Return to Mirkwood COMPLETE

Title: Return to Mirkwood.
Chapter Seventeen.
Author: Sarah.
Pairing: Gimli/Legolas.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I love them and thank Tolkien for them. They are not mine. The Legolas and Gimli I write are Tolkien’s and not related to the movie characters. I claim the original characters and ideas.
Archive: Axe and Bow. Others please ask.
Feedback: Please. saraharizonaanne@hotpop.com
Author notes: Thank you to everyone who gave me fb. The encouragement helps me more than I can say. Thank you to erobey for the love and support. Thank you to Marigold for the super great beta work. I am glad for your touch on my work. Any mistakes left are mine.

Dedicated to IamHalfKin for the light and love she has put in my inbox recently.


As they walked down the corridors and passed the elflings playing a game with thin sticks, Gimli said, "Are you going to ask your Lord about Aren?"

"Nay. I have no idea why the records are missing. If Father had difficulties with dwarves before Thorin I'm not sure I want to know. What if your people helped with the building and some problem arose? Do I wish to start up an old quarrel and risk your upset, too?"

"Perhaps all went well. Could be an innocent reason for the scrolls being gone. They'd be very old and might have been removed for their protection. Still, I tend to agree with you. You mentioned a birth and death list. We could search there next."

They arrived at the study and found the door slightly open.

Legolas knocked and Thranduil called, "Enter."

They walked into the study and Gimli bit back a gasp. The entire wall across from the King was covered with portraits of the Lord's children and the offspring from those children.

Gimli forgot everything upon seeing the three drawings of Legolas. He hastened over to study the portraits.

The first one was clearly Legolas before he came of age as he looked quite young. *Fifteen, maybe sixteen,* Gimli thought, although he was not at all sure. Young and small and perfectly lovely even as a child. Legolas was dressed in shades of brown and he had no braids. His hair was loose around his shoulders.

"Lovely," Gimli muttered. The background was simple charcoal shading. Behind him, the King said, "That was one of Tasar's first works."

In the next sketch Legolas was dressed in white and had braids but not his warrior braids. *His coming of age braids,* Gimli guessed. He looked the same age as he was at present. He appeared sad in this one and Gimli deduced it had been done around the time of Legolas' mother's death. Legolas had told him that he was barely of age when she died. This one had a dark blue background that accented both the blonde of Legolas' hair and the blue of his eyes. It also seemed to bring out the sorrow in Legolas' eyes.

Gimli had an irrational urge to try to comfort his beloved. Legolas' image was so beautiful but Gimli hated the haunting look of grief in his eyes. Legolas came to Gimli's side as if he sensed his dwarf's feelings.

The last one of Legolas depicted him with his warrior braids and while he did not seem unhappy neither did he appear joyful. He just looked serious. He was wearing blue in this one. He looked like the elf Gimli had met at Rivendell. The background was much more detailed. Legolas was standing in front of an evergreen tree that was covered with snow.

A sense of pride infused Gimli. His elf was truly beautiful.

Gimli felt Legolas' hand on his shoulder. Realising he was delaying the meeting Gimli tried to drag his attention back but the King said, "We are in no hurry. Take as much time as you desire."

Gimli was fascinated by Legolas' images. He slowly went to the others, but went back several times to study the illustrations of Legolas. There was one of Celduil with Lastand and another of each of them separately. Their two sons were grouped on both sides and portraits of their children and their offspring were mounted under those.

Legolas said, "Tasar did not feel his work was good enough to display until Celduil was long since of age. That is why there is none of Celduil earlier. I am younger than Tasar so there are three of me. Most of Tasar's paintings are in three's. One as an elfling, another at the coming of age and another at one thousand years of age. Mine was done, two years ago, twelve years early due to the darkness falling across the land. Father requested it. Several portraits of the elflings were done earlier than usual, too, for the same reason."

Legolas gestured to a couple with a small baby under Celduil and Lastand. "They left for the Undying Lands a year before the War. She is Celduil's great-great granddaughter."


There was only one of Tasar and Lisse together. Legolas continued, "Tasar says it is hard to draw oneself. He does the drawing but Lisse adds in the colour."

Tasar and Lisse's children and the generations that followed were gathered around their vignette. Legolas pointed to a male elf. "His name was Nelyahin. He is the one that died at the hands of orcs during a patrol."

Gimli remembered that Legolas had told him that when Nelyahin died, he had volunteered to take Nelyahin's duties for a while. It had been because of this that Legolas had been on patrol at the time of the Battle of the Five Armies and not with his King's forces in Erebor.

Gimli saw a sketch of the two little girls he had been introduced to in the library. Tasar's line was interesting because with Lisse being dark haired all but one of their children had black hair. The blonde hair showed up in every generation at least once and one of Tasar and Lisse's dark haired descendants had bonded with a blonde and had three children, only one of which had black hair.

Gimli slowly came to the chair glancing back at the drawings of Legolas.

Legolas sat down next to Gimli.

The King said, "Tasar and Lisse do very good portraits. I am blessed to have them."

Gimli nodded. "They are priceless. Tasar and Lisse are very talented."

"Have the two of you discussed the contract?"

Legolas nodded. "We have talked about it." He told of their plans.

After Legolas finished, his Lord said, "I have what should be a final copy." He handed over a parchment.

They both studied it. The form was the same as they had seen before with two exceptions: the additions Gimli had asked for. Where it stated that Legolas was a representative of his race, there was, also a statement about Gimli being a representative of his people. It now had the clause at the very bottom that Gimli had suggested.

"Once the documents are passed to you both, you will be given time to read each one." He paused, gazing at Gimli. "There is something else that must be discussed. I am very cognisant of the fact that Gloin is probably completely unaware of his son's activities. Or else he has had the shocking news delivered to him and is very worried. I, also, realise that your father will not appreciate my consenting to bind his son to mine. However, I feel Gloin would be equally offended if Legolas arrived at Erebor in disgrace over the union. He could perceive that as a statement that I do not think you are good enough for Legolas."

"My main concern is Legolas. I will not send him to Erebor in shame over a bond that was created before I got involved. No matter what I believe your father will view it as. Without a contract there might be those who will assume that the union did not have my approval. However, with it there will be no doubt where I stand. Do you have any dissension over this Gimli?"

Gimli shook his head. "I agree with you. I do not believe my father will accept our love. Not because he thinks Legolas is not good enough. He wished me to continue the lineage. It is too late to ask permission and..." Gimli paused. He did not want to create trouble but the truth remained. "And when it comes to Legolas it matters not. Not even my father could stop my loving him."

King Thranduil smiled. "And by that you are implying neither can I or anyone else. In my case, the bond is accomplished and I see no point in denying reality. By continue the lineage, you are saying that he wanted you to have heirs? “

"Aye."

"One can hardly blame him for that. I'll not lecture you on the importance of such matters because as I said the bond is clearly done. Some of my people are going to Lake Town in three days time. Do you wish to send your father a letter? You should, at least, let him know you are all right."

Gimli resisted the impulse to say, 'You mean tell him that you haven't thrown me in a dungeon?' in jest. The anger he had felt was gone. Whatever had happened with Thorin, he could no longer believe that everything that had gone on was King Thranduil's fault. "I would like that very much."

"I am glad you will be celebrating your union on the dwarven New Year. There should be some part of your people in the ceremony. I shall mention it in my blessing."

*Legolas is like his father in many ways,* Gimli thought. *I cannot hate the Elven Lord. Nor will I even try to dislike him anymore. For me, it ends now.*

Tbc