Lost Memories: Part 1 (Legolas Greenleaf Romance)

Dear Reader,

My name is Legolin, and this is the tale of my fate.

I shall start by giving you a basic outline of the early years of my life. They are not as important to the story, but it is still relevant to the tale. I was raised under the green boughs of Lothlorien with my cousin Arwen, and her elder twin brother's Elrohir and Elladan. Of the four of us I was the youngest. I was born in the year 1980, at the time Arwen was 1,739. She treated me as both cousin and daughter, and our relationship is very close.

We were raised by our grandparents Galadriel and Celeborn, and were all treated with the upmost respect. Our Grandparents raised us to be humble and caring, as well as kind and nurturing, but if you ask either of my Grandparents, or even Uncle Elrond, they will all tell you I was a rather stubborn and willful child.

I never knew my parents, Galadriel told me that they both loved me and I would someday see them again on the shores of Valinor, but that was it. She never went into detail about their lives, or even gave me their names. Eventually I stopped asking, no one was forthcoming with answers, and would get angry and upset at my persistent questioning.

As children we four had many adventures in the boughs of Lothlorien. Arwen and I were able to go on delegation trips to the Great Greenwood with our Grandparents in the year 2000. I was still an elfling at the age of 20 and thought the whole experience was exciting. We spent a few years in the realm of Thranduil, but eventually returned home.

Upon our return to Lórien I decided to become one of the marchwardens. It was all due to the friendship of one elf named Haldir. As I got older I spent more time with Haldir, he vouched for me and taught me the ways of the wardens. Within a few centuries I had moved up the ranks and became a chieftain, under Captain Haldir. My grandparents were not pleased, but as long as I continued my other duties I was allowed to spend time with the wardens.

In 2951 my cousins and I returned to Rivendell, I was now 971 years old. At first I was upset that I had to leave the wardens, as I'd become good friends with many of them, but it was time to leave Lórien and visit with Arwen's family. When we arrived in Rivendell we were greeted by Arwen's father Elrond. He introduced us to a man named Aragorn. We later learned that he was around 20 years old.

I got to know Aragorn well and we became fast friends. When he learned that I was an honorary chieftain to the marchwarden's of Lórien he asked if I would spar with him. I agreed to and began teaching him how to fight, just as Haldir had taught me. He later revealed to me that upon our first meeting he fell in love Arwen. Over the years she in turn fell in love with him as well.

One night while I was making my way towards my apartments I overheard a conversation between Aragorn and Elrond. I paused and listened, Elrond seemed to be saying that many years of trial lay ahead of Aragorn and I was curious as to why. It seemed he'd decided to take his proper role as the sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain and the Rangers of the North. He told Elrond he was ready to leave the comforts of Rivendell for the wild, where he would live with the remainder of his people, whose kingdom had been destroyed through civil and regional wars centuries before.

Later that evening I brought it up to Arwen, she told me that she already knew his plans. She was devastated that he would be leaving, but she understood that it was his destiny. She told me that Elrohir and Elladan were planning on going with him. She insisted that I should ask if I could join. I told her that I wasn't prepared to deal with that sort of thing, and of course she disagreed with me. She felt that I'd learned well from the marchwardens, she went so far as to say I'd helped to make Aragorn into a better fighter. I scoffed at her suggestion, but promised that I would ask Aragorn.

The next day I met Aragorn on the training field, and I asked if he'd allow me to become one of his Rangers. He was surprised that I wanted to go into the wilds, but said that he felt I was thrilled that I would join him. He explained that he was leaving in a fortnight, and that if I was ready I could go along.

In 2956 Aragorn and I met the grey wizard Gandalf while we were wondering the world in the north. We became close friends with him, and at his behest the Rangers began to guard a small land known as the Shire, inhabited by the diminutive and agrarian Hobbits. Aragorn became known among the peoples just outside the Shire's borders as Strider, while I was known as River. It was a fitting alias, seeing as I was named after the river Legolin, that was the only other information that had been given to me in regards to my history.

From TA 2957 to TA 2980, Aragorn and I, as well as the rest of the Rangers undertook great journeys. We served in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan, and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor. Many of our tasks helped to raise morale in the West and counter the growing threat of Sauron and his allies. Aragorn served his lords in disguise and his name in Gondor and Rohan during that time was Thorongil (Eagle of the Star). I followed his example and took on the name Edhel (elf). It was a simple name, but one which was easy for me to remember.

In 2980 Aragorn told me he planned to take a small Gondorian squadron of ships, and lead an assault on the long-standing rebel province of Umbar. I told him I would sit out on this mission, for it involved coming to close to the sea. He later told me that he burned many of the Corsairs' ships and personally slayed their lord during the battle on the Havens. After the victory at Umbar, "Thorongil" left the field and, to the dismay of his men, went east.

After his return Aragorn and I continued on a few more adventures. We traveled through the Dwarven mines of Moria. Our travels then went east to Ruhn and south to the city of Harad. It was easier for me to join Aragorn on this mission as the fighting was farther inland and not on the coast of the sea. While in Harad Aragorn pointed out that the stars were very strange.

In 3001, I was now 1,021, Gandalf informed Aragorn and I of his suspicions in regards to a ring in the possession of one Bilbo Baggins. The wizard explained that he believed Bilbo's ring could potentially be the One Ring. After a rather infamous 111th birthday party that the notorious Bilbo hosted, in which he disappeared in front of his guests, Gandalf's suspicions seemed to be correct. Gandalf then asked Aragorn to go looking for the creature known as Gollum. As his second in command, we agreed that he would go looking for Gollum while I increased the watch on the Shire, for Gandalf knew that Bilbo had left his ring to his nephew as an heirloom.

In 3018, nine years after our increased watch on the Shire, Aragorn sent me a coded letter telling me that Frodo would be leaving the Shire carrying the One Ring. He explained that he'd learned the information from Gandalf himself. He requested that I meet him and Gandalf at the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree.

And that my dear readers, is where my tale truly begins.