Disclaimer: READ MY LIPS-I DO NOT OWN ANY OF IT!
A/N: OH MY GOSH! Thank you thank you thank you infinite times for your wonderful reviews! They absolutely made my day! Normally I would take the time to thank everyone individually but, alas, I'm unable to due to lack of time. I will be sure to mention you all before the end of the fic though, never fear! And now, CHAPTER TWO!
PREJUDICES"Halt! Who approaches?" a voice called out from the gate. Legolas rolled his eyes, "It is I, Legolas, Son of Thranduil, your Prince..." the Elf said, with an air of long suffering.
"My lord!" the guard exclaimed, "Forgive me, I did not recognize you...Open the gate!" The enormous stone slabs inched open slowly and the guard bowed as Legolas and Aragorn rode through. The man glanced over his shoulders and watched as the gates shut behind them.
A throng of people had gathered around the Prince and his mount, speaking all at once, asking of his journey, his stay in Imladris. Was he hungry? Tired? Did he require anything, anything at all? Could his father expect him at the evening meal? Aragorn was rather roughly shunted to one side in the commotion and when he finally became accustomed to all of it, he found his mount and Legolas' had been taken to the stables and the pair was just inside the front entrance of Thranduil's halls.
Legolas dismissed the people and then grinned at his dazed friend, "Are you well, Aragorn?" The man blinked then nodded, "I-I believe so...They are all so...emphatic..."
Legolas laughed out loud at this, "I have often called them worse, but they care about me, even if they do drive me to near insanity with their constant fussing." The man grinned and followed his friend.
They stopped at a room and entered. Aragorn was shocked by the extravagance, he had not expected anything so ornate. Legolas smiled at his shock, "Here. I am across the hall. These are my guest chambers, I would like you to consider them yours for as long as long and whenever you are with us," Legolas said.
Aragorn nodded, "Thank you, Legolas..." The Prince smiled, "'Tis nothing, Strider. If you have need, you have only to ask." Aragorn nodded, "Thank you..." Legolas chuckled and let himself out. Aragorn began to unpack and found that there was a bathing chamber attached to the room. The man made himself presentable and then slipped across the hall and knocked.
"Come in," came the muffled reply. Aragorn opened the door and stepped inside, "Legolas?" he queried. Legolas emerged from a door to the man's left, his hair still damp.
"Strider! Is there something you need?" the Elf asked. Aragorn shook his head, "We, mellon nin, we."
Legolas chuckled, "Is there two of you now?" Aragorn rolled his eyes, "My wounds are not fully healed and neither are yours. I have explicit instructions that I am to tend them, upon pain of dismemberment, until you have returned to full health or I leave."
"Is that so," it was not a question, really, Legolas knew the Lord of Imladris would have told his foster-son to look after his wounds and the Prince found that he was not even annoyed, in fact, he was touched the Lord would care at all and that Aragorn would as well—though, for show he gave the man one of his most exasperated, annoyed glares.
"Yes. It is. I will not let you out of this room until your injuries have been tended," the man replied firmly, unperturbed by Legolas' look.
Suddenly Legolas smiled, "Very well, mellon nin, you may tend my hurts if, in turn, I may see to yours, for you still have much healing to do, despite any protests you may make," when Aragorn opened his mouth to dispute this, Legolas cut him off, "If my own wounds are not healed, then yours certainly aren't for my Elven blood aids in healing, thus I recover from wounds quicker than you, young human."
Aragorn rolled his eyes and sighed, "If that is what it will take to get you to let me care for your wounds..." Legolas nodded, "It is." Aragorn shook his head and bidding the Prince to lay on the bed, the young man began to examine each and every cut for infection, applying ointments and bandages.
When all of the Elf's wounds were seen to, Legolas switched places with Aragorn and began to tend him. Legolas' brow furrowed as he took in his friend's slowly healing wounds. Some of the smaller ones that had healed had left scars and Aragorn flinched several times when ointment was applied to some of the deeper ones. When Legolas finished, Aragorn sat up and smiled, "Tomorrow we do the same...Thank you, Legolas. Oh, I nearly forgot. I know your shoulder is not yet healed fully—do not argue with me—do not do too much with it and I will not make you wear a sling. But if I catch you doing anything that will hinder its healing, I will force you into a sling!"
Legolas hid a smile and nodded, "Very well. Come now, let us go to the dining hall. I will introduce you to father before the meal." Aragorn nodded and followed his friend. The pair made their way down several halls and came to a large hall with vaulted ceiling, filled with tables. The man was staring at everything with wide eyes and Legolas hid a smile. The few people in the hall cast uncertain glances, some fearful, others angry or curious, but nearly every eye was on Legolas and his guest.
They reached the head table where Thranduil sat and Legolas bowed quickly before embracing the monarch. "Ada," Legolas murmured. Thranduil smiled at his son, "Legolas, ninion. It is good to have you home. You traveled well, I hope?" Legolas nodded, "Ada, there is someone I'd like to introduce you to..." Thranduil nodded and Legolas beckoned Aragorn closer. The man swallowed and stepped up, bowing low and murmuring, "Your Majesty." Thranduil's eyes narrowed and Legolas introduced, "Ada, may I introduce Strider, Ranger of the North." Thranduil's jaw clenched and he pursed his lips into a tight line.
"Legolas, my son, what is the meaning of this?" the Elven-ruler asked, deadly calm, a deep anger smoldering in his eyes.
Aragorn glanced in uncertainty at the Prince and saw a look of sadness pass over his friend's face, quickly replaced with determination, "Ada, he is my friend. I have no wish to hide my friends from you..."
Thranduil's lip curled in distaste, "This...man...is your friend, you say?" Legolas nodded, "Please, ada..."
Before Thranduil could say anything, a bell rung and servers appeared. Legolas quickly ushered Aragorn away and they sat down, away from the fuming king. When they had taken their seats, Legolas sighed looking weary, as Aragorn cast a worried glance at him, "Did I not tell you, Strider? He will not take kindly to your presence..."
Aragorn could find no reply to this and so stayed silent. The meal passed slowly and rather uncomfortably for the two, especially for Aragorn as he felt the king's displeased gaze and the eyes of nearly everyone else in the hall on him. Legolas did not speak for most of the meal and when it finally ended, Thranduil beckoned for the pair to follow him.
When they reached Thranduil's study, the two friends followed the monarch inside and as soon as the heavy, wooden door slid shut behind Legolas, the anger Thranduil had been holding back during the long meal was let loose like a vicious wild thing.
"How dare you!" roared the king, "How dare you bring a man into these halls, calling him friend! What are you thinking, Legolas?! You are the Crown Prince, heir to my throne! Our people will not approve of their future ruler consorting with-with a-a mortal!"
Aragorn shrank back, insulted though he was, stunned by the ferocity of Thranduil's temper. Legolas, however, faced his father, "He is my friend, ada! Neither you nor the people can tell me whom I may or may not befriend! And he is no mere man, of no significant bloodline, he is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur, Heir to the throne of Gondor as I am heir to your throne!" Aragorn squared his shoulders at mention of his heritage, for though he did not particularly care for his lineage and wished for no power, he would claim it, if only to garner Thranduil's acceptance.
But Legolas' words did not have a calming affect upon the irate Elf-king, indeed, if anything, he seemed to grow angrier. "Isildur?! You bring spawn of that traitorous bloodline into my home?! You bring the heir of that weak, pathetic imbecile into my home, who lost many friends, lost his father due to the weakness that-that man showed?!" thundered Thranduil, speaking in Elvish, trying to hide the insult, "Heir of Isildur! A weak, pathetic, honorless, mortal! That is all this Strider is!"
Aragorn flushed with rage at the slights based on nothing more than his lineage and spoke suddenly in Elvish, "If you wish to insult me, hir nin, do so to my face. And do not hide behind your fair language, thinking to cover your words, for I understand your words well. It does not become you, Lord Thranduil, to insult the guest of your son in a tongue you think he does not know! Do not insult me thusly, Your Highness!"
Thranduil stopped, shock breaking through his anger for a moment, then faced the man with a look of loathing, "Do not sully that fair speech with your mortal's tongue, human. A guest of my son you may have entered, but I am king and thusly have the final judgment on who may or may not dwell under the eaves of this forest, in my realm. Therefore, I now say, you are not welcome, nor are you wanted here. You have until first light to be beyond the forest's boarder. Should any of this realm find you, you will be tried and sentenced for trespassing and accused of plotting to overthrow the throne."
"Ada, no!" cried Legolas in horror. Thranduil turned on his son, "It is done." Strider put a restraining hand on the Prince's shoulder, "It is alright, mellon nin..."
"No! Strider, you are not rested enough! Not after-everything...Please," Legolas asked his friend, wide-eyed with worry.
"I will be fine. It is you I worry about...Do not strain that shoulder!" Strider chided. Legolas watched helplessly as Aragorn gave him one last smile then sobered, turned to the king and bowed, then retreated from the room.
Legolas shot an angry glare at Thranduil, "You have just banished one to whom you owe your son's life. Know that, should any harm come to him because of it, I will never forgive you." Legolas left the room, leaving a stunned Thranduil in his wake.
Okay! So, I hope this was to everyone's liking! There's more to come, never fear! Not sure when I'll be able to post again, but I won't abandon this fic. Hugs and bunnies!
Lalaith
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