Disclaimers: See the Author's Notes! Not my song; it belongs to Enya! Elvish is in ' '; Common is in " "; Aragorn and Legolas' thoughts are in .This is an AU! Rated R for major angst, eventual attempted rape, and sexual innuendo. Evil Windstar, I went to Grey-Company.org for my Elvish. Thanks for the nice reviews! I haven't forgotten my other stories, so don't worry. And I am finally feeling better.

Amin Ai Olin
(My Little Secret)

Part 5. Naikelea Rina

         (Painful Memory)

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Who can say when the roads meet,
That love might be,
In your heart.

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Continued Flashback

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Legolas slowly left the Healer's room alone, in shock. He didn't know what to do or anything, because he had never thought about something like this happening to him, of all people.

He couldn't tell Elessar; his best friend probably would not believe him, and if he did, he would insist on doing the right thing. Which meant that Elessar would divorce Arwen and try to get him to marry him, so that the child would have his name and be the heir to Gondor.

Legolas couldn't do such a thing, not to Arwen. She was a dear friend, after all, and the news that her husband had gotten him pregnant might send her into a deep depression. Legolas was not certain if Arwen could still die from grief, though she had given up her Immortality.

There was no choice; he had to leave Gondor, before everyone realized the truth. It would be easy for him to run away and return home, to face whatever his father said to him. The words would probably be cruel, but Legolas was prepared to face them. He'd done this to himself, after all.

Elessar and Arwen spotted Legolas walking by through their cracked door, and went out to speak with him. Both were faintly surprised to see that if anything, he was even paler than before.

'What did the Healer say?' Elessar asked, worried that it might be something serious. Arwen stood next to him, concern shining in her dark eyes.

Legolas chose his words carefully, so that they would be truthful, lest Elessar become suspicious. 'He says I'll be all right; tis not serious.'

Elessar pressed, 'You should get some rest, my friend. You look very worn out.'

'All right,' Legolas murmured, for he was too distracted to argue with his friend. He was trying to figure out how he was going to leave Gondor without raising suspicion. If Legolas told Elessar that he was leaving, his friend would demand to know the reason.

Arwen and Elessar exchanged a startled glance when Legolas did not protest being treated like a child. That was unusual, at least for him, and the husband and wife watched their blond Elven friend walk away slowly, heading towards his room.

Elessar was surprised when Arwen placed a hand on his arm.

'Go after him, and find out what is wrong,' she said softly.

Elessar nodded and walked after his friend, genuinely worried. He knew that something had to be wrong when Legolas did not argue with him.

Legolas entered his room, and collapsed onto the bed. He knew that Elessar was following him; he could hear his footsteps. But his best friend was the last person that Legolas wanted to see right now.

Elessar nudged the door open farther and saw Legolas stretched out on the bed. He wordlessly walked over and sat on the bed. He stretched out a hand and touched Legolas on the back lightly, ignoring the warmth he felt as he gently ran his hand down the smooth muscles, trying to ease the tension in the muscles.

'Tell me what is troubling you,' Elessar murmured. He disliked seeing his friend in such obvious misery over something.

Legolas lifted his face from where he had pressed it against his pillow, stifling his pleasure at such a touch from Elessar. He knew that his friend did not have quite the same affection for him as he had for Elessar.

'I'll be all right, Elessar. Time will take care of it,' Legolas told him, hating himself for the lie. Though it truly was not a lie; he would be all right, and time would take care of his 'affliction'.

Elessar sighed but did not press. 'Did Arwen tell you her news yet, Legolas?' he inquired, in an attempt to distract his Elven friend.

Legolas shook his head, and turned to onto his side, so he could see Elessar clearly. 'What news, my friend?'

'We are going to have a child, or so she believes,' Elessar said, wonder in his voice.

'That is good news, for I know that you were anxious to have an heir,' Legolas responded, though he was relieved. Elessar was going to have an heir with Arwen, which made it easier for him to just vanish, to raise the child without his sire.

Elessar smiled and nodded, but frowned when he saw Legolas yawning. 'Rest, my friend. We can speak later.'

The King of Gondor stood, patted the Elven Prince on the shoulder, and left the room. Little did he know that 'later' would never come, for Legolas vanished a week later.

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Elessar nodded, as he listened to Legolas finally finish that story, though the Elf omitted the parts about who Elleelen's sire was.

'So you chose to leave to keep from being disgraced,' Elessar mused. 'What happened after that?'

Legolas lowered his gaze slightly, before bringing his face up to look Elessar directly in the face. 'I returned to Mirkwood, to tell my father…'

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Flashback

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'You're WHAT?' Thranduil yelled, seething. The Elven king glared directly at his youngest son, as he sat upon his throne in Mirkwood.

'I'm expecting a child, Father. I believe I already said this twice,' Legolas replied, not really surprised by Thranduil's reaction. He was the unofficial Crown Prince and he had a reputation to maintain. However, it was not as though he had deliberately set out to have a child, especially with Elessar. Legolas had had more time to grow used to the idea than his father had, and he believed that he would be a good parent to his child.

Thranduil narrowed his eyes. 'I do hope you aren't planning on having this child, Legolas, especially since you refuse to name the sire or wed him.'

Legolas gasped and instinctively crossed his arms over his slender waist. 'I am going to have my child, whether or not his or her sire acknowledges it.'

'If you do, then you must leave Mirkwood and travel far away from here. I will give you money, but you cannot return, for you will no longer be my son,' Thranduil sternly informed his son, believing that would make Legolas reconsider his plan.

'If you will not acknowledge your grandchild or me, then I do not want your money,' Legolas countered. He would not even consider not having his child, for it was innocent, no matter of the consequences of its birth.

The Elven king refused to back down, so Legolas left again, taking only items that were precious to him, as well as some food, honey mead, and other provisions.

By the time Thranduil relented, it was too late; Legolas was nowhere to be found.

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Legolas' voice grew solemn as he murmured, 'And I have not seen him since he ordered me to leave Mirkwood all those years ago, with the knowledge that I was no longer his son.'

'That was a little harsh of him,' Elessar muttered disapprovingly. He rather believed that Thranduil should have supported his son instead of banishing him for bearing a child without being married.

'Father always had high expectations for me,' Legolas replied. 'Until that day, I was to be the one to succeed my father in being King of Mirkwood. I suppose he has already chosen one of my brothers to do so.'

Elessar questioned, 'Why didn't you simply speak the truth and let the secret of Elleelen's sire out, at least to your father?'

Legolas shook his head. 'Father would have forced him to divorce his wife and marry me. If I ever marry, I want it to be for love and for no other reason.'

'Must you always be stubborn, Legolas? One day it will prove your downfall,' Elessar said pointedly. 'Who is Elleelen's sire?'

'I will not say, for I do not wish to bring disgrace upon him.' Legolas licked his lips slightly and glanced away from his handsome friend. 'Let it be, Elessar.'

'I cannot,' Elessar growled, barely able to keep his hands from reaching out to touch the beauty sitting near him.

Legolas stated firmly, 'You must. If our friendship has ever meant anything to you, then let it go, my friend.'

Elessar scowled. 'Damn it, Legolas!' he demanded. 'I have the right to know the truth!' He still wondered over the boy's sire.

'Arrogance is not very becoming to you, Elessar,' Legolas snapped, before he stood, intending to return to his bed. 'If you wish to speak with me, kindly refrain from making demands.'

'You will not go anywhere until you answer me,' Elessar said. He lashed out with his right foot, causing the unsuspecting Elf to trip and fall. The Man was on him in a instant as Legolas managed to sit up, before two arms seized him by the waist and pulled him over to Elessar.

Legolas tried not to moan, feeling a heady warmth spreading through him. It didn't matter what he thought; his body loved it when Elessar touched him. It sang with desire, as he was pressed against his friend. Legolas could not have broken free even if he wanted to. His passion and desire was his weakness; Elessar was the only one he responded to with such fervor.

'Let me go,' he whispered, trembling as he tried not to show his friend just how his touch was enough to drive him to forget everything else, to savor this moment…

Elessar enjoyed the feel of the writhing Elven body in his arms. Perhaps, if he was able to lower Legolas' defenses through this contact, his friend would reveal Elleelen's sire. Though Elessar wanted to take Legolas here and now, as the blond head tilted back, revealing the desire in the jade eyes that were glazed with it.

One hand remained around Legolas' waist, while the other drifted down to the waistband of his leggings, teasing the former Elven Prince. Legolas whimpered and pressed back against Elessar's chest, when the Man pulled him directly onto his lap, holding him tightly.

'Enjoying this?' Elessar whispered in a pointed ear, seeing the emotions that Legolas vainly struggled to hide in his eyes.

Legolas moaned, 'Why are you doing this?' He shifted slightly, and gasped when he felt the desire of the Man holding him.

Elessar replied, 'Because I want to… and you want me to. All I ask is that you simply answer my question.'

'No,' Legolas hissed, anger entering into his eyes. Both his desire and his anger bloomed inside of the Elf, fighting for control. He fought to get free, but his body did not want to be free. So he remained where he was, a victim of his desire.

Gentle nips were given to the Elf, before a tongue licked the pointed tip of one of his ears, making its way down to his white, pale throat. The hand at his waistband entered his leggings, making Legolas arch slightly, before he grew accustomed to it. He nearly wept when the hand ceased moving.

'Just tell me a name, Legolas,' Elessar purred, though he really did not care right now. The soft cries of his friend meant more to him now, but he wanted to know if his suspicion was correct, in who the boy's sire was.

'I-I…' Legolas began helplessly. 'I c-can't.'

Elessar inwardly sighed, before he maneuvered his hand harder.

Legolas choked out, 'Dunadan!'

Elessar immediately stopped what he was doing. 'Dunadan? That's an old name that I haven't heard in a while, Legolas. One of the Dunadain is his sire?'

'No,' Legolas said, though he knew that Elessar had seen right through that lie. The Elf broke free of the grasp he was in, freeing himself from the torments that were trying to undo him. He stood and looked down at Elessar.

'Which Dunadan? Do you even know?' Elessar questioned, bitter jealousy spurring that remark. 'How many were you with, my promiscuous friend?'

Legolas yelled furiously, 'Of course I know which of the Dunadan is Elleelen's sire! I am not a whore, because the only Dunadan I was ever with was you!' The Elf gasped and placed a hand over his mouth, just now realizing what he had said.

Legolas paled drastically and fled the scene, leaving Elessar behind.

To be continued