Title: Hope Bringer

Author: Ohtar Vicky

Rating: K

Summary: My version of Aragorn and Legolas' first meeting.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Everything belongs to Tolkien!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Author's note:

Hey all! This is my first try at any writing to do with Lord of the Rings so any comment is appreciated!

If anyone is wondering the song is called Lullabye for a Stormy Night by Vienna Teng and I just thought it was a perfect wood-elf lullaby and just the one Legolas would be sung and would sing to baby Estel.

Hope you like it!

Enjoy and comment!

V*

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lord Elrond sat in the gardens of Rivendell letting the peace wash over him. The sun's gentle rays warmed him and the sound of the wind through the trees calmed him.

"Legolas is here!"

In an instant the peace was shattered and in the next few seconds three figures rushed past him towards the distant figure of a well known blonde elf.

Lord Elrond laughed as he watched his sons race across the grass to reach their long time friend. It had been a long time since he, or any of them, had seen Legolas and when he had sent word for permission to stay a while he had immediately accepted. His sons were, literally, dancing with joy.

Legolas looked ahead at the two figures speeding towards him and, laughing, he urged his horse on towards them. He had not realised just how much he had missed his Rivendell friends until now.

Leaping off Amrun he ran the last few meters towards his friends. He was soon enveloped in hugs and laughter surrounded the happy trio.

Watching and smiling Lord Elrond beckoned them back to the house. He remembered when he had been so close to his friends. His smile faltered slightly remembering where most of them had gone but he shook off the memories for now. Time enough later to remember.

Legolas greeted Lord Elrond with a bow, right hand crossed over his heart, until he was pulled out of it and into a hug.

"Good to see you again." Lord Elrond said.

"And you. It's been too long." Legolas replied smiling.

He always stayed in the same room when he was in Rivendell. A relatively small room with a large oak tree growing outside with it's branches so long that they touched the balcony railing. The room was decorated with bright walls and sturdy oak furniture. On the walls there were several portraits but Legolas' favourite hung across the room from his bed. He saw it every morning when he woke and every night when he fell asleep bringing happy memories and a smile each time. The three of them were in it. Elladan, Elrohir and himself, dressed like princes but acting like anything but.

Legolas smiled as the memory of the day came to him as he looked on it once more on waking up the next morning. He, once again, silently thanked the painter that he had had not painted it exactly as he saw it. He distinctly remembered that his circlet was at an angle after almost having it nicked by Elrohir, who had called it his 'tiara' from that day forward.

His memories were interrupted by his door bursting open and loud voices filling the room. Before he could protest clothes were shoved into his arms and he was pulled out of bed.

"Hurry up! Let's go!"

"Come on Legolas!"

"Why?" He asked going painfully slowly.

The twins looked at each other, disbelieving and exasperated looks on their faces.

"Because we want to go riding!" Elrohir said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Legolas raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "You've never wanted to go riding this badly before."

"Well there's a first for everything isn't there!" Elladan said "Now hurry up and get dressed! We will be down in the hall having breakfast and we expect you there soon."

The two left and Legolas listened as their quick but silent steps faded and he was left with his thoughts again. He blew a stray strand of golden hair out of his eyes with a smile. The twins were always eccentric and full of energy but they seemed to be even more so today.

Legolas wondered about the reasons to their hyped up behaviour whilst wandering down to the hall for his breakfast. As soon as they saw him they dashed over with some fruit and pulled him outside and towards their already waiting horses.

"Took you long enough!" Elladan said.

"Well since you wanted me to hurry I went extra slow just for your annoyance!" The blonde elf said teasingly.

Elrohir playfully swatted at Legolas who laughed as he missed him and hit Elladan instead who promptly shoved him back.

"Hey! What did I do?" He moaned.

Elrohir returned his brother's shove. "Nothing."

"Well then stop shoving me." He said returning the gesture.

"No." And another push followed as a response.

Legolas watched the exchange between the brothers and soon he was unable to hold in his laughter as the twins continued to push and shove each other until they reached the waiting horses.

It was only then that they realised Legolas had taken his twin knives along with his bow and a full quiver with him.

"Why'd you bring them?" Elladan asked.

Legolas looked at the weapons strapped to his back, a puzzled expression drawn on his face. "I don't really know, I don't even remember putting them on." He replied.

"Uh oh! Someone's getting old!" Elladan sang.

Legolas couldn't help but let a smile break through onto his face at the twins teases. He had missed them. There wasn't much time for humour in Mirkwood. And when there was normally it was not the thing any of the warriors wanted to hear.

Elladan and Elrohir were both equally glad they were able to see him smile again. They knew what their friend had just come from and also why he had come. Not just to rest, to get away from the orcs, spiders, wargs and the Shadow that plagued the home he loved. He was here to heal. To find his lost hope. The fact that he had automatically taken his weapons with him when he went for a ride was an insight to how tense and troubled the young warrior really was.

"Never mind!" Elrohir said, "It's too late to take them back." He and Elladan had already sprung up onto their horses and were ready to go.

Legolas mounted Amrun and followed the twins away from Rivendell and through the surrounding forest. The trees sang with joy at having a wood-elf near but their song was tinted with sadness and offered comfort. Legolas responded silently with a smile. He thanked them for their comfort and assured them that he was healing. Their harmony seemed to grow and their song engulfed him in a world of peace. He closed his eyes and listened, losing himself in the song of the trees and trusting his horse to follow the twins.

Elladan and Elrohir had watched their friends face soften and his eyes closed and they smiled. The trees were a source of great comfort to their friend and they only wished they knew what they were telling him.

Seemingly in no time at all they left the forest and Legolas' eyes opened, revealing the sparkle that had dimmed. The twins beamed and sent their thanks to the trees, not caring if they heard them or not. The place they had been so eager to reach was here and so was the night. It had crept up on them as they rode, unnoticed by all three of them.

Legolas blinked disbelievingly as he took in the handmade shelters, piles of firewood and cooking gear. The sounds of talking and life reached his ears along with the faint sounds of singing and crying. A wide smile graced his face as he realised why the twins had been in such a hurry. They had reached the Ranger's camp.

"That's not the best of it!" Elladan said dismounting.

Legolas followed his lead as they approached the nearest hut. He could hear the singing more clearly now and recognised it as an elven lullaby that his mother had often sung to him but the crying continued.

The door was opened and Legolas was confronted by a familiar, slightly surprised, face that quickly changed into one of pure happiness.

Arathorn stood before them. Happy, tired and looking every bit the Ranger he was. Greeting them each in turn he welcomed them in.

Legolas glanced around the small hut taking in the sights and smells. Both the singing and the crying had become louder and he was reminded of a time, very long ago, when his mother used to sing to him. When she left for Valinor his father had tried, but it never was the same without her sweet melodic voice.

He walked to the crib, picked up the child and took over the song.

Little child, be not afraid,

The rain pounds harshly against the glass

like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger,

I'm here tonight,

And someday you'll know,

That nature is so.

The same rain that draws you near me,

Falls on rivers and land,

on forests and sand,

Makes the beautiful world that you'll see.

In the morning.

Little child, be not afraid.

Though wind makes creatures of our trees.

And their branches to hands, they're not real, understand.

And I am here tonight.

For you know, once even I was a

Little child, and I was afraid.

But a gentle someone always came

To dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears.

And to give a kiss goodnight.

Well now I am grown,

And these years have shown

That rain's a part of how life goes.

But it's dark and it's late,

So I'll hold you and wait,

Till your frightened eyes do close.

And I hope that you'll know that nature is so

The same rain that draws you near me

Falls on rivers and land,

on forests and sand,

Makes the beautiful world that you'll see.

In the morning.

Everything's fine in the morning.

The rain'll be gone in the morning.

But I'll still be here in the morning.

The crying stopped and Legolas smiled down at the, now sleeping, child in his arms. He laid the child back into the crib and turned to Gilraen who was smiling at him.

"Thank you." She said.

Legolas merely smiled in return, half lost in his own memories. He had learnt to love the storms. It was when he felt closest to her.

"His name is Aragorn." She said.

The twins knew the memories their friend was lost in and started to move to him, to offer comfort, but he turned to them, not with tears, but with a smile.

"He is a hope bringer."