Riding With the Elves // Legolas x OC

52. To the White City

Thranduil nodded, averting his eyes. "I wanted to be a better adar than my own but I am not very good at it." He regarded the calm surface of the Anduin, absent-mindedly rubbing Legolas' plaque with a finger.

"You never talk about Oropher."

"Nay."

"So... he was not a nice person?"

"I uh... I believe he was held in high esteem by many." He shuddered. Then he met Legolas' gaze again. "You do know that I love you?" He didn't have to say it; for once it was written clearly in his features.

"I always knew you loved me," he replied earnestly.

"Good. Good. That is something, at least." He smiled briefly, clearly relieved. "And I never intended to shut you out. That is just... who I am – who I became. And I cannot..." He paused, apparently to think of how to continue.

It was unsettling to witness his adar search for words, he always seemed to know what to say and in an eloquent way too.

"Ye coming, or?" Gimli bellowed from the other side of the river.

"Aye, aye, we are coming," Legolas called back, turning to his adar. "We should talk more later."

There was so much he wanted to ask. About his grand adar, about his naneth, all the things his adar had never told him.

"We should." His face lit up. "And Legolas... Forgive me." He pulled him into a hug, a real one, not one of those half-hugs they normally shared.

"I forgive you."

oOo

Legolas' knees were weak when he remounted Stelpa. His adar had apologized! When had that ever happened before? And they would talk more. Perhaps Ada would finally give his blessings to his and Wynne's relationship.

Much as he loved her, he didn't want to lose his adar.

"Mee-ah!" The shrill cry made them turn their heads. A large bird had landed on the railing, almost where they stood before. It looked right at them, its white head tilted like it was listening to something.

It called a second time, the sound eerily resembling a word: "Mine!" Then it raised a pair of gray wings and soared to the sky.

Legolas felt a renewed longing to follow the white bird to the sea. Then he would take a boat west... sail into the sunset and continue until he reached Aman, the Undying Lands.

Yet, the urge to sail was not as strong as it had been. He had Wynne now, and after talking to her about all the horrible things he saw and did during the war, he felt less anxious to leave Middle-earth. He probably would do it, eventually, but there was no hurry.

A bit surprised he realized sharing his burden had helped, just like she said. Amazing. How had she become so wise?

He felt Thranduil's gaze on him but avoided meeting it. Had he seen how the seagull affected Legolas?

"Coming, son?"

Reluctantly he tore his eyes from the bird and followed his adar back to the horses.

oOo

After the bridge they passed through the open gates of the perimeter wall surrounding the Pelennor Fields.

Legolas moved his horse next to Wynne's. She gave him a questioning look, probably wondering what had passed between him and his adar, but he didn't want the others to overhear. He would find an opportunity to tell her later.