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Return of the Fellowship

Part 12

A.J. Matthews

Aragorn cradled Legolas's lifeless body in his arms, sobbing. The others watched him, horror and grief showing in theirs eyes and tears.

"Don't let go. Not now! Please don't give up!" Aragorn whispered. "I love you. But why do you have to die!" He knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his face.

Frodo was sobbing. "Why didn't we come sooner?" he wept.

Sam looked stricken and pale. "Legolas!" the hobbit cried.

"Come back!" Merry shouted, trembling.

"Please, Legolas. We need you!" Pippin shouted. "It won't be the same without you!"

"Crazy elf," Gimli whispered, a single tear shining on his cheek.

"Aragorn, there is nothing you can do for him," Gandalf said gently. "Legolas used all of his strength to save us."

Angadae watched the Company as they wept and grieved. For some reason, he felt like crying as well.

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Spirit Realm

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Legolas didn't know where he was. He looked around, and saw only a bright white light surrounding him.

A figure appeared before him, and Legolas gasped.

"Arwen? How can this be?" Legolas felt so calm and peaceful.

"Legolas," Arwen said sadly. "Can you not hear Aragorn calling for you?" Tears ran down her face.

"I must have died," Legolas whispered. "But I defeated the darkness at the same time. Yet my heart aches so for one I love." He closed his eyes in sorrow, thinking of Aragorn.

"You must go back, Legolas. It's not your time yet. Listen carefully."

Legolas listened and was shocked to hear Aragorn's voice, pleading for him not to die.

"Aragorn," he said softly. He looked at Arwen. "He needs me."

"Listen harder."

Legolas could hear the hobbits and Gimli whispering his name. He looked at Arwen. "What shall I do?"

"You must go back to them."

"How?" Legolas asked softly. "How do I go back?"

"Aragorn has made it possible, Legolas, as have you. Just reach out and grab it. Your own soul shall be returned to you, as a reward." Arwen smiled at him gently. "Take care of the ones I love."

"I will," Legolas promised.

Arwen vanished.

A new figure appeared in front of him. It was a male figure, shining with a light that Legolas knew only too well.

"You have done well, Legolas. The darkness was banished from the man known as Angadae."

"I am glad for that," Legolas said. Pain shone in his eyes, and he felt it in his heart as well.

"Because you have succeeded, you may have one boon granted to you. You could even live again, if you so wished." The figure gazed at him serenely.

"I want Aragorn and Aradia to be immortal, as the elves are," Legolas said quietly. "For he shall forget me soon, and find another to love. I cannot be selfish and answer my own desires. For I would desire nothing more than to spend eternity with the one I love. And his daughter should not die before him, for I love her as my own."

"It shall be done, Legolas. You are a noble elf. Fortune may yet smile upon you."

The figure vanished in a twinkling light.

A silvery thread caught Legolas's attention. It was the only thing in this world of whiteness that stood out. Legolas caught it in his hands.

*****************

Shadow Mountain

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Gandalf touched Aragorn's shoulder. "Come, Aragorn, we must be off."

Aragorn nodded slowly and froze as a ball of white light emerged from Legolas's motionless body and hovered in front of him. A male figure shrouded in white appeared in the center of the light.

The hobbits, Gimli, and Gandalf were frozen in time and space. They neither heard nor saw the conversation Aragorn had with the spirit.

"We meet at last, Aragorn," an ethereal voice said.

"Who are you?" Aragorn was shocked.

"The incarnation of good. The light of EƤrendil," the voice whispered. "The previous bearer of the Ring of Light, who was defeated by Angadae centuries ago."

Aragorn gasped softly. "And Lady Galadrial used that power to save his life. So you are why he changed so much."

"Yes, indeed, King Elessar. Legolas's will and mine became one. But it was his love for you that made him strong." The figure looked at Aragorn with compassion. "He has made his wish, Aragorn."

A light appeared around Aragorn.

"What is this?" he asked the figure in white.

"Legolas has requested that you be immortal, as the elves are. For he cast a spell on you, in case he should die. You are forgetting him, are you not?"

"Why did he die?" Aragorn asked sadly. "I do not wish to live without him."

"He used too much power at once, Aragorn. Much more power than I had thought possible. You see, Aragorn, Legolas's spirit and mine joined as one to defeat this evil when he was attacked. He would never have survived without me."

"So he died when the soul eaters attacked him?" Aragorn was stricken.

"No. He survived, by the power of Lady Galadrial and myself. She chose well in him."

"But he's dead now," Aragorn said, bowing his head.

"You have a chance to bring him back, King Elessar. You also may have one wish, to use however you desire." The stranger looked at him, his eyes full of wisdom and understanding.

"I want Legolas back!" Aragorn said hoarsely. "The real Legolas, I mean."

"As you wish, son of Arathorn. But I will be in Legolas's subconscious, should a new evil come forth. If none does, he shall remain as himself alone. He will no longer have my powers, and the spell of protection on you will fade away." He sighed quietly. "And Legolas's Elven healing ability will not be strong enough to aid him, for he is very weak."

Aragorn nodded.

The figure gestured, and shimmered into light.

Time began flowing normally again.

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Spirit Realm

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Legolas was holding the silver thread, inspecting it, when a bright flash of light appeared around him.

Suddenly, Legolas was inside of a body that hurt all over. He let out a choking gasp that hurt.

"Legolas?" Aragorn said in joy.

"Aragorn," Legolas said in a voice filled with pain. "What happened?"

"You're alive!" Aragorn cried. He hugged Legolas hard, stopping only when the elf flinched in pain.

Frodo and the hobbits were cheering and wiping their tears away. Gimli looked relieved, and then tried to hide it. Gandalf smiled.

"I pray, not so hard, my Aragorn," Legolas whispered. "For I hurt."

"Sorry, Legolas," Aragorn said, as he held the elf more gently. "I was so happy to see you were alive again."

"I never thought I would see you again," Legolas admitted quietly. "And it made me terribly sad."

"I know how you felt, my dear one." Aragorn kissed Legolas gently, a single tear falling onto the elf's cheek, as Legolas responded as best as he could with broken ribs.

Legolas grimaced in pain as they broke apart, aware that they had a grinning audience.

Aragorn stood, and automatically reached a hand out to Legolas, to help him up. Legolas took his hand, and Aragorn pulled him to his feet.

Legolas cried out in pain as soon as he stood, and would have fallen if Aragorn hadn't caught him. "I believe I have broken a few bones and ribs, my love," he whispered in Aragorn's ears.

"So I see. Very well, then. I shall carry you," Aragorn proclaimed. He picked up his injured lover and looked down at him sternly. "You are going to be stuck in bed until you heal."

"Aragorn, I must return to Mirkwood before my nephew decides to become King," Legolas protested. He positioned his arms around Aragorn's neck, as he was cradled against his chest.

"We'll send them a letter," Aragorn said in Legolas's ear. "And when you are well, I'll show you just how much I missed you." His voice was low and seductive. Legolas blushed.

"We shall see," Legolas said, attempting to remain dignified.

"Come on, you two!" Frodo cried. "Let's go home now!"

"All right, Frodo," Aragorn said.

Gandalf led the way out, followed by Gimli. The amnesiac Angadae walked behind Gimli. The hobbits were walking just in front of Aragorn and Legolas, who kept whispering to each other.

Every now and then, one or more of the hobbits would look back at them, grin, turn away, and whisper to the others.

Aragorn and Legolas didn't really notice. They were too busy gazing at each other with love and contentment.

"I may have to get injured more often, Aragorn, if you will always carry me like this," Legolas said in a low whisper.

"Don't even think about it," Aragorn said, grinning. "For I do not want to see you like that again."

Legolas rested his face against Aragorn's chest. "I was so afraid I would never see you again, Aragorn."

"I thought I'd lost you forever," Aragorn murmured.

"Never," Legolas said strongly, before wincing. He looked at Aragorn seriously. "Do you mind that you are now immortal, along with Aradia?"

"No, Legolas," Aragorn whispered. "For now I shall have many, many lifetimes with you. And Aradia will never leave me, until the day she is ready to strike out on her own."

"As long as you want me, I'll be yours, Aragorn," Legolas vowed softly.

"I shall want you forever, beautiful one," Aragorn said huskily. "For you belong to me."

"Don't forget that you belong to me, Aragorn," Legolas told him. "And I do not let go of what is mine."

"Good," Aragorn said, as he kissed Legolas once more.

To be concluded