The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Imagines

The Little Moments That Bring Us Joy -Thranduil

(In this oneshot Thranduil is still a Prince.I thought it would be nice to incorporate some of the little things I find joy in. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by the bad stuff that's happening in the world, we forget to appreciate the little moments that make us smile. I hope this reminds you of them.)

"What makes you happy?"

"Freeing your feet from your stuffy shoes and dipping them into the cool and clear waters that seemed to sparkle and twinkle in the sunlight. As you look towards the horizon, you see the blue sky and the clouds and you feel the wind pass by."

 You squealed in delight as you made your way down the rocky riverbank. Before you could reach the parts where the water touched the rocks, you kicked off your boots and rolled up the ends of your trousers until it reached below your knees. You also removed your cloak, folded it neatly, and placed it on the dry parts of the riverbank before pulling up the sleeves of your tunic. With that out of the way, you dipped your feet into the water.

"(Y/N)! What did I tell you about running around carelessly in the forest?" a voice exclaimed and out of the trees came Thranduil in his silver tunic and dark pants with boots and a cloak that matched his outfit. On his head lay a silver circlet.

You giggled. "I was not running around carelessly, my lord!" you answered, watching the water distort the image of your feet.

"Get out of the river."

"I refuse to. It is a warm day and I need to cool down."

With an exasperated sigh, Thranduil trudged up to where your things were placed and watched you follow the movements of the small fish in the river with wide eyes. He did not understand your fascination with everything in the forest—of course he loved his home and there was always room for wonder when Thranduil ended up in a part of the forest he has not yet explored before. But these things that you always looked at with wonder were things you could always see in Mirkwood, no matter the day or the time or the season.

"Close that mouth of yours," he groaned. "You look like you have never seen a fish before."

You pouted at his direction and frowned at the Prince of Mirkwood. "My lord, our people rarely visit other places. If I ever see a fish in these woods, it is either out of the water waiting for its death or already on a plate to be eaten."

Your words brought laughter to Thranduil. With an amused smirk on his features, he removed his cloak and placed it beside yours. He also removed his boots but he opted to sit on a huge rock instead of joining you and your antics.

He continued to watch you have fun, laughing to himself whenever you nearly fell over. But your spirits never dampened and now you intend to have Thranduil enter the water.

You made your way to him and held out a hand. He eyed your gesture before looking away and saying, "No. Absolutely not."

Thranduil glared at you as he rested his chin on his hand, with his elbow propped against his knee. He was already enjoying his time sitting there and watching you be childish. There was no need to drag him into that and end up with wet clothes. But you did not budge and continued to hold out your hand.

"You are not going for a swim, Thranduil," you said, soft as a whisper. A small smile lingered on your lips as you watched Thranduil think about your offer. "I swear I will not pull a trick on you. We are just going to dip our feet into the water. Come on, now. Do it for a friend."

How could Thranduil ever refuse a request from you? With much complaining, he took your hand and let you lead him farther away from the riverbank. The river wasn't deep, he realized now that he was standing there. He also saw how clear the waters were, different from the small rivers and puddles near their homes which were murky and mysterious. Not much sunlight came through the canopy but there was enough light to make the water sparkle as it moved.

As the wind blew, Thranduil sighed in relief as it took away the heat from all the running and scouting the both of you had previously done.

Thranduil stared at his feet and did not tear his gaze away from them as another set of feet approached him. He heard a giggle and his lips tugged upwards.

"This feels nice," you said, wiggling your feet. You giggled when Thranduil nudged your foot with his. He looked up and smiled at the sight of the crinkled corners of your eyes.

"I would not do this if it were anyone but you who asked me," he said truthfully, gazing into your orbs with his blue ones.

You snorted. "Well you cannot possibly turn down your dearest friend, can you?" you scoffed, rolling your eyes. But you turned serious when he took your hand in his and placed a kiss on your knuckles. "Thranduil? My lord?"

"I did not do it for a friend, (Y/N)," Thranduil whispered, letting you cup his cheek with your hand. He closed his eyes and let your warmth comfort him.

"Then who did you do this for?" you asked, breathless with anticipation.

Blue eyes once again met your (Eye color) ones. "I did it for someone I love."

This little moment did not happen often but whenever it did, it made you happy and it made you look forward for the next ones. As a prince, Thranduil rarely had days to himself, but when he did, he made sure to spend them with you. And those days would be spent in this river. There you talked about your hopes and dreams, your fears and nightmares. You found an escape from the responsibilities a Prince and a future Princess hold. And there you made memories which you held onto when the war brought sorrow and pain. It made the days and even years to come bearable.

It made you look forward to something.

It made life worth living.