Chapter Fifteen: Of Uncertain Positions

The sun rose slowly to Aragorn's right, and he blinked awake. His head heavy and groggy with sleep and pain he pulled himself on to one elbow and rubbed at his eyes. All seemed right with the camp until his eyes came to the spot where he had last left Legolas.

Heart beating in his chest, he sprang quickly to his feet and looked to where he had last seen Glorfindel. It was then that his heart stopped for a moment and his jaw hung low.

Blinking and rubbing rabidly at his eyes he glanced over again. The situation had not changed. Then it came to him, this had to be a delusion. He had hit his head, and was now having crazy delusions. If he would just walk over there and wake Glorfindel he would find that Legolas was not with him.

So Aragorn found his feet pulling him toward Glorfindel. As he came closer and closer, Legolas stayed exactly where he was; wrapped under Glorfindel's arm.

Glorfindel was behind Legolas. His breathing even and eyes open, but the hand of the arm that was wrapped around Legolas's middle was moving around Legolas's loose tunic in tiny little circles. Aragorn rubbed at his eyes but the image stayed before him.

"Glorfindel," he said quietly, certain that Glorfindel would stir and 'Legolas' would vanish. Legolas stayed just where he was, but Glorfindel started and turned to look up at Aragorn, his eyes wide. Hurriedly, Glorfindel detached himself from Legolas and stood, he grabbed Aragorn's arm and lead him a few paces from Legolas.

"What were you doing?" Aragorn asked, his voice louder than he intended and his heart pounding in his ears.

"It is not as it must seem, he had a nightmare," Glorfindel said looking back at Legolas who still lie where they had left him, hair spilling down on his shoulders and neck, his braids completely undone.

"And he came to you?" Aragorn said and he immediately wished that he had not. Glorfindel's eyes narrowed dangerously and his muscles drew tense under his cloak; he spread his fingers beside his thighs and balled them tightly.

"Well, he certainly did not come to you," Glorfindel answered, then turned away his cloaking floating out behind him. He walked back to Legolas and put a hand upon the other's shoulder.

Aragorn glared after him for a bit then went back to his own side of the camp, arms crossed haughtily about his chest.

~*~*~

Legolas stirred when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find Glorfindel standing above him stooped just slightly. "Are you awake?" Glorfindel asked.

He nodded and sat up, hair fell into his face, he swiped it back and glanced around. Aragorn where was he had been when Legolas had come to Glorfindel last night, he seemed to be gathering up his things.

"Are we to leave now?" Legolas inquired looking back to Glorfindel who had followed his gaze.

"Nay, not yet," Glorfindel said their eyes locking. He crouched beside Legolas and put a smooth hand on his cheek. "How do you feel?"

Legolas smiled softly and brushed his hair back again; he pushed his cheek lightly into Glorfindel's hand. "Better. Thank you."

Glorfindel inclined his head slightly, and put both his hands into Legolas's flowing hair. He tugged very softly and smiled. "Would you like me to braid it again?"

Legolas nodded happily, he turned around and sat cross-legged. Glorfindel settled in behind Legolas on his knees and gathered the smooth hair between his fingers.

Aragorn glared on at them from a distance. Glorfindel smiled.

~*~*~

"We should leave soon," Aragorn said his tone flat and eyes hard.

Glorfindel regarded him carefully; he glanced at Legolas and then back to Aragorn. He nodded slowly. "Aye, we should."

Aragorn nodded back, then settled his pack onto his horse's muscular back. He rubbed the creature's cheek a few times then made sure Legolas and Glorfindel were following suit, when he was satisfied that they were, he mounted and set off.

Legolas watched him go and sighed softly, he looked to Glorfindel who nodded, then mounted his own horse and followed in Aragorn's wake, trying to figure out what exactly had happened.

~*~*~

"Have I done something wrong?" Legolas asked drawing beside Aragorn. Like yesterday they were allowing their horses a break from a long day of riding. Aragorn was making a show of being aloof.

Aragorn glanced at him then to Glorfindel who was slightly behind them but certainly within earshot. He shook his head slowly and then rubbed at his eyes. "Nay, you have done nothing, Legolas. I had just thought…" he trailed off and glanced once more to Glorfindel.

Legolas watched him and was perplexed, he too glanced at Glorfindel who gave him a small smile then went back to looking about at the trees. "I do not understand."

Aragorn glanced at him sidelong and stopped to let his horse graze. "It is nothing, I am sorry if I caused you upset."

"I did naught to upset you?"

Aragorn glanced at him for a long moment then shook his head slowly. "Nay, you did not."

Glorfindel walked pass them, with steady footfalls and his eyes cast forward save a small glare reserved for Aragorn. Aragorn sighed and watched him go. Legolas watched too, and something clicked inside his head.

"You are angry with Glorfindel?" Legolas asked, touching his braids.

"Not angry, nay," Aragorn replied tracking Glorfindel with his eyes.

Legolas looked puzzled but he sighed and nodded. He was about to try and change the subject when Glorfindel looked back at them and smiled. "There is Greenwood!" he cried. "Come, it is no more than a league off!"

Legolas looked at Aragorn, who offered him the smallest of smiles. "It'll be alright, Legolas," he said as he mounted his horse. Inclining his head minutely, Legolas mounted his own horse and they rode after Glorfindel.

The wood was impossible to miss, as Legolas feared it might have been. It stood tall and mighty with great green trees standing guard around its massive perimeter. The boughs seemed too perfectly formed to just be random things in nature; surely wonderfully clever fingers had sculpted them all. Sounds of a forest could be heard even though the companions were still nearly a mile away. Little birds sung in the failing light of the day, and insects chirped to the rising moon.

A gentle breeze kissed all the trees and carried their strong voices through the air. A bath of pale moonlight made the wondrous plants glow brightly and eerily. Legolas felt his heart pang as they drew ever closer. He had the strange urge to stop his horse and flee in the other direction as fast as he could, but the feeling passed when Aragorn shot him a tiny supportive grin.

Glorfindel dismounted his horse just ahead of Legolas and Aragorn, and turned to smile at Legolas, who no longer felt any fear. He waited for the other two to catch him and dismount then walked calmly beside Legolas, but speaking loud enough for Aragorn to listen.

"The folk dwell near to the center of the wood," Glorfindel said as they neared the outskirts. "Patrols roam all through the wood, I am sure one is close."

They stopped when they reached the edge of Greenwood; their horses followed them without hesitation. Both Glorfindel and Aragorn looked to Legolas.

"Are you ready?" Aragorn asked at the exact moment Glorfindel said, "Are you sure you wish this?"

Legolas looked between the two of them and offered a fraught smile. "If you will be with me," he said. "I know that I can do this." He took one of Aragorn's hands and one of Glorfindel's and squeezed them both with his nimble fingers, then stepped into the wood with his head held high. 

Aragorn and Glorfindel both watched him in wonder. Chills traveled up and down their spines. Then finally followed after him, any apprehension they had felt was erased.

~*~*~

"Sire," one of Thranduil's scouts whispered into his ear pulling him away from a hunt. "A group of three approach. Two elves and a Man."

Thranduil considered this for a moment. He could think of no one that was expected, but he guessed they were from Elrond, here to pester him again. With a tired sigh he nodded and waved on the rest of his hunting party of had waited to see if he was still coming.

"Where?" Thranduil asked straightening his robes. If Elrond insisted on doing this, he would humor him but that did not mean he had to accept what any of these approachers had to say.

"They have just passed through the Western border and are making their way towards your halls."

Thranduil bowed his head in acknowledgement and said his thanks. "Escort them to my halls, I will be waiting."

~*~*~

Thranduil waited for sometime when finally the escort and the three outsiders arrived back at his halls. He bowed his head gratefully to the escort and thanked him. Then Thranduil turned his attention to his 'guests.' There were three just as he had been told. One he recognized quiet easily as Glorfindel, definitely from Elrond then, the other elf caused a strange feeling to flutter from the base of his spine to the tip of his nose. But he pushed the thought aside and looked to the Man. Nothing incredibly special about him in any case.

"Greetings," Thranduil said standing from his throne in a polite greeting then sitting again. He looking at Glorfindel then too the beautiful silver eyes of the elf that stood beside him. His heart panged oddly in his chest. "Welcome to Greenwood. Glorfindel, I know, but I am afraid I do not have the acquaintance of either of you."  He looked between the Man and other elf, all the while his heart beating painfully.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," the Man said bowing lightly. Thranduil inclined his golden head.

"And you?" he asked the elf.

"He is just a traveling companion," Glorfindel said though it was clear he was uncertain about something.

"Has he no name?" Thranduil asked trying to keep the anger from his voice.

Glorfindel looked between the elf and Thranduil a debate playing itself out on his fair face. One side had clearly won and Glorfindel spoke. "My lord, this the elf we believe to be your son, Legolas Thranduilion."

Thranduil looked at Glorfindel and then to 'Legolas' he shook his head and stood. His eyes were uncompromising but there was an almost unnoticeable tremble about his fingers. "This is not my son," he said.

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