He is still injured so be gentle with him," Healer Jailil warned Thranduil. "And watch his broken arm."

Thranduil raised a displeased eyebrow. Did Healer Jailil think he could not bathe his own child? He brushed past the Healer and went to Legolas's bedside. "Come, ion-nin. Bath time."

Legolas got out of bed. He stumbled on his bruised legs and reached for his father's supporting hand. Thranduil led him out of the room to the balcony outside it, where a tub of hot water and a rack of soap, towels, and shampoos waited. Thranduil helped Legolas out of his nightshirt and started to lead him to the tub, but Legolas shied away from the tub. He was scared of the water.

"Come now, little leaf," Thranduil coaxed. "The water will not burn you. I made sure it was only pleasantly warm."

"NO!" cried Legolas. "I-I do not want to get in! Please do not make me, adar!"

"Why not?"

Legolas squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in Thranduil's robe. "Because—because Lord Katar gave me a bath once. H-he shoved me under the w-water and h-held me down. I could not see or breathe. And then he broke my arm and walked out."

Thranduil was still for a long time, digesting what he had just heard. Then he rushed to assure Legolas nothing bad was going to happen to him if he took a bath. "Oh, ion-nin, I am not going to hurt you. The water is not going to hurt you. Come, get into the water. I will be right here with you the whole time."

Holding tight to Thranduil's hand, Legolas finally stepped into the bath water. He sat down in the soapy water up to his neck and looked up at Thranduil.

Thranduil took a bottle of extra strong shampoo. He squirted a handful into Legolas's hair. "Close your eyes, Legolas. Shall we find out what color your hair is?"

After using a full bottle of shampoo to get all the dirt out, Legolas's hair turned out to be blonde, just like Thranduil's. And after two bottles of conditioner, Thranduil finally managed to get all the tangles out of Legolas's hair. He dropped his tired arm with a relieved sigh and shoved his hair out of his face. Valar, that had been a job!

"Legolas, I am going to entrust you with an important task," Thranduil said solemnly. "I am going to give you a comb. And every morning you must use it to comb out your hair until it is smooth and silky and absolutely tangle-free. Can you remember to do that for me?"

"Yes, adar," Legolas answered, giggling. "Oooh, the scrubby brush tickles!"

Water splashed out of the tub all over the floor and Thranduil. Legolas giggled and slid around in the tub as Thranduil tried to scrub his son off.

"Hold still!" Thranduil exclaimed in annoyance as more water drenched him. "I can barely scrub an inch of you what with the way you are moving all over the place!"

"It tickles!" laughed Legolas, trying to hold still and failing. He wriggled and more water splashed over Thranduil, leaving the elven king with wet, straggling hair and drenched clothes.

Thranduil scowled. Water dripped off him to the floor. Legolas was supposed to be the one taking the bath, not him! But one look at Legolas's happy face and all his anger faded. Legolas was having fun and that was all that mattered. Leaning into the tub, Thranduil succeeded in bathing his son. In the end of it, Legolas was cleaner then he was. Thranduil helped Legolas out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and dried his son's glistening body off. Pulling a clean nightshirt over Legolas's head, Thranduil sent his son to bed.

Harune came out onto the balcony as Legolas skipped to bed. He handed Thranduil two dry towels and a change of clothes with a bow.

"Thank you, Harune. You always seem to know what I need before I know I need it." Thranduil dried himself off, changed into clean clothes, and wrapped one of the dry towels around his wet hair.

"I have known you since the day you were born, my lord," Harune said with a wink. "I know what you need."

"I should have known Legolas since the day he was born," Thranduil said remorsefully.

"We all make mistakes, my lord," Harune said consolingly.

"What was one of your mistakes?" Thranduil asked.

"I prefer not to discuss that, my lord. The subject is painful. But, if you must know, I let my daughter marry a dwarf."

Thranduil gagged. "Valar help us! An elf and a dwarf! Horrible! I hate to think what their offspring look like! Disgusting!"

Harune shrugged. "I never saw my daughter again, nor her children so I would not know. She sends letters saying she is happy."

Still muttering, "An elf and a dwarf!" Thranduil went to see what his son was doing. When he entered the bedchamber, Healer Jailil and an elfling with brown hair and naughty green eyes were standing by Legolas's bedside.

"Who is this?" Thranduil asked, staring at the elfling.

"My lord, this is my third-youngest son, Pixel. I thought Legolas might like someone his own age to play with. Pixel, say hello to His Majesty."

Pixel grinned at Thranduil, showing several missing teeth. He clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Your Majesty, how nice to meet you. You have a smudge on your cheek."

Thranduil knew Pixel's type; naughty and disobedient. He quietly asked Healer Jailil if he had another son he could bring to play with Legolas as he thought (no offense meant, of course) Pixel might be a bad influence on Legolas.

"Certainly, my lord," said Healer Jailil. "There are several more of my children outside the door. However, I do consider Pixel the mildest of the lot."

Thranduil peeked out of the doorway. At least ten rioting children were crowding the hallway, teasing one of the Mirkwood guards and parading around with his helmet and sword.

Thranduil turned to Harune, who was coming off the balcony with the wet towels and clothes. "Harune, send out a message. It will read: WANTED: Quiet, gentle elfling to play with the Prince."

"Yes, my lord," said Harune.