About an hour after Thranduil had left, Elrond felt a tug on his robe. He put his quill aside and looked down with a small smile. "What is it, Legolas?"
Legolas looked up at the Imladrin Lord with wide, innocent blue eyes, his lips curved in a delicate pout. "Will you play with me?" he asked, his voice sweet and innocent.
Elrond sighed, closed the book, and pulled Legolas into his lap. "What do you want to play, pen-neth?" he asked.
"Hide and seek!" Legolas said without hesitation.
Elrond sighed again; a voice in the back of his mind told him this was a bad idea. He pushed the warning voice back, though. "All right, Legolas. I will count to one-hundred," Elrond told the Elfling.
Legolas beamed at him and jumped off his lap. "Close your eyes! No peaking!" he reminded dutifully before scurrying away.
Elrond closed his eyes and began to count. "One... two... three..."
Legolas snuck silently to the door opening and closing the door without a sound before running down the hallway and into the kitchen. He peaked around the doorway to be sure no one was in the large room. He climbed onto one of the cool marble counters and opened one of the cabinets. The small child rummaged through the compartment before he grabbed a bag of sweetcakes. With a triumphant squeal of joy, he jumped down and hid in the closet. Once safe in his hiding place, Legolas opened the bag and began to eat the sweets.
Back in the room, Elrond was finished counting. He searched everywhere in the room, but he couldn't find the child. With a heavy sigh, he left the room to go seeking the wayward Elfling. Where could the boy have run off to? He stopped a servant and asked if anyone had seen the Mirkwood King's son run through. The servant thought for a moment, then smiled. He informed Elrond that the child was last spotted on his way to the kitchens. Elrond thanked him and set off for the kitchen, his pace quick and light; Thranduil's warning about the child and sweets echoed in his mind.
When he entered the kitchen, he found it empty. The Peredhel bit his lip in worry; it would not do to lose his lover's son. He could just hear Thranduil now. Elrond turned to leave and seeking Legolas elsewhere, but he heard a giggle coming from the closet. With a sinking heart, he opened the door. His eyes fell onto the golden head of the Elfling who looked up at him with pride as he ate the last sweetcake. Dismay clouded Elrond's face at this discovery, and Legolas seemed to wilt under the unhappy gaze of his keeper. Elrond sighed and picked up the small child, trying to keep as much of the sticky child from his clothing as he could. They made their way to the Elf-lord's room. Without a second thought, he took them both into the bathing chamber. He ran the water while helping Legolas undress. Elrond removed his robe and under tunic; he left his leggings on. Legolas giggled and bubbled with the vivaciousness only a young child full of sweets could manage. No, Elrond was not looking forward to bathing the now hyper child. He sighed and eased himself into the tub, and was not prepared for the handful of bubbles Legolas thrust in his face. He sighed; had Elladan and Elrohir been this difficult?
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