Title: Playing Cat and Mouse

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Aranel

Rate: G/K

Disclaimer: Not mine, but the plots.

Warning: Angst/humor, friendship, pranks, AU. Might OOC.

Summary: Gimli and Legolas friendship. Drabbles, ficlets inspired by bunnies or prompts.

A/N: Written for 'The Tolkien Tango'.

Prompt #27: Errand

Gondor's royal party reached the palace, and there, they met the king.

"Where is your son, great king of Mirkwood?" Eldarion asked him.

Thranduil spared a look toward Aragorn and then turned to the boy. Chuckling at the boy's question, he replied, "I believe that he is in his room, or probably hiding."

They chuckled but stopped almost at once.

The king frowned, then with a look of trepidation, he asked, "Is he right behind me?"

They nodded.

Thranduil turned around and faced his son, surprise still on his face as he asked, "What are you doing in here, ion? And where is Gimli?"

Legolas could tell that there was something wrong in the way that his father treated him before the guests, but he could not think of any reason so he turned to greet the guests instead.

"Welcome to Mirkwood the Great, where nature stands and enemies fall into the shadows." Legolas smiled in spite of his concern.

Eldarion walked toward Legolas, and asked him with pleading eyes, "Uncle Legolas, could you show me everything that's beautiful in your homeland? My ada says he wants to discuss some matters with your adar, and I'll be bored."

Legolas turned to his father curiously and asked, "Is there something that I should know about?"

"No, nothing that you don't already know, ion. We are just concerned about our peoples and want to explore how we could avoid any weak links that could break us just like what happened at Helm's Deep," Thranduil explained, hoping that his son would accept it.

Legolas nodded at the explanation but still felt that there was more to it.

He looked down when he noticed that Eldarion was tugging at his clothes.

"Can we go now, please, Uncle Legolas?" the boy asked, still in that same pleading tone.

Legolas lay his eyes upon his best friend and his wife, waiting for their agreement as he did not want to take the boy away without their consent.

"You can go with Legolas, son. I am looking forward to hear what adventures you will have," Elessar spoke, smiling at the boy and elf.

Legolas took Eldarion's hand in his and started walking toward the forest, departing from their view as he started to show the boy the beauty of his homeland.

They all sighed in relief when Legolas was away, and then the king turned toward Elessar and said with a smile on his features, "You do have a clever boy, ranger."

"I most certainly do." Aragorn smiled and they all entered into the palace and were immediately greeted by Gimli's voice.

TBC...