Chapter Twelve: The Return of Hope?

"Do you think he is ready?"

Glorfindel wasn't entirely ready for the rapid change in subject matter but his face remained impassive as he refilled Lord Elrond's glass of cordial. Elrond watched him very carefully, eyebrows quirked just slightly.

"I am not entirely sure I know what you mean," he said simply, refilling his own glass as he finished speaking.

Elrond's mouth twitched and he took a sip from his glass. "Mm. That may be an answer in itself."

~*~*~

Trenarn arrived back in Imladris just as the moon started its ascent. The Herald saw quickly to his horse and then went to find Lord Elrond, which was never an easy task when Trenarn had something important to tell him. One who didn't know better might say the Lord was purposely being elusive.

Trenarn snorted to himself and went first to the most obvious place: Elrond's study. He knocked softly on the closed door and when no sound surfaced inside, the messenger decided the Lord of Imladris was elsewhere.

He sighed softly and decided something else: it was going to be a long night. And that was saying something considering he was immortal.

~*~*~

"Are you hungry now?" Aragorn asked glancing at Legolas who walked easily beside him.

Legolas shook his head and then brightened. "Have you ever climbed a tree?"

Aragorn looked at the elf with a very puzzled _expression. He was getting used to Legolas changing the subject and saying the oddest things. "Not in a very long time."

Legolas stopped walking and smiled at Aragorn softly, a slightly puckish look in his silver eyes. "I would like to try."

"Surely you have climbed one ere now?" Aragorn asked scratching behind his ear and turning to look up at the high trunks of the trees. When he glanced back at Legolas, the elf had his eyes down and his thin arms wrapped around his chest.

"They call to me," he said. "But I cannot remember the feel of their boughs beneath my fingers."

Then Aragorn realized that of course Legolas would not recall climbing trees, he could not even remember his own name. He reached out and captured Legolas's chin between his fingers, almost instantly he regretted the action.

Legolas went completely still under his calloused fingers, the smaller's muscles tensed visibly under the light elven clothing he wore. Aragorn dropped his hand and was about to apologize when Legolas's slim fingers clasped about his hand.

Aragorn looked down to see both of Legolas's hands folded around his one and when he looked up Legolas's eyes were brighter than normal. "Come," said Legolas tugging at Aragorn's hand. "I want to try."

~*~*~

"Ready for what, exactly?" Glorfindel asked ringing his index finger around the mouth of his glass and eliciting a high-pitched whistle.

Elrond smiled. "I am not exactly sure."

Glorfindel was about to reply that if Elrond didn't even know what he needed to be ready for, how was he to know if he was ready, when a knock at his door stopped him. Perhaps that was Legolas and Elrond could assess his 'readiness' for himself.

"Excuse me," Glorfindel said setting his glass down and rising. He opened the door and there appeared one Lord Elrond's messengers whom Glorfindel knew as Trenarn.

"Ah, Lord Glorfindel, I am sorry to bother you at such a late hour, but do you know where Lord Elrond is?" The Herald bowed to Glorfindel with respect then looked up hopefully.

Glorfindel sighed softly to himself. "Yes, Trenarn, he is here. Come in."

He stepped away from the door to allow the messenger entrance; Elrond was looking slightly amused and bowed his head when Trenarn stepped in.

"You are back, good," Elrond said indicating that he should sit.

"Aye, my Lord and I delivered your message, and come with one in return," Trenarn said declining to sit. He folded his arms into the sleeves of his flowing white shirt. Glorfindel sighed again and took his seat.

Elrond nodded for him to continue. "King Thranduil does not appreciate your mockery and maintains that his son is dead. He requests that you leave him alone with his grief in this matter. Some wounds should not be reopened." 

Elrond sighed this time and rubbed at his temples. "You explained the circumstances?"

Trenarn nodded a bit vehemently. "Aye, my Lord. I told him of the elf that had been brought here, of his circumstance and of Gandalf's belief. King Thranduil told me what I have just relayed to you then bid me to leave his kingdom."

The Lord of Imladris nodded absently then rubbed at his temples again. "Thank you, Trenarn. I will relate the message to Gandalf."

Trenarn bowed his head recognizing the dismissal for what it was. "Of course. My Lords," he said then bowed deeply and left the room.

Glorfindel looked to Elrond and considered holding his tongue but decided against it. "Is that not what you expected?"

Elrond returned his gaze and shook his head. "I had hoped for better."

~*~*~

Legolas held Aragorn's hand tightly in his own, he had dropped one but let the other hold fast. The elf dragged them past tree after tree until every single one looked the same to mortal eyes. Then he stopped and looked up at one, he laid his free hand on the trunk and smiled brightly.

"This one," said Legolas, wiggling his hand free of Aragorn's grasp and placing both hands on the trunk.

Aragorn could see no outstanding difference between this tree and the dozens of others they had passed but he spoke not this thought. He looked to Legolas who was happier then Aragorn had ever seen him. The silver eyes were glistening and his face was lambent.

"This is the one?" Aragorn asked brushing his hair from his face.

Legolas nodded and smiled at Aragorn. "Aye."

From the tone of his voice Aragorn knew that this had to be the tree. He smiled back at Legolas and the elf took his hand again. Aragorn squeezed it once. "How do we climb it?"

Legolas's smile dimmed ever so slightly. "You do not know?"

"Nay, I'm afraid I do not," Aragorn said wishing more than anything that he did.

"It is no bother. We will find a way, the tree will not hinder us," Legolas said his smile brightening again. He dropped Aragorn's hand again and rested his hands briefly back on the trunk of the tree.

Legolas started to walk very slowly around the tree touching it here and there. Aragorn didn't feel like he'd be particularly useful in this but looked around the tree anyway. It truly was beautiful. Golden leaves lingered on its high branches, which seemed to stretch far into the quickly darkening sky. The boughs seemed to dance in the slight wind and a few leaves fluttered like tiny boats to join their brethren in the pale brown earth. He glanced around and noted they were near the heart of the woods of Imladris, but not quite at the heart.

"Estel!" Legolas's melodious voice said from the far side of tree. Aragorn walked to where the call had come and looked to Legolas who was glancing up. He was far more beautiful than the tree in the moonlight. His hair soared with the night breeze, a few strands had been liberated from the fair braids. He stood tall and a smile made his face into something far too beautiful for this world to claim. Aragorn felt his breath hitch in his chest and he only just barely caught the next words that Legolas spoke. "I have found a way up!"

~*~*~

"What do we do now?" Glorfindel asked after a few moments had stretched by.

Elrond considered carefully. "I am afraid you will not like my answer."

Glorfindel fixed Elrond with a long-suffering half-glare. "What?"

"We shall send an entourage to Greenwood." Glorfindel did not really see the problem with that, but Elrond had not finished. "I would Legolas to be a part of it."

Glorfindel had to fight his jaw from dropping. "You cannot be serious."

"I told you, you would not like my answer," Elrond said sounding not the slightest bothered by Glorfindel's little sputters of protest.

"Elrond, it is not a good idea. You do not even know if he is Legolas. He is recovering. He is almost happy here!"

"He needs to know who he is, Glorfindel," Elrond said catching Glorfindel's eyes.

Glorfindel sighed deeply. "I do not think this is a good idea. However, I will listen to your counsel."

Elrond smiled very softly. "I am glad, Glorfindel, your opinion means much to me."

"I am going with him."

Elrond chuckled softly to himself. "I thought as much, and in any case I would not send him without you. Perhaps Aragorn should go as well? They have been gone awhile now."

"Aye," said Glorfindel. "Perhaps hope has returned."

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