~ Five years later Wynne and Legolas receive a guest. Plus – more fluff. :) ~

65. A Visit From Adar-in-law

Emyn Arnen, Ithilien, Fourth Age 13

"Les! Les! Have you seen the feather duster?" Wynne stumbled over the pile of dirty laundry as she came up to the big four poster bed.

Legolas sprawled lazily on the tangled sheets, eyes half closed, stretching out his naked body. She paused to admire it and found herself promptly being caught and pulled on top of the bed, pinned down by a playful elf.

"Let us cuddle," he suggested, kissing her nose. "He will not be here for hours yet. There is plenty of time."

"I would love to, only..."

"Only...?" His brow furrowed.

"It's that time of the month again."

"Again? Really?" He flopped down onto his back, arms flung out in exasperation. "Why do humans have to bleed all the time?"

"Not all the time... Just a few days now and then."

"Those days are the only ones I wish you were an elf," he grumbled.

"Anyway, we should tidy up here and that will probably take hours." She looked around the bedroom, sighing over the dust in the corners, the dirty plates from yesterday's late night snack and all the tufts of long fur. "Oh, I found the duster. Lembas has it." She wrought the item from the tabby cat and was rewarded with an icy glare and angry wave of its tail. "I swear, that cat looks just like your father."

When their guest arrived a few hours later the cottage almost looked clean. Just as long as one didn't look under the bed or tried to open any of the wardrobes.

"Ada!"

"Legolas!"

The elves caught each other in a long hug.

Thranduil had moved to Amon Lanc, the new capital of Greenwood now, and hence his journey down the Anduin was a lot speedier and he visited them fairly often. It was only a few months since he had last been there but the way he reacted it might as well have been a decade.

"Come in, lunch is soon ready." It was not but that sounded like the right thing to say.

While Wynne and Legolas returned to the kitchen, trying frantically to scramble together something edible, Thranduil walked along their bookshelf studying the titles. He reached out a finger and retrieved it coated with dust.

She winced; she always forgot to clean the bookcase. Then she remembered. "Legolas," she hissed.

"Aye?"

"The book! Did you hide it?"

"Sauron's eye! I forgot."

"Maybe he won't notice it... or think we have one just like his."

When they were finally seated around the table, Thranduil hauled out a terracotta amphora from his bag and poured wine into their glasses.

Legolas sniffed his glass. "Dorwinion red! Lovely. It will mesh well with the cheese."

"I take it Elessar still had no success with his vineyards?"

"Sadly, no."

"Talking of growing things, some elves from my realm plan to move here and help you with the forest. They will bring more saplings."

"Perfect, just what I needed. It has been slow work so far. I will show you tomorrow."

Then there was another knock on the door and Wynne went to open, leaving the others to their forest conversation. She was frankly rather tired of trees; Legolas talked about them nearly every day.

Outside stood a furious Sidra. "Your horses are in our kitchen garden again! Get. Them. Out," she growled.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. They still hate the fence... must have broken it again. We'll fix it as soon as possible."

"Right."

"I'll call for them now." She whistled a sharp signal and soon she heard the pounding of hooves, and then the flock was back with the youngest foals in the rear. Vatna's twin colts were covered with mud up to their bellies and one had a carrot dangling out of its mouth.

Sidra sniffed appreciatively in the air. "Is that Dorwinion red?" She went inside without an invitation and greeted Thranduil with a loud kiss on each cheek, which he graciously accepted without a flinch.

"Madam Ambassador, you look well. Pregnancy suits you. This must be..." Thranduil pondered. "Your fifth?"

"Sixth actually, with the twins, remember?" She smiled warmly. "By the way, young Aisha still talks of your last visit. She loved playing pony on your knee. If you are not too busy, do come over one day of your stay. Nugu would be so glad, too."

"Certainly. And I have arranged for your favorite babysitter to move here."

"You mean... Galion?"

"Aye, Galion and his wife."

"He has a wife? That's wonderful news."

Wynne agreed heartily. She had always regretted having to disappoint him that time when he seemed interested in her.

"Lord Goltur seems to be expanding his realm," said Thranduil. "When I came through there on my journey the other day I noticed they are building a new town near the river, with a port."

"Yes, it's for trading; the dwarves and the Rohirrim have shown interest in the engines we build. And we need the extra space too, more and more orcs move to Emyn Muil. Only last month our scouts found a new colony. They were very aggressive at first but Dad has made good progress in his efforts to win the leader over."

After lunch they took a walk in the garden. Thranduil regarded his son's frame critically. "You have put on weight, son. You should exercise more."

Legolas frowned at him. "I have actually been very busy. You have no idea how much time foresting takes."

"Work is not an excuse for neglecting one's health."

"Come look at our wall!" Wynne quickly steered Thranduil away. "It's brand new, Gimli just finished it the other week."

"Lovely." He stroked the smooth stone structure encompassing the garden. A couple of young lemon trees leaned over it and on a trellis grew a bushy honeysuckle. Behind the garden, in a rocky part of the ground, a thick carpet of heather was just coming into bloom.

Thranduil bent over one of the garden beds. "Are those dandelions? Why are you growing weeds?"

"It's for the horses." Wynne had hoped that would keep them on the right side of the fence, but apparently their neighbors' carrots were tastier.

"They will spread everywhere, you know."

"We noticed that, thank you."

"Unheard of. Growing dandelions in a kitchen garden."

oOo

They spent the evening pleasantly around the fireplace, sipping more of the excellent wine and enjoying each other's company. It was amazing how just a few years had changed their relationship. Thranduil never frightened or intimidated Wynne anymore, and he no longer hid his feelings.

She figured his son's marriage had been the last nudge he needed to finally come out of the shell he had built around him. At last he had left his underground palace and moved to a nicer, more open part of the forest with his people. There he began to make new friends, and of course strengthen his old friendship with Celeborn. They were practically neighbors these days and spent much time together arguing about borders, trade deals, whose city was the most important – and generally enjoying themselves immensely.

When Legolas went to fetch more firewood, Thranduil turned to her. "I forgot to ask you before... How was your journey?" She had recently returned from a few weeks in Rohan and he was well aware how taxing those visits tended to be.

"Oh, it went alright. It's always nice to see my grandparents." Then she made a face. "Legolas spent most of the time with Father and the horses as usual, and I had to endure another batch of Mother's fertility potions."

Thranduil smirked wickedly. "She has still not given up on half-elven grandchildren then? I wonder if she will ever realize why you are not getting any." Then he shrugged. "You will soon be rid of her, anyway. How old is she now, fifty? Humans do not last forever." Probably realizing what he had said, he swiftly added. "I did not mean–"

"No worries." She smiled. "Legolas doesn't mind my aging and I try not to either. We are happy for what time we will have together."

He returned her smile with one of his own. These days he smiled often.

"I am happy too," he said. "I am grateful you did not listen to my advice. You did the right thing."

oOo

Later that night, Wynne firmly closed the bedroom door behind her and latched it. "Good thing the guest room is on the other side of the building." She pulled off her clothes and tossed them on the floor where they landed on her husband's rumpled tunic, snuggling down beside him. Her fingers found their way to his silky chest.

"Oh. But I thought..."

"Kissing and touching can be enjoyed any time of the month, you know."

A/N:

Originally this was part of the Epilogue but I thought it worked better as a real chapter, so I prolonged it a bit when I edited the fic.

Image Credits:

Zendaya's Instagram, and Elven ship by Tuor, source: https://tuor.cgsociety.org/q1vh/numenor