Author: Rhonda
Rating: PG
Disclaimer:Do not own the characters.
Summary: Legolas goes looking for Estel, and finds that his young friend has stepped into some trouble. Perhaps a few people will learn that friendship knows no race.
The day was slowly slipping into darkness. Legolas had been searching for Aragorn for days. Elrond had become worried when he had not returned from his trip to the east. Legolas' elven eyes spotted a fire off in the distance. Maybe it could be Aragorn.' he thought. As he approached the tiny light he saw something that threw him into a rage.
Aragorn lay upon the ground being kicked repeatedly by a man; while others watched. Legolas stormed into the campsite. He ran straight for Aragorn and knelt beside the fallen man. This was a mistake as the leader of the group brought the hilt of his sword down on Legolas' head.
"NO!" screamed Aragorn. "Let him alone it is me you want!" Slowly he staggered to his feet taking Legolas' daggers as he rose. He now stood over Legolas to protect his friend, who was still down from his earlier blow. All that could be heard was the clanging of metal as the two humans fought.
"Why do you protect him? His kind loath humans, they think they are better than us." The stranger sneered to Aragorn.
"Little do you know that I live in an elven house and have an elven family" Aragorn spat as he dodged a blow. "No matter to me for you will die as will he."
As they continued the fight the crowd cheered some of them actually for the strange man protecting the elf. Legolas heard the fight and was trying to bring himself back to the waking world. Aragorn's already injured body was telling him to give up, but the urge to protect his fallen friend was stronger. With each stroke of the daggers his ribs screamed in protest. Determination wrinkled his brow as he lunged again at the man.
Finally waking, Legolas saw Aragorn stumbling from fatigue and exertion, but he still fought as if some unseen force drove him. I will not fall' Aragorn thought fiercely as he made the final lunge. The man caught off guard felt the elven dagger enter his heart. As his last breath was drawn the hatred of Aragorn still shown clearly in his eyes.
Legolas ran to his friend's side as the ranger fell to his knees. His injuries and exhaustion had overtaken him. "Come mellon nin let us take you home." Legolas said as he heaved Aragorn to his feet.
"I just wonder why such hatred lives in our world" Aragorn said. "There is not one place in Middle Earth that I have been that was not tainted with hatred's stain"
"Do not fret over things you can not yet change" the elf said. "Let us go see if your father will patch us up once again, and let such things take care of themselves in their own time."
"Aye, let us leave this place and go face an even darker fear."
Aragorn shuddered. "What is that, mellon nin?"
"Ada's wrath when he sees that we have managed to get ourselves into trouble again." Aragorn laughed. Then they walked into the forest together, each leaning on the other for support.
THE END.