Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to JRR Tolkien and whoever
now owns the rights to them. Melisande is mine.
Author's note: This is a first attempt to write a fanfic with the
characters of Lotr. So please tell me what can be improved and what is
good. Thanks!
It's a prequel of LotR, Legolas doesn't like being a prince, but he doesn't
have a choice.
A princes duty
He wandered through the forest on his own. He did that often, admiring the beauty of his surroundings, letting nature take over the course of events. He remembered his days as a boy, when everything around him was beautiful and exciting. When did this feeling of wonder leave him? When had it happened that he had lost intrest? His father worried about him.
"What do you seek in those woods, my son? What do you need so desperately?"
"I do not know, father. Rest assured that you will be the first to know, should I ever find the answer."
With a bow he had left his fathers presence and indeed went in search of that he missed. He came upon something or someone on which he had not counted. Under a tree deep in the forest slept a man. No one dared to travel this far from a village. Legolas was instantly curious, which heightened his senses. The man was mortal, without a doubt. Not only were his clothes not made of any elven fabric he had ever seen, he noticed that the man's ears were quite different. Carefully he got closer, making no sound on the mossy ground.
"Are you so tired of your life on this earth that you would attack a man who has his sword already in hand?"
Legolas seemed frozen in place. This man had sensed him coming, because his eyes had remained closed.
"If I came closer to you, then it was not to attack you. I merely wanted to know what or who you are." He answered the threat.
"My dear Elf, I am but a mere mortal man and therefor of no interest to you. Continue your search or walk and leave me be."
In stead of walking away, Legolas krept closer to the man until he couldn't ignore him anymore.
"You are one curious Elf, aren't you?"
"You seem to know us. How come?"
"I have lived among Elves for several years, learned their ways and respected their beliefs."
"I have never thought such a thing possible. How are you called then, son of Men?"
"Aragorn or Estel, as the Elves wish to say."
"Why are you here, Estel?"
"To ask some hospitality and to see Thanduil again. It has been too long ago since I have visited him."
So you know my father? Of course, if you have lived among us. I will take you to him."
Slightly surprised Aragorn followed the young Elf. This was the son of the great Thandruil! Legolas wondered about the man who knew so much about Elves. He had heard of Estel, but he was always gone when Estel had visited them.
Once they were at the great hall, Legolas escorted Estel to his father, who was in the library at this hour.
"You are not wandering through the forest, my son?"
"Someone who claims to know you, wants to see you, father."
He opened the door a bit further and King Thandruil saw the man behind him.
"Estel! How nice of you to come so fast to Mirkwood, my friend!"
The Elf and the man embraced while Legolas watched in amazement. Why had he not been informed of this?
"You have already met my son, I see. Legolas, this is the man I have told you so much about. Estel, brought up by Elrond of Rivendell."
"Yes, I have heard of his reputation."
"You are quite modest too, Legolas. Your son has the instincts of a great warrior, King Thandruil."
Legolas wanted to laugh at these compliments. Surely Estel must have been mistaken, he never cared to be a warrior.
"Alas, my dear Estel, my son still searches his place in this world. That is the reason I asked you to come. Could you leave us, Legolas?"
Angered he left them. How dare his father decide his destiny! It was already the case that he was a prince, which meant he received much education he felt he didn't need.
"What do you think of it, Estel?"
"He has the heart of a warrior, this much is true. He will not accept my guidance easily, I am not an Elf."
"Then he will learn both respect and fighting skills. Would you try it?"
"I can not refuse the question of a king." Aragorn smiled.
"Go with Erandir, he will show you to your rooms."
While he walked after the Elf, he contemplated the best way how to convince the prince that he could indeed become a great warrior. He rested briefly, waking hours before dinner and he went in search of his pupil. He found him deep in the forest, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
"You are not so quiet yourself, Estel. I could hear you approaching me."
Aragorn smiled at the defiant tone of the Elf.
"I sense it you are not keen on being a warrior."
"Then you have sensed correctly. " He turned and gazed Aragorn in the eyes. "I know what my father has asked of you and I will not work with you."
"You think your strength doesn't lay with weapons?"
"I know so."
"What is your skill then, Legolas?"
With this, the Elf sighed. Why was this man so persistent?
"I do not know."
"I know you find it difficult to be a prince, Legolas. We all bear our fate. But maybe It is possible that you see something besides Mirkwood before you have to reign."
"How so?"
"I offer you now to be my companion for an amount of time. We will travel to Rivendell and the other realms of Middle-Earth. If you can defend yourself. Think about it."
How he hated to give in.
"Good. If that is what it takes to see the world. My father doesn't know, but I am quite skilled with the bow and arrow."
"Why did you hide this from your father?"
"What good would it do that I know of this? To defend a realm only Elves know off?"
"Now you have a goal."
"Yes, I have. When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible. You will have to convince your father."
Legolas nodded and the two of them walked back to the palace. Thandruil was not happy with the decision of his son.
"How could you do this, Estel? Legolas is needed here in Mirkwood."
"Not for thousands of years, King Thandruil. Let him have these experiences and know he'll be safe."
Thandruil cursed himself for bringing the man to his kingdom. But when looking at his son, he saw happiness in his eyes. He couldn't take that away.
"If you are certain, you may go. When I hear that you have endangered the life of my son."
"Father, please! It is my wish to go, you don't need to threaten Estel. We will give word when we arrive at Rivendell."
The horses were set and soon the Elf and Man took their leave.
A princes duty
He wandered through the forest on his own. He did that often, admiring the beauty of his surroundings, letting nature take over the course of events. He remembered his days as a boy, when everything around him was beautiful and exciting. When did this feeling of wonder leave him? When had it happened that he had lost intrest? His father worried about him.
"What do you seek in those woods, my son? What do you need so desperately?"
"I do not know, father. Rest assured that you will be the first to know, should I ever find the answer."
With a bow he had left his fathers presence and indeed went in search of that he missed. He came upon something or someone on which he had not counted. Under a tree deep in the forest slept a man. No one dared to travel this far from a village. Legolas was instantly curious, which heightened his senses. The man was mortal, without a doubt. Not only were his clothes not made of any elven fabric he had ever seen, he noticed that the man's ears were quite different. Carefully he got closer, making no sound on the mossy ground.
"Are you so tired of your life on this earth that you would attack a man who has his sword already in hand?"
Legolas seemed frozen in place. This man had sensed him coming, because his eyes had remained closed.
"If I came closer to you, then it was not to attack you. I merely wanted to know what or who you are." He answered the threat.
"My dear Elf, I am but a mere mortal man and therefor of no interest to you. Continue your search or walk and leave me be."
In stead of walking away, Legolas krept closer to the man until he couldn't ignore him anymore.
"You are one curious Elf, aren't you?"
"You seem to know us. How come?"
"I have lived among Elves for several years, learned their ways and respected their beliefs."
"I have never thought such a thing possible. How are you called then, son of Men?"
"Aragorn or Estel, as the Elves wish to say."
"Why are you here, Estel?"
"To ask some hospitality and to see Thanduil again. It has been too long ago since I have visited him."
So you know my father? Of course, if you have lived among us. I will take you to him."
Slightly surprised Aragorn followed the young Elf. This was the son of the great Thandruil! Legolas wondered about the man who knew so much about Elves. He had heard of Estel, but he was always gone when Estel had visited them.
Once they were at the great hall, Legolas escorted Estel to his father, who was in the library at this hour.
"You are not wandering through the forest, my son?"
"Someone who claims to know you, wants to see you, father."
He opened the door a bit further and King Thandruil saw the man behind him.
"Estel! How nice of you to come so fast to Mirkwood, my friend!"
The Elf and the man embraced while Legolas watched in amazement. Why had he not been informed of this?
"You have already met my son, I see. Legolas, this is the man I have told you so much about. Estel, brought up by Elrond of Rivendell."
"Yes, I have heard of his reputation."
"You are quite modest too, Legolas. Your son has the instincts of a great warrior, King Thandruil."
Legolas wanted to laugh at these compliments. Surely Estel must have been mistaken, he never cared to be a warrior.
"Alas, my dear Estel, my son still searches his place in this world. That is the reason I asked you to come. Could you leave us, Legolas?"
Angered he left them. How dare his father decide his destiny! It was already the case that he was a prince, which meant he received much education he felt he didn't need.
"What do you think of it, Estel?"
"He has the heart of a warrior, this much is true. He will not accept my guidance easily, I am not an Elf."
"Then he will learn both respect and fighting skills. Would you try it?"
"I can not refuse the question of a king." Aragorn smiled.
"Go with Erandir, he will show you to your rooms."
While he walked after the Elf, he contemplated the best way how to convince the prince that he could indeed become a great warrior. He rested briefly, waking hours before dinner and he went in search of his pupil. He found him deep in the forest, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
"You are not so quiet yourself, Estel. I could hear you approaching me."
Aragorn smiled at the defiant tone of the Elf.
"I sense it you are not keen on being a warrior."
"Then you have sensed correctly. " He turned and gazed Aragorn in the eyes. "I know what my father has asked of you and I will not work with you."
"You think your strength doesn't lay with weapons?"
"I know so."
"What is your skill then, Legolas?"
With this, the Elf sighed. Why was this man so persistent?
"I do not know."
"I know you find it difficult to be a prince, Legolas. We all bear our fate. But maybe It is possible that you see something besides Mirkwood before you have to reign."
"How so?"
"I offer you now to be my companion for an amount of time. We will travel to Rivendell and the other realms of Middle-Earth. If you can defend yourself. Think about it."
How he hated to give in.
"Good. If that is what it takes to see the world. My father doesn't know, but I am quite skilled with the bow and arrow."
"Why did you hide this from your father?"
"What good would it do that I know of this? To defend a realm only Elves know off?"
"Now you have a goal."
"Yes, I have. When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible. You will have to convince your father."
Legolas nodded and the two of them walked back to the palace. Thandruil was not happy with the decision of his son.
"How could you do this, Estel? Legolas is needed here in Mirkwood."
"Not for thousands of years, King Thandruil. Let him have these experiences and know he'll be safe."
Thandruil cursed himself for bringing the man to his kingdom. But when looking at his son, he saw happiness in his eyes. He couldn't take that away.
"If you are certain, you may go. When I hear that you have endangered the life of my son."
"Father, please! It is my wish to go, you don't need to threaten Estel. We will give word when we arrive at Rivendell."
The horses were set and soon the Elf and Man took their leave.