Ta Da! Chapter one. Thanx to Karri and aLeXiS for reviewing. Cheers!
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Year 3018 of the Third Age - One Hundred and Twenty Three Years Earlier
He sat. Silent, still, auburn tresses combed and readied, Glorfindel perched at his side. They sat at the council, silent, still. Many had arrived that day, pouring into Imladris unheeded. Some brought news, others gathered it. All had representatives at the assembly. Even the dwarves. Elessar frowned. Things must be even more dire than the man had realised, if their presence was permitted in the Valley. His attention shifted; eyes were upon him.
The man had taken no more than a browsing notice of those eyes as they rode into Imladris earlier that day. They had seemed irrelevant, just one of the thousands of pairs that had streamed through the threshold of Elrond Half-elven's dominion.
He noticed now.
Blue. Intense, shimmering blue. Strength and elegance radiated from their depths, glowing with such power, such pride, that the man felt both scrutinised and protected by it. Hated and loved, all at once. Elessar broke the gaze, moving his olive eyes down the figure. A golden mane framed the sapphire orbs, curving past inanimate features to drape down his back. His poised countenance gave the man the distinct impression that he was looking not at an elf, but at a cat, proud and strong, yet agile, elegant. This somewhat haughty impression was betrayed, however, by the creature's delicate fingers, entwined in the hem of his silken attire. The elf was bored.
Curious. Elessar turned his stare to the other members of their gathering. Boromir, son of the Steward, sat a few places to Elessar's right. Even now, his garments were sullied with the dust of his travels, their delicate embroidery the only sign of the man's wealth. His expression was much the same as the unknown elf's. Elessar's gaze moved again. Frodo sat across the circle, dwarfed even more than was usual by the overly large chair on which he sat. His eyes, already wide, expanded further as he caught Elessar's gaze upon him. One small hand crept to the halflings breast pocket, kneading the material in a somewhat possessive manner. The small figure began to quiver, his movements becoming erratic. As though terror consumes his every thought. The man sighed, his eyes again roaming the gathered faces. They fell once more on the bored elf.
On closer inspection, Elessar found that the creature's features seemed vaguely familiar, as if they had been part of a long forgotten dream. He had no chance for further speculation, however – Elrond chose that moment to begin his spiel over the object of the gathering. The hobbit's ring.
Elessar watched as the shaking hobbit stood and placed his precious ring before them, watched as a dwarf - Gimli, Elrond had said - tried in vain to destroy the ring, watched as Frodo unwittingly offered his life. But the one thing that truly caught his attention during the course of these events was, once more, the shining cobalt eyes; the elf spoke, his gentle voice carrying to all, and with his words returned Elessar's memory. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn… The elf knew his name, and now Elessar recalled his.
Legolas.
Memories of the man's child flooded back; a kind, empathetic face beside his mother's deathbed; strong hands correcting his stance during archery lessons with his brothers. This was the elf that had taught Elessar to ride, almost eighty years previously. This was the elf that had not set foot in Imladris for over sixty years. He had returned.
Elessar smiled.
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The council was over, the fellowship formed. Aragorn readied his sword. Elessar Telcontar might befit the man who dwelt in the domain of the elves, but the man felt it far to ostentatious for use on the road. The name of his birth was far more fitting for this quest. A gentle hand materialized on his shoulder. "Keep safe, Meleth" came Arwen's quiet whisper. Aragorn turned. She stood, so close, yet the look in her eyes told of the distance she knew would soon come between them. A single tear slipped down her flawless elven cheek, carving a shining track to her chin, before tumbling toward the earthen floor. "Namarie." She turned, her feet making no noise as she walked away from him.
"Arwen, wait!" She froze. Aragorn swallowed hard, unable to form a single word more. She resumed her passage. A whimper escaped him, and as Arwen moved through the door, a whisper sounded so quietly that even her elven hearing could not perceive it. "I love you…"
"She knows, Estel." Aragorn's words had not been completely unheeded, perhaps. He twisted to face the intruder. Legolas. "She knows."
"Maybe, mellon, but still she leaves." The man's head drooped, his eyes gazing senselessly at the earth.
The elf frowned. He was sure Elladan had been truthful in stating that Arwen had chosen a mortal existence in order to stay with this human. "Does she not offer her life to you, Estel?" Legolas's sharp gaze did not miss the way Aragorn's hand jerked at these words, or the way his lip trembled.
"I told her to not to. I told her to stay with her kin." The man looked virtually on the point of collapse. "I told her, mellon nin, to live…"
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Meleth – love
Namarie - goodbye
Estel – hope
Mellon nin – my friend
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TBC ASAP