I read the Hobbit book as a kid, before any of the others, and the Elvenking was just. A good guy, an impressive king who wanted to keep his people safe, but was willing to help others (and also kick ass and take names in the BoFA). Bilbo thought he was awesome, and I thought he was awesome too. I liked that Legolas was his son! So, yeah, when people started up with woobie!Legolas and his evil father, it really bugged me.

I'm very happy that you changed your mind and decided to give them a happy ending! ♥

That prompt looks awesome! I love, love, love the idea of Thranduil being linked to his forest, and how that could play out through magic. And yeah, definitely Legolas' reaction (because what child ever really understands who their parents were before they existed?). Bard's impressions would interest me as well, since he's both grounded and willing to see the elves as allies, but also impossibly other. (And I love Thranduil and Bard bonding as single fathers.)

Honestly I think Gandalf took a look at the first two ages of Middle Earth and was like 'you know what this place needs? Some common sense.' So ever since then it's his personal mission to stick a hobbit in every major quest/event he can find. XD I definitely agree that Bilbo's the voice of reason.

Gandalf goes back in time and hands a hobbit to the sons of Feanor, half the Silmarillion is then devoted to recipes instead of wars.

As an aside to that prompt, the forest river gave *good* dreams when Bombur fell in, so I wonder if it wouldn't be equally trippy for people to witness some of Thranduil's happy dreams as well as his nightmares?
(Oropher and Legolas together? Ow, I think I just angsted myself...)