* Flashback *
Back at the palace a year back, they sit in the bedroom. Legolas was sitting on the bed while Aragorn sat beside the harp.
"It is not hard, I promise you. Just set your hands on the string and stroke."
"Alright."
*His hands trail down and a clash of notes echo everywhere. *
"Put your finger here."
*Legolas has his hand over Aragorn's and showed him where to put his fingers. *
"Here?"
"No, there. Yes that's good. Now stroke."
* A pleasant sound of music came
from the instrument. *
"See?"
"Must have taken you years to play that well."
"… I've given up a lot of my years on it."
"You must love it."
"I do not love anything."
"… It is pleasure to you though, is it not?"
"Pleasure is weakness. I do not know pleasure."
"Who taught you to speak such things? You don't truly believe them."
"Do not speak ill of my father. He has no faults."
"I see. You still don't truly believe in it do you?"
"… Why wouldn't I?"
"That isn't an answer."
*Sigh* "Ok… I don't! But that is what I was told, and… it is better not to question it."
*Aragorn smiles in satisfaction. Legolas looks away. *
*End flashback *
Aragorn sat on the stairs gazing toward the horizon. He had the letter clutched in his hands as he cursed at himself for not being around. He had pretty much what happened that night but had been reluctant to see it. Anything like that happening was the last thing in the world he expected.
"Are you alright?" Eomer said as he sat down beside his friend. He felt his guilt become three thousand times worse as he learned that Legolas and Aragorn were together. He knew that he was much to drunk and must have suddenly wandered off but the thought that he could have done such a thing was killing him.
"No, I'm not." Aragorn replied. His face then hardened, "When I found out who did this to him…. I'll rip their eyes out…" He felt even more hurt that Legolas had thought that he would do such a thing.
"…" Eomer shifted in his place and searched for words to reply.
"How could anyone here do such a thing?" Aragorn burst out, mostly talking to himself; "I should never have brought him here! He did not wish to come and I thought…" He trailed off amid his sadness.
"It is not your fault." Eomer said as comforting as he could. 'It is mine. But how the hell am I supposed to tell you?' He added quietly to himself.
"Why am I yelling about this with you?" Aragorn said as if realizing for the first time that his friend was right there, "You probably think I've lost it."
"No, I understand."
"I just can't take this anymore, I have to go after him."
Legolas slowly made his way west, and by the second day the peaceful valley was completely out of sight. But that night was far from out of mind. Every time he sat down to rest, he could feel an indescribable pain upon his body.
He wished dearly that he had never opened his heart and that he was still back in the palace, alone. When he was alone he never had to experience pain, sadness, or any emotions.
He had found a small inn on the side of the road and went in. He still had money and lots of it. His father was richer than the best of kings and had mounts of treasure locked in his home.
"Elves… we don't see a lot of them in these parts." The innkeeper said as he rummaged around for a room key. Legolas looked around uncomfortably as tens of eyes turned to stare at him. "Here we are!"
"Thank you." Legolas said quietly as he took the key. He glanced around and decided to eat in his room.
As he lay down in his bed he felt weak again. His health had never been good ever since he had been cleansed. The absence of powers from his body takes rest to adjust and that is one thing he had not gotten. The wounds have not been kind to him either.
"Why?" He whispered, as he felt asleep. He slipped away into dark dreams of the night that had haunted him. Scattered memories of when he was a little boy and the death of his mother.
When he awoke he could here noises of screaming downstairs. He quickly dressed and made his way down to the common room. "Let me in damn you!" He could hear a man screaming. He glanced toward the door and saw a familiar face standing there. It was the old man that they had left behind. A shred of sympathy ran through him.
"What's happening?" He asked the innkeeper.
"That dang crazy fool's tryin' to get in again, don't know what the hell he's thinking. He still owes us for the food from last night."
The elven prince stared for a while at the old man and felt bad for him. "Here, is that enough for the food and a breakfast for him?" He said as he rummaged out some coins.
"Why… sure." The innkeeper's eyes widened, "LET 'EM IN BOYS!" Legolas walked over to the old man and gave him a hand in.
"Why its me son in law!"
"No…" Legolas said quietly, "Not your son in law, just your friend."
"You not hitched yet?"
"No… I don't think we are going to be." Legolas replied softly, "Come, have some food."
"Did you have a fight?" The old man said as he bit into a biscuit.
"You could say that…" Legolas said as his eyes dropped. He sipped the glass of water as he thought again about the dreadful night. The old man was now shoving massive amounts of food in his mouth and had no time to talk. Legolas smiled softly as he watched the old man eat. He had to admit; it was nice having company.
"Here, you hungry?" The old man said as he handed him a biscuit.
"No, go ahead." Legolas smiled. He was feeling better than he did the previous night, though he was still a bit dizzy. He drank some water and then went to gather a few of his things.
"Where's you going?"
"I'm not sure… I suppose to find a place to live in peace…" Legolas replied.
"Well you are going to need me along that's for sure."
Legolas hesitated, after the out burst the night of their parting, he knew he could not handle the old wanderer. What would happen if it occurred again? He looked at the old man with pity, "He is like me in a lot of ways, without anywhere to go or anyone to help. But I am much better off… than he is." He thought quietly.
"Alright." He said as he caved.
Eomer was feeling quite guilty about the way everything was going but could not bring himself up to confess. He was feeling terrible for both his friend and Legolas but could not come up with anything to do. But what was haunting him most was that he still felt for the elf.