🌟 Imagine Legolas Not Returning to You, His Fiancée, After the Battle of the Five Armies

Word Count: 1,279

Translation(s): none

Summary: A few short paragraphs explaining your feelings towards Legolas' disappearance and how it affected your secret.

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"King Thranduil, I'm so pleased to see you've returned," you inattentively expressed, eyes distracted as you looked over the growing crowd of elven soldiers.

"My dear Y/N, we're family now. Please, call me Thranduil," he mused, a rare moment of kindness peeking through his gruff exterior as he gently guided you towards the heart of the palace.

"Of course, but if you don't mind my asking, where is my fiancé?" You inquired, arms wrapping around your waist as your anxiety grew. You knew you hadn't seen him in the comotion. 

Thranduil was silent, worsening your growing curiousity. As you entered the throne room, you found the King looking at you with sad, aching eyes.

"He's not dead, is he?" You gasped, your eyes wetting with tears as Thranduil patted your shoulder lovingly.

"No, no, nothing of that sort, I'm pleased to say. However, Y/N, Legolas has...." Thranduil paused, seemingly looking for the right words. "He has left Mirkwood, I fear, for good."

You felt confused. Surely, this was a joke? Any moment, you imagined Legolas would emerge from his hiding place and wrap you in his arms, giving you a long, loving kiss. The King was toying with you, right?

"Left?" You questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

He looked at you grimly, smoothing his robes as he began to speak. "It would seem that he needs to be away from this kingdom, from me. He told me to relay a message to you, however."

You bit your lip, hands placed on your hips as you broke out into a smile. This smile soon turned into a fit of laughter. You had never expected Thranduil to be such a mighty and moving actor.

"Thranduil, I must say, you are quite the performer." You commented through giggles, "but please, I truly would like to see Legolas. You can let him know that the joke has lost its hilarity and that he should reveal himself at once. I do miss him terribly and should like to see him."

You gained your composure, knowing you had caught the King's act judging by the shocked look on his face. He sighed, pulling a small note from his pocket. You recognized the scrawl on the letter as Legolas's.

"Y/N, I do not know how else to say it other than as it has already been said. Legolas is gone. He told me to inform you that he was caged. He felt as if he were a prisoner in my own dungeon and he needed air, for he had managed a glimpse through the steel bars one too many times. He said, in exact words, 'do not fret over my absence, my sweet, for I make no definite promise that I'll return.' I'm so sorry, my darling daughter-in-law, but Legolas has undoubtedly fled."

Finally, it hit you, as if someone had taken a hammer to your chest and shattered it open. The tears unleashed faster than you could have imagined, your legs becoming weak, and within the passing of a second you found yourself on your knees, a sobbing, hopeless mess. This was not trickery, you realized, he was gone.

Thranduil bowed to your level, pulling you into his embrace and comforting you. You appreciated such a gesture, but through your torent of tears, you had not the words to thank him.

"Now, I understand," Thranduil began, his voice thick with pain and sadness, "that his absence will be hard on this family. It will difficult for the kingdom, for me, and for you, but Mirkwood needs us now, like never before. I hope you can understand." 

You wiped your tears away, still feeling them sting at your eyes, as you looked up at the King through your lashes. You found yourself choking on words, whether from the lump in your throat or your nervousness, you didn't know.

"And, Thranduil, Legolas's son needs a father." You whispered, agony in your every word as fresh tears began once more.

His eyes were wide, shocked and stunned as you he looked to you, and then to your ever so slight baby bump. He sadly smiled, pulling you closer once more.

"Oh, Y/N," he crooned, "I'm so sorry. I promise, I will make sure the finest are at your service in Mirkwood."

You gulped, "it is not the finest that I need, Thranduil. It is Legolas that should be here."

"My darling, if he had known, I assure you he would have never made such a brash decision. I can do my best to see that a message concerning your situation finds him, but I make no promise that it will ever reach his hand." Thranduil strained, pulling you to your feet for a final embrace.

"Do what you must, but until he returns, I fear I'll keep to my chamber. It would be a shame for the people of Mirkwood to see me in my condition." You blearily spoke.

And so, as you had stated, you spent the following months wallowing in your chamber as often as possible, refusing to see the healers that Thranduil sent for you, and even rejecting visits from Thranduil himself. Your heart ached with a longing like no other, and you feared that you may wither away from the pain every passing day. Your heart was broken and there was no way of mending it, lest Legolas returned. Your only source of joy seemed to be your son who sat developing in your belly as the months went on. You could only pray that he would look like his father after his birth.

Meanwhile, Legolas crept along rivers, strode through forests, and meandered over hills, unaware of your worsening mental condition in Mirkwood. Legolas undoubtedly felt guilty for leaving you, but he knew that, deep down, if he returned, you would love one another just the same as before. He didn't fear you'd harbor any resentment toward him. He was not scared to lose you as your love was pure.

That is, until a certain Mirkwood messenger found him, carrying a letter with momentous news. At that moment, Legolas knew that he had created chaos far beyond his imagination for you, and the long journey back only strained his heart more. It wasn't until, over a year after his departure, that he returned back to the familiar halls of his kingdom.

There he found you, clutching a small head of golden hair to your chest, silently crying as you held your son. It pained Legolas to see you so broken, and as abruptly as he could, he launched himself towards you, tears streaming from his eyes.

"My stars, my moon," he spoke between kisses to your forehead, "had I known you'd be so affected, I'd have stayed. Had I understood that your pregnancy would be so difficult, so lonely, I'd never have left. Can you ever forgive me?" Legolas cried, clutching you and your son close to him.

"Legolas," you wept, simply holding him tightly, "you have no idea the heartache we've been through without you." He sobbed in response, kissing the small boys forehead as well. 

"Dare I ask to hold him?" He whimpered, pulling away to gaze at your beautiful face that he so dearly missed.

You handed the baby boy over, his resemblance to Legolas uncanny, even at such a young age.

"My love, what is his name?" Legolas spoke, sniffling, but affection evidently pooling in his features.

"Elas, his name is Elas Greenleaf." You smiled, heart warming with joy at your reunited family.

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Wow, it has certainly been a while! I absolutely apologize for ghosting this account and I certainly won't make any excuses for how poorly I've treated this story. So, to make up for it, here is an update. I apologize if it isn't the best. I'm going to try to get back into the swing of updating after so long. Also, it probably doesn't help that I've written nearly half of this at 2 am, as that is currently the time that I'm publishing this.

-Raine