Disclaimer: not mine, don't sue

Author's note: Even though I don't think Faramir is evil (*heh* actually, I thought he was pretty hot), someone has to be the evil guy in this fic so Faramir it is… Thanks to tenshiamanda, NiennaVala, Maia and sakura princess for the sweet reviews. ^_^

Legolas's back leaned lightly against Aragorn's chest as both of them surveyed the bloody scene that stretched as far as their eyes could see.

"It reeks of death," Aragorn said grimly, his hands protectively positioned around the elf's slim waist, as if shielding him from any possible danger.

Legolas gently grasped Aragorn's hands and laid his head on the human's broad shoulders, a small smile crinkling his lips as Aragorn bent his head towards the golden hair and breathed in deeply.

"I can still hear the remnants of cries of help, laments of suffering," Legolas's voice grew softer with anguish as the smile slipped away from his lips.

"Too many have fallen," Aragorn agreed, his eyes clouded over with the memories of the horror he had witnessed… and taken an active part in.

"It is a selfish hope but I hope our friends are all right," Legolas uttered in an optimistic tone.

Oblivious to the slight hardening of Aragorn's hold around his waist, he continued his sequence of thoughts, "I have just seen Gimli and Gandalf engaging in a serious conversation so-"

"Haldir is dead," Aragorn suddenly blurted out, wincing inwardly at himself. Surely I could have phrased it in a more sensitive manner, he berated himself as the elf stiffened instantly at his words.

Firmly removing Aragorn's hands from around him, Legolas turned to face him.

Legolas's violet eyes were flashing with sparks, radiating reproach, hurt and above all, pure agony.

Agony so deep and excruciating that it pierced Aragorn to the very depths of his soul. He unconsciously reached for Legolas, to offer him any measure of comfort he could but the elf shied away, shunning his touch.

Hie eyes bewildered, Aragorn's arm stayed motionless in space, staring pleadingly at Legolas.

"Haldir is dead and you did not think to tell me?" Legolas asked in a monotone, an incredulous expression in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I did not think," Aragon tried in vain to apologize, attempting to reach for his lover again.

Stepping out of Aragorn's reach, Legolas shook his head slowly, painfully. "I cannot believe you waited so long to tell me. You know how important he was to me."

*flashback*

Earnestly staring at his opponent, Legolas smirked slightly as he correctly recognized a feint to the left and attacked towards his opponent's right instead.

His sword slicing cleanly through the air, he lunged forward, only to discover his opponent had quickly recovered to dart backwards in a perfect somersault.

Sighing in exasperation at the slippery character of his opponent, Legolas struck again. However, his move was too rash, too reckless and he was easily swept off his feet, landing painfully on the dewy grass, the glinting edge of a sword pointed at his chin.

Closing his eyes, the edges of his lips turned up into a smile as he felt the familiar, velvety lips of his boyfriend touch his.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, he slid out from under his boyfriend, causing him to fall unglamorously onto the ground.

"Hey!" Haldir yelled, mock glaring at Legolas. "Sore loser!"

Legolas's only response was an immature waggling of his tongue as he grinned irrepressibly at his best friend and incidentally, first lover.

*end flashback*

The memories he had shared with Haldir dashed through his mind in a fleeting, tormenting sequence. He reeled inwardly as he realized he would never see Haldir's eyes shining with laughter again, nor his lips curled up in a leering grin that never failed to crack Legolas up …

"I have to find him!" Legolas's eyes suddenly lit up frenziedly, his breathing ragged and erratic.

Aragorn's eyes dawned with compassion even as he questioned at the magnitude of their task. There was dead everywhere, their bodies crumpled and broken on top of each other. It would be a marvel if they could actually find someone in that scene of devastation.

Without waiting for Aragorn's response, Legolas recklessly started off.

"Wait!" Aragorn caught Legolas's arm and tried not to shrink back from the intensity of Legolas's wild stare.

"I know where he fell. We should start there," Aragorn continued, gently leading Legolas to that particular site.

*****************

Eowyn stared silently at Aragorn, at what she desired most yet could not obtain.

Her hands twisted the rough fabric of her dress, trying to express her repressed feelings in some tangible form.

"You want him, don't you?" An insidious voice suddenly whispered in her ear.

Whirling around in shock, she was instantly reminded of Grima, that disgusting excuse for a human being. True, the man standing in front of her was much better looking than Grima, with wavy blond locks and striking eyes. However, the sly, deceitful air that emanated off him reminded her inevitably of that slimy worm.

"What do you want?" She snapped, giving off an unconcerned air that she had been caught staring at the object of her dreams.

"The same thing you want," Faramir replied. "To break them up."