Staring into the eyes of the man you used to love, many different emotions slammed into you at once. Confusion, fear, regret, pity, affection, the strongest being relief. Relief that he was alive. Relief that he was outwardly alright. He had not fallen victim to the whims and tricks of the Dark Lord. He was still here, and for that, you were thankful.

You stared back at him, unsure of what to say. Or more like where to start. What could you say to him? You left him all those years ago, when Thorin Oakenshield and his company had reclaimed their home, much to the chagrin of your (ex?) husband. You found it unjust for Thranduil to be so hellbent on stopping them after the dragon was slain. That was not the man you'd fallen in love with so long ago. That was not the man you had watched fall into despair and grief  over the loss of his wife, and then recover a stronger man than before. That was a man unhinged, cold hearted and unreachable. The man you had loved was seemingly gone. So, you left. And hadn't been back since.

He looked awful. His once broad shoulders sagged weakly. His skin seemed sickly pale, and his golden hair seemed poor reflection of what once was. His face was ghostly, with sunken cheeks and a permanent frown upon his brow. What scared you most were his eyes. They no longer shined their brilliant blue. Instead, they had turned a sullen grey devoid of emotion or feeling. You hardly recognized him.

You could guess why Mirkwood was empty. They had all left for the Undying Lands to the West. That was where all the elven folk were going. Rivendell had already started, and. Lorien was not far behind. You did not think Mirkwood would be full, but you certainly didn't think it would be empty. And you certainly did not think that the King would have stayed behind, sulking within its walls. What was going on?

"I sent them away," Thranduil replied, as if reading your thoughts. You half wondered if you had asked what had happened, but he continued.

"The land...it became too much. For them. For me. It is evil."

That was all the explanation he seemed willing to give. You continued staring at him. What now?

"Why are you still here then?"

The words slipped from you before you could catch them. Something flashed within his eyes. A good sign?

"You."

That floored you. That wasn't the answer you were expecting. You thought he would be angry, or aggressive, demanding to know why you left him and how you could do that to him. This was much different than that.

"I sent them away because I know that is what you would have done. What you would have advised me to do. You had done it already, so I knew the action must have had merit" he sharply offered. There was the anger you were expecting.

"Yes," you replied. Was that the best you could do?

"Yes, I did leave...but do not think I did so easily."

"Ha!" He spat. "You seemed to leave easily enough. The note you left was hasty. You barely explained why you were leaving. Or where you were going. Or if you would ever return! How could I not think you left without a second thought?"

"I had to!" You yelled back. "I could not stay here! Not with how you were! With what you were doing!"

You sighed. Even though you had imagined this scenario countless times in your head, it did not make this anymore easier.

"I wanted to come back. I tried coming back. But every time I did, I could not make it far. I could not come into these woods. I could not...." Your words faltered.

He looked at you now fully. He intently listened to you. You could not tell if he was angry or sad. Maybe it was both. Steeling yourself, you continued.

"I tried to warn you. I tried to reach you, to tell you what you were doing was wrong. That our kingdom seemed to get sicker and sicker with each passing dawn. But you did not listen. Not to me, or you people. Not even your own son!"

The memories of a forlorn Legolas flooded your mind. You remember how worried and nervous he was. He had already lost one parent. He could not lose the other. However, not even he could break his father's cold exterior. You had heard he left Mirkwood and had not returned either. Whatever the reason, you had always hoped he was alright.

You brought yourself back, looking at Thranduil. It was his turn to ask you questions.

"If you are so angry, then why are you here?"

"I am leaving." You stated. "I am leaving Middle Earth. It offers me nothing anymore. With our people moving on, I thought I should be among them. So I came back one last time to see my home before I could never see it again."

"Your home?" He weakly asked.

"Yes. My home. Though it's nothing like it once was."

He knew you were right. You were always right. After your departure, he could not bring himself to care about what happened to it as much as he did before. How could he love him home when its finest jewel fled from its walls?

"And I suppose you think this is my fault too." he bitterly retorted. He felt angry. Upset that you had come and interrupted his sorrow that YOU brought about in the first place. How dare you!

Before you could defend yourself, he continued.

"You do not know how I suffered!" He yelled. "You do not know how insufferable this place became! I drove you away. I sent my son away. I could not protect or heal my own kingdom. You do not know the half of it, so do not claim this to be your home since you do not know how it suffered. How I suffered!"

He was seething. A flying ember from a dying fire. You were astounded. Surely he could not blame you for all of this?

"Thranduil-"

"Do not comfort me!" He spat, cutting you off. "I need not your pity. My need for you is what kept me here. What forces me to roam these halls. What chains me to this sorrow." The fire began to grow.

"I do not deserve your explanations or your words. I do not even deserve your gaze. I do not deserve anything but this sorrow I cannot shake from my chest. I need nothing from you, I do not deserve anything from you, as this is what caused this all in the first place."

You did not know what to say. You had figured leaving would affect him, but truly you had thought he would maintain his hardened disposition to the point of not caring you were gone. You were not even sure he was going to notice. This display offered a different answer.

Voice low and trembling, you replied.

"Then why do you stay?"

"Because I must!" He screamed back. "I must because it has all I have left of you! Of what I did! This is what I deserve!"

He starts making his way toward you. You are not scared, but you are to sure of what he's going to do. He continues his lament.

"I cannot leave because I made you leave! I wanted you to return and I wanted to be here when you did! I cannot stay because I still love you!"

This echoed through the halls. The very halls where you used to walk side by side as King and Queen. The floors that continuously held up your kingdom. The windows where you used to look out of with your husband, admiring all that you had. The walls that he pressed you against when finally alone with him at night.

He loved you. He still loved you. After everything. He was waiting for you to come back, consciously or not. He could not leave without you. And now, here you were.

"I cannot leave this place...because that means leaving everything I had with you."

You felt the tears before they began to run down your face. You should have come back sooner. You should have-

"Please, my love." He said, finally face to face with you. He looked down, seeing you, actually seeing you for the first time in almost an age. "Please forgive me. Please, I...I cannot bare this existence without you, I..."

You moved your hand to his face. Here now was one of the strongest men you knew, but your absence had made him crumble. You had suffered without him too.

"Then I will stay. My husband has returned, and so have I. You are no longer alone, my dear." You whispered, relieved at his admissions.

He took your hand in his, and kissed your wrist. He looked into your eyes once more, and to your surprise, they were bright. You could see blue emerging. It was as if a spell had been lifted from his mind, everything suddenly becoming clear.

Slowly, as if he were afraid you would disappear, he leaned forward, foreheads touching. He was asking permission.

You raised your head slightly, letting your lips fall on his. It was simple. A simple kiss to see if anything remained.

He kissed you back, a relieved groan slipping from his throat. He was telling the truth.

You pulled back to look at him. This was the man you once knew. One who loved deeply, who remembered everything.

You looked down, almost embarrassed, like when he first admitted his affections for you years and years ago. But he caught your chin with his thumb and forefinger. He brought your face back up to his, and kissed you again.

It started gentle, testing the waters and making sure that this was real, this is happening. But soon, it deepened, a million things left unsaid being shown within the fervent and frantic movements.

You had returned. And this time, you would not leave him again.

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Authors Note:

This story was originally a request made sooooo long ago. I don't know if this is the end of this narrative. Maybe a Part 4?

Still, I'm happy with this ending. It feels good to see how my writing has progressed!

Thank you!