Author's Note: This is an attempt to piece together a background for Legolas through the stories of the various people of importance in his life. I have made every effort to be true to what Tolkien did tell us about the elf, but obviously have invented quite a bit - the good Professor left much untold. We know nothing of his siblings. Regarding his mother, we can only guess that she was a Silvan elf, given that Legolas refers to himself as Silvan, though we know his father was Sindarin. We might suppose that by the time the dwarves were imprisoned by Thranduil, his wife had died or left for Tol Eressëa, as Bilbo would certainly have noticed her.
Most of what we do know comes from The Hobbit and Unfinished Tales - Legolas said very little about his family (in fact, I believe he only refers once to his father, and calls him 'My Elven-lord').* In Unfinished Tales, we learn about his father and grandfather (Oropher) and their roots in Doriath; LOTR suggests that they were kin to Celeborn. One other clue exists: Thranduil has golden hair in The Hobbit. While Tolkien did waffle a bit on the subject, at some point he seems to have been convinced that golden hair belonged exclusively to the Vanyar and to the Noldor among whom they intermarried. Thus, we might guess that Oropher's wife either came to Beleriand with the elves who fought the War of Wrath or was a descendent of Finarfin. I've gone with the latter possibility - his wife is the granddaughter of Angrod via a daughter I have invented. Nothing Tolkien wrote supports this, but it doesn't contradict anything he wrote, either. I have also written Oropher and Celeborn as cousins - as stated above, there is some hint that they were kin. [1]
Be forewarned there will be slash - I take Gimli/Legolas to be nearly canonical. It is, however, only part of the story.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tolkien with the exception of original characters needed to fill out Legolas' family tree or move the story along. Translations of Elvish words (Sindarin, unless otherwise stated) and additional notes are found at the end of the chapter.
The Letter of Innolas
For six millennia I have walked in Ennor.* The task I set for myself as the New Age began is all but complete. All roads now lead to Mithlond and the faithful Círdan. [2]
My father's realm remains strong, though outside it my people are now only fairy stories, and Eryn Lasgalen* can be found on no map plotted by man. This is deliberate, for the days of the Firstborn have passed, and we wish to avoid the strife among men. As Herdir Elrond* predicted, mankind has become ever more clever in the creation of instruments of destruction, and ever more inept in the making of peace. [3, 4]
So that my people may not pass completely from the records of mortals, I have dedicated these many years to recording our history. Most of this work is now stored in the King's library in Gondor, for the Dúnedain alone among men are not wholly sundered from the elves.
The remainder of this history is tied to my family and particularly my brother. It is my intention to pass through the Shire on my way to the Sea, and perhaps I will find a descendant of the hobbits with whom my brother walked, and thus preserve his place in the history of Middle Earth. If this letter and the attached vignettes have fallen into your hands, unknown reader, know that the elf concerned was as courageous and noble as any of the Calaquendi of the Elder Days.
As for me, I shall have passed over the Sea.
Innolas Thranduilion, e-mbar Lasgalen [5]
Most of what we do know comes from The Hobbit and Unfinished Tales - Legolas said very little about his family (in fact, I believe he only refers once to his father, and calls him 'My Elven-lord').* In Unfinished Tales, we learn about his father and grandfather (Oropher) and their roots in Doriath; LOTR suggests that they were kin to Celeborn. One other clue exists: Thranduil has golden hair in The Hobbit. While Tolkien did waffle a bit on the subject, at some point he seems to have been convinced that golden hair belonged exclusively to the Vanyar and to the Noldor among whom they intermarried. Thus, we might guess that Oropher's wife either came to Beleriand with the elves who fought the War of Wrath or was a descendent of Finarfin. I've gone with the latter possibility - his wife is the granddaughter of Angrod via a daughter I have invented. Nothing Tolkien wrote supports this, but it doesn't contradict anything he wrote, either. I have also written Oropher and Celeborn as cousins - as stated above, there is some hint that they were kin. [1]
Be forewarned there will be slash - I take Gimli/Legolas to be nearly canonical. It is, however, only part of the story.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tolkien with the exception of original characters needed to fill out Legolas' family tree or move the story along. Translations of Elvish words (Sindarin, unless otherwise stated) and additional notes are found at the end of the chapter.
My father's realm remains strong, though outside it my people are now only fairy stories, and Eryn Lasgalen* can be found on no map plotted by man. This is deliberate, for the days of the Firstborn have passed, and we wish to avoid the strife among men. As Herdir Elrond* predicted, mankind has become ever more clever in the creation of instruments of destruction, and ever more inept in the making of peace. [3, 4]
So that my people may not pass completely from the records of mortals, I have dedicated these many years to recording our history. Most of this work is now stored in the King's library in Gondor, for the Dúnedain alone among men are not wholly sundered from the elves.
The remainder of this history is tied to my family and particularly my brother. It is my intention to pass through the Shire on my way to the Sea, and perhaps I will find a descendant of the hobbits with whom my brother walked, and thus preserve his place in the history of Middle Earth. If this letter and the attached vignettes have fallen into your hands, unknown reader, know that the elf concerned was as courageous and noble as any of the Calaquendi of the Elder Days.
As for me, I shall have passed over the Sea.
Innolas Thranduilion, e-mbar Lasgalen [5]
- [1] 'My Elven-lord'
- (ref. LOTR, p 935 pub. Houghton Mifflin)
- [2] Ennor
- Middle-Earth
- [3] Eryn Lasgalen
- Wood of Greenleaf, the name given to Mirkwood by Thranduil and Celeborn after the War of the Ring
- [4] Herdir Elrond
- Master Elrond
- [5] Innolas Thranduilion, e-mbar Lasgalen
- Innolas son of Thranduil, of the House of Lasgalen - I have taken Lasgalen to be the name chosen by Oropher's father to represent his descendants - perhaps it was one of his father's names