Chapter Text
"Because it was real." It was real.
Unable to say anymore, the Elven King turned and walked on until he knew he was out of sight. It was only then that he let them out. Tears, fierce, angry tears; tears that had been held in since his wife was taken from him. Tears full of emotion and love and heartbreak and pain.
He took off his upper body armour, letting it fall will a delicate clatter onto the floor. He himself however, sank to the floor in a manner that was not like the graceful one he usually acquired.
Thranduil let out a violent sob, surprising himself that he was capable of such human emotion; such emotion that he had not felt since his heart was stolen so unexpectedly from him. He began to think of all the things he had done in his life, all the bad things, all the selfish things and all the things that had caused hurt to others: hurt that he told himself he did not care about. About Legolas, his only son, a son that he had basically ignored his whole life, and now he was gone. It was all flowing out of him in tears of regret.
But a sudden noise jolted him back to his senses, he quietly stood up and grabbed his sword- someone was approaching him. The unknown intruder of his thoughts was getting closer. But before they could reveal themself, Thranduil turned the corner, his sword drawn.
To his surprise it was Bard standing there, in equal shock. Shock not from Thranduils'
sword, but from his tear distraught face.
"I thought you an Orc." Thranduil said, bringing his sword down.
"I was just coming up to check that they were all dead." Bard replied, staring in disbelief at the elf.
Thranduil did not reply, he simply bowed his head and turned, not thinking himself in the mood for a conversation.
"I beg your pardon, my lord Thranduil but, are you alright?" a nervous Bard asked.
Thranduil stopped and looked up, silent tears flowing once again.
"Beg my pardon, Bard the dragon slayer, but do I look okay?" he spoke and turned in such a harsh manner that Bard jumped back in surprise. "First my Queen. Now my son. Tell me, am I incapable of loving? Or being loved in return?" he shouted, his aching soul on full display.
Bard didn't know what to do or say. He had only known the Elven King for a few days but he suspected that he wasn't very big on comfort and love.
"I know how you feel. Heartbreak. Loss. I lost my wife too." Bard said, his heart sinking as he spoke.
"That you may have, but pray tell, have you lost your family as well? Your son? Your daughters?" Thranduil said, his wild and uncontrollable tears still streaming. He ran his shaking fingers through his sleek hair, letting his crown fall carelessly onto the stone floor.
Bard just stared, a small tear slipping from his eye too as he felt all kinds of emotion for the lost King.
"Have you just watched the only part of her still living walk away, having never heard his father tell him how much he loves him? Because his father was too scared to tell him, to scared to show emotion? Because the last time he did, something awful happened. Will you return to your home tonight alone and broken?" Thanduil bellowed, his vioce cracking at the realisation of his last question. Why he was telling a man he just met all this, he didn't know, but he just desperately wanted to get it all out.
"But you aren't alone and you never will be." Bard spoke softly, his loving fatherly manner coming through.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Because I'll be there for you."
A flash of love went through the elf's eyes and he felt his heart jolt.
"But why? Why would you wish to help a heartless elf like me?" he asked, sounding vulnerable.
"Because I have felt the heartbreak you feel. Losing someone once is terrible, but I can't even imagine the pain of losing someone twice." Bard said, placing his hand on Thranduils' shoulder, who didn't even push it away.
"Thankyou." Thranduil replied, his voice full of shock and affection.
His tense and angry body relaxed and his tears were different. They were the tears of someone who needed someone. Someone to hold them and care for them and love them. They were the tears of someone who just wanted to love and be loved in return.