Disclaiming: I don't own the characters, and I did not create them. That honor belongs solely to J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a genius. I'm just borrowing them to play with them for a while. I'll return them soon. Also, Legolas's Elvish is thanks to the lovely people on the Elvish 101 thread at fanforum.com.
Immortality
He arrived in Rivendell for the Council of Elrond in the afternoon, going there at his father's request. Although, he thought, he would have gone of his own accord once he discovered who else was attending the Council.
He pledged his bow and his life to the halfling, and undertook the quest, in the company the Lord of Rivendell declared the Fellowship of the Ring. As an Elf, he did not fear death.
But even so, he would not enter the Mines of Moria.
"I cannot," he said softly, his lips close to the Man's ear.
"You must," the Man replied, he reached out and caught a small Hobbit wrist. "Do not disturb the water," he told the halfling.
"Gandalf fears to enter this place," the Elf said, in a voice low and meant for the Ranger's ears only.
"He gave the choice to Frodo. We will go into the mines," the Ranger said.
"I do not wish to go, but if you think the Ringbearer makes the right choice, I will follow you all."
The Ranger smiled and the doors into the Mines were opened.
~`~
"Something troubles you, beloved."
Legolas tipped his head back and looked up. Aragorn stood beside him. The Elf found it strange that he had not felt the other's approach. Though, having so soon lost a member of their company—a great and much loved member, at that—and leaving Moria and being then in Lothlorien, he had not the heart to notice.
"Yes, I am troubled," Legolas admitted, looking back down at the surface of the water, his blond hair falling like a curtain to hide his face from the Ranger.
Aragorn moved to sit beside him. "And you would tell me what this is?" he asked. "Something about the quest troubles your heart, love?"
"No, the quest does not trouble me, not truly. I fear for the Hobbits, and for you and for Boromir and Gimli, but not for myself. I do not fear death, and am therefore not troubled." Legolas told him.
"She told me that when she took Frodo and set out for Rivendell. She did not fear the Nazgul. She was immortal." Aragorn said. He pushed back the curtain of hair that hid his lover's face. "As you are."
"You do not lie well, Man," Legolas said. He reached out and parted the neck of Aragorn's shirt, placing his hand flat on the warm skin, his thumb on the necklace that Arwen had gifted to Aragorn before her father's council. "She fears death now the way any mortal does."
"You speak of what you do not know." Aragorn told him.
"I speak the truth, both you and I know this. She gifted you her immortality. She will live only one lifetime."
"I did not want this gift."
"No, but your heart is torn. I cannot give my immortality to be with you Aragorn." Legolas said.
Aragorn let go of Legolas's hair. "I have never known you to speak so," he said, his voice soft, as he was shocked by the Elf's words.
"Yet you have known me to always speak the truth, and that is so. I cannot give you my immortality, King of Men."
"I would not ask it of you." He stood and walked away.
"Amin mela lle1, Aragorn," Legolas whispered to the still waters.
~`~
"You seem ill, Legolas," Boromir said to him, as they rested in Lothlorien.
"How could I be?" Legolas asked. "Elves do not fall ill."
"You are paler than normal, tired seeming."
"It is nothing. Perhaps I am just tired and the rest is all your imagination."
"Perhaps," Boromir conceded, as was much unlike the Man of Gondor. But he did not take his eyes from the Prince of Mirkwood, and he did not ever truly agree.
~`~
Legolas sank to the ground and leaned against a rock as the Men pulled the boats onto the shore.
"Will you not help us, Elf?" Gimli asked.
"I am weary," the Elf said. It was true, though it should not have been. He was exhausted from paddling the boats down the river.
Aragorn knelt next to him. "Stop this, beloved. You and I both know what you are doing, if no one else does."
"I will not give you my immortality," Legols told him. "No matter how I love you."
Aragorn froze. Love? No, certainly not. Arwen loved him, he believed, but this Elf? The Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas?
"You will not keep your immortality for yourself if you do not stop this," Aragorn said. He was annoyed, and at the same time, scared.
The rest of the company stood behind them, watching.
"I thought that an elf couldn't get sick," Pippin said. Merry hushed him. "Well, he can't die, can he? Elves are immortal."
"Pippin!" Merry said.
"Oh, Elves can die," Boromir said. "But only two ways."
"How?" Pippin asked.
"They can die in battle," Boromir explained, his eyes not leaving the figures of Legolas and Aragorn against the rocks near the water's edge. "Or of a broken heart."
"Aragorn, I would give anything to make it stop," Legolas said.
"You are the only one that can control that, beloved." Aragorn said.
"I cannot…"
"You MUST."
He jerked Legolas roughly to his feet and slapped the very pale face sharply. "You are much like a child, for all you have seen thousands of years." Aragorn said harshly. "I do not want your immortality as well, and I will not see you die pining away for something you already have!"
"Amin hiraetha, mela2." Legolas said. Color had come bright into his cheeks when Aragorn had slapped him and reprimanded him as though he were a child, and the child of a Man at that. He stood on his own then, almost angry, but at the same time, thankful.
"What did he say?" Pippin whispered.
"I do not know," Boromir replied.
Legolas turned to Frodo. "I apologize to you, Frodo Baggins. Your path is hard enough without a childish Elf hindering your progress."
Frodo stared at him for a moment, then nodded.
~`~
"And you will marry Arwen? Elrond has at last given you his permission to take his daughter's hand?" Legolas asked. Water splashed down the cliff face and Aragorn held his hands beneath it. The moonlight shone on the wet strands of Legolas's blond hair.
"Yes," Aragorn said. "If she is willing to forsake the immortal life of her people, I can take her hand in marriage. She deserves that for her sacrifice."
"Yes, she does," Legolas agreed, and slid into the pool, diving deep and coming up beneath the waterfall. "Things will be different."
"Yes," Aragorn agreed. Legolas swam to him. "You and Gimli will enjoy your travels, I'm sure."
"I do not look forward to exploring caves any more than I am sure he looks ahead to walking the paths of the Fangorn Forest."
"No, I'm sure not."
"This is the last time we will stand here together." Legolas did not bother to make it a question.
"Our paths will cross again, someday."
"Perhaps."
Neither believed it. They stood in the water and the moonlight for a long time, almost carefree now that the War of the Ring had ended.
"We must return," Aragorn said finally.
"Yes," Legolas agreed, and stepped from the pool, his bare body ever graceful in the moonlight.
"I do not wish it to be any other way," Aragorn said.
"I know. And as much as it pains me to admit it, I would not want it to be any other way." Legolas admitted. Aragorn also climbed from the pool.
"Amin hiraetha3, Legolas."
"Do not apologize to me, Aragorn, and especially not in my own language. I have a hard enough time letting go…"
They were silent as they dressed. They were silent as they walked back to the gathering. On the edge of the torchlight, Aragorn stopped and took Legolas's hand in his.
"I will see you again, someday," Aragorn said, "Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood."
"It is my fondest wish, Aragorn, King of Men." Legolas said. "Amin mela lle4."
"And I you, and always will," Aragorn said. "Regardless of how much time I pass with the Evenstar, you will always be more beautiful in my eyes."
He kissed Legolas once more, a last kiss that would linger on both pairs of lips for a lifetime and more, and he was gone.
Legolas did not return to the gathering.
~`~
Footnotes:
1: Amin mela lle—I love you, in Quenya Elvish. According to Elvish 101, Quenya is the purest form of Elvish, and most peoples of Middle-Earth speak Sindarin Elvish, which is the more common form. There was no readily available list of words in Sindarin Elvish.
2: Amin hiraetha, mela—I'm sorry, love, in Quenya Elvish. See note 1.
3: Amin hiraetha—I'm sorry, in Quenya Elvish. See 1.
4: Amin mela lle – I love you, in Quenya Elvish. See 1.