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“Ada!” A young voice screeched through the Elvenking’s bed chambers. Thranduil grinned as he swept his young son into his arms, holding him high in the air.
“Yes, little one?” He asked. Legolas kicked his legs out and waved his arms in an attempt to get down, but since he was still such a little Prince, his legs didn’t reach far beyond his Ada’s elbows.
“Put me dooooown!” Legolas giggled, blonde hair swaying as he wiggled. Thranduil tossed the child high into the air, chuckling at the squealing laughter that came from his son’s mouth, then caught him swiftly in his arms.
“But Henig,” Thranduil said, using the Elvish word for child, “I thought you wanted to fly?”
“Big elves don’t fly, Ada!” Legolas took two strands of Thranduil’s long white hair and twisted them together. “You look like Lord Elrond!”
“Ah, Legolas, I think you’ll find I am much more handsome than Lord Elrond.” Thranduil chuckled, pressing a kiss to his son’s forehead. “Just as you are much more handsome than any other elfling in all of Middle Earth.”
Legolas’s cheeks flushed a shade of peach. “Oh, Ada…” He sweetly pressed a kiss to Thranduil’s nose.
“My little son. You are too precious.” Thranduil walked them both to his bed, setting Legolas down on the blankets. “And you are growing up fast, look at you! You’ll soon be the size of an oliphant.”
“Silly Ada, I’m an elf, not an oliphant!” Legolas giggled. Thranduil tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“No? But look, you surely have the noses of an oliphant.” He gently pinched his son’s nose between two fingers and wiggled it, making him squeal in laughter.
“I only have one nose! So do you, Ada!” Legolas reached and gripped Thranduil’s nose in his pudgy hands.
“Together we make a good oliphant, then.” Thranduil spoke as the air from his nose was constricted, making the young Elf giggle endlessly at the way his voice sounded. “Oh, are you laughing at your Ada?”
Legolas shrieked as Thranduil wiggled his fingers behind his ears, tickling the soft skin. “Ada! Daro! Daro!”
“Why should I stop, sweetling? Does this tickle?”
“Yeeeeeeees, Ada!” Legolas scrunched his shoulders and grabbed at Thranduil’s wrists.
“Oh, my little leaf.” Thranduil stopped his attack and laid beside his son, kissing his temple. “You are the most important thing in my life.”
“Even more important than your hair?” Legolas asked seriously. “I know you love your hair, Ada.”
Thranduil chuckled at his son’s boldness. “Yes, Ionneg, even more than that."