Lonely Dragon {Legolas x Reader}

A Choice of Paths

The ruins of Ravenhill lay broken beneath a heavy sky, the stench of death and destruction still fresh in the air. Thranduil walked slowly through the aftermath, his sharp eyes taking in the wreckage of what had been a fierce and brutal battle. Bodies of men, elves, and orcs lay strewn across the ground, the final echoes of the Battle of Five Armies fading into silence. The grandeur of the Elven king, though undiminished, was tempered by sorrow. He had seen too many lives lost, too many sacrifices made. Even for a ruler as cold and distant as Thranduil, war carried a deep cost.

From the shadows, Legolas emerged, his pace steady but his heart heavy. The journey had been long, both in miles and in trials, and he could not shake the weight of all that had happened. The moment he saw his father, the words rose unbidden in his throat.

"I... cannot go back," he said, his voice low, though resolute. There was no turning back for him now—not to Mirkwood, not to the life he had once known.

Without waiting for a reply, Legolas brushed past Thranduil, his feet carrying him toward the unknown, away from the safety of his father's kingdom.

Thranduil watched him in silence for a long moment, his thoughts unreadable. When he spoke, it was with an uncharacteristic softness.

"Where will you go?" The question held no challenge, only quiet curiosity.

Legolas stopped in his tracks and turned to face his father. "I do not know," he admitted, the uncertainty of his path laid bare.

Thranduil studied his son, and something shifted in his gaze. Perhaps it was the realisation that Legolas was no longer the boy who had stood at his side, eager for his approval, or perhaps it was the acknowledgment of a choice he knew he could not sway. His voice, when it came again, was filled with a rare tenderness.

"Go with her," Thranduil said. "Find your own path."

Legolas blinked in surprise, his heart jolting at his father's words. For years, he had sought his father's approval, never daring to think it would come in such a way, in such a moment. Yet here it was, simple and unspoken. Thranduil, the proud king, was giving him something far more valuable than permission—he was giving him freedom.

Father and son exchanged a look, one filled with understanding, and though no more was said, there was an unspoken acknowledgment that the time had come for Legolas to make his own way.

With a final nod, Legolas turned and began to walk away. The world beyond awaited him—untamed, vast, and full of possibilities.

But before he could take more than a few steps, Thranduil called after him, his voice halting yet filled with something deeply personal.

"Legolas..." he hesitated, gathering his thoughts. "Your mother loved you... more than anyone... more than life."

The words froze Legolas in his tracks. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened in shock. His father had rarely spoken of his mother, and the memory of her had been a shadow between them for as long as he could remember. But to hear this—to hear his father speak of her love, and to know how deep it had run—was a revelation.

He turned his head slightly, just enough to catch his father's gaze. Though the distance between them was physical, something in that moment bridged the emotional gap that had always seemed insurmountable.

With a final glance, they exchanged a gesture of departure—simple, yet laden with meaning—and Legolas left his father behind, walking into the unknown with renewed purpose.

The winds on the hillside were cool, carrying with them the faint scent of the wilderness ahead. Legolas moved swiftly, his thoughts still tangled in the emotions of his parting with his father. He had never imagined Thranduil would give him such advice—to go with her. But then, (Y/n) had always had a way of making the impossible seem possible.

As if summoned by his thoughts, a familiar figure came into view on the path ahead. (Y/n) stood waiting for him, her form slightly hunched in exhaustion, her face smudged with dirt and her armour battered from the long battle. Despite her weariness, there was a light in her eyes that made Legolas quicken his pace.

As he drew closer, (Y/n) straightened and grinned at him. "You look terrible," she teased, her voice bright even amidst the gloom.

Legolas allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. "Speak for yourself," he replied, his tone dry. "I think you've managed to outdo me in the realm of 'looking terrible.'"

She laughed, the sound cutting through the bleakness of their surroundings, and before either of them could say another word, they closed the distance between them. Without thinking, they embraced, a gesture born of relief and shared survival. The warmth of her touch was a balm to the cold he had felt since leaving his father's side, and for a moment, they simply held each other, breathing in the reality that they were both still alive.

When they finally pulled back, (Y/n)'s eyes met his, her smile softening. "So," she asked, her voice quieter now, "what happens next?"

Legolas looked at her, and for the first time in a long while, he felt clarity. "I want to go with you," he said, his voice steady and sure. "Wherever you go, I will follow."

(Y/n) blinked, surprise flickering in her eyes before a wide smile broke across her face. "You would leave your people? Your father?"

Legolas nodded. "My father has given me his blessing. He told me to find my own path." He hesitated, then added, "And that path leads to you."

For a moment, (Y/n) was silent, as if weighing his words. Then, slowly, she took his hand, her fingers intertwining with his. "Then let's find that path together," she said, her voice soft but full of conviction.

They stood there for a moment longer, hand in hand, gazing out at the horizon that stretched before them. Though the world was uncertain and their futures unknown, they had found something certain in each other. And together, they would face whatever came next.

With a shared look and a light laugh, they began walking, the weight of the past lifting from their shoulders as they stepped into the unknown, side by side.