Aragorn watched in amusement as Legolas and Gimli loaded the boats. A change had come over the pair during their stay in Lothlorien. Oh, they still bickered but now their bickering was entertaining rather than grating to him and distressing to the young hobbits. In fact, Merry and Pippin were eavesdropping as they sat close to the river's edge, trying to contain their laughter.
"I don't see why I have to help you with this," Gimli was grumbling. "I'm not the only one in the company with baggage. My poor stomach is about to explode."
"It is not," retorted Legolas teasingly. "And anyway, it's your own fault. What were you thinking, eating all of that lembas bread?"
"I thought it was cram!"
"That disgusting stuff that they Men of Dale make? Yuck."
"I bet you've never tried it," snorted Gimli.
"I've smelt it and that's more than enough for me."
"It would put some hair on your chest."
Legolas burst out laughing. "I'd look strange indeed, being the only elf with hair on my chest!"
"Will you pay attention to how you're packing?" Gimli demanded. "There'll be no room for me at this rate."
"We could always tie you off the back," Legolas suggested innocently. Gimli gave him a Look. "Don't do that," said the elf. "You look just like my father when you do that and I don't need another one, thank you very much. Come, help me readjust everything."
Galadriel stood beside Aragorn and watched with him for awhile. "He's grown so much," she observed. "He is much more comfortable around others and with himself. I suspect that Legolas has matured more on this journey in these short months than he ever could have after centuries under his father's care."
"He's wonderful."
"And you are proving yourself more than worthy," she said. "I am proud and pleased that you've managed to keep your word to King Thranduil. Barely," she added, giving him a pointed look. Aragorn blushed.
"You are fortunate," she continued. "So fortunate, in fact, that I am at a loss. I have bestowed gifts to the other members of the fellowship, but I can think of no greater gift than the one you already have."
She touched the greenleaf gem broach that held his elven cloak around his neck. Aragorn had been offered the same brooch of Lothlorien that the others received, of course, but he'd refused. Over the years and especially lately he'd had little chance to wear Legolas' gift, although it never left his pocket when he didn't wear it. Now that he had the opportunity to do so, he was more than happy to display it proudly.
Sadness passed over Galadriel's face. "I fear for you both," she told Aragorn. "For his love, the Sun Star will die."
Guilt and anguish filled Aragorn. He always knew what Legolas would have to sacrifice to truly bind himself to him but no one had ever put it in such plain language before. "I don't want that," he said. "If there was a way to get around that, I would gladly take it. I do not hold him to this land yet, and if he finds he can't give up his immortality, I will wish him well and let him go."
"That is a choice that Legolas will have to make," replied Galadriel. A flash of concern flitted over her face. "You have your own choice before you. I do not know what will happen if you manage to rise about all of your fathers since the days of Elendil. Even my foresight cannot pierce that mist. However, if you fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin Legolas will die sooner rather than later no matter what path he chooses."
A chill ran down Aragorn's spine at her warning, but all he did was nod and bow his head. Galadriel caught his chin and gently urged the head to rise. "The only time I will see you again," she said fondly and wistfully, "is if you claim the kingship, the White City is renewed, and King Thranduil walks with Legolas when he comes to marry you."
'All of my dreams,' thought Aragorn. "Do you think that will happen?" he asked aloud.
"Even the wise cannot tell." With that, Galadriel walked away, towards Frodo.
Legolas came up to him when the Lady left. "The boats are packed," he reported. When Aragorn didn't reply, he glanced over to Galadriel. "She gave me a wonderful bow and a new quiver," he said. "The bow is much larger and more powerful than my other one. It will come in handy as the mission gets more dangerous. What did she give to you?"
Aragorn smiled warmly at him. "She is a wise being," he said, willing himself to not show the uneasiness that her words caused in him. "Wise enough to know there is no gift that she could give that could compete with the gift of your love."
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The words of Galadriel haunted Aragorn all day as the fellowship navigated their boats down the Anduin. By the time they came ashore to set up camp for the night, he was downright restless. Back in Rivendell Legolas had predicted that he'd be faced with the temptation of the ring and now Galadriel implied that too. Would he be able to resist the ring's pull? Isildur was a great man who saw Sauron kill his father and yet he took the ring, which was a betrayal to everything that Elendil had died for. How could Isildur's heir have the strength to overcome?
Boromir approached him while he brooded and pulled him away farther from the campfire. "There's something following us," he said in a low, urgent voice.
"It's Gollum," said Aragorn, detesting that wretched creature ever more now than he did when he delivered him to Mirkwood with Mithrandir. "I hoped we'd lose him on the river but he's too good a waterman."
"You knew he was following us and still led us on this path?" asked Boromir incredulously. "Do you know how many orcs are on the eastern shore? He'll lead every one of them to us before dawn! We should turn now and take the road to Minas Tirith."
Aragorn could hardly contain his exasperation. Boromir had told him of Gondor's ever-growing weakness and disquiet in Lothlorien; now he wanted them to take the ring there? "From what I've heard," he said pointedly, "there's little strength in Gondor right now."
Boromir's face turned red. "You trusted the elves quickly enough," he said, accusation in is voice.
"You can hardly compare the two."
"Only because you refuse to trust your own kind!" Boromir's voice rose and the rest of the fellowship glanced over at them. "How can you trust elves, half-elves, and wizards more than truehearted Men? You hide among the elves. You call some of them your family, you were raised as one, you've even taken one as a lover! All because you're afraid of what you really are."
Aragorn's blood boiled at the barely veiled contempt in Boromir's tone when he spoke about Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan, Mithrandir, and Legolas. "If all the Men of Gondor are as truehearted as you are now," he snapped, "then I vow now that I'll never lead the ring within a hundred leagues of your city."
Boromir stomped off without another word towards the banks of the Anduin. 'Hopefully the river will help him collect himself,' Aragorn thought crossly. His eyes turned to the campfire, where the rest of the company were, and winced inwardly. Frodo and Sam were thankfully settling down for the night, but four figures - one tall and the others short - were huddled close together. His argument with Boromir had frightened the two younger hobbits.
Aragorn remorsefully went back to the campfire. Merry was leaning against Gimli while Pippin sat on Legolas' lap, playing with a lock of the elf's golden hair. "Did you really, Legolas?" Pippin was asking.
Legolas laughed. "Yes," he said. "That whole ridiculous 'Sun Star' business had just started. I was so mad at the troubadours for interrupting my shooting and playing, and at Ada - my father - for insisting that I listen to them all the time. I figured that they'd leave me alone if I didn't look all pretty and golden, or whatever they were singing about me that day. I thought I was being terribly sly and clever, sneaking out to roll around in the mud and smashing berries in my hair until it was red. My father looked like he was going to explode when he found me!"
Everyone guffawed at the image of a redheaded Legolas caked in mud. "I would have loved to see that, laddie," howled Gimli. "I bet you looked just lovely with hair as red as a dwarf's."
"My father certainly didn't like it," recalled Legolas. "The day's session was cancelled, just like I wanted, but I had to spend all of that day washing the stain from my hair. The following day the session was even longer to accommodate the troubadours I'd missed."
"It sounds like you were even more trouble than Pip and me," chuckled Merry.
"I don't know about that," mused Legolas. He looked up and saw Aragorn standing at the edge of the circle. "Will you all excuse me? Pippin?"
Pippin let Legolas up. The elf smiled briefly at them before going to Aragorn. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
"Boromir and I had a difference of opinion," said Aragorn, looking guiltily at Merry and Pippin. "I guess everyone heard."
"The young hobbits were a little upset," Legolas said diplomatically. "Fortunately tales of my wayward youth seems to have taken their minds off things."
"Am I wrong?" Aragorn asked him. "Am I afraid to trust my own people?"
"No," said Legolas firmly. "Boromir believes too much in the strength of his own people, so much that he refuses the see the strength in peoples of other races. You are wise enough to acknowledge your own weaknesses. Boromir can't see his own downfalls, and if you can't see something you can't fight against it. I just hope he'll come to wisdom before his time come or else he won't be able to handle the temptation as well as I know you will."
To be continued...
A/N: I just want to thank all my reviewers. I'm over 100 reviews! You people rock.
