Summary: Another 'How Aragorn and Legolas meet' story. Not Slash.
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine… The story idea is not original… I just hope you like it
A/N 1) Much thanks to those who read and reviewed chapter 1. :) This chapter is more serious… but I hope you all still like it. Whatever you think, review it and tell me if I should keep going or not.
(More A/N at the bottom)
~*~
Chapter 2
"Please forgive me Lord Elrond, only that all this is a little overwhelming. Who did you just say your foster son Estel truly is?" Legolas asked. He'd heard alright the first time only that the story Elrond had just told him seemed to extraordinary to be true.
Elrond sighed quietly and looked around relieved to find no other elves present, and even his sons had finished and were leaving the stables. "Estel is the hope of men. He was the only child of Arathorn and Gilraen, and is now Isildur's heir and heir to the throne of Gondor. His true name is Aragorn."
Legolas nodded, continuing to brush his horse automatically, while trying to make sense of what he had just heard twice. He had heard of Arathorn's death from the twins during one of their visits to his father's kingdom but neither of them had mentioned his wife much less a son, an heir. In part Legolas admired Elrond's decision to raise the boy as his own, though he could not deny another part of him was concerned by such an action.
"Legolas," Elrond spoke again startling Legolas from his thoughts. "I would not have told you if I did not believe I could trust you to keep this to yourself. Your silence on this is a matter of life and death for Estel… for, outside this valley's boundaries there are still some who search for he who would be king- and not all with honourable intentions. I understand you will probably wish to tell your father. Only I ask that you do not reveal Estel's heritage to him via a messenger should the message not reach it's target."
Again Legolas nodded. He was not a young elfling playing at adventure, and living in Mirkwood had left him with little illusions about the troubles that plagued Middle Earth. "You want him to have a *normal* childhood Lord Elrond?"
"As normal as I can make it," agreed Elrond relieved that his sons' friend had seemed to accept and understand this news so readily. "I'm afraid living with the first-born is not the most normal of childhood experiences for a mortal. Yet we hope that we provide him with the love and patience that he would have received should Arathorn and Gilraen still have lived today.
"Legolas there is one more thing I must ask of you," he said turning to gaze directly on the elf beside him.
"Yes Lord Elrond?"
"I have not yet told Estel of his heritage. Those who do know here in Rivendell, as well as my wife's parents in Lothlorien have all been sworn to secrecy. When I feel the time is right I shall tell him. Please let him have his dreams and innocence a little longer and let me be the one to tell him of his fate. I am his Ada after all."
Were it not for the seriousness of Elrond's tone Legolas felt he might have released the laughter that was building up inside him. Here was the crown prince of Mirkwood talking to one of the most important elves still on Middle Earth about one whose great deeds were surely to come in a stable. Somewhere in contrast of the situation to the words he found humour. A slight cough from Elrond made him realise that Elrond was waiting for an answer to the unspoken question. "I will keep this to myself Lord Elrond and not discuss it with anyone, not even my father. Nor will I tell Estel of that which you have told me now."
Elrond nodded well pleased with the response. "Perhaps it would be good if we returned to the house now before Estel comes searching for us. Lunch will be ready shortly and I'm sure that Estel would have made sure that the bath was run for you."
"A bath would be most wonderful."
"I'm sure it would be after travelling as you have."
As Legolas led his horse to the manger he turned to look at the elf lord. Elrond's hands had dropped to his sides and he stood looking out of the stable doors. "Perhaps I am selfish in keeping Estel here," he said softly more to himself than Legolas. "Would it not be better if there were more children his own age he could be friends with?"
Legolas moved and rested his hand on Elrond's shoulder. "I promise to you that Estel will always be counted as one of my friends. Not out of duty or expectations, but out of friendship and the love of brothers. Whatever journeys life will bring him along should he need it he will always have my bow. Nothing changes that Edan or not." Then dropping his hand Legolas turned and walked across the courtyard into the main buildings of Imladris.
He let his feet automatically lead him to where his room would be, thinking over all that he had just learnt. Over the last two millennia he had often visited Elrond and his sons until being here felt as much like home as Mirkwood did. It was only his elven reflexes that enabled him to swiftly move aside as a dark haired elfling ran as fast as they could past him. Not *elfling* he corrected himself, as Elladan and Elrohir ran past giving chase. His new friend, the edan, Estel.
~*~
A/N 2) sorry about how much dialogue there was here… I just thought Legolas needed to be told about who Estel actually is :)
A/N 3) *---* is to show emphasis
A/N 4) elvish used in this chapter
Ada- daddy, dad
Edan- mortal (Thank you nightfire-dark-elf who pointed out that I'd got this wrong last time.)
A/N 5) I've killed off Gilraen early in this story… She's actually still around when Aragorn first meets Arwen and for many years after that (See Appendix A part v)
A/N 6) Seeing as we don't know how old Legolas is I'm making him about the same age as the twins- about a decade their junior.
Anyway… thanks for reading… if you feel so obliged a review would be nice : )
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine… The story idea is not original… I just hope you like it
A/N 1) Much thanks to those who read and reviewed chapter 1. :) This chapter is more serious… but I hope you all still like it. Whatever you think, review it and tell me if I should keep going or not.
(More A/N at the bottom)
~*~
Chapter 2
"Please forgive me Lord Elrond, only that all this is a little overwhelming. Who did you just say your foster son Estel truly is?" Legolas asked. He'd heard alright the first time only that the story Elrond had just told him seemed to extraordinary to be true.
Elrond sighed quietly and looked around relieved to find no other elves present, and even his sons had finished and were leaving the stables. "Estel is the hope of men. He was the only child of Arathorn and Gilraen, and is now Isildur's heir and heir to the throne of Gondor. His true name is Aragorn."
Legolas nodded, continuing to brush his horse automatically, while trying to make sense of what he had just heard twice. He had heard of Arathorn's death from the twins during one of their visits to his father's kingdom but neither of them had mentioned his wife much less a son, an heir. In part Legolas admired Elrond's decision to raise the boy as his own, though he could not deny another part of him was concerned by such an action.
"Legolas," Elrond spoke again startling Legolas from his thoughts. "I would not have told you if I did not believe I could trust you to keep this to yourself. Your silence on this is a matter of life and death for Estel… for, outside this valley's boundaries there are still some who search for he who would be king- and not all with honourable intentions. I understand you will probably wish to tell your father. Only I ask that you do not reveal Estel's heritage to him via a messenger should the message not reach it's target."
Again Legolas nodded. He was not a young elfling playing at adventure, and living in Mirkwood had left him with little illusions about the troubles that plagued Middle Earth. "You want him to have a *normal* childhood Lord Elrond?"
"As normal as I can make it," agreed Elrond relieved that his sons' friend had seemed to accept and understand this news so readily. "I'm afraid living with the first-born is not the most normal of childhood experiences for a mortal. Yet we hope that we provide him with the love and patience that he would have received should Arathorn and Gilraen still have lived today.
"Legolas there is one more thing I must ask of you," he said turning to gaze directly on the elf beside him.
"Yes Lord Elrond?"
"I have not yet told Estel of his heritage. Those who do know here in Rivendell, as well as my wife's parents in Lothlorien have all been sworn to secrecy. When I feel the time is right I shall tell him. Please let him have his dreams and innocence a little longer and let me be the one to tell him of his fate. I am his Ada after all."
Were it not for the seriousness of Elrond's tone Legolas felt he might have released the laughter that was building up inside him. Here was the crown prince of Mirkwood talking to one of the most important elves still on Middle Earth about one whose great deeds were surely to come in a stable. Somewhere in contrast of the situation to the words he found humour. A slight cough from Elrond made him realise that Elrond was waiting for an answer to the unspoken question. "I will keep this to myself Lord Elrond and not discuss it with anyone, not even my father. Nor will I tell Estel of that which you have told me now."
Elrond nodded well pleased with the response. "Perhaps it would be good if we returned to the house now before Estel comes searching for us. Lunch will be ready shortly and I'm sure that Estel would have made sure that the bath was run for you."
"A bath would be most wonderful."
"I'm sure it would be after travelling as you have."
As Legolas led his horse to the manger he turned to look at the elf lord. Elrond's hands had dropped to his sides and he stood looking out of the stable doors. "Perhaps I am selfish in keeping Estel here," he said softly more to himself than Legolas. "Would it not be better if there were more children his own age he could be friends with?"
Legolas moved and rested his hand on Elrond's shoulder. "I promise to you that Estel will always be counted as one of my friends. Not out of duty or expectations, but out of friendship and the love of brothers. Whatever journeys life will bring him along should he need it he will always have my bow. Nothing changes that Edan or not." Then dropping his hand Legolas turned and walked across the courtyard into the main buildings of Imladris.
He let his feet automatically lead him to where his room would be, thinking over all that he had just learnt. Over the last two millennia he had often visited Elrond and his sons until being here felt as much like home as Mirkwood did. It was only his elven reflexes that enabled him to swiftly move aside as a dark haired elfling ran as fast as they could past him. Not *elfling* he corrected himself, as Elladan and Elrohir ran past giving chase. His new friend, the edan, Estel.
~*~
A/N 2) sorry about how much dialogue there was here… I just thought Legolas needed to be told about who Estel actually is :)
A/N 3) *---* is to show emphasis
A/N 4) elvish used in this chapter
Ada- daddy, dad
Edan- mortal (Thank you nightfire-dark-elf who pointed out that I'd got this wrong last time.)
A/N 5) I've killed off Gilraen early in this story… She's actually still around when Aragorn first meets Arwen and for many years after that (See Appendix A part v)
A/N 6) Seeing as we don't know how old Legolas is I'm making him about the same age as the twins- about a decade their junior.
Anyway… thanks for reading… if you feel so obliged a review would be nice : )