Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take Eldarion down the path of the fellowship to teach him of sacrifices made and things forgotten.
Disclaimer: I do not own them, a pity
A/N: This is an AU fourth age fic, the times to get to many places may not be exact.
Chapter 35
Aragorn gazed at the stars until dawn was breaking over the mountain tops. He then laid down and caught an hour of sleep, before he felt Eldarion waking him.
"Ada, wake up if we are to get to our next destination we should leave soon."
Aragorn groaned but got up anyway and helped himself to a cup of the coffee Gimli had prepared. Once his thirst was gone and he was fully awake Aragorn packed up his things and got atop Brego.
Eldarion turned to his father and asked what seemed to be on everyone's mind. "Ada, where are we off to next?"
Aragorn sat on his horse and seemed to be lost in a thought. Shaking his head to clear it, he turned back to his son.
"We are going a place where much sadness has passed along with great joy. A place where I cannot pass, we are going to the Grey Havens."
Aragorn did not miss the sharp intake of air from Legolas, and he bowed his head in shame. He knew Legolas would hear the cry of the sea when they arrived, but he hoped his longtime friend and brother could withstand it for a day.
They traveled in silence but Aragorn did not miss Legolas twitching atop his mount. The elf could feel the sea long before he got to it.
"I feel the warm salt breeze of the sea, " he claimed just as they rounded yet another clump of trees. "It calls to me even now and we have not yet come to it."
"Does it trouble you my friend?" Aragorn asked in earnest.
Legolas hung his head, not answering for a long time. "I have often had my heart pulled to the sea, but I made a vow, and here in Arda I shall remain."
Aragorn nor Legolas spoke any longer, and Gimli was uncharacteristically quiet. Only Eldarion spoke, and it was often of the beauty of the trees, of how they seemed to glisten. It was not long into the day when they arrived, and Aragorn left Brego and walked Eldarion to the shores. He spoke no words, for none were needed in the beginning, the sight of the waves rolling in mesmerizing them all.
Legolas and Gimli joined them sitting beside the docks that had once held boats to take the elves to the Undying Lands. Eldarion sat there too swinging his legs over the side of the dock, dipping his toes into the water.
It was then that the seagull flew over, calling to them, calling to Legolas it seemed. Legolas stood as if in a trance and began to follow the bird. He walked many steps and it was only the strong arms of Aragorn that caught him before he fell into the waters below him.
"Hannon le my friend. Their call is so strong. I can hear them beg me to sail from here, and it weakens me."
Aragorn led Legolas back over to where the others were and sat Legolas down next to him. It was only then he noticed his son staring at something off in the horizon.
"What is it Eldarion, what do you see?"
"A cair," Eldarion said, slipping into the elvish word for ship. Sure enough it was a ship off in the distance and Eldarion could not take his eyes from it. He clutched his heart and a single tear escaped his eye.
"Ada, is this not where the elves departed from Arda?"
"Aye, it is. I too have stood here once. A lifetime ago that seems now, and yet it still pains me."
"Why does it pain you Ada?" Eldarion asked.
Aragorn sighed, "It pains me because he has gone where I cannot follow. I am but a mere mortal, not welcome in the Undying Lands," Aragorn said trying to quell the tears in his eyes.
Eldarion didn't say anymore, but he noticed as Legolas stood and walked a few steps away. His father soon got up to follow and Gimli moved to sit beside the child.
"Fear not Legolas will be just fine," he said to reassure Eldarion, but he was really saying it to reassure his own doubts. He and Legolas had started out enemies, born of different realms, and taught to hate the other. Over time Gimli and Legolas had grown to love one another as if they had been friends all along, brought together by war.
"Legolas, tell me what it is that is hurting you, please." Aragorn begged, placing his hand on the elf's shoulder.
Legolas turned to face him and it was then that Aragorn saw the crystal drops of tears fall from his eyes.
"The sea has always been a dream of mine, to see it, to feel it brings me not joy now but pain. I cannot go where my forefathers have gone, not yet."
Aragorn choked back the lump forming in his throat, "Legolas if it pleases you take a ship, sail to be with your family. I cannot keep you here any longer, it pains me to see you this way."
Legolas wiped his tears, only to find new ones taking their place, but he wrapped his arm around Aragorn and spoke to him softly.
"You are the reason I stay. When we were but children in our father's eyes did I not vow to you to remain with you here?"
"Aye, you did but.."
"I cannot break that vow Estel, I cannot go and leave you here for as much as my heart aches to see those of my kin, it would hurt worse to leave you. I will sail one day and see them, but until then I will remain where I was meant to be, here with my brother, born not of blood, but my brother nonetheless."
Aragorn cold not speak, and found himself led back over to Eldarion by Legolas. The two of them sat there with the others until the sun started to set on the horizon.
"Look Ada it is like fire reflecting off a glass."
When Eldarion glanced back to his father he saw him lost in thought, lost in a memory.
Eldarion walked over and hugged his father, "I know you miss Grandfather, I miss him to, but one day you will see him again."
Aragorn quirked his head up, staring into his son's eyes, wondering how he could come to this conclusion. He didn't have to wait long.
"Ada, Grandfather loved you. He raised you and now he is gone to a place you say you cannot go, but what Gods, even the Valar would keep a family apart. No Ada you will see him again someday, I promise."
Aragorn could not speak as the words sunk in. He did not know why or how Eldarion thought this, but he was in no condition to argue the matter.
"Come, we need to travel on if we are to reach Bree," Gimli suggested trying to ease the rest of them away from the captivating scene before them. It worked and soon the others had mounted up, and they were headed away from the captivating view of the shimmering water.