Some of the characters may be portrayed a bit… not nice. And this is a complete 180 from LOTR so the same rules don't apply.
Please REVIEW?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
"It isn't what you think…" Aragorn pleaded as he grasped his lover's arm. "Just let me explain." His eyes were filled with panic and horror. Legolas did not reply. His gaze was turned away and there was a shadow upon his face that was not there before. He was too upset to speak.
"The marriage was arranged before I met you. Nothing mattered to me before, so I agreed. I never felt the same way about anybody as I felt about you." Aragorn said softly. With those words he folded his lover to his breast and gave a gentle kiss upon his brow. The elven prince's heart lightened at those words although he still had his doubts. He smiled forcefully and decided to drop the subject for the time being.
"You believe me don't you?"
"How can I not?" He said as he found his voice. In the next moment he found his lips pressed against his lover's and they touched again and again. But he quickly pulled away as he realized what was happening. "Stop. I can't do this." He spoke up, although in hardly a whisper. "Please understand…"
"Of course… I'm sorry." Aragorn assured him. He looked down as he cursed at himself for being so aggressive. He loosened his arms and backed away.
"No… I just… I can't… not now anyway." Legolas said with a hint of caution in his voice. He realized that his hands and body were shaking. Aragorn reached out to comfort him but he backed away. "Don't. Don't touch me." He choked out.
They started to journey further away from the palace west. No one spoke except the old wanderer who talked constantly to himself.
'What is wrong with you? You care about him, but why can't you show it?' Legolas thought to himself angrily. His eyes flickered toward the man who walked beside him. Why did he still have so many doubts? Aragorn was lost in his own thoughts. He knew that his engagement was not yet broken off. How was he going to explain that he suddenly fell for another? He did not wish to hurt her. He gazed over at the one he cared for; his heart seemed to drop heavily as he saw how fragile he seemed. It seemed that if he reached out to hold him, he would break.
Days passed where they seldom spoke. The weather seemed to reflect upon the mood, as the sky was gray although no rain came down. Legolas had managed to stop his wound from worsening, for the time being. The wanderer had stopped talking to himself and his face grew slowly dark as if he was reminded of something very unpleasant. But when they neared the outside of the forest, he started again.
"Who am I? What is my name?" The wanderer asked continuously to himself. "What is my name?"
They watched him uneasily for a few moments before turning away toward each other. "It shall be alright in the morning, we will part ways with him." Aragorn said with a sigh. "Too bad though, I have grown almost fond of him." He added with an odd smile.
"Where are we going?"
"Home… my home." Aragorn said as he closed his eyes. "You will like it, I promise."
Legolas said nothing. He could not bring himself to say what he was thinking. He wanted to go back to the palace, but not without Aragorn. He had never been good with people; he hardly even liked people. He knew that they would not like him, for he had little charm and would not bring himself to reach out. Yet he knew he could not live without Aragorn, so he had little choice.
"You will not be lonely anymore…"
"Will you leave me, if I do not like it there, and decided to go?" Legolas blurted out.
"What? No, of course not." Aragorn looked up in surprise, "I will go wherever you do."
'You say that now…' Legolas thought sadly, 'You are not used to being locked up as I am, you will leave.'
"I care about you," Aragorn said softly, "I have ever since I met you. It even surprised me how much I cared. I would have died for you… but none of that matters now, we are together and I am not going to let you go."
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course."
Legolas said nothing more. He was touched and smiled at those words. He moved closer to his lover and laid his head upon his chest. They soon fell asleep. But after only a few moments they were awoken by a loud sound. He felt himself snapping back to the world and quickly pulled away and stood up.
He gasped as he saw what was happening. The old man had stood up and was running around like mad. He was amazingly strong; his hands were nearly uprooting trees and cracking boulders. He looked to Aragorn who had gone pale.
The strange man was screeching: "What is my NAME?" In anger he slammed both of his hands at the nearest tree, which in a crack fell over. He turned around and saw two figures staring at him in horror. He ran toward them in anger still calling: "What is my name?" He took up a stick, which he had claimed to use for walking, and raised it high in the air. He slammed the stick toward Legolas who quickly dodged it. Then in another moment he went for Aragorn who had time to prepare. He held up his sword in defense. After a few clashes, he realized that he was no match for the old man and quickly backed away. The old man however, did not chase after him. His eyes seemed to flicker suddenly and he fell over.
After a few moments, the old man awoke. He looked up and glanced around, an insane smile spread across his face. When his eyes fell upon the fallen tree he shrugged, "They do not make trees like they used to." With that he fell asleep again.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn said as he stood up in disbelief.
"I am…" Legolas answered although his eyes did not leave the sleeping one. He was painfully reminded of his sister. He found Lena in the grasps of a violent man when she was just a babe. He had used his powers to drive the man away and took Lena in to be his sister. For those short years he had company and he was nearly happy. 'I couldn't protect her…' He thought to himself.
"Dawn is almost here, we better start off before he wakes…"
Ahead they walked and came finally to a clearing where the woods were already out of sight. They reached the mountains after a few days. Legolas glared at them in awe, for he has never seen anything so still and strong that stood as if they will never fall. "I thought that in the world all beauty had faded…"
"It is not so… and it will never be."
For two days they traveled in peace and mostly silence till the night of the second day.
"Lena had always wanted to see the mountains…" Legolas said softly as he sat down by the fire. A slight rain was beginning to fall outside the caves. "I never really understood why till a few days ago." The rainwater streaked down the elf's golden hair and gently down his cheek.
Aragorn smiled at his lover. "She will… perhaps in another lifetime…" He replied comfortingly. He watched as Legolas suddenly winced in pain. The elven prince laid a hand on his shoulder as he leaned on the cave wall for support. "Legolas!" He quickly caught the elf in his arms.
"I'm alright…" Legolas said weakly. He looked down to see why his injury had flared up again and saw that his wound was beginning to bleed. The blood was now tinted black and dripping down his clothes. He did not protest as Aragorn took a look at his wound. He felt too dizzy to care anymore.
Aragorn flinched as he looked at the deep cut. "Is this the not so serious wound?" He muttered under his breath. Legolas did not reply. The stabbing pains were beginning to return. The world before him was getting fuzzy.
Just then they started to hear voices and footsteps from far away. Aragorn listened for a moment and then felt his face pale with dislike. Legolas squinted in confusion but Aragorn did not say anything. He felt his body being lifted by his lover as the fire was quickly put out. They drew away toward a corner in the cave.
"What's happening?" Legolas whispered with effort. But Aragorn put a hand to his mouth.
"Wait." Aragorn mouthed. Legolas felt his eyelids grow heavy and the world beginning to spin. There was a yell of the foulest piercing sound he had ever heard and he quickly focused back in. He turned his eyes to his right and saw a few shadows lingering in the dark. The front most held a torch in his hands and was glancing around with his ugly eyes. Legolas cringed as he laid eyes upon these creatures. When most of them had passed, he felt his lover's grip on him loosen.
"What a terrible fortune…" Aragorn muttered as he felt his body relax. He laid his lover on the ground beside him and looked at him with concern. He knelt beside the elf.
"What… who… were they?" Legolas breathed.
"You mean you don't know?"
"… I have never traveled any further than my realm… we seldom see men, let alone any other creatures."
"They are goblins… I will explain later, let us just get out of here." As he spoke those words, there came a shadow from behind.
"Estel!" Legolas gasped as the shadow approached. He grasped his lover's wrist and quickly pulled him down beside him. The shadow's weapon missed them but only barely. He breathed heavily as the shadow raised its weapon, this time it went for him. He felt the sword pierce his arm and as the pain pierced him like nothing he had ever felt before. Aragorn had found his balance and clashed swords with the shadow. After a few moments the shadow drew away.
"Legolas!" Aragorn quickly knelt beside the elven prince who was breathing heavily in pain. He looked intently at the new wound, which was bleeding furiously. He cared for it the best he could under the circumstances and lifted him up. "Can you walk?"
"I think so." Legolas said softly. He stood up trying to gather his strength.
"Here lean on me." Aragorn added as he watched his lover struggle. He felt a hurt in his heart. If he had only waited another day or two, none of this would have happened. Legolas would not be in pain right now.
"I'm sorry…" Legolas whispered as he saw the look of worry on Aragorn's face, "About being a burden all this way."
"No, please don't say that." Aragorn said comfortingly, "You're anything but a burden."
After a few more straining days they reached Imladris. Legolas could few his body slowly growing numb but the pain, at least, was gone. He leaned on Aragorn for most of the way but when they reached the valley he was able to walk, though forcefully. He was too weak and tired to worry about anything anymore.
"Come on…" Aragorn whispered as he gave Legolas the gentlest of kisses on his forehead. Legolas smiled forcefully and nodded. They walked together toward the warm and beautiful valley. They noticed two elves coming to greet them. They looked so alike that Legolas felt that the world was going hazy again.
"Estel… we need to talk." One of them said.
"Legolas… this is Elladan and Elrohir." Aragorn nodded toward the twins. Legolas smiled weakly but it was a smile that he did not get in return. Elrohir's eyes flashed in anger while Elladan looked with disappointment. "Legend has it that you are quite a sorcerer…" Elrohir said coldly. Legolas looked down uncomfortably.
"Estel… now." Elrohir said firmly. Aragorn let go of Legolas's hand and gave him a smile of comfort. Legolas walked behind slowly as they spoke.
"How could you do it?" Elrohir breathed, "Do not act as if you don't know, we saw."
"Let me explain."
"Explain? Let me tell you something about explaining because you are going to have to be damn good at it when you tell the whole world that you betrayed my sister for…" Elrohir stopped as he noticed Legolas watching. Elladan gave him a look of warning.
"Calm down, you know not what you say. This whole thing was arranged without my having any say in it. Well I have a say in it now. I am not going through with it. I love…"
"You love? Did that witch cast a spell on you or something? Have you gone mad?" Elrohir hissed riding his anger (the love comment had did it) "And do not make yourself look like the victim. You were happy to go through with it before this… this… golden haired… whore came along." Legolas listened as he walked behind. He was never hurt by remarks and he did not care being called "witch" or "sorcerer". But the whore comment made him a bit uneasy for it could not be less true.
"I have never questioned your judgment before but now that you actually allowed yourself to say such foul things, that are not to mention completely untrue, I will not bite my tongue." Aragorn snapped as he turned around to see if Legolas had heard, "And as for Arwen. I still love her, but not in the same way. I will try hard not to hurt her." Elrohir turned away in anger and dismay but sucked his teeth without saying anymore.
From the balcony, the lord Elrond watched in sadness and discontentment. He sighed as he turned his eyes away. His heart went to his daughter but also to his foster son. He knew better than to force this further, especially when Aragorn was so much in love. But he knew that there was no way this could ever blow over.
But unlike his son he was sympathetic toward Legolas. He had known the elven prince's father but it had been much too long since they last spoke. After the death of Legolas's mother, they had stopped the letters.
Once Elrohir had left with curses still upon his lips, Aragorn turned to Legolas. "I'm sorry for all this…" He said with hints of guilt in his voice, "I promise, I will work it all out." Legolas nodded. He did not like to see anyone argue, especially on his behalf. But he told himself that he would not interfere. Just then he looked up and noticed a fair-faced man walking up to him.
"Legolas, this is Eomer," Aragorn spoke up as the man approached. Legolas forced another smile upon his face and nodded. He greeted the man who wore a strange smile.
"The legend does no justice to your beauty…" said Eomer with a strange grin.
"Thank you." Legolas replied in surprise. He was not sure whether to be flattered or estranged so he said nothing more. Eomer however studied the elf up and down in awe… or perhaps something else. Aragorn was relieved that Elrohir's reaction did not apply to everyone and made no notice of the glances between the two. Legolas turned to Aragorn, as he did not like being stared at for so long. But Aragorn made no notice.
"May I take you for a walk? It is not everyday that such a beautiful creature graces my eyes."
"I…" Legolas muttered awkwardly. He was tired and weary and he did not wish to spend any time alone with anyone save his lover.
"It would be alright, unless you are too tired…" Aragorn said softly to Legolas. Legolas looked up, he was pretty much trapped at this point.
"Alright…" Legolas said with a soft glance. He watched as Aragorn gave him a soft kiss and walked away. The elf frowned slightly and turned forcefully to Eomer. He shifted uncomfortably as Eomer walked a little too close to him. He turned away in embarrassment every time Eomer had a hand on his shoulder.
That night, Aragorn was summoned to see the lord Elrond. He walked up cautiously as the elven lord's eyes fell upon him. He knew then that Elrond knew, as he knew almost everything.
"Look at me Estel… I am not going to forbid you from anything, nor am I going to scold you for what happened. I know you did not mean for it." The elven lord said with a sigh, "I must warn you of a few things though."
"Of course." Replied Aragorn, who was relieved that he did not need to explain.
"You must understand that I love my daughter and I feel betrayed on her behalf, but I also know that she will understand if given time. One, you must tell her right away. Two, you can reject her, push her away, but you cannot yell at her, deceive her, nor touch her, ever. Three, she will be hurt, you can comfort her and reassure her but you cannot under any circumstances lead her on again in any way. Four, if she makes any angry gestures at you, though she probably will not, you cannot lay a finger on her the wrong way. Am I clear?"
For the next few days, Legolas slept in an isolated part of the wing. No one knew where his room was so no one could come and bother him. Every time he stepped in the common room, people stared at him with dislike or whispered bitter things. He did not mind any of it. The only thing that saddened him was Aragorn seldom came to visit him. His wound had stopped bleeding and worsening after the lord Elrond took a look at it and he felt some of his strength returning to him. But he was still alone as he always has been.