Author's Note: This is a little backstory centering about how Aragorn came to be raised at Rivendell. If it doesn't coincide with Tolkien's ( know for a fact that Legolas's involvement isn't a part of the original story), I don't really care.. Ah, yes, read and review, and I'll post more of the story, as much of it as I know.
PS - This story got taken down because something was wrong with the links, and my new chapters weren't coming up.
Disclaimer - Yadda yadda yadda, don't own 'em.
The Young Refugee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Legolas stood in front of his throne, at the back of the room, just looking at Elrond strangely, as if he were pleading, or- The blonde prince of Mirkwood stood to the side. He spoke in the Common Tongue, and its rough, gutteral sounds echoed harshly in elvish halls. "Go on in, Aragorn."
A little mortal boy stepped into the court of Elrond, carrying a falcon on his shoulder, a small hawk, tethered and hooded. He was the wildest, scruffiest-looking child that Elrond of Halfelven had ever seen. And the dirtiest. All around him, on either sides of the room, elves murmured and whispered in astonishment. Legolas came in after the boy, standing behind him and putting his hands on the boy's shoulders. He whispered in the boy's ear, as if to keep them from being overheard, although he was perfectly aware that every elf in the room could hear them. Then he walked past the mortal child, towards the throne where Elrond sat.
"Come forward behind me, Aragorn. Walk up, little one. Do not be afraid."
The boy walked forward, faltering steps, all too aware of the foreign whispers to either side of him, melodious words he couldn't understand. He was afraid, but he felt in his heart that it would be better not to show fear to these tall, fair, divine-looking creatures, who all looked down on him with plainfaced bewilderment and even suspicion.
Legolas came before Elrond and dropped to one knee, bowing his head. Aragorn did not follow, only stood behind him, unsure and frightened. The hawk fluttered at his shoulder nervously.
There was a few beats of silence in the hall. Even the elves of the court fell quiet, awaiting Elrond's words.
"Greetings, Prince Legolas Greenleaf, Child of Thicket, Bane of Dol Guldur, child of my friend Thranduil, King of Mirkwood."
"Greetings, Lord Elrond of Halfelven, Master of Forest and Field, regent of Imladris, ruler of Rivendell, father to Elladan, Elrohir, and the Evenstar."
Elrond bid Legolas to rise, gazing past the blonde elf at the small boy.
"What is your business here, son of Thranduil? And with such unusual company? Show the manners of your house, third heir to the throne of Mirkwood, and introduce your young companion."
"My lord Elrond of Imladris, ruler of Rivendell.....this is the mortal Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Gilraen. I have brought him to live in the house of Halfelven." Legolas looked at Elrond again, setting his jaw in that defiant way that Elrond was quite familiar with. Of Thranduil's children, Legolas Greenleaf was always the most rebellious. He wondered what folly drove the young elf to bring an unknown mortal into his halls.
Elrond stood, his long robes brushing the floor, folding his hands gracefully in front of him. "Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood, would you be so kind as to step forward a moment and speak with me in private in my chamber?" Elrond's voice held no amusement, and his gray eyes, which could be as kind as a summer wind, were cold. Legolas was close with his own twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, who were known in all three elfdoms for their jests. If this was a prank, there would be punishment.
"Of course, my lord." Legolas stepped forward, seeming to forget the little boy standing in the middle of the crowded hall, trembling a little despite himself. He glanced back at the boy, and then at Elrond. "What about the child?"
Elrond looked at Aragorn, and his eyes did not warm to him. He looked to a few of the guards standing to either side of his throne. "Go over and keep watch over the mortal." He glaned back at Aragorn, then at the guards again. "A close watch. He is not to leave this hall."
The lord of Rivendell led Legolas to his study.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now, Legolas, that we are out of the eyes of the court," Elrond said, settling himself into a chair in his study, "you'd best tell me what this is all about? My patience grows thin."
"And was never thick to begin with."
Elrond scowled, but let the comment go. He had long ago learned that Legolas Greenleaf often spoke rashly, before thinking on his words, and nothing could convince him to do otherwise.
"I apologize, Lord Elrond. It is just that I have rode hard from Mirkwood, and with the boy in my care," Legolas added. His quick apologies were another reason his insults were not particularly provocative. The fact that his words usually stung with truth helped, as well.
"Enough with the lording and the formalities. Just get to the part that explains what you mean, dragging that dirty human child into my court. Well?"
Elrond heard him out without interrupting once, all through the prince's stumbling account of a few week's past. The boy's father, Arathorn of the Dunedain, had been killed by an orc ambush. The boy had been captured by the dark creatures, and then rescued from their cruel hands by Legolas and a band of hunters from Mirkwood. He then went on to tell of how he had tried to take the boy back to the Mirkwood court and failed, then brought the child to Rivendell. He didn't sit down the whole time he was making his explanation.
When his voice seemed finally to trail off, and his tale to end, Elrond asked a single question.
"Why?"
Legolas did not answer. The calmness that had been radiating from Elrond was starting to fall off. "Why did you bring him here, Legolas, when you should have taken him back to the world of men?"
Legolas gave him a pleading look Elrond would not understand. He folded his hands slowly, his eyes never leaving Legolas's blue ones.
"Elrond, please take him. Arathorn and Gilraen were known to you. They were elf-friends."
Elrond was silent for a few moments. "Why did you not leave him in Mirkwood?"
Legolas shook his head. "My father does not know mortals the way you do. We have not had men in our court for over a century. And he never knew Arathorn or Gilraen. He could see no reason the responsibility for the boy lay with him. He does not trust men."
Elrond just looked at the blonde prince for a few more moments, then sighed. "Alright, Legolas. Alright. We'll look after him. Keep him clean. Dress him decently. But don't expect anything more from the house of Halfelven."
Legolas scowled. "Was Gilraen not a friend of the Last Homely House? Does her memorial not lie outside its halls? Elrond, he needs us for more than food and shelter. He has been at the mercy of orcs."
Elrond's gaze grew dark. "Is he...unmaimed?"
"...I know not. I have not had much chance to speak with him."
"What were you thinking, Legolas? That you could just adopt this mortal child into my house without informing me ahead of time? That he will just become one of us with no harm to him? He's filthy, uncivilized, and he doesn't speak our tongue. Do you honestly think that even in time my household could come to love him as our own? That sullied little refugee?"
"Why not, Elrond?" Legolas's voice was flat, with a pushed-to-the-wall stubbornness. "Since when are there reasons for the Eldar to love? Only reasons not to. And then we go on loving in spite of them. We care about every creature, light or dark. And he, at least, is a creature of light."
"You, Legolas Greenleaf, are a tender-hearted fool," Elrond replied, though a smile was starting to curve his lips. "I submit. We will take him in. We will love him, if we can find it in our hearts to do so. But on a condition."
Legolas let out a relieved sigh. "You have but to ask."
Elrond smiled. "You will come, very often, to visit at my house. You will teach him all the skills at your command. And you will watch him. I cannot always be tending a child, and he is your responsibility. If you want your pet to stay here, you must still care for it."
There was an eruption of noise from the great hall. Screeching cries and shouting. A sound of shattering glass. The lord of Rivendell and the prince of Mirkwood exchanged a look and ran for the hall. The racket inside was deafening. Elves of the court were cringing from the noise, covering their sensitive ears, eyes fixed towards the ceiling. The hawk the boy had been carrying was loose and unhooded and flying around the room in widening circles, its calls echoing in the high cathedral rafters.
Under a banquet table near the far window, the mortal Aragorn crouched like a cornered animal, hiding in the shadows, hands over his ears as well, eyes wide and white and glazed with fear. The sound of the shattering glass had been crystal candleholders along the banquet table as the bird had skidded along it, trying to fly away, knocking them to the stone floor.
All the elves were flustered by the hawk, such a small creature. Elrond spoke in the tongue of birds, his voice soft and lilting, and after a final circle of the room, the hawk came to land docilely on his shoulder. Elrond's gaze returned to Aragorn, and the little mortal boy was looking at him, and their eyes locked. The tension in the room was unbearable.
Elrond's laughter, free and full-hearted, echoed through the Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for the first chapter. Review guys, second chapter's almost finished. I'll post it once I get some feedback on the first one.
PS - This story got taken down because something was wrong with the links, and my new chapters weren't coming up.
Disclaimer - Yadda yadda yadda, don't own 'em.
The Young Refugee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Legolas stood in front of his throne, at the back of the room, just looking at Elrond strangely, as if he were pleading, or- The blonde prince of Mirkwood stood to the side. He spoke in the Common Tongue, and its rough, gutteral sounds echoed harshly in elvish halls. "Go on in, Aragorn."
A little mortal boy stepped into the court of Elrond, carrying a falcon on his shoulder, a small hawk, tethered and hooded. He was the wildest, scruffiest-looking child that Elrond of Halfelven had ever seen. And the dirtiest. All around him, on either sides of the room, elves murmured and whispered in astonishment. Legolas came in after the boy, standing behind him and putting his hands on the boy's shoulders. He whispered in the boy's ear, as if to keep them from being overheard, although he was perfectly aware that every elf in the room could hear them. Then he walked past the mortal child, towards the throne where Elrond sat.
"Come forward behind me, Aragorn. Walk up, little one. Do not be afraid."
The boy walked forward, faltering steps, all too aware of the foreign whispers to either side of him, melodious words he couldn't understand. He was afraid, but he felt in his heart that it would be better not to show fear to these tall, fair, divine-looking creatures, who all looked down on him with plainfaced bewilderment and even suspicion.
Legolas came before Elrond and dropped to one knee, bowing his head. Aragorn did not follow, only stood behind him, unsure and frightened. The hawk fluttered at his shoulder nervously.
There was a few beats of silence in the hall. Even the elves of the court fell quiet, awaiting Elrond's words.
"Greetings, Prince Legolas Greenleaf, Child of Thicket, Bane of Dol Guldur, child of my friend Thranduil, King of Mirkwood."
"Greetings, Lord Elrond of Halfelven, Master of Forest and Field, regent of Imladris, ruler of Rivendell, father to Elladan, Elrohir, and the Evenstar."
Elrond bid Legolas to rise, gazing past the blonde elf at the small boy.
"What is your business here, son of Thranduil? And with such unusual company? Show the manners of your house, third heir to the throne of Mirkwood, and introduce your young companion."
"My lord Elrond of Imladris, ruler of Rivendell.....this is the mortal Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Gilraen. I have brought him to live in the house of Halfelven." Legolas looked at Elrond again, setting his jaw in that defiant way that Elrond was quite familiar with. Of Thranduil's children, Legolas Greenleaf was always the most rebellious. He wondered what folly drove the young elf to bring an unknown mortal into his halls.
Elrond stood, his long robes brushing the floor, folding his hands gracefully in front of him. "Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood, would you be so kind as to step forward a moment and speak with me in private in my chamber?" Elrond's voice held no amusement, and his gray eyes, which could be as kind as a summer wind, were cold. Legolas was close with his own twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, who were known in all three elfdoms for their jests. If this was a prank, there would be punishment.
"Of course, my lord." Legolas stepped forward, seeming to forget the little boy standing in the middle of the crowded hall, trembling a little despite himself. He glanced back at the boy, and then at Elrond. "What about the child?"
Elrond looked at Aragorn, and his eyes did not warm to him. He looked to a few of the guards standing to either side of his throne. "Go over and keep watch over the mortal." He glaned back at Aragorn, then at the guards again. "A close watch. He is not to leave this hall."
The lord of Rivendell led Legolas to his study.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now, Legolas, that we are out of the eyes of the court," Elrond said, settling himself into a chair in his study, "you'd best tell me what this is all about? My patience grows thin."
"And was never thick to begin with."
Elrond scowled, but let the comment go. He had long ago learned that Legolas Greenleaf often spoke rashly, before thinking on his words, and nothing could convince him to do otherwise.
"I apologize, Lord Elrond. It is just that I have rode hard from Mirkwood, and with the boy in my care," Legolas added. His quick apologies were another reason his insults were not particularly provocative. The fact that his words usually stung with truth helped, as well.
"Enough with the lording and the formalities. Just get to the part that explains what you mean, dragging that dirty human child into my court. Well?"
Elrond heard him out without interrupting once, all through the prince's stumbling account of a few week's past. The boy's father, Arathorn of the Dunedain, had been killed by an orc ambush. The boy had been captured by the dark creatures, and then rescued from their cruel hands by Legolas and a band of hunters from Mirkwood. He then went on to tell of how he had tried to take the boy back to the Mirkwood court and failed, then brought the child to Rivendell. He didn't sit down the whole time he was making his explanation.
When his voice seemed finally to trail off, and his tale to end, Elrond asked a single question.
"Why?"
Legolas did not answer. The calmness that had been radiating from Elrond was starting to fall off. "Why did you bring him here, Legolas, when you should have taken him back to the world of men?"
Legolas gave him a pleading look Elrond would not understand. He folded his hands slowly, his eyes never leaving Legolas's blue ones.
"Elrond, please take him. Arathorn and Gilraen were known to you. They were elf-friends."
Elrond was silent for a few moments. "Why did you not leave him in Mirkwood?"
Legolas shook his head. "My father does not know mortals the way you do. We have not had men in our court for over a century. And he never knew Arathorn or Gilraen. He could see no reason the responsibility for the boy lay with him. He does not trust men."
Elrond just looked at the blonde prince for a few more moments, then sighed. "Alright, Legolas. Alright. We'll look after him. Keep him clean. Dress him decently. But don't expect anything more from the house of Halfelven."
Legolas scowled. "Was Gilraen not a friend of the Last Homely House? Does her memorial not lie outside its halls? Elrond, he needs us for more than food and shelter. He has been at the mercy of orcs."
Elrond's gaze grew dark. "Is he...unmaimed?"
"...I know not. I have not had much chance to speak with him."
"What were you thinking, Legolas? That you could just adopt this mortal child into my house without informing me ahead of time? That he will just become one of us with no harm to him? He's filthy, uncivilized, and he doesn't speak our tongue. Do you honestly think that even in time my household could come to love him as our own? That sullied little refugee?"
"Why not, Elrond?" Legolas's voice was flat, with a pushed-to-the-wall stubbornness. "Since when are there reasons for the Eldar to love? Only reasons not to. And then we go on loving in spite of them. We care about every creature, light or dark. And he, at least, is a creature of light."
"You, Legolas Greenleaf, are a tender-hearted fool," Elrond replied, though a smile was starting to curve his lips. "I submit. We will take him in. We will love him, if we can find it in our hearts to do so. But on a condition."
Legolas let out a relieved sigh. "You have but to ask."
Elrond smiled. "You will come, very often, to visit at my house. You will teach him all the skills at your command. And you will watch him. I cannot always be tending a child, and he is your responsibility. If you want your pet to stay here, you must still care for it."
There was an eruption of noise from the great hall. Screeching cries and shouting. A sound of shattering glass. The lord of Rivendell and the prince of Mirkwood exchanged a look and ran for the hall. The racket inside was deafening. Elves of the court were cringing from the noise, covering their sensitive ears, eyes fixed towards the ceiling. The hawk the boy had been carrying was loose and unhooded and flying around the room in widening circles, its calls echoing in the high cathedral rafters.
Under a banquet table near the far window, the mortal Aragorn crouched like a cornered animal, hiding in the shadows, hands over his ears as well, eyes wide and white and glazed with fear. The sound of the shattering glass had been crystal candleholders along the banquet table as the bird had skidded along it, trying to fly away, knocking them to the stone floor.
All the elves were flustered by the hawk, such a small creature. Elrond spoke in the tongue of birds, his voice soft and lilting, and after a final circle of the room, the hawk came to land docilely on his shoulder. Elrond's gaze returned to Aragorn, and the little mortal boy was looking at him, and their eyes locked. The tension in the room was unbearable.
Elrond's laughter, free and full-hearted, echoed through the Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for the first chapter. Review guys, second chapter's almost finished. I'll post it once I get some feedback on the first one.