Authors Note: Once again, sorry for the delay. I'm still not quite
sure where I am going with this now, so bear with me. I hope you enjoy it.
Just a reminder…Tolkien never explained how Legolas and Aragorn had met,
so this is my own take on it, and it is bound to be AU, especially since
I'm not Tolkien ;) Tell me what you think!
E.E.E. ~ Like I said before, this will not be a slash story, I hope that was demonstrated in the time I took to spend time taking a look at Aragorn and Arwen. Thanks for your review!
Aragorn leaned back in his saddle, trying to stretch his cramped legs. He longed to stop and rest, anything to straighten his legs and walk around. However, that was far from possible. The area of woods that he and Legolas seemed to casually pass through was filled with dark and dangerous things so that Aragorn did not want to stop and play with fate any more than they were by riding through the wood so brazenly. The path itself foretold of the evil that had started to cast a shadow there. It was dark and the trees seemed older than they should have been, gnarled and twisted unnaturally. Little light was able to seep through the upper branches, casting an eerie look about the place. There was a lot of underbrush, but most of it was dead and dry. The only sound the two riders could hear was the sound of the hoof beats coming from their own horses. Neither one had spoken since Aragorn had warned Legolas that less than a year ago he and a host of his Rangers had been attacked at midday by a pack of wargs more fierce than he had ever faced before.
Aragorn turned to glance at Legolas. The fair elf was riding easily and comfortably on his horse. He seemed very aware and attuned to nature in a way that Aragorn realized that he could never be, despite all of his training. Only an elf could see certain things. Aragorn smiled slightly at the realization, glad to have Legolas as his traveling companion. He was curious to know if the elf was not afraid at all of the path Aragorn had chosen.
"Do you regret this Legolas? Traveling in dark places with me?" Aragorn asked, suddenly curious as to what the elf was thinking. Legolas turned to look at the Ranger, his brown eyes shining with mischief.
"I think it curious that to save a piece of time you would subject yourself to such dangerous places," the elf's reply was light and curious, while at the same time seeming to play at some sort of underlying joke that Aragorn seemed to be missing.
"Ah, but you mistake me master elf. It is hardly a small piece of time I am saving our journey. It takes but one day to ride across this wood and four to ride around both ways you would chose."
"What is saving three days if you cannot live the rest of your days because you chose to pass through this place?"
"Legolas, I would not endanger your life if I had not thought myself capable of defending you… I thought you were in agreement that we should travel through this part…" Aragorn was suddenly confused with Legolas' answer to his question.
The elf smiled in a way that reminded Aragorn of the way Elladan and Elrohir smiled at him when they had just gotten him in trouble with Lord Elrond. "Aragorn, now you mistake me. I merely laugh at you as a man, not to be harsh…but in observation. See, I have known very few men, you are one of the first I have talked to at great lengths. I am hardly used to the way you think, despite the fact that I am sure you speak more as an elf than any other man possibly could. To an elf, taking a longer and safer route seems prudent. Unless in true haste, three days is nothing in the eye of an elf that will live for hundreds of years. I oft forget that you are but a man and your life span, though Lord Elrond tells me is longer than that of a normal man, is short in comparison to the years I have lived and have yet to live."
At these observations, Aragorn laughed heartily, a strange sound in the nearly silent place. It was Legolas' turn to be curious as to his reaction.
"Why do you laugh Master Ranger? What have I said that is so funny? I fear I will never understand men."
"Ah, Legolas, you must excuse my behavior. I will tell you only that I laugh not only at you but also at all elves in general. Just as men will never understand your fair race, you elves, wise in all things, will never understand my kin. You are not the first elf to be at a loss as to why I am the way I am. You might have mentioned it in passing to Lord Elrond, or perhaps my brothers…even the Lady Arwen and they would agree. They would all tell you that despite the fact that I was raised by elves, I am as much a mystery as any other Dunedain. Our two races will never understand each other completely."
"Finally I agree with you and this part of your thought I do understand," Legolas smiled at Aragorn. "And no, I do not regret traveling with you. Never have I heard such stories as you tell, perhaps only in tales told by my brothers. Elladan and Elrohir warned me it is dangerous to travel in your company, though I was willing to believe them, I merely wondered just how dangerous."
"They are hardly truthful elves," Aragorn said with a slight laugh. "I am a very safe traveling companion."
"Now I think it you who are being not quite honest." Both elf and man laughed quietly. Aragorn sighed as if tired, but moments later his body had stiffened and he was sitting up straight as he could in his saddle. "I heard it too," Legolas said, glancing around.
"Horses," Aragorn said simply, halting Evaria in mid step. She tried to move again, but he reigned her in and held her tightly. "They are moving very slowly, at a mere walk…"
"Who would travel through these woods?"
"Like I told you before, the trip around the wood is quite long and nearly as treacherous. Many merchants travel this path at great risk, though I admit that few have openly been attacked. We should get off the path," Aragorn said, glancing around. He looked at Legolas, who seemed uneasy about moving into the dark and dead woods.
"Is that wise?"
"I leave it to you Legolas, we can stay on the path and pass whoever approaches. It may be a merchant on his way to the next village. However, it may be the evil men who live in this wood and attack the wayfarers. What think you?"
"How many horses?"
"Perhaps four or five."
"Are you afraid Aragorn?"
"No. We'll stay on the path. Stay close behind me and keep a tight hold on your horse," the Ranger nodded at Legolas, then whispered reassuringly in elvish to Evaria. Aragorn suddenly had a chilled feeling reminding him of the last time he had detected horses riding towards him on a path, dark such as this was. "It rains not this day," he told Evaria, more to reassure himself than to reassure her. He released her reign and they started forward again. Legolas rode to Aragorn's right, nearly next to him.
"They've slowed…" Legolas observed, listening keenly.
"Perhaps they have heard us," Aragorn said lightly as they came around a curve on the path. Ahead of them, down a far distance were four horses and on their backs were four riders, dressed in browns, blacks, and grays. They had almost come to a dead stop and were obviously waiting and watching for Aragorn and Legolas.
"I think you are right Aragorn. They have heard our approach," Legolas said, mirthlessly trying to state the obvious. Even from the distance they were at, neither Aragorn nor Legolas could have missed that each rider carried a bow and a sword on a hip. The horses were large gray and black creatures, hardy from travel and use. "Tell me my friend, do you have any idea as to what these riders are?"
"Indeed, I do."
E.E.E. ~ Like I said before, this will not be a slash story, I hope that was demonstrated in the time I took to spend time taking a look at Aragorn and Arwen. Thanks for your review!
Aragorn leaned back in his saddle, trying to stretch his cramped legs. He longed to stop and rest, anything to straighten his legs and walk around. However, that was far from possible. The area of woods that he and Legolas seemed to casually pass through was filled with dark and dangerous things so that Aragorn did not want to stop and play with fate any more than they were by riding through the wood so brazenly. The path itself foretold of the evil that had started to cast a shadow there. It was dark and the trees seemed older than they should have been, gnarled and twisted unnaturally. Little light was able to seep through the upper branches, casting an eerie look about the place. There was a lot of underbrush, but most of it was dead and dry. The only sound the two riders could hear was the sound of the hoof beats coming from their own horses. Neither one had spoken since Aragorn had warned Legolas that less than a year ago he and a host of his Rangers had been attacked at midday by a pack of wargs more fierce than he had ever faced before.
Aragorn turned to glance at Legolas. The fair elf was riding easily and comfortably on his horse. He seemed very aware and attuned to nature in a way that Aragorn realized that he could never be, despite all of his training. Only an elf could see certain things. Aragorn smiled slightly at the realization, glad to have Legolas as his traveling companion. He was curious to know if the elf was not afraid at all of the path Aragorn had chosen.
"Do you regret this Legolas? Traveling in dark places with me?" Aragorn asked, suddenly curious as to what the elf was thinking. Legolas turned to look at the Ranger, his brown eyes shining with mischief.
"I think it curious that to save a piece of time you would subject yourself to such dangerous places," the elf's reply was light and curious, while at the same time seeming to play at some sort of underlying joke that Aragorn seemed to be missing.
"Ah, but you mistake me master elf. It is hardly a small piece of time I am saving our journey. It takes but one day to ride across this wood and four to ride around both ways you would chose."
"What is saving three days if you cannot live the rest of your days because you chose to pass through this place?"
"Legolas, I would not endanger your life if I had not thought myself capable of defending you… I thought you were in agreement that we should travel through this part…" Aragorn was suddenly confused with Legolas' answer to his question.
The elf smiled in a way that reminded Aragorn of the way Elladan and Elrohir smiled at him when they had just gotten him in trouble with Lord Elrond. "Aragorn, now you mistake me. I merely laugh at you as a man, not to be harsh…but in observation. See, I have known very few men, you are one of the first I have talked to at great lengths. I am hardly used to the way you think, despite the fact that I am sure you speak more as an elf than any other man possibly could. To an elf, taking a longer and safer route seems prudent. Unless in true haste, three days is nothing in the eye of an elf that will live for hundreds of years. I oft forget that you are but a man and your life span, though Lord Elrond tells me is longer than that of a normal man, is short in comparison to the years I have lived and have yet to live."
At these observations, Aragorn laughed heartily, a strange sound in the nearly silent place. It was Legolas' turn to be curious as to his reaction.
"Why do you laugh Master Ranger? What have I said that is so funny? I fear I will never understand men."
"Ah, Legolas, you must excuse my behavior. I will tell you only that I laugh not only at you but also at all elves in general. Just as men will never understand your fair race, you elves, wise in all things, will never understand my kin. You are not the first elf to be at a loss as to why I am the way I am. You might have mentioned it in passing to Lord Elrond, or perhaps my brothers…even the Lady Arwen and they would agree. They would all tell you that despite the fact that I was raised by elves, I am as much a mystery as any other Dunedain. Our two races will never understand each other completely."
"Finally I agree with you and this part of your thought I do understand," Legolas smiled at Aragorn. "And no, I do not regret traveling with you. Never have I heard such stories as you tell, perhaps only in tales told by my brothers. Elladan and Elrohir warned me it is dangerous to travel in your company, though I was willing to believe them, I merely wondered just how dangerous."
"They are hardly truthful elves," Aragorn said with a slight laugh. "I am a very safe traveling companion."
"Now I think it you who are being not quite honest." Both elf and man laughed quietly. Aragorn sighed as if tired, but moments later his body had stiffened and he was sitting up straight as he could in his saddle. "I heard it too," Legolas said, glancing around.
"Horses," Aragorn said simply, halting Evaria in mid step. She tried to move again, but he reigned her in and held her tightly. "They are moving very slowly, at a mere walk…"
"Who would travel through these woods?"
"Like I told you before, the trip around the wood is quite long and nearly as treacherous. Many merchants travel this path at great risk, though I admit that few have openly been attacked. We should get off the path," Aragorn said, glancing around. He looked at Legolas, who seemed uneasy about moving into the dark and dead woods.
"Is that wise?"
"I leave it to you Legolas, we can stay on the path and pass whoever approaches. It may be a merchant on his way to the next village. However, it may be the evil men who live in this wood and attack the wayfarers. What think you?"
"How many horses?"
"Perhaps four or five."
"Are you afraid Aragorn?"
"No. We'll stay on the path. Stay close behind me and keep a tight hold on your horse," the Ranger nodded at Legolas, then whispered reassuringly in elvish to Evaria. Aragorn suddenly had a chilled feeling reminding him of the last time he had detected horses riding towards him on a path, dark such as this was. "It rains not this day," he told Evaria, more to reassure himself than to reassure her. He released her reign and they started forward again. Legolas rode to Aragorn's right, nearly next to him.
"They've slowed…" Legolas observed, listening keenly.
"Perhaps they have heard us," Aragorn said lightly as they came around a curve on the path. Ahead of them, down a far distance were four horses and on their backs were four riders, dressed in browns, blacks, and grays. They had almost come to a dead stop and were obviously waiting and watching for Aragorn and Legolas.
"I think you are right Aragorn. They have heard our approach," Legolas said, mirthlessly trying to state the obvious. Even from the distance they were at, neither Aragorn nor Legolas could have missed that each rider carried a bow and a sword on a hip. The horses were large gray and black creatures, hardy from travel and use. "Tell me my friend, do you have any idea as to what these riders are?"
"Indeed, I do."