Title: Light After the Storm, Chapter One: Heart-Wrenching Memories
Author: Nefertili
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Pairing(s): Aragorn/Legolas
Rating: PG
Genre(s): Romance, Angst
Warning(s): SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Summary: Set in Rivendell after the War of the Ring, Legolas finds out Aragorn was to marry Arwen. Now it is up to him to stop the wedding or to let Aragorn leave him forever.
Author's Notes: My first time in LOTR slash, so be nice. I can accept constructive criticisms, but no flames, please. IF YOU ARE NOT A SUPPORTER OF A-L SLASH, READ ANOTHER STORY. I don't want any Arwen supporters setting my e-mail afire. By the way, this story was written with the help of fellow authors, Isys and Saqqara.
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If there was one thing Legolas would think as the worst moment of his life, it would surely be his present state. It stabbed him like a strong, sudden slash from a sword every time he recalled the very events. He saw them…he heard them…he knew this would happen…and now he was regretting the fact that he had done nothing to stop or at least delay it.
Aragorn…Legolas was grateful of the very thought of loving the Man, and earning the Man's love back. But Arwen…was it really a must that the Evenstar must be married to the King of Gondor? Legolas knew Aragorn loved Arwen as a sister, but that was all. Yet, Aragorn knew that the Lady Galadriel had foretold that the daughter of Elrond Peredhel would be wed to Isildur's heir. It was cruel fate, that was what it was. Nothing more.
Legolas understood the whole thing of doing what the future has set for them, of course, but recalling all the times that the two of them, Aragorn and Arwen, did together, was simply just so…devastating.
Legolas remembered the time when he discovered what was going on. It all happened in the beautiful gardens of Rivendell, only the afternoon before the present date.
He saw Aragorn strolling under the shade of trees…but who was that figure following him? Legolas chose to keep his presence hidden, and with the skill of his kin, quickly climbed up one particularly leafy tree, which hid him from view. The figure pushed back her hood, and Legolas immediately recognized the Elf in the hood.
Arwen?
"'Tis all set, right?" came a whisper from the Evenstar. She ran a smooth hand through her long raven hair, obviously expecting an answer from her husband-to-be.
"What?" Aragorn asked with uncertainty, as though unsure of what to answer.
Arwen's eyes flashed. "Estel, look at me," she whispered, but the force in her voice was impossible to miss. "You just declared it in front of everyone, did you not? We will be married tomorrow, exactly at noon. A pity Legolas was not present during your announcement. He is the only one who knows not of the excitement." Then, she seemed to smile…but something in her smirk reflected glittering malice and triumph.
Aragorn turned to look at her. He noticed her grin. "What's with Legolas not knowing of our wedding?" Aragorn asked with a glint of irritation in his voice. "You look as though you are pleased that he knows nothing about it, in fact."
Arwen was angered by what Estel told her. She didn't look remotely fair now, with the pout her face contorted into. "What do you care? I want everyone to be informed of our wedding, especially him, the Prince of Mirkwood. Let us see how jealous our guests will be."
Aragorn did not respond. For someone as well-turned to emotions as Arwen, she did not notice the turmoil going on in Aragorn's body, unknown to her, Aragorn was wondering why her attitude was so different and rather strange. She never usually hopes for things just like what she just mentioned, such puzzling, pernicious things. He only put it off his mind by thinking she was just overexcited or… Nor did Arwen notice a certain moonlight-blond Elf in the trees above them, or so, as Legolas thought. For when Aragorn turned to leave, leaving Arwen behind him, the daughter of Elrond looked directly at the place Legolas was hiding, throwing him a derisive laugh.
Legolas slowly leaned against the trunk of the tree, not even bothering to fathom the mystery of Arwen's attitude. He felt a little bit dazed, and a turbulence of emotions was going on inside him. He felt as though his heart was falling apart. He could feel what was going on in the son of Arathorn's mind, which was now a sea being troubled and shaken by a fierce gale.
Aragorn had not meant to tell the Prince of Mirkwood that he was to marry Arwen.
His great love for the Elf had kept him from telling Legolas. Aragorn did not want Legolas to suffer. He did not want to break his heart by telling him he had to marry Arwen, for he feared Legolas' life. Elves could die of a broken heart.
But Legolas did not see what was going on in Arwen. Only seconds after Estel left, she crumpled into a heap on the ground, her slender hands clutching her head, the fingernails digging into her scalp.
"Noooooooooooo… please, no more…" she moaned quietly, her voice naught but a little more than a whisper. One hand tugged at her locks of dark sepia, the other clenched and unclenched the delicate lavender cloth of her dress.
All of a sudden, though the Prince of Mirkwood did not see nor hear it, Arwen's voice changed. It sank into a whispery and sedated voice that seemed to freeze the air about it.
"You have to obey all that I command you to accomplish, Undomiel," it said, "if you do not wish to have a new, worse meaning of pain."
Legolas shook his head. He had avoided all company that night, the anguish inside him so intense he doubted he could live through it. I'm glad Estel cares for me, at least, not wanting me to get…but why had I known about the wedding only now? I can't hold on, the pain is too much…He was sitting on the very same tree where he eavesdropped on Aragorn and Arwen. The tomorrow Arwen was talking about is now. The noon she was so excited about was only a few moments away.
Just then, his thoughts, his consciences, seemed to speak to him. Why do you have to suffer so much in the hands of a mortal? one said in his mind. He's a mortal, that Aragorn! He will end his life sooner than you think. You understand it, don't you? More pain to your part! You will regret that you ever had feelings for him.
Legolas thought over the statement for a while. "Was I a fool to love the Heir of Isildur? Was I foolish enough not to think of the aftermaths that might, or will befall me for loving him?"
Who says death will put an end to what you feel for the son of Arathorn? came another. It is never too late, Legolas. It will pain you more to see Aragorn hurting himself by a choice like the one he chose now, I tell you. Stop their wedding! If you really love the Heir of Gondor, you will risk even your immortality to save him from all the consequences.
Even before Legolas could react, the first voice retaliated, That's an absolutely foolish thing to do! What's the point of risking something so precious when you failed in the end? You will lose double what you risked. Look, the sun is ready to hit its noon day zenith. Legolas Greenleaf, you are a fool to do this.
You will fail.
The tone and pitch of the voice was rather terrifying and disturbing; it brought a chill to Legolas' spine and formed a doubt in his mind. "Yes, I will get hurt more. Oh, how I wished the pain would just abandon me! Oh, if only there is more time…all hope has left me. They will be married at noon…if only there is more time…if only I never loved Aragorn…"
But the other voice slightly comforted him. What are you saying? Doing your best in trying to succeed gives a different story. It will hurt less, and will give you a sense of pride. You will not be sorry if you give it a try, Legolas. It is better to do something about it rather than to just sit there, pity yourself and wait for you heart to break and die. Aragorn loves you, Legolas, and he needs you…Legolas…Legolas…
Legolas opened his eyes and felt hard ground beneath him. "What the-?" he asked himself, shaking off all the dazed feeling. He was no longer up the tree. "What will my kin think about me? I am a descendant of the tree-dwelling Elves, what a thought if I fell off a-''
Legolas felt something fall in his blond hair. It was a dark red blossom of some sort. In his misery, he didn't even notice that the tree that sheltered him bore beautiful blooms, as red as the blood of his love for Aragorn flowing in his veins.
A ray of light fell on his eyes, making him avoid the sun. "Oh, it's noon." Then, as though he was struck unawares by lightning, he dropped the flower he was holding. In an instant, his mind was made up. "NOON! I MUST STOP THEM! ARAGORN!" He sped up to the ceremonial center half a mile away. He knew he seemed to act the impossible, but he felt as though it was the right thing, he had to do it, he had to stop the wedding.
*Finis*
How do you like it? More chapters are coming up, so don't think this is the end!