:::Notes::: ` Elvish ` :::::
Broken
Aragorn approaches the the West Gate of Bree. It is well into the night, and judging by the position and shadow of the moon, he could tell that it was at least eleven o'clock. He himself was beginning to feel the fatigue the night brought, and his Stallion had felt that long ago. The King steps down from his horse and knocks on the large wooden door. A peephole is opened and a blue elderly eye looks through. He quickly recognized the man as "Strider" and let him in, the earlier paranoia disappearing as he laid his eyes on a trusful ranger.
Aragorn nods his thanks and enters gratefully along with his companion. They walk to the stables, where Aragorn releases his horse and pays the stable boy before walking out. He then turns to search for the Inn, and as he found it, he practically ran with anticipation of finding Reinin with the great news of finding Legolas. He had a feeling of some sort that the Elf would be there. Opening the doors, he searches immediately through the still-crowded pub. In his urgency, he didn't notice his General gracefully near him.
" Ah, Aragorn," The King sharply turns to his best commrad and smiles.
" The man of the hour," his spirits lifts as Reinin's hand meets his in a handshake. " I've been looking for you."
" I know you have been," Reinin takes back his hand. His features change into feign despair as he sighs. Aragorn's mood changes right into his.
" You have not found him?" His travel worn gloved hand rakes through his tousled hair in disappointment, frustration, and hurt. " But why? W-we've searched everywhere! What makes him hide from me so, Reinin?" His brows furrow and his pure grey eyes fight back tears. " I don't understand anymore. Why...why does he hide from me?" his voice falls and he leans against the wall by the double doors.
For a moment, Reinin had actually believed it was like previous times: when they would result empty handed after they searched for the King's lost love. He places his hand on Aragorn's shoulder, and peers into his dismal grey eyes, suddenly remembering the opposite of what had happened throughout all their other searches. " My King, please cheer up. " He smiles gently as grey eyes meet his soft brown ones. " Rest here for the night, but wake up before dawn and come down to the pub. It'll make you feel better, Aragorn. Or at least I am certain it will." Reinin silently remembers telling Legolas the very exact thing about arriving there as well. He had anticipated Aragorn's arrival, and he wanted to brighten his King; for as much as he loved and cared for Legolas, he was loyal to the King of his rare Race. The pain the elf brought to the King was dismissed now, and hopefully they would be able to start off with clean slates.
Aragorn nods numbly, his fatigue getting the best of him. " Yes, I think I will. Thank you, Reinin."
~*~
Legolas opens his eyes as the sky of night was lessening. Dawn is arriving soon, and Legolas would be ready to head down to the pub. He just didn't know why Reinin had told him to go down there. What could possibly cheer him up? He can admit that he hasn't been the same during the past decade, but he was happy.
The Elf rises out of bed and walks to the shower. Surely if Reinin had said it would be comforting, it would be. But how could he possibly know that? Reinin, that is.
Aragorn had already dried off from the bath, and he is pulling on his leggings. Last night was the best sleep he had gotten in weeks, but he was still a light sleeper, and no matter how much sleep he got, he would still wake up early.Or maybe he just was eager to see what Reinin wants him to.
Taking his belongings, he leaves the room and moves down the flight of stairs and halls to the main floor.
Legolas had taken a quick shower and left his chamber with his weapons. That's all he brought with him these days of traveling. In trees were where he slept, and sometimes he had a diet of fruits and vegetables in the wild. The years have changed him so much, and the closing of his heart changed him even more. Ellesar had taught him that the day he announced his engagement to the Company. These very thoughts haunted Legolas to toughen him up, or to teach him a lesson he never learned through his years of life. He didn't want it that way, but it was like a plague in his mind; like a famine that spread whenever the time was right. It seems as if the first experience of love for him, had to be the worst...and maybe the last.
Legolas shakes his head to rid him of his musings as he walks down the stairs in the pub. There were still some things that held him together still.
He fully steps into the less crowded area. There were some others still there but they were talking quietly among themselves in the corners, or away from the main floor. Legolas looks around to his left for his friend, but he didn't find him there. Reinin was never late, especially if he set the occasion himself. A small frown appears on his face and he turns to his left, bumping shoulders with a man. Legolas mumbles his apology and walks on. A strong arm clenches gently on his elbow, holding him in his place. Sparks run through the stranger's spine as the contact was made.
"L-Legolas?" The voice was too low and soft for the Elf to make out, but he turns around anyway. The surprise and intense disbelieving in the voice aroused his curiosity.
" Do I know you?" His Elven keen eyes meet grey ones as he looks up from the man's shoulder. He immediately recognized them, but hid his shock. " Elessar..." The name was in a low whisper, and Legolas recovered it. He wanted to to prove to Elessar that he wasn't weak anymore, even though the Mortals' King did not know it, and he wanted to prove it to himself as well.
As his eyes take the emotion of friendly impassiveness, he smiles faintly. " King Elessar, it is nice to see you again." Whatever Aragorn was prepared for, it was not this.
The Elf practically abandoned him and he says: it is nice to see you again? The King was angered, but did well to surpress it. He feels relieved as he had finally found his long lost love. Emotions of all flash in his grey eyes as he embraces his old companion.
They stand there quietly. Aragorn was holding back tears of joy and angiush, while Legolas barely returned the gesture. They were both caught up in their own feelings to do anything within their characters. Aragorn was frustrated at the fact that Legolas wasn't hugging him back or anything. He was just standing there, captive in his arms as though he doesn't even know him. Legolas was shocked, but he holds it all through his impassiveness, and slightly withdrawls. He looks into the King's eyes and holds the gaze, reading Aragorn's emotions.
Pain, anger, and anguish flare as noticable as fire. The Elf didn't know what to say. These ten years have softened the King, and his emotions were easier to read. Arwen's doing, I see> Legolas thinks to himself as he smiles faintly at the effect the Fair Lady often had on him. It was in a way hurting the Elf to think about it, but he didn't care. The pain was all in the past, and now he is stronger, and he had already moved on. " What bothers you, Elessar?"
Aragorn looks into the cerulean orbs with desperate pleading. His Elf had changed. He hid his emotions, he was impassive most of the time, and insisted on avoiding any closeness Aragorn provided. A fierce innosence replaced his childish one, and his bright face dimmed slightly with wisdom and fine composure. This hadn't unsettled Aragorn. He was just simply surprised and more attracted to the Prince of Wood-Elves. " Legolas," he finally speaks in a breathless whisper. " it's been so long...what happened? I've missed you so much." He just felt like crying onto the shoulder of the one he loved and declare unconditional love. " It's been so long..."
Legolas searches Aragorn's eyes before speaking, and choosing his words wisely. It looked as though the King was one step closer to the edge, and he was about to break. " I am sorry for so, Elessar. Space was needed for both you and I, and Arwen. I thought it would be best if you just kept everything with her."
Aragorn nodds silently, although feeling a bit of untruthfulness in his love's voice. The cerulean orbs have changed, and he could no longer easily read the emotions moving within the Elf's eyes. He had missed him so much, and now that he had finally found him, why was he hesitating? Was it because it was obvious that Legolas was not interested? Or that the Elf might be disgusted? It could have been so, and the two options were more likely so than anything else.
Moments pass by in silence. Neither one had anything to say to the other. Legolas would have excused himself, but Aragorn looked as though he could not bare it. It seemed like when Legolas had gotten stronger in his emotions, Aragorn had gotten weaker. However, he didn't notice that this change in the mortal King's self was only because of him.
" Alas. I have gotten the two of you to at least see each other," Reinin appears from the stairway, in where the man and elf had not bothered to move from. The two look up at him. One with bewilderment, and one with great pleasing and gratefulness. Despite that, the General continues without a glitch. " 'Twas not easy, to say the least." His brown eyes sprakle softly as he gazes at the two together. As much as he cared or even loved Legolas, he found that this was right. Aragorn and Legolas were right for each other, and his flame for Legolas changed into a flame for matchmaking. He realized his time would come for love when it would in the end.
The Wood Elf arches an eyebrow, and looks at Aragorn, catching the gaze he set on the Man. Had he planned this? He was literally searching for the Elf? This slightly angered Legolas. Aragorn used Reinin to find him? How...how low!
Legolas puts on an expression of anger and revulsion. The thought of why the King wanted to find him, or that he shouldn't think so rationally, didn't come to his mind as he pushes the man away from him. Aragorn was so unaware, that he almost fell over. Hurt and rejection shone in his eyes as Legolas glared at him.
" You are unbelievable, Son of Arathorn!" he hisses in rage through clenched teeth. ` Who did you think you are?! ` His eyes flash to a midnight blue as Aragorn gains his composure and looks pleadingly into the Elf's cold orbs.
" Legolas, what do you mean?" Inside his heart was crying as he saw his love infuriated with him. But why, was the question. One moment he was so nonchalant, and the net he's burning with rage. Aragorn searches silently for answers through his imploring eyes. " Legolas..."
` Don't you dare, Elessar ` Legolas says in a hushed voice, falling into his native tongue. Pain and anger from the past ten years welled up inside, and he could only let them out on the person who created them. But before he could say something to hurt the King even more, Reinin steps between them and faces Legolas with kind, but questioning eyes.
" What is it, my friend, that troubles you?" Legolas looks into the sincere eyes of light brown, as his own soften a little.
" Reinin, I am sorry, but I cannot bare to look at that man behind you," true to his words, his gaze was only fixed on the General, and nowhere else. What he didn't see, but could feel, however, was Aragorn's devestaing soul. No attention was spared to him as Legolas waves a dismissive hand. " I must leave now. But 'twas great to see you again, Reinin. I have forgotten how much I've missed you, but I am certain I will have a memo on it sooner than we should think." His lips break into a soft smile. " Take care, my good friend, for I wish to see you again." Reinin just nodds hesitantly, fearing the sanity of his King. For Legolas just brushed him off as nothing. The Elf leaves quietly, but his emotions more bruised than they have ever been.
Legolas knew that he had hurt Aragorn, however, it was nothing compared to what he felt over the passed ten years. It wasn't Aragorn's fault, but Legolas took it all out on him, and refused to have any contact with the Man. He swiftly walks to the door, and passes two others that enter through the left. All he saw was a flash of moonlight and then midnight as he steps out the door. A firm grasp is on his wrist before he saw the dawn in the east, and thought it to be Aragorn.
` Will you just leave me be?! `
` I'm afraid I can't do that, my young prince,` responds a smooth low voice in Elvish as well. Legolas suddenly freezes, racking his mind for the recognition of the familiar tune.