a raspy whisper. Hearing my sweet little elfling’s voice calling me, I felt as fresh tears of joy and relief fall. “Oh, Legolas I thought I had lost you.” I told him, letting him hear the unconditional love I hold for him in my voice. I held him tighter against myself as his eyes began to mist over in tears threatening to spill.
“Shh, shh, it’s alright baby, you’re safe now, Ada’s here. I won’t let anything else happen to you Dithen Las nin.” I gently hushed him, holding him tightly to my body, as silent sobs racked his tiny body. “Ada, no leave Las!” He begged me through his tears, burying his head into my shoulder, and wrapping his tiny arms tightly around my neck fearing to let go.
“Shh, Las it’s okay, I’m not going anywhere, I will never leave you. I’m here, Ada’s here, I love you Dithen Las nin.” I shushed him, while lovingly running my fingers through his hair, humming a lullaby his mother used to sing. Slowly his sobs quieted, and his breathing slowed as the lullaby calmed him. Once, he was calm he looked up at me with his wide teary eyes, silently begging me not to let him go.
“I love you too, Ada. We go home now? I no wanna be here now.” He whispered, muffled by my tunic as he burying his head into my shoulder, and I couldn’t deny I was in complete agreement with him on going home. “Yes, baby of course we can go home now.” I answered his quietly asked question, as I stood up I felt him shiver, still wet from the water of the river.
I bent down to pick up my cloak, and wrapped it around my son, covering his little head to keep him warm from head to toe.
After, securing my cloak tightly around him, adjusting my hold on him, I started walking towards the palace. As I walked along the path, I kept telling him words of comfort, and love to instill a sense of safety in his being. When we reached the palace, walking into the courtyard staying at the edges, entering the palace discreetly, instead of walking through the most commonly used halls, I used my knowledge of the secret or less commonly traveled halls to give my elfling as much privacy as possible.
Finally, after navigating through the twisting and turning passageways, we reached the hall where the royal family chambers were located. Entering my private chambers, after grabbing a spare set of clothes for Legolas, I went straight to the bathroom to draw a bath for him, and removed his cold wet clothes. After, setting Legolas in the bath, I went to my chamber door and called a maid and requested that food be brought to my chambers. Deciding it would be better for us to eat dinner in private. Upon returning to the bathroom, I set about washing my filthy elfling, cleaning away the dirt and dust.
Once Legolas was clean, lifting him from the tub, I dried him off and dressed him in his nightclothes. Holding him, I walked to my bed pulling the covers back, gently placing him on the bed and replacing the sheets. I noticed the tray of food on the table, bringing it to the bed I handed Legolas his food and sat next to him. When we finished I took the plates and set them on the table, and was about go into the bathroom to ready myself for bed. When Legolas spoke for the first time since we left the Forest River.
“Ada, can Las sleep with you, Las no be alone?” He asked, still frightened from his recent ordeal. I could tell he was afraid of being alone still, even though he didn’t say it. “Of course, greenleaf, you are always welcome to sleep with me anytime you like.” Silently grateful for I didn’t want to let Legolas out of my sight yet.
After, reading myself for bed, I turned to the balcony doors, and I opened the curtains, for my child still needed to sleep with a light on. I lit a candle in the bathroom incase Legolas needed to go in the night, and one by the bed. Climbing into the bed I layed on my side, I held still as Legolas crawled over and snuggled against me. Wrapping my arms tightly around him, holding close to my heart, never wanting to let him go.
“Ada?” I heard Legolas call softly. “Yes, baby?” I asked wondering why he wasn’t falling asleep, when he said pleadingly, “Please, no leave Las, Las no wanna be alone.” Looking down at him, I saw his silver-blue eyes staring pleadingly up at me. “Shh, Legolas baby, I will never leave you. I will always be here to help and protect you, but most of all to love you with all of my heart and soul.” I assured him, smiling warmly, trying to rid him of these doubts brought up by the events at the river.
“Good Las no wanna be alone, night-night Ada, Las love you.” He whispered, starting to feel sleepy from his unusually exciting/scary day. “Good night baby, Ada loves you too, sweet dreams.” I replied soothingly, feeling sleepy myself from the day’s events. I stayed up to make sure Legolas fell asleep, peaceful and restful, listening for the sound of his even and deep breathing. A few minutes later of waiting, I heard his breathing even out and deepen, and I finally allowed myself to fall asleep. Not once letting go of Lend Dithen Las nin (my sweet little leaf), enjoying the feel of him snuggled up against my side.
The End
