To live in this world you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.—Mary Oliver

"Forgive my friend, laddie, the topic of Aragorn still bothers him," Gimli offered as he and the elf slowly walked after the horse.

"I assume then that he was close to King Elessar?" Aragorn asked as he laced his fingers behind his back and walked along side the dwarf while staring down at the ground.

He really didn't know why he was asking these questions because he knew the answers. His time with Legolas had proved to him how close he was to the elf and vice versa. They were partners in crime around Rivendell and Mirkwood; they were always close in the wilderness. Towards the beginning of their friendship, Aragorn had had his doubts but over time they were dispelled. Legolas had also had his doubts when he befriended a human but events helped him to quickly get over those small doubts. He turned his thoughts back to Gimli as the dwarf replied.

"More than close those two were; they were blood brothers in every way you could think of. When Aragorn passed away it almost seemed that a part of Legolas passed with him. I had never seen the elf get that down before," Gimli commented sadly while looking at Legolas' back.

"But surely Master Legolas understood that the human would die some day. It was inevitable," Aragorn commented and jumped back in shock when Arod suddenly appeared in front of him and almost stepped on him.

Aragorn looked up to see an angered Legolas and knew that he went too far with his comments. Legolas had that sharpened glint in his eyes that was usually a warning to whoever was pressuring Legolas. It was the same glint that Aragorn had seen in Thranduil's eyes when someone provoked the king. The look had effectively passed its way to Thranduil's son and Legolas used it to its extremes. Aragorn could see that he had breeched that line with Legolas and understood why the elf was angered. Legolas saw him as a strange elf that he had his suspicions about and the mysterious elf putting his nose into topics that Legolas considered as off limits. Legolas must have thought that he was dirtying his friend's image and memory of his blood brother. That was the farthest from Aragorn's intentions.

"Knowing something is inevitable does not soften the blow when someone close to you dies, Renatus. If you had been as close of a friend to Aragorn as you have said, then you would know that Aragorn was no mere mortal or man. And I would shoot you dead right where you stand if it would do any good but it would not. Aragorn's friendship meant more to me then you will ever know," Legolas snapped angrily as Aragorn held his gaze.

Aragorn had forgotten how fiery Legolas' temper could be when provoked and he was doing a damn good job of provoking it. But Aragorn also had a fiery temper of his own which could match Legolas' when the need arose. Being dead had not dulled his sharp tongue one bit and he was about to prove so. He also knew that it was one way to gain Legolas' respect.

"Oh, I think that I do know Master Archer. It is folly to assume something of someone that you only just meet and know nothing of. I, on the other hand, know quite a lot about you and most assuredly more than you expect. I know that Elessar and you were friends long before he was declared King of Gondor. You were the one who listened to him speak his fears concerning his heritage and of his love for the fair Evenstar even when his foster father attempted to quell the feelings of love. You were there to protect his back during his walk through the Paths of the Dead and when he confronted the army of Sauron at the very doorstep of the Back Gates! So do not tell me that I know nothing, Master Greenleaf!" he snapped with the same tone that he often used in court so many years ago.

Legolas and Gimli stared at him in shock as Legolas' jaw opened and closed uselessly. How did this elf know all of this? The majority of the elves of Middle-Earth had long departed over the sea to the undying lands along with the ones that could possibly have known all that. Renatus' eyes burned brightly and clearly that reinforced his knowledge and dared either of them to dispute it. Legolas flinched almost in physical pain when memories of Aragorn suddenly rushed back to him with shocking clarity. Aragorn use to be that forceful in his statements and beliefs; at several times the human's fierce temper sometimes made the elf laugh. Aragorn would get so angry that he couldn't do anything but stand there and fume while Legolas sometimes actually expected smoke to pour from his ears. Renatus had the same temper that Legolas saw so often in Aragorn and sometimes in Eldarion when something provoked the young king.

Renatus was becoming more of a mystery every passing minute that Legolas was with him. Gimli looked between the two elves and slowly raised his bushy eyebrows. He had never really been around two elves who squared off with each other like these two were doing. Sure Legolas and Aragorn had had their spats but that was between elf and human; nothing compared to when two elves went off on each other. Gimli had a feeling that Renatus was equal to Legolas in temper and equal in other respects.

"Well, now that we've gotten over that little spat. Let's continue shall we?" he questioned and started to walk off towards Minas Tirith.

Legolas stared at Renatus for a few moments more with narrowed eyes before slipping off Arod and followed Gimli with the horse following Legolas. Aragorn sighed and angrily pushed aside a random piece of hair; he randomly wondered if Legolas' hair gave him this much trouble. He never remembered the elf getting pissed off at his hair, or maybe Aragorn just wasn't around when he did and the elf hid his annoyance whenever the human was around. If he had to go into battle for any reason, he hoped that it would not hinder his fighting abilities.

He slowly followed the two companions and felt his heart yearn for the bond that he once shared with the two so long ago. But that was when he was human and Aragorn, not an elf and Renatus; who succeeded so beautifully in pissing Legolas off, he snorted to himself. He wanted to just stand up and yell who he really was and let the consequences be damned. But he knew that he would never do that; the impact would be too harsh on his friends and family. Why did his life always have to be so hard? Because then it would be too damn easy, he mentally scolded himself.

The three walked for a while in silence before Legolas suddenly stopped and held up a hand. He seemed to be straining to hear something in the air and Aragorn also perked up his ears realizing that his elf ears could possibly hear whatever it was Legolas heard. His eyes narrowed slightly upon recognizing the sounds and he looked to Legolas as the blond archer looked at him.

"A battle near," they both commented and Legolas swung up on Arod and held out a hand for Gimli.

He looked at Renatus as the other elf waved him on. "Go! I shall catch up!"

Nodding quickly, Legolas nudged Arod into a gallop as Aragorn sprinted off in the direction of the sounds. His long legs propelled him over the grassy plains and over the small rise to see the on-going battle farther down in the valley. A small group of soldiers were surrounded by a small contingent of orcs that had apparently waylaid the soldiers traveling back to Minas Tirith. Legolas and Gimli had already reached the group as Aragorn poured on the speed and sprinted down the hill while swinging his bow from his shoulder. Getting into firing range, he released an arrow and killed an orc that was about to stab a soldier in the back. Stringing another arrow, he sighted the back of the skull of a large orc that had knocked Legolas to the ground and about to deliver the death blow and released the projectile. Legolas rolled to the side to avoid the falling orc and immediately looked to Renatus. With a minimal dip of the head, he leapt to his feet and moved to another orc. Aragorn watched the soldiers and suddenly realized why they were fighting so frantically; they were escorting King Eldarion, his son. His eyes widened at the swordsman that was the king and dressed in normal soldier garb as he sliced through orcs that neared him. His son had grown up into a young man that demanded respect in his posture alone. Unruly dark brown hair snapped around his head as he spun and decapitated an orc that was trying to sneak up on him.

Aragorn shook his head to stop his mind from wandering and worked to near Eldarion and protect him. Stringing an arrow, he fired it just over Eldarion's shoulder to pierce the forehead of a large orc and killed him instantly. Tossing aside his bow, Aragorn pulled out the doubles blades and lightly twirled them in his hands before sidestepping an orc blade and slamming the hilt into the ugly face. Before moving away to another orc, he dragged the razor sharp blade across the orc's throat and was already killing another orc before the gurgling ceased. He saw a flash of blond hair to his left and glanced at Legolas to ensure that the other elf was doing well. Turning back to the battle, he searched for Eldarion and finally found him. Aragorn felt his heart almost stopped when he saw an orc string a crudely made arrow and aim directly for Eldarion. Not even thinking about the consequences, he stepped onto the back of a dead orc and leapt over another orc battling a soldier and landed in front of Eldarion a moment before feeling the arrow bury deep in the left side of his chest. The force knocked him backwards and stole his breath away as he bumped into Eldarion to feel his son's arms catch him and balance him. Not casting a look at his child, Aragorn pulled out the dagger from his belt and hurled it towards the orc with deadly precision without minding his injury. Knowing that the dagger would reach its target, he turned to Eldarion and gripped his shoulder while looking him over.

"Are you injured? Are you hurt?" he asked the wide eyed king.

"Nay but you-"

"Get down!"

Aragorn forcibly pushed Eldarion down to the ground and brought up a blade to block an advancing orc before quickly dropping the blade and slicing deeply into the orc's abdomen. His arrow wound was screeching painfully at him but he pushed away the pain and continued to battle any orcs that neared his son and him. His breath was coming in short gasps from his injury and he imagined that he had pierced a lung or nicked it at least. It must not have been that bad for he was still breathing and moving but it may have been because he was an elf.

Soon enough, all the orcs were dead and Aragorn looked around tiredly to see most of the men still standing as well as Eldarion, Legolas, and Gimli. Legolas sported the beginnings of a colorful bruise on his cheek and Eldarion had a six inch long slash on his bicep but was otherwise unharmed. Gimli did not appear to have any wounds but being close to the ground had probably helped him avoid injury. Ignoring his throbbing chest, he moved quickly to Eldarion and shouldered away several soldiers before reaching the king's side. Without a word, he ripped the sleeve to get a better look at the wound and eyed the rivulets of blood streaming down his arm mixed with a black liquid. Touching it with his fingertips, he brought it up to his nose and smelled the poison. He immediately recognized the smell and wiped it on his clothes.

"It was a poisoned blade but it is a common orc poison. Cleaning it with warm water infused with yarrow root, basant leaves, and athelas will counteract it," he muttered as Legolas moved to stand next to him.

"We must first worry about you, Master Elf. You are injured far worse than I!" Eldarion replied and yelled a few orders to his soldiers.

"I am fine. It is but a mere scratch," he muttered but felt his legs start to give out from under him.

"Renatus! You need to look after yourself first! You have an orc arrow in your chest!" he yelped and Aragorn looked blankly at the arrow that indeed was sticking out of his chest.

"Where did that come from?" he mumbled as his legs suddenly gave out.

Eldarion and Legolas leapt forward to catch Aragorn as he collapsed towards the ground. Aragorn could hear Eldarion yelling something but it was too fuzzy to make out. Legolas was just a blurry figure as Aragorn slowly looked around him and finally locked onto the figure of Eldarion, or at least the figure that he hoped was Eldarion. Slowly reaching up, his fingertips shakily drifted across the young man's cheek as he slowly blinked.

"Eldarion," he murmured as darkness slowly crept in at the edges of his vision.

(I really hope it works this time but if not then this is a change in point-of-view—Spades)

Legolas gasped as the fellow elf suddenly went slack in Eldarion's and his arms. Quickly pressing two fingers under his jaw, he sighed softly when feeling the erratic pulse under his fingertips. Looking up at the worried king, he faintly smiled in assurance.

"Worry not, my lord, he is simply unconscious. We need to get him to the Houses of Healing as quickly as possible though. I do not know how much damage the arrow and his continuous movements have caused but it can not be good," Legolas said as Eldarion nodded and called over a horse.

"Who is this elf, Lord Legolas? I thought Lord Gimli and you traveled alone," Eldarion asked before mounting the horse and holding out his arms for the injured mysterious elf.

"It is somewhat of a long story, my king, we shall tell you once all wounds are bound and cared for. We will follow you to Minas Tirith at a slower pace," Legolas said as Eldarion nodded and wrapped an arm around the unconscious elf's waist.

Without another word, Eldarion kicked the horse and they were off at a dead gallop towards the White City on the horizon. Some of the soldiers that were not seriously injured rode with him and Legolas stayed with the injured soldiers to ride into the city at a slower pace. Legolas stared after the small group riding away and worried about Renatus even though he knew not why. When the elf had said that his wound was a mere scratch, Legolas had been reminded immediately of Aragorn. How he missed his friend, he mused silently as Gimli walked up to stand beside Legolas. Renatus reminded him of Aragorn in mostly every aspect of their friendship and he wasn't sure if it was a bad thing or a good thing.

"What's on your mind, elf?" Gimli asked as he leaned on his axe.

"Nothing of concern, Gimli. It is just that Renatus reminds me of Aragorn," he murmured and called for Arod.

"I did notice that Renatus had some familiar tendencies of Aragorn but it is not him. Renatus said that he was close to Aragorn; perhaps they were as close as he and you were," Gimli commented as Legolas mounted Arod and held a hand out to Gimli.

"Perhaps but I had never heard of Aragorn mention any elf by the name of Renatus."

Legolas looked at Gimli behind him as the dwarf shrugged his shoulders. Noting that the other soldiers were ready to ride on, Legolas nudged Arod forward and slowly walked towards Minas Tirith with the setting sun on the horizon. Legolas allowed his thoughts to drift back to happier times when Aragorn and he traveled across the lands of Middle-Earth and fought the minions of Sauron before Aragorn accepted his destiny. He remembered the incident that Renatus had spoken of earlier when Aragorn had spoken all his fears to his friend in battle. The look in Renatus' eyes when he killed that orc standing over Legolas had been frighteningly familiar to the elf. During the battle, Legolas had been amazingly aware of everywhere the other elf had been. When Renatus had jumped in front of that arrow meant for Eldarion, Legolas had almost screamed out Aragorn's name for no reason. He passed it off as seeing the Ranger do that so many times before that it was instinctive to yell that name but now he was rethinking it. Why did he feel this bond towards Renatus when he knew nothing about the other elf that he said he knew Aragorn and was from Lorien? When Renatus was healed, Legolas vowed to speak with the elf.

(Again this is another break to signify the beginning of the Author's Note and responses to reviews—Spades)

I am completely amazed by the response that I got for Chapter 1 and am just thrilled. Honestly, poor Linuvial Greenleaf had to put up with me before I posted the first chapter and I was just freaking out. I was worried out of my mind that no one would like the story but I am very pleased with it so far. I think this story will turn into something magnificent, I really do. Well, anyway, please review for me and tell me what you think so far. Cheers!

Linuvial Greeleaf- Hannon lle, mellonin (holds hand over heart and bows while sweeping hand out to side). I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.

Alariel- (blushes) Well; I thank you very much for the compliment. I promise, once I post this chapter, I will find that story and work on it. You do mean Purest Heart of Mirkwood right? I really hope so.

Random Reader- Well I am glad that you are pleasantly surprised. I enjoy surprising my readers. I hope this chapter was put out quick enough for your liking. Till next update.

Sielge- (blushes darkly) Well thank you very much for the compliment. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.

Elysia of Corellia- I am very much pleased that I have come up with an original idea. That just makes me all giddy inside. Heehee.

LOTRFaith- And I love you for loving it! I am working on it as much as I possibly can.

Roccovende- I enjoy making twists…wait, that did not sound right at all. Oh well, anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. And have a great summer.

Neoinean- Sadly, it does not mean that Aragorn sails to the Undying Land. I could not look at myself in the mirror if I made it a happy ending but oh well, we shall deal with that when we get there. Till next update.

Beling- Well thank you! This is a first time for me writing a post ROTK and it originally started off as a random comment to Linuvial Greenleaf. I said that she should write a story with this idea but she said that she could not write it as well as I would and I just put it off and it all of a sudden came to me one night while I was sleeping. The next morning I started to type it out and here we are. I love being a writer.

XxgemxX- Well I thank you very much for the compliment and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first.

Kalquelle- Yes, poor Aragorn, I just enjoy tormenting the poor Ranger. Well…elf, right now. I will still be working on the other stories so have no fear about those. I just hope that I will not lose my mind with all these plot bunnies running around.

Cloud-123- Hope this was a soon enough update for you. Till next time.

Elvendancer- I do not know what real sleep is anymore. I either get too much or not enough. A few nights ago I stayed up till four a.m. in the morning just because I was not sleepy. Can not wait till your next review.

Elven Kitten- Thank you much my friend. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the other. Till next update.