Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this fic belong not to me. The setting doesn't belong to me either. In short, Lord of the Rings doesn't belong to me, but belongs to J. R. R. Tolkien, he who rules all fiction.
In the presence of light, everything dark fades away.
That was very true of the night, Legolas Greenleaf mused. The then velvet sky was being eaten away by the rays of the sun, and then the pale sky that would appear in its place would turn into a beautiful multitude of colours. The coming of this day not only chased away the night, however, but also brought with it Aragorn's coronation, as well as his marriage to Arwen.
The coming of this day also brought the start of a new era for Legolas. An era with no Aragorn.
Legolas gripped the railing and sighed. He had known for the past 60 years that the time would come, sooner or later, when they would have to part. He had known it the first time he had fallen in love with the man, had felt it the first time they had kissed, 60 years ago. He had known it even more surely when the Ranger first saw the Rivendell princess in a different light.
Legolas had always seen Aragorn at Imladris, every time he was sent by his father to forge stronger ties between Thranduil and Elrond. For a time there had been no need to go, and there had been a space of ten years between the last time he had gone and the next. When he had next visited Imladris the human boy Estel had been all grown up, no longer a child, but a man about to leave Imladris for the first time as a Ranger. Something had blossomed between them then, and had never died.
And then Aragorn, with the eyes of a grown Man, had met the fair Arwen Evenstar.
"Must you really marry her, my Lord?" Legolas asked the fading stars, although he already knew the answer. He had asked the same question so many years past.
"Gondor must have an heir, Legolas," Aragorn had replied softly, before looking away, unable to face his Elf prince. "Besides, I love her too."
"More than…you love me?"
He had turned back, anguish plain in his eyes. "I don't know."
Legolas then remembered how their bond had been renewed during the Council of Elrond and had grown stronger during the Fellowship's journey, especially since Arwen had not been around, and he had been glad. And it had been a selfish though, but when he had heard that Arwen had been fading due to the growing power of Sauron, he had almost wished for her death. But then he had thought of how Aragorn would grieve, and had tried to quell his strong desire to see her dead.
The Lady is so fair, so much fairer than I. Legolas closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. Through his unshed tears and closed eyelids, he saw and felt the first sparks of brightness as the pale dawn gave way to the shining glory of the day, and the beginning of the Fourth Age.
Today I lose my King forever.
For in the presence of light, everything dark fades away.