Summary: Aragorn is sick, very sick, and this time he won't recover. At his prompting, Legolas tells Aragorn something he has never told anyone before. Something he wished he could have said many years before. TWOSHOT

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"Legolas?" Arwen whispered softly as she appeared at the weary Elf's side. "I will take over for now." She gave him a soft smile full of sadness and her own weariness.

The Elven Prince took a long look at his sleeping friend before nodding to the queen and allowing one of the servants to lead him to his chambers. Slipping out of his tunic he moved into bed. He fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down.

Legolas' Dream

Legolas stood in the center of the clearing surrounding the Wanderer's Pool. It was spring and the air was sweet with the scent of the woodland's blossoms. Birds darted in and out among the tree branches. Moss grew springy and green about the pool's edge. The scene was one of serenity.

The soft whisper of silk signaled the presence of another. Arietha stood just inside the circle of the trees, hers soft gown moving on the slightest of breezes. Her silver hair flowed loosely about her body on the same light breezes. She was simply dressed, but Legolas could not breathe as he gazed upon her.

"It has been far too long since you last visited me." Arietha said softly, casting her bright eyes upon Legolas' face. "Why do you stay away from me for so long? Why haven't you returned to me? Why have you left our daughter all alone without her father?" She stretched out her pale arms to draw Legolas into an embrace.

Suddenly she screamed and backed away from Legolas, tripping over roots in her haste. "The blood." She whispered her eyes wide.

Legolas stared at his hands as blood ran down them. Some of it was the black blood of orcs and spiders and some of it was the red blood of the Easterlings and Corsairs he had killed. "Arietha, I can explain." He started towards her.

Arietha screamed and collapsed upon the ground. Legolas ran to her side. Only it was not Arietha any longer. In her place lay the body of an Easterling. One of Legolas' arrows pierced the Man through a hole in the armor. Legolas gently removed the enemy's helm and cried out in distress. His daughter lay dead, her own father's arrow buried deep within her chest.

The Elf awoke, tears streaming down his face. "It's only a dream." He told himself softly as he swung his legs out of the bed. He rubbed one hand over his face in an effort to erase all signs of his distress. He hadn't realized just how much he missed Arietha and his daughter until Aragorn forced him to remember them for the first time in many years.

"Are you all right, my lord?" A servant asked, poking his head into the room just a little.

"Yes, I'm fine." Legolas tiredly waved the servant away and donned his clothing. After a moment he started out the door and towards Aragorn's room.

He arrived at the room to find Arwen nearly asleep and her husband's side. "Arwen, I will continue the watch." Legolas helped her to the door and shut it softly behind her.

Aragorn stirred in his bed. "Welcome back, Legolas." He said as cheerfully as he could manage.

The prince sat down beside his old friend.

"Tell me, did you ever see Arietha again?"

Legolas sighed and continued with his tale.

Flashback:

Legolas stood in the background of Esgaroth's busy market, simply watching as the humans bustled about. On occasion he caught a glimpse of an Elf moving through the crowds, but they would disappear as suddenly as they had come. Then he caught sight of the one he had been waiting for. Arietha arrived in the market and Legolas started to approach her, but stopped short when he saw who was attached to her arm.

Bard was at her elbow, guiding her gently through the crowded streets. Arietha smiled and laughed once or twice at something Bard said. Her smile was quickly replaced with a shadow of sadness when she caught sight of Legolas standing just beside the street. He said nothing and she turned her head away to hide her tears from him.

Legolas turned away from the streets of the market and disappeared from the village.

End Flashback

"I returned to Esgaroth whenever I could in hopes of seeing her again. A few times she smiled at me, but we could never talk or be together. I spent so much time near Esgaroth that I built a small flet near the village. Once she managed to sneak a message to me of her wedding plans, but that was all until almost ten months after her wedding night." Legolas sighed softly and went on.

Flashback:

Legolas stood beside his father and the Master of Esgaroth as they watched the army of goblins crest a hill.

"Legolas," Thranduil said sharply, "Lead your company in a charge directly upon the goblins; give Bard a chance to steady his line."

Legolas nodded and signaled to his captains up and down the line. He raced forward his spear tip shining in the light of the torches. The other Elves of his company followed swiftly behind him. They were only too eager to attack the goblins for they hated the goblins with every particle of their being. Their attack cut down many goblins, but not enough to cause any great damage.

"Fall back!" Legolas shouted over the clash of weapons. Elves pulled into a tight group as they backed out of the fighting to allow the Master of Esgaroth's forces into the fight.

After the battle

Legolas stretched his stiffening limbs as he placed his cleaned weapons upon their racks. Someone tapped hesitantly on the door of his flet. He opened the door and found himself face to face with Arietha. She was crying.

"Arietha, are you all right?" He asked, leading her inside before closing the door.

Without answering Arietha threw her arms around Legolas' waist and hugged him tightly. Tears streamed from her eyes and soaked his tunic. "I've missed you so much." She gasped out between sobs, "And you could have died tonight. I never would have gotten to say good-bye."

Legolas stroked her hair gently, "I've missed you too." He raised her chin gently and kissed her deeply. She melted into his embrace with only his arms holding her upright.

"Arietha, you shouldn't be here." Legolas began, but he was cut off as Arietha pressed another kiss upon his lips. He knew it wasn't right to be kissing another man's wife and wanting to do so much more, but it was at this moment that he did not care.

Apparently neither did she. "I've born my social husband his son, why should I not bear a child for my husband of mind and body?" She asked him as he caressed her neck, trailing kisses down to the hollow of her throat. "Legolas," She gasped, "Please."

He responded only by sliding her sleeves from her shoulders, baring her inch by inch to his caresses. She moaned as he planted kisses all over her body, arousing her in a way Bard could never hope to.

Two Hours Later

Legolas gazed upon the sleeping form of the woman he loved. Her hair streamed out over the surface of the pillows. The prince loved how her soft silver lashes fluttered as her eyes opened slowly.

"Legolas." She sighed and snuggled closer to him. Her warm breath tickled his sensitive skin as she buried her face in his neck.

The lovers lay together in Legolas' bed, comfortable in their silence. Simply enjoying their few moments alone together.

Arietha slowly sat up after a few minutes. "I should probably get back to Esgaroth before they start looking for me." She told Legolas softly.

He could only nod and kiss her gently before she slipped out of the flet in her dark cloak. Legolas ran a hand through his golden hair. Already he could feel the emptiness of his flet returning with her absence.

The Elf slipped into an unconscious state and knew nothing more until morning.

End Flashback

Legolas stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "I saw very little of her for many months. As the months progressed Arietha's belly grew. I became a bit frightened. If the child was mine, my beloved Arietha and my child would be killed."

Flashback

Legolas watched from the rooftop as Arietha was helped through the streets by her attendants. After the Battle of the Five Armies, Bard had taken his place as the last in the line of kings. This made Arietha a queen of sorts. This thought did not comfort Legolas, if the child Arietha carried was his then she was in grave danger. Not only would she be killed, but the child as well. He turned away and slipped through the trees to his flet.

Four Hours Later

Legolas got to his feet and opened the door of his flet. A servant in Bard's livery stood there. "Bard requests your presence." Was all the servant said.

Legolas snatched up his cloak and followed the servant to a small house Legolas recognized as the midwife's house. A baby wailed within and Bard stood just outside the door. With a nod he dismissed his servant.

"Legolas, Arietha would want you to be here now. Go in." Bard pulled open the door and allowed the Elf inside.

Legolas stepped into the candle-lit room and saw Arietha lying on a bed in the center of the room. An old woman and her attendants swarmed over her and a tiny baby. They backed hurriedly out of the room when they saw Legolas enter. Arietha gazed up at Legolas and smiled. She held out the tiny baby to him.

"Our daughter." She said softly.

The tiny girl had stopped her crying and was now gazing up at her father. Legolas had never seen something so tiny, never felt so happy in all his life. This tiny creature was his. She was his daughter!

His joy faded as Arietha coughed up blood onto the sheets in front of her. He knelt beside her. "What's wrong?" He smoothed her silver hair out of her face.

"They say the baby was born strangely. She wasn't born like a normal child. The birth was damaging to me because of the strangeness of her birthing. The midwife says I probably will not live through the night." Arietha smiled slightly and she lay back against the pillows.

"No, this can't be!" Legolas kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, as if trying to make everything all right again.

"Legolas, he knows. I- I had to tell him after I found out I am supposed to die tonight. I did not want to leave without saying good-bye. I-." Legolas sealed off her sentence with a kiss. Arietha fell gently into his arms.

When they broke apart she smiled briefly at him. "Take care of our daughter, Legolas. I love you." Her voice faded as she sank slowly backwards against the pillows. Her shining eyes closed for the last time and her final breath slipped out, warm against Legolas' face.

"Arietha!" Legolas cradled her body in his arms, his daughter wailed as if to join in her father's mourning.

Bard entered the room along with the midwife and her assistants. He gazed down on the Elf and baby girl that rested at the edge of his wife's bed. The child wailed loud enough to wake the dead. He watched as the Elf wiped away his own tears and tenderly picked up the girl.

"Hush," Legolas whispered, "It's all right." He stood up and met Bard's gaze. They exchanged nods and Bard stepped aside to allow the Elf past with the baby in his arms. "Take good care of Arietha's child. Whether or not she knew it, I cared for her as well. Perhaps not to the extent you did, but I still cared about her."

Legolas nodded and disappeared into the night. Bard could only hear the faint wailing of the baby girl after a few minutes.

End Flashback

Legolas closed his eyes and remembered the feeling of the tiny girl in his arms. He remembered Arietha's last words. It was as if she was saying them over again.

Aragorn could see his friend's renewed pain. "I am sorry, Legolas."

The Elf shook his head, "No, I needed to remember her. I needed to feel again." He looked out the window to see the sun peeking over the horizon. "My daughter died a few years ago beside her husband as they protected their home from goblins. She chose the life of a mortal and was happy. That was all I could have asked for, her happiness."

Legolas looked at his friend who was lying, propped up against the pillows as Arietha had just before she died. The sight pained him in such a way he could not even look at Aragorn for several minutes.

Arwen appeared in the doorway and knelt beside Aragorn. He was dying as she watched. "Legolas, could you….?" Her voice trailed off as Legolas nodded and left the room.

Two Days Later

Legolas gazed down at the body of Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and smiled. Aragorn finally had his peace and at last Legolas could find his. He and Gimli were sailing to the Grey Havens with the next outgoing tide. The ship had been in the making for many years and had just been finished the day after Aragorn's death. For a thousand years Legolas had walked Middle Earth and now, it was his turn to leave it. He could go in peace.

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Author's Note: I've been alternately writing and drawing recently so yeah. I've got my PotC fic in the workshop and will continue as if the 3rd movie was not in existence so I don't have to change plot lines. Thanks for reading and stuff. Bye!