[Lord of the Rings] Green Leaf's Blessing

When Legolas was ten years old, Thranduil finally accepted the advice of his teachers to let him study with other noble elves.In the eyes of ordinary people, his repeated hesitation and unhappiness when he agreed might just be out of doting on the little prince, but Thranduil was worried about other things.

Although he has long prohibited anyone from mentioning the truth of that incident in front of his son, he can control his subjects, but he can't control those unscrupulous children's words.

That day, Thranduil was discussing political affairs with the ministers, and Galian rushed in in a panic, followed by several teachers and a frightened elf.

"Oops, Your Majesty..." Gallian said out of breath, "His Royal Highness, he...he..."

Upon hearing this, Thranduil immediately jumped up from the throne, stepped in front of Galian, and asked sharply, "What's wrong with him?"

"He ran off into the forest alone... and sent for him...but..."

"What's going on here?" The Minister of Finance pulled out the little elf hiding behind Gallian's back. It was his son. The boy's face was bruised and purple, as if he had just fought with someone.Facing his father's questioning, he who was already trembling with fright was even more speechless.

Galian took a deep breath, and continued: "Eman said he had a quarrel with His Highness, and then the two quarreled more and more fiercely and even fought... Eman said, he said..." He looked He looked at the terrified child, and then looked at Thranduil with a guilty conscience, "He told His Highness...His Highness Nana was captured by a monster in the forest and could never come back...His Highness cried Into the forest, I am sorry, Your Majesty, it was our negligence-"

"I failed to discipline my son well," the Minister of Finance turned pale with fright, and quickly pleaded guilty, "Your Majesty, please spare Eman, he is still an ignorant child..."

Thranduil was so angry that he was almost on fire.But can he punish that poor child?Who didn't quarrel with their peers when they were so old?No, it wasn't him who was wrong, it was me... He gave the poor father and son a hard look, and ran out of the hall without saying a word, making it impossible for Galian behind him to catch up with him.

He summoned Fino and asked him to send more men to search in the forest. Then he galloped into the stable to find his own horse, and rode on without a moment's delay to drive the horse forward.At this time, he no longer cared about any kingly demeanor, he only knew that his child was getting farther and farther away from him, and that little heart must be full of sorrow and pain at this moment.

Am I really wrong?Thranduil scolded himself in his heart as he hurried forward.He just wanted to avoid any harm to his beloved son, but he didn't expect to make his son suffer more pain in the end... Legolas, my little green leaf, where are you?Thranduil glanced anxiously across the bushes, I'm sorry, Ada was wrong, please come back quickly, please...

When he found Legolas near the familiar stream, it was dark and the stars were creeping up into the sky.Thranduil jumped off the horse, and hurriedly walked towards the little figure walking by the stream like a lost soul.

"Legolas!" he yelled.

The little elf was stunned for a moment, and when he turned his head, he looked confused and puzzled for a moment, and when he saw clearly who was coming, he took two steps back defensively.

"Legolas..." Thranduil looked at his son's muddy body and eyes red and swollen from crying with distress—the scene he least wanted to see still appeared, and he tried to keep his tone calm, " Go back with Ada."

"No...don't!" The little elf shook his head lightly at first, and then repeated loudly.

"Come back with me, do you know how willful it is for you to disappear suddenly? You have caused trouble for everyone!"

Legolas lowered his head, but soon raised his stubborn little face: "Legolas just wants to find Nana!"

"You can't find her—" Thranduil said in a moment of impatience.

"Why?" The elf asked his father loudly, clenching his little fists tightly, "It's because of Ada, you have been lying to me, right? Eman said my Nana was taken away by a dark monster, he said they Everyone knows! Only I don't! Why are you lying to me, Ada?"

"That's enough, Legolas, come back with me first—"

"No!" Legolas took a few steps back, with tears in his eyes, "I don't want to go back with you, I'm going to find Nana, Nana will definitely not lie to Legolas—"

"She won't come back, she's dead, dead!" Pain, exhaustion, anger, helplessness and self-blame were intertwined, making Thranduil roar out these words uncontrollably.

For a moment, the elf stood there blankly, and the shadow of the moon was clearly reflected in his wide-open eyes.He may not quite understand the exact meaning of death, but he also knows that it means that he will never see his Nana again.

"I'm sorry..." Thranduil approached the youngest son almost beggingly, "Go back with Ada, okay?"

"I don't want to! I hate Ada, I hate you!"

Thranduil froze on the spot, watching Legolas who ran forward bump into Galion who was rushing head-on.It was the first time that his favorite son said he hated him, but it didn't make him painful to see his son's sad and hopeless expression.

Galian wanted to carry Legolas onto the horse, but the little prince struggled desperately.In the past, other than his father, Legolas listened to Galian's words the most, but now he opened his mouth and bit Galian's hand, making him let go of himself in pain.

"Slap", there was a very soft sound - even though Thranduil withdrew most of the strength at the last moment, the slap still landed on the young son's face.All the guards who rushed over were stupefied and looked at what happened before them in disbelief.Even Legolas, who was crying and fussing before, stopped all his movements, covered his face with his hands, and stared blankly at his father.

"Take him back and watch him change and go to bed." Thranduil gave Galian a brief instruction, then got on his horse and headed towards the palace without looking back.

It turned out that I was really wrong, and it was so wrong... When Thranduil stood in the bedroom and looked out the window, he thought very painfully.He thought he would be a good father, tried his best to avoid all harm, but unknowingly made things turn into the worst.In the moonlight he looked at his right hand, the hand with which he had hugged and stroked the young boy in the past, but now he had hit him with it—as if even he himself could not believe that such a thing could actually happen.

When Galian entered, Thranduil was still staring blankly at his right hand.

"His Majesty?"

"How is he?" Thranduil asked without looking back.

"Probably... it's okay."

"What do you mean it's probably all right, Galion?" Thranduil frowned and turned around.

"Your Highness is very sensible, Your Majesty, I think he is still very... very sad," Gallian said softly, "But he also knows that everyone has been working hard for him for a long time, and he doesn't want to cause trouble for others, so he obediently takes a bath and goes to bed . . . but, Sire, he was still crying before I left, and I fear he will cry all night."

Thranduil was silent for a while, then said "I'll go and see him", and walked out the door.

Legolas' bedroom was not far from his own bedroom. Since he was five years old, Thranduil insisted on not having a nanny to accompany him anymore, letting him fall asleep by himself, and cultivating self-discipline.At that time, Legolas, who had just started learning etiquette courses, liked to repeat a lovely etiquette. Every night before going to sleep, the elf would knock on the door of his father's room, put his hand on his chest and say "great!" Good night, His Majesty the King", and ran back to his room amidst his father's laughter.

Thranduil pushed open the door and walked in. Under the moonlight, the small body on the bed shrank into a painful ball, rising and falling with a slight cry.

"Legolas." Thranduil walked to the bed and called softly.

The elf's crying sound subsided, and he turned his back to his father for a long time, and Thranduil didn't speak any more, just looked at him quietly from the side.After a long time, the elf turned over and looked at his father with red, swollen eyes that were wronged and sad.

"Legolas..." Thranduil stretched out his hand to wipe away his tears, but the elf stubbornly avoided it. He tilted his head to one side, as if angry and no longer looked at his father.

"Where's your manners?"

The little elf, who was still stubborn just now, suddenly lost his temper. He raised his eyelids and called out timidly: "Your Majesty the King..."

"No, change the name." Thranduil said softly.

"Ada?"

Thranduil sat on the side of the bed and embraced the elf in his arms. Legolas wanted to resist, but he still obediently leaned on his father's chest.

"Still mad at Ada?"

The little elf nodded first, then shook his head, and when he spoke again, his voice was full of heartbreaking tears: "Ada, Eman said that Nana was captured by monsters to protect me...that is No, did I kill Nana?"

Thranduil has never felt such pain in his heart, if he can, he is willing to use everything in exchange for the sadness of the youngest son in his arms.He hugged Legolas tightly, as if that would share the pain in his heart.

"Ada will take you... to find Nana."

He took his son to the forest area closest to the palace that was eroded by the shadows of the past. This area is not large, but Thranduil spent the most effort to recall those green trees—it was here at the beginning , the people of Great Green Forest lost their future queen forever, but they also got a prince who seemed to be the light of a star that suddenly bloomed on a cold winter night.

Ten years have passed, and the regrown green tree no longer shows the slightest trace of despair in the past—it's just that the dead tree can still save him, but he can't save his wife.Thranduil carried Legolas to those thriving green trees, and let the young child in his arms gently embrace the green trees.

"Nana protects Legolas, just like Ada protects these green trees, you are our hope."

"Hope?" Legolas asked half understanding.

"Nana is willing to give everything for you. If she loses you, she will die in pain, so you didn't kill Nana, but you survived with all her hopes... Nana didn't really leave you, my child, you may not see She, enjoy her tender embrace, but you can hear... Legolas, listen, this wind is like Nana singing to you, it drives away the shadows that threaten us, wandering the forest forever and ever Guard us, you can't see, but you can hear, you can feel..."

Legolas closed his eyes carefully, listened carefully, and then smiled contentedly.

"I have a lot to say to Nana, can she hear me?"

"Of course."

The elf looked up at the swaying green leaves - the wind was passing through there, and his childish voice filled the green forest: "Nana...Nana, I miss you...I love you! I'm sorry, Legolas didn't listen today , made Ada angry, I know Ada must miss you very, very much... I will be obedient, Nana, I will not make Ada angry again..."

"Ada isn't angry," Thranduil said with a sore nose, "It's Ada's fault, did Ada hurt you?"

Legolas shook his head, then stretched out his small hand to smooth his father's frown: "I don't hurt, Ada, don't frown..."

Thranduil hugged his youngest son tightly.

"Ada, can I still come here to talk to Nana in the future?"

"Of course...but you are not allowed to sneak away alone. You must tell Ada and Galian first, and ask the guards to accompany you."

"Well," Legolas nodded and assured, and then said as if remembering something, "Ada, do you have anything to say to Nana?"

Thranduil looked up at the dense and intertwined branches above his head, his eyes shone like diamonds.Thank you, thank you for giving me Legolas, for giving me the most precious gift... I love him more than I love myself, and if you could see, you would be so proud of our son too... ...Don't worry, I'm willing to give everything for him, so that this green leaf of hope will never wither and grow green...

"Ada," Legolas tugged at his blond hair, "are you whispering to Nana?"

Facing his son's childishness, Thranduil couldn't help laughing: "Yes, I'm telling her: Ada loves you very much, my little green leaf."

"I love you too, Ada," Legolas pressed a kiss on his father's cheek, then continued quietly, "I will love you for Nana."

After speaking, he kissed his father again as if making a vow - Thranduil's tears could no longer be stopped.