“There you are!” Taurthin ran up the hill that Legolas was standing upon. “You had better have a good... no, a great reason, why you disappeared.”

“Have you seen a small, gruesome creature lurking anywhere nearby?”

Taurthin crossed his arms. “No 'Sorry, I forgot we were supposed to be hunting together when I ran off'; no 'Did you fare well without me around, or were you attacked three times by the horrible spiders'?”

“You were attacked three times?” queried Legolas without looking at his friend, still concentrating his gaze on searching the branches of the trees overhead.

“Yes! And once by those nasty little squirrel demons,” grumbled Taurthin, not adding that although he had beaten the spiders, the infamous black Mirkwood squirrels had won and managed to scurry off with his provision sack on the third night. “As I said, you had better have a great explanation.”

“Of course I do.” Legolas jogged down the slope, pausing to search beneath a pine tree.

Taurthin narrowed his eyes and strolled down to meet his friend. “And that reason is?”

Legolas frowned as he stood back up. Regarding Taurthin finally, he patted his shoulder and began to head back in the direction of the caves. “I will let you know when I get back.”


----


Once again, Taurthin saw Legolas standing atop a hill. He narrowed his eyes immediately this time, marching his way over as he rolled up his sleeves. Prince or not, his friend had gone just a little too far this time, and he intended to let him know. “Legolas! I will have a word with you!” Taurthin went so far as to shove Legolas' shoulder when his friend from childhood did not turn around. “When you say to someone that you will be back, it is usually considered good manners to be slightly more specific if your intention is to go all the way to Imladris and stay there for years without writing to them! Do you know how long it was until your father finally told me where you had gone? Three months! Three months, Legolas! I...” Taurthin paused. “Why are you still smiling? What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” Legolas took hold of Taurthin's hand as if the previous bit of conversation had never occurred. “My dear friend, is it not wonderful that we are finally at peace?”

“Uhm... sure.” Taurthin glanced around, making a quick spider check despite assurances from the realm's hunters that all were disposed of. “Have you been drinking with Galion in the cellar again?”

“Galion... yes, I must find Galion and tell him how much I have missed him, and his wonderful stories.” Legolas began to take a step away, but Taurthin now gripped his friend's hand in return to yank him back. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes, and let me think, what was it... perhaps it was the fact you left without telling me where you had gone off to?”

“Ah... well, that was a secret. I apologize; I was unable to tell anyone. I was helping some Men and some Hobbits take a magic ring to a volcano.”

“Of course you were. Seriously, tell me what you were doing.”

Legolas chuckled. “You truly are cloistered here, my friend. That is what I was doing, and there is someone with me who can attest that that fact.” At the mention of this, the giddy smile returned, and the prince's cheeks turned pink.

“Oh... I see...” Taurthin let go of Legolas' hand and nodded knowingly. “You met someone, in Imladris.”

“On my adventure, yes.”

“Of course, of course, your 'adventure'.” Taurthin nodded sarcastically, and Legolas rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright, you went on an adventure to destroy a ring.”

“I really did!”

“Yes, yes, I know,” said Taurthin, although he still really did not believe such a thing, but he was much more interested in other information. “So, you met someone in Imladris.”

“Yes...” said Legolas carefully.

“That is wonderful. I was wondering how long you would remain alone.” Taurthin led Legolas in the direction of a fallen log and they both sat down. “So? Brunette? Blonde?”

“Actually, more a ginger,” admitted Legolas, flushing again.

“Ah, spicy little red-head. Not a Feanorian?” asked Taurthin worriedly.

Legolas shook his head vigorously. “Not that I should think. I should really go inside and find Galion,” he said. He attempted to stand, but Taurthin pulled him back down again.

“You cannot simply leave now! I need to know more, Legolas! You owe me, leaving me to wonder whether you had been killed by an orc or something. How can you think of talking to Galion when I, your oldest and best friend, have been worried sick about you?”

Legolas settled himself back on the log. “You are right, Taurthin. I am truly sorry for leaving you in doubt as to my whereabouts. I should tell you about the quest. We started at the Last Homely House, and--“

“You can regale us all about your adventure tonight in the halls. I am sure your father will play host to a feast in your honor,” said Taurthin, for Thranduil needed little excuse to throw a party, and the return of his youngest son would lead to a week long event. “Tell me about your sweetheart. Taller, shorter? Older, younger?”

“Younger... definitely younger. And… shorter, too. A lot shorter.” The last sentence came out as a mumble, but Taurthin heard Legolas anyhow.

“Well, you are fairly tall. It was bound to happen that she would be shorter.”

“He.”

“He would be shorter.” Taurthin blinked. “He?”

Legolas nodded apprehensively.

“Oh, Legolas... so that is why you have been so skittish!” Taurthin put his arm around his friend. “Legolas, there is no shame in that! If you love him, and if he loves you, all is well, and I am glad for you both.”

Legolas let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the Valar! I was worried that you would not understand. Come,” he said suddenly, standing up with a grin on his face, “you should meet him!”

“He is here? Marvelous. I can tell him of all of your odd little habits, just to warn him ahead of time,” teased Taurthin.

“You would not dare,” said Legolas, laughing as they made their way out of the forest and toward the clearing at the mouth of the caves. “Besides, he already knows most of them.”

“I bet he does not know that you--“

“Shh!” Legolas elbowed his grinning friend. “He will find out about that soon enough.”

The jesting and joking kept going as they approached, until suddenly Legolas put out his arm to stop Taurthin. “Stop, stop... here he is.”

Taurthin looked one way, and then the other. “Where? I see no one.”

“Right in front of you,” said Legolas, poking Taurthin. “Stop teasing and say good afternoon.”

“I would, Legolas, if there was anyone--“ Something tugged on Taurthin's sleeve.

“Down here, laddie.”

Taurthin looked down, and practically leaped back an entire metre. “Legolas! It... uh... uh...” Instinct told Taurthin to ready his bow and draw an arrow, but the sight before him stayed his hand.

Legolas had crouched down, close to the companion that had traveled home with him. “Taurthin, this is Gimli Gloinson. Gimli, this is Taurthin Saelbethion, my very good friend.”

“Mmmhhhn. Good t'meet ya, laddie,” Gimli stuck out his hand, and very tentatively, Taurthin reached forward and shook it.

“Likewise? Uhm... welcome to our forest,” offered Taurthin.

Gimli gave another grunt and looked around. “Your forest could use a wee bit of thinning. Too many trees. Ah think Ah shall enjoy the caves far better.”

“Yes, we should go inside,” agreed Legolas. He motioned to the entrance, and said, “You go on ahead; Taurthin and I will join you in a moment.”

“Do not be long, Legolas. Ah do not trust all of your father's subjects t' take kindly to mah wanderin' about his kingdom.” Gimli leaned forward and kissed Legolas, and added, “We would not want one of them t' have a flashback an' lock me in th' dungeon. Not that it would be so hard t' escape from, from what Ah here.”

Legolas laughed and rubbed his nose against Gimli's, while Gimli reached over and gave Legolas' rear a good, hard pat. “Just a minute, I promise.” Legolas stood up again, smiling fondly as he watched Gimli trudge toward the caves.

“Uh... Legolas?” Taurthin kept his voice low so that Gimli would not hear. “You... you do know that he is a Dwarf, right?”

“Really?” Legolas had a puzzled look on his face. “I thought he was just a very short bearded Elf.”

The two of them looked blankly at each other for a few moments, until a smile turned up Legolas' lips. “Come; let us find Galion. I must introduce Gimli to him.”

“You should introduce him to Galion as a short, bearded Elf and see how long it take him to figure it out,” snickered Taurthin, always up for another trick to play on the perpetually drunken butler.

“That is an excellent idea,” agreed Legolas, chuckling about that thought as they followed after Gimli.

-end-