"I am proud of you, Thranduil," Oropher said.

Thranduil hung his head. "Thank you, ada."

"You should be proud, ion-nin," Oropher scolded.

"Why? Because of this?" Thranduil shook his head, causing his golden hair to ripple.

Oropher pinched Thranduil. "Ion-nin, hold still! I cannot even hope to comb your hair if you keep moving."

Tears came into Thranduil's eyes. "I grew this hair for you, ada. My whole life I have been doing things for you and naneth. I have perfected my skills with the blade, I have memorized every book in our vast libraries, I have refined my intellect, fought many battles . . . all for you and naneth."

"Indeed. And no father could be prouder then I am," Oropher replied.

Thranduil sighed. His hair was golden and heavy. It was many yards long, thick and strong. It had taken years to grow with the use of herbs and daily potions. It had been Oropher's dream to see his son with such long hair. And Thranduil had wanted to please his father. Oropher was braiding his hair now. The braid was thick and heavy.

"I am proud of you," Oropher said again.

"You are only proud of me when I fulfill your dreams," Thranduil said bitterly. "I have to earn your love. Your love has to be paid for with my sweat and blood. Until I accomplish your latest task, you look upon me with displeasure! I am sick of working for your love! A father's love should be unconditional. I am worn from working to please you and so tired. I have lived my life for you. I have done nothing for myself. I cannot live like this any longer. I yearn for your love and I will do anything for it. I cannot live with you and live my own life at the same time for your demands are endless and I am powerless to disobey, knowing you will give me your love once the task stands completed. That is why I am leaving."

Oropher tied Thranduil's braid with unnecessary force and handed the heavy coil to Thranduil. "Do not be a fool, ion-nin. Where will you go?"

"Wherever my feet chose to take me. I am going to live my life now! Everything I do will be for me, not for you. I am done making you proud if that pride must cost me my happiness. I love you and it pains me to have to leave you and nana. But I must if I want to be happy. You are too demanding, ada, and I am too weak to refuse your requests. Goodbye." Tears streamed down Thranduil's cheeks but he could not stop now. He had to leave. He forced himself to stride out of the room. In the doorway, Oropher's words stopped him.

"The moose of Greenwood the Great are impossible to ride, Thranduil."

It was another one of Oropher's arduous tasks. Thranduil was not going to put his sweat and blood into it. He walked away from his father. In his chambers, he unclenched his hands. What was done was done. He was leaving. Yes, he was leaving to live his own life! He was free!

A surge of joy helped lessen the pain he felt at having to leave his parents and his home. He packed a few changes of clothes, and his valuable jewelry in case he needed it for money. He packed his comb and dress robes and tossed the bags onto his bed along with the sack of lembas bread he had already taken from the kitchens. Locking his room door, he donned his armor. The armor was silver, engraved with leaves and vines. It melded with his body, having been custom made. He pinned on a heavy black cloak. He slid his sword and dagger into his belt. He coiled his heavy braid over his arm and hung it on the harness on his back. Grabbing his luggage, he leapt out of his bedroom window onto the rooftops below. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he left the palace behind. He jogged into the trees, heading for the feeding grounds of the moose. He knew he father would send elves after him to bring him back and he knew he had to be far away by the time that happened. In order to outrun the mounted elves, he would need something faster then a horse.

The wood was dark. The trees were shadows. The wind blew cool. Thranduil was light and nimble as he skipped over creeks and vaulted mossy tree trunks. He could run for hours without tiring for it had been Oropher's wish that he be the fastest runner in Greenwood the Great. And so he was.

When Thranduil reached moose territory, he went in search of a moose. He had barely taken a few steps into the grassy glade when the thunder of hooves filled the air. Thranduil spun around and froze in his tracks. A whole herd of moose charged toward him, kicking up earth with their hooves. They soared over a ditch and landed around Thranduil, horns lowered to spear him.

"I come in peace!" Thranduil declared, holding up his hands. "All I desire is a mount to ride away from here so that I may be as free as you."

The moose snorted and pounded their hooves on the ground. Thranduil closed his eyes. He could feel the tremors in the ground, making a kind of pattern of stamps and snorts. He knew of a code that used such a method of communication. Quickly, he put the message conveyed in the stamps and snorts together.

"For whom do you wish to ride forth from this wood?"

"No one but myself," Thranduil answered. "I am done doing things for my father."

"How do we know you are worthy enough to ride us?"

A wild surge of freedom filled Thranduil. "By this!" He lunged forward, grabbing the biggest moose by the horns. The moose stepped back and flung him back. Thranduil hung on desperately, his fingers slipping on the smooth bone. The animal bucked beneath him, twisting and heaving. Thranduil held on tightly, settling himself on the moose. The animal bucked one more time before holding still. The rest of the moose turned quietly and walked away. Thranduil relaxed. He had passed the test. The moose bucked and he went flying, landing hard on his back. The moose walked over to Thranduil and looked into his dazed eyes with a glint of mischief in them. His eyes seemed to say; "Now we are even!" Thranduil stumbled to his feet and mounted the animal. The cool wind played with a few stray wisps of his hair as he rode. By the time dawn came, he was riding out of Greenwood the Great into the grassy plains. He did not need a map; every corner of Middle Earth existed in his head. He decided to ride for Rohan. In human territory, he was less likely to be recognized. And the last thing he wanted was his father knowing exactly where he was.

The air was still cool. The sun was rising. Thranduil rode away from home, breathing in the fresh taste of freedom. He knew there would be danger on his new path. There would be danger and difficulty and pain. But there would also be fun and laughter and plenty of challenges. Thranduil looked forward to it all with eagerness. His blue eyes glowed. His heart soared on the wings of a passing eagle. He did not think of his parents or of servitude. He thought only of the happiness that waited ahead of him.

That night Thranduil slept by a warm fire under the open sky. The stars surrounded him, unblocked by any ceiling or tree. Fireflies winked in the tall grass. Thranduil was warm and happy and satisfied. His moose was grazing in the grass. Thranduil watched him lie down with a thump.

"How would you like to be named Flyfire?" he asked, watching the fireflies gather on the moose's horns in a thick mass.

The moose nodded and the fireflies scattered. And so Flyfire was born. Thranduil fell asleep watching the fire dancing and seeing the reflection of the flames in Flyfire's brown eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Where is Thranduil?" Sivagami asked, coming to stand by Oropher.

"He has gone to tame the moose of Greenwood the Great," Oropher said with satisfaction. "He had some foolish notion about running away. But I convinced him otherwise and gave him a task to do."

Sivagami was silent for a while. "But he only just got back from battling servants of Sauron! Perhaps you should have given him a break?"

"He will come back, meleth nin," Oropher said tenderly. "As if he would leave us and this beautiful forest for the harsh, crude world outside."

"And when he does come back it will be on a moose?" Sivagami laughed.

"You know our ion. He can do anything," Oropher insisted.

"You push him too hard," Sivagami said. She was quiet again.

"Is something bothering you?"

"No," Sivagami said. She took Oropher's hand. Looking into his eyes with a sparkle in hers, she said, "I am pregnant!"