Second chances
By Sinful Starlet
Chapter Five - The passage of time
Disclaimer: see chapter one if you're really that interested, but once more for the record (all together now!) - Not mine, never will be, anything recognisable belongs to Tolkien and a very happy publishing company!
Rating: Still PG-13 unfortunately, I haven't worked out how to write angst with higher ratings yet! *SS*
Author's note: Well this isn't quite as depressing as the last chapter, I hope, but the angst factor's still there. Let's face it - Legolas and Arwen are both gonna have some serious issues to deal with, right?
Oh and side note - thanx to all my reviewers so far, all reviews are very much appreciated! *SS*
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Chapter Five - The passage of time
Summary: Story continues. Legolas battles with his feelings during his separation from Arwen, as does she, but then a new figure enters the frame. *SS*
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The intervening years were indeed long and arduous for Legolas and Arwen, though their experiences were by no means equal. Legolas had rode straight for home once he left Rivendell, meeting his father once he arrived, who was delighted to see him again after his considerable absence. He noticed something different about his young son, but he could never quite place what it was, and it was only there for brief moments at a time.
Outwardly, Legolas struggled to maintain the appearance of normal behaviour, knowing that if he showed anything else then difficult questions would be asked about the change in his demeanour. This became increasingly difficult as he struggled to keep up an aura of happiness around his friends and family, that had come so naturally to him before his journey to Rivendell. It was only once he was alone in his room at the beginning and end of each day that he let his true feelings show.
He cried himself to sleep for months, the pain of his separation from Arwen being so overwhelming, the only thing that kept him going was the thought that he could be with her again once the time was over. He found it more and more difficult to be around those closest to him, so he took to long periods of study, keeping himself for hours in Thranduil's library where he would be undisturbed, determined to prove to Elrond once he did return that he had indeed grown beyond the boy he was when he had left Rivendell so painfully before.
Once he had exhausted every treatise and history in the library, he took to more physical pursuits. He worked on his archery and fighting skills to the point of obsession, becoming the most accomplished archer in Mirkwood, far surpassing even the skills of his tutors. He spent much time with those elves in the household that travelled extensively. He learned the skills of tracking and living out in the wilderness, going frequently further and further a field on one expedition after another.
He was indeed growing up, Thranduil noted, pleased at his son's efforts, though he did not understand the motivation. There was only one of course. Arwen. Elrond never contacted Legolas or visited him during the period of his exile, though Elladan and Elrohir did. They accompanied Legolas on some of his hunting excursions and marvelled at the changes in their young friend (he was several hundred years younger than both of them). He would still smile and joke with them, but he seemed to have lost that bright spark in his eyes, that mischievousness of youth.
They still did not understand his reasons for leaving Rivendell so suddenly, nor why he had not returned, but they never spoke of it before him. They could sense something existing between the young prince and their father, despite neither of them ever saying anything to that effect, and could also sense that it was something that should not be spoken of, though they were surprised that Legolas never asked about Arwen.
Legolas had to guard his every word though when he spoke to Elladan and Elrohir. He could not risk saying anything to them that Elrond could construe as breaking his vow, though he ached to hear news of Arwen, drinking up any word of her that the brothers mentioned as a part of their conversation. He longed to ask whether she had questioned them about him, but knew he could not, leaving him only to doubt her feelings, which he could have no guarantee of.
*
Arwen had not been having any easier a time, and Elrond grew increasingly dissatisfied with the part he had played in that. When Legolas had left that morning, Elrond knew that he had to say something to Arwen, but he began to have doubts as to exactly what that should be. He had two unpleasant alternatives facing him - either he tell his daughter that Legolas had just left, leaving no word for her, (a fact that he worried would cause her grievous heartache) or he would have to tell her that he had sent Legolas away himself.
As unappealing as the first choice was, the second proved even more so. He knew his daughter loved him deeply, but was unsure she would forgive him if she found out the truth. So he lied to her. From that morning on, Arwen believed only that Legolas had left, leaving no word of his return. Elrond watched her closely over the next few months, knowing she was grieving and only hoping the hurt would not prove too severe. At first she did ask her brothers to bring her news of Legolas, but when they returned to tell her that he had not asked of her in any way other than purely conversational, her resentment began to grow.
She turned to that in the end to help her through her grief, and though Elrond was loathe to see it, he no longer felt that he had the choice of telling her the truth. She asked to return to Lothlórien, and ultimately, Elrond let her go (though not before making sure that her brothers would not reveal her location to Legolas). They of course, wondered at the request, but agreed despite their reservations, trusting to their father's judgement as they always did.
Arwen spent many years in Lothlórien with her grandmother, developing some sense of calm and serenity, though Legolas was ever present in her thoughts. Even then she could not fully bring herself to hate him, the love that she had felt for him during their brief time together in Rivendell would not leave her, nor did she really wish it to. But it was during this time in Lothlórien that she chanced to make a new acquaintance, one that would ultimately more than test her loyalty to Legolas.
*
He himself, had been travelling the lands of Middle Earth for many years, struggling to come to terms with the truth of his heritage once it had finally been revealed to him. His part-elvish heritage always made him an easy friend to that kindred, so he was welcomed once he too reached the borders of Lothlórien. Arwen was not introduced to him at first, though she saw him quite often, and she was surprised at the ease of acceptance that a human had within the limits of her grandmother's home.
But they did meet at last, one midsummer evening, only five years before Legolas' sentence was to be completed. Arwen found herself oddly drawn to the man, who was alternately mysterious and open. He knew who she was, having resided in Elrond's house for many years as his foster 'son', though she had been at Lórien the whole time, so he knew her by name only when her brothers and father spoke of her. Accordingly he addressed her as a Lady of that family with reverence and dignity, explaining his connection to her family. Though she did not know the name of Aragorn, when he spoke the name her father had given him, she recognised him at once. She knew him as 'Estel' but ever after referred to him as 'Aragorn'.
They became friends over time, spending more and more time together as Arwen gradually allowed herself to trust him. She still pined for Legolas, unable to forget him even for an instant, but by that time it had been over four hundred years since she had seen or spoken to him - not a very long time for an elf, in terms of their lifespan, but long enough for a considerable distance to have developed in her mind. Gradually her feelings for Aragorn deepened, however guarded she had been at first.
She was painfully aware of the fact that as a mortal, he would have a very short life in comparison to her, and she was wary of attaching herself to such a person, but after the passage of several years, her defences fell. He obviously loved her, and she did love him, if not with the all-consuming passion that she had loved Legolas, but Arwen knew that it was said that first loves were always the most memorable, and the pain of his leaving had not diminished in her mind.
Despite all this, she still held back in some respect in her behaviour towards Aragorn, never fully letting go of her heart, but she did love him. They had known each other for about four years by the time he proposed, all the time sharing nothing more than a few kisses. Legolas' face still lingered in the back of Arwen's mind, but she grew tired of the pain she still felt so keenly. She was surprised by his offer, and she thought long and hard before she came to a decision, and when she at last did, she was almost positive that it was the right one.
No matter how hard she tried to forget Legolas, she couldn't, he remained the one point of doubt in her mind. She tried as hard as she could to suppress that though, reconciling herself with Aragorn's joy when she accepted him. Elrond was even more surprised than Arwen was when he heard about Aragorn's intentions, especially since it was now only a year until Legolas' term was over. He fought long with his conscience about whether or not to contact the prince, but he eventually decided not to, partly on Galadriel's advice (who knew all about the situation) agreeing that fate would ultimately decide the right course for his daughter...and for Legolas.
*
It came at last that the third yén came to an end, and Legolas was at last permitted to return to Rivendell. It happened that his own father sent him there at last, sending him as envoy to inform the council of Gollum's escape from their keeping. Legolas' heart leaped at the thought of finally seeing Arwen again. Four hundred and thirty-two years had done nothing to diminish his love for her, the image of her face still burning brightly in his mind, and he urged his horse ever onwards to quicken his journey back to Imladris once more.
But he was of course, not the only one who was making that same journey, as he was to discover as he reached the woods only a few days ride from Elrond's home. Aragorn had travelled to Rivendell as swiftly as could be with Glorfindel and the remaining hobbits once Frodo had made his escape from the Ring wraiths. There Elrond had immediately got to work healing the young ringbearer, while Sam and Gandalf looked on. Not all of the summoned members of the council had yet arrived so Aragorn along with some of the elves of Elrond's household went out into the country again to see what news they could gather of the Ringwraiths. It was while Aragorn was searching that he came across someone else entirely.
AN. I know that seemed a little short, but I had to split it here, otherwise this chapter would have been HUGELY long and I thought it was better this way - sorry! I've actually split it into three - this chapter and the next two, but I found I had a lot to say along the way! *SS*