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Interrupted Journeys: Part 1 New Journeys  by elliska

AN: This series of stories will trace the lives of Thranduil and Legolas from the beginning of the Third Age to their departures to Valinor, exploring major and minor canon events along the way: ex. Thranduil's marriage (it's canon--he was Legolas's father, right?), his move to the stronghold in the north, the birth of Legolas, the appearance of the Balrog in Moria, through to the events in The Hobbit and the Battle Under the Trees and the War of the Ring. Some parts may be more interesting to readers than others. It is entirely written and I will post a few chapters every day until it is up. Most of the parts can be read as separate stories (and they will be thusly posted) but references will be made between them.

The first 'chapter' that follows this note is just a prologue that will not be entirely understood until you get to the very last chapter. The action of New Journeys begins in the following section labeled 'Presence of the Shadow.' New Journeys is in itself rather long. The first few chapters 'set up' some characters and events that will be important as the story progresses. If they don't seem to entirely make sense now, be patient--they will later. For those of you that are followers of Anti Evil!Thranduil--never fear. I very much am part of that camp as well. On with the story.

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Chapter One: From the Shores of Valinor

127 of the Fourth Age in Valinor

Legolas sat on the dock looking east and watching the sunrise.

Legolas knew that watching the sunrise was something his father made a habit of in Middle Earth. He wondered if he still did that in Valinor but normally never awoke early enough to notice. Sometimes the elvenprince enjoyed the lack of responsibility that he had in Valinor—no forest to defend, no diplomatic missions, no trade disputes, no supply problems, no realm to rule. On the other hand, even after five years he still felt adrift here. He found himself on the dock this morning looking across the sea towards Middle Earth and back in time.

The sun was fully over the horizon when Legolas felt someone sit next to him on the dock. He smiled. Elves or not, there was only one person in Valinor that could approach him unawares.

“Good morning, Adar,” he said with a little more melancholy in his voice than he intended.

Thranduil frowned slightly. “Do you still miss it, ion nin?”

Legolas raised his eyebrows. “Do you not, Adar? You do not miss Eryn Lasgalen?”

Thranduil laughed lightly. “I still miss Doriath, ion nin. Of course, I miss Eryn Lasgalen.” Thranduil reached for his son’s left hand and looked at the mithril ring on his index finger, reading the runes engraved on it amongst the leaf pattern—Aran o Eryn Galen.

Legolas smiled sadly. “Take it, Adar. I never wanted it.”

“It belongs to you, ion nin.”

They sat quietly.

“More than I miss the wood, I miss the people,” Legolas said softly.

In Legolas’s eyes, Thranduil could almost see the faces of the mortals lost to Legolas forever and the elves that still chose to stay in Mandos’ Halls, so intense were the memories he was reliving that moment in his mind.

“I know, guren,” Thranduil replied putting a strong father’s arm around his son’s shoulders. All the times his father comforted him in this way began to flash through his mind. “I remember talking to you when you were still an elfling about the hurts that arise from becoming too attached to mortals,” Thranduil continued and felt his son tense.

“I know, Adar. I am no longer an elfling. I do not need the lecture again,” he bristled.

“Then I will not lecture you,” Thranduil replied calmly.

Legolas laughed inwardly. There had been a time when he would have been in serious trouble for taking that tone with his father. “I think Valinor has had a very positive affect on you, Adar,” he said with some amusement in his voice.

Thranduil smiled. “It has ion nin. Do you know why?”

Legolas looked at his father, smiling knowingly in return. “Of course I do, Adar.”

“Well, I will tell you anyway because I am not sure if you truly know the most important reason why. The most positive affect Valinor has had on me is that it has finally brought you and I together. Since you were born, that is what I have wanted more than anything else.”

Legolas’s brow knitted together at that. “Adar, except when we were separated by the sea, we have always been together. We were the only family we had. We were always very close.”

Thranduil closed his eyes. “We may have been close but we were never together. Either I was working or you were fighting somewhere. I think I spent your entire childhood working and your entire adulthood waiting for you to come back to the stronghold from battle and praying you would not be too badly wounded when you did. I love Valinor because I have you right here.” The arm tightened reflexively around Legolas’s shoulders.

The younger elf smiled. “I agree with you there, Adar.”

“Ada!” yelled a high pitched voice.

Legolas turned with some alarm and opened his arms in time to catch a four year old elfing from flying off the end of the dock into the ocean after she launched herself at him. He drew her into his lap, arms firmly about her waist and tried to speak sternly to her despite the tug he already felt at his lips while looking at her flushed face. She must have run all the way from the house. “What are you doing here, iell nin? You are not allowed by the sea alone. We have discussed this a hundred times.”

“And I have told you to take me when you go. I could not find you this morning. You are never where I expect you to be. I missed you,” the elfling replied, pouting at her father. 

Legolas drew her against his chest. “I seem to have a problem with that,” he joked, looking at his father who was stifling a laugh.

“I always wanted a daughter, ion nin, but seeing how she rules you, perhaps I should be glad I only had one son.”

“Indeed, “ Legolas replied dryly, trying to turn his thoughts from his past across the sea to the present in his arms.

Thranduil smiled at his granddaughter and she squirmed happily from her father’s lap to his. This elicited a laugh from Thranduil as Legolas frowned at his daughter’s easy defection. “She looks just like her mother, Legolas.”

Legolas simply nodded to that, turning his eyes back to Middle Earth.

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Adar/Ada--Father/Dad
ion nin--my son
iell nin--my daughter
Aran o Eryn Galen--King of Greenwood
guren--my heart





        

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