Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Please, please review.
A/N: Chapter set a week after the last.
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Chapter 8: Broken Hearts
Rays of the setting sun painted the forest with a golden hue. The leaves and branches danced to the soft rhythm of a gentle breeze, scattering the dying light into glittering specks of gold. A lone Elf stood in the shallows of the river, his lithe body slick with moisture from his bath, his face covered by a mask. The sun's beams colored his pale skin in shades of bronze. His flowing long hair shone like molten gold, a light that rivaled the fading sun. The creatures of the woods were reverently silent, in awe of the sight of this mysterious beauty. The only sounds to be heard were the rustling of the trees and the flow of the gentle currents, singing a harmony in honor of their enigmatic guest.
However, the soothing atmosphere of the ravine was unable to calm the elven prince's inner turmoil. Estel had not visited him for a whole week now, ever since the day Legolas told him there was no more he could teach the Man. He had expected it; for the past five years, he had anticipated that Aragorn would soon leave him and thought himself prepared for the occasion. But he was not. The pain in his chest was so intense that he thought he felt his broken heart torn into a million pieces and set aflame. He knew he could not fight the grief for long. The star of Earendil had passed the torch of being the hope of Middle Earth to Estel, the future King of Man. He no longer had a purpose for living.
Legolas longed to see his home one last time before he died. He would journey to Greenwood, now Mirkwood because of the evil that invaded it. But before he could leave, he must see his apprentice one last time to say farewell. They went through so much together that he felt it necessary to put a proper end to their relationship.
In truth, the Elven Prince was reluctant to leave Estel until he was sure that the Man had someone else who would share his burdens. Though many were supportive of Aragorn, they had such high expectations of him that they had only unknowingly added more weight on his shoulders. Being a noble, selfless and kind man, Estel had bore these loads without complaint, never worrying for his own well being, only wishing that he would not disappoint Middle Earth. Legolas felt that the Man should have someone to take care of him, to share his worries and fears, to have faith in him without any expectations or strings attached; a duty that the Elf was honored to assume. His last act as Estel's mentor would be to make sure that the Man would never have to face darkness alone.
A small voice in his head, however, was taunting him, mocking him for giving altruistic motives to his selfish actions. You want to see him because you wish that he would beg you not to leave. The plan is to pretend to leave so the Man would have to admit having feelings for you to make you stay. You are the most hopeless, naïve fool in Middle Earth, Legolas. Estel would only be glad to see you go so he can finally be free to do as he pleases.
Legolas knew there was some truth in his self-admonishment and shook his head in contempt. Whatever the reasons behind his actions, he must go; he needed to know the truth. He would confront the Man; if Estel truly does not care for him, he would leave. He was already dying of grief and there was nothing to lose. He would sneak into the House of Elrond tonight.
************************************************************************
Estel was wondering aimlessly around the gardens, his heart aching from the prolonged separation from Shadow. Without realizing it, he started humming a song of lost love and longing which his mentor had sung for him before.
// Wishing you were somehow here again, Wishing you were somehow near, Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed, Somehow you would be here. //
He was surprised when he heard a female voice joined him in his song, turning it into an exquisitely haunting duet.
// Wishing I could hear your voice again, Knowing that I never would, Dreaming of you won't help me to do, All that you dreamed I could. //
Her voice was beautiful and pure. The entire garden was still, captivated by their song. Estel found himself drawn to her; save for Shadow's voice, there were no sound more perfect to his ears than this maiden's. Her face was turned form him. Estel could only see her long wavy tresses, threads of dark silk floating softly in the gentle wind.
When she turned, the man swore he had never seen a more gorgeous being. With her sensitive blue eyes, her delicate face and rosy lips, the maiden looked so ethereal in her beauty that she resembled an angel from the heavens. Estel had heard of the legends of Beren and Luthien, the King of Man and most beautiful elven maiden ever born. Looking at the exquisite Elf before him, he was sure she was Luthien and called to her, "Tinuviel, Tinuviel!"
The maiden turned to him and smiled, "Who are you and why do you call me by that name?"
It took a while before Estel could find his tongue, "I am called Estel, foster son of lord Elrond. But I am born Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Isildur's heir. I called you by that name because a beauty like you could only be the elf maiden of legends."
"Well, I am not Luthien, though many had mistaken me for her. My name is Arwen. I am Lord Elrond's daughter. I have heard much about you, Estel. Perhaps you would like to join me in a walk in the gardens. I am so curious to hear more tales of your bravery and chivalry," the Elf smiled again.
Estel blushed and followed her. He could not believe he was smitten by her attention. Many elf maidens and warriors had asked him to join them in far less innocent things than walks in the gardens. She was incomparable in her beauty, but Estel was never the one to judge on a person's looks. After all, he loved Shadow despite his disfigured face.
Would you stop being so stupid? Shadow does not want you!! Not to mention you could never see him again without leading your family to him.
As much as it hurt, he must move on. He could start with opening his heart to new possibilities. He must admit he could not ask for a better potential love than the Lady Arwen.
************************************************************************
Legolas sneaked into the gardens of Rivendell without much difficulty. He was glad he did not have to use magic to conceal himself. He was afraid Lord Elrond might be able to detect his powers. For once, he was pleased to have lived that many years as the Shadow of the Forest, it had trained him to be very good at concealing himself.
He spotted Estel at the edge of a hedge maze. Seeing the man so unguarded, the elf knew he probably would not find a much better opportunity to surprise him. Silently, he moved into the tree directly behind the man. He was about to pounce when he saw her coming out of the maze.
They spoke quietly and laughed together. It was obvious they were playing a little game to see who could solve the maze faster. The Lady Arwen was every bit as beautiful as he remembered her. He had caught a glimpse of her on her journey to Lothlorien over 2000 years ago. He looked at the pair and knew immediately that they were perfect together. With the Evening Star of the Elves by his side, the Man would become a great king. As Legolas watched them tentatively held hands, he knew he would not need to speak with Estel again. The day had come when his apprentice was ready to face the challenges of the world without him. His duty was finally done...
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The following morning, Legolas began his slow journey back to Mirkwood. It was a full three weeks before he reached Lothlorien. Before, it would have taken him only ten days, but his grief had begun to take its toll on him; his strength and powers were waning. He had only walked for 5 hours, but his weariness was trying to force him to stop and rest. The elf was afraid that at this rate, he would die before he reached his home. Pre-occupied with his thoughts, the Elf did not even noticed as a team of Lòrien archers dropped from surrounding branches and aimed their arrows at him.
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"Why did you bring me here?" Legolas demanded. He was humiliated by his weakness. He couldn't even put up a fight as the Lòrien warriors carried him through the woods and brought him before Lady Galadriel.
"It is not your time, my Golden Prince. You must not die yet," spoke the Lady in his mind.
He had never liked mental communications. He could gather his remaining powers and block the Lady if he wished; but at the moment, he just did not care enough to do anything. He merely just kept his mind blank, except for his grief and pain.
Galadriel frowned. Through their connection, she could feel Legolas' pain. She truly wished that the Prince had not suffered so. But for all her powers, she knew she must not interfere with the matters of the heart. The Prince and Estel must deal with what lay between them on their own. However, she could not let the star of Earendil die. Just as Estel was the hope of Men, Legolas was the hope of the Elves. She had foreseen that only together would they be able to defeat Sauron.
"Would you look into the mirror, my Prince?" asked Galadriel, aloud for she knew Legolas would ignore her otherwise.
"Why? I know my own future. Everything else I do not need a mirror to see," the elf mage retorted.
"What about Estel, Golden One? Could you see what the future holds for him as well?"
She knew Legolas love the man too much to be able to do so. To use his magic, Legolas must concentrate and keep his mind only on the task. Strong emotions would distract the Elf mage. Aside from that, even if the Elf could control his feelings for the duration of the spell, Estel's destiny was bound to his own. As powerful as the Star of Earendil, he could not foresee all the consequences of his actions. Since Legolas had already touched the Man's life, in its own way, Estel's future was also shaped by the Elf's hands. Just as Legolas could not see his own future, he could not see Estel's.
The prince did not like the direction the conversation was heading. He could sense what Galadriel was hinting at. Something bad would happen to Estel if he died now. The mirror was controlled by her magic, so if the Lady wanted to, she could project whatever images she wished. The mage knew well enough that whatever he saw could not be trusted.
But would I gamble with Estel's life? I have lived with my pain and grief for this long out of duty to Middle Earth. What do I have to lose to exist a few more years to watch over Estel until he fulfils his destiny?
Legolas closed his eyes and steeled what was left of his heart. With his inner light inherited as the star of Earendil, he drove his grief and pain into the deepest recesses of his being. He would keep it lock there until he knew Estel was safely on the throne of Gondor.
************************************************************************
Iam Incognito & GuevaraX5452: Most of the time, Shadow only followed Aragorn at a distance, protecting him with occasional arrows. It is only when the Man is all alone that Legolas actually joined him in battle. Aragorn, being the noble and self-sacrificing man that he was, usually tried to draw enemies off from the rest of his companions to protect them when they were significantly outnumbered. For no other reasons than my pleasure, he usually succeeded in doing so, which forced Legolas to come out and fight in the open. No one had actually seen Shadow and Aragorn fight together, except the Orcs, which were either dead or not on friendly terms with the Elves =)
Shadow was very careful about never going into Rivendell, so Elrond & co. had never really seen him. And for most parts, they were too busy with their own work to confront Estel about his secret mentor or to actually take time to spar with the Man. In addition, Aragorn was very careful about not using the "more special" techniques of his sword style in practice matches with other Elves, he didn't really need to show his true strength to beat them. After all, he did promise Shadow he would only use it in battle against evil. I hope that answers your questions =)
Vanessa: For this story, I decided to make Estel aware of his birthright from the start. It was part of why Estel was so self-effacing as a child, besides the lack of attention. I did make it so that he started assuming his duties as chieftain of the Dunedains at 20, which was the age when he found out about he was Aragorn in the book. Also, I moved the time he met Arwen back 6 years as well, in case you are wondering =)
Please, please review.
A/N: Chapter set a week after the last.
************************************************************************
Chapter 8: Broken Hearts
Rays of the setting sun painted the forest with a golden hue. The leaves and branches danced to the soft rhythm of a gentle breeze, scattering the dying light into glittering specks of gold. A lone Elf stood in the shallows of the river, his lithe body slick with moisture from his bath, his face covered by a mask. The sun's beams colored his pale skin in shades of bronze. His flowing long hair shone like molten gold, a light that rivaled the fading sun. The creatures of the woods were reverently silent, in awe of the sight of this mysterious beauty. The only sounds to be heard were the rustling of the trees and the flow of the gentle currents, singing a harmony in honor of their enigmatic guest.
However, the soothing atmosphere of the ravine was unable to calm the elven prince's inner turmoil. Estel had not visited him for a whole week now, ever since the day Legolas told him there was no more he could teach the Man. He had expected it; for the past five years, he had anticipated that Aragorn would soon leave him and thought himself prepared for the occasion. But he was not. The pain in his chest was so intense that he thought he felt his broken heart torn into a million pieces and set aflame. He knew he could not fight the grief for long. The star of Earendil had passed the torch of being the hope of Middle Earth to Estel, the future King of Man. He no longer had a purpose for living.
Legolas longed to see his home one last time before he died. He would journey to Greenwood, now Mirkwood because of the evil that invaded it. But before he could leave, he must see his apprentice one last time to say farewell. They went through so much together that he felt it necessary to put a proper end to their relationship.
In truth, the Elven Prince was reluctant to leave Estel until he was sure that the Man had someone else who would share his burdens. Though many were supportive of Aragorn, they had such high expectations of him that they had only unknowingly added more weight on his shoulders. Being a noble, selfless and kind man, Estel had bore these loads without complaint, never worrying for his own well being, only wishing that he would not disappoint Middle Earth. Legolas felt that the Man should have someone to take care of him, to share his worries and fears, to have faith in him without any expectations or strings attached; a duty that the Elf was honored to assume. His last act as Estel's mentor would be to make sure that the Man would never have to face darkness alone.
A small voice in his head, however, was taunting him, mocking him for giving altruistic motives to his selfish actions. You want to see him because you wish that he would beg you not to leave. The plan is to pretend to leave so the Man would have to admit having feelings for you to make you stay. You are the most hopeless, naïve fool in Middle Earth, Legolas. Estel would only be glad to see you go so he can finally be free to do as he pleases.
Legolas knew there was some truth in his self-admonishment and shook his head in contempt. Whatever the reasons behind his actions, he must go; he needed to know the truth. He would confront the Man; if Estel truly does not care for him, he would leave. He was already dying of grief and there was nothing to lose. He would sneak into the House of Elrond tonight.
************************************************************************
Estel was wondering aimlessly around the gardens, his heart aching from the prolonged separation from Shadow. Without realizing it, he started humming a song of lost love and longing which his mentor had sung for him before.
// Wishing you were somehow here again, Wishing you were somehow near, Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed, Somehow you would be here. //
He was surprised when he heard a female voice joined him in his song, turning it into an exquisitely haunting duet.
// Wishing I could hear your voice again, Knowing that I never would, Dreaming of you won't help me to do, All that you dreamed I could. //
Her voice was beautiful and pure. The entire garden was still, captivated by their song. Estel found himself drawn to her; save for Shadow's voice, there were no sound more perfect to his ears than this maiden's. Her face was turned form him. Estel could only see her long wavy tresses, threads of dark silk floating softly in the gentle wind.
When she turned, the man swore he had never seen a more gorgeous being. With her sensitive blue eyes, her delicate face and rosy lips, the maiden looked so ethereal in her beauty that she resembled an angel from the heavens. Estel had heard of the legends of Beren and Luthien, the King of Man and most beautiful elven maiden ever born. Looking at the exquisite Elf before him, he was sure she was Luthien and called to her, "Tinuviel, Tinuviel!"
The maiden turned to him and smiled, "Who are you and why do you call me by that name?"
It took a while before Estel could find his tongue, "I am called Estel, foster son of lord Elrond. But I am born Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Isildur's heir. I called you by that name because a beauty like you could only be the elf maiden of legends."
"Well, I am not Luthien, though many had mistaken me for her. My name is Arwen. I am Lord Elrond's daughter. I have heard much about you, Estel. Perhaps you would like to join me in a walk in the gardens. I am so curious to hear more tales of your bravery and chivalry," the Elf smiled again.
Estel blushed and followed her. He could not believe he was smitten by her attention. Many elf maidens and warriors had asked him to join them in far less innocent things than walks in the gardens. She was incomparable in her beauty, but Estel was never the one to judge on a person's looks. After all, he loved Shadow despite his disfigured face.
Would you stop being so stupid? Shadow does not want you!! Not to mention you could never see him again without leading your family to him.
As much as it hurt, he must move on. He could start with opening his heart to new possibilities. He must admit he could not ask for a better potential love than the Lady Arwen.
************************************************************************
Legolas sneaked into the gardens of Rivendell without much difficulty. He was glad he did not have to use magic to conceal himself. He was afraid Lord Elrond might be able to detect his powers. For once, he was pleased to have lived that many years as the Shadow of the Forest, it had trained him to be very good at concealing himself.
He spotted Estel at the edge of a hedge maze. Seeing the man so unguarded, the elf knew he probably would not find a much better opportunity to surprise him. Silently, he moved into the tree directly behind the man. He was about to pounce when he saw her coming out of the maze.
They spoke quietly and laughed together. It was obvious they were playing a little game to see who could solve the maze faster. The Lady Arwen was every bit as beautiful as he remembered her. He had caught a glimpse of her on her journey to Lothlorien over 2000 years ago. He looked at the pair and knew immediately that they were perfect together. With the Evening Star of the Elves by his side, the Man would become a great king. As Legolas watched them tentatively held hands, he knew he would not need to speak with Estel again. The day had come when his apprentice was ready to face the challenges of the world without him. His duty was finally done...
************************************************************************
The following morning, Legolas began his slow journey back to Mirkwood. It was a full three weeks before he reached Lothlorien. Before, it would have taken him only ten days, but his grief had begun to take its toll on him; his strength and powers were waning. He had only walked for 5 hours, but his weariness was trying to force him to stop and rest. The elf was afraid that at this rate, he would die before he reached his home. Pre-occupied with his thoughts, the Elf did not even noticed as a team of Lòrien archers dropped from surrounding branches and aimed their arrows at him.
************************************************************************
"Why did you bring me here?" Legolas demanded. He was humiliated by his weakness. He couldn't even put up a fight as the Lòrien warriors carried him through the woods and brought him before Lady Galadriel.
"It is not your time, my Golden Prince. You must not die yet," spoke the Lady in his mind.
He had never liked mental communications. He could gather his remaining powers and block the Lady if he wished; but at the moment, he just did not care enough to do anything. He merely just kept his mind blank, except for his grief and pain.
Galadriel frowned. Through their connection, she could feel Legolas' pain. She truly wished that the Prince had not suffered so. But for all her powers, she knew she must not interfere with the matters of the heart. The Prince and Estel must deal with what lay between them on their own. However, she could not let the star of Earendil die. Just as Estel was the hope of Men, Legolas was the hope of the Elves. She had foreseen that only together would they be able to defeat Sauron.
"Would you look into the mirror, my Prince?" asked Galadriel, aloud for she knew Legolas would ignore her otherwise.
"Why? I know my own future. Everything else I do not need a mirror to see," the elf mage retorted.
"What about Estel, Golden One? Could you see what the future holds for him as well?"
She knew Legolas love the man too much to be able to do so. To use his magic, Legolas must concentrate and keep his mind only on the task. Strong emotions would distract the Elf mage. Aside from that, even if the Elf could control his feelings for the duration of the spell, Estel's destiny was bound to his own. As powerful as the Star of Earendil, he could not foresee all the consequences of his actions. Since Legolas had already touched the Man's life, in its own way, Estel's future was also shaped by the Elf's hands. Just as Legolas could not see his own future, he could not see Estel's.
The prince did not like the direction the conversation was heading. He could sense what Galadriel was hinting at. Something bad would happen to Estel if he died now. The mirror was controlled by her magic, so if the Lady wanted to, she could project whatever images she wished. The mage knew well enough that whatever he saw could not be trusted.
But would I gamble with Estel's life? I have lived with my pain and grief for this long out of duty to Middle Earth. What do I have to lose to exist a few more years to watch over Estel until he fulfils his destiny?
Legolas closed his eyes and steeled what was left of his heart. With his inner light inherited as the star of Earendil, he drove his grief and pain into the deepest recesses of his being. He would keep it lock there until he knew Estel was safely on the throne of Gondor.
************************************************************************
Iam Incognito & GuevaraX5452: Most of the time, Shadow only followed Aragorn at a distance, protecting him with occasional arrows. It is only when the Man is all alone that Legolas actually joined him in battle. Aragorn, being the noble and self-sacrificing man that he was, usually tried to draw enemies off from the rest of his companions to protect them when they were significantly outnumbered. For no other reasons than my pleasure, he usually succeeded in doing so, which forced Legolas to come out and fight in the open. No one had actually seen Shadow and Aragorn fight together, except the Orcs, which were either dead or not on friendly terms with the Elves =)
Shadow was very careful about never going into Rivendell, so Elrond & co. had never really seen him. And for most parts, they were too busy with their own work to confront Estel about his secret mentor or to actually take time to spar with the Man. In addition, Aragorn was very careful about not using the "more special" techniques of his sword style in practice matches with other Elves, he didn't really need to show his true strength to beat them. After all, he did promise Shadow he would only use it in battle against evil. I hope that answers your questions =)
Vanessa: For this story, I decided to make Estel aware of his birthright from the start. It was part of why Estel was so self-effacing as a child, besides the lack of attention. I did make it so that he started assuming his duties as chieftain of the Dunedains at 20, which was the age when he found out about he was Aragorn in the book. Also, I moved the time he met Arwen back 6 years as well, in case you are wondering =)