Disclaimer just in case LOTR belongs to Tolkien and his heirs. However like in Cassia and Sio not-so-little but wonderful universe, Aragorn was raised in the house of Elrond, and it means he considered him his father and Elladan and Elrohir his siblings.

Big thank you to Araanaz and Alexandre Williams, say Alexandre when are you publishing I just realized that this prologue was a bit vague, I will try to make this a bit clearer for you all.

Chapter 2 Mama told me there will be days like that

There were days when he wished that she had died or gone mute or asleep for a century or two like that fairytale princess.

Today was one of them.

Due to the late hours, he expected her asleep in the double bed he rented for her, snoring softly her long ebony hair floating around her pillows, he expected himself to have a moment and to look at her weary but innocent face and find the will to live another day in this world full of hate, searching among the billions of souls the one that carried the name Aragorn. Of course, Arwen never did she was supposed to do, even if, due to her upbringing and calm ways she had manners and diplomacy, she always did what she wasn't supposed to do. That fact was fun when they were both children playing together, being especially close due to the nearness of their ages, and Legolas wanted to cause mayhem, Arwen went along because she was supposed to be the golden princess of her people, not the sister of the twins terror in troublemaking Elladan and Elrohir. But right now she was sitting on the sofa a book in her hand which explained why the three lamps were brightly on and fixed him like only the former queen of Gondor could.

-"What happened?" she asked using English, they had started to use this language about two hundred years ago and never felt the need to use another one between the two. They sometimes had to carry conversation in their maternal tongue when the need arose or when they were shouting at one another.

-"This is nothing. I had a run it with a few thugs. Why aren't you in bed, it is late." He replied trying to smoothly turn back to subject to her. She looked far better than she did this afternoon, the circles under her eyes were more light grayish than the almost navy blue.

-"Tell me what happened. Did you get in a fight?" She asked her tone too resembling to his mother for his sake, she had the same look in her eyes as Galadriel did, of course being her grand-daughter it was to be expected, he just wished to preserve his energy to something else.

-"Undomiel." Legolas said softly as a plea using the most honeyed voice he had, it worked so often on the female kind he prayed silently to have a repeat tonight of his wonderful charming ability.

-"You could have gotten hurt! Things have changed here, weapons have changed." She reminded him completely ignored his tactic to charm her. Of course, due to time and the fact they were almost siblings his ego did not suffer much, not as much as being cornered by those thugs. But not too far, her blue eyes were fixed on him expecting to crack any second.

-"'tis is merely scratches." He replied waving his hand to his face and giving her a smile that clearly said:" I have been in more battle that you could imagine, I have been hit, throw, pushed and knocked over far worst then this."

-"Legolas, don't sugarcoat things. Come here, I will do a better job at cleaning those wounds." She said rising from her seat, placing carefully a bookmark to her book. It was clear she was Elrond's daughter in moment like this, she had inherited his love for books and learning even if for a very long time it was not as evident for she was a lady of the court.

Legolas sat on the bed and watched the Evenstar take a washcloth and rinse it with cold water. It always surprised him to see Arwen dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, he always pictured her in long Elvish gowns, not in mans clothing. It was amazing how Edain had evolved in the past century, especially women. He wasn't sure yet how he felt about this evolution, things had changed far too fast, far too much, it was unsettling for an elf use to constant to be in a world where variable tumbled as fast as tornadoes. Arwen stepped back and stood over him, cleaning his wounds and applying augments on his face with the ability and care of a mother. They never did talk about her children much, Legolas on most days couldn't even remember the names of her daughters, sometimes mistaking them with names of the hobbits children or Faramir's.

-"Where are we going next?" She asked not looking at his face, avoiding his eyes busying herself at closing and cleaning the pots she used.

-"What are you hiding from me?" Their relationship was always about blatant honesty even if since their journey, they both had started to hid negative emotions, but both were incredibly bad liars to each others.

-"Nothing."

-"Undomiel. " Legolas warned, sounding a bit more like a growl than the gentle musical voice she was used to.

-"Am I a good wife, Legolas?" She asked out of the blue, she surprised him he thought they were in a phase where talking about Estel was forbidden.

-"You are." He replied, even if he knew it sounded lame, in truth how could he know, she was not married to him, but he could vividly remember how Estels eyes glowed when he talked about his Elvish princess..

-"I am not sure. "

-"You want to give up." She answered for her, she gaze at him her large midnight blue eyes windows to her aching soul. He had found the heart of the matter he saw something flicker in her eyes.

-"Am I a good wife now mellon nin?" She asked stressing on the word friend.

-"It has been over a millennia, you are a good wife. You have spent each days of that time to search for your husband, devoting yourself to him ever since you've met him. If you give it up now, it would be okay. He would forgive you, and would wish you to be happy. "

-"How could I be forgiven, how could he. I have abandoned our children." She said standing up and pacing around the room, he watched her still sitting on the bed.

-"Grown children, Arwen, Eldarion was ready to be a king and he has watched over his sisters and cousins with as much care as his father had before him. You raise a great man, worthy of both Elvish and Edain heritage."

-"So where are we going next? "She asked changing the subject, Legolas knew until she saw Estel again she could never make herself believe that she had not fail anyone, after all it was not the first time he utter those words.

-"I was thinking about Iowa." It was one city among thousand but he had received a clue about a doctor there that had come three years ago in the town and was still a bit of a mystery.

-"Where is it? " She asked taking the atlas out and searching the colored drawing.

-"In the middle of this country, we should leave tomorrow morning." He planned, thinking about what route to take and calculating how much time it would take them to get there.

-"Have you had any news of that private detective in New York?" They had hired a few detective around the world to help with matters, it was something that more and more seemed wise to do as these men and women were getting more efficient.

-"Not yet, he said he would try again to find him through missing person, and posting ad over the int..intar.some device. " Legolas trailed over the word, it was getting popular and he saw that there were courses in local library, maybe he or Arwen could learn about it, it may help to be faster.

-"We should get some sleep then. Come to bed with me." She pleaded, he knew she hated sleeping alone, years of waiting to be finally with Aragorn and loosing him yet not made her uneasy and subject to terrible flashes from her mind.

-"In a minute." Legolas replied standing up putting away the atlas and looking at Arwen putting on her dressing gowns from the corner of his eyes glancing away until she was finish. By his principles he still had a hard time to sleep next to her. She was his best friend, but the little voice deep inside his head added, "She is your best friend's wife. "

"I will find you Estel." Legolas swore before lying down over the comforter next to Arwen.

-------------------------

-"You will never find me."

The three elves exchanged amused glances as the young ranger hopped twice before running away. He disappeared behind the dark bushes not even twenty feet from the three elves. The forest was dark enough that an experienced ranger or an elf could easily hide under the shades, if he or she kept her body relax and as still as possible. Being raised among elves, Aragorn was taught by the best soldiers and trackers and could even startled on his better days the mightiest Eldar. This was not the best day as the bush moved and giggling were heard faint, but still heard.

-"What did you feed him Legolas?" Asked Elladan his smile turned a bit in a worried frown as he watched the Mirkwood prince shake his wheat blond hair.

-"Nothing that I am aware of."

-"I think it is the problem?" Answered Elrohir, he walked over to the bush that had now stopped to move, he disappear for a fraction of time before reappearing with a disappointed Estel in tow.

-"Come little brother." Elrohir said placing his arm around the Edain waist to give support, and up close Estel did look worn out.

-"By the Valars, what road did you take. you and Estel?" Asked elladan helping his twin on the other side of their adoptive brother, while Legolas took the two packs of food.

-"Well, we did took a detour, we would have come face to face with a clan of Orcs." Admitted Legolas, feeling a bit ashamed not to have destroyed those Orcs but the odds were far too great against them.

-"You brought our brother back alive and well Legolas, it is all that matters." Replied Elladan glancing at his friend in thanks. The silence hung between them as they retraced the steps they just took to picnic in the clearing, thinking about how elladan and Elrohir mother, Celebrian had not come home back and safe. The wife of Elrond had gone to visit her mother and on her way back to her husband, she was attacked by Orcs and tortured beyond repair and left her family to rest in the havens. The twins having rescued their mother never forgave the beast and swore to kill as many as possible. Having been on hunts with the sons of Elrond, Legolas remembered a few nights when one or both of them had violent nightmares about loosing another member of their family to Orcs.

-"Let me walk on my own." Pleaded Estel as they neared the path that led to the house.

-"No you will fall." Snapped back Elladan holding his grip a little tighter.

-"Ada will be suspicious." Estel whined, in truth he was about to collapse but his dignity kept him, years of being compared to the immortal and ever powerful being made him self-conscious.

-"Estel, you father is always suspicious when the four of us are together." Said Legolas laughing at the face Estel made before brightening and shaking off his brothers hold.

-"Yes but you will be always there to keep me off trouble. We should remind Ada of that. He might be less worried." Estel looked at his brother and Legolas before realizing what he just said.

-"On second thought maybe not, say could you."

-------------

-"Legolas, Legolas, wake up. "

Legolas opened his eyes to see the long raven locks blocking his view, Arwen was hovering above him, he rolled to his side and rose from the bed adding a shirt to his jeans for decency even if he wore much less in her presence, it was always harder when he dreamed or more precisely remembered about Aragorn.

-"Are you ready to go?" he asked taking his ever ready duffel bag.

She nodded once and took her own bag her eyes pausing on the unkempt bed, once upon a time she was used to make it every single day, but now, it was not necessary and she had long started to live on the essentials.

-"I am ready, lets go to Iowa." She said simply lacking every bit of enthusiasm her younger self had at travelling.

They both moved out and sat in the car parked up front, they had already paid the man at the reception for the night, the car seats were a little hot and uncomfortable, but they knew that in a couple of minutes it would get better. The silence was not awkward but barely, they listened to the faint music playing on the radio.

-"I want a horse." Said Legolas when he engaged the car on the highway that was barely two exit from the motel.

-"Me too. " She chimed.

They both started to laugh, the first time in 8 days.