Standing Alone
by nautika
beta: Celebwen
K+
Summary: Legolas and Aragorn's first trip together didn't go the way they expected. Estel is a very young man here.
Disclaimer: Not mine, wouldn't know what to do with them if they were.
A/N This is an AU, friendship story. In my LOTR fics, Aragorn's mother died with his father so only Elrond and the twins raised him. Also, in this fiction, as in some others I've done, Legolas knew the twins before he met Aragorn. I don't remember if Tolkien addressed that or not.
A/N #2 This was originally intended as a chapter in the sequel to That Precious Link, but it took on a life of it's own and here it is as a stand alone fiction.
A/N #3 This is a far better story now than before Cel beta'd it. She added some amazing touches to it.
Standing Alone
It was a shock for the woodland elf, who had never hunted with a man before, to hunt with a young human who, by comparison to Legolas' previous hunting companions, moved through the woods like a Mûmakil. He froze in place and when the 16 year old stopped and turned to look enquiringly at him, Legolas blurted out "How do men ever find game?"
The flashing look of betrayal that crossed Estel's face before it was hidden behind a stony mask made the elf flush with shame.
"Forgive me, my friend. I spoke too quickly. I did not mean-"
"I know what you meant, my friend! I have heard similar things all my life from the elves of Rivendell. I simply had not expected to hear it from you!"
Estel's voice sent a chill through Legolas' heart. He tried again to make amends. "Estel-"
"I suggest you go back and wait until Elladan and Elrohir are available to hunt with you. I am going to finish this trip. The men of Dale and Esgaroth have not yet starved to death and I believe I am as capable as they are." Swallowing hard, Estel spun about on one heel and moved swiftly down the path.
Legolas stood, staring down the now deserted path, wondering how things could have gone wrong so quickly. How could he have been so foolish? What should he do now? The boy's pride was wounded. The twins had told Legolas often enough about how difficult the elflings had made it for Estel…how often they had offended him – even caused him to doubt he was worthy of Elrond's love. How could the prince have allowed his tongue to be so unguarded? The answer came quickly. 'Because he is my friend, as much as the twins, and never have I guarded my tongue with them. I forgot he is a man and still a young one.'
Legolas' sigh came from deep within him. He could follow the human. It would be easy to track him, especially as he was distraught. But would that wound his pride further? Telling Lord Elrond did not seem wise. Naturally, he would be upset with – no, disappointed in – Legolas, but that was irrelevant. If Estel's father had to go in search of him, Estel would be humiliated. Legolas could not accept that as the best course of action. If the twins were home, turning to them would be the best solution, however, they were not. The only other option was to make camp and wait for Estel's return. That meant the human would be on his own, but the area they were to hunt in was deemed safe enough, and Estel had had excellent instructors in Elladan and Elrohir. He, in all likelihood, could take care of himself. If he did not return when expected, Legolas would go after him then. Still unsure, Legolas sought out a good campsite near the trail and spent the night going over various explanations and apologies in his mind…and one-by-one discarding them. At dawn, he was still undecided on what to do or to say as he sat down with a cold breakfast of lembas. Hearing someone coming up the trail, their footfalls heavy and uneven, Legolas picked up his pack and moved behind a tree, drawing an elven blade with his free hand.
Several moments later, Estel limped into view, leaning on a forked tree branch and breathing heavily.
Legolas moved from behind the tree, consciously making enough noise that the human could hear him.
The boy came to a sudden halt and awkwardly reached for his sword.
Legolas spoke softly. "It is only I."
"Wonderful! Now you can watch me hobble home noisily and think what a good story this will make about the clumsy human."
"Estel, please let me help you. What happened? How badly are you hurt?"
"I need no help from you. It is only an injured ankle. And if you must know, I fell…from a tree. If you hurry back you can have the story spread around so everyone can be watching for my arrival." Exhausted and in pain, there was no disguising the sound of tears in Estel's voice.
"Estel, for the love of the Valar, I am not the elflings!"
"No, you are not…which is why I expected better of you. But you are worse than they. None of them ever professed to be my friend. I may have one wished for that or even pretended it was true, but in my heart I knew I would never be more to them than a source of entertainment. But you! You were my brothers' friend, and they trusted you. So I trusted you as well. I do not doubt you would have tried to protect me from harm. To abandon me to danger would be to risk the loss of your friendship with Elladan and Elrohir. But you are their friend, not mine. I will not suggest you return without me and I will not tell them or Lord Elrond what has transpired between us, but I will not be put in this position again…by you or any elf!"
They returned to Elrond in a silence broken only by Estel's awkward movements as he struggled home on his crutch and the breathing that spoke plainly of what the effort cost him. He would accept no aid from the elf, nor would he look at him. When they reached the Last Homely House, Estel hobbled into his father's study, and Legolas went to his room to bathe and gather his things together in preparation for an immediate return to Mirkwood. When that was done, he went in search of Elrond and found him sitting beside the human's bed. Seeing the prince, Elrond motioned him into the room.
"If we speak quietly, we will not disturb him. I gave him a mild sleeping draught," Elrond said softly.
"What of his injury?"
"His ankle is broken. You did well splinting it. It will take time to heal, but there will be no permanent damage. The damage to other members of the household while Estel is confined remains to be seen." Elrond smiled fondly at the figure in the bed.
Legolas swallowed audibly. " I did not splint it. I was not with him. I made camp less than a half day out and allowed him to go on alone."
Elrond's head came up sharply and he fixed his eyes on Legolas. The Prince of Mirkwood was familiar with facing a royal glare. He had much experience from being called to task by his father over behavior the king considered unacceptable. Legolas rarely agreed with his father, but the disapproval he found in Elrond's eyes was justified and Legolas could not hold his gaze. His voice was barely above a whisper. "I am so sorry…so ashamed."
"Young prince?" The familiar term of affection was almost Legolas' undoing.
"I failed him. I spoke without thinking and he would not allow me to explain. He continued on without me. I spent all night trying to decide how to explain and I am still not sure what to say. What am I to do?" The despair in his eyes as he turned to Elrond for guidance touched the elf lord's heart.
"What do you think you should do?"
"Return to Mirkwood and allow your sons to live in peace."
The older elf allowed himself a tiny smile. "Is that what you truly want?"
"No, my lord. I want things to be as they were. I wish to be able to retract my foolish words, but I cannot, so I know not what to do. He was my friend and now he throws those words at me as though they were a lie. But they were not ! I treasured my time with him – truly! I looked forward to these days with only Estel as company. He is still young, but he has the honor and bearing of one much older. He is a good and loyal friend. I forgot his youth, I forgot he was no elf, and I forgot that Rivendell is home to hoards of idiotic elflings who treat him as less ! I may be a fool for behaving as I did, but I am his friend!" Legolas' voice rose steadily as he spoke. The elf lord pulled back from the vehemence of it, but Legolas did not notice. He turned to the window in an attempt to bring his emotions under control, and continued in a more restrained tone. "I should not have abandoned him. It is my fault he is hurt."
"You did not abandon me. I abandoned you. I am hurt because own folly, Legolas. I should have permitted you to speak," a voice came softly from the bed.
"Estel! I thought you were sleeping." Legolas looked to Lord Elrond for an explanation.
"I did say we would not disturb him if we spoke quietly. " Elrond's smile was gentle.
"I should never have spoken at all. I just…I had never hunted with a man before."
"No, only with elves who are graceful, silent and fleet-footed. All things I am not." Estel looked down at his hands where they twisted the blanket fitfully.
"Estel, you are my friend. Do you think I had rather hunt with one of those elves that does not have the sense to see your worth? I can tell you now – I had not! The…sounds you made startled me, but certainly my ignorant outburst frightened off far more animals than your steps. I am sorry you were hurt and I was not there, but I do not blame you for leaving me behind." Legolas looked up hopefully and presented the ultimate peace offering. "I was a liability."
Estel grinned, enabling the fair elf to breath easier. "You are not a liability. You are my friend. Besides, until my ankle heals, I am sure you will prove quite useful."
"Until your ankle heals?"
Estel's grin grew. "Well, after my ankle mends, you may still have your uses. Carrying back whatever game I bring down, for instance."
"And what about the game I bring down?"
Elrond moved quietly out of the room, smiling as the two friends continued to laughingly torment each other
End