Faith

Chapter Two –I'm going to make you Understand

Chapter Outline: Legolas, having been befriended by Estel (Aragorn) for nigh on a few years, has finally mustered the courage to show one of his closest friends to his father, knowing yet not desiring the reaction that is to be had.

Song: Faith, by Celine Dion

Story and Characters: Lord of the Rings; Legolas, Estel, and Thranduil ( No slash, friend fic)

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There was nothing in the world that could undo the worries and fears that sat, rotting in Legolas's stomach as their horses continued to near their location. Continually wringing and unwinding the cloth that had once held an apple (having been handed over to the horse after the elf soon realized he had not the stomach to contain it), the human beside him wondered if he should speak up. None of their escort seemed to pay much attention (if they had, they certainly weren't showing it, what with keeping an eye and ear out for enemies that lurked in the shadows beyond), and thus, the mortal was left, staring with concerned curiosity. Finally, however, he could not seem to take it and gently urged his steed beside that of his friend, laying a comforting hand on the fair elf's wrist.

The elf jumped.

Yes, something was definitely wrong. That much Estel was sure of. "What ails you, my friend?" The expression he got followed with silence, the two simply staring at one another. Was the elf debating on whether or not he should answer? The young man thought it to be better than the icon 'nothing' response that generally followed such a question whenever posed. He had known the elf long enough to know that if he needed to ask what the matter was with his friend, it was because there was certainly a matter that needed attending too.

"Mellon nin," began the human, only to be stopped as his friend held up a hand, the general 'royal gesture of silence'. A habit the elf picked up whenever teased by his friends, the twin brothers of Estel.

"I am fine," murmured the elf gently, his eyes going to meet those of the man's beside him. "For the moment, I am fine." With that, he gently nudged his steed forward, moving to stand next to the head of their party, speaking with the elder elf softly, leaving the edan behind to think of his own insecurities and sorrows.

Inwardly, he felt no right to try and pry into the fair haired Prince's emotions. Surely the elf was acting in such a way for a good reason. He needn't explain to someone like him. After all, the two didn't seem to know each other well. Fifteen years, although a long enough time for the young man, was surely not enough time to get close enough to an elf, especially since both species thought of time differently. It wasn't uncommon for Estel to be intimidated by the fair haired being ahead of him. Yes, the two jested, caused mischief, and became a general, overall nuisance to the Last Homely House…although such times were reserved for when Elladan and Elrohir thought it fun to team up and give the younger two a hard time. In his heart, he felt he wasn't close to Legolas at all. In his heart, he often questioned why the elf bothered to invite him to his home.

Mayhap it had something to do with the discussion the twins and Legolas himself had been in not a few days past. The party soon grew to include that of Lord Erestor, seneschal to the Lord Elrond, who, later on, also became present. The five beings were up to something, and whenever the human passed by the doors to the study, they would stop, or suddenly change to some other topic of discussion, completely catching the others within the group off guard.

Nevertheless, despite not feeling much of a connection with this fair haired Prince of the Woodland Realm…he still desired to help. No matter what the elf thought of him, Estel had already accepted him as part of his close circle of friends, whether the elf liked it or not. Inhaling deeply, the young man sat up and gently dug his heels into the flanks of his horse, the creature picking up its pace slightly so that he could sit next to the elf.

"Legolas, hear me out. I know yo-" began the human, only to get interrupted once more, this time by what he had caught in his peripheral vision. The tree's seemed to open up, giving way to a great mountain side. Carved through it, however, was something unlike the man had ever seen before. A palace, grand and majestic, stretched out almost molding with the rock. Slowly, the elves on horseback moved off of their horses, stable hands hurrying to get them, having been awaiting the travelers for a little while now. Walking up the pathway, the human was surprised to hear a whisper tickling his ear, nearly as soft as the wind. He strained to listen to the fast spoken words.

"Estel, I do hope you'll forgive me, but as it stands, now is not the time to speak. I will discuss with you later about what worries me, for now, we have no time." At this, he looked earnestly towards his friend, who was nearly eye level with himself. "I am sorry, and I hope you'll forgive me. It is not my intention to leave you in the dark."

The question that arose within the human's throat was cut short when his eyes caught sight of something, or rather, someone descending the staircase to them. Falling to one knee, along with the elves around him, he found his heart racing. He had heard rumors of the King of Mirkwood. Stern and hard of face, an unforgiving stare, yet undyingly beautiful, he knew they were all true. Of course, he had also heard of the softness spoken of him. His gentle nature and soft, hidden smiles; given the position he was in, he could not see these traits, eyes focused on the ground, yet he hoped that the latter rumors were also true. He had heard of the King holding animosities and grudges of the human race, and Estel doubted that this man was unwilling to look past who was raising him.

Not that it helped the King also harbored a grudge against the man who had adopted the human. Currently, he could find no situation in which he was held in good graces. Kneeling down, he allowed the formal introductions to be given, waiting for the call to arise, allowing each and every one of them to stand. Silently, he watched father and son interact, trying to hide his confusion. As it stood, the two were the epitome of public decorum, not speaking out of turn or rank, addressing one another as title, not as relation.

"My Lord," spoke Legolas politely, taking a gentle step back so the King could see the human. "If you would be so kind as to allow me to introduce Estel Elrondian, adoptive son of Lord Elrond of Imladris, and current messenger of good will to the Royal home of Mirkwood."

"Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo," responded the human, giving an attempted elegant bow, feeling more awkward than anything.

Nodding his head in barely visible respect, Thranduil responded in kind. "Mae govannen…Estel." Looking back at the Elven party, seeming to ignore the human now, the King addressed them. "I am sure you all are weary from your travels. Please, take this time to rest well before supper," turning, the King paused and cast a glance to his son. "If I may, there is a certain matter that needs addressing. Soon." Legolas intern bowed his head. "Of course, my King."

Watching the King leave and the party disperse, Legolas spoke, his eyes on where his father was retreating. "No doubt you've noticed the differences between both Havens…"

Estel watched his companion, slightly perturbed by the lack of emotion in his companion's voice. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he simply continued to watch his friend as the elf heaved a sigh, his shoulder slumping as if he were an old man, rather than one of the youngest elves within the realm. "I am sorry, Estel…I did not intend for this to happen…or for what is bound too."

The man brought a hand up to Legolas's shoulder, a form of reassurance. "It is not something you need apologize for. Come…let us get ready. I know not for you, but my stomach feels as if it is attempting to eat itself whole!" He was pleased to see the smile- no matter how thin- appear on the elf's lips as they walked to their rooms, getting cleaned and prepared for the dinner that was to happen.

The meal, as delicious and extravagant as it seemed, was empty and lacked any truly meaningful or aspiring conversation. Estel more or less tried to keep himself from picking at his meal, casting cautious glances to Legolas, who was seated next to the King, the both of them neither looking nor speaking to each other. Every once in a while they would barely recognize the other, a topic in their conversation coming up that forced the two royals to voice their opinions, yet…that was it. There didn't seem to be much merriment or laughter, much like there was at home. The young man was beginning to miss his family very much, feeling now that he was taking the vibes, jests, and overall embarrassment of his siblings for granted.

When all was said and done and dinner was cleared, he sought out his friend, his encounter brief.

"Wait for me on the sparring field," murmured the elf quickly, not willing to say more as his Lord and Father approached them. "Ion nin, addressed the King to the Prince, the first ever time Estel had seen the man actually consider Legolas his son. "There is the manner of your later arrival that I would wish to speak with you about. Now."

Nodding, the elf followed his father, turning back to the human and mouthing 'sparring field'.

The human watched the two go, a frown forming on his features as soon as the fair haired beings left. As badly as he wished to follow…to attempt to listen to the conversation, he knew it best to do as suggested, keep to himself, and keep out of trouble (threatening words his father, Lord Elrond, had imparted before the boy left on this 'grand adventure'). Resigning himself to the fact that this was the only place to truly go, he went, watching as the elves practiced seriousness on their faces.

There seemed to be no fun or bantering when it came to training. He had a feeling that if his brothers even attempted to have a mock sword fight (filled with over-the-top drama and laughter), they would sooner find themselves shot by 'stray arrows' then joined in with laughter. Sitting on a marble bench, he watched, taking note the position of the sun as time slowly seemed to pass. An eternity seemed to flash by, the human finding boring distractions in an apple, tossing it up and down languidly. His guard down (for what did he have to worry about around well-trained fighters?), stormy gray eyes widened as the piece of fruit seemed to fly from the air, a dull thud coming from the red object before it slammed against a nearby tree trunk, splintering and flinging chunks of food everywhere. Whipping his head around to the amused snorts, he caught sight of the perpetrator.

"I'm sorry, were you planning on eating that?" Jested the stranger elf, a cocky smirk on his lips and deep amusement in green eyes. The reaction wasn't what he expected.

"Can you teach me that?" exclaimed the human, finding amazement rather than anger in the notion as he stood from the bench, going over to the elf and his two companions.

The three beings looked at one another, not quite sure what to make of the situation before…begrudgingly deciding it was something they could do. After all…they were probably going to get more fun out making fun of the human for attempting than in entertainment watching the human actually nail apples to trees or piercing apples with arrows.

The activity allowed time to fly, and eventually the human found himself tired and sore, unwilling to continue in the game that was now being played. "Thank you very much for allowing me to join you," thanked the human respectfully, offering a bow to the mildly surprised elves. Perhaps…perhaps this human wasn't so bad after all. Turning to leave, Estel paused, picking up one of the apples from the basket and an arrow. "Would it be alright if I kept this? I…I wish to show my friend of my accomplishments." Hopefully Legolas would give more praise and help than these elves did. What the human felt he needed was a self-confidence boost, after the half and half praise he was receiving from these others.

With their consent he took them, walking around the safe edge of the forest boundaries, taking in the sights of the trees, pausing at one particular, watching as sap seemed to roll down its trunk. A smile came to his face at this, continuing to stare at it for a little while longer before eventually tearing away from it and heading towards the home.

That was when he heard it.

It was muffled at first, but the fact he could hear it surprised him. Unwilling to, yet finding himself drawn to it none the less, he continued down the hallway to the source. It was there he found himself standing outside large, dark oaken wooden doors, listening to one of the most ferocious arguments he had ever had.

"Why can you never be proud of me?" shouted the first voice, anguish and sorrow seeming to pour from his soul into that voice.

"What is there to be proud of? You bring filth like that into my home, expecting me to welcome it with open arms! You know how little I think of that home, of those people, y et you continually go against my wishes and continue to interact with them!" shouted the other voice, this one seemingly much more accustomed to using his voice to project his opinions on others.

"Father, please," begged the first voice, his voice holding so much inflection that it sounded as if he himself was breaking. "Try to hear me out. Lord Elrond has never meant us ill will. They're accepting, understanding, and forgiving! If you would only open your eyes and see!"

Estel stood, frozen in place. He knew he could not be here, and knew he should not be listening, yet…here he was all the same.

"You've grown soft, child!" seemingly snarled the elder voice, the sound of a chair being thrown. Whether or not it had a target, the human didn't know, yet he was tempted to burst in there, to protect his best friend. Fortunately, he held still.

"Do you know what humans have done? How could you have forgotten? Your mother is lost because of his kind. Don't you remember how we found her? How could you forgive something such as that? So help me, child, if you continually visit that place as often as you do, or dare call yourself friend to that creature, I'm going to make you understand the error of your ways and just how much heartache will come of this!"

"No!" Shouted Legolas uncharacteristically, causing Aragorn to stare wide-eyed at the door. His companion, so gentle in nature and caring with his mirth filled eyes and mocking yet gentle smiles…he had never heard, seen, or imagined his companion to be able to pull off such a sound. So…heartbroken and rage filled.

"I'm going to make you understand, Father," continued the elf, his tone losing the volume yet retaining the venom and passion he usually reserved for his enemies. "You're wrong. He is nothing like them, and I'm going to prove it to you. I call him elf friend and whether you wish it or not, he shall stay that way. No force, no matter how mighty, will break that bond."

The boy found he had heard enough, both overjoyed and guilt ridden with this revelation. He was considered a friend in the eyes of the elf. He never wanted to have found out in a way such as this. As softly as his brothers had taught him, he found himself moving away from the door, looking at the apple in his hand forlornly. He knew without a doubt his friend wouldn't be up to do anything, yet would undoubtedly force himself to try and act as if nothing happened. The worst of it was…the human would have to keep up a pretense that he knew nothing as well.

"Know this, ada," murmured Legolas, hand going to the door, turning and looking his father sadly in the eyes. "He isn't just Estel…he's my estel…and I desperately hope one day you may accept that." As soft as his tone was, he gently opened and closed the door behind him, allowing the elf Lord inside to simmer and calm himself…or continue to bubble and boil. Whatever he chose, the young Prince was done for the time being.

Bringing up a sleeve to his eyes, he paused when he heard a slight shuffle ahead of him, causing him to look up and see his friend, nay, his best friend head towards him, rounding a corner, eyes focused excitedly on the apple in his hands.

The human pretended not to notice the redness in the elf's eyes, nor the watery shine to them as he held up the apple. "I've bested your archer's and look what I have done! I have shot an arrow through an apple," smugly explained the human, closing his eyes and holding out the object as if to say 'yes, yes, bask in my presence and glory, for I have achieved the impossible.'

Looking at the apple, the elf gave a half laugh-half sob as he tried to restrain the tears of relief and no doubt guilt that threatened to engulf him for speaking to his father like so. "You never shot anything," muttered the elf, his tone as watery as his eyes, still trying to retain some dignity and keep from crying. "You merely broke the arrow and attached each end to the apple with tree sap…" It was after this spoken statement that the elf allowed himself to let a few more blubbering laughs to escape him before eventually engulfing him, his arm rising up to hide the tears that escaped him.

Estel merely stood there, proudly still before eventually breaking down and laughing along with his friend, the both of them sliding to a sitting position against the wall, relieving any previous tensions, worries, or cares they had escape with their laughter.

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Authors Note: Probably not at all in the direction that others would have taken this, yet…I'm satisfied with it. Now, I know that it is never stated what has happened to the Queen of Mirkwood, yet like others, I felt the need to make up a slight history for her to simply help the story.

Also, in case none of you caught this: The last statement Legolas makes to his father:

"He isn't just Estel…he's my estel"

His statement proclaims a transition from the name 'Estel' , to the meaning 'estel' for 'hope'. In essence, he's saying he's not just a person, he's 'my hope'. Awwww. Cute, ain't it?

Please Read and Review!

I feel some people like it considering…it's been added to favorites…yet it's nice to hear feedback.

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Until next time!

Inwe