In the morning hour, Aragorn addressed the citizens in a speech just as short as effective. In it, he repeated not least his statements from last night regarding the elves' heroic help in this conflict, thanked Legolas' people for their help with the reconstruction so far, and expressed his continued confidence in them as well as help by Gondor's soldiers anytime if needed, to secure the settlement at Cair Andros. This, at least, was a first step to restoring peace.
That people calmed down relatively quickly, at last, was probably more due to Aragorn's more stable appearance though, and to the report that now almost all the Stewardaides had been captured. And also to his renewed assurance that those enemies who would not surrender voluntarily would henceforth be persecuted with even more severity and had to expect the armed force of the soldiers of Gondor.
Legolas' repeated public apology did the rest to soothe the heated public mood.
Since they were both still in need of sleep and medical treatments, Aragorn accepted it this time, too, that afterward, Legolas retreated again immediately, going to the guesthouse opposite the King's House that Tarisilya had lived in before moving to Lórien. He sensed that his friend wanted to be as alone as possible, with his memories of his wife and his worry about her, and especially with the ongoing fear that the bout of blindness might not pass this time. If Aragorn had heard Legolas' very brief words to the healers about it right, it had already been lasting longer than any previous one.
He usually would have tried to help his friend himself, but he was being needed right now, with his wife and his duties. The next few days passed with spending many hours with Arwen, with relocating the prisoners in Emyn Arnen to Minas Tirith, with the search for further fugitives and holding audiences for people again and again who were still having doubts about the sudden peace.
When Aragorn finally got around to visit Legolas, the elf had already left, accompanying the second group of soldiers that Aragorn had deployed to Cair Andros to help with long-overdue construction and reparations there, and, as promised, to secure the area for a while, in case there were still scattered enemies of the elves roving about there.
"His Highness was very grateful about your decision to grant him and his people this kind of support." Verilas handed Aragorn an envelope with the seal of Eryn Lasgalen when he turned to him to ask when Legolas had gone exactly. "You've just been in a meeting. He didn't want to disturb. He said …" The advisor nodded down on the envelope. "… that he'll be heartbroken if you don't come."
The letter turned out to be an invitation to a celebration in the elf settlement on the following evening that Legolas wanted Aragorn and Arwen to attend.
First, Aragorn hesitated, but the healers assured him several times that his wife was doing well enough. Therefore, nothing stood in the way.
And since just like his friend, he was yearning for the two of them to finally get back to something like normalcy, he hardly had a choice.
The whole thing wasn't a pleasure trip though. The images of the kidnapping were still far too present, of what had happened when they had last been on their way like this, Aragorn going by horse and soldiers protecting Arwen in her carriage.
Brego had fortunately been found by one of the scouts in the meantime and been brought back to the city. He was still exhausted though, and injured as well, from his long stay in the wilderness. Therefore, Aragorn had borrowed Alagas.
The stallion was trying to dash off again and again. He had far too much energy after all that time of standing still. Aragorn's shoulders protested against stopping that urge by constantly pulling on the reins and quickly had him regret his decision, especially since the speed was kept slow which only worsened Alagas' restlessness.
The soldiers made sure again and again that there was no one approaching the group with wrong intentions. The carriage had to be stopped more than once, and they only cleared the path again when they couldn't spot anything conspicuous.
When they finally reached the edge of the woods, Aragorn's forehead was sweat-covered. He was glad to be able to give Alagas to one of his companions.
Another soldier came to meet them from the undergrowth, slowly enough to not frighten them. That man was wearing dark grey armor. "Your Majesty, you are already being expected. We are being on watch at the borders instead of the elves tonight so that all of them can stay in the settlement. I hope that agrees with you."
"Of course. I'm glad to hear that you live in peace with the elves now. If that it will be like that in the whole realm soon, the conflicts will hopefully be quickly forgotten."
Aragorn nodded at the man in satisfaction and helped Arwen leave the carriage. The way to the camp was one they were now able to deal with alone since Arwen knew it.
The quiet sound of music welcomed them when they approached the bright torches in the part of the woods that was being closer to Anduin. From a distance, one could already make it out that the last few days had been put to good use. The huts at the settlement's edge, arranged in a circle, had finally been painted. With their shades of green, they hardly attracted attention anymore between all the birches and beeches.
It took one more than one look to spot the telain in the dense tops of the higher trees as well. Only the occasional terrace was flashing through, or cloths on the windows blowing in the light evening breeze. Ladders, dizzyingly narrow bridges, or ropes between the telain allowed people to be moving up there, so that one didn't even have to touch the ground for a visit.
All the holes in the buildings had finally been fixed, just like the other damages from the warg attack in January. Buildings that had still been sorely missing had finally been erected, like the storage rooms, a small hut, and a talan for guests, both of them being a little apart from the elves' living chambers.
Several dozens of torches were providing light for the assembly below the biggest tree of the woods where the elves had put up benches and tables, decorated with bright cloths and a lot of petals. The tempting smell of an extensive meal enriched the air.
The only thing missing was a real festive mood. The elves in their elegant robes and dresses were sitting closely together over a few candles that were releasing a soothing scent. They were only listening to the music, exhausted from the last few days and especially gloomy because of the anxiety that one of their enemies was still on the loose and was threatening one of their group.
Only when he got closer, Aragorn noticed by the flamboyant realm circlet of Eryn Lasgalen, who it was that was playing a small harp there, not always completely without flaw but with much feeling and dedication. He paused in surprise as he hadn't even known that Legolas' father knew how to play an instrument.
"Your Majesties." Tauriel was first to notice them and nodded at them kindly while the elves got up for a moment and bow lightly. The healer didn't let the argument between Aragorn and her show at all anymore. "We were beginning to think you wouldn't come. I hope the meat from the hunt is still good since it's been over the fire for so long."
"Forgive the delay but I'm sure you will understand that our guards were very careful and rather stopped once too often than take any risk."
Arwen returned the nod and let her eyes wander over the people present searchingly. In the city, she hadn't had a chance to meet Legolas. It was very dear to her heart to reconcile with him as well. "Where is the Prince?"
Tauriel nervously looked up to the top of the huge, old oak tree, the long, thick branches of which were surrounding half of the yard, almost like the calming protection of a thick wall. A talan in shades of red and silver could be spotted on the top limbs in which there seemed to be only a single candle burning. "We've received a message from Lord Glorfindel today. They're still on Barhit's trail, but he's ahead of them and is always finding new ways to escape them." Which explained why Legolas was evidently rather hiding away than celebrating with them.
"I've sent a letter to East Lórien in the night of the …" Tauriel paused for a moment and looked away. No, the events hadn't been processed completely yet. "... the incident in Emyn Arnen already. It should have arrived by now. So the Princess has at least been warned."
"The Lord of the Golden Wood will take care of her better than any of us ever could."
Aragorn's eyes were fixed on the talan in worry anyway. He gave a short sigh. "I'll try to get him to join us. Hiding from his grief won't change anything."
"Knock yourself out." Tauriel didn't sound overly optimistic but pointed backward, around the tree where steep, narrow spiral stairs, painted silver as well, led to the top. "We'll serve the food in the meantime, so hurry up."
Legolas was sitting by a window facing north, towards Lórien and Eryn Lasgalen, on one of the thin red carpets covering the ground.
The weak light didn't give reveal much except for these rooms waiting for the arrival of a family already. The living room was lacking none of the furniture that the married couple had had in their chambers in Minas Tirith as well, and Aragorn could make out the far smaller shape of another cot right next to the couple's bed through the open bedroom door. A cradle.
The only thing missing was the protagonists. When anticipation had become a burden, it was understandable that you wanted to be reminded of it by such a sight as little as possible. Though in this case, that was probably still not really the best term.
"Can your eyes spot what you fear or does only your heart give it away?" Aragorn approached his friend hesitatingly and pulled up a chair.
A jerky headshake was enough of an answer. "Right now, I can only wait. Ithilien's Venom made it worse, whatever has been wrong before already. And Ilya's and my marriage bond has never been too well trained; it's long become quiet in there."
"You could have said something regarding your eyesight earlier. I'm not stupid, Legolas. I saw what happened with that warg back then. I cannot achieve miracles but I could have tried at least." Tensely, Aragorn let his eyes wander over Legolas' slumped posture, knowing that his composure was purely on the outside. "I would have been there for you, you know that."
"I do, Aragorn. Yet there's hardly anything more difficult for me than seeing my friends for personal issues. Do you remember what you accused me of when we were looking for Arwen back then?" Legolas still didn't turn his head to him.
"That you were always alone? Do you think I was not? For me, my father was only the King of our realm most of the time. I know he didn't want that. Maybe it will get better now. But that doesn't change that I'm being used to dealing with everything on my own. You can't just unlearn that, and at some point, people stop trying to change it. I can't even blame them. Even my wife is no longer trying to approach me with problems, and this time, that almost ended fatally. She knew about Erestor. If she hadn't kept silent about this, that thing in Emyn Arnen might not have happened. At least I would have known whom to warn Faramir about."
"Legolas …" Frustration mixed into the compassion Aragorn had just been feeling. "It wasn't Ilya who planned a riot in Gondor. She tried to stop you, the only way that could apparently have made a difference at that point. That she used to be close to Erestor for a while and wanted to protect him has nothing to do with that. Just like Arwen and I, she didn't find a way to help you when we should have, and I hope, by now you know that I am sorry for that. But you can't blame everything on other people."
"I'm not blaming her but myself." Legolas reached for a cup next to him, far more unerringly already than he had not too long. He started to get used to this condition. Maybe that was even worse than the uncertainty. "Not only did I damage the friendship between the two of us, but I also lost the trust and faith of the most wonderful she-elf I was ever allowed to meet. And now I can't even stand by her when she's being threatened with pursuit and death because of my own misguided deeds."
"Well, but sitting around here is not helping her one bit either. You're only sabotaging the hopefully imminent recovery of your eyes, and meanwhile, others have to take care of things that would be your job. You should have letters be written to Lórien, not Tauriel. You should have to ask for updates about the search. It's up to you to support it any way you can. Even if it's just by giving the elves down there hope."
With a smile looking quite forced, Legolas took a look back over his shoulder. "So once again are you giving me an urgently needed push. I guess burying myself and feeling sorry for myself is not getting us anywhere indeed. None of the others dares to come up here, but my father is playing songs that he's last sung to me when I couldn't fall asleep because my mother suddenly wasn't there to tuck me in anymore. Words never were his strong suit, but he's probably trying to tell me something."
"That you finally need to arise from your apathy, I hope. It's not too late yet, and far too early for grief, so come on. You were the one who invited us, so be polite and say at least hello to the Queen." Aragorn pulled his friend up and pushed him towards the exit. He did understand Legolas, which was exactly why he wanted to be there for him.
"Maybe I should ask her how she manages to put up with your stubbornness sometimes, mellon." Still not completely convinced, Legolas went ahead, past any obstacles. At least in here, he already knew his way around, well enough to not stumble or hit anything – maybe the beginning of a very troublesome way.
"When she gets tired of listening, she just cuts me off with a kiss. I think the two of us should give that a miss." Aragorn waited with a quiet laugh until Legolas had taken a few steps down and followed him then.
At the bottom of the stairs though, had to stay back discreetly once more, because there was someone standing there who had been waiting for this conversation for far too long already, who was quietly calling Legolas' name to let him know, she was there.
"Thanks for coming along, starlet." Meeting Arwen again, finally, for the first time since the worst waves had calmed, achieved something with Legolas that Aragorn had only been able to do to some extent earlier. His voice started to tremble immediately; he quickly had to brace himself on the dark bark on his left because he have almost have lost balance.
Aragorn come to stand behind him quickly, guiding him all the way down with one hand around his elbow, like he'd seen Thranduil do it. The resigned but honestly grateful smile Legolas gifted him with, had him forget every stupid feeling of offense about the elf not being able to let him in, after just two decades, as much as someone he'd known for centuries.
Which was exactly why that conflict had hurt Arwen so much. Therefore, Aragorn made no move to leave the two of them alone, no matter how readily he would have granted them discretion on any other evening. He didn't want Arwen to possibly get hurt again so much by thoughtless words and actions.
Though he was more sensing it by the day that he would indeed be able to forgive Legolas in time: Neither Arwen nor he had forgotten everything yet, not by a long shot.
And his friend just was still mentally battered because of Tarisilya. At the first moment, he was looking for words in vain.
Of course, Arwen had also a pretty good idea of what was going on inside of him and approached him on her part, letting him hear her compassionate smile. She hadn't missed the short stumbling either. It was hard to keep holding a grudge when for once, it was self-induced, and when you had to see someone you still cared for so much in the worst possible condition an elf could be in. "You used to call me 'starlet' when I was an elfling."
"And you were already so much wiser than me back then," Legolas replied, choked up. "It should be you leading this settlement."
"I've got enough on my hands with one realm," Arwen said with the same weak grin. "Besides, I'd be fighting your father every two months. I don't have Ilya's capacity for suffering."
Legolas startled as if she'd hit him, though it had probably not even been a conscious dig. This time, it wasn't just the cruel worry about his wife that had him squeeze his closed lids shut even harder or had him shake his head as if in slow motion. "From now on, you go ahead and always tell me what you're thinking like this if it's necessary, will you? I've been such a damn fool, starlet."
Silence spread that was visibly unnerving Legolas, more by the second, but Aragorn could see Arwen grin to herself in amusement and winked at her appreciatively. This was something, that stubborn elf had to go through now; he deserved it.
"If you're waiting for me to disagree, we'll be standing here until tomorrow, Thranduilion."
Legolas let out a stunned laughter that Arwen was nice enough to join, but they both turned serious again soon enough. This time, it wouldn't be so easy.
"Don't worry. I am very aware of the mistakes I've made, and one of the very worst had to do with you. It's trying to drive me insane just to think you already had a child inside you when you were here, and I … I don't know how I can ever make up for all I did."
"You already started to. And I did things wrong as well that I am very sorry for. I hope I can make up for them as well. But …" Arwen took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, visibly trying her best to let her melancholic smile at the thousands of positive memories that the two of them had to share, wipe out the last of her anger. It didn't work, not yet.
"Legolas, you hurt me."
"I know. I'm so incredibly sorry." And maybe it had only been these few trembling words still necessary to at least put the bridge between the friends that had fortunately not completely collapsed yet, back on stable pillars.
"Never do that again."
Only now, Arwen put a hand on his shoulder, pulled him close for an almost invisibly short, light embrace to let him know that it was alright for the moment.
And that was all they had had to tell each other right now.
When the late darkness of a summer night had broken over the woods and all plates had been cleared, the elves retired to a round piece of meadow near the paddock, framed with petals. They were being silent for a while, but the silence wasn't as unpleasant as before. Thoughtfulness prevailed instead, and the relief about seeing the King and the leader peacefully sitting next to each other.
"The Steward has asked us for help," Tauriel explained when Arwen asked for the settlement's future plans. "Not all of us are being needed for what's urgently left to do here. We'll create a new garden for Emyn Arnen so that there will soon be no visible trace of the conflict there left." She was radiating clear relief when Aragorn's and her eyes met for a moment.
There had fortunately not been any further victim. After a lot of worrying, the elvish healers of and those of Minas Tirith had been able to save all the soldiers which had not only made Faramir take a breath of relief.
Now it was up to the elves to prove that their attitude towards their rulers had changed in the long run as well.
Aragorn couldn't say something immediately because the song of the harp that had been very buoyant until now fluently transformed into one of the solemn hymns of Eryn Lasgalen. Arwen and he didn't sing along because such pieces were solely reserved for members of the respective realms, but he was impressed by the many melodic voices merging into a harmonic choir, praising the beauty and strength of the home of some of them as if the group had never had any problems.
Out here, far from the Citadel, there was no strict etiquette, so Aragorn could put his arm around Arwen without hesitation and enjoy these minutes together with her.
"Stand up for your leader." Thranduil finally put the harp aside and nodded at Tauriel.
With a smile, the she-elf opened a silver, richly adorned casket that was usually being kept in Legolas' chambers. She must have got it when she had put her child to bed. She carefully took the contents out of the box and raised them in the air.
The other elves gasped in surprise and admiration, while Aragorn and Arwen only smiled at each other. They knew this circlet; they had been there when Lady Galadriel had given it to Legolas.
Back then, for him, this had been the final push to act on the idea of this settlement. And yet – for good reason – he'd hesitated to wear this circlet so far. But now everything was ready, and Aragorn had just learned that there had already been messages from other realms saying that many more elves would be living here soon, now that the conflict between their folk and Men was solved. Though it would still take Legolas a while to earn back people's trust, he had at least proven to his father and Aragorn that he was on the right path.
In a quick conversation earlier, the Elvenking had already asked Aragorn about what would come as a complete surprise to his son in a minute, and he'd gladly given his permission.
While the elves had spoken Westron so far, out of politeness already, Thranduil now lapsed into his people's Sindarin, slightly colored by the usual Silvan dialect, to ask Legolas to come to him.
With a hardly noticeable headshake, his son got up as well, as the last one to do so, and followed the request with heavy steps. Though he could impossibly have asked his father to wait for whatever he had to tell him – there was a realm waiting to be governed for Thranduil as well –, the sadness remained without a doubt that he had to witness such an important moment without his wife.
"You are not alone, ion nín." Knowing about this conflict as well, Thranduil didn't give his son any time to indulge in melancholy but guided him with a firm grip on his shoulder until Legolas was standing right before him. "Kneel before your King one last time to face your new life with your head held high."
Legolas followed that order unquestioningly as well though a good watcher could see that he was suddenly trembling violently.
With a nod still quite reserved but at least polite, Thranduil took the circlet from Tauriel, so simply shaped and too narrow for a real crown with these two silver leaves, yet glistening like pure gold in the starlight.
"It was under these very same stars that my wife once gave me one of the most wonderful gifts an elf can wish for. Thereby she gave hope to my people amidst the hardships of an upcoming war. Now, at the end of new darkness, with pride and deep affection am I allowed to behold an elf who shared his father's dream of a common world for all folks like hardly anyone else did. A warrior for this dream, when his King had long started to hide in bitterness. A lonely warrior for this dream, still, while all the other realms are emptying and only few have the strength to witness the end of our own legend in these realms. The Valar have truly chosen just punishment for someone who had to stand by and watch first as he was almost be robbed of what he loves most in this world, to recognize this elf as his own son."
Legolas reached for the hand on his shoulder in agitation. Not even the elegant, soothing sound of an elvish language managed to hide completely the faint trembling in Thranduil's voice during this little speech. That hit Legolas harder than the words themselves. It happened only rarely that you saw a person like the King being so vulnerable. "Ada …"
Thranduil didn't let him speak. He gently tipped Legolas' chin up so that the other elves could see the glistening of tears on his cheeks. "And yet I think back of these days when my own fallibility was proven to me with gratefulness. When the elderly learn from their children, it's time to let go. Therefore, the house of Oropher hereby releases the Crown Prince of Eryn Lasgalen of all duties connected to his heritage, on his own request. Only as a precaution, in case Eryn Lasgalen might lose its leadership by the King's demise for an unforeseeable amount of time, the family of the Crown Prince remains in the line of succession, but this responsibility is no longer tied to the person of the Prince himself."
The others' reverent silence was broken by quiet sounds of surprise and discontent. Thranduil was one of the few elves who could make you believe that for once, they were behaving like every other sentient, breathing being for a moment – and go back to their usual calculative, cold nature a second later.
Legolas was the only one who was smiling.
And Aragorn might be one of the few people here knowing how much relief this decision gave him. Royal leadership had long stopped being Legolas' destiny. That his father had finally understood that, relieved their relationship of much of the almost hostile distance between them. "Thank you."
"As it is, to my great pleasure, my son's wish to continue representing our culture's uniqueness though …" A brief smile curled on Thranduil's lips when he lowered the circlet on Legolas' head. "… the King, in accordance with His Majesty Elessar's will, admits His Highness Legolas Thranduilion into the rank of a Lord, of the leader over every Firstborn following the call of these woods to Gondor. Unlimited authority and force of arms of this settlement are hereby being given to the Lord of Cair Andros, from this moment until the end of this community comes. Rise."
The King took his son's upper arms for a long moment and let his eyes wander over Legolas' changed appearance.
The unexpected change was not only due to the circlet with the glistening green jewel in it, the tip of which was resting right between Legolas' eyes. Millennia of burden seemed to have melted away from him. Aragorn realized only now how many traces the war alone had left on this formerly so flawless face. For now, Legolas' eyes were completely free of fear and rage. The lack of restraint of the last few months that had been so painfully different from everything that Aragorn had seen in his friend before, had vanished. An extremely restless body had finally come to stand still; suspicion had seeped from its cramped position.
Cautiously, only with his fingertips, Legolas touched the jewel on his forehead, not even trying to hide his amazement or his happiness about his new purpose. "It's still warm."
"The gem of nature." Thranduil mimicked his movement, a hint of wistfulness in his expression when he traced the jewel's drop shape. "It's already been a symbol for the solidarity between folks in the last big war. Let it now remind you that this world needs you, ion nín. Regardless of how big the worth of the work of you and your people in some kind of battles might be, your true calling is in peace."
"I will never forget it again." This promise was not only for Thranduil.
"I know." This time, the smile stayed for a while. "Therefore, our people shall now no longer put a title in front of your name that has long stopped doing your deeds justice. Tales of the last Elven Lord in these realms shall be about Aldalíen, the Breath of Men, as this gem can only glow in the light of the night on a bearer who deserves its name."
With a deep bow, Legolas accepted this request of his father as well before turning to his people. No longer looking as shy as in the beginning, as if he was afraid to say anything wrong, and no longer with the bitterness of a leader who had lost people. Legolas had finally found the unshakable determination again that had already got him through the war.
"Thank you all for your trust. With the new courage my King is giving me, let us face our future tasks and renew our promise towards the leader of Gondor and Arnor. So raise now your voices for this country and its garden that shall be our home and refuge."
Not accompanied by an instrument this time, the group struck up one of the songs of Gondor that was often presented at fairs and celebrations, to cherish the freedom of the folks.
Memories of when Aragorn had heard this song last inevitably took hold at once. The citizens of Minas Tirith had sung it after the victory over Sauron's troops. Even while he had still been standing in the debris of Minas Tirith, the verses had echoed through the streets.
Arwen gently squeezed Aragorn's hand and started to sing along, thereby tearing him from the images on his mind.
And with his wife's help, Aragorn got rid of another shadow of the past, by raising his voice as well, quietly enough not to disrupt the harmony of the clean elvish voices, but to the very last syllable. It wasn't the first time for him to sing this song, but it had never meant so much.