Out of the Shadows (Evergreen #2)

Recovery

"I really hate those foul creatures." You spit, wiping orc blood from your blade. 

"I know." Thranduil said, cleaning his sword as well. 

"You still remember how to fight though, which is a relief." Thranduil said, only half joking.

"Of course I still remember how to fight." You said defensively, "I'm surprised you remember how to fight, considering you have spent years on your throne like a pompous ass."

"I did not mean that in an offensive way. I just meant that you still have a pretty remarkable shot with a bow. You hit that one between the eyes, from a fairly great distance." Thranduil said, only slightly annoyed by your remark. 

"Well, I've had a lot a practice." You said, shrugging. You felt a little guilty for calling Thranduil a pompous ass, but not enough to apologize for it.

Once the two of you have cleaned your blades, you consult with the four soldiers that Thranduil brought, and decide to head towards Rivendell. That's where Legolas had once taken you for safety and you hoped that he would go back there, though it was very unlikely he would be there now. After all, you have kept in touch with Elrond, over the years.

"It should take us about two days to make it there." You say to Thranduil, riding alongside him.

"Do you really think that Legolas is in Rivendell?" Thranduil asks, looking straight ahead.

"No, but I think its a good place to start." You answer honestly. "He might not be there now, but he has been gone for nearly a year. Maybe he was in Rivendell at some point. I just don't know where else to look."

"I still cannot believe that he just left you. I may not have been the best father, but I'd like to think I raised him better than that." Thranduil sighed.

"You did. You raised a good man. It was just the circumstances that changed him. It had nothing to do with how he was raised." You tried to comfort Thranduil, but you could tell that your words helped very little.

"You didn't run. You stayed and helped put the kingdom back together." Thranduil shook his head. His son's actions were just as surprising to you as they were to him. You never thought Legolas would just leave you like that, regardless of the situation.

"Me and your son have a different way of handling things." You said, your tone soft.

Thranduil said nothing, and remained quiet for a while. 

You looked around at your surroundings as you rode to Rivendell. The landscape was so beautiful. You had almost forgotten how much beauty existed in this world, since your own world had been filled with nothing but darkness for so long. You closed your eyes and took in the feel of the sun on your skin, you inhaled the fresh scent of flowers, and you reveled in the cool breeze on your face.

"It's been a long while since I've seen you look that calm." Thranduil observed.

"I should get out more often." You laughed, you felt better out here in the open.

"It is a lovely day." Thranduil smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I felt so confined in the kingdom. Everyone was always watching me. They would never just let me be. They felt the need to fill the silence, and they wouldn't just let me greive. Right now, in this moment, I feel free. Back home I felt like I was a prisoner." You said, you could be honest with Thranduil, and you knew he understood exactly what you meant.

"I guess thats why we were around each other so much. You were the only person I could tolerate." Thranduil shrugged.

"I was the only person you could tolerate? What does that even mean? Like I was hardly bearable most of the time, but I was the least annoying person in the kingdom." You said, sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that." He said in a condescending tone.

"Sure you didn't. And here I thought we were friends." You say, a smug look on your face.

"Friends? I only put up with you because you are family." Thranduil snickers, but you can see the humor in his eyes. 

"Admit it, you like me. I make your life more enjoyable." You laugh. These were the moments you had missed. The light hearted jokes, the freedom to just laugh. 

"Never." Thranduil smiled. "Never."