I Believe
IV.
And It's Like You Haven't Been Gone a Moment From My Side
Silvery laughter filled the air. Aragorn couldn't help but smile. Soon he was laughing, too, though why he could not say. All he knew was that his friend's laugh had always been contagious.
"Aï, Aragorn, where would I be had I never met you?"
The Ranger was not yet as composed as his companion and spoke through fits of giggles. "Probably up in tree somewhere singing love songs to the forest."
The Elven prince smirked. "I'd more than likely be doing something productive with my time rather than lazing about with you, silly human."
"Insufferable Elf."
A clod of wet soil and grass struck the still-giggling Ranger in the shoulder. His laughter stopped short as he turned his head from his position in the grass. The Elf was already scampering off before the man could retaliate. "Such valor," the Ranger mumbled. With a mischievous grin, the young Ranger pushed himself off the ground, grabbing an inconspicuous handful of earth as he did so.
Legolas eyed him suspiciously from the shady tree he had stopped under. Aragorn casually approached, seeming to have no intention of repaying the Elf the kindness he had shown him with a clod of dirt mere moments before.
Aragorn paused before the prince who looked ready to bolt at any second. Both were grinning. "Legolas, I count you as my greatest friend."
The Elf blinked in apparent surprise, not having expected the words from the others' lips. His voice grew calm and somber. He smiled again. "I, as well, count you as such, Estel."
The Ranger stepped forward, his affection for the other shining in his gaze. "Let us never grow apart no matter what quarrel, nation or female keeps us apart."
"The female you wish in your life will only draw us together. For I'm sure the time will come when the twin stars of Elrond will wish to defend their sister's honor and you shall come running to me for help."
Aragorn chuckled sheepishly as he stepped closer to the other. "I fear the day your words gain truth, my friend!"
He was now inches from the Elf's face. Aragorn regarded the other with an affection that slightly unnerved the Elf in its abundance. Aragorn was not usually so... mushy.
Before he knew it, the Ranger had pulled him into a tight embrace. "Know that you will always be my brother, Legolas."
At the words the archer relaxed and returned the embrace. "And you shall always be mine, Estel."
"I know," the other then oddly sighed. "Which is why I regret having to do this." In that instant the swift hands of the Ranger yanked back the collar of the archer's tunic and dumped his hidden soil inside.
The Elf's eyes widened in surprise as the cool soil met his skin. As soon as he had realized what the other was doing he shoved the Ranger's hands away. "Estel!"
The son of Arathorn was nearly doubled over in laughter at the expression upon the other's face.
Legolas brushed violently at the back of his neck, attempting to rid himself of the dirt. "You sneaky little two-faced bastard!"
"You-" the Ranger could barely breathe through his laughter. "You had it coming! Oh- you should have seen the look on your face!"
At that moment, no matter how hard he tried, Legolas couldn't suppress a laugh. Imagining the sight through Estel's eyes and heartened by his friend's laughter caused his own to burst forth. He laughed even harder with the ignorant Estel as a plan for revenge began to brew in his mind. Oh, how the grubby little Ranger from the North would pay!
Yet for the time being, their laughter filled the glen.
Aragorn bolted upright in bed. The sounds of laughter echoed through the room. He froze, panting as his eyes wildly searched his bedchambers, his mind attempting to make sense of his world. A gust of wind flew through an open window, fluttering the drapes about tellingly. As the breeze touched him he realized that he was covered in sweat.
The sights and images of the dream kept him riveted upright. Even more than the painful reminder of a friendship now sundered was the eerie feeling that everything now was wrong. The dream had felt right. Legolas had bee alive. They had been innocent together. The reality that he now found himself in was what seemed so terribly wrong. How could his brother be gone? How could he be king of Gondor? How could he already be expecting his first child? Panic threatened to claim him yet he was ripped from his introspection at another sudden gust. He whipped his head around as he heard his Elvish name spoken.
A long moment passed as the curtains calmed once more. Goosebumps crawled over his flesh and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he realized that with Arwen slumbering beside him, there was no plausible way he could have heard his name spoken.
Even as he attributed it to his weary and reminiscent mind he could not resist the urge to look out the window. Clothed only from the waist down, the Ranger slipped out of bed. He grit his teeth as his bare feet touched the cold stone beneath him. He made his way to the sill and as he looked out another gentle breeze playfully ruffled the nearby drapes, gently pushing his hair back.
In that moment he felt ridiculous. He'd somehow expected to find his Elven brother waiting for him outside, even though his quarters were in the Tower of Ecthelion, high above the cobble-stone streets of the city. He couldn't resist a chuckle as he leaned his bare back against the frame. What a ludicrous thought! But then again, how ludicrous life had become of late! He felt he was in the midst of a nightmare with no end in sight. His chuckle quickly became a choked sob. He bit his lip as pain constricted his throat.
It was moments like these, in the darkness of night when all the world faded away that he felt free to cry. It was in moments like these that he deeply missed his friend and scorned the twists of fate for stealing him away...
Aragorn was startled as a strong, violent gust of wind blew back his hair and made a book on the nightstand's pages turn wildly. He thought he heard a voice whisper his Elvish name again. Leaning out the window, he let his gaze sweep over the distant plains of the Pelennor. A dark shape caught his eye. It looked large enough to be a person and a horse, yet in the dim moonlight and from this distance he could not be certain. He heard a voice call out his name once more as hope flooded him.
Legolas was back- he had to be. Elves truly were wondrous creatures to return from death! He heard the voice again...
"Estel."
The Ranger spun about, heart thumping wildly. Arwen gazed at him from the bed supporting herself with her elbows. Her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "Estel?"
Aragorn released a tense breath and felt the adrenaline he hadn't before noticed dissipate. His shoulders relaxed. "Arwen-"
"I did not mean to frighten you..." after a moment she glanced away, sparing him any embarrassment at being startled. "You spoke his name."
The king returned his gaze to the plains. Whatever he'd thought he'd seen was now gone. He let out a frustrated sigh as he spoke. "He was here, Arwen."
The other chose not to speak for a long moment. "Do you see spirits, Estel?"
"No- that madness is the only ailment yet to plague me, it seems."
The Evenstar sat up and leaned against the headboard. "Tell me of your thoughts so that I may help you, meleth-nïn."
Aragorn smiled sheepishly and stepped away from the window. "My thoughts of a moment ago would sound mad if voiced, however I cannot shake their persistence."
"Then speak them. It may bring you peace."
He sat tentatively on the edge of the bed, playing with the stitches of the covers childishly. "Sometimes it feels as if he is here so strongly that it seems folly not to listen to my heart. My mind may scream that I am going mad, yet my spirit tells me otherwise. I know better than most men of the magic of the Eldar and yet I still find myself wondering at the impossible."
Arwen smiled and placed a hand upon his shoulder. "You truly do know well of the Eldar, for your speak in riddles."
He finally looked at her, her jest lost upon him. "Is it possible for one to return from death?"
Arwen's face grew grave. She pulled her hand away.
Aragorn's eyes widened. "If you know something of what I speak then please, say it. I cannot help the hope that Legolas has somehow defied death and returned to us. It seems a tangible dream that slips through my fingers just when I am about to close them around it! Your kind is ancient beyond the fathoming of Men. Many secrets do your elders keep. Please, tell me, is such a thing possible? I must know."
His wife was evidently choosing her words wisely for she searched his face for long moments before she spoke. "I can see how you would feel childish to ask such a thing. Among Men you may have been laughed at. Yet what you say is true- there are many secrets the ancient Eldar keep. I have heard songs and tales of such things happening yet am far too young to know their truth. Yours is a question best put upon my father."
The Ranger sighed. "Yet he is gone from these shores."
"Aye, my love. And much of his great library with him. Much knowledge is now gone and we can do naught but wonder. In the end we are left as children in this world."
Please Review!
Author's Note: While I wrote this chapter this summer, I nearly experienced it last night! My brother was apparently locked out of the house last night and I awoke to a disembodied voice at the window whispering my name... LOL! I thought you might find that amusing. ;o)
Sindarin Elvish:
Meleth-nïn My love
Review Responses:
Merrylad: My awesome Aussie pal! How are you? I'm immensely pleased that you are enjoying this story so much. Bless your heart. May you be well! :o)
LegolasLover2003: Thank you so much for your lovely, in-depth review! I am truly blessed to have readers such as you! LOL- awww, I'm sorry to have had to make you plea, but, once again, I've vowed not to speak of the fate of our golden Elf ;o) But I know you liked this chapter because of his presence, right???
I loved that you brought up Beowulf! I have personally read it at least five times and love it to death, lol. And you're right- the Anglo-Saxons of Beowulf which Tolkien based Rohan on would most likely have sought revenge. Heck, I would! However, that appears to have been my failing in this past chapter. I was hoping to paint the Elves as wiser creatures than we humans who live but a brief and often violent spell upon this earth. To quote Gandhi, "an eye for an eye makes the world blind."
Dreamality: Thank you for your review, mellon, and for your warm wishes! Luckily I am on themend physically, which is always good. :o) I hop you liked the addition of Spirit Talkers... and that you enjoy where the story goes from here. :o) Thank you so much for your compliments on the dialogue, mellon. You fill me with warmth. Peace be with you!
Partheon: I completely forgot to respond to one major aspect of your last review! I was hoping that using the name "Greenleaf" would be interchangable with "Legolas," since, as you pointed out, that is its literal translation. I'm sorry if that didn't come across... I had no intent to confuse! :os
And to all others who read: Hannon le! :o)