Disclaimer: You don't wanna know.

Promising a Lie

Thranduil was worried.

It was only a few weeks ago, when he had received the news that a human child had been put under Elrond's care.

Although the king had nothing against humans, he didn't like the idea of his youngest son having the company of humans.

Just imagine, what if they became best friends? How would Legolas take it when he grew older?

Across the room, Elrond sat on a chair also worried.

He knew Legolas and Estel were good friends. He had also caught them sneaking off one night then promising each other they would be friends forever. Best friends forever.

Just then a knock on the door broke the two elves out of their thoughts. Then Thranduil cleared his throat.

"Come in."

The door opened and they saw Estel and Legolas standing outside.

Thranduil got up and headed towards Legolas, while Estel eyed him carefully.

"Elrond, if you may," he began looking pointedly at Estel.

Elrond nodded and left the room, bringing the human along with him.

Now alone in the room with his son, Thranduil felt rather awkward.

"Legolas, please take a seat."

He slid away from the comfort of the door and slipped into a seat nervously.

"Legolas, I-" Thranduil began, once they were both seated.

"Ada, Estel is my friend! I won't leave!" Legolas burst out suddenly. "I know everything about mortals and immortals 'cos Elrohir told me! He said Estel would die and I would be all alone, but he won't! He promised we'd be together forever!"

Thranduil, shocked by his son's sudden outburst, tried to explain it gently.

"Well, Legolas, - Estel…… Estel will die someday, so your promise, no,- his promise, is like, like a falsehood." He tried to say gently.

"Estel wouldn't lie!"

Thranduil stood up.

"Legolas. Whatever you say, your friend Estel will die. And you cannot do anything to stop it."

His tone was commanding and firm. And Legolas stood as well.

Then he said, in a gentler tone, "Legolas, I am only trying to help you. I am going to take you back to Mirkwood where you can make friends with other little elves like yourself."

There were tears running down Legolas's small face.

"I am not going."

And without another word, the little elf ran out of the room, leaving his father behind.

Once alone, Thranduil sank to his knees.

"Oh, my little Greenleaf, what have I done?"

* * * * * *

Legolas wiped the tears from his face and went to find Estel.

Ada…… I'm sorry…… he thought. But I'm never going to leave Estel behind.

With he neared Estel's room, shouts echoed throughout the hallway.

"Estel?" he questioned.

He went closer and pushed open the door.

Elrond was sitting on the bed; Elladan and Elrohir were standing near the door (their eyes widened as they looked at him); and Estel was crying.

"Estel?" he asked again.

Two other pairs of eyes turned to look at him.

"Legolas……" Elrond whispered.

But Estel turned his accusing eyes to stare into Legolas's frightened ones.

"You lied to me," he said, fresh tears running down his face. "You promised! You broke your promise! You knew! You didn't tell me! And you promised!"

Legolas felt everything snap into place.

Elrond had told Estel that Thranduil was coming to take Legolas away. And that he was mortal whilst Legolas was immortal.

"Estel……" he whispered.

Estel's eyes flared and he clenched his fists.

"You know what, Legolas? I wish you'd go away! I wish you never came here! And when you're gone, you know what, Legolas? I'm not going to miss you!" he yelled.

"I HATE YOU, IMMORTAL!"

Elrond stood up and grabbed Estel's hand. Elladan and Elrohir flinched at his words.

But it was too much for Legolas.

He pulled away from his best friend's words and stumbled out the door.

"I'm sorry, Estel." He whispered.

And outside the rain lashed down heavily, weeping for their broken bonds.

* * * * * *

The next day, Estel stood by his window watching Legolas leave.

Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir were there.

But he wasn't.

"I hate you, Legolas." He whispered, not entirely convinced.

But when Thranduil and Legolas were ridding away, a drop of warmth touched his cold heart.

He shifted his gaze to a small crystal pendat on his shelf.

// Hey, Estel, we'll be friends forever won't we? //

// Forever and ever. Or maybe even longer. //

// You promise? //

// I promise. //

// Here, take this, I've got one too. //

The promise.

Talk about being friends forever. Estel had broken his promise, and now Legolas was going away.

He grabbed the pendant and ran down to the garden as fast as he could.

Legolas was gone.

A tear slid down his cheek and he turned away.

I'm sorry, mellon-nin……

And the very same second, a man call Aragorn awoke with a start.

Cool. Eight reviews in one day. That is the most I've ever got for any of my fics. I mean, this fic got more in one day than the others got in a lifetime! Thank you to all the reviewers, I loved reading them.

And a special thanks to Deana, for teaching me to use italic fonts, (you ought to thank her too, 'else this story would've been really complicating.)

And if anyone was saying Estel's reaction wouldn't be that way, I think it would. After all, everyone has misjudging sometimes.