Disclaimer: Alas! I am yet to find a loophole, through which I can pull this darned Ranger and Elf Prince with no one noticing… Dayem.
A/N: I know my updating has been atrocious recently, but that's just the way the cookies crumbles I'm afraid! I was feeling really awful one night last week, and couldn't sleep, so I stayed up writing this till some God unholy hour –and I actually felt a hell of a lot better afterwards. So here you go! A bit of fluff about how great friends can come through everything with a smile.
With a little help from my friends
"I'll get by with a little help from my friends,
I'll get high with a little help from my friends,
I'm guna try with a little help from my friends."
Legolas' sapphire eyes sparkled as he tried to hide the amused smile creeping on to his face at the sight of the exasperated young Ranger before him. He was slumped forwards on the rickety table with his head hidden in his arms beside his half empty tankard, the wayward dark locks falling forward. He groaned despondently, only causing the golden haired elven prince to fight harder to suppress a grin before he spoke.
"If I may be so bold"-
"I really wouldn't if I were you," Estel muttered darkly.
-"As to suggest"-
"do you really want to do that?"
-"That perhaps such rash actions"-
"I'll give you rash, prissy elf."
-"Were not entirely warranted in this situation, and that perhaps"-
"Thank you Legolas," Aragorn complained more loudly, still not raising his head. "Your thousands of years of experience are well received, I assure you…"
"Quite," commented the elf lightly, taking a tiny sip of ale. It was ghastly stuff in his opinion; why on earth mortals would want to drink such a concoction was beyond him.
"Don't patronize me," the Ranger growled.
"No indeed," said Legolas quietly, "I would never think to do so. Well except for in exceptional circumstances that is – such as this one, really."
"You know something, Legolas?" sighed Estel, lifting his head a tad so that grey eyes could seethe at his friend, "You can be a darn sight useless when you want to be."
The Prince grinned broadly, the glittering smile lighting up his whole beautifully immortal face.
"One can only try."
"Indeed…" murmured Aragorn, along with a few muffled and incoherent phrases that his friend chose to ignore.
"Really Strider," continued Legolas conversationally, running a slender finger around the rim of his tankard, and grimacing at the grime on it, "You must understand; you are thirty one years old now, a fine young man with – dare I say it – handsome qualities. You must expect attention of some kind." He took another delicate sip as he faintly heard the sound of grinding teeth.
Aragorn buried his face in his arms even further as his cheeks flushed red.
"You are too kind, mellon nin."
"One can only try," Legolas repeated. "And you must admit, she wasn't an ugly girl"-
"She looked more like a cave troll than a human – hit like one too," he added grumbling.
"Well yes – lovely shaped nose though, you must agree."
Under the table, Aragorn kicked him swiftly in the shins. However, he decided not to venture further into his friends liking for noses shaped like squashed tomatoes.
"Come now," laughed Legolas, "Violence is not the answer."
"No," agreed the Ranger, "But it makes retribution all the more interesting."
"Retribution?" wondered the elf innocently. Aragorn doubted whether Legolas had ever been innocent.
"I told you not to patronize me, elf," he warned.
"Estel, I fail to comprehend"-
"A lot of things, I noticed," Estel interrupted sarcastically. "Do not act as though you are faultless in these proceedings; it is practically you're fault!"
"Well I am shocked Strider."
"For a moment there, I almost hoped you had said shot."
Legolas chose not to answer at once, but re-positioned his cloak slightly, drawing his hood a little further over his face. Although in a small and ignored corner of the tavern, no elf in these parts could take any risks, and he elegantly checked the headscarf around his tell-tale pointed ears.
"I take that personally," he replied finally, though the twinkle never left his eye.
"It wasn't meant for anyone else," the Ranger retorted.
"Honestly Strider, I don't see how the evening can have been all that bad," Legolas sighed hopelessly, "So pessimistic."
"Pessimistic?" echoed Estel incredulously, finally lifting up his head to show a proud and spectacular hand shaped bruise across his left cheek. Legolas unsuccessfully stifled a snigger in a most un-elven fashion; human influence, he decided. "You rush into the inn behind me because you thought someone was following you, send me flying into – into "- he spluttered and stammered for the right words –"into the chest of a busty barmaid headfirst, earn myself a slap and a beer-soaked coat, as well as a whack around the head with the tray from a customer, and you call me pessimistic?!" the Ranger concluded, his eyes bulging; though, Legolas failed to be able to take him seriously as he sat there reeking of ale.
"Oh," said the elf, quite surprised, "Well, if you put it that way…"
Estel scowled at him and made to hit him on the arm, but the Prince was far too nimble for that.
"What are friends for?" Legolas laughed, swatting the Ranger back.
Aragorn shook his head, and despite the situation and himself, he could feel the contagious beaming grin of his friend catching up with him. He chuckled quietly to himself.
"What indeed?" he said softly, turning to his tankard.
"For one thing, we relay embarrassing stories back to twin brothers," Legolas smiled mischievously. Estel choked mid-gulp.
"You wouldn't dare"-
"You obviously don't know me as well as you should," sighed Legolas.
"If – I – if you tell them – I'll – I"-
"Empty threats, Estel," mocked the elf.
"I'll tell them about the dung cart!"
Now it was the prince's turn to choke.
"You wouldn't," he dared with narrow eyes.
"You obviously don't know me as well as you should," the Ranger mimicked immaturely. Legolas kicked him under the table.
"No, in all honesty, I truly think my brothers would be fascinated to hear of the latest escapade of the Prince of Mirkwood," smirked Estel, rubbing his leg but undeterred. "How he cleverly found a way out of an enemy camp by hiding in the food supplies cart; and yet when the time came mixed it up with the dung remover. I expect it was fun, being pinned in a barrel surrounded by manure, was it not?" the Ranger asked innocently. Legolas just glared back at him, the way only an elf could.
"Very well, you make your point perfectly clear," he muttered sourly, "Blackmailer."
"Needs must, mellon nin," grinned Estel, raising his tankard to his friend, Desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Desperate indeed, stubborn human."
"Prissy elf," he winked, before draining the dregs of his ale. "Have you noticed though," he went on more seriously, "How no matter what happens, we always end up alright in the end?"
Legolas allowed the flicker of a smile to pass over his face. "Always, mellon nin, always."
"Where would we be without one another?" Aragorn chuckled to himself in thought.
"I would be safe and sound within the walls of my own home, thank you very much," Legolas informed him.
"And I within mine," commented Estel, frowning.
They were silent for a moment; then they look at each other, and spoke in unison.
"How boring."
With a final playful shove, the pair rose to their feet, careful to keep to the shadows as they silently left the bustling inn, which amongst the numerous drunkards and bar fights, wasn't that hard to achieve.
As they stepped out into the night air, Legolas threw his hood back, closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he lifted his head to the glinting white stars. His golden hair gleamed pale in their silver light, and his bright eyes shone.
"I feel a song coming on," he announced as they made their way down the main street.
"I thought you might," laughed Aragorn, rolling his eyes.
And so as they passed out into the woodlands beyond the town, neither feared what the future held; for either knew they would face it was one, and always come through together – always.
Told you it was a bit of fluff. Now for some shameless advertising…
Lullaby of the Lily Flower
When Estel, Elladan and Elrohir come to winter at Mirkwood with their friend Legolas, they don't doubt for one minute that it will be full of surprises; but when Estel begins to hear snatches of a child's lullaby, and dreams and nightmares of times past reply in his mind, before he realises it he has unearthed a secret long kept hidden concerning the disappearance of Mirkwood's Queen. A traitor still walks within Thranduil's halls – and they will do anything to keep that secret dead…
Estel strapped his quiver to his back and turned to leave the room when the faintest of sounds caught his attention. He stopped still and frowned, trying to focus in on it. It wavered and altered in tempo, but now and then he swore he could catch the briefest of words… It was a song, a lullaby, about the stars. Attempting to locate it, he moved as silently as he could to the doorway and stuck his head through – his left; it was coming from his left, floating down as if from a height. Yet just as he stepped out to find its source, the singing stopped; but the most delicate of fragrances wafted through the air, of water and sweet lilies…
Don't worry guys, it's coming soon!
Please review, you wonderful, wonderful people – and tell me what you think of Lullaby of the Lily Flower too!
Loadsa love, Estel xxx