A little legolas story.

A little golden haired boy was lost. Alone and terribly afraid he sat curled up in the branch of an old tree. It was nearly dark He hated the dark. He was walking with his guardian when a butterfly popped up in front of his face. In his happiness he ran after the creature, going further and further away from the voice shouting his name. But he didn't care he was stuck in the moment. So this is how he got into this situation. He was sitting alone in the tree waiting for his Ada to come and save him. His idol.

It was then that the rain came. It was almost as if the weather was mimicking his mood as the rain poured from the sky mixing with the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Ada..." He whispered brokenly into the growing darkness surrounding him.

Little did he know that back in the little boy's room was an equally afraid king. Thranduil was sitting on his son's bed waiting desperately for his son to come back. He had been furious with the guard for losing him until he heard the story of the butterfly, then he calmed down. His son loved nature and so much that he was often careless. He remembers many times when his son was staring at the sky and as a result tripped over an upturned root. Many times that he was watching birds out of his window rather than paying attention to his lessons. But he wouldn't change him for the world. Right now there were many guards out looking for his son, but he still wished to be out there. He needed no more encouragement to join in the search as a bug clap of thunder lit up the now black sky.

In less than a nano-second he was out of the room and in his own grabbing a suitable coat for him and then putting another on top for In case he found his cherub and he was cold. He followed his heart and ran into the forest; somehow he already knew where his son was.

It was ten minutes later when he began to hear sobbing. He ran faster knowing immediately that it was his son that was crying. He stilled when he thought that he was near his son. Little did he know that his son was above his head at that very moment. "Legolas Ion-nin." He shouted into the vast emptiness of the forest. "Ada?" Was the hesitant answer. From that single word he knew where his son was. Looking up he climbed into the tree and then took in the image of his son sitting rocking on his heels trembling with cold and fear, tears visibly streaming down his face.

"I am here Ion Nin. There is no need to be afraid." Thranduil said as he pulled Legolas into a bone crushing hug.

"I knew that you would come Ada."

"I will always find you, little leaf." Thranduil promised.

But it was a promise that he could not keep. Years later, when his son was no longer an elfling, he was lost in a war that Thranduil could not join. So he waited and prayed that they would one day find each other again. "Be safe Ion Nin. Come back to me."

Little did he know that miles away on the outskirts of Mordor his elfling was remembering the night when his father found him. 'You have no need to fear father, I WILL find my way back to you, just as you have always found me.' With this thought he marched into battle.