A/N: Hi everyone! I've been hit with the inspiration to write LOTR stories recently, so here is one of the products of that lol. I've decided to post this as a two-shot. I must admit I am less knowledgeable in the ways of the elves as I would like, so I apologise in advance for any errors I may have, since I know there are many Tolkien purists out there who might stumble across this story. Any information is helpful, but I've tried not to make any drastic errors in terms of elf behaviour. Anyway, I hope you like it! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update hehehehehe =P

Elvish is in italics. Translation is in brackets next to it.

Home
Chapter 1 – Remembering Home

It was dark. It was cold. And Legolas hated it. He hated being trapped beneath the stone that was Moria, disconnected from the gentle luminosity of the stars in the heavens above. The elf closed his eyes and pictured the shining, starry night sky, he felt the fresh calm breeze rustling the leaves of the forest. He missed it. He missed the outdoors, his home, his family.

But he had a purpose – a journey to fulfil. The elf prince glanced over at the solemn expression on the ringbearer's face, who sat shivering by a small fire with the rest of the Fellowship, whilst Gandalf sat on a rock a small distance away, smoking his pipe, pondering which path to take next. He caught a glimpse of the gold chain hanging from the innocent hobbit's neck, and was reminded again of who and what he was fighting for. The elf's eyes briefly glazed over, until he was suddenly pulled out of his reverie.

"Legolas, mellon nin, (my friend)" Aragorn gently lay a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Come join us by the fire." The elf smiled in gratitude at the human's efforts to comfort him in this deep, dark place, and followed him to sit with the rest of the Fellowship.

"... And then Frodo gave Sam a quick shove and next thing Sam knew, he was dancing with Rosie! You should have seen the look on his face, so pale I thought he might faint in front of the poor lass!" Merry animatedly told the group as he smoked his pipe. Sam's face was so red that he appeared to be on the verge of exploding with embarrassment. Frodo softly smiled at the memory of Sam and Rosie at Bilbo's birthday party while the Fellowship laughed merrily at the tale. Merry took a quick huff of his pipe and returned to the story. "And then there was the time when Pippin..."

"Oh no you don't, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed as he jumped on his cousin and clamped his hand over his mouth. The two hobbits wrestled on the floor and Gandalf briefly turned from his pondering to chuckle at their antics.

"What about you, Mister Legolas?" Merry asked, grinning at the man and elf that had rejoined the circle from the headlock that Pippin currently had him trapped in. "Any stories about your home you also want to share with us?"

"Well..."

"Please! Do tell! What's it like living in an elf kingdom – as a prince no less!" Pippin said excitedly as he scrambled away from Merry.

"There's nothing that exciting to tell..." The prince smiled at the hobbit, but it did not reach his eyes.

"But... well, yes, I would also like to hear more about the elves..." Sam softly said, his voice filled with fascination.

Aragorn glanced at his best friend next to him. "I think there is much to tell, prince-ling," the man joked and the elf rolled his eyes. The Fellowship had turned their attentions to the elf as he cleared his throat to begin.

"Well then, I suppose I should tell you about the forest," he began. "The elves of Mirkwood have a special connection with the trees slightly more so than other elves, since we are woodelves. Although the darkness has taken a hold on the forest, the trees often help us elves in scouts and raids against the orcs that come within the radius of our borders –"

"Wait, so the trees SPEAK to you?" Pippin inquired, eyes wide. The elf chuckled.

"Well they don't actually speak," he replied. "We sense their fear when evil beings are nearby, which is of great help when it comes to battle. In fact, there's a particular oak that has been through many things with me over the years. My best friend and I used to sit under it all the time, it used to be our little 'hideout,' she was the one who found it." The prince smiled at the fond memory of his petite, raven haired best friend and the many afternoons they would spend in each others company, much to the joy of the grand oak.

"She? Your best friend growing up was a girl?" Merry asked, astounded.

"She appeared in every way petite and gentle, yet she was very, very strong." Legolas chuckled.

"Aye," Aragorn agreed. "She beat me numerous times in sparring contests. In fact, it was she who taught me a few of my tricks." The human winked at the hobbits, who were gaping in shock at the revelation that an elleth (she-elf) could best the strong human in front of them with a sword.

"Who else is in your family?" Boromir kindly asked the elf. "I have already told the others earlier about my father and younger brother, Faramir. A kind yet mischievous lad he is!" The man of Gondor laughed.

"I know the feeling," Legolas replied. "I myself have had to bear with the mischief of my younger brother, Lasneth. But he is often the peacemaker between me and my older sister, Lindariel."

"Lind and Legolas argue so much, that I'm sure if it weren't for Lasneth, King Thranduil would have had to chain those two to opposite sides of the castle to keep them from wringing each others necks!" Aragorn laughed along with the Fellowship and Legolas merely nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that is true, but I miss them all anyway." The prince said affectionately. "Despite the fact that me and Lindariel argue so much, if it weren't for her, our family surely would have collapsed when our mother passed away..." His voice trailed off as he recalled the most terrifying and saddest moment of his life when he was but an elfling.

"I'm sorry to hear that laddie." The elf looked up surprised to hear that this comment came from the dwarf. Gimli smiled grimly in understanding. "I too had to go through a similar ordeal."

"How... how did she...?" Pippin asked apprehensively. Legolas smiled kindly at the curious hobbit.

"It was an orc attack." The Fellowship grew quiet with sympathy for the elf and the royal family of Mirkwood, as they could understand that a loss of life for an elf who was supposed to be immortal was a huge deal that some elves often simply could not comprehend.

Boromir cleared his throat, eager to move on from the touchy subject, he could see the elf become more depressed at the memories of that tragic time in his childhood. "What happened to that best friend of yours, eh?" The man winked, helping to brighten the sombre mood that had surrounded the group.

"We got married." Was the elf's straightforward reply.

"WHAT?" Came the simultaneous voices of the hobbits and the dwarf. Aragorn burst out laughing at the expressions of surprise on their comrade's faces. Then came the onslaught of questions...

"You... you're... married?"

"I wouldn't imagine a feisty elf as you to be wed!"

"Do you have children?"

"How many elflings do you have?"

"Are you joking with us?"

Legolas smirked. "No I am not jesting, I really am married and have happily been so for two hundred years –"

"By elvish standards, Lalaith and Legolas are still considered newlyweds," Aragorn laughed at the shocked demeanour of the group.

"How old ARE you exactly?" Pippin whispered.

"Just under three thousand."

The Fellowship was dead silent, except for the loud guffaws coming from Aragorn who was almost rolling on the floor in hysterics.

"He is still considered as a youngster amongst his race!" Aragorn grinned as he narrowly dodged the punch the elf prince sent his way.

"Shut it, Estel." He muttered. "Might I remind you that your fiancé is the same age as I?" The ranger instantly snapped his mouth shut.

"And yes, I do have children," Legolas answered before Merry could ask. "Two – a girl and then a boy."

Cue "aww" from Fellowship.

Aragorn smiled at the mention of the little princess and prince of Mirkwood. "Little Princess Miriel is the split image of her father, thank the Valar she doesn't have his mischievous personality!" Legolas, although beaming at the mention of his children, proceeded to throw another punch at the ranger, which he quickly dodged again. "Prince Estellan, on the other hand, gives Legolas here a run for his money in the mischief department..." Aragorn shook his head in mock disappointment. "I pity King Thranduil, having to deal with two troublemakers in the span of three thousand years!"

Legolas sent another punch, and this time he didn't miss. Aragorn yelped as he rubbed his arm, glaring at the prince. "He's named after you for a reason, my friend," The elf teased, "Because he got his knack for getting into trouble ALMOST as much as you!"

Aragorn gaped in shock as the group burst into laughter. "Never!" The ranger scoffed.

"You'll return to them one day," Frodo gently said to the prince. Legolas smiled in appreciation. "Your family sounds wonderful. I'd like to meet them one day, I'm sure all of us do, especially Sam here." Sam simply blushed and shifted awkwardly in his seat on the stone floor.

Merry had just opened his mouth to begin another story of his beloved Shire to his friends when the wizard suddenly stood, gripping his staff in his hand. "Come, it is this way! The air doesn't smell so foul down here."

Merry gazed confused at the wizard. "When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." Gandalf grinned as he proceeded to lead the Fellowship through the long and dark trek through Moria, leaving the dying embers of the fire behind them.

TBC...

Next chapter: The Fellowship finally have completed their quest. Legolas returns home with the Fellowship, which proves to be a very interesting experience indeed... Please remember to review!