Elrond headed towards Legolas' quarters, hoping that was where the
elf retreated to.
"Father wait!"
Elrond turned to look at his daughter running through the hallway.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It-it's me. . . isn't it. . .?" Arwen asked tentatively.
"What?"
"Me, it's me. I'm the cause of all this- the object of Legolas' affection, the one who's 'killing' him!" she groaned.
Elrond sighed and looked at the Eveningstar of the elves, he nodded. The agony and confusion imprinted upon his daughter's fair face tore him up inside.
She looked at him, pure helplessness showing in her eyes, "What- what do I do?" she asked quietly.
Elrond shook his head sadly, "I cannot tell you- it's not my decision to make. . . Although it would be fair to let Aragorn know. . ."
"Aragorn," Arwen sighed, "Y-you tell him, I can't do it."
"It's not my place to do so," Elrond refused.
"But- but I can't tell Aragorn!" she looked pleadingly at her father.
"Can't tell Aragorn what?" asked a voice.
Arwen turned and found herself facing her husband. Elrond took the opportunity to turn and swiftly leave the setting, "I wish I could help you," he muttered as he turned the corner
"Can't tell me what?" Aragorn repeated.
"I-I," Arwen stumbled, unable to meet Aragorn's gaze, "It- it is I for whom Legolas is dying. . ."
Aragorn stood, taken aback, his eyes widened and his mouth opened to speak, but no words managed to find their way out. The king of men found a strange mix of pain, sadness, and anger settling in his heart.
"Say something," Arwen looked her husband, taking his hand in hers.
He pulled his hand away, "I don't know what to say," Aragorn shook his head, "do what you must," With that, he turned and left, leaving Arwen standing alone in the hallway.
* * *
Legolas sat in an armchair in the library within Rivendell, his knees pulled up to his chest. The elf smiled sadly to himself as he recalled the number of times he spent here as a child.
"Seeking the solace of the books?" Elrohir's voice broke through Legolas' train of thought.
"There is no solace for one condemned to the fate of a broken heart," Legolas muttered without looking up.
Elrohir sighed, sitting in a chair opposite his friend, "Tell me, mellonamin my friend, who is it that troubles your heart so? Which she- elf captured the heart of the Prince of Mirkwood?"
Legolas brought his piercing blue eyes up to meet Elrohir's, "Arwen. . .your sister. . ."
Elrohir first seemed shocked, but then nodded, "No matter what happens, Legolas, none of us will let you fade away."
"What choice do you have?" Legolas turned his head away, trying to hide the tears that had been falling steadily for the last hour.
"Any, anything but the loss of a friend," Elrohir replied.
"Father wait!"
Elrond turned to look at his daughter running through the hallway.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It-it's me. . . isn't it. . .?" Arwen asked tentatively.
"What?"
"Me, it's me. I'm the cause of all this- the object of Legolas' affection, the one who's 'killing' him!" she groaned.
Elrond sighed and looked at the Eveningstar of the elves, he nodded. The agony and confusion imprinted upon his daughter's fair face tore him up inside.
She looked at him, pure helplessness showing in her eyes, "What- what do I do?" she asked quietly.
Elrond shook his head sadly, "I cannot tell you- it's not my decision to make. . . Although it would be fair to let Aragorn know. . ."
"Aragorn," Arwen sighed, "Y-you tell him, I can't do it."
"It's not my place to do so," Elrond refused.
"But- but I can't tell Aragorn!" she looked pleadingly at her father.
"Can't tell Aragorn what?" asked a voice.
Arwen turned and found herself facing her husband. Elrond took the opportunity to turn and swiftly leave the setting, "I wish I could help you," he muttered as he turned the corner
"Can't tell me what?" Aragorn repeated.
"I-I," Arwen stumbled, unable to meet Aragorn's gaze, "It- it is I for whom Legolas is dying. . ."
Aragorn stood, taken aback, his eyes widened and his mouth opened to speak, but no words managed to find their way out. The king of men found a strange mix of pain, sadness, and anger settling in his heart.
"Say something," Arwen looked her husband, taking his hand in hers.
He pulled his hand away, "I don't know what to say," Aragorn shook his head, "do what you must," With that, he turned and left, leaving Arwen standing alone in the hallway.
* * *
Legolas sat in an armchair in the library within Rivendell, his knees pulled up to his chest. The elf smiled sadly to himself as he recalled the number of times he spent here as a child.
"Seeking the solace of the books?" Elrohir's voice broke through Legolas' train of thought.
"There is no solace for one condemned to the fate of a broken heart," Legolas muttered without looking up.
Elrohir sighed, sitting in a chair opposite his friend, "Tell me, mellonamin my friend, who is it that troubles your heart so? Which she- elf captured the heart of the Prince of Mirkwood?"
Legolas brought his piercing blue eyes up to meet Elrohir's, "Arwen. . .your sister. . ."
Elrohir first seemed shocked, but then nodded, "No matter what happens, Legolas, none of us will let you fade away."
"What choice do you have?" Legolas turned his head away, trying to hide the tears that had been falling steadily for the last hour.
"Any, anything but the loss of a friend," Elrohir replied.