This is a special update to Middle-Earth moments as it is a birthday fic for my best friend on FanFiction, Jaya Avendel. I hope you had a great day, mellon nin, and I hope you enjoy this little fic.
Legolas trudged across the muddy ground as the rain poured from above and soaked through his cloak and layers of clothes underneath, soaking his skin. He sighed and pulled his wet hood closer around his face, though it did little. It was soaked as well and the movement only served to squeeze out some of water the cloak was laden with into his eyes. He could have stopped under the trees to rest until the weather cleared, but he was exceedingly anxious to get to his destination this night, for it was a very special day and he did not want to be late.
"Though", he mused. "You can hardly be late for a surprise. I hope I find him to be in good health. He is so reckless at times it scares me."
Legolas chuckled and shook his head. "I suppose he could say the same of me."
Sending his thoughts to happier places so he could forget the rain for a bit, Legolas plunged forward as he drew ever closer to his destination, at the end of the East-West road. He sighed as more rainwater dripped into his eyes and he shivered, even his elven endurance struggling to keep away the chill of the night and rain.
"A nice fire in a cozy inn", Legolas thought. "That will make a nice ending to this long trek. And perhaps a bite to eat. Some fresh, hot bread would be nice and I hope they have honey too. No hope of Dorwinian wine with dinner this night though. I shall have to make do with that horrid ale, these humans deem as an acceptable drink."
The thought made Legolas shudder with distaste. "Perhaps I shall just have water instead. Though after walking it this deluge for hours, I should not be surprised if I wither like a drowned tree by taking in any more water."
The thought of how waterlogged he was caused him to think of the special parcel he carried with him. Legolas quickly stripped off his pack and looked through the soaked contents for the package. He sighed with relief when he saw the oilskins he had wrapped around it were keeping the water off nicely. His delivery would not be ruined by the downpour this night. Satisfied, Legolas put the item back in his pack and continued on his journey.
To his relief, he began to see more people walking the same road as him, some going the same way, others going the opposite. He was finally nearing his destination and his steps quickened in anticipation of arriving. Not long afterward, he saw the lights of Bree shining in the distance and soon he was approaching the tall gate. It was closed tightly for the night but Legolas had been here enough to know that there was always a night watchman that would allow in stragglers. The elf knocked on the heavy wood and immediately a little door opened, just big enough for the watchman to look out at the newcomer.
"Eh, an elf, is it", he grumbled, clearly irritated at being on duty on such a rainy evening. "Don't get many 'O them. Whaddya want elfy? We don't want no trouble 'round here."
"Nor do I, sir", Legolas said kindly. "I am only here to see a friend and find lodging for the night. I promise I bring no trouble with me."
The watchman looked him up and down for a moment before grunting and pulling open a full-sized door to allow Legolas entrance.
"Thank you. sir", Legolas said, stepping into the town.
The elf dug in his pocket for a moment and pulled out a few coins.
"Here", he said. "Buy yourself a hot meal and a drink. Perhaps that will make your shift easier to endure."
The watchman took the coins and nodded his thanks to Legolas, a small smile creeping onto his face and making him suddenly appear years younger.
Legolas returned the gesture and walked further into the town.
"Now, to find which inn that blasted man chose for this evening", Legolas thought, continuing down the main street.
He visited several along the way, but no one had seen anyone come in that fit his friend's description. With a sigh, Legolas walked back out into the rain after his third failed search. The night was waning and he was running out of options. He continued on down the street, not having many more buildings before the town ended at the back gate. Suddenly a creaking sign caught his attention and Legolas looked up to read the name.
"The Prancing Pony", he murmured. "Well, I may as well try here next."
Legolas walked into the building and looked around the room, his nose wrinkling at the heavy scent of pipeweed that hung in the air.
"How these humans manage to breathe such foul odors is quite beyond me", he thought.
Suppressing the urge to gag, Legolas walked to the bar, behind which stood a plump man with a mustache and a rather kind looking face compared to some of the others Legolas had seen in passing.
"Good evening, sir", the elf said. "I wonder if you might have seen a friend of mine come in here tonight. He is about my height with dark curly hair. He might have used the name 'Strider'."
The man looked Legolas over head to toe several times, taking in the well-tailored clothes and elegant weapons.
"I might've", the man said, making Legolas brighten at the thought of finally finding his friend. "Then again, I might not've. My memory tends to fail me at times…"
Legolas sighed, he knew these types. They really weren't bad folk, but they always seemed to perk up and remember forgotten bits of information when presented with shiny things. Not unlike the ravens in the forests of Mirkwood. Legolas once again dug in his pockets and produced several more coins. The man nodded and swept the coins behind the counter.
"Third door on the left, master elf", the bartender said, pointing to the stairs. "And I'll have the maid bring you up a hot bite of something to eat."
"You have my thanks", Legolas said, turning up the stairs.
He followed the bartender's instructions and found Strider's room. There was no light shining from under the door so Legolas assumed his friend was asleep.
"All the more exciting for me", the elf laughed in his head. "The lazy human could do with a good scare to get his blood pumping."
He raised his hand and pounded loudly on the door, barely containing his chuckles when a loud thump followed by a curse sounded from inside. The door was suddenly ripped open and Legolas found himself staring down one of Aragorn's knives while the human stared at him in shock, his hair messy and clothes rumpled from sleep.
"Legolas", the man said, lowering his knife quickly. "By the Valar, what on earth are you doing here and in this weather?!"
"Standing on the threshold of your door, dripping wet and cold at the time being", Legolas replied, shaking his wet cloak for emphasis.
Aragorn immediately pulled Legolas into the room and started stripping him of the wet clothes, digging out some of his own for the elf to wear while his dried by the fire.
"You are lucky you are not a human else you would have caught your death out in such rain", Aragorn said, handing Legolas a towel to dry his hair with. "Now that you are not dripping all over the floor and are beginning to warm, can you please tell me what in Arda you are doing here? There has not been trouble has there?"
"Why must there always be trouble for me to see my best friend", Legolas laughed, rubbing his hair vigorously with the towel.
"There does not have to be. There just usually is."
"Well there is not this time and since you continually have asked what I am doing here, your pitiful human mind must have forgotten what day it is."
Aragorn's brow furrowed in confusion and he opened his mouth to tell Legolas to stop speaking in riddles when there was yet another knock on the door.
"Ah, that must be my dinner", Legolas said, smiling in anticipation. "I do hope they have good food here."
He opened the door and a young woman bustled in with a plate of food and glass of water, setting them down on the table, bowing, and hustling out the door. Legolas' stomach growled upon smelling the fresh bread and hot roast, he was even more delighted when there was indeed a bowl of honey to dip the bread in.
"Well, Estel, have you remembered what day it is", Legolas asked, stuffing a honey coated chunk of bread into his mouth.
"I have not and most likely will not until you are of a mind to tell me, mellon nin", Aragorn said, stealing a piece of meat off the elf's plate.
"Perhaps this will jog your memory", Legolas laughed, wiping the honey off his fingers.
He went to his pack and pulled out the parcel inside.
"Happy Birthday, Estel", Legolas said, thrusting the package into the bewildered human's hands. Aragorn stared at the package in shock.
"Legolas, do you mean to tell me you came all the way from Mirkwood, in this weather, at risk of being attacked, all because it was my birthday?"
"No, I came all this way, in this weather, with the risk of being attacked, so I could be with you on your birthday", Legolas said, chuckling. "I knew you probably would not be able to make it to Imladris since you are leading the rangers and no one should be alone on their birthday, mellon nin."
Aragorn's lips trembled and his eyes welled with tears that spilled over his cheeks. He set the parcel on the table and pulled Legolas to him in a tight embrace, weeping softly into his shoulder. "Thank you, mellon nin. I could not have asked for a better gift than to have you here. I've missed you greatly, gwador nin."
"And I you", Legolas murmured, returning the hug. "It was not only a gift for you, but for me too. Now are you going to open the gift I spent months making?"
Aragorn chuckled, wiped his eyes, and picked up the small package, undoing the ties around the oilskin. He gasped in awe when he pulled out an intricately carven statue of an elven archer standing back to back with a human swordsman and on the base was carved in Sindarin 'Gwador o nin hûn', 'brother of my heart'.
"Legolas, you made this for me", Aragorn breathed, scarcely daring to believe it.
"Aye", Legolas said. "I'll always be here when you need me, Estel, both in good times and in bad. No matter what. You are the brother of my heart, Estel."
"And you are mine", Aragorn breathed, looking back up at his friend. "Thank you for being there, gwador nin. You have no idea what it means to have you at my side."
Legolas smiled and pulled Aragorn into another hug.
"Happy birthday, mellon nin."
Elvish Terms:
Mellon Nin – My Friend
Gwador – Brother (not by blood)
Happy birthday, Jaya!
