Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Please, please review.
... = Thoughts or random ramblings of authoress.
I took a scene from Never been kissed. You will recognize it when you see it =)
Not a funny chapter. No Milo and Estel cameo =(
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Chapter 12:
After less than ten minutes of archery practice, the Guardian of Lòrien could tell that Legolas' mind was not on the field. The Prince had yet to hit his target once. In fact, the young one had not even mastered the basic motions of drawing a bow and notching an arrow. Given the golden Elf's talents, Haldir concluded that his student must be distracted by something else. Or rather someone, since the archer knew that with Gimli keeping a careful watch on the Prince, no one could poison the young Elf again and survive. Since all the recruits were present for practice, the Guardian was certain that Legolas was not intoxicated in any way. Thus, the Prince must be thinking about the one Man who could cause Legolas to lose focus, Aragorn.
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It took the young Elf thirty minutes to stop the overflow of tears flooding his face after leaving the lunch area. Gimli tried to console his friend, but it was difficult to comfort someone who would not even admit to being hurt. Legolas kept saying it was only a bit of sand that got into his eyes. Even the most stupid of Sauron's Orcs would not be fooled by that excuse, let alone a smart person like Gimli. How the Dwarf wished he could go knock some sense into their idiot commander's head for hurting the Elf so carelessly.
The Dwarf could not understand was why the Man had not told Arwen the truth. Gimli was certain that his human commander was dreaming of Legolas; why couldn't Aragorn just say so clearly. It would make things so much easier for Gimli and Haldir. The Man's ambiguous words had led his Lady to believe she still held his affections and made Legolas cry. If only his friend was a little bit more self-confident, the Elf would know that Aragorn was speaking of him, honoring him with the title of the most beautiful creature in the world. But given the Prince's unassuming nature, that thought never occurred to Legolas.
To make matters worse, the Elf had declared his love yesterday in front of the entire camp. Seeing the Lady and Aragorn went off to 'explore the physical dimension of their relationship' was bad enough; but watching that scene after the open display of affections must have been heartbreaking for his gentle friend. Legolas took it as a sign of rejection; that the Man did not return his feelings at all.
The Prince had never been in love before, let alone out of love. The Elf's training in composure simply did not know how to handle this utterly foreign pain, leaving Legolas free to do whatever he felt like; which happened to be crying nonstop for thirty minutes, much to Gimli's chagrin. There was not much in the world the brave warrior Gimli feared. But seeing the rivers of tears flowed from his friend's eyes, he realized he was afraid of seeing beautiful creatures cry. That sight just did not sit well with the Dwarf. Plus, he was beginning to worry that if the Elf did not stop crying, his tears would flood their camp.
Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. But Gimli was worried. His limited knowledge of the Elves told him that these fey creatures could die of grief. The Dwarf could never understand it; how can anything be so fragile that emotions could kill them?! And to think the weak skinny Elves considered themselves superior to the Dwarves! You never see a stout Dwarf dying of grief. But anyways, Legolas was definitely unhappy enough to be considered grieving. The Dwarf hoped nothing bad would happen to his friend; or else, commander or not, Aragorn was going to get what's coming.
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Archery lessons did not end well. Legolas missed all his targets. Even Gimli, who was a novice using a bow way too big for his size, scored better than the Elven Prince. It did not surprise the Dwarf though; for even if the Elf's mind were on practice, his eyes would not cooperate. Those azure beauties were red, swollen and bleary from the thirty minutes of intense crying. There was no way Legolas could see and aim properly in his condition. Haldir too had noticed the aftermath of tears. As he missed the whole scene at the lunch area, the Guardian of Lòrien took Gimli aside to inquire on the situation before the obstacle course began.
"He did WHAT?" cried the Elf.
"Sshh. Quiet down, will you? Do you want everyone to hear us? You troublesome Elves have too keen senses if you ask me," whispered Gimli.
"Right, sorry. I was really unpleasantly surprised. I was sure Aragorn was going to break up with Arwen. I overheard the twins talking about ways to prevent that from happening," said Haldir quietly.
"Why would they want to get between Aragorn and Legolas?" asked the Dwarf.
"Because Arwen would be very angry if she got dumped. You have seen her angry, right?" replied the Guardian.
"Yeah. But I am sure Aragorn can handle her," said Gimli.
"That shows how much a Dwarf knows about Elven culture. The Evening Star is Lady Galadriel's granddaughter. Arwen has magic. Besides, there is no way Aragorn will actually fight her. He is far too noble to ever raise his hand against a Lady," replied Haldir while shaking his head at the Dwarf.
"Which side are you on?" hissed Gimli.
"Legolas', of course. I want to see him happy with Aragorn too. But it would be nice not to incur Arwen's wrath in the process. Still, to go off with his Lady in front of an audience after Legolas sang of love yesterday, what was the Man thinking?" said the Elf.
"My thoughts exactly," agreed the Dwarf, somewhat satisfied of Haldir's intentions. He still did not trust the Elf much, but that had to do with his upbringing. He was taught to never trust an Elf. Legolas of course, was the exception; but then the Prince never quite fit in with the other Elves, so he did not count.
"You think you can get Legolas to pay attention to where he is going on the obstacle course?" asked the Guardian worriedly.
"Don't know. Though he won't admit it, he can't see properly. There is only so much abuse those delicate eyes of his can take. Is there anyway you can get it canceled? Or maybe make up some excuse for special exercise to get our Elf friend out of the training?" replied Gimli.
"No, that won't work. The others will only dislike him more if I too show that much favoritism. Besides, Legolas will know if I try anything of that sort. He is very stubborn about taking part in these exercises, even if his mind isn't really there. He will get annoyed at me," said Haldir, shaking his head.
"Alright then, I will try to get Legolas out of his trance. No guarantees though. But either way, I will keep my eyes on him and make sure he stays out of trouble," said the Dwarf.
"Good luck," whispered the Elf, still worried about the Prince.
"I am an experienced Dwarf warrior, I don't need luck," replied Gimli. When Haldir rolled his eyes and muttered a prayer to Elbereth, the Dwarf added with a confident pound on the chest, "Don't worry, my friend, Gimli is on the case."
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Legolas knew he needed to focus. He was terrible at target practice. He knew everyone must be laughing at him now. But then, that was hardly news after his debacle at archery practice yesterday. He needed to prove he was not useless to his fellow recruits and the twins; that he could do things right without help from Gimli, Haldir or Aragorn. Aragorn.... The very thought of that name brought tears to his already bleary eyes.
How could he be stupid enough to think the Man liked him that way when Aragorn already had Arwen. His human commander was just being nice, nothing more. And that earth shattering, heart-stealing kiss was nothing more than a plan to get Estel back for his Lady. It was Legolas' first, and the Elf vowed it would be his last, for he meant what he said; he knew after that kiss that Aragorn was the one. There would be no other for him. Given how the Man felt, the Elf was sure things of the sort would never happen again.
And all the while, the Prince was worried that a relationship with Aragorn would hamper his mission. How could he misjudge the situation so badly that he did not realize his affections were one-sided and that there would be no 'relationship' between the Man and himself. He should be relieved that no personal issues would be clouding his judgment on his mission. Yet, when he thought of the Man not returning his love, the Elf could not stop his rebellious lacrimal glands from secreting tears. It was like an involuntary reflex, similar to the way a human's leg jerked when the knee was tapped.
"Legolas, please stop mourning over the Man. He is so not worth it," said Gimli.
"I am not mourning. And he is WORTH it," hissed the Prince dangerously.
The Dwarf made a mental note not to insult Aragorn again in front of his friend. He did not want to know if the gentle Elf would ever turn into a scary creature like Arwen given enough provocation. "Sorry. I just don't like to see you cry," said Gimli.
"I should be the one apologizing for worrying you," replied the Elf with a small smile.
"Who said I am worried? Now let's go show those wussy Elves how to do an obstacle course properly," said the Dwarf gruffly as he laid an affectionate pat on his friend's leg. Gimli still couldn't believe how much he actually liked the Elven Prince. It really was not 'normal' for a Dwarf to like an Elf that much. But then, no 'normal' Dwarf would join an Elven army. Gimli decided that he was strange, but in a good way, like in an uncommonly brave and open-minded way, at least according to Legolas.
"I am glad you are with me, Gimli," said the Prince, this time with a full smile. Regardless of what happens in the future, he have gained a loyal life-long friend in Gimli.
"I'll race you to the start line," cried the Dwarf as he began to run towards their destination.
Legolas laughed softly as he easily caught up with his smaller friend despite the Dwarf's head start. Maybe today would not be such a bad day after all, as long as he kept his mind off a certain someone.
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A mummy-like figure lay on Aragorn's bed. The creature had been wrapped from head to toe in bandages. As soon as he sensed his tormentor had left the room, angry moans erupted as the one inside the bindings flopped around on the bed, struggling to get free. After ten minutes, the creature finally managed to tear the bandages suffocating him off his face, revealing a very, very, very incensed Aragorn. He did not know why he had to agree to give the twins two weeks. Letting Arwen play doctor was one thing, but being mummified alive was another. Well, that's not entirely true since all his internal organs were still in tact and inside the Man. If you wish for details of the mummification process, watch the Mummy. It is rather disgusting and I will not expound on it here.
Besides, the Man didn't really want to share intimacy with anyone other than Lasgalen. After that kiss, the only one Aragorn dreamed of bedding was the Golden Elf. He had pretty much lost interest in all the others, including his Lady. It was a good thing that a male human body had a mind of its own given enough incentive. Arwen would definitely know he was in love with someone else otherwise. He was really sick of playing this game, pretending that he still wanted her. But a promise was a promise, and Aragorn was a noble soul who would not go back on his word. Where was that blasted dog when the Man needed him?! He could use Milo's interruption just now. But the dog was intelligent enough to heed Arwen's warning and did not disturbed them.
It took several more minutes before Aragorn finally broke out of his bandage cocoon. He decided that he was well enough to oversee the obstacle course. The truth was that he was slightly worried about Lasgalen. It was a very difficult trail; from his observations of the Elf during their journey, the recruit would be having trouble finishing the course, least say hitting the targets. Though Lasgalen was talented beyond belief with weapons, the Elf lacked the necessary endurance to become a successful warrior. His student would have to greatly improve his stamina if he were to become a worthy match for the tall, dark handsome Man. I meant a good enough warrior to be Aragorn's consort. I am not referring to stamina for any other sort of physical activities. Sorry, mind is in the gutter today. Anyways....
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Out of breath, the Prince stopped running as he bent over and rested his hands on his knees. Gimli stopped a few steps behind his friend, keeping watch to make sure no one could play a trick on the exhausted Elf. The Prince had spent the past two hours climbing up and down trees, running over ropes and jumping from branch to branch. Legolas was the tactical advisor and diplomat of Mirkwood; his daily activities involved reading and writing parchments, thinking and speaking with important people. Physical fitness was not exactly the Golden Elf's strong suit, as one might have guessed since the young Prince was ALWAYS in his library when he was in the palace.
Things would be easier if the Prince did not have to keep an eye out for Gimli as well. But Dwarves were not designed to travel through trees at high speeds. More than once, Legolas had to grab his friend to steady him and prevent him from falling. When the Prince asked the Dwarf how he managed to complete yesterday's course without any help, Gimli merely shrugged and answered, "Unlike Elves, Dwarves are very sturdily built. A fall from the trees is nothing to me."
Gimli was not built to run on ropes either. The Dwarf was having a very hard time keeping balance. When the Elf asked how Gimli got across the stream the previous time, his friend smiled and said, "Dwarves are excellent swimmers."
The flow of the stream was not fast, but Legolas knew the water must be very cold. Gimli had been such a good friend; the Elf was not going to allow his friend to suffer if he could help it. There were three ropes tied to the same branch to allow more recruits to cross at the same time. Since they were the last to cross, the Prince untied one of the ropes and secured its end to a slightly higher branch. He then ran across another rope and retied the first rope such that it was parallel to the one he sprinted across. He then returned to Gimli, showing him how to walk sideways across grasping the higher rope for balance.
Without much difficulty, the Dwarf crossed the stream successfully on the ropes. However, there were similar ropes on which the recruits had to balance and shoot at the same time. On those, Legolas had resorted to being anchor for Gimli while the Dwarf made his shot. Gimli may be short, but with full armor, the Dwarf was rather heavy. One could imagine how tired the Elf was, having to hold the weight of his friend repeatedly while keeping both their balance.
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"You should go on without me, Gimli. You said the rest of the course is just crawling under fallen trees and jogging, right?" said Legolas.
"I am not leaving you here, my friend. You are only this tired because you were helping me," replied Gimli.
"That's what friends are for. The course has a two and a half hour limit. If you hurry, you will make it in time. It will not do for both of us to fail the training," said the Prince.
When the Dwarf shook his head stubbornly, the Elf said, "I have longer legs than you. I can run faster and catch up if I rest awhile."
When Gimli still looked dubious, Legolas continued, "Just do as I say. I promise I will catch up. Unless you don't trust me, which means you don't think of me as a friend, you should go now."
With a hesitant nod, the Dwarf began running again towards the end of the obstacle course.
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True to his word, the Elf began trying to run after his friend after a short rest. His mind was telling him to move faster, but his body was refusing to obey. It was beginning to get dark and the two and a half hour limit was almost over. So intent on reaching his destination and catching up with Gimli that the Elf did not hear the approach of a small band of Orcs.
These creatures were lost, having strayed from the main force a day ago. Being not too bright, they went the opposite direction of where the other Orcs were, leading them into the forest surrounding Rivendell. If they had arrived earlier, when the other recruits were passing, they would be doomed. They would be live targets for the young Elven soldiers. But now, with Legolas alone, exhausted and muddied from crawling around on the ground underneath fallen trees, the Orcs knew they had the opportunity to capture one of their arch rivals for sport. Or information, which they were in dire need of to find their comrades again. What made them thought Legolas knew where the rest of their army was, no one knew. But they were stupid Orcs, what would people expect...
These creatures crept up on the struggling Elf, whose foot happened to be caught in some vines as he crawled underneath a log on the forest floor. I'll let you in on a secret. Actually, the purpose of the fallen trees was to allow recruits to avoid the mud while shooting the targets. Since the commanders thought it would be intuitive to the Elven trainees, who would avoid dirt at all cost, they never explained the proper way of clearing the obstacle course. However, Gimli was a Dwarf and opted for the easiest way through for someone his size, despite the mud. Since Legolas missed the first day of training and Gimli was the one explaining the training exercise to the Elf, the Prince naturally assumed that he was supposed to crawl around in the mud. Though the dirt offended his delicate senses, Legolas was determined to do things the 'right' way.
Legolas was finally aware of the Orcs surrounding him. In his position on the ground, he could not shoot at them; and since the recruits were given only arrows and their bow, the Elf was completely defenseless. The Prince contemplated stabbing them with his arrows, but their vulnerable areas were out of his reach. That was not exactly true, there was one place Legolas could go for. But I would not allow him to do that since the thought of stabbing someone there was rather disturbing, even if that someone was just an Orc. Besides, there were too many of them for Legolas to fight, especially since the Elf was stuck on the ground.
"Hello, dirty little Elf. Surrender and we will go easier on you," said one of the Orcs maliciously.
As soon as Legolas dropped his weapons, the same Orc that promised lenience yanked the Elf up from the ground by the hair. It would normally hurt to be yanked to one's feet by the hair; but given that the Prince's situation, the pain was compounded when his foot was torn lose from the meshwork of vines. Legolas' foot was now bleeding profusely and his ankle was swollen. The agony was enough to bring tears to the gentle Elf's eyes.
"Look what we have here. Crying already, you little sissy Elf. The fun haven't even started," taunted another Orc.
"Tell us where our army is and we might be merciful and kill you quickly," smirked a third Orc.
If Legolas were not held hostage by a bunch of nasty creatures with a bleeding leg, he would have laughed at that statement. But given the circumstances, the best he could manage was a small shake of his head. The Orcs were enraged by the apparent 'stubbornness' of their captive and one of the raised a hand to strike at the Elf again.
The blow never landed as the creature lay dead with an arrow in its back. The startled Orcs looked around to find a single Human as their attacker; a fuming Man dressed all in black with a murderous expression on his face and a gleaming sword in hand to be exact.
Aragorn was in a really, really bad mood. His beautiful dream was interrupted; he had to sleep with Arwen; he got bound up like a mummy; his shoulder hurt more now than it did yesterday and to top that off, a bunch of ugly beasts were attacking HIS ELF. One look at the Man would send the Nazgûls fleeing.
If the Orcs were intelligent, they too would know to run for their lives. But these said Orcs were anything but smart, so they considered their single assailant to be an easy kill which would give them fresh meat. They had not tasted Man-flesh for awhile; the thought of having that delicacy again clouded their brains even more. They simply ignored their Elven prisoner and started to charge the Man.
Aragorn quickly sidestepped his first attacker, spun behind the Orc and brought his sword up to slit its throat in one smooth motion. The other creatures could only look on in surprise as the Man dispatched another Orc with lightening speed. Aragorn parried, spun away from the Orc, stabbing backwards with his spin to impale the creature before kicking it off his sword and moving onto his next target. That unfortunate one met a quick end as it lost its head in one swift blow.
Now, the remaining beasts knew the Man was not one to be trifled with and started to retreat. In their haste, they had forgotten that Aragorn had arrows, which he used conveniently to pick off the fleeing Orcs. Before the Man entered this battle, he had vowed that all of these creatures would die for touching Lasgalen. Within minutes, his promise was fulfilled as the last of the foul creatures was felled by another well-aimed arrow through the back.
Satisfied with his work, Aragorn put away his weapons and began to walk towards the limping Elf. Legolas had taken the opportunity to 'escape' during the Man's fight with the Orcs and had moved some distance away from the site of carnage.
"Wait. Let me carry you," called out the Man as he hurried to catch up with the Prince.
The Elf answered by limping faster. Frowning, Aragorn easily caught up with his injured student and strode along side him. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Please let me help you."
Legolas again responded by not responding and tried to speed up more. As the pain in his foot and ankle increased, the Elf could not suppress a soft groan with each step he took. The Man did not understand why Lasgalen was refusing his help. His mind immediately drifted to the possibility that his Elf had been violated and was too ashamed to speak. But judging from the conditions of the recruits clothes, that did not seemed likely; which prompted Aragorn to mutter a silent prayer to thank Elbereth. But why else would the Elf not speak to him and refuse his assistance?
Unable to watch his student suffer any longer, the Man walked up to Lasgalen and easily scooped him into his arms. What he did not expect was the Elf to struggle violently against his hold. Aragorn was surprised how much strength the recruit had left after his training and ordeal with the Orcs. Lasgalen had a rather mean left hook and the Man soon found his face and shoulders aching intensely from the Elf's punches.
Aragorn was not about to let a little pain stop him from carrying his injured Elf. He shifted the recruit in his arms such that he now carried Lasgalen on his shoulders. At least, the damage would be limited to his shoulders and back; the Man would not have to go through the trouble of explaining his bruises since they would be invisible under his clothes. In case people were wondering, Legolas was only hitting Aragorn on his uninjured shoulder. Subconsciously, the Elf avoided truly hurting the one he loved =) It of course went without saying that Aragorn was carrying the Prince on his good shoulder as well.
"Let me down, now!!" shouted the Elf, speaking to Aragorn for the first time today. That was not exactly what the Man wanted to hear though; and was a rather unnecessary statement since Lasgalen's actions spoke very eloquently of his wishes.
"I am not going to let you walk on that leg. It might be broken. I will take a look when we get back after you bathe," said the Man resolutely.
"What happens to me is none of your business," retorted the Elf as he renewed his assault on Aragorn's back.
The Man could not remember getting a more severe beating in his entire life. He felt more like a punching bag than a mighty warrior at this moment. But then, it was the first time where Aragorn had completely not felt any urge to retaliate against an attack. Despite the pain the Elf had inflicted upon him, the Man was still more worried about Lasgalen's injured leg. And of course, there was the question of why the Elf seemed all of a sudden so averse to Aragorn's touch. From Lasgalen's song yesterday, the Man was certain the young Elf returned his affections entirely.
"Why are you like this? You had no problems with me carrying you yesterday," asked the puzzled Man.
At the mention of his public declaration of love yesterday, the Elf was reminded how the Man did not return his feelings. His newly discovered reflex kicked in despite Legolas' mental protests. He seized his struggling and started to cry.
The sudden change of mood was not lost on Aragorn. He could feel his shirt becoming drenched by the Elf's tears. But why?! That was when the Man remembered the embarrassing scene at the lunch area, which Aragorn had very carefully erased from his mind. Lasgalen must have thought he was dreaming of Arwen!
"Did anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful creature in the world?" inquired the Man softly as he laid the Elf gently on the ground so he could look directly into Lasgalen's bleary eyes.
The Man regarded his student intently as a plethora of emotions flew across Lasgalen's face; shock, disbelief, hope and shyness all appearing in turn until a very lovely blush settled upon his delicately sculpted cheekbones.
With eyes downcast and no longer crying, the Golden Elf nodded his head slightly. It was not the first time Legolas had received similar compliments. But it was the first time he received it from someone he was attracted to. The Prince was more than a little embarrassed and did not know how to respond. He had only been attracted to one other person once before and that had been a total disaster.
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FLASHBACK:
"No sooner had they met, they looked. No sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed.... Does he notice me? Does he hear my heart screaming his name? Sometimes, it is so loud I think the Gods can hear my pain. His voice is so mellifluous. Oh, to get just one small kiss.."
His poem was interrupted by the collective laughter of his class. Legolas did not know what drove him to read his work at lunch hour. That was not entirely true; he knew why he did it, but he could not remember how he convinced himself that his plan would work. Four weeks ago, the young Prince saw for the first time the Elf he thought would be the love of his life. Ever since Legolas laid eyes on the tall, dark and handsome Romul, he could not do much else but harbor romantic fantasies on the popular Elf.
There were only three days before the completion of their training. On that night, a feast would be held to celebrate their new status as Elven warriors. There was nothing Legolas would not do for a chance to be Romul's dance partner at the feast. Unfortunately, that included writing a beautiful poem and reading it to the dark-haired Elf in public in the hopes of gaining his favor.
To his surprise, Romul walked up to him and smiled. The handsome Elf took Legolas' chubby hands in his slender ones and asked with false sincerity, "Would you go with me to the feast?"
Too happy for words, Legolas merely nodded and raced back to the palace to get himself outfitted properly for the banquet.
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The night of the banquet was magical. Legolas wore a green velvet tunic with golden vines embroidered at the sleeves and hem with matching green leggings. His glorious hair was held back in the fashion of a warrior, two small braids on the sides and one in the center. His adorably chubby form emitted a gentle glow, a small candle adding to the romantic silver light of the moon. His stunning azure eyes sparkled with merriment and joy as the small cherub awaited his partner for the evening outside the palace. The forest sang to him lovingly; the whispers of a soft breeze and rustlings of leaves forming a symphony of praise for the young Prince, stating how absolutely cute and adorable the little one was.
So enrapt was Legolas in nature's song that he did not realized Romul had arrived until it was too late. In the blink of an eye, the dark-haired Elf threw a large creamy pastry onto the Prince's face and laughed, "Eat this, fatty."
Out of his trance, Legolas watched as Romul's arm curved around a tall, beautiful silver-haired Elf. The dark-haired Elf had never meant to take the Prince as his partner to the dance. This was nothing but a cruel joke. As tears began to flow from Legolas' now dirty face, the fair-haired Elf mocked him, "Come now, Legless Legolas, you did not seriously think that Romul would want to go with someone like you. Why don't you go home, clean up and try to figure out how many lifetimes is it going to take for you to get popular?"
End Flashback
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Aragorn could no longer bear the silence or the fact that his Elf was not looking at him. He wanted to see those exquisite azure eyes, regarding him lovingly as Lasgalen had done before. He needed to know if he was forgiven. Gently, the Man lifted his student's chin so they were face to face once more. When Aragorn noted the coyness in those glittering sapphires, their current position became too tempting to the Man. Slowly, he leaned forward for a kiss.
Legolas knew what the Man wanted to do. He really wanted it too; the amazing feeling of their first kiss was still fresh in his mind. But the Prince also knew he was filthy; he failed the obstacle course and Aragorn was still his human commander. This was not appropriate; at least not until he had proven himself worthy of the Man's affections. Reluctantly, the Elf turned away before their lips met.
"What's wrong? Are you still angry with me?" asked the Man, clearly disappointed at not getting to kiss his Elf.
"No. You are my commander and I am your student. We should not be doing this. At least, not yet," answered Legolas who was blushing again when he added the last part of the reply.
As much as Aragorn wanted to pursue the Elf now, he knew Lasgalen was right. The golden beauty deserved his undivided attention, which he could not give until he broke up with Arwen. That he could not do for another two weeks because of his promise to the twins. Shaking his head, the Man reluctantly agreed, "You are right. I will wait. But at least let me carry you back to camp."
Smiling gently, Legolas allowed the Man to lift him into his strong arms once more. The weariness of the afternoon's activities all of a sudden caught up with the Elf. In Aragorn's gentle embrace, the Prince drifted into the world of dreams. Despite his resolve to not get involved with his commander yet, instinctively, Legolas' head nestled tightly against the Man's hard chest. The Elf had never felt safer in his entire life, nor had Aragorn felt more complete.
Please, please review.
... = Thoughts or random ramblings of authoress.
I took a scene from Never been kissed. You will recognize it when you see it =)
Not a funny chapter. No Milo and Estel cameo =(
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Chapter 12:
After less than ten minutes of archery practice, the Guardian of Lòrien could tell that Legolas' mind was not on the field. The Prince had yet to hit his target once. In fact, the young one had not even mastered the basic motions of drawing a bow and notching an arrow. Given the golden Elf's talents, Haldir concluded that his student must be distracted by something else. Or rather someone, since the archer knew that with Gimli keeping a careful watch on the Prince, no one could poison the young Elf again and survive. Since all the recruits were present for practice, the Guardian was certain that Legolas was not intoxicated in any way. Thus, the Prince must be thinking about the one Man who could cause Legolas to lose focus, Aragorn.
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It took the young Elf thirty minutes to stop the overflow of tears flooding his face after leaving the lunch area. Gimli tried to console his friend, but it was difficult to comfort someone who would not even admit to being hurt. Legolas kept saying it was only a bit of sand that got into his eyes. Even the most stupid of Sauron's Orcs would not be fooled by that excuse, let alone a smart person like Gimli. How the Dwarf wished he could go knock some sense into their idiot commander's head for hurting the Elf so carelessly.
The Dwarf could not understand was why the Man had not told Arwen the truth. Gimli was certain that his human commander was dreaming of Legolas; why couldn't Aragorn just say so clearly. It would make things so much easier for Gimli and Haldir. The Man's ambiguous words had led his Lady to believe she still held his affections and made Legolas cry. If only his friend was a little bit more self-confident, the Elf would know that Aragorn was speaking of him, honoring him with the title of the most beautiful creature in the world. But given the Prince's unassuming nature, that thought never occurred to Legolas.
To make matters worse, the Elf had declared his love yesterday in front of the entire camp. Seeing the Lady and Aragorn went off to 'explore the physical dimension of their relationship' was bad enough; but watching that scene after the open display of affections must have been heartbreaking for his gentle friend. Legolas took it as a sign of rejection; that the Man did not return his feelings at all.
The Prince had never been in love before, let alone out of love. The Elf's training in composure simply did not know how to handle this utterly foreign pain, leaving Legolas free to do whatever he felt like; which happened to be crying nonstop for thirty minutes, much to Gimli's chagrin. There was not much in the world the brave warrior Gimli feared. But seeing the rivers of tears flowed from his friend's eyes, he realized he was afraid of seeing beautiful creatures cry. That sight just did not sit well with the Dwarf. Plus, he was beginning to worry that if the Elf did not stop crying, his tears would flood their camp.
Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. But Gimli was worried. His limited knowledge of the Elves told him that these fey creatures could die of grief. The Dwarf could never understand it; how can anything be so fragile that emotions could kill them?! And to think the weak skinny Elves considered themselves superior to the Dwarves! You never see a stout Dwarf dying of grief. But anyways, Legolas was definitely unhappy enough to be considered grieving. The Dwarf hoped nothing bad would happen to his friend; or else, commander or not, Aragorn was going to get what's coming.
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Archery lessons did not end well. Legolas missed all his targets. Even Gimli, who was a novice using a bow way too big for his size, scored better than the Elven Prince. It did not surprise the Dwarf though; for even if the Elf's mind were on practice, his eyes would not cooperate. Those azure beauties were red, swollen and bleary from the thirty minutes of intense crying. There was no way Legolas could see and aim properly in his condition. Haldir too had noticed the aftermath of tears. As he missed the whole scene at the lunch area, the Guardian of Lòrien took Gimli aside to inquire on the situation before the obstacle course began.
"He did WHAT?" cried the Elf.
"Sshh. Quiet down, will you? Do you want everyone to hear us? You troublesome Elves have too keen senses if you ask me," whispered Gimli.
"Right, sorry. I was really unpleasantly surprised. I was sure Aragorn was going to break up with Arwen. I overheard the twins talking about ways to prevent that from happening," said Haldir quietly.
"Why would they want to get between Aragorn and Legolas?" asked the Dwarf.
"Because Arwen would be very angry if she got dumped. You have seen her angry, right?" replied the Guardian.
"Yeah. But I am sure Aragorn can handle her," said Gimli.
"That shows how much a Dwarf knows about Elven culture. The Evening Star is Lady Galadriel's granddaughter. Arwen has magic. Besides, there is no way Aragorn will actually fight her. He is far too noble to ever raise his hand against a Lady," replied Haldir while shaking his head at the Dwarf.
"Which side are you on?" hissed Gimli.
"Legolas', of course. I want to see him happy with Aragorn too. But it would be nice not to incur Arwen's wrath in the process. Still, to go off with his Lady in front of an audience after Legolas sang of love yesterday, what was the Man thinking?" said the Elf.
"My thoughts exactly," agreed the Dwarf, somewhat satisfied of Haldir's intentions. He still did not trust the Elf much, but that had to do with his upbringing. He was taught to never trust an Elf. Legolas of course, was the exception; but then the Prince never quite fit in with the other Elves, so he did not count.
"You think you can get Legolas to pay attention to where he is going on the obstacle course?" asked the Guardian worriedly.
"Don't know. Though he won't admit it, he can't see properly. There is only so much abuse those delicate eyes of his can take. Is there anyway you can get it canceled? Or maybe make up some excuse for special exercise to get our Elf friend out of the training?" replied Gimli.
"No, that won't work. The others will only dislike him more if I too show that much favoritism. Besides, Legolas will know if I try anything of that sort. He is very stubborn about taking part in these exercises, even if his mind isn't really there. He will get annoyed at me," said Haldir, shaking his head.
"Alright then, I will try to get Legolas out of his trance. No guarantees though. But either way, I will keep my eyes on him and make sure he stays out of trouble," said the Dwarf.
"Good luck," whispered the Elf, still worried about the Prince.
"I am an experienced Dwarf warrior, I don't need luck," replied Gimli. When Haldir rolled his eyes and muttered a prayer to Elbereth, the Dwarf added with a confident pound on the chest, "Don't worry, my friend, Gimli is on the case."
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Legolas knew he needed to focus. He was terrible at target practice. He knew everyone must be laughing at him now. But then, that was hardly news after his debacle at archery practice yesterday. He needed to prove he was not useless to his fellow recruits and the twins; that he could do things right without help from Gimli, Haldir or Aragorn. Aragorn.... The very thought of that name brought tears to his already bleary eyes.
How could he be stupid enough to think the Man liked him that way when Aragorn already had Arwen. His human commander was just being nice, nothing more. And that earth shattering, heart-stealing kiss was nothing more than a plan to get Estel back for his Lady. It was Legolas' first, and the Elf vowed it would be his last, for he meant what he said; he knew after that kiss that Aragorn was the one. There would be no other for him. Given how the Man felt, the Elf was sure things of the sort would never happen again.
And all the while, the Prince was worried that a relationship with Aragorn would hamper his mission. How could he misjudge the situation so badly that he did not realize his affections were one-sided and that there would be no 'relationship' between the Man and himself. He should be relieved that no personal issues would be clouding his judgment on his mission. Yet, when he thought of the Man not returning his love, the Elf could not stop his rebellious lacrimal glands from secreting tears. It was like an involuntary reflex, similar to the way a human's leg jerked when the knee was tapped.
"Legolas, please stop mourning over the Man. He is so not worth it," said Gimli.
"I am not mourning. And he is WORTH it," hissed the Prince dangerously.
The Dwarf made a mental note not to insult Aragorn again in front of his friend. He did not want to know if the gentle Elf would ever turn into a scary creature like Arwen given enough provocation. "Sorry. I just don't like to see you cry," said Gimli.
"I should be the one apologizing for worrying you," replied the Elf with a small smile.
"Who said I am worried? Now let's go show those wussy Elves how to do an obstacle course properly," said the Dwarf gruffly as he laid an affectionate pat on his friend's leg. Gimli still couldn't believe how much he actually liked the Elven Prince. It really was not 'normal' for a Dwarf to like an Elf that much. But then, no 'normal' Dwarf would join an Elven army. Gimli decided that he was strange, but in a good way, like in an uncommonly brave and open-minded way, at least according to Legolas.
"I am glad you are with me, Gimli," said the Prince, this time with a full smile. Regardless of what happens in the future, he have gained a loyal life-long friend in Gimli.
"I'll race you to the start line," cried the Dwarf as he began to run towards their destination.
Legolas laughed softly as he easily caught up with his smaller friend despite the Dwarf's head start. Maybe today would not be such a bad day after all, as long as he kept his mind off a certain someone.
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A mummy-like figure lay on Aragorn's bed. The creature had been wrapped from head to toe in bandages. As soon as he sensed his tormentor had left the room, angry moans erupted as the one inside the bindings flopped around on the bed, struggling to get free. After ten minutes, the creature finally managed to tear the bandages suffocating him off his face, revealing a very, very, very incensed Aragorn. He did not know why he had to agree to give the twins two weeks. Letting Arwen play doctor was one thing, but being mummified alive was another. Well, that's not entirely true since all his internal organs were still in tact and inside the Man. If you wish for details of the mummification process, watch the Mummy. It is rather disgusting and I will not expound on it here.
Besides, the Man didn't really want to share intimacy with anyone other than Lasgalen. After that kiss, the only one Aragorn dreamed of bedding was the Golden Elf. He had pretty much lost interest in all the others, including his Lady. It was a good thing that a male human body had a mind of its own given enough incentive. Arwen would definitely know he was in love with someone else otherwise. He was really sick of playing this game, pretending that he still wanted her. But a promise was a promise, and Aragorn was a noble soul who would not go back on his word. Where was that blasted dog when the Man needed him?! He could use Milo's interruption just now. But the dog was intelligent enough to heed Arwen's warning and did not disturbed them.
It took several more minutes before Aragorn finally broke out of his bandage cocoon. He decided that he was well enough to oversee the obstacle course. The truth was that he was slightly worried about Lasgalen. It was a very difficult trail; from his observations of the Elf during their journey, the recruit would be having trouble finishing the course, least say hitting the targets. Though Lasgalen was talented beyond belief with weapons, the Elf lacked the necessary endurance to become a successful warrior. His student would have to greatly improve his stamina if he were to become a worthy match for the tall, dark handsome Man. I meant a good enough warrior to be Aragorn's consort. I am not referring to stamina for any other sort of physical activities. Sorry, mind is in the gutter today. Anyways....
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Out of breath, the Prince stopped running as he bent over and rested his hands on his knees. Gimli stopped a few steps behind his friend, keeping watch to make sure no one could play a trick on the exhausted Elf. The Prince had spent the past two hours climbing up and down trees, running over ropes and jumping from branch to branch. Legolas was the tactical advisor and diplomat of Mirkwood; his daily activities involved reading and writing parchments, thinking and speaking with important people. Physical fitness was not exactly the Golden Elf's strong suit, as one might have guessed since the young Prince was ALWAYS in his library when he was in the palace.
Things would be easier if the Prince did not have to keep an eye out for Gimli as well. But Dwarves were not designed to travel through trees at high speeds. More than once, Legolas had to grab his friend to steady him and prevent him from falling. When the Prince asked the Dwarf how he managed to complete yesterday's course without any help, Gimli merely shrugged and answered, "Unlike Elves, Dwarves are very sturdily built. A fall from the trees is nothing to me."
Gimli was not built to run on ropes either. The Dwarf was having a very hard time keeping balance. When the Elf asked how Gimli got across the stream the previous time, his friend smiled and said, "Dwarves are excellent swimmers."
The flow of the stream was not fast, but Legolas knew the water must be very cold. Gimli had been such a good friend; the Elf was not going to allow his friend to suffer if he could help it. There were three ropes tied to the same branch to allow more recruits to cross at the same time. Since they were the last to cross, the Prince untied one of the ropes and secured its end to a slightly higher branch. He then ran across another rope and retied the first rope such that it was parallel to the one he sprinted across. He then returned to Gimli, showing him how to walk sideways across grasping the higher rope for balance.
Without much difficulty, the Dwarf crossed the stream successfully on the ropes. However, there were similar ropes on which the recruits had to balance and shoot at the same time. On those, Legolas had resorted to being anchor for Gimli while the Dwarf made his shot. Gimli may be short, but with full armor, the Dwarf was rather heavy. One could imagine how tired the Elf was, having to hold the weight of his friend repeatedly while keeping both their balance.
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"You should go on without me, Gimli. You said the rest of the course is just crawling under fallen trees and jogging, right?" said Legolas.
"I am not leaving you here, my friend. You are only this tired because you were helping me," replied Gimli.
"That's what friends are for. The course has a two and a half hour limit. If you hurry, you will make it in time. It will not do for both of us to fail the training," said the Prince.
When the Dwarf shook his head stubbornly, the Elf said, "I have longer legs than you. I can run faster and catch up if I rest awhile."
When Gimli still looked dubious, Legolas continued, "Just do as I say. I promise I will catch up. Unless you don't trust me, which means you don't think of me as a friend, you should go now."
With a hesitant nod, the Dwarf began running again towards the end of the obstacle course.
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True to his word, the Elf began trying to run after his friend after a short rest. His mind was telling him to move faster, but his body was refusing to obey. It was beginning to get dark and the two and a half hour limit was almost over. So intent on reaching his destination and catching up with Gimli that the Elf did not hear the approach of a small band of Orcs.
These creatures were lost, having strayed from the main force a day ago. Being not too bright, they went the opposite direction of where the other Orcs were, leading them into the forest surrounding Rivendell. If they had arrived earlier, when the other recruits were passing, they would be doomed. They would be live targets for the young Elven soldiers. But now, with Legolas alone, exhausted and muddied from crawling around on the ground underneath fallen trees, the Orcs knew they had the opportunity to capture one of their arch rivals for sport. Or information, which they were in dire need of to find their comrades again. What made them thought Legolas knew where the rest of their army was, no one knew. But they were stupid Orcs, what would people expect...
These creatures crept up on the struggling Elf, whose foot happened to be caught in some vines as he crawled underneath a log on the forest floor. I'll let you in on a secret. Actually, the purpose of the fallen trees was to allow recruits to avoid the mud while shooting the targets. Since the commanders thought it would be intuitive to the Elven trainees, who would avoid dirt at all cost, they never explained the proper way of clearing the obstacle course. However, Gimli was a Dwarf and opted for the easiest way through for someone his size, despite the mud. Since Legolas missed the first day of training and Gimli was the one explaining the training exercise to the Elf, the Prince naturally assumed that he was supposed to crawl around in the mud. Though the dirt offended his delicate senses, Legolas was determined to do things the 'right' way.
Legolas was finally aware of the Orcs surrounding him. In his position on the ground, he could not shoot at them; and since the recruits were given only arrows and their bow, the Elf was completely defenseless. The Prince contemplated stabbing them with his arrows, but their vulnerable areas were out of his reach. That was not exactly true, there was one place Legolas could go for. But I would not allow him to do that since the thought of stabbing someone there was rather disturbing, even if that someone was just an Orc. Besides, there were too many of them for Legolas to fight, especially since the Elf was stuck on the ground.
"Hello, dirty little Elf. Surrender and we will go easier on you," said one of the Orcs maliciously.
As soon as Legolas dropped his weapons, the same Orc that promised lenience yanked the Elf up from the ground by the hair. It would normally hurt to be yanked to one's feet by the hair; but given that the Prince's situation, the pain was compounded when his foot was torn lose from the meshwork of vines. Legolas' foot was now bleeding profusely and his ankle was swollen. The agony was enough to bring tears to the gentle Elf's eyes.
"Look what we have here. Crying already, you little sissy Elf. The fun haven't even started," taunted another Orc.
"Tell us where our army is and we might be merciful and kill you quickly," smirked a third Orc.
If Legolas were not held hostage by a bunch of nasty creatures with a bleeding leg, he would have laughed at that statement. But given the circumstances, the best he could manage was a small shake of his head. The Orcs were enraged by the apparent 'stubbornness' of their captive and one of the raised a hand to strike at the Elf again.
The blow never landed as the creature lay dead with an arrow in its back. The startled Orcs looked around to find a single Human as their attacker; a fuming Man dressed all in black with a murderous expression on his face and a gleaming sword in hand to be exact.
Aragorn was in a really, really bad mood. His beautiful dream was interrupted; he had to sleep with Arwen; he got bound up like a mummy; his shoulder hurt more now than it did yesterday and to top that off, a bunch of ugly beasts were attacking HIS ELF. One look at the Man would send the Nazgûls fleeing.
If the Orcs were intelligent, they too would know to run for their lives. But these said Orcs were anything but smart, so they considered their single assailant to be an easy kill which would give them fresh meat. They had not tasted Man-flesh for awhile; the thought of having that delicacy again clouded their brains even more. They simply ignored their Elven prisoner and started to charge the Man.
Aragorn quickly sidestepped his first attacker, spun behind the Orc and brought his sword up to slit its throat in one smooth motion. The other creatures could only look on in surprise as the Man dispatched another Orc with lightening speed. Aragorn parried, spun away from the Orc, stabbing backwards with his spin to impale the creature before kicking it off his sword and moving onto his next target. That unfortunate one met a quick end as it lost its head in one swift blow.
Now, the remaining beasts knew the Man was not one to be trifled with and started to retreat. In their haste, they had forgotten that Aragorn had arrows, which he used conveniently to pick off the fleeing Orcs. Before the Man entered this battle, he had vowed that all of these creatures would die for touching Lasgalen. Within minutes, his promise was fulfilled as the last of the foul creatures was felled by another well-aimed arrow through the back.
Satisfied with his work, Aragorn put away his weapons and began to walk towards the limping Elf. Legolas had taken the opportunity to 'escape' during the Man's fight with the Orcs and had moved some distance away from the site of carnage.
"Wait. Let me carry you," called out the Man as he hurried to catch up with the Prince.
The Elf answered by limping faster. Frowning, Aragorn easily caught up with his injured student and strode along side him. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Please let me help you."
Legolas again responded by not responding and tried to speed up more. As the pain in his foot and ankle increased, the Elf could not suppress a soft groan with each step he took. The Man did not understand why Lasgalen was refusing his help. His mind immediately drifted to the possibility that his Elf had been violated and was too ashamed to speak. But judging from the conditions of the recruits clothes, that did not seemed likely; which prompted Aragorn to mutter a silent prayer to thank Elbereth. But why else would the Elf not speak to him and refuse his assistance?
Unable to watch his student suffer any longer, the Man walked up to Lasgalen and easily scooped him into his arms. What he did not expect was the Elf to struggle violently against his hold. Aragorn was surprised how much strength the recruit had left after his training and ordeal with the Orcs. Lasgalen had a rather mean left hook and the Man soon found his face and shoulders aching intensely from the Elf's punches.
Aragorn was not about to let a little pain stop him from carrying his injured Elf. He shifted the recruit in his arms such that he now carried Lasgalen on his shoulders. At least, the damage would be limited to his shoulders and back; the Man would not have to go through the trouble of explaining his bruises since they would be invisible under his clothes. In case people were wondering, Legolas was only hitting Aragorn on his uninjured shoulder. Subconsciously, the Elf avoided truly hurting the one he loved =) It of course went without saying that Aragorn was carrying the Prince on his good shoulder as well.
"Let me down, now!!" shouted the Elf, speaking to Aragorn for the first time today. That was not exactly what the Man wanted to hear though; and was a rather unnecessary statement since Lasgalen's actions spoke very eloquently of his wishes.
"I am not going to let you walk on that leg. It might be broken. I will take a look when we get back after you bathe," said the Man resolutely.
"What happens to me is none of your business," retorted the Elf as he renewed his assault on Aragorn's back.
The Man could not remember getting a more severe beating in his entire life. He felt more like a punching bag than a mighty warrior at this moment. But then, it was the first time where Aragorn had completely not felt any urge to retaliate against an attack. Despite the pain the Elf had inflicted upon him, the Man was still more worried about Lasgalen's injured leg. And of course, there was the question of why the Elf seemed all of a sudden so averse to Aragorn's touch. From Lasgalen's song yesterday, the Man was certain the young Elf returned his affections entirely.
"Why are you like this? You had no problems with me carrying you yesterday," asked the puzzled Man.
At the mention of his public declaration of love yesterday, the Elf was reminded how the Man did not return his feelings. His newly discovered reflex kicked in despite Legolas' mental protests. He seized his struggling and started to cry.
The sudden change of mood was not lost on Aragorn. He could feel his shirt becoming drenched by the Elf's tears. But why?! That was when the Man remembered the embarrassing scene at the lunch area, which Aragorn had very carefully erased from his mind. Lasgalen must have thought he was dreaming of Arwen!
"Did anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful creature in the world?" inquired the Man softly as he laid the Elf gently on the ground so he could look directly into Lasgalen's bleary eyes.
The Man regarded his student intently as a plethora of emotions flew across Lasgalen's face; shock, disbelief, hope and shyness all appearing in turn until a very lovely blush settled upon his delicately sculpted cheekbones.
With eyes downcast and no longer crying, the Golden Elf nodded his head slightly. It was not the first time Legolas had received similar compliments. But it was the first time he received it from someone he was attracted to. The Prince was more than a little embarrassed and did not know how to respond. He had only been attracted to one other person once before and that had been a total disaster.
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FLASHBACK:
"No sooner had they met, they looked. No sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed.... Does he notice me? Does he hear my heart screaming his name? Sometimes, it is so loud I think the Gods can hear my pain. His voice is so mellifluous. Oh, to get just one small kiss.."
His poem was interrupted by the collective laughter of his class. Legolas did not know what drove him to read his work at lunch hour. That was not entirely true; he knew why he did it, but he could not remember how he convinced himself that his plan would work. Four weeks ago, the young Prince saw for the first time the Elf he thought would be the love of his life. Ever since Legolas laid eyes on the tall, dark and handsome Romul, he could not do much else but harbor romantic fantasies on the popular Elf.
There were only three days before the completion of their training. On that night, a feast would be held to celebrate their new status as Elven warriors. There was nothing Legolas would not do for a chance to be Romul's dance partner at the feast. Unfortunately, that included writing a beautiful poem and reading it to the dark-haired Elf in public in the hopes of gaining his favor.
To his surprise, Romul walked up to him and smiled. The handsome Elf took Legolas' chubby hands in his slender ones and asked with false sincerity, "Would you go with me to the feast?"
Too happy for words, Legolas merely nodded and raced back to the palace to get himself outfitted properly for the banquet.
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The night of the banquet was magical. Legolas wore a green velvet tunic with golden vines embroidered at the sleeves and hem with matching green leggings. His glorious hair was held back in the fashion of a warrior, two small braids on the sides and one in the center. His adorably chubby form emitted a gentle glow, a small candle adding to the romantic silver light of the moon. His stunning azure eyes sparkled with merriment and joy as the small cherub awaited his partner for the evening outside the palace. The forest sang to him lovingly; the whispers of a soft breeze and rustlings of leaves forming a symphony of praise for the young Prince, stating how absolutely cute and adorable the little one was.
So enrapt was Legolas in nature's song that he did not realized Romul had arrived until it was too late. In the blink of an eye, the dark-haired Elf threw a large creamy pastry onto the Prince's face and laughed, "Eat this, fatty."
Out of his trance, Legolas watched as Romul's arm curved around a tall, beautiful silver-haired Elf. The dark-haired Elf had never meant to take the Prince as his partner to the dance. This was nothing but a cruel joke. As tears began to flow from Legolas' now dirty face, the fair-haired Elf mocked him, "Come now, Legless Legolas, you did not seriously think that Romul would want to go with someone like you. Why don't you go home, clean up and try to figure out how many lifetimes is it going to take for you to get popular?"
End Flashback
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Aragorn could no longer bear the silence or the fact that his Elf was not looking at him. He wanted to see those exquisite azure eyes, regarding him lovingly as Lasgalen had done before. He needed to know if he was forgiven. Gently, the Man lifted his student's chin so they were face to face once more. When Aragorn noted the coyness in those glittering sapphires, their current position became too tempting to the Man. Slowly, he leaned forward for a kiss.
Legolas knew what the Man wanted to do. He really wanted it too; the amazing feeling of their first kiss was still fresh in his mind. But the Prince also knew he was filthy; he failed the obstacle course and Aragorn was still his human commander. This was not appropriate; at least not until he had proven himself worthy of the Man's affections. Reluctantly, the Elf turned away before their lips met.
"What's wrong? Are you still angry with me?" asked the Man, clearly disappointed at not getting to kiss his Elf.
"No. You are my commander and I am your student. We should not be doing this. At least, not yet," answered Legolas who was blushing again when he added the last part of the reply.
As much as Aragorn wanted to pursue the Elf now, he knew Lasgalen was right. The golden beauty deserved his undivided attention, which he could not give until he broke up with Arwen. That he could not do for another two weeks because of his promise to the twins. Shaking his head, the Man reluctantly agreed, "You are right. I will wait. But at least let me carry you back to camp."
Smiling gently, Legolas allowed the Man to lift him into his strong arms once more. The weariness of the afternoon's activities all of a sudden caught up with the Elf. In Aragorn's gentle embrace, the Prince drifted into the world of dreams. Despite his resolve to not get involved with his commander yet, instinctively, Legolas' head nestled tightly against the Man's hard chest. The Elf had never felt safer in his entire life, nor had Aragorn felt more complete.