Challenge FIC
An Error In Judgment
By Enelya
Dedicated to: Miz
Legolas walked out into the garden that was normally filled with fragrant flowers, but well now that it was winter it was filled with a thick of layer of snow on the ground and from the trees hung beautifully formed icicles. The lake, that he loved to swim in during the summer, was now a perfect spot to slide across in his leggins. He was careful though to make sure he was alone when he attempted that. His Ada had scolded him many times as an elfling about it, but it was too much of a temptation. Many a times it had earned him a sore bottom as well as a lecture.
A small chuckle escaped the prince as he thought of his Ada reacting the same now that he was an adult. Legolas wasn�t about to tempt fate, even though he was fairly certain his Ada wouldn�t react the same now about him sliding across the ice. He looked at the smooth glass-like surface of the lake, then shook his head and walked away. He couldn�t believe he actually entertained the foolish idea.
The fresh scent of pine filled his nose as he entered inside. The halls were decorated, as they were every Yule season with pine boughs. He walked down the hall towards his chambers to ready himself for the afternoon meal. He had his formal clothes laid out. He slipped out of his other clothing, and put them in the basket used for such a purpose then slipped into a pair of slivery leggins and shirt, then donned a dark blue tunic and boots. The tunic had silver leaves etched along the neckline and bottom edge. The boots also had a silver vine with leaves down the sides of them. He hesitated a moment, then sighed and put on the formal robe he was required to wear. He wasn�t fond of it even as an adult, but he knew proper attire was necessary. It was a dark blue like his tunic and boots, with silver trim and a pattern on the back that looked as if a spider had delicately weaved it there. Legolas took his hair out of its braids and brushed it till it shone. He replaced the braids and then, he saw the green velvet box on his table and smiled. His Ada had remembered from last year. He opened the box and took out the circlet made of holly leaves and berries.
Sliding on the ice entered his mind once again as he made his way down the hall towards the dining hall. Other things he loved to do around this time of year when he was an elfling began to creep into his mind as well. He couldn�t shake them. It was as if he was becoming an elfling all over again just because of the season.
Legolas shook his head slightly to clear his head of the childish thoughts and opened the door to the dining hall. He sat down in his place as he waited for his Ada. They had a few dignitaries there and Legolas knew what was expected of him. He heard the door opened and stood as his father and the dignitaries came in. He didn�t understand though why they had chosen to come at the time of Yule instead of staying home with their families. He nodded to each of them then smiled warmly at his Ada and accepted the hug that his sire gave to him as he headed to his own seat.
�Well ion-nin. How have you spent your day thus far?� Thranduil asked as he sat down.
�I took a walk in the garden Ada. I find it very peaceful there.� Legolas answered as the servants passed by putting more food on the table and filling everyone�s cups.
�Aye ion-nin. I find it peaceful there as well. No mischief then, just peaceful walking?� Thranduil asked teasingly.
�Nay Ada. No mischief, yet.� Legolas answered with a smirk, which caused his Ada and the dignitaries to laugh.
The thoughts of elfling mischief began to creep into Legolas� mind as he strolled into the garden once again a little later. The frozen lake beckoned him as he walked closer to it. He was still in his formal clothes and robe and looked around the garden to see if he was alone. �I�ll just do it this once, then the thought will leave me be.� Legolas thought to himself as he removed his robe and Yule circlet and laid them on the stone bench a few feet away. He stared at the lake again, then ran towards it dropping to his knees as he hit the ice and couldn�t help the laughter that emitted from him. He got up, once he reached the other side and brushed away the bit of snow that had got on him. He was about to walk around to go back to his robe and Yule circlet when he thought, �Well I might as well go back the same way I got here. No one�s around and I�m not harming anything.� He walked away from the lake about a foot, then turned, ran and slid across on his knees to the other side, laughter flowing from him like music.
As he was putting his robe and circlet back on, he heard someone clearing their throat behind him. He turned around and looked into the amused eyes of his Ada and the visiting dignitaries. �Having fun, Greenleaf?� Thranduil asked with a raised eyebrow.
Pink colored the prince�s cheeks as he smiled sheepishly. �I was just�getting a foolish idea out of my head Ada.� He said feeling his cheeks get hotter.
�Ahh I see and the only way to get rid of a foolish idea is to act on it. It makes perfect sense to me ion-nin.� Thranduil spoke as he shook his head. �How about you keep your foolish ideas in your head instead of getting rid of them, if that�s the only way.� Thranduil said, then added, �Perhaps I could help you get rid of them, I have a very thorough method.� Thranduil said with a meaningful look.
Legolas shook his head at his sire�s suggestion. �Nay Ada that will not be required. I think I can control them.� Legolas said quickly to reassure his parent.
�Good. I shall see you at the evening meal then ion-nin.� Thranduil said as he nodded to his son and continued on his way with the dignitaries with him. Legolas nodded and went inside.
There it was again, that niggling part of his brain trying to convince him to go ahead with the next elfling like idea he thought of. Legolas shook his head. �This isn�t good. Why am I getting the urge to do these things?� He shook his head again and began to head for the library thinking that reading would take his mind of his troubles.
Once there though he was restless. He tried to read but he couldn�t get past the first sentence. Finally he decided that giving in to the idea would be okay. It was something that got him scolded enough as an elfling around this time every year but never more than that. He could take a scolding from his sire if he got caught this time he assumed.
Legolas left the stables a while later, satisfied with his job. He went inside, back to the library and was able to start on his book. He was so absorbed in his book that it took him a minute to realize he was being watched. Blue eyes lifted slowly to gaze at the green ones watching him. �Oh hi Ada.� He said and put his book down.
�Greenleaf, would you mind taking a walk with me please.� Thranduil said as he looked at his child.
�Aye. Of course Ada.� Legolas said a little uncertainly, unsure why he had an uneasy feeling about taking a walk with his Ada. He got up, set his book down and followed his Ada. His stomach began to churn as he realized where they were headed.
Legolas looked around the stables and his eyes settled on the decorated stalls of the horses. Each had a pine bough around the door with a red ribbon attached in the middle of the bough, and on the door under the red bow was a strap with small bells attached that jingled when the door was opened. His blue eyes then settled on the horses, which had their tack on. He assumed his Ada had planned on going on riding or had already been.
On the bridals of the horses were more of the tiny bells and a big red bow was tied at the base of each horse�s tail. Legolas looked at his Ada and saw that Thranduil was looking at him.
�Well Greenleaf?� Thranduil asked after a minute. When he and the visiting dignitaries had seen the stalls and the horses they all had been rather amused, but during their ride, the bells attracted the attention of a few wolves, though the creatures did nothing more than look at Thranduil and those with him, they turned around and headed back home.
�You don�t like it Ada?� Legolas asked as he stared once again at the decorated stalls and the horses therein. He looked at his father and wasn�t sure of the expression on his father�s face.
�It looks nice ion-nin, but I�m afraid the bells aren�t a good idea. Remove them please before the evening meal.� Thranduil said quirking an eyebrow at his child.
�Aye Ada.� Legolas said with a sad sigh. He walked over to the first stall and touched the strap with the bells on the stall door. �Ada, these as well?� He asked looking at Thranduil.
�Nay ion, I think those can stay until the end of Yule.� Thranduil said as he gave his child a smile then turned and left the stables.
Legolas sighed with relief as he removed the last bell from the last harness. It had been fun to put them on but taking them off wasn�t as much fun. He hung the bridal up and looked over at the horses and wondered if his Ada wanted him to take the ribbons off as well. He went to take the one off his Ada�s horse and was snorted at by the beast. He tried again to remove the ribbon and when Ardel moved again and snorted, Legolas sighed. �Fine you like it, you can keep it. If Ada asks though, I�m blaming you.� Legolas told the horse.
He left the stables and went back to the house. He headed straight for his bathing chambers. His Ada would not be pleased if he came to the evening feast smelling like the stables.
Legolas slipped his clothes off and put them in the basket for the servants, then stepped into the steaming bath that had been waiting for him. The hot water slipped over his taught muscular body. Once bathed, Legolas stepped out and grabbed a towel. He rubbed it over him, then threw it in the basket by the door and headed into his chambers. He walked over to his wardrobe and began to pull out his other set of formal clothes.
Another pair of silver leggins and shirt, followed by a black tunic and boots. Tunic and boots both had silver embroidered leaves on them. Legolas picked his brush up and brought it over by the fireplace. He sat down in the large comfortable chair by the fireplace and began to brush his hair using the warmth of the fire to dry his hair.
An idea about what he could do at the evening meal crossed his mind, and this one made him smile. He knew he didn�t have much time to complete what he wanted to do, but he knew the servants would help them if he buttered them up a bit.
Legolas arrived early for the evening feast and made sure his surprise was in place. He sat in his seat and waited for his Ada and the dignitaries showed up. He rose when the doors opened and smiled at his sire.
When everyone went to sit, the three visiting dignitaries stood back up quickly. Thranduil saw them stand up and look at their seats and he turned a thunderous expression on his offspring as he stood.
�Legolas Thranduilion, stand up this instant!� Thranduil roared.
Legolas scrambled to his feet, confused at his sire�s anger. He was startled as Thranduil grabbed him by the arm and forced him over the table. He started to get up and was immediately pushed back down by the small of his back.
�I didn�t give you permission to get up Legolas. You will remain where you are till I am done.� Thranduil said sternly. He saw one of the dignitaries trying to get his attention, but ignored him. A servant was carrying in a bowl of something and trying not to pay attention to father and son at the moment. Thranduil noticed a wooden spoon sticking out of the elleth�s pocket.
Thranduil reached over and took the spoon from her pocket, starling the elleth a moment. He felt Legolas still struggling against him and landed a sharp swat with the spoon to the thinly clad backside.
Legolas yelped as he was suddenly swatted with something that wasn�t his Ada�s hand. He couldn�t understand what he had done wrong. His Ada hadn�t seemed angry with him earlier.
�Greenleaf, I am very disappointed in your behavior. I could understand the gliding across the ice, though with you being older and heavier than you were as an elfling, it could�ve easily cracked or broken causing you to fall through. The decorated stalls were fine, but the bells and bows on the horses and their tack was a bit much ion-nin. This though, I can�t believe you would stoop to something that caused you a sore bottom as an elfling. I thought the one time we discussed this was the only time, but I see now that I was wrong.� Thranduil spoke as he continued to bring the spoon down on Legolas� bottom and thighs.
Legolas had his face turned towards the kitchen keeping it away from the dignitaries, trying not to break down in sobs. One particular swat broke that thought and Legolas yelped loudly. He clenched his hands refusing to reach back and cause himself to look more like an elfling.
�You may rise now ion-nin.� Thranduil said as he handed the spoon back to a passing member of the kitchen staff. He was rather taken aback when instead of finding his arms full with a repentant child, he was receiving rather cold looks from the dignitaries, servants and saw his child leaving the dining hall.
�Thranduil,� Lord Brechal, one of the dignitaries, started, �I had no idea that you would disapprove so greatly of your son giving us gifts. Forgive me for saying so, but I think your actions were in the wrong.� The elf said as he lifted a gift from his chair and placed it on the table.
�Excuse me I have made a grave error concerning my child and I need to set things right. Please enjoy yourselves and I shall hopefully return with Legolas shortly.� Thranduil said as he stood and headed for the doors of the dining hall. Leaving through the doors, he received a scathing look from one of the young guards standing there. Thranduil didn�t say a word as he continued his trek down the hall towards the family quarters. He entered the area and headed straight to Legolas� room. When he got there his heart broke at the heart wrenching sobs coming from the room.
Legolas didn�t hear the door to his chambers open. He felt someone sit on his bed and begin to stroke his hair. He knew who it was and refused to respond to the gesture of comfort at first, over time he began to nudge his father�s hand if the petting stopped and after a bit more time was curled in his father�s lap with his head on his shoulder.
�I�m sorry my treasure. I didn�t realize what you had done. Instead of you making me look bad as I had first thought, I made my own self look bad. It was wrong of me also to deal with you in front of everyone like that. I was just in shock and thought that you had repeated the saddle and pinecone incident. Forgive me my Greenleaf?� Thranduil explained and then asked.
Silence hung heavy in the room for several minutes, then Legolas nodded. �Aye Ada, I forgive you. I know how it must�ve looked. I-I don�t know what�s gotten into me today. That thought did cross my mind today, but I put it to better use by giving presents instead.� Legolas admitted as he tilted his head and stared up at his father.
Thranduil smiled down at his child and stroked Legolas� cheek with his hand. �That was quite thoughtful of you ion-nin. Come I wish us to go back to the dining hall and feast with the others, that is if you are up to it my Greenleaf.� Thranduil said.
�Aye Ada, I believe I am.� Legolas said as he got up off his father�s lap and waited.
Father and son walked down the hall once Legolas had washed his face and redid his hair. When they walked back into the dining hall, the tension and unease that had hung in the room during their absence, immediately lifted as everyone sensed the change in moods. Legolas went to sit and was a little surprised at the pillow that graced his chair. He looked at his father questioningly.
The questioning look from his son, caused Thranduil to look and shake his head at Legolas when he saw the pillow. He looked around as did his son and when they both lit upon the captain of the guard, Jolvin, they both saw the gleam in the captain�s eye. Each gave the captain a nod of his head, thanking him for the small kindness.
The rest of the evening was better after the feast with dancing, music and presents. The dignitaries were invited, by Legolas to join he and Thranduil in the sitting room and hear the story of a young elfling, a visitor, a few burrs, a saddle and a pointy pinecone.