A.N: Hi everybody! This is my first ever fanfic, so take it easy on me!Also, please excuse any of my amateurish mistakes - I am only 11 yrs old but i adore creating stories and am learning as much as poss every time i visit the site. Your advisory reviews help tons. Thank you! XX

Disclaimer: Not mine - no Gandalf, no hobbitses, no Broromir, no Gimli, no Aragorn *sigh*, no Legolas *sniffle* no nobody! They all belong to Tolkien...

Warnings: AU, angsty bits, etc... NO SLASH.

Please R&R! Will make a newie feel goodie! ;-)

Now, on with the tale!

Memories Re-lived

?

"Heads Up!" A few large, rosy apples came tumbling down from the tree; the hobbits running to catch them, giggling. Pippin caught one first and bit into it, licking his lips as he shouted up at the tree
"These apples are the best, Mister Elf!" The other halflings agreed while eating their fruit, licking their lips just as Pippin had done. A melodic, bell like laugh came from the tree's top followed by another load of apples; just as perfect as the last lot. Merry, Sam and Pippin rushed to get them while Frodo chuckled and, still munching on his apple, walked over to where Aragorn and Gandalf were smoking their pipes with Gimli and Boromir - all of which were watching as the Elf jumped down from the tree behind the hobbits, suprising them that much that they dropped their precious apples. The man and Dwarf laughed, Gimli taking another puff of his pipe.

Aragorn looked from the Mirkwood elf, whom was now chasing the hobbits (but wasn't really 'chasing' because he was that much faster than them that he was practicaly walking) around the tree. His melodic laugh filling their campsite, and turned to Frodo - who was taking a seat next to him, throwing his apple core into the bushes.
"Frodo, did you want something? Or are you just coming to enjoy the peace?" The Ranger smirked as Frodo cocked his head thinking,
"I think i'm here to enjoy the peace and whatch the others." The soon-to-be-king-of-Gondor- smiled and looked back at the other halflings and mirkwood elf, who was now tickling Sam, Pippin and Merry, that were fighting for breath through desperate laughing fits.
"He is really fun," The Ring Bearer said to Aragorn; who looked down at him again.
"Mister Legolas, I mean. You must be real lucky to have a friend like him." Frodo looked back at Legolas and his cousins, who were now trying to catch the elf, and were failing, but still laughing.
"I am, Frodo, I am." He sighed - and Frodo looked up confused, it wasn't a happy sigh, but a sad sigh.
"What's the matter Strider?" He asked, wondering if it was something he had said.
"Nothing, nothing." The Ranger replied.
"It's just, I'm lucky to know Legolas at all. It was under very bad circumstances that we met. In fact, one of us might not have have survived our meeting." The Hobbit nodded, but asked again because of his curiosity
"Why? Who might have not survived?" The young Ring Bearer looked shocked
"You were'nt attacked by...by HIM... were you? Did you get out OK Strider? Were you hurt? When did it happen?Oh, Please tell! Mr Strider!" Aragorn chuckled and whispered back to the hobbit
"Maybe another time, young halfling, but not now, not yet, and not as Legolas and the others are so happy. They won't want to be darkened because of a story, hmm?" Frodo sighed a frustrated sigh, but nodded. Just then Legolas and the other Hobbits came giggling and chuckling over to them. The hobbits still out of breath from trying to catch Legolas and being tickled by the elf's slender fingers and Legolas just, well, normal. But he was still chuckling to himself. They seemed so happy...
Gandalf, hearing Aragorn's and Frodo's conversation, stood up as Legolas and the others reached them and said
"When you youngsters have caught your breath," He looked from Merry to Pippin, to Sam to Legolas
"We can set off again." The four nodded, and dispersed - The hobbits going over to Frodo and Aragorn to tell them of how they had played with Legolas, while the Mirkwood elf turned in the direction of the way the Fellowship was heading. They were but a few days away from the Misty Mountains, no more than three at least. He sighed. The thought of entering the Orc infested crags of rock dampened his spirit. *But still,* he thought, *I vowed to help the Fellowship as much i could* He sighed again; so focused on his thoughts that he jumped at the touch of Aragorn's hand on his shoulder.
"Is something the matter, mellon nin?" The Ranger asked - Legolas only didn't notice people when he was deeply troubled or injured or something of the sort.
"No, nothing is the matter, Estel." He gazed into the grey eyes of his friend and smiled
"But you have something to tell me, do you not?" Aragorn's hand tightened on the elf's shoulder a second before going back to his side. "Indeed i do, Frodo asked me earlier while you 'young ones' were messing around how we met." Legolas's smile wavered
"Did you tell him?" He didn't really want the rest of the Fellowship to know how they met, not until he knew each of them a bit more at least. Gandalf knew of course, he had known the two from practicaly their births.
"No I didn't, I wanted to ask if you agreed until I asked, because I know the circumstances of which we met, and I know that it wasn't very well on your part." The Prince's face paled at the thought of his and his friend's meeting. He really didn't want to talk about it. " We tell them when they really want to know. I do not mind, but I wish to be...relaxed, as it were, when we explain." Aragorn nodded. He knew how hard it was to ask this of Legolas, but he needed to tell him. And Frodo he knew was not going to be content unless he was told. With one last look at his friend, The Ranger went back to his spot near the rest of the group. Luckily, no-one else had heard their conversation.

After a while, the Fellowship set off again. Over the grasslands they hiked, ever drawing closer to the mountains. With each step, Gimli grew more restless and excited to get to the mountains, but as the same steps were taken, Legolas grew more concerned about them.
When it finally began to darken, Gandalf signaled to rest for the night. Once the camp was set up, the fire lit and everyone fed, Frodo walked over to Legolas and Aragorn who were talking quietly in elvish and asked softly
"will you tell us how you met Legolas now Strider?" Even though he had spoken softly, everyone else had heard and Pippin and the other hobbits piped up at the thought of a good story
"Oh yes! please! Strider go on!" and
"A story? oh yes please!". Boromir and Gimli watched intently but Gandalf frowned slightly. He knew what was to come. Aragorn looked at Legolas who nodded and took a deep breath.
"Are you really sure you wish to hear? It isn't a very happy story" despite Aragorn's warnings, the rest of the group still wished to hear the tale; and so Legolas began.

"It was a rainy winters day and I was on a scouting trip, because the borders of Mirkwood are not as safe as they used to be. I and my troop had come across a huge force of orcs camping too near the city gates for comfort as we travelled to our patrol sight; and immediately we became suspicious. No beast of evil gets as far as the bridge without our scouts knowing. So, I organised my men into the better swordsmen and better archers. I placed the swordsmen on one side of the glade and the archers in the trees around the glade. All of my soldiers could shoot well, so at my signal we all fired arrows after arrows at the enemy. When the orcs had realized where we were, or, the majority of us were, they charged. Fortunately, that is exactly what we wanted them to do. For my swordsmen abandoned theor bows for swords and attacked the already weakened orcs. The archers - myself included - still fired at the enemies, downing many of them before the swordsmen even had a chance to draw their swords."
"Wow!" Pippin breathed,
"You really knew what you were doing, didn't you mister Legolas? How did you come up with a plan like that so quick? I could never do anything like that, you know.."
"Yes Pippin, you probably couldn't. Now, are you going to let Master elf finish?" Gandalf stopped the young hobbit before he went rambling on about nonsense.
"Ah, yes. Sorry! Carry on mister Legolas!"

Legolas smiled warmly at him before continuing;
"The battle was going to our favour, when an hour or so had passed. But it was then when the wargs joined in the fray - attacking at my already tired warriors. My friends held their ground and each others, I myself saved a good number of comrades, but whilst protecting one of my men, an orc's blade was able to escape my defences and cut along my side, from left hip to the middle of my stomach." The hobbits noticably cringed at the thought, but didn't make any move to stop him, so Legolas carried on;
"It was also as I dispatched of the orc that a warg pounced on my back, rolling me over so that it was on top of my stomach and I was on my back. It clawed at me, but I was able to fend its attacks off with my knives. Unfortunately, it bit into my right arm, breaking the bone and leaving it unusable. I managed to kill the beast before anymore damage was caused, but at the cost of a broken and torn arm, slashed side and a reasonably deep cut along my cheek. Yet, that didn't stop me from helping to defend my warriors backs, despite my mens' constant worries of 'Prince! You are injured!' or 'My Lord! You must seek rest!'. "
The mirkwood elf paused a moment and gazed upon the Company, all of which were quite shocked at the tale so far. He noticed Frodo looking up at Aragorn, who had settled beside himself on the log and he nodded, as if to say "It's all true". The young ring bearer placed his stare on Legolas, who smiled meekly and nodded too. The hobbit glared at the ground, unable to comprehend what he had heard. The others were in similar positions. Legolas opened his mouth to say more, but a shrill horn pierced the silence, bringing the fellowship to their senses.

"Yrch!" Legolas whispered through clenched teeth.
Merry glanced at Frodo for a definition of the elven word, who said
"Orcs!".
Gimli drew his axe, Boromir, Aragorn and Gandalf their swords, The hobbits their short swords and Legolas his long bow. What they were in for wouldn't have crossed their minds at all in that moment, no one expected the outcome of the battle to be bad for other members of their Company... An orc's head came into view over a hill to their east, only to be shot down dead by one of Legolas's arrows.

The battle had begun.