till forever falls apart

chapter 30: wating

"Where's naneth?" Thranduil looked up from his writing and smiled. "She will be home soon," he said. He placed the quill down and watched the little boy walk over. "When?" he asked when he reached his chair. Thranduil pushed back from behind his desk and lifted his son into his lap. Hearing his son's question was heart wrenching; he wished that he was enough for him, but every child needed their mother. "I miss her too," he said. Never one to be still, Legolas wiggled out of his grip and placed his sticky fingers onto the parchment he had been writing on. The paper stuck to his fingers, and when he tried to pull it off with his other hand, it tore. Legolas looked around, eye wide. Thranduil raised an eyebrow at him. "I didn't mean to..." His bottom lip trembled, and water danced in his eyes. "Don't cry," Thranduil said, "It's alright, accidents happen."

The door squeaked then and they both looked up. Canthuiel stood in the doorway. "There you are!" she said relief in her voice. The dark haired silvan looked panicked when she saw Legolas up on the desk, but relief quickly followed. The King did not look annoyed to have been bothered at this time. "Have you been running off again Legolas?" Thranduil asked. "I went to find naneth."

Thranduil scooped his son up into his arms and got to his feet. Tiny arms curled around his neck, holding on tight. "You found me instead, she will be home soon, and you can have her all to yourself again," he said. He hugged his son tightly. "But you have to listen to Canthuiel and do as you're told. Remember what we talked about?" he said. Legolas nodded before burying his face in his father's neck. He yawned. "I think this little leaf needs some sleep," he said. "No," he moaned, despite another yawn escaping him. "Shall I take him?" Canthuiel asked.

Legolas moaned again and Thranduil shook his head, "I'll take him," he said. "He misses Idhrenel, you go and rest yourself. He has been running you around all day." She bowed her head and he swept past her. "Now, you little leaf are going in the bath! Don't think I can't feel those sticky hands." There was a little giggle from Legolas. "And a story?" His small voice squeaked as he giddily looked up at his father. "And then bed," Thranduil said. Legolas nodded, apparently too tired to argue any further.

Legolas was asleep within the hour. Clean and tucked in, he didn't get passed the second page of the story. Thranduil was relieved about that. His son was interested in everything and as such, getting him to rest was often difficult. He fought his weariness, which made bedtimes awkward. It seemed that looking for Idhrenel had tired him out. Thranduil headed back to his study, he should get that letter rewritten before he took his rest.

As he wrote, he thought of his beloved wife. She should have been back a couple of days ago, but the time it took to get between Mirkwood and Rivendell could be difficult to fathom. She had insisted she be the one to answer the calling, and once Idhrenel got an idea into her head, there was not much that could talk her out of it. It was one of the reasons he loved her. That and her gentle, calm demeanour, her beautiful eyes that danced like stars and her ability to put up with any of the nonsense he brought to her.