"You are sometimes good," Thranduil responds dryly, but holds him tight in a return of the hug all the same. "And you should learn to be good more of the time. I may not always be there to look after you, after all."

Thranduil was here less thinking of similar situations to this or even death and more of how inventive Legolas could be when it came to not being found. There had been times enough when, if not for the spell of the doors, Thranduil would have been driven frantic with worry. He still was, on occasion, but knowing that his child could not have left without the gates being opened was often some measure of comfort.