Chapter 12: Opening Scars

Saruman paced around the tower in front of his commanding Orcs.

"How could you let them leave?" he shrieked. "Have you no sense?!"

"We are sorry, lord." One Orc apologized, cowering slightly. "We were being ambushed and scattered. We did not realize the Elf had escaped until it was too late."

Saruman growled menacingly. "Be off!" he shouted. The two Orcs scampered away and Saruman turned and walked to his Palantir. He struggled to look into it but the Orc captured Gandalf. Gandalf turned and looked straight at him and shouted a spell, causing the sight to fade away.

Saruman cursed. "Gandalf, you are a fool!" he hissed to his black Orb. "How dare you attempt to thwart my plans? You shall not defeat me again!"

***

Legolas stumbled out of his room and attempted to walk down the hallway. He cursed himself for being so weak as he grabbed at the wall for strength. Frodo appeared then from behind another door and ran to help the limping Elf.

"You should not be walking!" Frodo scolded as he pulled Legolas' arm over his shoulder. Though the tall Elf slumped over Frodo's miniature body, Legolas was very light and caused him no trouble at all. "Sometimes your persistence irritates me, Legolas!"

"I wished only to go outside!" Legolas protested. Frodo held back a laugh as the proud Elf pouted. "'Tis such a beautiful day!"

"I suppose I must agree with you on that point. But ask for assistance next time before hobbling out like an old Hobbit, would you?"

"I do not need to be pampered." Legolas muttered grumpily. Frodo helped him out into the pavilion and Legolas inhaled the sweet scent of flowers gratefully. "Thank you, Frodo. I've missed this scent for far too long."

"Let us sit down." Frodo said and led Legolas to a bench at the side of the pavilion. Legolas and Frodo sat side by side with Legolas leaning his head on Frodo's shoulder. "It is hard to believe that you are the same Elf I feared years ago." Frodo commented, chuckling as Legolas' hair tickled his chin.

"You feared me?" Legolas asked, puzzled. He lifted his head to look at Frodo. "Why?"

"I did not fear you because I felt you were dangerous." Frodo said quickly. "Rather, you did not seem a part of the Fellowship. Only when we fought did you come near us. You seemed cold and unfriendly."

"I am sorry, dear Frodo." Legolas said softly. "I did not mean to act so coldly. And I am sorry for causing such trouble. I know you do not wish to return to Mordor."

"Aye, you're right." Frodo admitted. "But you are a good friend to me and I would gladly go back to Mordor if to save you." Legolas smiled and encircled Frodo's waist with his this arms, hugging the Hobbit tightly. Frodo put his arm around the Elf's shoulder and pulled Legolas' head back to rest on his shoulder.

This was how Aragorn found the two friends as he walked by the pavilion. He looked at them and was overcome by jealousy as he noticed how intimate Legolas and Frodo seemed.

Frodo looked up and smiled warmly at the Man. "Hello, Aragorn. Come sit with us, will you?" He pulled his arm from Legolas' shoulder. Aragorn remained standing.

"Legolas should not be out." The King said stiffly. "He is still weak. It was foolish to bring him out, Frodo."

"'Tis not Frodo's fault." Legolas interjected, frowning at Aragorn. "I came out and Frodo caught me. I would not go back to my room so he agreed to bring me out to the pavilion."

"It was still foolish." Aragorn said icily. "Frodo, you should have dragged Legolas back to his room if he had protested."

"I am not a little child, Elessar." Legolas said angrily. "I am much older than you in years."

"You may be much older than I in years but act like a child. You were foolish and always have been. You are a fool when it comes to nature. Nature clouds your senses!" Aragorn shouted.

"Please, Aragorn, I'm sorry." Frodo apologized. "I should have known better than to bring Legolas outside."

"I told you, I'm not a child!" Legolas yelled. "You shall not order me to stay in my room, Elessar!"

"I would think you were a child if not for all the times you have been bedded." Aragorn said harshly. He laughed coldly. "And now here you are, attempting to seduce Frodo. A child does no such thing."

The color drained from Legolas' face. He stared venomously at Aragorn and struggled to his feet. Without another word, he limped out of the pavilion. Frodo watched helplessly before he turned back to Aragorn.

"You're a fool, Aragorn!" the hobbit cried out angrily. His face was flushed with anger. "You know fully well that Legolas and I are nothing but friends. You let your jealousy override your senses!"

"I have nothing to be jealous of." Aragorn replied, looking a bit shocked at his own outburst.

"You still love him." Frodo continued flatly, ignoring Aragorn's remark. "You love him and you burn with jealousy when he so much as smiles at another being! And it was cruel of you to mention Boromir and Wormtongue to him! He knows nothing of his beauty but is it his fault he is so beautiful?

"You have hurt him where he still has yet to heal. It is a miracle he is not broken by those words." Frodo took a deep breath and calmed down. "Now is when he needs a friend most. I would have thought that at least you would have noticed so much." Frodo left Aragorn in the pavilion.

***

Arwen entered Legolas' room and watched silently as he pulled on a cloak over his clothes.

"What are you doing, Legolas?" she asked softly.

"I am going to Mordor." Legolas mumbled as he struggled with the cloak's fastenings.

"How do you propose to survive without the Fellowship?"

"I need not the Fellowship." Legolas replied as he succeeded with fastening up his cloak. Arwen detected hostility in Legolas' voice. "It is not their quest, anyway."

"Nay Legolas, it is." Arwen disagreed. "They love you greatly and would gladly fight for you as you would for them. What troubles you?"

"Nothing."

"Is it Estel?" Arwen questioned.

"No."

"Legolas."

Legolas sighed as he stared at his radiant friend. Her eyes pleaded with him to open up his heart to her. How could he refuse? "He accused me of being a whore." He said quietly.

"Did he say so in such words?" Arwen asked. Rage flashed in her eyes.

"No, but it is what he implied." Legolas admitted. "Arwen, it is nothing—"

"Legolas, you are anything but a whore. I shall not stand for my friend to be insulted in that way. Aragorn owes you an apology." Arwen left Legolas' room before he could utter another word.

***

Aragorn stood at the balcony as he stared out at the stars.

*Flashback*

Aragorn held Legolas tightly in his arms. Both were clad only in their leggings as they gazed out at the stars.

"'Tis so beautiful." Legolas whispered. "To stare at such celestial beauty is more than I deserve."

"You are more beautiful, Legolas." Aragorn whispered back.

"Nay, I am ugly." The Elf disagreed. "I could not dream of having beauty that could even be compared to that of the starry night."

Aragorn sighed as he stroked Legolas' hair. "You underestimate your beauty, my love. You are beautiful and it amazes me that you could love such a Man as undeserving of your beauty as I."

"Nay, dear love," Legolas said as he snuggled closer to Aragorn. "It amazes me that you would love me. And it troubles me. What of Arwen? Does she not hold a place in your heart?

Aragorn softly kissed Legolas on the lips. "I hold only you now.

*End of flashback*

"Aragorn."

Aragorn turned back and realized that Arwen was standing behind him. She looked irate as she stared at him.

"Arwen, are you still not resting?"

"Nay, Aragorn. Do you know what I just discovered?" she asked. Aragon shook his head hesitantly. "Legolas was attempting to go to Mordor. Alone."

"He is a fool." Aragorn said tensely.

"Nay, you are the fool, Aragorn." Arwen said coldly. "You hurt him deeply and you expect him to be unaffected by it. Do you truly not realize the pain he feels because of you or do you not show that you know?"

"You talk nonsense, Arwen." Aragorn replied. "I do not hurt Legolas in any way."

"Then you are blind." Arwen said severely. "You owe Legolas an apology."

"I owe him nothing!" Aragorn shouted vehemently.

"He deserves an apology." Arwen repeated. "And the truth. Just as I once deserved." She walked up to Aragorn and put her hand on his shoulder. "Go speak to him. You will need all the friendship you can have when you go to Mordor."