AN: This is a short, depressing story. Slash warning, smut, and character death. It takes place right before and right after the last battle in the third movie. So I hope you enjoy.

Thoughts are ' italicized'

Speaking is in "quotations"

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Empty Promise of a Rose

' Laying here in my arms. His battered body twisted in places it shouldn't. Coated in the thick paint of his own crimson blood. I can only weep into his limp shoulders. I am covered in his blood, smelling like him. It burns my nose and eyes. The figure before me, my love, is dead and I could do nothing to protect him. I am weak. We won; the ring was destroyed, Saruman is dead, the eye is gone, but still, I lost the only thing that meant something to me. How could I have been so careless? How could you have been so careless? You told me everything would be all right. You promised me. You promised me.'

**Flashback**

" You're the most beautiful creature on this Earth. You mean so much to me."

" You shouldn't care for me, it's not worth your god given time. And, I'm not beautiful. This rose I hold owns beauty. I do not."

" You are worth every minute of my day. I have never felt this way about anyone. You are my day and my night, sweet prince of Mirkwood. I love you."

The elven prince smiled, small-liquefied crystals glistened in his eyes. " How can you love a being such as me?"

" How can I not?"

" Aragorn." But his lover silenced him. Aragorn stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his waist. He intertwined his rough hands in the soft, golden hair of his elf. Aragorn kissed him tenderly. He held his prince's face in his caring hands, gazing into his gorgeous eyes.

Legolas leaned into the future king, and kissed him passionately. All meaning was put into that one kiss. Legolas parted his tender lips to allow Aragorn's anxious tongue to explore his mouth. The sweet taste's of each other blended and intertwined. The man lowered his elf onto the feathery bed, not breaking their kiss once.

Aragorn unbuttoned Legolas's shirt, revealing his pale, slender figure. " God you're so beautiful; more beautiful than any rose." He whispered into his lover's pointed ear. He nibbled on the end of it, making the elven prince writhe around. It tingled all the way down to his toes with every lick and nip he made.

" Mmmm, Aragorn." He murmured under his breath.

Gracefully, and after many sexually persuasion, they disrobed. They're clothes strewn about the room. The heated moment only grew along with their painfully large erections.

Aragorn lifted his fingers to Legolas's mouth. He wet them playfully with his tongue. The ranger took them out and lifted the prince's legs onto his shoulders. Surprised slightly by his amazing flexibility, he went back to the task at hand. He first put one finger into him. Legolas seemed fine, a little nervous, but not in pain. So gently he added a second finger, stretching his opening slightly. Still, his prince seemed fine, so he continued with three fingers. The elf winced a little bit, but smiled in reassurance.

Aragorn removed his fingers and rose up slightly. " This may hurt." He warned, but Legolas just smiled. Aragorn cautiously entered Legolas, slowly at first. Legolas flinch, indicating that it hurt slightly. Aragorn let him recover. When everything seemed okay, he carefully started to go deeper. The elf moaned at the feeling and moved with his rhythm. Soon they became as one being, in perfect unison. The movement became faster. Each thrust with more lust, more want. Faster and deeper and faster and deeper faster deeper faster deeper fasterdeeperfasterdeeperfasterdeeper.

They collapsed onto each other, exhausted, panting heavily.

" I love you."

Legolas paused and looked deep into his lover's eyes. "You truly mean it don't you?"

" With all my heart." Aragorn said with sincere smile.

The elven prince smiled and finally said, " I love you too."

For a few minutes neither of them moved. Aragon moved first, kissing him softly on his forehead, and then laid on his back. Legolas soon followed and rested his head on his lover's warm chest.

After a short awkward silence, Legolas broke it " You know, we have to fight tomorrow. Saruman's army will be approaching by midday." He tried to say nonchalantly, but failed miserably.

" Yes I know." Aragorn paused. " Are you worried?"

The elven prince looked away and replied. " Some, but I'm always a little nervous before each battle. I'm just worried."

" About?"

" Our well being." He paused. " Your well being."

Aragorn paused and looked at him. " Legolas do not fret over what is unsure. Yes, something could happen, but that doesn't mean it will. I'm worried about you as well, but I have faith in your skills. Just have hope." He leaned over and kissed the elf majestically, smiling softly with is warm smile. " It'll be okay, I promise."

**End Flashback**

A short, stubby figure approached the weeping elf. " Legolas, I. I mean are you." A deep, rough voice stuttered.

" No Gimli, not now, please." Legolas murmured; heartbroken with all hope lost.

Gimli turned around and walked away from the meager figure.

The brokenhearted elf picked up the frail body, of a once future king, off of the crimson battlefield. He carried him to his friends until he couldn't take it anymore. He broke down and cried hysterically. He balled up, clutching his damaged knees up to his face; crying into them with no shame. Everyone looked at him with solemn eyes. He didn't deserve this. He soon fell limp and passed out onto the cold, blood stained earth. Gimli looked at Gandalf, his eyes pleading. They lifted Legolas onto his horse, Gimli got on and held Legolas on. Gandalf, with help, mounted his white horse, holding the body of Aragorn and they rode off.

*

They arrived in Minas Tirith, soon after. Legolas woke up in a warm bed, as he had before. He regained his vision and saw his friends huddled around him.

" Elf, are you alright? You've been asleep for three nights." Gimli said, with concern in his voice.

At first, Legolas did not answer. He just sat there, but with all his strength he forced a smile onto his face. " Yes, I am much better, thank you. All of you." Legolas gracefully got out of bed. " Now, if you don't mind, I wish to get some fresh air." He walked out of the room. The moment he was out of view, his forged smile fell. The elf went out into the garden and breathed in the fresh air. ' He's really gone.' He put his head in his hands and cried. He looked down and this thin, pale hands and dwelling in his nails, his lover's blood still stained. Punching his fist into the hard stone of the path, he fell to his knees and cried out. Blood seeped down his arms from his knuckles, staining his olive tunic.

Frodo peeked from behind the bushes. ' I've never seen him like this.' He thought. ' So pale. His normal elven elegancy has diminished. It was sad to see an elf cry; it shuddered my heart. And even through all this, he is even more beautiful than before. I worry for his safety and I fear he will not last long for his heart is broken along with his soul.'

Frodo came out and walked up to Legolas. He placed his small hand onto the fair elf's back, trying to sooth him. " Legolas, will you be alright?" He said. For some reason, Legolas trusted Frodo over most of his other close friends. He was loyal to no end.

" Frodo, my dear friend, I don't know how to handle this. He's really gone and I'm unsure I can continue life without him."

" I will miss him greatly as well, but I'm sure it compares nothing to what you're feeling. I don't know what help I can offer, but please know that I'm here for you. Life will go on. Just have hope."

Just have hope

Just.

Have.

Hope.

' Aragorn spoke those words to me. I remember, on our last night together, he told me to just have hope. Is it really that simple? Can hope fix everything?' He dazed off into the night sky, vision blurring.

" Legolas?"

Frodo's voice returned him to reality; he wishes he could have forgotten. " Sorry Frodo, I was just thinking." He paused and looked at Frodo sincerely. " I'm very tired; I believe I will go to my bedchambers. Goodnight." He bowed slightly and gracefully walked off.

Having found his chambers, tears ran down his face. After getting a good look at it, it was the king's room. Aragorn's room. ' This whole room smells of his sweet scent.'

He lay on the feathery comforter and gazed out the open window. The stars gleamed into his dull eyes, swirling around in the elf prince's head until they were gone. His eyes fluttered shut, and he drifted off to sleep.

*

For the past week, Legolas did not move from his bedchambers, and no one could enter his locked door. He did not eat; he only slept the days and nights away. Heart thrashed; his dearest friends could only feel pity for their elven friend.

*Knock-Knock-Knock* " Are you ready to go Legolas? It's time." Gimli called through the thick oak door, hoping he would answer this time.

Slowly, the thick door creaked open, revealing a very weak and emotionless elf. He was wearing an all black attire made of pure silk, matching his murky eyes. " Yes Gimli." He paused and took a deep breath, inhaling than exhaling. " I'm ready."

*

It was a gloomy day. 14 shades of gray covered the sky and earth alike. People gathered for Aragorn's burial ceremonial. Their future king, dead, never to rule this land; they were leaderless. So dull, no color. Legolas was unnourished and thin. Paler than a ghost, he seemed dead himself. He stood there, unmoving, just staring at his true love's face. They closed the casket and started the ceremony.

Cries were heard as people who were dearest to him huddled around this open grave. A few words were said, though Legolas could say nothing, for it was too hard. His black casket was slowly lowering into the ground. The elven prince kissed a perfect red rose and placed it atop his casket. It lowered into the ground and they buried him. Soon after, the people around the grave dispersed until only the remaining fellowship was left.

They sighed to one another, saying a few special prayers. Then they too set out to leave.

" Legolas, are you coming?" Gimli spoke up.

" No, I'd like to stay for just a little bit longer." Legolas replied softly

" We can stay if you'd like." Pippin offered.

" No, I'd be happier if I was alone for a bit."

" Shall we wait up for you?" Sam asked.

" No, I'll be fine." Legolas said, with a faint smirk on his face.

" As you wish." Frodo said, with a worried look on his face.

They all turned around and left him there except for one figure. Gandalf gazed at the golden haired elf, one last time. ' I will miss you Legolas, son of King Thranduil, Prince of Mirkwood.'

He spun around, his white cape whipping around his ankles.

Once everyone was out of sight, the sweet prince lay atop Aragorn's grave and leaned against his tombstone. He started to talk to his deceased lover.

" It's hard, excepting that you're dead. I've tried living this past few days without you, and it's hard. I know it hasn't been long since your passing, and that with time the pain becomes less, but I know, that in my frail, crumbling heart, I will never recover. I will never love another again and I wish not to. I can feel my heart dying with every breath I take. It hurts so much. I just regret that I let you die before me. Aragorn, why? Why did you have to promise me that everything would be all right? I listened to your every word. Just keep hope. It'll be okay, I promise. I believed you, and yet it ended up being an empty lie." Legolas gazed up into the darkening sky and sighed. " I miss you so much. I cannot do this alone. I need you and if I can't have you, then life is not worth living."

The prince of Mirkwood took something out of his black silk pocket. He held it up and stared at the swirling blue liquid. It reminded him of the rivers in Mirkwood. His fair home in which he would never see again.  " The war is over. People are at peace. There is nothing left for me to do except to join you, my love, in death. I will miss all of my friends. They were all so dear to me. Once seen as a gift, this immortal life of mine, is now seen as a curse. I do not wish to live the rest of my days without you."

Legolas took the cork out of the small, elven vile. The scent of the poison was strong, but soothing. He brought it towards his full, pink lips; his dark solemn eyes staring at it. He poured the toxic liquid into his sweet tasting mouth, and swallowed it.

" It must be the poison, for I feel so tired now." He propped his head on the gravestone to where he was comfortable. He opened his eyes and outlined his lover's name with his index finger. A-R-A-G-O-R-N. He smiled a weak, tender smile. ' It'll be okay, I promise.' He thought to himself. ' Maybe finally it will be.' He knew it was almost over.

The heaven's cried at the sight below. The weak elf now soaked in the cool rain with his hand gripping a petal from the rose. The sunset fell into the horizon, and the star's blanketed the night sky. The only sound was the patter of the rain hitting the cold, wet ground as death's whispers filled the air. With the last of his breath he weakly said, " I love you."

Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, fell into an eternal sleep, never to awake again.

THE END

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Well, I hope you enjoyed it. I put a lot of effort into the story. Although my stories usually don't compare to most, I do to help me forget about my own problems. Well, please review; it would be highly appreciated. If not, I can't understand why you wouldn't want too. Well, byes now.

~Suraka-chan~