Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.


Aralas: Why thank you, I did try to make it a little bit different. Poor Gandalf, he just wants what's best, but it often comes off in the wrong way. How the Gondorian Toadstool got there is coming up soon.

Bigpattern: *eats proffered cookies*. And yes, Thranduil is staying on as King. He said several chapters back that he wanted to be around to watch his grandchildren grow up. And who can blame him? Yes I have 15 tarantulas, I sell their babies. Kinda weird I guess.

justme: Thank you! And yes, Legolas surely has some enemies.

thirsty for more: I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I really needed a break, to attend to other things. I also like to read fanfiction from other authors from time to time.

Adamzgal: Poor Legolas, he's not very popular. I loved creating the Gondorian Toadstool. I really like Thranduil, and I'm trying to incorporate him in the story as much as possible. Also, Happy belated Birthday!

Thank you for everyone's lovely reviews!

This first chapter was inspired by Aralas' suggestion that I bring forth more of Faramir's opinions.


Gondor was slowly but surely preparing for my coronation and subsequent wedding. Everywhere I looked, someone was preparing something of some manner or the other for the ceremony. Servants scoured the outside of the Tower; fixing hooks for banners and insets for ribbons. Others had begun setting up white wooden chairs with a great recline; there were about one hundred assembled and four hundred more to go. I spent my days looking for tasks that needed to be done, but found I was more in the way than anything else. Most of my mornings were spent pouring over extensive trade agreements from foreign rulers. The Haradrim had sent one of their Czars to confer with Faramir, and they spent most of the day locked in the Council Hall. I'd seen little of my Steward since the day of the announcement. Indeed, he seemed bent on avoiding me ever since, and it disappointed me sorely.

I'd gotten no closer to discovering who Legolas' attacker was. Gandalf seemed to think it was a great mage, perhaps a sorcerer, though we had no known magic-wielders in the city. Thranduil had taken up going over our guest roster, adamant that something would pop up in his research. The rest of the elves were busy helping Legolas secure fair land and proper loss compensation for the farmers. Gimili had gone along to assure that there wouldn't be anymore attacks under his watch. He'd taken to sending guards up to Legolas' chambers at night, for which I was indescribably grateful. It saved me the trouble of convincing him that he needed it, and allowed me to rest easy at night. Once I had gotten over my initial fear of a second, inevitable attack, I had to turn my attentions to the neglected affairs of the city. My time was not my own, and I had no right to ignore the needs of the people with so many others on hand to take care of what had to be done.

It was early morning, and I had taken it upon myself to visit Faramir before he got himself too busy. His rooms were in the fourth circle, but I knew he would have made his way to the Council Hall by that time. Carefully skirting a large group of visiting dwarfs, I entered the ovular building with a feeling of trepidation. I did not know if my Steward's uneasiness came from prejudice or discomfort at seeing the realm run so differently. I'd chosen him for his open-mindedness and will to succeed, but he had proved me wrong in the one subject I thought he might support me. Making my way up a large staircase, I regretted that I would have to make him uncomfortable to gauge his intentions, but it was necessary that I get along with him were we to manage together. Stopping outside his office, I knocked lightly, waiting as I listened to the sound of his papers shuffling, and then the tread of his boots on the floor as he rose to let me in. Cracking the door a bit, Faramir's face twisted into apprehensive resignation before returning to something more neutral.

"My Lord" he murmured. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I've come to ask if we might sit down a moment and speak plainly."

He hesitated, seemingly at odds with himself, before he opened the door to allow me entrance. He did not offer me a chair, but I took one in front of his desk in any case. Faramir dithered a moment more before his shoulders slumped and he went to sit behind his desk, pouring himself a glass of wine.

"What seems to be the matter?" he queried, refusing to meet my eyes.

"I think you know" I chided gently. "Faramir, if we're to work together we must be honest with each other. You've been avoiding me of late, and whether you like it or not, I need you as my Steward. I do not pay you to flit about in the shadows and act as if I'm above you. You know I'm not."

"You are" he said firmly.

"You fought to defend Osgiliath before I was even here" I reminded him. "You nearly died doing so, and I do not forget it. I will soon be King, but that does not place me higher than you. I will be King, and Legolas will be my consort." He flinched and I sighed. "What about it bothers you so?"

Faramir was silent for a while, and I feared he was culminating some sort of urgent excuse to leave.

"It...it isn't how it's done" he muttered.

"Because we are both men?" I asked pointedly.

"Nay" he protested. "It's not my business what you do, as long as you're happy." He swallowed. "But...you can't have any heirs, and that leaves your name in a vulnerable position." He gestured helplessly. "I've always known the day would come when a King would take the throne. Denethor-my father-he was stuck in his ways and if he was still alive, I reckon you'd be finding it harder than anything to claim your rightful place. But now, once you...once..."

"Once I die" I pushed him gently, and he nodded.

"Yes...that...when you do, there'll be no one to take your place. And then the care of the realm will go to me, or one of my sons if I am gone by then."

"And you'd not like to see that happen?"

"No" he said darkly. "I think that Gondor has seen enough Stewards to last many lifetimes." He coughed and shifted uncomfortably. "I fear...that in my old age I might become like my father, and if that's the case, I don't want to be anywhere near the throne." He took a hearty sip of wine. "No one mentions it, but my father's father, Ecthelion, was not wont to mental stability in the years before his death, and so my father echoed such degradation. Boromir was weak against the Ring, and so the story goes."

"...You think it is hereditary?" I mused.

"It may just be a whim" Faramir replied. "But I'll not risk it. I'll step down and give the Stewardship to another before I see another of my line brought to the Throne."

We were silent as I considered the enormity of Fararmir's words. He was telling me thought their was a vein of mental illness borne in age in his bloodline. That alone must have taken great strength to admit. It wasn't the idea of Legolas and I that bothered him, it was the risk of what should happen if we should leave our reign without an heir. Until a short time ago, I had shared his worries, but I knew otherwise now. I didn't feel comfortable sharing Legolas' privacies without him there, so I looked to reassure him differently.

"Faramir, the matters of an heir have already been arranged" I replied. "You have naught to worry about."

"You have found someone of your lineage? he asked, astonished.

"You...could say that" I said slowly.

The relief on the Steward's face was evident. Lines of stress that had been ever-present on his face recently disappeared as if they had never been. I didn't like placing a partial-lie in front of him to assuage his doubts, but it wasn't my place to share Legolas' and I's ventures. He wouldn't thank me for it, and I didn't like to count my chickens before they hatched. Faramir and I sat a while longer, going over the things he had missed in his fervent avoidance. I didn't hold it against him, it was a hard thing to discuss. After a while, he took me over to his shadowclock and began discussing the niceties of the wedding. It brought a warmth in my soul, to see that I had his approval once more.

"How have your meetings with the Haradrim gone?" I asked, leaning against the wall next to the shadowclock. Faramir pulled a face.

"The people of the Harad are nomadic" he said slowly. "They have no King, but occasionally a great Lord rises to claim much of the land, but he is not considered a ruler."

"And the Czar you have been speaking to is one of them?" I pressed.

"He is" Faramir agreed. "His name is Na'man and he rules all of Far Harad, though I do not know how, he has claimed much of the land South of the river Poros. His interests are mostly of trade, but I trust him very little. Ever have the Haradrim been swayed by the Dark, and they are little changed since Sauron's fall." He sighed. "Still, Gondor has warred against them for many an Age, and I would like to see some form of peace. We still need to rebuild, and invasions from the South are the last thing we need."

"Does he have anyone with him?"

"Two warriors, and his wife Yusraa. I have met her only once, and she speaks little of the Common Tongue" Faramir shifted uncomfortably. "There's something strange about her, but I can't place it."

"Do you think I might speak with them?"

"If you wish" he said glancing at the shadowclock. "I have a meeting with them in an hour, but I think you should meet them under less official terms. I'll see if I can arrange a dinner."

I thanked him and we eventually parted ways. Gradually, I made my way up to the Healing Houses where Elonise the Chief Healer stole me away to tend to a farmer with terrible gout. After giving his nurse specific instructions for his care, I took a brief lunch in the fourth circle and headed back to the Council Hall to go through some papers. I had my own offices on the first level, and only Faramir had constant permissable access. I groaned to see the pile of scrollwork on my desk but dived into it nevertheless. I was about four hours into my work when Faramir came in to inform me that dinner with the Haradrim would be in the fourth circle a little past sundown. I thanked him and he left me to my own devices. I was halfway through my formidable pile when the bells rang to announce the ending of the workday. Half-heartedly glancing out the window, I determined to finish after dinner and left to dress for supper.

"You look fussed over the world" came a soft voice as I passed under the Tower of Ecthelion. I turned and smiled at Legolas, who came forward to kiss me. I savored the brief moment of affection before pulling away. "What has my love so forlorn?" he murmured, stroking my cheek.

"I'm up to my ears in proposals" I sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Won't you join me for dinner? I've got to dine with the Haradrim."

"Of course" he assented, his eyes twinkling. "If only to make sure you don't make a mess of it."

"Don't jest" I scolded lightly, brushing my fingers over his lips. "I'll be down in a minute."

I left him for my rooms and hurriedly threw together an outfit. I regretted not having time to bathe, but there was little I could do about it. A servant came to offer a drink but I refused, preferring to slip out the door as quickly as I had come. Legolas was waiting for me where I had left him, and I proffered my arm. Moving as one, we began to make our way to the fourth circle.

"How goes your work with the farmers?" I asked as we past under the Gate to the Healing circuit.

"Better than I expected" Legolas replied breezily, tucking himself closer to me. "One of the farmers ran me off with a pitchfork but Adar put him straight."

"I'd have liked to see that" I chuckled.

"His arm should recover within a week" my lover said worriedly. "And we gave him the two acres in any case."

"Your father knows better than anyone that if you can't garner someone's respect through good deeds, you must earn it in some other way."

"Violence is not always the answer" he replied, rolling his eyes. "But I suppose I have to thank him for not leaving me full of holes."

We were mostly undisturbed through the rest of our ascent. Eowyn greeted us, but she seemed in a hurry and we didn't have the time to stop and talk. Some of the dwarves were having a brawl outside an Eatery but the guards seemed to have it well in hand. Our dinner was being held in the Scarlet Room, which was attached to the public tavern but well out of the way. Some of the higher ranking Nobles rented out the space on special occasions, but it was mostly reserved for Royalty. The room was scalloped, with a marble table sitting in the center and branching out to contour to the walls. A red velvet curtain could be pulled to give the diners more privacy, but I opted to leave it open. We were watched over by two members of the King's guard, who stood in taciturn silence by the great oaken doors. It seemed we had arrived earlier than our guests, and we sat down to wait while an attendant poured drinks.

"I've never spoken to a Haradrim in person" Legolas mused, playing with his napkin. "I wonder what it's like, living among the sands."

Faramir joined us in a few minutes, accompanied by Eowyn, who was resplendent in a deep green gown. She seemed overjoyed with her dinner companion and beamed at us across the table. We fell into an easy, comfortable conversation and I was glad that we would not be speaking with the Haradrim alone. A while later, the dinner gong announced the arrival of Na'am and his wife. They were dressed in richly embroidered silks of orange and red, and they wore slippers on their feet. We rose and bowed, and our guests returned the favor. I could not see much of Yusraa's face, as it was covered by a veil. But her eyes were a vibrant green and lined with khol, the gaze she offered us was unnervingly intelligent and observant.

"King Elessar" Na'am said in clipped Common. "We are honored to be guests in your Kingdom."

"I am not a King yet" I replied gently. "But the honor is mine. Won't you sit down?"

They did as they were asked, and a servant came 'round to deliver the first course.

"Faramir tells me you've invested much time in your land" I said carefully, picking up my spoon. "Tell me, what do you see for Harad in the future?"

Na'am eyed me carefully, weighing his answer.

"My people have lived separate from one another for a long time" he replied. "I desire to bring them together as one, so we may expand Harad's rule and become a Kingdom worth its weight in gold."

"A just endeavor" Legolas said lightly. "What business do you have with Gondor?"

The Czar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"We have many resources that Gondor may profit from" he said smoothly. "And in turn, Gondor has much in trade that we need."

"The Haradrim have fabrics that our seamstresses can work more easily with" Faramir said idly. "And the spices they use in their foods are nearly unheard of on this side of the river."

"Is your food very different?" Legolas pressed. "You must think our cuisine strange."

Na'mar stiffened again, and opened his mouth as if to speak but Yusraa was quicker.

"It is strange" she said in a thickly accented voice. "That a consort would speak so out of turn."

Legolas flushed red and looked down at his plate, I felt a rush of anger but pushed it down.

"Legolas is not only my consort but my advisor. He is as much involved in the running of this Kingdom as I am."

"Of course" Na'mar said coolly. "I apologize for my wife."

There was an air of tension in the room that I found hard to dissipate. Yusraa obviously did not like Legolas, and it bothered me greatly. It wasn't a virulent hatred, but a nonchalant disdain, which was in so many ways much worse. Na'mar told us of the jungles in Far-Harad, and I thought the description of them glorious. I'd never heard of 'monkeys' but I thought the Czars depiction of them amusing. It seemed that the Haradrim, despite their rough appearance, had a great love of nature. Water was a precious thing among their people, and it was scarce to come by. There were few villages but the majority of them lay along the coast, and it was there that Na'mar intended to expand his regime. He claimed that he did not use violence to sway the opinions of the people, but I could see the way his eyes burned when he talked about his 'diplomatic successes.' It reminded me all the more that we were dealing with a culture steeped in blood and cruelty. I wondered many times if there was really any possibility that we could trade with Harad without dire consequences.

Eowyn made several efforts to draw Yusraa into conversation, but was rebuffed every time. She seemed far more interested in observing the dialect of the men, and I was reminded for a moment of the tales of Morwen Eledhwen. Though dark and strong willed in her own respects, Yusraa was far more calculating and cruel. I guessed that she would have to be, to be the wife of a Czar. Nothing she did was without massive deliberation, even the way she picked up a utensil was fastidiously pointed. The more we spoke, the more she made me nervous. There was an uncanny strangeness about her that I could not place. Gandalf peeked in during the third course to greet our guests, and his gaze lingered long on her. This didn't do anything to assuage my worries, and when he left I determined to speak with him as soon as possible.

"Will you be here for the Coronation?" I asked lightly.

We were just finishing the dessert, and I was eager to have some time with Legolas. He'd been fidgety ever since Yusraa had admonished him, and I wanted us to have some time alone so I could reassure him. The attendants had brought forth an impressive array of confectionery. There were desserts I didn't even recognize, and I was grateful for the distraction. Each of us chose something different and we settled down with our respective selections. Na'mar looked up and smiled salaciously.

"We had planned to leave before the date" he replied, reaching for his wine. "We've been here overlong, and Harad does not wait for our return. I expect that things will be in disarray when we arrive. I hope it does not offend you."

"Of course not" I said hastily.

"You must have such magnificent ceremonies in the South" Legolas said, speaking for the first time since he had been scolded.

"It isn't any of your business, consort" Yusraa snapped.

Both Na'mar and I opened our mouths to refute her rudeness, but a sudden choking sound stopped us cold. I whipped my head around to see that Legolas had gone deathly pale, and his fingers gripped his chair 'till the knuckles were ghostly white. His chest heaved, as if he couldn't get in enough to breathe, and I feared he had swallowed something and it had lodged in his airway. His eyes flitted to me in an expression of terror, and I was filled with a sensation of utter horror.

"Legolas!" I gasped, knocking my chair over to hasten to him.

Faramir had risen in a panic, and Eowyn had vanished out into the night, possibly to fetch a Healer. The guards at the door shifted into an offensive position, and their spears crossed to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. As I watched, a thin runnel of blood slithered from my lover's mouth. It tangled into his hair, turning the glorious blonde into a deathly crimson. Legolas eyes had rolled into the back of his head, his hands going limp as he began to convulse. I shook his shoulders helplessly, everything I knew about healing going out the window.

"This can't be happening" I thought desperately.

I lowered Legolas to the ground, grasping at his hands as they scrabbled at his throat. His skin was rapidly turning color, a dusky blue rising to cover the flushed ivory. His eyes refocused for a moment, and his gaze turned to me and I wept as I saw the apology in his expression. Legolas was prepared to die, and I wasn't willing to let him go. I cried out as another wave of uncontrollable spasms overtook him, seeming to come from the very core of his being. There was shouting in the corridor, but I didn't heed it. My world had spun into a point as I watched the love of my life go utterly, steadfastly still. And as I helplessly searched the room to see if anyone would answer my plight, my eyes met Yusraa's mossy gaze. She was serenely immobile, and her fingers had tightened on her glass, but she did not panic. Instead, I felt the laughter in her cruelly hidden expression. Anguished, I felt the trembling rage in my chest explode, and I lunged over the table to assault a sea of emerald green.


Author's Note: Cliffhanger! My first cliffhanger! *runs off to hide.* Some things I wanted to clarify. Denethor didn't actually go crazy...not to the extent the movies put it anyway. And there is no evidence that Ecthelion did at all either. Still, I thought it was a good vein of plot. Dementia isn't widely recognized, and I imagine it would be vastly misunderstood in the Tolkien-verse, and it is somewhat hereditary so Faramir's fears are warranted. Also, there was never a treaty between Gondor and the people of the Harad. Aragorn waged quite a few wars with them after the fall of Sauron and there was no type of reconciliation, so this is vastly my plot. Anyhow, I'm sure you all want to kill me right about now, so I'm going to leave this here. I promise I won't leave you hanging long, there will be an update tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

R&R