Chapter 22

Aragorn stared at his friend with wide eyes. He couldn't believe what Legolas had just told them. So that was what happened to him and his brothers! The ranger's heart was full of pain and sadness. He had had no idea that the handsome prince carried such a heavy burden. His friend's blue eyes were full of pain, fear, and grief, and tears glittered in them. He blamed himself. It would destroy the elf!

"Legolas, I'm so infinitely sorry. You're not to blame. I'm sorry. I should have helped you ..." The Ranger felt guilty. He knew he should have asked more. Maybe the beautiful archer would not be so bad now. His gray eyes wandered across the rest of the fellowship. The hobbits looked scared and Sam and Merry had tears in their eyes. Boromir looked shocked but looked incredibly angry at the same time. Gimli grimaced and Aragorn saw something like respect in his eyes.

At that moment the man pulled his beautiful friend into his arms. Legolas trembled all over and his breath was quick. The man closed his eyes and tried to prevent the tears from running down his cheeks. He felt so sorry for all of this. Why did this happen? The elf didn't deserve that. Nobody deserved something like this, especially not as pure and innocent as the prince in his arms. He felt the pain and grief that came from his friend and tears ran down the warrior's beautiful cheeks. Aragorn rocked him gently in his arms to calm him down a little and whispered soothingly in his ear.

"It's not your fault." Legolas shook his head.

"Yes, Aragorn ... that's it. They ... They are dead because of me." The pain in the ranger's heart grew when he noticed the elf's inner anguish. He tortured himself by blaming himself for the death of his brothers.

"Eero killed them, not you. Please stop torturing yourself." Legolas held on to his friend desperately, he seemed to be looking for help. Aragorn stroked his back soothingly. The elf was still weak, shouldn't try too hard. "Sleep, Legolas. I'm here. I'm not going to go. You're safe." The prince was obviously more tired than he thought because he only nodded slightly at the human chest. The ranger took the elf's hand in his and their fingers intertwined.

"Hannon le, mellon-nin," whispered the Mirkwood elf before his breath slowed and he fell asleep. Aragorn raised his head and looked into the shocked and sympathetic faces of the others.

"I - I didn't know that ... that he had seen so many terrible things," Sam stuttered, still close to tears. The ranger was still feeling this incredible pain. He would do anything to relieve Legolas of this terrible burden.

"Neither do I, Sam." Boromir's eyes shone with awe. "He has to be a really strong being to handle it." The man smiled.

"He is, Boromir. He is." Frodo was most shocked. Aragorn knew the Hobbit had never heard of such a horror. He didn't know how bad and dark the world really was. The ring bearer had not seen and experienced as much as Boromir, Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas. None of the hobbits had it. But the ranger didn't blame them. They had grown up in the Shire, the corner of the world that the war hadn't touched. Until the ring called for its master. Now nobody was safe anymore. The ranger gently stroked his friend's blond hair. He didn't know what Legolas had seen and experienced in his thousand years, but the fate of his brothers was probably the worst by far. And at that moment the man swore to protect the handsome prince. He wouldn't have to experience that again. And if the man had to prevent it with his life.