Main Characters: Aragorn, Legolas

Rating: PG

Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas

Genre: Drama

Length: Short Story

Summary: Aragorn has fallen for someone else and Legolas counsels him, only to find out that that someone isn't who he thought it was. During TTT. Movie-verse.

CHAPTER 1

''Why are you so sad, and thoughtful?''

The Elf's words entered Aragorn's mind, deepening his thoughts. The man sat outside The Golden Hall, staring at the stars.

''You shall judge when you have heard. Counsel me, Legolas, for I am grieved.'' Aragorn replied, motioning with his head for his friend to sit by him.

Legolas did so, sitting by Aragorn's side. ''However this may be, the story is clear.''

Aragorn let a chuckle escape from his lips, looking at the grass he sat on, but made no other sound to keep talking. Legolas glanced from Aragorn's face to the sky, full aware of the man's problem. ''Aragorn doubts his heart and thinks of Arwen, whom he sent away, yet he knows she won't go anywhere without him. He knows she will wait forever, and that troubles him because of his new found love, the Lady of Rohan,'' Legolas thought to himself.

''Tell me.'' Legolas said, simply.

Aragorn looked at the Elf, who still glanced at the sky. He let out a tired sigh and began, ''I counted myself the luckiest man, Legolas. Knowing her beauty would be mine forever. I counted myself safe. You know full well how I feel about Arwen. I love her. Yet all I have left of her in my mind is her image. She is like a painting in my heart, a colorless painting. I have found something I fear, yet crave at the same time.''

Legolas' eyes met Aragorn. It was clear that the man grieved inside. ''If there is nothing left but a promisse,'' Legolas said, ''is your answer not clear?''

''There is more to this than my own will, is there not?''

''That is best known to yourself, Aragorn.'' He paused. ''What will you do?''

''That you shall yet see.'' Aragorn said, eyes still on the Elf's. There was a hint of challenge in the man's voice which made Legolas slightly uncomfortable.

''What do you speak of? Can you not tell me with clarity what you plan to do?''

''You will know it when I do it.'' Aragorn said, simply. Another paused silenced both man and elf.

''Do you think me young, Legolas?'' Aragorn asked, a touch of desperation in his voice.

''That depends, Estel. Your soul is old, your spirit is old. Yet your eyes and heart are of a young child. You are beautiful, and no shadow of age is there yet.''

Legolas' responde made Aragorn turn to him with the expression of a hopeful child.

''Yet is it absurd to you, Legolas? That such a King should resign a perfect future for an infatuation?''

''Often of late I have thought that you preffered it so. Yet maybe you shouldn't. Maybe, if we all live through this, you will go home, and then it will please her to see what you have given up for her while you were away, and that colorless painting will spring to life.''

''I fear that the songs I learned as a child will never come to be if I shall walk down this troubled path.''

Legolas said nothing to this, getting lost in his own thoughts as he stared into the night.

''Your silence troubles me, yet you give me comfort.''

''I also had my darkness, in which dear things were lost; but now I have overcome it. At least I'd like to think so.

What have you lost which was so dear?''

Legolas let out what could be called the closest thing an Elf ever got to a laughter.

''You do not wish to hear my troubles. There is enough shadow in your own heart to grieve for the both of us.''

Aragorn looked at Legolas' mouth, which still held the half-smile. Years he had lived with the image of Undomiel roaming through the woods, yet nothing was as beautiful as Legolas smiling. He wondered if he thought so because Arwen barely smiled.

''Legolas...I no longer can suppress my need of revealing all my thoughts to you.''

Legolas looked at Aragorn deeply, confused by the man's sentence.

''I know what troubles you, Estel.'' He said with confidence.

''You know not half of it, my friend.''

Legolas smiled. ''Then tell me of it.''

Aragorn sighed, laughing at himself inside for the child he became around Legolas Greenleaf. ''It is not the White Lady who troubles my heart, nin mellon.'' my friend

''Who else?'' Legolas asked.

''I shall say it only once, for fear of a shameful rejection and the ending of my honor. Also keep in mind that I shall never pursue this. My duty is of greater importance than...love. And though you've enchanted me, I shall settle for the beauty of Arwen Undomiel and try to live as the King my people deserve. But it is you, Legolas, who has been troubling my heart and soul. You who has been making me doubt the importance of Arwen's sacrifice, and you who will remain in my mind as I wed her.'' And with that Aragorn got up as quickly as he could and went inside the hall, leaving a bemused Legolas trying to follow him, yet being completely unable to move from his spot.