Thranduil Imagines

Reminiscence

Legolas had searched the entirety of the elven kingdom for his parents. They were not in the royal dining room, the King's study, the gardens, the throne room, or any conceivable place Legolas could possibly think of.

The young elf sighed.

He sought his parents to report to them the situation of the spiders; Legolas and the Royal Guard had spent the day eliminating spiders in the Mirkwood forest, and they had finally succeeded in taking them all out. Unfortunately, the spiders would only return, but the forest was safe for now.

Legolas paused momentarily as the one place he hadn't searched crossed his mind. His parents' chambers.

He sighed again.

Legolas hesitated to further seek his parents in their quarters. On several occasions, Legolas had entered, unintentionally causing irreversible trauma for himself with what he had seen. Fortunately, Legolas had become more knowledgeable on how to avoid those...situations. Legolas had since learned to only enter if there were guards in front of the doors; otherwise, Legolas should stay away, lest he see things to further cause trauma.

Legolas made up his mind. His father had asked for the report before Legolas left for his duties, and Legolas knew his father would certainly not be pleased should he not find his parents and report to them.

Fortunately for the young elf, the doors to his parents' chambers were guarded.

Upon seeing the young elven prince, the guards stepped aside and allowed Legolas to enter.

Legolas found the King and Queen of Mirkwood sitting on the floor beside their bed, digging through a large wooden trunk. The trunk was carved with swirly embellishments resembling trees with falling leaves, and the handles were leafed with silver. Legolas recognised the trunk immediately.

"Is that my old toy box?" He asked, garnering the attention of his parents. The Queen smiled at her son, opening her arms in a welcoming gesture.

"It is, ion nin! It had been sitting here for many centuries, so your Ada and I decided to open it," she picked up a small silvery blue tunic, delicately holding it up to show her son, "This was your first outfit! Look how small you used to be!" The Queen brought the tunic closer to her chest, her eyes sparkling with joy. She turned to her husband, who watched her with a small smile and a light in his eyes that brought out the iridescent blue colour in his irises.

"Your mother insisted on dressing you in it the day you were born. You were still quite small, so it was a little big on you, but I obliged. You were an adorable little elfling," the King spoke, reaching out to hold his wife's hand. She accepted his larger one, and he squeezed her smaller hand slightly, then bringing it to his lips, he ended the gesture with a small kiss to her knuckles. The Queen's smile grew as she gazed into the face of her lover.

Legolas moved closer to the couple, peering slightly at the artefacts they had already withdrawn from the trunk. He spotted a small quiver with arrows and a bow.

"Is that my first bow and arrows?" He asked, causing the couple to break from their cozy love-bubble. Both parents nodded.

"Your Ada made them himself. As soon as we were made aware of your existence within my womb, your Ada set to work finding the wood, smoothing it down, shaping it, and decorating it."

Legolas looked to his father with confusion and surprise.

"You made my first bow and arrow?" Legolas asked, raising an eyebrow. The Elvenking nodded, a distant smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Indeed, ion nin. I spent weeks selecting the perfect wood, and I spent years to complete it. I made your quiver as well, with little help from your mother's knowledge of sewing."

Legolas was surprised. He had never considered the possibility of his father creating something so special for him. The Thranduil Oropherion that Legolas knew was a stoic elf. He was the disciplinary parent. He rarely smiled, hardly laughed, and he took his role as King seriously. The only thing Legolas knew of that had ever managed to cause his father to lighten up was his mother. Legolas honestly could not remember a time his father had smiled because of something he had said or done.

The Queen, sensing the thoughts of her son, furrowed her brows in concern.

"What is the matter, ion nin?" She asked, reaching out to clutch the hand of her son. Legolas offered his mother a small smile before tilting his head in question and furrowing his brows.

"It's just...I never really thought you would do something like that for me," Legolas began, his statement directed toward his father, "All I have ever known is your frown and disapproving eyes; rarely have you seemed to show this sort of passion you claim to have put into these things."

Legolas gestured to the bow and arrows to make his point.

His mother squeezed his hand gently. His father inhaled sharply.

"Believe me, ion nin, I dote on you at every turn because you are to someday take up my position and rule Mirkwood as a faithful and just King, just as I strive to be. It is not my intention to show you a lack of affection; the Valar know the day you were born, I felt such a surge of love for you and your mother like I had never before," the Elvenking sighed, and his wife squeezed his hand, "Still, I love you far more than you could possibly fathom. I suppose what with all the pressure of training you to someday take my place and the growing threat of spiders and evil lurking in Mirkwood, I have become distant and heavy-handed toward you. I apologise, my son. I will do better."

Legolas offered his father a small smile.

"I forgive you, father."

The Queen smiled happily at the two elven men in her life. She had spent many years keeping the peace between the two. Thranduil would say something in a vehement fit of rage, and Legolas would ask her, "why does he hate me so?" while crying. She would then go into her chambers and inquire of her husband as to his rage. He would give her the cold shoulder or leave because he felt he had done no wrong; he had put Legolas in his place.

Now, the Elvenking saw his doings as wrong and had repented. Forgiveness was given of him. The Queen was majorly relieved; she had been struggling as of late to keep the two elves from being at each others' throats.

The King cleared his throat, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Let me tell you, ion nin, when you were newly born, I carried you around throughout the kingdom. Your mother had to pry you from my arms for your feedings," he said, and Legolas' cheeks became a light dusting of pink. His mother laughed gently, nodding.

"He did, ion nin! And when you were slightly older, there was a time he took you into a meeting. I shall never forget the looks of the advisors as you reached up and stole your Ada's circlet. Your Ada simply ignored your actions, stoically attending to diplomatic proceedings, but the advisors were shocked. I watched as their faces grew longer when you put the circlet in your mouth and teethed on it, slobber dripping into your lap as you did so," The Queen recalled, and a shame-faced Legolas hid behind his hands.

"There was a time I held council in my study," the King began, "and you had been practicing your archery all day and wanted to show me your skill. While I held council, you shot your arrows into the books behind me. To be quite honest, I found it amusing, however my council did not."

Legolas shook his head, slightly peeking his reddening face from behind his fingers.

"And you just let me?"

Thranduil nodded, a small smile on his lips.

"I was very proud of you for making your target each time, even if you destroyed my books in the process."

Legolas laughed, and his mother's smile grew.

Thranduil became solemn for a moment.

"Still, I am proud of you, Legolas. You turned out a far better elf than your mother and I ever hoped."

The Elvenqueen held a hand out to both of her boys. She was very glad to have them on good terms again, even if it lasted for a single day.