Thank you to daw the minstrel for beta reading this story.

This is set in the world of May the Valar Protect Them, Journey’s End, and Hunting. Legolas is 12 years old in this story, so picture a precocious 5 year old human.  As a reminder of some of the characters: Tathiel is the elf who saved Legolas’s life in MTVPT after his mother was killed; Rawien is her husband, and their child is Emlin.  Tinánia and Eärundra are the sisters who were taken captive with Legolas in MTVPT.  Ethiwen and Urithral are their parents. Bregolas, Lathron and Celebrinduil are Legolas’s brothers, and Elumeril and Elenath are his sisters.   

This story is dedicated to Karri, who is not only wonderfully creative as a writer, but is always seeking to inspire others as the keeper of the Little Legolas Bunny Hutch (although, she has many hutches – can’t figure out how she manages to feed all these critters…).  This story is 5 chapters, it is complete, and was written in response to the child lost in a blizzard, first crush, and a Middle-earth Santa challenges that Karri set up on the flufflings board a long, long time ago.

Chapter 1: New Friends

Legolas skipped down the corridor, basket in hand, and knocked once on Tathiel’s door before pushing through it. 

“Leg’las!” cried Emlin.

Legolas caught the toddler as she flung herself at him, and lifted her into his arms and kissed her as she wrapped her arms about his neck.  “Tweet, tweet,” he answered her as he gently tugged on her golden braid, teasing her about her name for she flitted about like a little yellow bird at times.

Emlin giggled and then wriggled until he released her.  She slid to the ground and ran to the cushion where her cloak was neatly folded.  As she carefully put it on, she asked, “Did you remember your cloak today?”

Legolas grinned at her.  “I do not need a cloak.  The cold does not affect me.”

“Nana says you need a cloak,” Emlin reminded him as she ran to the door of their sleeping chamber.  “Nana!  Leg’las is here! We can go ‘cept Leg’las says he doesn’t need a cloak!”

As Tathiel walked through the door, Legolas yanked his cloak from the basket where he had stuffed it and pulled it over his head.  He felt Tathiel adjusting it and then she kissed him as he freed his face. “I see Legolas has suddenly found his cloak, Emlin.  I think he was teasing you.”

Legolas grinned at Tathiel as Emlin slipped her hand into his. “Leg’las always teases, Nana,” answered Emlin. “But he has his cloak and so now we can go!”

“I have packed us a lunch and some pencils and parchment so we can draw today,” answered Tathiel as she fastened her own cloak about her neck.   She looked them both over, ensuring shoes were on, cloaks were fastened, and baskets were ready.  “I am glad to have my helpers today, for Camnesta has given me quite a long list of fall roots and herbs that he needs.”

Emlin twirled, sending her cloak and skirt spinning around her, and danced to the door.  “Come, Nana!  Come, Leg’las!”

Tathiel took Emlin by one hand, and Legolas caught the other, and they walked out of the palace and past the guards.

“Good morning, Mistress Tathiel!” called the guard, bowing as they passed. He then took note of the children, and bowed to them as well.  “Master Legolas and Mistress Emlin. Will you bring me a flower today, Emlin?”

“Yes!” cried Emlin as she twirled in front of the guard.

“Good morning, Hador,” replied Tathiel. “We are going north along the river.  We will be home before evening meal.”

“Aye, Tathiel,” replied the guard. “It is a fine day to gather herbs.”

Legolas had stopped by the other guard, Magor, who each day pulled a bead from Legolas’s ear, or found one in the palm of his hand, and one day even made a ribbon appear in his hair by some sort of magic.  “Please, Magor, teach me to do it?” he begged, as the elf found several beads in his ear.

“You must pay more attention in your bath, Master Legolas,” teased Magor as he held out the handful of beads. “Look how they have accumulated!”

“Magor!” exclaimed Legolas, when the guard ignored his question.

“Perhaps,” replied Magor, giving in slightly, “but on a day when I am not on duty, my young prince. I do not wish to find trouble with my commander.”

Legolas grinned, knowing that Bregolas was the commander of the warriors. “I will see that he is fair with you,” he promised.

Magor clasped his hand in the warrior way, and then sent him on his way.  He caught up to Tathiel and Emlin, taking Emlin’s hand, and they walked along the river path that headed northwest away from the palace.  Legolas hummed as he walked along, glad that they would spend all day outdoors.  Tathiel had often taken him hunting for roots and herbs that the healers needed, except during the year when she carried Emlin in her belly and was so tired, and then the next year they had never gone far, for Emlin had not been walking in the spring and had not been able to walk far in the fall.  Legolas glanced down at the golden haired toddler skipping along next to him.  Emlin was a fun playmate most of the time, but she was still too small to play some games.

“We will begin here,” said Tathiel, setting her basket down.  She spread out a blanket for Emlin and Legolas to sit on, then laid out their parchment and pencils.  Showing Legolas the first plant, she had him write the name of it and describe it.  “Now you draw it, while I dig up the roots we need.”

Legolas spent the morning helping Tathiel dig roots, and then drawing all the plants she set aside for him, while Emlin contentedly drew pictures of anything she desired.  They ate lunch, and Emlin napped on the blanket while Legolas helped Tathiel sort all the remaining roots in the basket.  He had just returned to his parchment, so intent on drawing the veined leaves of one particularly unique plant and trying to make sure he had the right number of marks for that size leaf, for Tathiel said that was important for knowing if the roots were aged enough to take, that the sound of voices took him by surprise.

“Hello.”

Legolas looked up to see two young elf boys, both bigger than him but not by that much. He had never seen them before.  The taller of the two had almost black hair, which he wore pulled back from his face with two small braids, but loose down his back.  His eyes were dark too, and did not twinkle, but he seemed surprised and interested to see them.  The shorter of the two ellon was brown haired, his hair flowing free so that the wind kept blowing strands into his face, which he would brush repeatedly away from his eyes and mouth.   He was smiling, though. Their trousers were already a little dirty from their play.

“Hello,” answered Legolas.

“Hello,” chimed Emlin.

The children all looked at each other for a moment, Legolas almost too surprised to speak, for the children nearest his age that he knew were Eärundra and Elumeril, and he thought of them as almost grown up.

“What are you doing?” asked the black haired ellon.

“Digging for roots for the healers,” answered Legolas. “Though, I am drawing them as part of my lessons.”

The brown haired ellon leaned closer to look at the parchment, then he looked at Emlin’s drawing. “Yours is better than hers,” he finally said.

“Leg’las draws good,” agreed Emlin amiably.

“I am much older than Emlin,” Legolas defended her. “She draws very well for an elleth her age.” He rose to his feet, stepping between the ellyn and Emlin. Both were taller than he was, and he had to look up a little to look into their eyes. “I am Legolas.  What are your names?”

“I am Abronwë,” said the taller ellon, his voice strong and firm. “This is my seventeeth summer, and I have my own knife.”

“I am Narthan,” said the smaller ellon, his voice sweeter and kinder. “I have fifteen summers and I cannot take my knife from the cottage unless my adar or naneth is with me.”

Abronwë sniffed a little disdainfully at Narthan’s words, and Legolas decided he was not sure he liked him. He had been hoping for a sword or knife since he was very small, and he still did not have either. He nodded sympathetically at Narthan.

“How old are you?” asked Abronwë.

Legolas hesitated slightly, though he was not sure why.  He lifted his chin high. “I am twelve summers and Emlin is two summers.”

“Hello Abronwë and Narthan,” said Tathiel, as she rose from where she was digging roots behind a nearby tree.   Legolas almost laughed as both ellyn jumped, for they had not known she was there. Both children immediately smiled and bowed to her, as was proper.

“We are going to play rock and acorn. Do you want to play with us?” asked Narthan, looking at Legolas.  He quickly turned to look at Emlin, who had jumped to her feet. “Not you.  You are an elleth and too small.”

Legolas had been about to ask Tathiel if he could go, but now he looked down to see Emlin looking up at him with tears in her eyes.  “Emlin,” he began, looking from her to the ellyn, torn over wanting to play with them but not wanting to hurt Emlin.

“You may go, Legolas, but do not stray where you cannot hear me call you,” said Tathiel as she reached down to swing her daughter up into her arms.

“No, Nana!  Leg’las play with me!” cried Emlin, and she pushed away from Tathiel, as if to jump to the ground and follow the ellyn.

“Emlin, I will be back later,” cajoled Legolas.  When Tathiel motioned for him to go, he turned and ran to join Abronwë and Narthan, the sound of Emlin’s sobs fading as they made their way to a clearing where the young elves had been playing. Legolas saw the circles already set up, and he quickly began scouring the ground for rocks and acorns he could use, as his small bag was at home.

“I get to go first, then Narthan, then you,” Abronwë informed him as he dropped to the ground and assembled the acorns into a row on a flat rock. 

Legolas waited patiently while Abronwë took his first throw, knocking over two acorns with one stone.  Narthan knocked over one, and then Legolas lined up for his shot.  He eyed the acorns carefully, then flicked his wrist as he threw the stone, putting a slight spin on it, as Bregolas had taught him.  Two acorns were knocked flying off the rock, and another wobbled but did not fall. He could not help but shout at his success, and then he turned back to face his new friends.   Narthan cheered for him, but Abronwë was silent.

“Where did you learn to do that?” demanded Abronwë.

“My brother taught me,” replied Legolas gleefully.  “But that is the first time it has worked that well!”

“Show me how!” said Narthan, and Legolas showed him how to hold the rock and then flick his wrist.  Narthan’s rock went askew, but Legolas’s rock knocked down two more acorns.

“It was my turn,” said Abronwë pointedly.  He set up the two acorns that Legolas had just knocked over and then returned to the throwing spot.  He paused, and then said, “Show me how to do it.”

Legolas showed Abronwë, who immediately prospered by knocking three acorns over with one throw.  “Ai! You did it!” cried Legolas excitedly.  “I have never knocked over three.”

Abronwë laughed and smiled, and Legolas noticed that his eyes twinkled.  They finished that game and played two more, with Abronwë winning all three, but Legolas did not care.  He could not remember ever having that much fun playing before.

“Legolas, come!”

Legolas turned at the sound of Tathiel’s voice, then looked back at his friends.  “I have to go. Goodbye!” he called.

“Wait!” said Narthan.  “Are you going to play with us tomorrow?”

“I will ask my adar,” replied Legolas.  “Will you be here?”

“Meet us at the bridge after morning meal, if you can come,” replied Abronwë.

Legolas nodded.  “Goodbye!” he called, and then he ran to join Tathiel and Emlin.

* * *

“Tathiel, I showed them both how to spin the rock so that it knocked down more acorns, and Abronwë could do it.  I liked playing with them,” said Legolas as he ran to grab his basket. He scooped it up off the ground, careful not to spill what Tathiel had carefully packed in it. “They asked if I could play again tomorrow.”

“You will need to ask your adar, but I think he will be glad that you have found some friends near your age,” replied Tathiel, as she shifted Emlin in her arms.  Once her shawl was snugly tied, holding her daughter against her, she was able to easily carry the baskets.  “What will you play tomorrow, if your adar gives his permission for you to go?”

“I do not know,” answered Legolas. “I bet they know lots of things we can do.”

Tathiel smiled as Legolas skipped along in front of her, listening as he made a song about his day of play.  As sad as Emlin was over the loss of her adored Legolas for the afternoon, Tathiel was glad Legolas had had the opportunity to play with other children. He spent much of his time with adults or much older children, and Emlin, whom he treated like a little sister.   While she found Abronwë tough on the outside, she had immediately liked Narthan.  She would give Abronwë time, and learn more about him.

“Lathron!” Tathiel heard Legolas calling his brother’s name, and looked ahead to see Lathron walking to them.   Legolas began to run to him, and Tathiel could hear him telling Lathron in a breathless, excited voice, about his two new friends.  As Tathiel joined them, Lathron took the baskets from her and they continued to walk to the palace, listening to Legolas chatter all the way. The guards welcomed them back, grinning enthusiastically at Legolas’s news of new friends.

Lathron carried the baskets into her chambers, setting them on a table in the middle of the room.  He pulled Legolas back against him, resting his hands on Legolas’s shoulders and lightly tapping Legolas on the cheek.  “Bregolas will teach me more tricks,” finished Legolas with a flourish of his hands, knowing the signal to cease.

“Bregolas is full of tricks,” agreed Lathron with a smile. “Now it is time for you to come clean up for dinner. Will you be joining us, Tathiel?”

Tathiel glanced down at her soundly sleeping daughter, tired out from a day of fresh air and play. “No, thank you, Lathron.  I do not think Emlin will wake up.”

“Cook will send up something for you,” replied Lathron, one eyebrow arching when Tathiel would have argued that she could make her own meal.  She demurred, knowing better than to argue with this one of the king’s sons.  When Rawien was off on the business of the king, the king saw to it that Tathiel and Emlin were well looked after.

She bent down to kiss Legolas on the forehead.  “I will see you tomorrow, Legolas.”

Legolas reached up to hug her and kiss Emlin on the cheek, and she felt pride stir deep inside her at this sweet child that she still thought of as partially hers.  As she often did, she thought of how blessed she was that the king and his family still shared him with her, and indeed, included her and her family as part of their own.

* * *

“Please, Ada, may I go?” finished Legolas, bouncing on his bed as Thranduil attempted to draw back the covers to tuck him in. Thranduil finally scooped the bouncing child off his feet, swept back the blankets, and plopped Legolas down on his pillow. “That was fun!  Do it again!” cried Legolas. He was starting to scramble to his feet when Thranduil pulled the blankets over his head.

“It is time to sleep, my exuberant one,” he answered. “You may play with your new friends tomorrow, as long as Tathiel knows where you are and you come home when she calls for you.”

Legolas pushed the blankets down and grinned up at him. Thranduil could not help but smile at the enthusiasm embodied before him, and he was glad to see his youngest child so happy.

“I wonder if they will come to the Mid-winter feast,” said Legolas as he yawned, his day catching up with him. “We could make a team in the hunt for treasures afterward, and I could help them because I know where all the best hiding places are in the Great Hall.”

Thranduil watched as his blonde whirlwind settled quickly into sleep, eyes half closed and breathing deep and even, and he marveled as he always did at the years of childhood, when the cares and excitement of the day were so easily born and so easily cast aside in favor of a contented night’s sleep.  Putting his children to bed had long been one of his favorite times of the day, a privilege of fatherhood that he had exercised with every child from Bregolas to Legolas.  Narawen had awakened them and helped them to start their day, and she had spent time with them in the evening, but he had tucked them into their beds, listened to them talk about their days, told them stories and sung them songs, and finally watched them drift into sleep. Even then he sat a while longer, holding each little one in his thoughts as he pondered his hopes for their present and their future.  During the years of Legolas’s absence, he had come often to this little room and sat beside his bed, his hopes for his son’s safe return the deepest cry of his soul, lifted up to the Valar and to Eru himself.

He stroked his son’s head one last time, and leaned over to kiss his forehead. Then he walked to the room on the other side of his own, where Elumeril waited for him, ready to tell him about her day and her rising excitement for her sister Elenath’s wedding, planned for the coming spring.

The only mar to his happiness was that Narawen was not there with them.

* * *

Legolas waved to Tathiel and Emlin as he ran to the bridge, glad that Emlin had not cried when he left this time.  He could see Abronwë and Narthan sitting on the rocks just beyond the wooden bridge, skipping stones into the river.  They rose as he ran to join them.

“We were just ready to leave without you,” said Abronwë.

“We thought your adar would not let you come,” advised Narthan.

“He said I could come,” Legolas corrected them happily.  “What will we play today?”

“We want to see your pony,” said Narthan suddenly.

Legolas looked carefully from one ellon to the other. “I do not have permission to go to the stables,” he finally said.

“Why did you not tell us that your father is the king?” asked Abronwë abruptly.

Legolas took a step backward, momentarily confused.  “You did not ask me,” he finally answered.  He thought Abronwë’s face was suddenly unfriendly and he turned to look at Narthan instead.  Narthan seemed less unfriendly. “Does that matter?” he asked softly.

Narthan looked at Abronwë, but Abronwë did not answer. He turned back to Legolas.  “Not to me.  Let’s go to the river and throw stones.”

Legolas fell into step with Narthan, who began to whistle cheerfully, and he felt better.  Abronwë joined them reluctantly, but he did not say anything more.  They came to a spot on the river that Legolas had visited before, for Celebrinduil had taught him to skip stones there.  Legolas and Narthan quickly began searching for good skipping stones. Abronwë had several in his pocket already, and he pulled one out and got three skips out of it as it flew across the water.

“That was good!” cheered Legolas.  He waited while Narthan found a good stone, and threw second, also getting three skips.  Legolas then stepped forward, fitting the stone between his thumb and first finger, and setting a slight spin on it as he sent it flying out over the water.  He cheered for himself as he also got three skips.

“Did your brother also teach you to skip stones?” asked Abronwë.

Legolas nodded.  “Celebrinduil taught me to skip stones.”

“How many brothers do you have?” asked Narthan.

“Three,” replied Legolas absently as he searched for another stone.  “Bregolas, Lathron and Celebrinduil.”

“You forgot Alagos,” said Abronwë snidely.

Legolas straightened, his brow furrowing as he looked at his friend.  “Alagos too, but he is in Mandos’ Hall.”

“With your naneth,” added Abronwë.

Legolas stood up straight, an uncomfortable feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.  He did not understand why Abronwë wanted to know so much about his family, or why he was bringing up his dead brother and mother. “Yes, with my naneth,” he finally answered cautiously.  He suddenly wished he were home.

“I am sorry you do not have a naneth,” added Narthan kindly.  “My grandfather is in Mandos’ Halls too.”

“I have Tathiel,” replied Legolas, when both ellyn waited for him to speak. “And I have my sisters.”

“Your mother died on the day you were born, and so did your brother,” said Abronwë. “My naneth says they would not have died if you had not been born that day.”

Legolas felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach.  He hurt and he couldn’t breathe, and he didn’t know why Abronwë was talking about this.  He knew the story of that day. He knew it made his adar very sad to talk about it.

“I was not born on purpose!” he cried out angrily, unsure why he was angry and not understanding what Abronwë was saying. He threw his rock to the ground, his hands trembling and he squeezed his fingers into fists to stop them.

Narthan’s eyes had widened in surprise, but Abronwë laughed. “My naneth said that your naneth the queen should not have been traveling when she was carrying you anyway.  They died and you were taken away and the warriors had to spend years searching for you.”

Legolas felt hot tears sting his eyes and begin to slip down his cheeks.  He brushed them away when Abronwë laughed and said, “Do not be a baby.  It does not matter anyway.”

“I have to go home,” choked Legolas.  “Goodbye, Narthan.  Goodbye, Abronwë.”  He turned on his heel and ran back towards the palace.

 * * * * *