guiding light // thranduil & legolas

[ fourteen ]

LEGOLAS

A snowflake found its way on Luna's nose, and to her surprise, she touched it and watched until it melted. She then looked at me with a smile, satisfied of her new found discovery.

Winter came as fast as autumn did, and all I can do was to watch as the seasons pass by. It has only been months, but yesterday seems so far away - time is running, and I do not know how to stop it. I can only merely watch as my life flash before my eyes - I watched Luna grow, I watched as the kingdom heal from physical and emotional wounds alike, I watched as the poison worsen - but we are surviving. That is all that matters.

"Come now, the cold is getting unbearable," I cooed Luna. We left her balcony, and went for the hearth at her room. I have finally found the time to rearrange her room - I now remember it as Niniel's old room. Buried memories used to live here, now once again it was brought to life.

I went for gold as the main color of the room - Finroth suggested magenta, but I decided against it as it does not remind me much of Luna. I first painted the room white, then at the head of her bed I asked an artist to paint a sun, its rays stretching out to the far corners of the whole room. A portrait of Luna now hung in the middle of the sun, a gift from Finroth. In the painting Luna is smiling brightly, a flower tucked on her left ear. Her bed is covered with the finest sheets in all of Middle Earth colored with the shade of gold, as well as her pillows. Beside it is a table were books I read for her before she sleeps are located. The hearth stood at the foot of her bed, where cushions and armchairs stood for both our pleasure as well as mountains of stuffed animals and dolls she usually play with. We sat together beside the hearth, and she scrambled in search of her favorite toy. I watched as she babbled on her consonants and vowels, talking to her new playmate.

I decided this fight is still worth fighting.

"Dinner is served, my lord," Melrian, Luna's nanny had said.

"Come now, little one, it is time for dinner."

Finroth was waiting for our dinner, standing at the head of the table, on his right was Carmen, standing still, a hand on her staff. Finroth seldom joins us for he wishes for me to eat first - but today should be an exception. He is celebrating the-Valar-knows-what millennium, and I have prepared a feast that would suffice for all of us.

"Seat," I ordered him. He chuckled.

"That I will not disobey," he said as the servers started placing the sumptuous dinner on the table. I placed Luna on her high chair while Melrian seated beside to feed her, then Carmen who was smiling at the child.

The feast almost started when finally Tauriel came, still dressed in her armor. She recovered slowly from the poison, taking a break from the Guard for two months, but when she finally was able she began patrolling in search of the roots of the poison.

She wanted revenge. I could not stop her.

And I could not even be there to protect her - to the evil spreading around our lands as well as herself. The least I could do was to assist her exploits by making sure she had enough guards to ride with her.

"I am sorry I am late, Finroth, happy name day," she greeted the old elf with a - quite obvious - apologetic smile. Something troubles her eyes, and she is polite enough not to mention it whilst our celebration lasts.

She seated beside Finroth, dropping her weapons at her feet. Then, realizing she is still wearing her armor, she excused herself with a grunt.

Finroth chuckled. "Something bothers her. I could not help but worry."

"I promise I will look into it. For now let us enjoy the feast before us."

Luna raised wooden spoon in agreement, her mouth still full of diced apple.