~The parents try to explain but Legolas is hard to convince. He receives advice from an unexpected direction.~

~♕~

"Nothing can ever be broken
that we can't fix... together."

– Mirabel, Encanto

~♕~

39. Confessions

"I will tell them," said Mithrellas and Amroth almost simultaneously.

"The reason we came was to talk to them," Amroth added.

"We should all go," said Nimrodel, pushing down her anxiety at the thought of her daughter's reaction to the news.

She was not alone feeling nervous. When they ascended the stairs all of them looked tense and apprehensive, even Thranduil who normally was an expert at hiding his emotions. But when it came to his son he was a lot more vulnerable than he let on.

Amroth knocked at the bedroom door. "May we come in?"

"Who let you into the house?" came Legolas' angry voice. "You are not welcome here. Go away."

"Please let us explain," he begged.

"Please," added Mithrellas.

A murmured conversation followed behind the door, then they heard Lasriel's voice: "Alright. Say what you want to say."

The parents uneasily filed in, feeling the resenting, bitter gazes of Lasriel and Legolas where they sat on their bed. The quilt was new; Nimrodel had bought it for them together with the fluffy carpet and matching curtains. Now she regretted that. Her daughter and son-in-law had had so many unpleasant surprises lately, and apparently even the furnishings Thranduil and she had been so happy to provide were unwelcome.

There were two chairs in the room and Amroth took one, pulling it closer. He didn't look at his daughter and son-in-law while he again told the sad account of Mithrellas' and his life from their banishment until present time.

When he came to the birth of their daughter Legolas recoiled. "That is... sick," he choked.

Lasriel took his hand soothingly. She looked less appalled; on the contrary she seemed to regard her father with sympathy.

Nimrodel was relieved to see that. Her daughter had never been the type to bear grudges for long. Legolas, now... his disposition reminded her a lot of Thranduil's.

"It was unplanned. Since then, we took measures to ensure it would not happen again." Amroth shifted his stance, picking at the wrinkled knee of his hose.

His words piqued Nimrodel's interest. What measures? If Thranduil and she... But then she quickly checked her thoughts. Nothing was decided yet; it might not come to be. Best not get her hopes up.

Amroth continued, describing how they had grandchildren and grandchildren's grandchildren, how their daughter left for Aman, how they later withdrew from their ancestors and became more and more secluded.

"The reason we followed you here was because we wanted you to know the full truth," he said after he had reached the end of his tale. "We do not expect you to forgive us, but perhaps allow us to keep in contact. If you could send a letter once in a while, just so we know how you are... These long years without knowing anything have been... difficult for us."

"Difficult for you?" Legolas snapped. "You left us! We mourned you. And we had to grow up with only one parent each, only because you couldn't refrain from..." He broke off with a disgusted face.

Mithrellas had taken the other chair, now she moved it closer as well. "We did not foresee the banishment. Had we known, we might have... been able to resist."

"We were not thinking clearly." Amroth hung his head. "We are so, so sorry for everything we put you through."

"I understand," said Lasriel unexpectedly. "You loved each other. Love can make us do stupid things." She gave a sidelong glance at Legolas.

His face was stony and he didn't reply.

The room became silent.

This was it. Time to grab the oliphaunt by the tail. "So, uh, maybe we should say something too," said Nimrodel. Thranduil and she had been lingering by the door, now she went over to the bed with him in tow. He seemed extremely uncomfortable.

"Have the chair," said Amroth, politely holding it out for her.

She gave him a shaky smile. "Thank you."

Lasriel looked from one to the other, clearly not expecting them to act that amiable. "Is it about what Legolas saw?" she asked then.

"It is," Nimrodel acceded. "We cannot live in a lie. The past year, since you moved out, we grew closer. As friends first, but then... more."

"Sauron's balls," Legolas muttered under his breath. "What is wrong with our parents?"

"We did not do anything," said Thranduil. He was blushing slightly.

"...yet," Nimrodel filled in, ignoring his frown. This was not the time to withhold things. If they wanted to be together they must be honest.

"Why, don't let me stop you," said Legolas nastily. "There are several guest rooms with spare beds here; pick and choose. And then get out of this house and don't come back."

Lasriel put a hand on his arm. "Don't."

"We were never happy in our marriages, as I am certain you were aware of, even as young as you were," Nimrodel continued doggedly, determined to get it all out in the open. "Our parents matched us, and the ways customs were back then we all knew it was our duty to comply and to secure the succession."

"You made us to secure the succession," Legolas repeated, his forehead creasing deeply. "We were not wanted."

"Of course you were," said Thranduil, voice unsteady. "The day you were born was the happiest in my life. Never believe anything else!"

Legolas looked down.

"Aye," Nimrodel agreed. "Lasriel and you were the only good outcome of our marriages."

"She is right." Amroth stood beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Absolutely," said Mithrellas.

"But everything else was a complete disaster," Nimrodel continued. "Amroth and I could not agree about anything, and Thranduil and Mithrellas were like strangers to each other."

Mithrellas nodded. "We had only one thing in common, and that was our love for you, Legolas."

Legolas still didn't look at them. His hands were shaking in his lap.

"And just now, the four of us talked about this and came to an understanding," said Amroth. "Mithrellas and I have already been living together, as you know, and if Thranduil and Nimrodel should choose to do the same it would be with our blessing."

"We have still not decided to do it," said Thranduil quickly. "There is a lot to lose... we do not know how the Valar will react. And my people back home in Greenwood would probably force me to abdicate the crown and throw me out... I would lose everything... all I have created there. My name, dragged through the mud... You would have a poor, disreputable ellon as an adar. I am not sure I could do that to you."

Legolas hastily stood, brushing Lasriel's hand off his arm. "Do you think I care if you are a king or whether you are wealthy? I don't give a damn! I just don't want you to break the law and I find it extremely awkward you would do it with my wife's naneth!"

He stormed out, slamming the door shut.

Thranduil followed him with his gaze. "Well, that could have gone worse, I suppose..."

"I will talk to him," said Lasriel. She sounded composed. "But first, tell me... What are your plans for the future? Where would you live?"

Nimrodel answered as best she could. "It will all depend on how the news is received in Greenwood, I suppose... If they let us, then I would like to stay. If not, then I guess..." She suddenly smiled weakly. "Maybe there is room on your island, Mithrellas?"

"It would be our pleasure," said she, smiling warmly at her friend.

"I would go wherever you went," said Thranduil quietly. Now that his son had left, his shoulders dropped and he looked very tired.

Lasriel regarded all four calmly. "I can't say I'm rejoicing over this, but from the start I was struck with how well you all seem to get along... even Naneth and Adar. If this is what you want, and what will make you happy, then I am not going to stand in the way. And I don't think Legolas will either." She turned to Thranduil, voice growing stern. "But you need to learn to say you're sorry! You lied to him all his life and that has to end. He needs an apology."

"Will try," he mumbled.

"Good. Not a day too late!"

~♕~

Legolas ran down the stairs and out of the house, heavily crashing into a surprised Gimli with a painful impact. He stood with Nellas and an unknown old dwarf just outside the door.

"Ouch! Look where you're standing!" he growled.

"You should take it slower, lad."

"This must be your friend," said the old dwarf. "Glad to finally meet you, Master Legolas."

"And you are?"

"Tsk-tsk, rude."

"This is my father Glóin," said Gimli reproachingly.

With difficulty, Legolas managed to compose himself. "Pardon me, Master Glóin. I have just had a terrible shock and was not myself." He made an elvish bow. "Legolas, son of Thranduil."

"That's better." Glóin took his hand and shook it, nearly crushing it in the process.

"Has your naneth and Lasriel's adar stopped lying now?" asked Nellas in Sindarin.

"They told everything," said Legolas bitterly. Then he switched to the Westron language that he always spoke with Gimli. "Since it will probably be the talk of the town soon enough I might as well fill you in, Gimli. You see, apparently this secretive Lord Ereb is none other than Lasriel's father – whose real name is Amroth – and he never left Middle-earth after all, but has instead been living in sin with my mother, who also didn't leave. And as if that wasn't enough, my father just told me he means to exchange my mother for Lasriel's mother, who it turns out is named Nimrodel and not Thuriniel!"

"I am glad they told you," said Nellas. "Did they apologize?"

"Well they– but that is not the point! Didn't you hear? My parents and Lasriel's parents want to switch partners! It's revolting!"

"If they have apologized and decided to be honest, that is a good thing."

"Just because someone admits their crimes doesn't make them right!"

The door opened and Lasriel joined them, stepping close to Legolas and wrapping an arm around him. "Hush... calm down," she urged. "People are listening."

Legolas looked around and sure enough, the whole colony appeared to have stopped what they were doing. At his gaze everyone hurriedly looked away and resumed their work.

"Am I understanding this right, and Nimrodel and Amroth from the tale are Lasriel's parents?" Gimli cut in.

"Yes," said Legolas.

"And they want to marry Thranduil and your mama, respectively?"

"Don't know about marrying, but I suppose so, yes."

"They were very unhappy together," said Nellas in Sindarin.

Gimli looked blank. "Pardon?"

Legolas translated, and added: "If they were unhappy they could have moved apart like some elves do."

"If this solution is what they want and what makes them happy, isn't that better?" asked Gimli.

"No! They ought to have tried to solve things first." He glanced at Lasriel. "Like we did."

"That's different," she said. "You and I were friends."

"Weren't they married like a thousand years before they broke up?" Glóin cut in. "If their problems were remediable, one might think they would have succeeded in all that time." He poked Legolas in the stomach with his finger. "No, young elf. I believe they did all they could. And either way it's their problem, not yours. You have no say in what your parents do or don't do."

Legolas met his stern gaze, a bit baffled over his outburst. "But..." he began.

"No buts. It's the same way I can't stop my son from being with that Cheery fellow – no, laddie, don't you deny it – even though he or she is a modern brat of a southerner. But you're an adult dwarf and responsible for your own happiness."

Now it was Gimli's turn to be baffled. "You knew?"

Glóin smirked. "I'm not blind." Then he gave his son a rough pat on his back. "Congratulations, my lad! And about time too! When can I expect grandchildren? Provided one of you is a dwarf woman, of course, and I'm not so rude as to demand to know that."

"Come, let's take a walk." Lasriel took Legolas' hand.

~♕~

They walked along the river, mostly in silence, hardly noticing what a beautiful, starry night it was.

Legolas was trying to come to terms with what they had learned but it was not easy. Only to think, he had a sister now? And long-dead nephews and nieces. A whole branch of ancestors.

It struck him that he had even met a few of them, such as Prince Imrahil, and that unpleasant man Amrothos who Lasriel danced with in Minas Tirith. He had been ogling her cleavage very inappropriately, especially considering she probably was his great-great-great-great-great aunt or something.

Legolas was surprised over how calmly Lasriel was taking everything. Why was she not more angry? She was the one who had been living in exile with her mother for so long because of her father's actions, yet she mostly seemed upset for Legolas' sake.

"I wish your adar had been open about everything from the beginning, then this would have been easier for you," she said now. "You would already have been used to the idea that your naneth left him for another ellon, and you would find it more logical that he would seek happiness with someone else."

Legolas peered at her. "You agree with Gimli and Glóin then?"

"I think I do... I just want Naneth to be happy."

"You sound like I don't want my adar to be happy," he grumbled.

"I know you do. You are just afraid this is not the way to achieve that, right?"

He couldn't deny that.

"And also," she continued, "you are still angry he didn't apologize."

It was rather uncanny how well she was beginning to know him.

"Come on," she coaxed. "Can't we go back to them and talk this through in a calmer way?"

"Alright then," he said with a sigh. Running away from one's problems was never very helpful anyway.

A/N:

Like Thranduil said, that could have gone worse, right? :)

Image Credits:

The Vikings show