Caught (a legolas fanfiction)

Of politics and angry orcs.

A/N: OMNOMNOM I eat reviews! Feed me, please! I am starving!

Chapter 7

When the king of Mirkwood came to, it was dark outside. The dwarf and man were conversing quietly to his right, and he heard their words clearly. Estel was telling the dwarf the story of Legolas's past, and Gimli's face was filled with more and more horror with each word. He turned his head to the sky.

The stars were twinkling merrily above him, and he turned to lie on his back and stare at them. The beauty in them made him smile softly. It was good to know that something, at least, had not changed since he was an elfling.

His son was remarkably unlike him. As a child, he had always disliked studying, but he had done it. He never was anything other than serious; he was always reading. Training was his worst area, because he found running the kingdom to be the more interesting part of being king. He always used caution and never took risks. He didn't like being around people, he found his own presence much more comforting than that of other elflings.

Legolas was the opposite as an elfling. He had loved learning, but he had hated studying from books, reading and politics with a passion, and he still did. His ion loved nature and being around other elves; he was the sweetest elfling around when he was younger, and even right before he had gone on the Quest he was able to bring a smile to the face of any elf. He also loved fighting and was the kingdom's most skilled warrior. He was like a lightning rod for trouble, but he didn't mind. He found fighting fun, it seemed. Thranduil never had understood this, and he doubted he ever would.

He depended on his son. Legolas ran Greenwood's army, and when his mother had died and Thranduil had succumbed to grief, he had run the entire kingdom at barely five hundred, running himself to the ground and attending the council meetings he hated so much day after day in his father's stead.

Legolas was much stronger than him, and he knew how to keep his temper in check. Though he had inherited his father's temper, he knew how to keep a cool head and ignore the anger when Thranduil did not. Legolas had saved him from some pretty bad and embarrassing situations involving this trait many times by reminding him to keep a cool head and breathe.

He loved his son so much. As his eyes glazed over in sleep, a memory came to him.

Thranduil was ready to bang his head against the table in frustration. Why did the people at this council have to be so stubborn? They were getting absolutely nowhere, and it annoyed him to no end.

"Lord Garien, why won't you allow a path through that part of the forest?" he asked, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "It is perfectly secure—"

Suddenly a loud bang came from the door. Thranduil didn't know if it was meant to be a knock or not.

"Enter," he said, and the door opened. It was Legolas, barely as high as his waist. His mother was away, so he must have gotten bored and come to try and get his father.

"Hello, ion-nin," Thranduil said, giving a small smile.

"Hi, Ada!" he said, beaming. Even the stoic lords had to smile at the little elfling. "What are you doing?"

"I am having a very important meeting, penneth," he said, smiling. Legolas's face fell, because he knew that if his father was having a meeting, he would be all alone for a very long time without his naneth there. Thranduil couldn't bear to disappoint him.

"Come, Greenleaf," he said, pulling his chair out a little and motioning to his lap. "You can use your authority as the prince and help me decide very important things."

Legolas squealed happily and came over to sit on his father's lap. Slowly, the conversation around the table restarted, and Legolas listened with enthusiasm, though he barely understood what they were saying.

"What is this called?" he whispered to Thranduil after a while. "All this sitting and talking about stuff in the kingdom?"

"This is called politics, Greenleaf," the king said quietly, looking much like an elfling himself whispering in the ear of a friend. All the conversation died on the lips of the lords as they watched the duo with smiles.

"Well, Ada," Legolas said, whispering loudly unintentionally. "Politics is very boring."

Thranduil felt his cheeks flush as he realized that everyone had started laughing at Legolas's comment. A few of the lords were heartily agreeing.

"Ada, I'm hungry!" Legolas whined, not even realizing what had happened.

"Well," Thranduil said, feeling the anger he would've felt melt in his chest at the sight of his son's pleading eyes. "If you want to take a break, you have to say 'the meeting shall be temporarily adjourned.' Can you do that?"

"The meeting shall be tem-ra-ly be a-journed," Legolas said, struggling a little over the harder words. He grinned and turned to the lords.

"Yay! We're free! Let's run away before Ada decides to make us all sit here again for another hundred hours!"

All the lords laughed, and Thranduil put an expression of hurt on his face.

One of the lords scrunched up his face in the strangest way.

"I am a nasty orc!" he cried, getting up abruptly. He pretended to pull out a sword. "I think I fancy a little elfling and his father for dinner!" Legolas giggled and bolted out the doors in the direction of the dining hall. Ignoring the amused stares of the lords, Thranduil took off after him. The "orc" chased after them.

They ran past many elves in the halls who smiled at the giggling prince running down them. Their much respected king, who was running after him, yelled something along the lines of: "OH NO! THE ORC IS CATCHING UP!" and laughing as Legolas squealed. Then, of course, came a very well-known elf-lord running through the halls calling in response: "I'M COMING TO GET YOU!"

There were many smiles that day.

Legolas...

A/N: Hope you all liked this short chapter! More Legolas next time, and (dun dun dun!) reliving the experience! Should be updated on Friday or Saturday.