Outside held the promise of being a perfect day for elflings to have horse races, go swimming or do anything they could think of that involved being out in the sun. Legolas sighed as he stared at his formal robe. He detested sitting in on council meetings, but today would be worse than usual. Even though it was beautiful outside, and a light breeze was blowing it would be dry and unbearably hot in the council room. A thought popped into the young prince�s head and he smiled slightly. �Ada would never know. No one in the council room would know. No one but me that is.� Legolas thought to himself. He considered the idea a moment longer then nodded to himself. �I�ll do it.�
Beads of sweat dotted the brow of each council member, the king and the prince. Each secretly hoping that a small breeze would somehow find it�s way into the oven like room to cool them if only slightly. They all knew though that that would not be happening. Thranduil finally spoke, �What say you all to forgetting protocol just for today and remove our robes so that we all may be a little more comfortable.
The council members took only a moment to agree with the idea and they plus the king stood and began to remove their stifling hot robes. Once they were all seated again, Thranduil looked to his child with a smile, only to have his smile fade when he saw that Legolas still sat with his formal robe on. �Ion? Did you not hear? You may remove your robe so that you are not so hot.� Thranduil said little concerned.
�Aye Ada I heard, but I�m fine.� Legolas said as he stared calmly at his father. Inside he was struggling to keep his hand from reaching up and swiping the sweat from his brow.
Thranduil regarded his son carefully for a few moments then nodded and said, �Very well ion-nin, but should you become too uncomfortable with the heat, please feel free to remove your robe.
Fifteen minutes into the meeting, Thranduil happened to glance at his son and noticed a fine sheen of sweat had now formed over his son�s red and obviously warm face. He leaned over and spoke softly to the sweltering prince, �Ion-nin, I know you are not comfortable at all and you look quite ill. Why is it you haven�t removed your robe yet?�
�Because you would be quite livid with me were I to do so in front of everyone.� Legolas thought to himself while he smiled at his father and said, �I�m not ill Ada. I�m quite fine. I can wait till I return to my room to remove it.�
A growl of frustration emitted from the king at his child�s insistence that he was fine. He could see the little pools of sweat forming then running like rivers down his child�s face. One river settled right at the neckline and he could see the slightest fidgeting from his son, but still he made no attempt to remove the hot garment. �I�ve had quite enough Greenleaf. Please stand up.� Thranduil said as he stood and faced his child, once Legolas had risen. Thranduil�s hands went to the top of the robe to release the top clasp.
Legolas� eyes went wide and he immediately reached up and grasped his father�s hands with both of his. �Ada, please don�t. It won�t be good for either of us if you do.� Legolas said urgently.
There was a desperation in Legolas� tone that caused Thranduil to pause a moment before undoing the clasp. He saw something that made him stop and redo the clasp. He turned to the others in the room, with a hand resting gently on his son�s shoulder and in a calm tone said, �We will all be taking a short break. I think a chance to get out into the cool air will do us all some good. We will resume in half an hour.� Thranduil turned his son and walked them both from the room. As they walked down the corridor, Thranduil�s grip on Legolas� shoulder became firmer.
Legolas swallowed hard as Thranduil undid the clasp. When his father redid it and spoke to the others, Legolas relaxed slightly and followed his sire from the room. When the grip on his shoulder became harder he glanced at his father and paled slightly at the look on his father�s face. Had he been younger, he would�ve been worried about his backside but his father hadn�t subjected him to that punishment for over a year now, even though he hadn�t reached his majority just yet.
Thranduil halted them both outside of Legolas and turned towards his son. In a quiet voice he said, �Legolas Thranduilion, you go into your room and put something on under that robe. I will be back in a few minutes.�
Legolas felt his temper rise at his father�s words. �And then what Ada?! You�ll spank me like an elfling!� The minute the words were out of his mouth Legolas regretted them. He swallowed twice before he could speak again. �Ada I��
�SILENCE!� Thranduil roared at his child. He put his face extremely close to Legolas� till their noses were touching. He spoke very quietly and very calmly. �That is exactly what I plan to do my elfling. Now get in there and do what I said.� Thranduil said as he opened the door and motioned for his child to enter. As Legolas passed him he landed a swat to the princely bottom.
Legolas yelped at the swat but when he turned his father had already closed the door. He sighed heavily and walked over to the full-length mirror and took his robe off. He turned so that his back was facing the mirror then looked over his shoulder to see the slight pink handprint on his bottom and sighed. He rubbed at it gently and knew it would be a perfect shade of red when his father got done with him if Thranduil�s words were anything to go by. He turned back around to face the mirror then walked over to his wardrobe to pick out some clothing. He looked over his clothing trying to find something that wouldn�t be so hot. Finally he settled on a pair of gold colored leggins and shirt with a red tunic. He sat on his bed and sighed hopping his sire wouldn�t be too hard on him seeing as he had to sit through the rest of the council meeting. A moment later he heard a strong knock on his door. �C-come in.� He answered a bit shakily.
Thranduil walked in and saw his child sitting dejectedly on the bed. He sat down and turned to face his child. �Alright my pen-neth. Explain to me why you wore nothing under your robe to the council meeting today.� Thranduil said having gained control of his temper.
�It�s always hot in there Ada and I knew it would be worse today. I thought it would be cooler to not wear anything but my robe, but I was wrong it was just as hot. I-I�m sorry Ada I knew no one would know because we wear the robes the entire time. I didn�t think you would let everyone take their robes off.� Legolas said as he stared down at his hands.
�Oh my Greenleaf, what am I to do with you? I know you find it uncomfortable in there but you should always wear all the proper attire to the meetings especially because of today.� Thranduil said as he lifted the repentant head and stared into the liquid sapphire eyes of his child. He brushed his thumb over each eye gently removing the unshed tears. His heart didn�t lighten though for he still had an unpleasant task to attend to.
Legolas stared at his father�s green eyes as he listened to his words. He felt a little foolish now for what he had done. He smiled a little when Thranduil brushed his tears away like he did when the prince was younger. The smile faltered though when he saw the sadness still in Thranduil�s eyes. �Ada? What�s wrong?� He asked as he pulled away and removed his head from his father�s hand.
�We still have something to take care of Legolas and I believe you know what I mean.� Thranduil said, his voice becoming stern.
�Ada please. I�m sorry for doing it, but couldn�t you let it go just this once seeing that it was so hot?� Legolas begged, even as he got up and stood at his father�s right. He sighed ever so softly and gave his father one last pleading look before looking down at the lap he would soon be upended over.
Thranduil sighed, lifted his child�s head and asked, �Why do you think you�re being punished my treasure?�
Legolas looked at his father and said, �Because I wore only my robe to the meeting and nothing else.�
�No Greenleaf that is not why, although I would rather you not do that again. Think about what happened when we reached your room earlier.� Thranduil reminded his child as he stroked Legolas� cheek with his thumb.
�Oh�Oh Ada. I�m sorry I really didn�t mean to�� Legolas started once he realized what his father was talking about. Thranduil silenced his child though by placing his finger on the prince�s lips.
�Shh, I know you�re sorry so this will just be a small reminder.� Thranduil said as he eased Legolas over his lap and flipped the tunic up. He left Legolas� leggins up and landed four hard swats to the center of the covered bottom.
Tears flowed down the pale cheeks and melted into the growing wet spot on the bed. Legolas knew he had yelled at his father before but some how it didn�t feel the same this time. The minute he had done it; he had immediately wished he hadn�t. His tears began to flow faster as he thought about how his father had tried to do something kind for him and when told to fix himself he yelled at him. Deep sobs began to emit from the prince and it had nothing to do with what was happening at the other end.
Another gentle swat landed as Thranduil listened to the heart wrenching sobs from his son. Tears filled his own eyes as he listened to the tears not from the spanking, for the first four were the only hard ones the king had landed, but from his child�s own guilty conscience. He continued to gently swat his child and when he heard the deeper sobs and felt Legolas melt against him drained from his own emotions, Thranduil lifted his crying child and held him in his arms. He stroked the damp golden hair away from Legolas� face while he rubbed comforting circles on the trembling back. He began to speak in soft elven words of love into his child�s pointed ear.
The rhythmic gentle thumping of something had Legolas calming and become more aware of what was going on. The first thing he noticed was the feel of his father�s hand upon his back rubbing it gently. He could hear the gentle murmur of words in his ear and as he concentrated on listening he could hear the love and comfort in the words. He snuggled against his father and sighed with relief. �Ada, I�m so�� Legolas began only to find his father�s finger at his lips.
�Hush my Greenleaf. I know how sorry you are and I believe you. How are you feeling now ion-nin?� Thranduil asked as he wrapped his arms around his child and just held him as they spoke.
�Better Ada, much better. How long have we been in here?� He asked as he began to wipe at his face and sat up. He slid from his father�s lap and headed over to the washbasin in his room. He used the cloth and began to wash the tears from his face, while cooling it as well.
�It is time for us to return to the meeting ion. You can leave your robe here for my order is still in effect.� Thranduil said as he stood and waited for his son. They left the room and walked down the hall, heads held high, even though it was apparent to many of the staff that the young prince had been crying. The fact that he didn�t have the normal hitch in his gait had them wondering though what had taken place in his room.
In the meeting room the king and Legolas had arrived first. Legolas turned to his father and asked, �Ada not that I�m not thankful but why am I able to sit down? I thought that with how angry you were with me that I would have to bring a pillow with me to the rest of the meeting.�
�Ion-nin I had not intended to spank you very much at all. I told you I would give you a reminder. I think your conscience got the better of you and gave you a bit more than a reminder. Come now be seated while we wait for the others to come back so that we may continue the meeting.� Thranduil said as he placed his hands on Legolas� shoulders.
The rest of the meeting was better as Thranduil had spoken with the kitchen staff before hand and now they were in and out of the meeting room ensuring a breeze wafted through the room every so often and cool drinks were available at all times. No one had ever suspected what an elven prince had once worn under his robe.
