Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters appearing in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

A/N: The elvish glossary is at the bottom of the page.

Aragorn looked down the path over the wastelands and smiled. It had been too long since he'd been back here, to Mirkwood. It had been too long since he'd seen the friends who lived here.

The life of a wanderer was a hard one, but it was worth the price. Most of the time.

The ranger started across the long strip of barren ground. He didn't want to be caught out there come nightfall.

Once he'd reached it, the wood was an unusual mix of comfort, welcome, malice, and warning. Aragorn loosened his sword in its sheath and cast a nervous glance around him. He wished Thranduil's palace was closer to the edge of the forest...

An arrow struck the tree directly to the left of his head, quivering in the trunk. "Next one goes through your eye, human!" a voice called out in accented common. "Tell us who you are and what your business is here!"

Aragorn sighed. After all this time, they still snuck up on him. Maybe by the time he'd reached him hundredth year, he'd be able to detect the elves' presence. "I am called Strider," he shouted back, "friend to your prince, Legolas Greenleaf."

The branches of several nearby trees rustled, and ten elves dropped to the ground before him. One squinted at him. "Aragorn?"

The ranger grinned as he recognized the elf. "Falior, mae govannen!"

Falior laughed merrily. "Suilad, son of Arathorn! My eyes see with joy! It has been too long! Come back with us to the palace. Legolas will be glad indeed to see you."

"And I him."

Falior and another elf named Meriliel led Aragorn to Thranduil's castle, laughing and smiling. Aragorn was glad to be among them once more.

The palace was just as he had remembered it. It was good to know that some things never really changed.

"Aragorn!"

The ranger turned and smiled broadly. "Legolas!"

The elf ran up the path to greet him. He held out a hand, which Aragorn took and used to pull his friend into a bear hug. Legolas gave a small, undignified "oof!" of surprise before returning the embrace with equal enthusiasm. "What took you so long to return?" he asked as they broke apart.

Aragorn shrugged. "The life of a wanderer, nin mellon."

Legolas rolled his eyes and led the way up the path. "If you keep running off like that, you will get yourself killed."

"So my family has been telling me for years."

"They are right, you know. When you leave Mirkwood this time, I will come and look after you."

Aragorn halted abruptly. "What kind of crazed masochist are you?" he asked incredulously.

"Very amusing. I am growing bored, Aragorn."

"Bored? Here?"

"Yes. I need a quick adventure."

"Be careful what you wish for, friend."

Legolas raised his eyebrows. "Do not try to tell me what to do, son of Arathorn. And so not try to dissuade me."

"You can't be serious!"

"Why not?"

"Legolas, the last time we left Mirkwood together, we each were almost killed on more than one occasion! We faced orcs, torture, cave-ins, giant spiders..." The ranger's voice trailed off.

"Dwarves," Legolas added. "Do not forget the dwarves."

"Exactly! And you want to go through that again?"

"It would be a change. I need a change."

Aragorn threw up his hands. Legolas smiled slightly. "Aragorn, I am not a child. I am merely bored." His smile widened. "Besides, I do not see how you could stop me. Where do you plan to go next?"

Aragorn sighed and grinned. "I can't say I'm unhappy to have you coming with me, but what will your father say?"

"He is not responsible for me, but he agrees that it has grown tiresome here since your last visit. I am released from my duties—for a time, at least. Now, where are we going?"

Aragorn threw back his head and laughed. "Ah, Legolas, I have missed you!"

"Then stop treating me as if I were less than you!" Legolas protested. "I can still outfight you, human!"

Without breaking stride, Legolas kicked Aragorn's feet out from under him. The ranger fell over backwards, landing in an undignified heap on the stones. Legolas smiled down at him. "So there."

Aragorn scowled at him, but couldn't hold the pretense of anger for long. He grinned again. "Yes, my lord, you are still better than me. In all things, of course. I wouldn't expect anything less from—"

Legolas cuffed the side of his head good-naturedly. "Get up! My father awaits us. He, too, will be glad to see you again."

"Even if it means sending you on your way?"

"Perhaps."

I know this chapter's kinda uneventful, but it gets better. Promise.

Elvish Glossary:

avo garo: don't do it

avon: I won't

a gellam: oh joy

mae govannen: well met

Meril: "Rose"

nin mellon: my friend

meleth: love

mûl: slave

Sadron: "Faithful one"

suilad: greetings

Talagan: "Harper"

raug: demon

Rhovan: "Wild"