Title:
Greenleaf

Written By:
LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley

Timeline:
Post-ROTK.
Not long before Aragorn's death in 1541 S.R. (Shire Reckoning)

Genre:
Romance/Drama

Rating:
PG-13.
For some Adult Situations, Themes, and/or References.

Disclaimer:
Please refer to Chapter 1 for this.





Greenleaf


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Chapter 2: A Foreigner In A Foreign Land


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The War of the Ring had been over for nearly one hundred and twenty-two years. The time had passed quickly, even swifter perhaps for an immortal. No more did the Southrons and Easterlings threaten the land's boarders, though there was rumor that some of their scouts had been seen just this side of the Harnen River. Any threat however, that would have come from those lands would have easily been dealt with, for Gondor had grown much in those swift years.

To Greenleaf however, things had been a bit awkward.

He had fought side by side with the men of Gondor in the War of the Ring, and he had helped them to rebuild the portions of their city that had been destroyed. The prince had even taken to restoring the nearby forest of Ithilien. Now, Elves dwelt there, the last of a fading race, and the land had prospered and grown beautiful once more.

However, the men of Gondor did not look upon the Elven prince kindly. Many of it's soldiers would have gladly stood by and watched as some ill fate befell Greenleaf, than to pick up his sword and save the prince's life.

They envied the Elf. He was immortal and had lived longer than some of the soldiers could even trace their family lines. With skin and hair more fair than that of any maiden in the city, the Elf's ethereal appearance did nothing to deter the men's dislike of him. Eyes the color of the purest of pools, sparkling like the ocean on a clear morning, made the soldiers feel uneasy and they whispered amongst themselves that he could see into their innermost thoughts. His amount of courage was a thing that perhaps only King Elessar could surpass, for certainly the Elf would give his life for any that he had ever met. The ease with which he fought, which he moved, which he did every task day in and day out, only reminded the soldier's of their own mortal clumsiness. The Elf was of a generous and kindly spirit, never harsh to any and not easy to anger, whereas most of the men of Gondor could not deny having been the bearers of dark thoughts and possibly even darker deeds.

Greenleaf was truly a foreigner in a foreign land.

However, the Elf did not despise this. He had sworn fealty to King Elessar and had been the man's long time companion. Elessar had known the Elf, nearly his entire lifetime. This, and only this, bound the prince to the Realm of Gondor. He had sworn to stay at Elessar's side, until death took either himself or the king. For an immortal however, the Elf hated to think of when that day might arrive.

Already King Elessar had shown signs of aging. His hair was completely gray and, though he possessed the longevity of the Numenoreans of old, his time was drawing to a close. The King knew this, as did his wife, Arwen. The friends and those faithful and closest to Elessar could see it as well. Soon, the tragic day would come and the Elf would then be able to sail to Valinor, with the rest of his kin.

Greenleaf longed and dreaded that day.

Secretly, he had hired shipwrights to begin constructing a vessel for himself. Already they were nearing completion and, as soon as he was set to leave, all the prince had to do was ride to Osgiliath. There, his ship could sail out from the Anduin and up to Mithlond before beginning the long voyage to the West. Until then however, the Elf would have to occupy himself in other ways; wether by patrolling the boarders, governing his Elven colony, or simply spending time in the company of the few friends he possessed. And how few those friends truly were, for now only Gimli and Elessar remained companions to the never aging immortal.

He found himself walking toward the stables, absently longing for a ride through the fields and forests of Gondor. Perhaps visiting the more secluded areas and the less explored regions of Ithilien, would quite his mind.

Too many warriors of late had shunned him, and it pained the Elf to realize how envious they were. He could not help what he was, he simply was. All Elves possessed the same traits as he. Now, the prince had a vague idea of how Elessar must have felt, growing up in Imladris among the Firstborn. For they were both outsiders and foreigners to one another's worlds, even though the king had been much more able to adapt to the customs and qualities of life among the immortals.

The Elf looked up. He was standing right in front of the stable gates. It would be a long ride down through the walls of the city, but it would be well worth it in the end. Mounting his horse, a descendant of the beautiful and greatly missed Arod, he left the city of Minas Tirith behind.

Greenleaf began his ride.





TBC...