Through Wind and Fire (LOTR)

XIII

Hope

Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,

Whispering 'it will be happier.'

- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

- 1 Corinthians 13:13

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

- Luke 18:17

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

- Isaiah 55:8

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The King of the Woodland Realm sat in his throne room, going over what needed to be discussed in the next meeting, when a little elfling toddled merrily into the room. Lindethon, one of the queen's servants, rushed in to retrieve the elfling who was more hyper than usual. He had volunteered to help the queen and watch the prince for about an hour, but Legolas was far too much for the young ellon. All Legolas had been was trouble. In reality, the little prince was merely uncomfortable with the unfamiliar face and wanted his ada; however, Lindethon thought he was just terrible at tending elflings.

"Ada! Ada!"

Thranduil turned his attention away from whatever he had been doing, and focused on his son, who was tugging frantically at the king's robes. The Elvenking smiled, and picked up Legolas, swinging him around. The prince's small body floated easily in Thranduil's arms, and Legolas giggled joyfully. A smile spread widely on the king's face as he reveled in the joy of his darling son.

Lindethon was sure he had lost the prince of Mirkwood and that the king would have his head, and so he rushed around the halls of the Elvenking in utter panic. Upon hearing the laughs undeniably coming from Legolas himself, he sighed in relief and rushed over to where the sounds came from.

Now, Lindethon was not accustomed to travelling in this wing of the palace, and therefore did not know that he was headed straight to the throne room with no formal invitation, a punishable crime. The oblivious ellon walked extremely conspicuously into the throne room, calling Legolas' name. Thranduil frowned.

"Ah, Legolas! There you are! You have given me much stress, elfling!" he called. Legolas laughed gleefully.

"You are aware you have just strode right into the throne room with no invitation, correct?" the king asked, a smile evident on his face.

"I-uh, forgive me, hir vuin. The queen put the prince under my care for an hour and I fear I lost him, but-uh-here he is."

"Lindethon, how are you ever going to tend to your own children? Your wife is with child, and you cannot watch an elfling successfully for an hour!"

"I know. The queen told me the same, hir vuin," he sheepishly replied.

"And said queen is your sister-in-law, so you need not refer to her as 'queen' every time. She likes being known simply as Bregoliel to those close to her. Legolas will stay under my watch for now. Let Bregoliel know if you can, for she fears losing him."

The ellon bowed and walked out of the room. Legolas clapped his hands, and said, "Ada, can you make me fly like an eagle again?"

"Hm. Let me think about it. I think you would make a better sparrow, ion nin."