Thank you much to the glorious people who voted and commented on the last chapter! Elf_of_hogwarts,   Tiemna,  joellamariah,  crystalily2003,  siso_sissan,  nathalieAlice, and fateclaws

Legolas slipped away, leaving Harune in the linen closet with a rapidly sinking heart. Ada would be furious. He could continue life as if nothing had happened but he knew Thranduil would find the ruined papers; would know it was him soon enough. He could hide. And wait for Thranduil's wrath to die down. But the dread would be too much. He could not.

Several minutes later, Legolas trailed into the living room with his hands behind his back. Thranduil looked at him from his chair, his eyes smiling and unsuspecting.

"Oh, Legolas, I am sorry I cannot take you on the Stag Hunt today. There will be time tomorrow, I promise. There is no need to look so morose."

Inside, Legolas gulped. "I-It is not that, ada. I-I have done something horrible. I wish I could undo it but—I—I cannot . . ."

Thranduil put aside the papers on his lap and laid his pen down on top of them. He rose to his feet with a frown. "Well, whatever you have done cannot be worse then what you have done in the past. What is it?"

"It is worse," Legolas said faintly. "Much worse." His voice captured the attention of the entire room. The eyes of Elrond, the twins, and Glorfindel all looked into him.

"Tell me what it is. Is something broken?" Something occurred to Thranduil. "Legolas Greenleaf, you have not lost one of my jewels, have you?" He pictured worst. "Or broken it?"

"I-I," Legolas stammered. "N-no—" He brought his hands into view, unable to explain what he had done without choking on his words. The fragile, tearing documents clutched in his hands had bled ink onto his skin.

Thranduil looked at them in incomprehension. "I see you have spilled some ink. Are these from your homework?"

"No," Legolas whispered. "They—they came from your desk . . ."

"My desk?" Thranduil demanded. "What in Middle Earth were you doing in my office without permission—gracious valar, which ones were they?" He snatched the pile of documents and peered at the first page, a frown of worry marring his features.

Legolas stood in misery knowing he need not answer the question. A moment later Thranduil let out a furious scream. Legolas jumped as Thranduil's hand on his arm dragged him close.

"Do you know what you have done?" Thranduil snapped. "These are the only copies I had—I threw out the old ones this morning—I needed them for tomorrow evening, Legolas, and you have destroyed them!"

"I am sorry," Legolas cried, jerking back. "I did not mean to—I was angry you would not take me on the Stag Hunt! I did it without thinking—I am sorry—truly I am!"

"You did this on purpose?" Thranduil asked in a low voice. "You disrespectful child! You disobeyed me; went into my office and now-now you-how dare you?"

"No-yes—no—ada, I am sorry. I sat and wished I could fix it but—"

"I have been patient with you, Legolas. But this is inexcusable. I will not tolerate your behavior. Do hear me?"

"I am sorry," Legolas sobbed. "OW!"

"You had no right to be in my office!" Thranduil screamed as Legolas stumbled back under the force of his slap. "You hateful child! Get out of my sight! Go to your room and stay there! Do you hear me? If I see you again today, Legolas, I am will strangle you!"

Tears pooled in Legolas's eyes. "I am sorry."

"I do not want to hear your pathetic excuses nor see your pitiful tears. You are not sorry and you know it!" Thranduil's rough push shoved Legolas from the room. He slammed the door on Legolas's choked sobs.

The sound of running feet marked Legolas's retreat to his room. The door opened a moment later and Harune looked in. "Thranduil, what happened? There is a red mark on Legolas's cheek."

"Ruined!" Thranduil groaned, attempting to peel apart the papers. The fragile parchment, heavy with ink, tore in his hands. Thranduil looked at the mass as it fell apart in his hands and glanced up at Harune.

Harune glanced at the torn paper as Thranduil flung it viciously into the hearth. "My lone copies and that beastly child has to go and ruin them out of spite! He has gone too far this time, Harune. Too far!"

"There is no need to yell," Harune said. "I am right here. Elladan, Elrohir, I think you should run down to the kitchens and ask the cook for a plate of cookies and milk. And you could take Legolas—"

"Absolutely not!" Thranduil snapped. "He has crossed the line and he has got to know it. He can sit in his room until I tell him to leave and no one, not even you, is to go and see him. Do I make myself clear?"

"He knows he has crossed the line, ion," Harune said coolly. "I think he knew the moment the ink bottle emptied. It took a lot of his courage to come and show you what he had done when he could have instead said nothing."

"Harune, I needed those papers for my meeting tomorrow. They were essential. My refusal to take Legolas on the Stag Hunt today is no excuse for him to destroy my personal property!"

Harune stepped back. "You will have to make do without your papers, Thranduil. I do not know if you can make do without your son."

"Are you trying to imply I am treating him badly?"

"I do think you are being a little harsh," Harune said, his voice rising a notch.

Elladan and Elrohir lingered in the doorway before slipping out the door, exchanging worried glances.

"Too harsh?" Thranduil snorted. "What utter rot. He is the one who crossed the line, not me. I have taken all I could but this is not a broken vase or stolen cookies. This is the spiteful destruction of official property! He has to learn the difference!"

As Elrond opened his mouth, Thranduil whirled on him and sliced his sentence in half. "And do not dare tell me if I had spanked him for the former offenses this would not have happened."

Elrond retreated under the furious gaze.

"I do not know how in the world I will make do without my papers," Thranduil said. "But Legolas is staying in his room as punishment for his wrong actions and that is that!" He banged the door as he left the room.

Harune hoped an hour in his chambers would calm Thranduil but his son emerged and his rage had only escalated.

"No replacements," Thranduil grumbled as he slammed himself into his seat at the dinner table.

"Where is Legolas?" Harune asked.

"Eating dry bread and milk in his room!" Thranduil returned.

"Thranduil, he is sorry. Life will continue without your papers. But your son's life is marred by pain."

"My son," said Thranduil. "Has gone too far. He has to learn I will not tolerate some of his behavior. He needs to understand he cannot feel free to take his anger out on official property not belonging to him. He will stay in his room until I feel he has sat there long enough!"

"You will hurt yourself as well as him," Harune warned. He muttered something under his breath and turned away.

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged looks over the table, their dark eyes almost frightened by the sudden appearance of Thranduil's angry half. Landion squirmed in his seat, at ill at ease as the twins.

"I do not believe we are hungry," Harune said, letting his hands fall into his lap.

Above the dining room, silent in his room, Legolas choked down his cold dinner, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He crawled back into his bed and curled into a tight ball.

Ada had come to bang down the tray of food for him and left, deaf to his apologies. Legolas could not be sure if he had been locked into his room but he felt caged. Alone and trapped. He wanted to tell ada how sorry he was but ada would not listen.

Legolas sniffled again, knowing no one would come to comfort him. The darkness around him offered little comfort and the usual warmth of his bed felt hard. All he wanted was Thranduil's arms around him and a kiss saying he was forgiven.

He had not meant to destroy the documents. He had not!

The tears stopped, leaving the pillow wet. Legolas left his sticky sheets and walked to stand in the cool wind blowing through the window. It calmed him in the same way the stars overhead helped settle his nerves.

What could he do to fix his mistake? He did not like to make ada upset. He did not want ada to be mad at him. If Thranduil would not listen to him, he would have to find a way to show ada how sorry he was.

Legolas crossed the room and tried the door handle. It turned and the door opened. He peeked out into the hallway. He put a foot outside and remembered the tray in his room. Someone was sure to come and fetch it.

Legolas returned to his bed and waited. A quiet servant came to retrieve the tray, offering no words but a sympathetic glance at the pale elflings before he left. Legolas jumped from his blankets as the elf's footsteps died down and slipped from his room.

His heart pounded in his chest; he knew he had been confined to his room. He knew he would be in worst trouble if he was caught out of his room. His nerves were jittery as he scurried toward Thranduil's office in the dark corridors, pushing thoughts of further punishment out of his mind.

OoOoO

Erestor sat on the high hill, looking down at the lights shining in the trees. The sound of the music from the lit dales floated up to his ears, where dozens of elves danced and feasted on the food the kitchens had turned out for the wedding.

"I do not suppose I can eat much more," Ariel said, lying on her back.

Erestor looked at her white dress and teased, "You will burst your seams, dearest."

Ariel sat up, the loose folds of her dress fluttering in a warm breeze. "I hope you do not mind we cannot have a proper honeymoon because of the baby."

Erestor put a hand on her slight stomach. "The baby is gift enough for the both of us, Ariel. It is not every elf who marries his wife and child on the same day."

Ariel slapped him on the arm. "Really, Erestor, you have had too much wine. Come, I believe I can dance a little more."

While Erestor and his wife are married in Rivendell, Thranduil is exploding in Mirkwood. And here is Legolas, ignoring his punishment. What will Thranduil say?

Thank you all for reading; I love hearing from you and I cannot wait to here your thoughts on this chapter.

Next Chapter: Legolas tries once again to say he is sorry.