I figured I'd get the first few chapters out there to let everyone get a grasp on the story. Let me know what you think! (again, it's my first story, haha)


Estel tried to wipe his face clear of tears before writing one last thing on the next page. In a large beautiful font, Estel wrote "Legolas, tell your ada and your brother. They love you." He signed it "Your Mellon (your friend), Estel".

He closed the book and put it and the writing utensil back in their places. He climbed back out of the little safe haven and walked back to the palace. Hopefully Legolas would not hate him for what he had done.


Later that evening, in the midst of a large feast celebrating the guests, Estel couldn't keep his mind from wandering back to Legolas. He had spent some time asking Lainor about him, but didn't get much in response.

When Elrohir had seen Estel walking out of the woods and towards the palace, he noticed that his eyes were red and his face was sad.

"What has happened, Estel?" Elrohir asked.

Estel, startled, looked up at his big brother. "Nothing, Elrohir. I am simply tired and sore from travel" while giving him a small smile.

Now sitting alongside his brothers and ada at the feast, Estel noticed that Elrohir kept a protective eye on him. Of course Estel wanted to tell his brother what had happened, but this was not his secret to share. It was Legolas'. All he could do was try to be there for Legolas...assuming he ever got to meet the elf.

Thranduil stood at the head of the table and waited for the attention of every one in the room. Holding his eldest Iôn's hand, he gave the following speech.

"Welcome to my home Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan, and Estel. It has been too long since these halls have been graced with the laughter and love that you, my dear friends, have brought with you. This makes me wish that I could have opened my home and my heart up long ago. As long as you wish to stay, you will be welcomed by my kingdom and myself. We are blessed to have such wonderful friends at our sides in time of restoration and healing. Avo awartha estel. (Don't abandon or forsake hope)." And with that he raised his glass and smiled at Elrond's youngest.


Legolas awoke with a start, having realized that he had fallen asleep at all. He quietly made his way to where he could see the space that his stranger had occupied. The coast was clear. He gracefully dropped down and slipped into his secret room.

He immediately froze. He could actually smell that the stranger had been here. Panic started to overwhelm the young elf's heart. He swept his eyes over all of his belongings and found only one area that had been messed with. He quickly ran through the book and his jaw dropped when he saw two crumpled papers fall from between the pages.

Legolas scrambled down to his knees and unfolded the papers. He re-read the ending to his latest nightmare and felt sick to his stomach. He knew, the stranger knew. He had obviously become angry and ripped the pages from the book. Legolas went back to his book and found where the pages had been torn from. He was surprised to see words that he had not written in his book.

As he read the strangers new ending to his horrible reoccurring dream, Legolas wept. He re-read the new ending over and over again. He clutched the book to his chest and wondered who this stranger was. How could someone who had never met him show him so much love?

Legolas grabbed the two discarded pages and, using a nearby candle, watched them burn. The stranger had signed his note with "Estel". It had been a long time since Legolas had allowed himself to hope for anything.

All of a sudden, Legolas' heart filled with fear. *What if Estel tells Ada or Lainor?* He thought. Though, why would he encourage Legolas to tell them if he had planned on telling them himself. Perhaps his secret was safe for a while longer.


The next morning, Estel requested a breakfast and lunch he could travel with so that he could resume his wanderings of the woods surrounding the palace. Lumorniel walked with Estel to the kitchens to prepare him a few packaged meals. As he sat and waited, he made small talk with her. Asking about the kingdom and the woods. He noticed that she kept looking at a sack and stack of papers at the far end of the table. When Estel asked about Legolas, She froze with her eyes on the items at the end of the table.

Lumorniel responded, "Legolas has been through much. He usually comes and picks up the provisions I prepare for him, but he left these. I fear he won't return to the palace until there are no more visitors." She gave Estel a sad smile.

He took the provisions she handed him and embraced her. "How could he stay away with such a loving heart here waiting to take care of him?" He spoke, and she turned acting like she had other tasks, but she was really just afraid to look such a hopeful sentiment in the face.

When she turned back, Estel had disappeared and so had the provisions she had set out for Legolas.


Estel set out to find the river bank he had been lounging by the night before. After an hour or so, he finally found it. He set Legolas sack and papers at the base of the tree and sat back against the same piece of earth he had occupied before. He opened his sack and started to eat his breakfast, enjoying the breathtaking view of the sunrise over the river and trees.

Legolas heard Estel walking below and shifted to watch him. Legolas saw him resume his position from before and thought that he could get used to this weird sort of company. Legolas had been thinking about how to make sure that Estel wouldn't tell his brother and his adar about what he had read.

After a few moments of being lost in thought, Legolas nearly fell out of the tree when he heard Estel calling for him.

"Legolas", Estel called out. "I know you're there. Please come down. I swear on my honor, my kin, and my life that I would never hurt you".

A strange feeling welled up inside of Legolas. He actually wanted to trust Estel. It had been so long since he had trusted anybody aside from Lumorniel.

"Legolas, please." Estel called out again.

When Legolas looked down, he saw the most beautiful gray eyes searching for him. When their eyes connected, Legolas ducked his head in shame. Estel knew his secret. What if he was just here to use him? Surely he could never see him for anything more than damaged goods.

"Legolas, mellon nin, my name is Estel."

Legolas looked back up. He stared back at Estel and decided to take a risk. "If you back away a bit I will come down." he called out.

Estel responded "of course" and took about 5 large steps back from the tree. When he watched Legolas gracefully drop down from the high branches, he couldn't help but think that the prince was beautiful. Strong but fluid in motion. Estel pointed to the bundle of things he had brought for Legolas from Lumorniel. "She was sad that you hadn't come back to the kitchens to pick up what she had prepared for you".

Legolas looked down and suddenly felt guilty. Lumorniel had practically been a mother to him. He really had been selfish in staying away.

"She worries after you and misses you" Estel said.

Legolas retorted with "What do you know of the elves of my kingdom? You have been here a mere two days." The kindness in Estel's eyes made Legolas immediately regret his quick words.

"I know that your brother and your ada both wish that you would return to the palace. I know that Lumorniel knows that you've been through great pain that she wishes she could take away from you. I know that your father regrets keeping his heart closed for so long..." Estel would have continued, but Legolas disappeared down into the secret room, quickly reappearing with a familiar hand bound book.

"Why did you touch my belongings? Why did you enter my personal space? How did you even find it?" Legolas said sounding quite a bit angrier than he intended. Again, just looking at Estel made him feel guilty for his words.

Estel started to answer, but Legolas interrupted, "What I mean to ask...what I really want to know is...why do you care?"

Estel could see sorrow on Legolas' face. "I care because you are worthy of being cared for. You have been lied to and punished and neither did you deserve." He saw tears start to well up in the beautiful blue eyes of the prince. Estel took a step forward, and while Legolas flinched, he didn't run.

He risked a few more small steps and stopped about an arms length away from Legolas. "Truth brings healing, mellon nin. You no longer have to bear this burden alone." He reached out for Legolas, but the elf swiftly climbed the tree.

Estel sat back down on the river bank and pulled out parchment of his own. He started to sketch here and there on the paper while humming a peaceful melody.

Legolas sat in his tree trying to make sense of what had just happened. He had wanted so badly to stand there and to let Estel's hand wipe away his tears, but he ran. He ran like a child.

As he sat and listened to Estel's rough but beautiful voice, he couldn't help but feel his stomach flutter a bit. That was something that had never happened to Legolas.

Legolas continued to watch Estel draw. Random shapes and lines finally taking form. He looked down and realized that Estel was drawing him. The face on the page was a vision of perfection. It was Legolas' face, but without the worried and tense brow. It was Legolas, without the signs of days on end without sleep when he was trying to avoid the nightmares. It was Legolas as Estel saw him. Beautiful and worthy.

After watching Estel draw for hours, Legolas dropped back down and nearly caused Estel to shout. Legolas laughed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you".

Estel just looked up at the elf with a breathtaking smile. Once again, gray eyes and blue eyes met, but this time Legolas didn't look away. "I'm glad you decided to join me" Estel said.

Legolas sat a few feet away against the river bank. "Where did you learn to draw, Estel?" and he saw his cheeks turn red. When he didn't get an answer right away, Legolas said "I didn't mean to embarrass you, I think the drawing is beautiful."

"You didn't embarrass me...well I'm embarrassed that I blushed, but I only blushed because that is the first time I've heard you say my name. To answer your question, my ada and my sister taught me how to draw, but my drawing is only so beautiful because it is of you." Estel kind of stuttered out.

Legolas had no idea how to respond. He could feel his own cheeks starting to turn red and wondered what was going on within his own body. "You are kind, Estel." Legolas said. "I have to ask you, did you tell anyone what you read?" He asked tossing the hand bound book over to Estel.

"Of course, not" Estel replied, running his fingers over the cover of the book. "Though, it breaks my heart that you wish to bear this burden alone."

"I guess I do not know any other way. I would be rejected and shamed if my adar ever found out what happened." Legolas spoke quietly.

Estel looked at the elf and his heart broke all over again. He moved to sit beside the prince and saw Legolas flinch, but not run. Estel stopped and then slowly made his way to his side. "You may not have known any other way, but you do now. I cannot let you think that you are destined to be burdened and alone. Let me help you, mellon nin." Estel spoke before putting an arm around Legolas' shoulders.

Legolas had to fight the urge to run. He hadn't let anyone this close to him, let alone touch him, in so long. When he finally felt Estel's warm strong arm enclose his shoulders, he sighed in relief. He felt comforted, not anxious. He broke down and hid his face in Estel's shoulder.

Estel pulled the elf close, practically into his lap and sang out a soothing melody while running his fingers through the length of Legolas' hair.

From just a seed

A sapling grows

Born in the earth

A sprout will show

The roots beneath

Will grow to be

Much stronger than

What can be seen

Through threat of drought

No tending hand

The seed still grows

Below the land

Though crows may come

And wound what shows

The ground keeps safe

What dwells below

Years may pass

Before you see

The plant reflect

It's strength beneath

For no two trees

Grow quite the same

Swiftness and size

Should not be shamed

Some trees bear scars

Others bear stain

But all bear beauty

Though none the same

On old trees bark

You can see wear

But none detracts

From the beauty there

We all will grow

In our own way

Beyond our past

To a new day

Our scars become

A story told

A battle won

A song of old

For beauty wins

And heart prevails

Love will conquer

Hate will fail

Just like the tree

Your strength resides

Below the shell

Deep inside

Where evil cannot

Reach it's core

And love prevails

Forevermore

When Estel had sung through his slow and sweet song twice, he realized Legolas had fallen asleep. He kissed the prince's forehead, nuzzled his cheek against his blond hair, closed his eyes and fell asleep.