Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Please, please review.
Nina: You read my mind, that was my favorite line in the chapter; aside from Aragorn's violent fantasies, I like those too =)
Everyone: The genetics of Elf hair color debate was getting more attention than I thought.. this particular story is kind of just for fun, so I apologize if it is not as accurate as it should be.
Ihni: This story is short, in terms of plot. I do have a few scenes in mind that I must include.. depending on inspiration, I might just add random things I find funny in there... That's the long way of saying I don't know how long it actually will be =) This story doesn't have beta, and I am writing it as a stress reliever, which means that I will be posting every day, if not every other day. So, don't worry =)
... = thoughts or random ramblings of authoress
Lasgalen = Legolas
Kind of sick, so brain not functioning quite properly, am sorry if chapter is a little odd...
************************************************************************
Chapter 5:
The Men found themselves enchanted by Lasgalen. While that as a fact was not surprising since the Elf was more beautiful than Arwen, the reason behind it was. Throughout the trip, the Elf could make wonders with whatever meager fare the rangers gathered for food and turned them into delicacies. Both Men agreed that they had never been better fed even at banquets, least say trips through the Wild. They still remembered the delicious brown spheres that the Elf shared with them after their first meal.
________________________________________________________________________
FLASHBACK:
Legolas pulled out the box of strange brown spheres from his pack. He had brought it along as he knew he would be gone a while and the food would not keep. Encouraged by his first try at preparing warg meat earlier, Legolas was feeling adventurous in sampling new foods. He saw the two Men eyeing him curiously and he offered them a piece each with a warning.
"The Hobbits sent it, so I am sure it was edible. But I have yet to try it; so you are trying at your own peril."
The Men were not taken back, however, after their delicious meal, they too were feeling adventurous. A delicious sweetness and the flavor of strawberries reverberated in his mouth as Aragorn took his first bite. He quickly popped in the second half after he swallowed the first.
The others too had followed his example, popping the whole sphere into their mouths. Legolas was particularly pleased by the blend the rich, bittersweet taste of the brown substance and the freshness of the strawberry filling. He definitely had never tried sweet that delicious before. Rumors about Hobbits were definitely true; those Halfings certainly have a way with food.
As the Elf finished his sweet, he looked at Strider to see if he would like another. Legolas noticed a bit of strawberry filling on the Man's lips, and alerted him to the fact. Aragorn tried to lick it clean, but managed to smear more filling and brown substance onto his lips instead.
Legolas smiled gently and shook his head, "Here, let me help you," before leaning forward and wiping it off with his slender fingers.
Aragorn could barely contain his urge to take those slim fingers into his mouth and suck on them. Luckily, or should we say unluckily, at that moment, Halbarad also finished swallowing and asking the Elf for another. As Legolas broke contact with the Man, Strider reminded himself that he must have a private word with his friend later. ________________________________________________________________________
Even Halbarad was more than a little interested in having Lasgalen as a lover now; the stoic ranger did not care much for beauty, but a traveling companion who could cook, that was something worth pursuing. Yup, apparently, there was some truth to the best way to a Man's heart is through his stomach. That was not meant to slight Aragorn's culinary abilities, which were more than adequate under the circumstances. The Man could boil water and roast, well it's more like char, meat on an open fire, which was more than what some Men could do...
Not that the Elf was aware of the ranger's intentions. Aragorn made very certain of that. The Man had used every means possible, short of running his companion through with Anduril, to prevent the other's advances on Lasgalen. Aragorn had his sight set on the golden Elf first and was not about to let his friend cut in line. The Man, being chieftain, had been pulling rank on his companion every chance he got to send Halbarad on some errand so he could be alone with Lasgalen.
The Man became more and more fascinated with Lasgalen with each moment they spent on the road. If Aragorn did not know better, he would say he was in love. But since he had much experience with relationships, he would classify how he felt as an infatuation, well, a very deep, intense, comforting, emotionally involved infatuation. The Elf was smart and beautiful, with a great sense of humor. It was always such a pleasure speaking with Lasgalen, who seemed to know something interesting about everything. The golden one was not just an entertaining speaker, he was also a great listener, attentive and supportive throughout the entire conversation.
While the Man was used to attention when he regale tales of his adventures, no one had ever lent a willing ear to his problems. Well, that was not true in the strictest sense, since Aragorn had never opened up to anyone about his troubles. He knew who he was and that he must appear strong at all times for the good of Middle Earth. Most of the time, he felt like he was nothing more than a pawn in the power struggle between Good and Evil; that he was trapped from his duties, that he could never be his own person.
Now, posing as Strider in front of Lasgalen, he found that he could speak his mind freely, that he no longer needed his cold, calm, leader-of-Men disguise. Of course, there was also that Lasgalen was so understanding and helpful. At first, the Man was hesitant to speak even when he was incognito and they were alone, but at the gentle prompting of the Elf, he found himself unburdening all his worries and troubles onto Lasgalen's sympathetic ears. Most of the Man's angst stemmed from his birthright, which he could not reveal to the Elf without giving away his identity, but Aragorn, being an intelligent person, had found a way around it by speaking about himself as a friend of a friend. A typical conversation would run like this.
________________________________________________________________________
"Tell me what's troubling you, my friend?" Legolas would inquire gently.
"Well, you see, I am worried about my friend since he was worried about his other friend," the Man would answer.
"Tell me, maybe I could help," the Elf would encourage with a winsome smile.
"This friend of a friend, he was to be heir to the throne of Gondor, but he was not sure if he would be able to fulfill his destiny. At the moment, he was chieftain of the Dunedains and that was already giving him lots of headaches...." Aragorn would continue.
The Elf would listen to the Man and, when he finished, either offer comforting words if Aragorn needed emotional support or brilliant advice if the Man was speaking of a difficult situation he had to handle. ________________________________________________________________________
As Aragorn sat by the fire and watched the sleeping form of the golden Elf on the last night of their journey to Rivendell, he could not help a pang of regret in his heart. He knew tomorrow when they enter the city, he would have to be Aragorn again, the trainer and commander of the joint Elven Army. Though he would see Lasgalen every day, he would have to pretend that he did not know the Elf; that he was not Strider. For some unfathomable reason, Aragorn felt more than a bit sad.
What I wouldn't give to have Lasgalen by my side when I take my throne? He would make such a wonderful advisor and consort. Wait a minute, what am I thinking? I am NOT in love with the Elf, I do NOT want to bind myself to him. I am sad only because I never got to take Lasgalen as my lover. I am disappointed only because I did not even get a kiss from the Elf. I am NOT in love with him!! I will marry Arwen when the time comes. Now repeat that again, I am NOT in love with Lasgalen, I am NOT... And so chanted the Man in his mind until the next morn.
************************************************************************
Though Legolas was excited to have finally reached Rivendell where he could prove himself, he could not help feeling that he would miss Aragorn's company very much. The Man's tactics did not fool him past the first night. His diplomatic experience gave Legolas the abilities to deduct even the slightest trait of falsehood or emotions underlying a person's speech.
The Man was just too animated with he talked; whatever the relationship was between Strider and the one who needed comfort and advice must be very close. At first, the Elf suspected it was a lover, which made his heart flinched for some strange reason, but as Legolas observed the interactions between the two Men, he could see clearly that Aragorn had influence over his companion. Thought the two Men seemed just friends, there was something in the way that Aragorn carried himself that spoke of leadership and authority. Putting the evidence together, it was not difficult to deduce that Aragorn, son of Arathorn, chieftain of the Dunedain, foster son of Elrond and most unwilling commander of the new joint army was the same Man as Strider, ranger of the North.
He had been debating in his mind what he should do for a while. But as he still had not came to a clear conclusion, the Elf decided that he would take the wisest course of action in such situations, which is to wait and see and not act at all. Besides, he enjoyed Aragorn's confidence and he had a feeling that the Man needed it. He knew that anonymity was the only reason why the Man felt safe to speak with him; if Legolas were to tell the Man, Aragorn would close up immediately like a clam, but probably not before inflicting some massive amount of damage on the said Elf's being first as punishment for not telling him right away and allowing him to continue embarrassing himself.
Not that the Elf thought Strider was embarrassing himself in anyway for sharing his troubles; Legolas believed that everyone, no matter how strong they are, could use some kind words and a helping hand at some point in time. Legolas knew firsthand how it felt to be alone, with no one to comfort him when he wishes a shoulder to lean on. But the Elf knew the reason for keeping silent would not matter to the Man, Aragorn was not the type to be trifled with under all circumstances. Legolas, being unable to fight, valued his life too much to tempt fate. Now, as they drew near to Rivendell, the Man still had no idea that Legolas knew his true identity.
I really should tell the Man; But I don't want an angry Aragorn against me, especially since the Man was about to be my commander. I should just let him think that I don't know. He would probably pretend not to know me during training and that should help keep our relationship strictly personally, no, I meant business... Strictly business. Besides, I am a spy for Mirkwood; there could be nothing between us, nothing at all!! If Aragorn finds out about that, he WILL have my head....
Shuddering at the mental image of Aragorn in a rage, Legolas' mind was finally made up. He would forget Strider, the kind ranger of the North; the only Man he had been attracted to since his disastrous infatuation with Romul. He would act as if he had never met Aragorn...
************************************************************************
Sorry, not very funny. Not thinking well today... hopefully will be better when I get better =)
Please, please review.
Nina: You read my mind, that was my favorite line in the chapter; aside from Aragorn's violent fantasies, I like those too =)
Everyone: The genetics of Elf hair color debate was getting more attention than I thought.. this particular story is kind of just for fun, so I apologize if it is not as accurate as it should be.
Ihni: This story is short, in terms of plot. I do have a few scenes in mind that I must include.. depending on inspiration, I might just add random things I find funny in there... That's the long way of saying I don't know how long it actually will be =) This story doesn't have beta, and I am writing it as a stress reliever, which means that I will be posting every day, if not every other day. So, don't worry =)
... = thoughts or random ramblings of authoress
Lasgalen = Legolas
Kind of sick, so brain not functioning quite properly, am sorry if chapter is a little odd...
************************************************************************
Chapter 5:
The Men found themselves enchanted by Lasgalen. While that as a fact was not surprising since the Elf was more beautiful than Arwen, the reason behind it was. Throughout the trip, the Elf could make wonders with whatever meager fare the rangers gathered for food and turned them into delicacies. Both Men agreed that they had never been better fed even at banquets, least say trips through the Wild. They still remembered the delicious brown spheres that the Elf shared with them after their first meal.
________________________________________________________________________
FLASHBACK:
Legolas pulled out the box of strange brown spheres from his pack. He had brought it along as he knew he would be gone a while and the food would not keep. Encouraged by his first try at preparing warg meat earlier, Legolas was feeling adventurous in sampling new foods. He saw the two Men eyeing him curiously and he offered them a piece each with a warning.
"The Hobbits sent it, so I am sure it was edible. But I have yet to try it; so you are trying at your own peril."
The Men were not taken back, however, after their delicious meal, they too were feeling adventurous. A delicious sweetness and the flavor of strawberries reverberated in his mouth as Aragorn took his first bite. He quickly popped in the second half after he swallowed the first.
The others too had followed his example, popping the whole sphere into their mouths. Legolas was particularly pleased by the blend the rich, bittersweet taste of the brown substance and the freshness of the strawberry filling. He definitely had never tried sweet that delicious before. Rumors about Hobbits were definitely true; those Halfings certainly have a way with food.
As the Elf finished his sweet, he looked at Strider to see if he would like another. Legolas noticed a bit of strawberry filling on the Man's lips, and alerted him to the fact. Aragorn tried to lick it clean, but managed to smear more filling and brown substance onto his lips instead.
Legolas smiled gently and shook his head, "Here, let me help you," before leaning forward and wiping it off with his slender fingers.
Aragorn could barely contain his urge to take those slim fingers into his mouth and suck on them. Luckily, or should we say unluckily, at that moment, Halbarad also finished swallowing and asking the Elf for another. As Legolas broke contact with the Man, Strider reminded himself that he must have a private word with his friend later. ________________________________________________________________________
Even Halbarad was more than a little interested in having Lasgalen as a lover now; the stoic ranger did not care much for beauty, but a traveling companion who could cook, that was something worth pursuing. Yup, apparently, there was some truth to the best way to a Man's heart is through his stomach. That was not meant to slight Aragorn's culinary abilities, which were more than adequate under the circumstances. The Man could boil water and roast, well it's more like char, meat on an open fire, which was more than what some Men could do...
Not that the Elf was aware of the ranger's intentions. Aragorn made very certain of that. The Man had used every means possible, short of running his companion through with Anduril, to prevent the other's advances on Lasgalen. Aragorn had his sight set on the golden Elf first and was not about to let his friend cut in line. The Man, being chieftain, had been pulling rank on his companion every chance he got to send Halbarad on some errand so he could be alone with Lasgalen.
The Man became more and more fascinated with Lasgalen with each moment they spent on the road. If Aragorn did not know better, he would say he was in love. But since he had much experience with relationships, he would classify how he felt as an infatuation, well, a very deep, intense, comforting, emotionally involved infatuation. The Elf was smart and beautiful, with a great sense of humor. It was always such a pleasure speaking with Lasgalen, who seemed to know something interesting about everything. The golden one was not just an entertaining speaker, he was also a great listener, attentive and supportive throughout the entire conversation.
While the Man was used to attention when he regale tales of his adventures, no one had ever lent a willing ear to his problems. Well, that was not true in the strictest sense, since Aragorn had never opened up to anyone about his troubles. He knew who he was and that he must appear strong at all times for the good of Middle Earth. Most of the time, he felt like he was nothing more than a pawn in the power struggle between Good and Evil; that he was trapped from his duties, that he could never be his own person.
Now, posing as Strider in front of Lasgalen, he found that he could speak his mind freely, that he no longer needed his cold, calm, leader-of-Men disguise. Of course, there was also that Lasgalen was so understanding and helpful. At first, the Man was hesitant to speak even when he was incognito and they were alone, but at the gentle prompting of the Elf, he found himself unburdening all his worries and troubles onto Lasgalen's sympathetic ears. Most of the Man's angst stemmed from his birthright, which he could not reveal to the Elf without giving away his identity, but Aragorn, being an intelligent person, had found a way around it by speaking about himself as a friend of a friend. A typical conversation would run like this.
________________________________________________________________________
"Tell me what's troubling you, my friend?" Legolas would inquire gently.
"Well, you see, I am worried about my friend since he was worried about his other friend," the Man would answer.
"Tell me, maybe I could help," the Elf would encourage with a winsome smile.
"This friend of a friend, he was to be heir to the throne of Gondor, but he was not sure if he would be able to fulfill his destiny. At the moment, he was chieftain of the Dunedains and that was already giving him lots of headaches...." Aragorn would continue.
The Elf would listen to the Man and, when he finished, either offer comforting words if Aragorn needed emotional support or brilliant advice if the Man was speaking of a difficult situation he had to handle. ________________________________________________________________________
As Aragorn sat by the fire and watched the sleeping form of the golden Elf on the last night of their journey to Rivendell, he could not help a pang of regret in his heart. He knew tomorrow when they enter the city, he would have to be Aragorn again, the trainer and commander of the joint Elven Army. Though he would see Lasgalen every day, he would have to pretend that he did not know the Elf; that he was not Strider. For some unfathomable reason, Aragorn felt more than a bit sad.
What I wouldn't give to have Lasgalen by my side when I take my throne? He would make such a wonderful advisor and consort. Wait a minute, what am I thinking? I am NOT in love with the Elf, I do NOT want to bind myself to him. I am sad only because I never got to take Lasgalen as my lover. I am disappointed only because I did not even get a kiss from the Elf. I am NOT in love with him!! I will marry Arwen when the time comes. Now repeat that again, I am NOT in love with Lasgalen, I am NOT... And so chanted the Man in his mind until the next morn.
************************************************************************
Though Legolas was excited to have finally reached Rivendell where he could prove himself, he could not help feeling that he would miss Aragorn's company very much. The Man's tactics did not fool him past the first night. His diplomatic experience gave Legolas the abilities to deduct even the slightest trait of falsehood or emotions underlying a person's speech.
The Man was just too animated with he talked; whatever the relationship was between Strider and the one who needed comfort and advice must be very close. At first, the Elf suspected it was a lover, which made his heart flinched for some strange reason, but as Legolas observed the interactions between the two Men, he could see clearly that Aragorn had influence over his companion. Thought the two Men seemed just friends, there was something in the way that Aragorn carried himself that spoke of leadership and authority. Putting the evidence together, it was not difficult to deduce that Aragorn, son of Arathorn, chieftain of the Dunedain, foster son of Elrond and most unwilling commander of the new joint army was the same Man as Strider, ranger of the North.
He had been debating in his mind what he should do for a while. But as he still had not came to a clear conclusion, the Elf decided that he would take the wisest course of action in such situations, which is to wait and see and not act at all. Besides, he enjoyed Aragorn's confidence and he had a feeling that the Man needed it. He knew that anonymity was the only reason why the Man felt safe to speak with him; if Legolas were to tell the Man, Aragorn would close up immediately like a clam, but probably not before inflicting some massive amount of damage on the said Elf's being first as punishment for not telling him right away and allowing him to continue embarrassing himself.
Not that the Elf thought Strider was embarrassing himself in anyway for sharing his troubles; Legolas believed that everyone, no matter how strong they are, could use some kind words and a helping hand at some point in time. Legolas knew firsthand how it felt to be alone, with no one to comfort him when he wishes a shoulder to lean on. But the Elf knew the reason for keeping silent would not matter to the Man, Aragorn was not the type to be trifled with under all circumstances. Legolas, being unable to fight, valued his life too much to tempt fate. Now, as they drew near to Rivendell, the Man still had no idea that Legolas knew his true identity.
I really should tell the Man; But I don't want an angry Aragorn against me, especially since the Man was about to be my commander. I should just let him think that I don't know. He would probably pretend not to know me during training and that should help keep our relationship strictly personally, no, I meant business... Strictly business. Besides, I am a spy for Mirkwood; there could be nothing between us, nothing at all!! If Aragorn finds out about that, he WILL have my head....
Shuddering at the mental image of Aragorn in a rage, Legolas' mind was finally made up. He would forget Strider, the kind ranger of the North; the only Man he had been attracted to since his disastrous infatuation with Romul. He would act as if he had never met Aragorn...
************************************************************************
Sorry, not very funny. Not thinking well today... hopefully will be better when I get better =)