''Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... ...waiting... And though unwanted... ...unbidden... it will stir...open its jaws, and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank... Without passion, we'd be truly dead.'' (Angelus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
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Aragorn wondered around the people, the people he knew for so long and the people who fought by his side. This was the farewell party, the last meeting of all his friends and loved ones. It was an end, and also a beggining. The end of a long journey, a hard journey. A journey full of sacrifice and blood. And the beggining of a live full of love and blissness. At last.
He said his helloes and goodbyes around the hall, trying to look as Kingly as he did at the beggining of the feast. He looked for one person in particularly, but none seemed to know where Legolas was. Finally Aragorn found him, staring into the West, singing the same song he sung in another event, softly and calmly, like the Elven Prince that he was.
Aragorn stared for a second. He had known the beauty of Elves for ages, he was raised by them. He walked among forests with Arwen Undomiel, the fairest of all beings, yet nothing compared to that sight. Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, singing.
''I will pass the whide waters lonely sailing...'' His voice was sad and distant.
''Lonely sailing?,'' Aragorn interrupted, slightly startling the elf, ''Won't Gimli be with you?'' Aragorn smiled gently.
''That is not the kind of loneliness I sing of.'' He answered, turning from the sea to Aragorn. He smiled when he saw Aragorn's crown, remembering that he was now King of Gondor, that he had fullfiled his destiny. ''It brightens my heart to see that you don't have to suffer it any longer. The loneliness.''
''What? This?'' Aragorn answered removing his crown and looking at it, '' 'Tis no company, only duty. A duty that I accept greatly, but no company.''
''What of Queen Arwen?'' Legolas said conversationally. Aragorn thought for a moment, placing the crown on his head again.
''Arwen brings me great joy, but I find her distant. I often catch her singing of the West - like you - and I fear she still doubts her decision. She denies it, but I do not know if she does it only for my comfort.''
''I doubt she would stay if she meant to leave.''
''You are still here, are you not?''
Legolas smiled kindly, approaching Aragorn. ''I stay because I find it hard to leave without my goodbyes. But after tonight I will sail into the West.''
''Are your people there? The Elves of Mirkwood?''
''Yea. They went long ago, ever since the first shadow of Sauron began to grow. They expect me and I intend to see them again. I go for them.''
''What holds you here then?''
''Love.'' He breathed softly, and with that Aragorn felt a hint of despair in the elf's heart.
''For what?'' Aragorn said carelessly. He regreted his dareness, but before he could apologize, Legolas began to talk, looking up and staring right into Aragorn's eyes.
''Answers. Of humans. They come with looks and stares, from within the heart and soul. When I lived among my kin, I didn't need nor did I seek answers. I lived them, I told them. But I never asked for them. Here, among men, they are the ones who teach me, and I find that inspiring.''
Aragorn stood still, and suddenly remembered why he wanted to speak with Legolas. He also wanted answers.
''Legolas,''
''Yes?''
''Do you seek any answers from me?''
Legolas smiled broadly, and Aragorn thought he heard a soft laughter. He got closer to him and said, ''Yes, I do. But your duty,'' - he looked at the crown - ''and your company,'' - he looked down at the Evenstar necklace - ''forbide me to do so, I'm afraid.'' There was a look in Legolas' eyes that Aragorn was afraid to try to understand.
''Will you let forbition stand in the way of your answers?'' Aragorn asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
''Answers. Of humans. They come with looks and stares, from within the heart and soul.'' Legolas repeated to Aragorn, still smiling.
Aragorn removed his crown once again, along with the Evenstar necklace. ''What of actions and words? Don't anwers lie in them aswell?''
''Not my answers, Aragorn. I know them already. But perhaps yours do need actions, or words. Or both. But how can I answer if I know not the question?'' The smile faded from Legolas' face, but he still looked gentle and caring. Elven.
''I fear your answer.'' He said honestly.
Legolas approached him again, just when Aragorn thought he could not get any closer.
''You are the King of Gondor. Fear not.''
'' 'Tis not the King that needs the answer. 'Tis the man.''
''What if I answer your question before you ask it?''
''How could you-'' Aragorn began, but he couldn't complete his sentence, for Legolas had put his hands aroung his neck and locked their lips together in a deep kiss.
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Aragorn wondered around the people, the people he knew for so long and the people who fought by his side. This was the farewell party, the last meeting of all his friends and loved ones. It was an end, and also a beggining. The end of a long journey, a hard journey. A journey full of sacrifice and blood. And the beggining of a live full of love and blissness. At last.
He said his helloes and goodbyes around the hall, trying to look as Kingly as he did at the beggining of the feast. He looked for one person in particularly, but none seemed to know where Legolas was. Finally Aragorn found him, staring into the West, singing the same song he sung in another event, softly and calmly, like the Elven Prince that he was.
Aragorn stared for a second. He had known the beauty of Elves for ages, he was raised by them. He walked among forests with Arwen Undomiel, the fairest of all beings, yet nothing compared to that sight. Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, singing.
''I will pass the whide waters lonely sailing...'' His voice was sad and distant.
''Lonely sailing?,'' Aragorn interrupted, slightly startling the elf, ''Won't Gimli be with you?'' Aragorn smiled gently.
''That is not the kind of loneliness I sing of.'' He answered, turning from the sea to Aragorn. He smiled when he saw Aragorn's crown, remembering that he was now King of Gondor, that he had fullfiled his destiny. ''It brightens my heart to see that you don't have to suffer it any longer. The loneliness.''
''What? This?'' Aragorn answered removing his crown and looking at it, '' 'Tis no company, only duty. A duty that I accept greatly, but no company.''
''What of Queen Arwen?'' Legolas said conversationally. Aragorn thought for a moment, placing the crown on his head again.
''Arwen brings me great joy, but I find her distant. I often catch her singing of the West - like you - and I fear she still doubts her decision. She denies it, but I do not know if she does it only for my comfort.''
''I doubt she would stay if she meant to leave.''
''You are still here, are you not?''
Legolas smiled kindly, approaching Aragorn. ''I stay because I find it hard to leave without my goodbyes. But after tonight I will sail into the West.''
''Are your people there? The Elves of Mirkwood?''
''Yea. They went long ago, ever since the first shadow of Sauron began to grow. They expect me and I intend to see them again. I go for them.''
''What holds you here then?''
''Love.'' He breathed softly, and with that Aragorn felt a hint of despair in the elf's heart.
''For what?'' Aragorn said carelessly. He regreted his dareness, but before he could apologize, Legolas began to talk, looking up and staring right into Aragorn's eyes.
''Answers. Of humans. They come with looks and stares, from within the heart and soul. When I lived among my kin, I didn't need nor did I seek answers. I lived them, I told them. But I never asked for them. Here, among men, they are the ones who teach me, and I find that inspiring.''
Aragorn stood still, and suddenly remembered why he wanted to speak with Legolas. He also wanted answers.
''Legolas,''
''Yes?''
''Do you seek any answers from me?''
Legolas smiled broadly, and Aragorn thought he heard a soft laughter. He got closer to him and said, ''Yes, I do. But your duty,'' - he looked at the crown - ''and your company,'' - he looked down at the Evenstar necklace - ''forbide me to do so, I'm afraid.'' There was a look in Legolas' eyes that Aragorn was afraid to try to understand.
''Will you let forbition stand in the way of your answers?'' Aragorn asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
''Answers. Of humans. They come with looks and stares, from within the heart and soul.'' Legolas repeated to Aragorn, still smiling.
Aragorn removed his crown once again, along with the Evenstar necklace. ''What of actions and words? Don't anwers lie in them aswell?''
''Not my answers, Aragorn. I know them already. But perhaps yours do need actions, or words. Or both. But how can I answer if I know not the question?'' The smile faded from Legolas' face, but he still looked gentle and caring. Elven.
''I fear your answer.'' He said honestly.
Legolas approached him again, just when Aragorn thought he could not get any closer.
''You are the King of Gondor. Fear not.''
'' 'Tis not the King that needs the answer. 'Tis the man.''
''What if I answer your question before you ask it?''
''How could you-'' Aragorn began, but he couldn't complete his sentence, for Legolas had put his hands aroung his neck and locked their lips together in a deep kiss.