A/N: Alas, the forcing of the previous chapter has broken the dam, and the waters of inspiration flow once more. Here is the next one, Chapter 80! Only 20 more until 100! ^_^ Sorry, but no Aragorn in this - if u can believe that! He'll be back in the next chapter, no worries! ^_^ PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! ^_^

Part 80

The following morning, Aragorn was awake in the twilight proceeding dawn, allowing him only a minimal time of sleep. Legolas had even less, but had remained out of sight until Aragorn was up alongside Gandalf. Gimli snored to his heart's content without a care as to the doings of everybody else. The Dwarf fully believed the he deserved a good, long rest after so little sleep lately. Once the sun had established itself for the day in the scarcely clouded sky, the Last Debate began in the Steward's Hall. All were in attendance - Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Eomer.

The Elf stood beside the new king of Rohan near Denethor's old throne, which was no being comfortably occupied by the Dwarf. Gimli was rather enjoying himself, Legolas thought whilst suppressing a bemused grin. Sitting there at ease and smoking away that pipeweed of his. The Elf prince never did grow accustomed to the stuff that was so prized by the Dwarf, the Hobbits, and his best friend. Nor did he take to ale - he still had no idea what had possessed him that night at Helm's Deep when Gimli had gotten him involved with one of his drinking games. He had scarcely taken any ale before then - it hadn't been agreeable with to put it lightly. Yes, Legolas would take his father's wine over pipeweed and ale any day.

After a short time in the grand, white hall that had once belonged to Denethor, it had been decided that Aragorn would lead a host of Men to the very place of evil - Mordor. It was suspected that Frodo was very close now, to Mount Doom. They needed to provide their Hobbit friend with a distraction, as Legolas had called it.

" We can give Frodo a chance, " Aragorn had said.

And indeed, that's what they would do.

Yet before that entire ordeal of decision making, Legolas and Gimli had gone back to the Houses of Healing along with Pippin to see Merry. And the archer had also had another objective in mind. . . .

" Merry," Pippin had exclaimed, bounding forward to his cousin's cot.

" Hullo, Pip," Merry had chirped with his uninjured arm open in wait for his best friend. Merry looked notably better, sitting up in bed with his back against the wall. His other arm was in a sling now, and he no longer was plagued with fever. He was definitely and rapidly on the mend.

" It is good to see you in good health again, Master Hobbit, " said Gimli good-naturedly.

" You too, Gimli, " Merry said with a bright smile. The Dwarf plodded over to sit on the end of Merry's cot, yet Legolas remained on his feet, tall and with his arms folded across his chest. He clasped his bow to his chest, as he would later on in the Steward's Hall.

Conversation turned to their separate adventures, with Legolas contributing to Gimli's telling of their tale. Both the Hobbits told their own starting from when they had parted. The two Hobbits were informed of Aragorn's plan to march to the Black Gate.

" We have to go with you," said Pippin at the news. " We can't have our friends going off to Mordor without us. We'd be the only ones out not to have gone."

" Yes, we've got to help," agreed Merry with the same determination he had recently developed for going off to battle.

" I don't know," Gimli grunted. " Aragorn might have something to say about that arm of yours, Master Meriadoc."

" It's nearly healed," Merry countered.

Legolas grinned down at them. " We'll see," he said reassuringly. " We'll see."

Yet Legolas drifted off eventually. He soundlessly stepped up to one of the bleak windows near Merry's bed. He stared out beyond the glass at the gray sky for a while, still holding his bow to his heart as if it gave him some sort of complete feeling.

" Legolas? " Merry called to him, snapping the Elf out of his reverie. The blonde turned his head to meet the Hobbit's eyes.

" Yes? "

" You drifted off there for a bit, lad, " said Gimli.

" Legolas, what was it like? " asked Pippin. " When you reached the waters where the Corsairs were waiting? "

" The ships were scattered across the water," he answered softly. " We sat bestride our horses on shore for a while, and I heard the gulls - "

Legolas turned back to look out the window. " Oh, did not the Lady Galadriel warn me? I have heard them," he pondered aloud with a heaviness in his tone. " And now I cannot forget them."

" Speak not of it, Lad. It would be a deep grievance indeed if you were to sail away now," said Gimli seriously. The color in his cheeks rose a bit at his admittance that an Elf's parting would be no easy thing for him to bear.

" Yes, you cannot leave, Legolas, " Pippin exclaimed. " There are too many people here who need you."

Legolas turned to look down into the wide, pleading eyes of the young Hobbit, who was so child-like to him. A smile graced the prince's fair face. He did not answer Pippin or any of the looks that his friends were giving him then. Instead, he simply lay his hand atop Pippin's head and crept away down the row of beds. He was glad that they did not attempt to follow him, and he continued on his way until he arrived upon the one he sought.

Faramir lay asleep below him, still and much better than when the Elf had last seen him. There was no longer the shine of fever upon the mortal's brow. He breathed with ease and did not have trouble in his face. Legolas' eyes glimmered. He let himself fall to his knees with a gentle rhythm and his slender hand hovered above Faramir's brow.

An expression of great beauty and sadness had surfaced on the prince's face. There also, was concern. His heart swelled in his chest again, and compassion flowed from its tender core. His eyes were like oceans deep and vast, with light playing across the myriad of blues. The glowed like the candle flames that had flickered here the night before. His hand finally lowered and rested upon Faramir's brow. The captain inhaled sharply at the touch and shifted in his sleep but did not wake. Legolas felt overwhelmed by a nameless emotion as finally touched the mortal. Slowly, his cupped hand stroked back over Faramir's hair, the color of the seashore where the water could not reach.

With no warning, Faramir lifted open his wide blue eyes to look up into Legolas' own. He was disoriented and exhausted, and had never seen an Elf before. His eyes shone up at the archer, who was utterly still now. Faramir sighed, and Legolas could see that the Man was searching for words.

" Am I dead? Are you being of the Halls of Mandos? " he asked breathlessly. And at this, Legolas actually broke into a dazzling smile for the first time in many, many days.

" No, " he replied with a shake of his head. " You are very much alive, Captain Faramir."

" Then have you come to take me, Fair Angel of Mandos? " Faramir questioned while his breathing quickened visibly in the rising and falling of his chest.

" Nay, Faramir, " Legolas murmured, still smiling. " I am no angel."

" You must be," Faramir said as if it were a thought to himself. " I have never beheld such beauty before."

Legolas bowed his head to hide the fact that he was blushing.

" I am only an Elf, Captain, " he muttered through his smile.

" An Elf, " Faramir echoed in further awe. " I had come to believe they were only a myth. I have heard of the Elves but have never seen one before. "

Legolas peered back at him. His people were falling into myth. They were sailing away, and their time was ending. The Age of Men was about to begin.

" Well," he began. " Now you have seen, Captain."

" Don't call me captain," Faramir said quietly. " Call me Faramir. "

Legolas smiled warmly again and gave a slow nod of his head.

" Faramir it is, then."

" And - " Faramir began, not wanting the Elf to leave. He also was trying his very best to be as polite and respectful as possible, worried he might offend this creature. " What is your name, Master Elf? "

" Legolas," answered the archer. " My name is Legolas."

" Legolas," Faramir uttered, his blue eyes slipping closed. " It is in the tongue of your people, isn't it? What does it mean?"

" Greenleaf," Legolas told him pleasantly. For the first time that the prince had seen, Faramir smiled.

" You don't look like a green leaf to me," he murmured, his eyes still closed.

Legolas grinned to himself. " I am a Wood Elf from Mirkwood. It's a fitting name."

" How did you know my name? " Faramir asked after a pause when he opened his eyes. Legolas' smile disappeared. He hesitated, breaking his eye contact with the mortal.

" I knew your brother," he admitted. " We were in the Fellowship together. Gandalf has told us all of us your tale."

Faramir stared at him with a familiar pain in his eyes, now propped up on his elbows.

" You knew my brother? "

Legolas nodded somberly and did not look at Faramir. He waited for the Man to speak again.

" Were you his friend? " Faramir queried.

Legolas revealed his bright eyes again. He only nodded.

" I -." He was reluctant to continue. " I was there - when he died." Something quavered in Faramir's eyes. " His was a noble death, defending our friends, the Hobbits. It was not long."

Faramir lowered his head to his chest, reflecting. Legolas dropped his own head as well. He had not had time to grieve for Boromir himself, nor had he talked of it to anyone. There had only been night - the first night in Edoras. Aragorn and he had spoken of it shortly. Boromir's death had pained the ranger more than the Elf.

" Thank you," Faramir mumbled, sounding like a child. " For telling me."

The two locked eyes again, and Legolas nodded. Faramir had grown quiet now and lowered himself back down to rest. He had that look that he had so often carried before. He felt so alone. He wanted to weep. Boromir, his brother, the one who had loved him the most his entire life. The one he had loved more than anything. His brother was dead, and his father had passed away without ever coming to love Faramir the way he had longed for his father to love him. He had no one now. His men were dead, killed in the battle that had taken place in the past few days. His family had been wiped out. There was no one to love him.

And all of a sudden, Legolas lay upon Faramir. The captain did not know what to do in his surprise as the Elf's fair head came to rest over his heart. Legolas slowly closed his eyes, a tear escaping him. He did not know why he wept for this man that he only just met. Faramir felt the archer's lithe arms come up around him, and slender hands grip his shoulders. It had been so long since anyone had touched him, let alone embrace him. He had been so deprived of love and affection, so cold without someone to just touch him and let him know that they cared. It was overwhelming now. After a long while, Faramir reached up and wrapped his arms around the Elf. He pressed his eyes shut and wept. He had a friend. Someone loved him. He wasn't alone anymore.

//" Im sinome na le hi, mellonin."// Legolas whispered to Faramir with a love that did not need time to form.

" I don't understand," said Faramir quietly.

" I am here for you now, my friend."

Faramir's heart softened at these words. He kept holding on to Legolas, never wanting to let go.

" Your language is pretty," he said after a long moment. " It soothes me."

// " Lhend Faramir Elvellon,"// Legolas said softly.

" What does that mean? " Faramir asked again.

Legolas laughed. " Sweet is Faramir Elf-friend."

Faramir smiled. " Why, thank you. "

" That is //hannon le//," Legolas taught him, burying his face into Faramir's chest.

" Oh, are you going to teach me? " Faramir queried cheerfully.

" If you wish to learn," Legolas said.

" I do, " Faramir confirmed in all seriousness. He had always wanted to learn the Elven tongues, being the intellectual that he was.

" Please, Legolas, " he began, not wanting to sound weak but needing to speak it. " Stay."

Legolas onto him tightly. //" Dartha,"// he breathed.

" Yes, " Faramir said. //" Dartha." //