Beyond the hills and the forest, the land was flat and grassy upon reaching a wooded area, but there was a worn path leading the way towards an enchanting city. The sunlight was bright, glimmering against the summer leaves, as the evening wind blew softly now and then.

A tall figure clad in black and silver was riding a horse through the path, the steps taken purposefully but not hurriedly. He was one of the Men, but he was also more than just one of them. As he reached the edge of the capital, the rider dismounted his horse and walked alongside his loyal companion.

His eyes were alert, taking in his surroundings, yet his piercing stare changed to one of doubt as they rested on a group of noisy orcs building a foreign-looking structure. He continued on, pulling at his horse's reins and saw more orcs, some in groups and some alone, each doing their own jobs. Now his expression was that of distress and he paused in his steps, when suddenly he heard the sound of horses' hooves clomping from his left side.

He turned, and saw a handsome elf in a silver cloak riding a white horse along with two other elves on their own horses. The elf then descended from his beautiful horse and walked to the Man.

'My dear friend Aragorn! Finally you were able to bring yourself here after so much that has happened. So many changes everywhere in just a short amount of time, but I wonder, you appearance is still the same.' A smile was on the elf's face, his blond hair almost white under the sunlight.

Aragorn, son of Arathorn and King of Gondor stepped forward; a smile was also on his face.

'King Legolas, it is my pleasure to see you again, although my trip was delayed because of recent events.' The two of them shook hands.

'Yes, I haven't gone through any changes but clearly, this place has.' Aragorn's smile faltered as he glanced around.

'Ah, that is the reason I invited you here.' Legolas turned to his servants and asked them to take care of his and Aragorn's horses. Then he started to walk down the trail, his long-time friend beside him.

'I wanted to inform you that I've made some changes in this city, for I feel that it should not be occupied only by elves.'

'So you invited the orcs to stay here? I am not certain that is a good idea, Legolas. You know what kind of creatures they are; you know their past, their former master, what could possibly influence your decision?' The Ranger looked concerned.

'You haven't given me a chance to explain my reasons, Aragorn. I invited them here because they had nowhere to go, no place to settle down. All they did was hide, then came out and created much devastation to other creatures of Middle-earth.' Legolas paused.

'When we gained victory over the orcs, I decided that rather than killing them, why not just give them a place to lead their lives. Most of them are harmless now that Sauron is gone and don't forget, my friend, that they too were descendants of elves. They do have a little bit of kindness under their menacing form, even if not much.'

Both of them stopped in front of Legolas's magnificent fortress and looked at the working orcs.

Aragorn sighed, then said, 'You are too kind, Legolas, and your kindness is one of the reasons why you are a worthy King of this kingdom and a valuable member of the fellowship. But I'm afraid your kindness here would not bring any advantage to you or your people. How can you be certain that the orcs will not turn against you?'

Legolas was quiet. The wind blew, and his cloak flapped along silently.

'My heart says they won't. I know that I am supposed to follow my head, but I can't ignore my instincts, which had rarely failed me before. Besides, they will not replace my people; they are just here in a little piece of land that they shall call home. They will be my slaves as long as they choose to be here.'

He looked at Aragorn, his face confident, 'This kingdom's army is many and strong, and they will protect my people if any unpredictable situations emerge. I sincerely hope that you can trust my judgment.'

Aragorn hesitated, and then nodded. 'I always do. But I wished you had talked with the rest of us before you went ahead with your plan. However, it is too late now and there's not much we can do. All I can say is be careful, and do not think twice about killing them should they start making trouble. I hope your leadership will turn them into better creatures.'

'I am sorry I didn't, but I will involve the fellowship in the future. I greatly appreciate your visit and I have the same hopes as you, so I pray it will come true.'

'It has been good talking to you, Legolas. I look forward to hearing from you and you are welcome to my kingdom at any time.'

And with that, he climbed back onto his waiting horse and acknowledged Legolas a final time, before returning home.

Next chapter we will meet the bad guys…and possibly some good ones. Reviews are welcomed!