Chapter 5: A Dream Called Love
Many years had passed since Aragorn had saved Haldir's life..the boy was now 17...His life at Rivendell had been joyous, ever since he and Legolas and Haldir had bonded. There was no way to explain it, for it was as though it had happened overnight. Haldir was now their friend, almost like a brother to Aragorn.
Aragorn stumbled out of the same bed that he had slept in since the first night he had arrived. He garbed himself in the elven clothes that he had grown so used to, and walked down the passageway into the courtyard below.
Whoosh! An arrow whizzed past him, missing his head by inches. Aragorn smirked and ran into the weaponry. He grabbed Anirudil from its spot by the rest of the swords. He raced outside, blade gleaming in the sunlight.
"Come out here, you dogs, and face me like a man!" Aragorn cried in a taunting voice.
A silence greeted his words. He looked around him, but there was no one in sight. He did not see the tall blonde elf behind him, with a familiar smug smile on his lips.
"It's too bad that we're not men!" Haldir said smartly, raising his blade. Aragorn whirled around and parried his blow, laughing. They fought, the sounds of their battle clamoring in the early morning air. Legolas stepped out from behind a tree and watched, intrigued. Aragorn was easily the better fighter, for it was in the sword that he had shown the most promise. Legolas felt more comfortable with a bow...he felt that it was a more dignified weapon. Haldir had worked hard to master both, but his talent was clearly shown in the powers of healing.
Finally, Haldir fell upon the ground, panting. Aragorn touched his sword to Haldir's shoulder, and the elf grimaced. Haldir still did not like to admit defeat.
"Fine, fine." Haldir said, and Aragorn withdrew his sword. Haldir smiled. "But I only let you win because I'm hungry!" he cried, and jumped to his feet. Aragorn sheathed his sword, as Haldir ran off toward the Dining Hall. "Race you!" he yelled over his shoulder. Legolas came up to Aragorn. "How long do you think it will take him to realize that we're not coming?" Legolas asked curiously. Aragorn smiled. "About two seconds." he said.
Sure enough, two seconds later, Haldir ran back into the courtyard, his long hair blowing out behind him. He looked dissapointed, as the two of them laughed.
"Come on...We've probably missed breakfast!" Meals were very important to Haldir. Aragorn began walking slowly down to the Dining Hall, breaking into a run. "Race you!" Aragorn yelled over his shoulder, and he saw Haldir hurry to keep up, Legolas gaining on him.
Aragorn reached the grand building first, Haldir second, and a very sullen Legolas came last. Haldir smiled, happy to have beaten someone. Aragorn turned and hushed the two of them... the three always tried to be serious when they were in the same room with Lord Elrond. Aragorn slowly pushed open the large doors.
All the elves in the room turned and looked at them. It was as Haldir had said: They were late again. Aragorn blushed. He did not like this much attention. Legolas, however, was clearly enjoying it. Several of his devoted fans were gazing longingly at him. Legolas was the most handsome of the three, and his quick tongue and poetic ability had won him a place in many of the elf women's hearts.
Aragorn was actually the best looking, in human terms, but he had never even considered love...he was between a boy and a man...and he thought that love, among other things, came with manhood. He did talk a little with some of the elvish girls, but he was waiting...when he did find true love, he would know.
Elrond's gaze was especially icy, today, and Aragorn sensed that the elf was angry with him, though he didn't know why. Aragorn and the other two had come in late before and the elf lord had not questioned them, or even been angry.
Aragorn took his place on the right side of Elrond, who continued to stare at him. Aragorn gave him a return stare, and Elrond looked away, starting a conversation with Eomai on his left.
Haldir had noticed the awkward silence between the two. He leaned toward Aragorn and whispered "Someone's acting strangely today." Aragorn winced "I don't know why...but he..." Aragorn felt something. And it was even stranger than Elrond's anger. Aragorn continued: "He doesn't want me to go into Imladris today." Haldir gave him a weird look. "How do you know?" he asked. Aragorn shrugged "I just feel it." he said. Haldir smiled. "Then it's simple...if he doesn't want you to go in the forest, then don't go in!" The human sighed. "He knows that I can see what he's thinking...there must be a reason he wants to get that point across."
Haldir smirked again "I guess we'll just have to find out what it is that he is so desperate to hide." Aragorn gave a mischievieous grin, and looked over at Elrond, who was still engaged in conversation with his son.
Aragorn leaned over to Haldir "Tell Legolas to finish eating quickly...we have a day of adventure ahead." he said to the elf.
"I think it will be hard to tear him away..." Haldir began, but he did not need to complete his sentence. Halfway down the table, Legolas was sitting, entertaining at least twelve girls. Haldir rolled his eyes.
After a hurried breakfast, Aragorn saddled Tilinae, who had grown into a strong black steed. Aragorn smiled to himself, wondering what awaited him in the woods. Legolas burst in, smiling. Aragorn smiled briefly back, busying himself with the saddle. Haldir and he had agreed: Legolas should not know that they were going, or he would tell Lord Elrond. Legolas had always been close to the king of Rivendell, and would tell him anything he asked.
Legolas was humming to himself, and arranging some flowers. Aragorn smirked. "Who are those for?" he asked. Legolas looked embarrassed. "Well...they're not for anyone really...I just thought that they looked kind of ragged, so I decided to tidy them!" he said, looking apprehensive. Aragorn sensed discomfort in his friend, so he asked nothing more about it. Haldir stuck his head in the doorway and gestured towards the door. "Where are you two going?" Legolas asked absentmindedly. "Oh, just for a ride...See you when we get back." Haldir was actually very good at concealing the truth. Aragorn looked back at Legolas to see the elf staring dreamily at a spider spinning a web. Aragorn jumped onto his horse and galloped out the door. Haldir and he headed for the woods, hoping that Legolas would just stay behind and ask no questions.
As they entered the wood, Aragorn suddenly felt a prescence...the same one that had occupied his mind so long ago when he had hauled an unconscious Haldir through the dark forest. He motioned for Haldir to slow, and the elf did. The wind had calmed, and the sun was out, but the forest was shadowy. Aragorn's curiousity drove him onward as they quietly made their way through the trees.
Suddenly, Haldir's horse spooked, snorting and pawing the ground. Haldir calmed his horse, and looked at Aragorn and the human read his mind...What could be scaring the horse? On they rode, Aragorn's feeling growing stronger by the minute. The feeling reached it's climax when they came upon a small stream. Aragorn gasped.
An elf girl dressed all in white sat on the bank, dipping her feet into the cool stream. And as she turned and looked at them, Aragorn's heart skipped a beat. She was the most beautiful elf he had ever seen. She had wide, almond-shaped blue-gray eyes, and long blackish-brown hair. Her cheeks were rosy, her lips the color of a pale rose.
Aragorn felt his jaw drop. He managed to whisper to Haldir:
"I have strayed into a dream."
Indeed he must be dead or asleep...perhaps he would simply wake up and wander out of his chambers and down to breakfast. But he wanted never to awaken. For this was the most wonderful sight he had ever seen.
And the boy who was not yet a man felt his heart swell with something he was not quite sure of. Something so profound, he was not sure it had a name. And suddenly, he sensed that she felt it too.
Awww...sniffs It took forever for me to write her into this story! Next chapter they meet formally...Review please.