@Hobbit Hugger : Woot! Yes. More cliffie after this! Woot!
@Brazgril : Due to lots of request, there will be a story of Leggy and his beloved. Lemonade and honey with warm milk will do for flu? Cool! I'll go and make one right now!
@Marie : Oh yes it will!
@Ryoko Lasgalen : Your epathy and your plead keep me going! Okay. Here's the next chappie, mellon! I rule? Great! But…uh…I seem to have lost my kingdom somewhere. He! He!
@Alkvingiel : More angst coming up!
@LegolasLover2003 : Ai! Aragorn and Leggy are sooo pissed at each other! That's one of the hardest part in this fic. I got stumped in the middle many times while writing this scene.
@RainyDayz : I also have some difficulties logging in ffnet once in a while (what's wrong with the site anyway?).
@Hp-Azn : That's life, friend. It's HARSH.
@Jamie : More conflict between Leggy and Aragorn coming up!
@manders1953 : Only 2 chapters in a day? How about 4? No!!!! Now I'm getting stressful like Aragorn. Argh!!!! Err…sorry about that. Nervous breakdown. 2, eh? I'll see what I can do. Maybe as a gift for the ROTK premier.
@Aranel of Mirkwood : Aragorn is actually not heartless. He is just…well… 'ignorant' for the time being.
@szhismine : Did I really say Frodo the Dwarf? You're right! I did! Ai! How could I overlook that one?!! OMG! I'll go and correct it right away!
@Twinlakesghrl : You are going to see Aragorn's 'face' in this one!
@Lady Lenna : Only 40% percent, hmm? Don't worry. That percent might get a little higher in this chapter!
@Lucy : Yes, it does count as a fight or a disagreement. I've had it twice with my best friend and, God, it hurt so much! We both felt very bad in the end.
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Legolas strode out of the meeting hall in a fine temper. "Prepare our ride! We are heading home now!" he barked to his escorts who stood waiting patiently in the hallway. The elves took one look at their lord's grim face and immediately rushed away to do his bidding.
Prince Imrahil came near the prince and warmly clasped Legolas' stiff shoulder. The lord of Dol Amroth could feel muscles tensing beneath his fingers. "Lord Legolas?"
Legolas sighed before he turned to acknowledge the other prince. "Lord Imrahil."
Imrahil smiled slightly. "Chin up, my friend. It's all in a day's work. Just to let you know, I do not see you as the only person responsible permitting the attack. We all share the blame here."
"Not to me," said Garil, one of the lords of Gondor who walked passed by. He didn't even pause to elaborate but kept on striding swiftly away. Lord Asfahn behind him shrugged apologetically at Legolas. "I was just stating the truth in the meeting just now, Lord Legolas. It's not my fault they thought you inept and not taking your job seriously." That said, Asfahn moved away to join the rest of the men.
Imrahil bristled inwardly. "Ignore them, Legolas. If I guess correctly, they are just envious of your close relationship with the king."
Legolas chuckled without humor. "Close? Somehow I have trouble believing that myself." After sending a sad smile Imrahil's way, Legolas gratefully patted the man's arm and strode off, head bowed and shoulders slumped.
Imrahil shook his head, feeling sad that Legolas was more or less blaming himself for the attack on Colomar. He also hoped that the powerful friendship between the elf and the king would not be jeopardized because of it.
As he got to the stairs that would lead him to the citadel grand entrance, Legolas remembered that he still had not seen Arwen. Knowing how hurt she would be if he left without even seeing her, Legolas hesitated briefly before he turned back around and headed for the royal quarters.
But on the way, as he walked through an outside corridor that led to the royal couple's chambers, a flock of seagulls flew passed by. Their shrill cries caught his attention, causing him to stop abruptly. He gasped out loud, clutching his chest when his heart painfully constricted, pulling him into every direction.
Oh Valar, please not now! Not now, I beg you! Legolas screamed inwardly as he collapsed against the wall, sliding slowly to the floor. But the birds' cries grew louder in his head, mingling with the sound of surf crashing, one after the other. Tears began to stream down his face as his shoulders shook uncontrollably with his sobs.
No, please, go away. I have no time for this! He placed both hands over his ears to shut out the mesmerizing sound to no avail. He could now feel the water lapping at his skin, the sun kissing his face, and the scent of Valinor hitting his nostril. No! I don't need this right now! Go away!
But the sea kept on calling him. Legolas…
Stop it! Leave me alone!
Legolas…
Get the blazes away from me! Get out of my head!
"Legolas?"
The prince moaned. "Go away…"
Then a gentle hand cupped his wet cheek. "Legolas? It's me. Arwen."
He instantly blinked to awareness. The beautiful queen of Gondor was kneeling right in front of him, her face concern and her eyes compassionate. "A…Arwen?"
"Yes, Legolas. It's me," she softly replied, tenderly brushing a strand of hair away from his face.
"Arwen." Legolas buried himself in her embrace, trembling still. She repeatedly stroked his head, murmuring unintelligible consoling words against his ear, calming him down.
The corridor was empty except for them. It was by pure chance that Arwen came out looking for her husband and happened to stumble upon Legolas cowering against the wall. She instantly knew what the prince was suffering with and tried her best to bring him back.
She looked down and saw that Legolas had stopped crying and was looking highly embarrassed instead. "Well," he started, smiling weakly. "What an interesting way to say our greetings, don't you think?"
She laughed softly in that beautiful voice of hers. "Hello to you too, 'goldilocks'."
Legolas winced. "I can't believe you still remember calling me that."
"Why not? You called me 'plumpkin' on my wedding day!"
They laughed heartily, still wrapped in each other's arms, looking more like a pair of lovers than a pair of childhood friends.
And that was how Aragorn found them both.
"Still have penchant for mortal maidens, Legolas?"
The two instantly broke apart at the king's snide remark. Staring hard at the man, Legolas helped Arwen to her feet. She was frowning in puzzlement. "Estel, what were you implying by that?"
"He was talking about the time I kissed Lady Éowyn in Edoras," Legolas explained. He straightened up to his full height, never breaking eye contact with Aragorn whose eyes were narrowed to a slit. If the time was right, Legolas might have laugh out loud. Ai Elbereth! He is jealous!
Aragorn was indeed being goaded by the green monster. Arwen was incredibly beautiful, while Legolas had the most magnificent features anyone had ever seen. They would make an excellent pair given different circumstances, considering the not so much age difference between them.
The elf prince might be thousands years older that Aragorn, but Legolas never seemed to age, keeping his youthful looks for many years to come, as well as his air of childlike innocence. Aragorn felt more like an older brother to him now instead of the other way around. He felt stupid for feeling such jealousy of his own good friend, still Aragorn couldn't stop himself from saying next, "My wife is not the appropriate substitute for your faraway Nara, don't you think? She's a married woman."
"Estel!" Arwen cried out in shock. She stared at her husband in disbelief. "What in the world were you saying?"
Legolas forced a tentative smile at her. "He's just joking, Arwen. Think nothing by it."
Kissing her temple, Legolas then turned to his friend. "Now that I've seen her and assured that she is well, I'll take my leave. Good day, my lady." He bowed slightly to Arwen before looking directly at his friend, inclining his head. "My lord." That said, the elf prince strode swiftly away, leaving the husband and wife staring at his retreating back in silence.
As soon as Legolas vanished from view, Arwen rounded on Aragorn. "What was that all about?"
"Nothing. It was just a joke, like he said."
"It didn't sound like a joke to me. He called you 'my lord'."
Aragorn sighed. It was just his luck that Arwen was smart and not easily fooled. "It was just a slight disagreement we have on the attack against Colomar, Arwen. Nothing more."
Arwen was still persistent. "But what does it have to do with what you just said to him just now?"
He hesitated before blurting out, "I saw how intimate the both of you were on the floor, hugging and whispering."
Arwen's eyes widened as comprehension dawned on her. "Let me get this straight. You are jealous? Of us?"
Aragorn blushed slightly. "Well, what else am I suppose to feel? There I was, looking for my wife to share my problems, then there you were, in my best friend's arms, looking for all the world to see as if you were about to kiss!"
She shook her head in exasperation. "Aren't you listening to yourself? Don't you know how you sound like? Valar! He is your friend, Estel. Nay. He is your brother."
Long silence hung after her words. Aragorn finally looked down, suddenly ashamed to look at his wife straight in the eye. "I'm sorry, Arwen. I guess I got overreacted."
"You know it isn't me you should be apologizing to," Arwen softly replied. She placed her palm on Aragorn's cheek. "Legolas is silently hurting, Estel. He might be smiling but his eyes tell different things. Haven't you noticed?"
Aragorn looked up. "I don't know. I wasn't giving enough attention to detect anything wrong with him. But he did look a bit pale to me, and a little reserved." He tilted his head. "Do you know what's bothering him?"
"It's the sea-longing. It has been afflicting him more fiercely than he has let on."
Aragorn's eyes widened, alarm and shock combined. "Are you serious? He told you that?"
Arwen sadly nodded. "He'd just gone through an attack of the affliction. That's why I was there, embracing him. I was trying to pull him back out of it." She sighed softly as she wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "The sea is strongly calling him, Estel, and it's getting more powerful than ever. His heart desires for Valinor yet he loves Middle-earth too much to leave. Besides, he still has reasons to stay here. And I know part of those reasons is you."
Aragorn sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his hair. "Valar! I think I've just stuck my foot in my mouth! Twice! You won't believe what I said to him in the meeting!"
"Then go find him before he leaves, Estel. He needs to know that you still care."
"I sounded just like a total conceited fool just now, didn't I?" Aragorn smiled ruefully as he stroked Arwen's cheek.
She smiled benevolently. "No, you sound like an overly stressed king who has had little rest. Go, my love. Your brother needs you, even if he doesn't know it."
But when Aragorn got to the stable several minutes later, Legolas and his escorts had already gone.
TBC…