Legolas thanked the apprentice healer and pulled his tunic back on over his head. His bruises were going to be tender for a day or two but that was the worst of his injuries from the small battle on the plains of Gondor. The bruise on his face would start to fade by the morning, as would the other bruises on his body; minor inconveniences. Gimli was waiting by the door and walked with the elf as the two moved into a busier room. King Eldarion was sitting on a table shirtless as an apprentice healer gentled bandaged his bicep after placing a few athelas on the stitched wound. Across from him on another table was Renatus being worked on by several healers as they worked over the best way to take out the arrow. Legolas walked to the king while trying to dodge healers that worked on the other soldiers that came in with Legolas and Gimli. Eldarion looked up at the two when they approached and he brightly smiled.

            "Lord Legolas, Lord Gimli, your appearance was a surprise yet truly appreciated," he commented before thanking the healer and accepting a clean tunic.

            "That laddie an' I have that talent of appearin' when needed," Gimli said and thumped Legolas on the lower back.

            "Yes, well, we were traveling to Minas Tirith when we meet with Renatus and heard the sounds from the battle. Naturally, we were there to help in any way that we could upon seeing that it was a small contingent from the capital. Never expected you to be in the middle of the foray, truth be told," Legolas supplied with a small grin.

            "What could I possibly say in my defense?"

            "A good excuse is that it is in your blood. Your father had the same habit of getting himself into the most perilous positions and I was usually the one to rescue his hide," Legolas joked as Eldarion rolled his eyes.

            "I am not so sure, my lord. I seem to remember my father speaking of several incidents that you got yourself into more trouble than my father could have believed if not seeing it with his very eyes. Shall I bring up one of those incidents from memory?" Eldarion asked as he raised an eyebrow.

            "No, that is alright, my king," Legolas laughed as one of the healers called the king over.

            "My king, we are about to pull out the arrow and he is waking."

            Eldarion moved to the injured elf's side and waited as his eyes slowly flickered open. Aragorn held his breath and focused on the ceiling above him to control the pain before turning his gaze to Eldarion. He was ecstatic to see his son unharmed as well as Legolas and Gimli who he could see behind Eldarion. Each breath was a pure labor and he could see the shaft of the arrow still protruding from the right side of his chest.

            "Are you about to pull the arrow out?" he asked softly before looking back at the ceiling.

            "We are Master Elf. Would you like something to dull the pain?" the master healer asked.

            "No, just pull it out."

            Aragorn concentrated on the ceiling and held his breath as the healer grasped the arrow's shaft. With a quick yank, the arrow slid out and a clean clothe was pressed against the wound to help the blood clot. Aragorn hissed sharply but remained still as the healer checked the arrow point.

            "You were lucky, Master Elf. The arrow is not poisoned and the wound is not as deep as I earlier thought it was."

            "It would best if you…put in some…elecampane and yellow dock…I think the arrow may have…nicked my right lung. Those herbs will help…strengthen the tissue and seal the…injured area," Aragorn muttered as the muscles in his jaw clenched.

            Talsar, the master healer, looked quickly at the elf as the two locked gazes. Knowledge shone brightly in the elf's eyes as Talsar slowly nodded his head before turning to an assistant. The assistant mixed the two herbs and created a paste, which was handed to the healer. Pulling back the cloth, he carefully smeared the paste into the wound as Aragorn clenched his teeth, feeling the mixture sting. He accepted Legolas' and Eldarion's hands to help him sit up so the healer could place a bandage over the wound and bind it tightly to his body. Continuing to remain sitting up, he looked around at all the injured soldiers and moved to slide off the table.

            "I would like to know where you think you are going, Master Elf?" Eldarion asked, gripping the elf's shoulder and keeping him on the table.

            "I am making room for the seriously injured soldiers," he replied as if it was a simple answer to a simple question.

            "You are gravely mistaken; you are one of those seriously injured. I would not have you collapsing later on tonight in my halls."

            Aragorn lifted his head and looked Eldarion dead in his eyes wondering how the young man could sound like him so well. Was he like that to Elrond whenever he was injured and the elf lord was trying to keep him in bed? No, wait; instead of Elrond trying to keep him in bed, it was his son. He couldn't escape them; they were everywhere. And it looked like Legolas was about to join in. That would just be the cream on top of the pie, he thought to himself sarcastically. Brushing aside the king's hand, he slid off the table and steadied himself for a moment when the room titled slightly.

            "I am perfectly fine and besides, elves heal quickly."

            If only Legolas could hear the insane laughter echoing in Aragorn's head at that comment. He had heard it so many times from his brothers and Legolas that he swore it was the bane of his existence. He took more pleasure from speaking that line than really should be allowed, he thought. Aragorn had heard it so many times from Legolas on their travels that at some point he started to hear it in his sleep and was temped to beat it out of Legolas. Unintentionally, he shot a glare towards Legolas and saw the other elf flinch at the glare. He hoped that Legolas wouldn't take it to heart but he knew that he probably would. They didn't have the same kind of bond that Legolas and he shared when he was a man. That trust and confidence shared between the two that was born from many conflicts and adventures. He turned to Eldarion and placed a hand over his heart before bowing slightly and sweeping the hand out to his side.

            "We have not been properly introduced, my king. I am Renatus of Lorien; you have my deepest sympathies for the death of your father. He was a good man."

            "I thank you kindly, Renatus of Lorien. I would very much like to hear you speak of my father but first you would most likely desire some clean clothes and food. You shall be shown to your rooms where clean clothing awaits you and food will be brought to the main dining hall where we may eat," Eldarion said as he called over a maid.

            "That would be most appreciated, King Eldarion. Gimli and I are to stay in our normal rooms?" Legolas asked as he cast a glance down at the dwarf.

            "Of course, Master Legolas; I would never think to change it. I trust that you can find your own way there?"

            Legolas nodded and everyone went in different directions. Eldarion towards his chambers, Legolas and Gimli to their two rooms, and Renatus followed the maid down the hallways that he remembered. The stone had not lost its roughness or unchangeable chill; the maid's footsteps still echoed down the hall as it once did when he walked down these halls as a human. While king, his footsteps had stepped lightly and silently whenever he walked the palace halls. His habits from his years as a Ranger had not faded and he walked as silently as he once use to. Often, he used the talent to sneak up on his children and surprise them. He had stopped doing that when he snuck up on one of his daughters when she wasn't in the best of moods and was the receiver of a punch directly in the nose. The strike wasn't that much of a surprise; it was the force behind the punch that shocked him. After scaring her, he found himself on the floor with a bloody nose and a dazed expression on his face, not knowing how he had gotten there. His daughter had profusely apologized and his wife just stood there laughing in the doorway at his dazed expression. Arwen had smirked to herself for days after that one and thank the Valar she never told Legolas. He would never have let it go and would have continued to rib him constantly whenever they interacted. He was proud to know that his daughter had inherited the elvish trait of speediness and a powerful punch but was wary from that day on to never surprised another female member of his family.

            His smile faded when his mind turned towards Arwen, his beloved. Where was she? Did she wander these halls around him as the beautiful Evenstar that he remembered once did? Sighing to himself, he nodded to the maid when she opened the door for him and leaned against the door when he was safely in the room. This was turning out to be harder than he originally anticipated.

()()()()()()()()()()()

            "You're being quieter than normal, elf," Gimli commented as Legolas and he walked down the hall.

            "Compared to the loudness of dwarves? An elf in the heart of the festivities for yén would still be quieter than a single dwarf," he replied with a smirk as the dwarf next to him grunted.

            Legolas looked out the occasional window as the walked the familiar hallway towards their chambers. The two chambers had a door that connected the two and the door was always open between the two chambers to allow a discussion between the two friends. Legolas moved towards the large open bay windows and pushed the doors open all the way to allow in the breeze. The sky was dark and the stars shone brightly in the night sky as he looked down at the city. Lights could be seen on all levels of Minas Tirith and the sound of the inhabitants floated up to his sensitive ears. He crossed his arms across his chest and breathed in the cool night air while listening to the dwarf in the other room digging through his pack. Legolas found a spot down on the roof of some building and stared at it while letting his mind wander. Renatus was confusing him more and more every moment they were together. The elf was…different. It was true that Legolas knew only a few Lorien elves but he was sure that Renatus was not like them. The elf seemed to have traits that seemed more alike to a human than to an elf. His fighting was smooth and inventive yet familiar to him. The reason was nimbly dancing around Legolas as he continuously tried to grasp it and hold on tight enough to understand it. Valar, he wished Aragorn was here. He would go and search out the human to have him listen to Legolas' problems and they would both find a solution. Aragorn would have known what to do about the strange elf. Or he would have at least offered an ear to Legolas' concerns that he was feeling. Some part of Legolas was angered at Aragorn for dieing but he knew that it was expected, just as Renatus had said. Another part wondered if he would ever see Aragorn again and tell the Ranger everything every thing that he didn't have time to. But Aragorn was gone and Legolas couldn't bring him back as much as he wished he could. Hearing the grumbling dwarf from the other room pulled him from his idle thoughts and turned from the window.

            "I will see you in the dining hall, Gimli," he called and walked to the door to the hall.

            "Where are ye going elf?"

            "To talk to an elf."

            Legolas closed the door behind him and walked silently down the hallway in search of Renatus' room. A quick question to a servant told him where the room was and he quickly found it while organizing the questions he would ask the other elf. There were actually a lot but he couldn't take the entire night to ask them so he would only have to ask the most important ones. Now he had to decide which questions were more important than the others.

            Reaching the door that should lead to Renatus' room; he raised a hand and was about to knock just as the door was pulled open. Renatus stood on the other side holding the door while watching the Mirkwood elf with a calm expression. If Legolas had not known better, he would have thought that the elf knew he was coming.

            "I was wondering how long it would take you to hunt me out," Renatus commented and left the door open as he walked back into the room.

            "Pardon?" Legolas asked, more than confused now.

            "Aragorn told me about you. When something new is presented into the equation then you like to mull it over for a while before going to the source of the change. And that change is me. What questions would you like to ask of me?" he asked and pulled off the dirty and blood stained remains of the tunic before slipping on a new one.

            Legolas mentally stumbled at this immediate defense. Renatus had beat him to the punch and wouldn't allow the other elf to organize himself. The knowledge that Aragorn had talked to another elf about him didn't really settle right with Legolas. It suddenly made him reevaluate the relationship he had with Aragorn if he had never heard the human speak of this Lorien elf. Renatus slipped his weapons into the bureau and closed the door before turning to Legolas. The silver haired elf gazed curiously at the golden haired elf as silence reigned in the room.

            "Well, if you have no immediate questions, we should head towards the dining hall. We do not want to keep King Eldarion waiting."

            Renatus walked past Legolas as the Mirkwood elf stared at the other elf. Without really thinking, Legolas reached out to grab Renatus' arm and stop the elf so they could talk. Before his hand could grasp the other's arm, a vice like grip wrapped around his wrist and Renatus stared at him while holding Legolas' wrist. Neither moved and Legolas didn't remember Renatus even turning around to look at him. He glanced down at his wrist and knew that the flesh would be bruised be later that evening; Renatus had a tight grip on his wrist and could easily snap the bone if he moved correctly. Legolas was just noticing that Renatus' eyes were a deep, silver color that seemed to stare right through him. The glare that he had gotten in the healing rooms brought around the sudden urge to drop his gaze and he had the urge to do the same thing again. There were only a few looks that could make Legolas lose his nerve and become submissive. The more powerful elves like Galadriel, Celeborn, Thranduil, and Elrond were very good at it. At some occasions Aragorn could recreate the same look but it had been a while since Legolas had been on the receiving end of such a glare. It was disconcerting seeing that look directed at him from a strange elf.

            "I would advise you to not grab at me, Master Elf. You may have been a close friend to Aragorn but I have no reservations about putting you in your place. Now, King Eldarion is expecting us."

            Renatus released Legolas' wrist and left the room to leave the Mirkwood elf in his room.

()()()()()()()()()()()

            Aragorn took a deep breath of air as he walked the halls and glanced behind him to see if Legolas was behind him. He was starting to slightly regret saying those things to Legolas but he knew it was for the best. The Valar had been specific when they said that they would call him back when his task was complete. It was also up to him if he decided to reveal who he was to the others but he decided that he couldn't. He would not subject his family and friends to the agony of losing him a second time around. But how he wished that he could grab Legolas up and tightly hug him and sit down to talk for long hours with the elf. Talk like they once did, with unlimited supply of wine and firelight as they discussed everything ranging from Lindon spanning to Harad. They would joke about past adventures and speculate on new ones that they were still to encounter.

            His feet automatically led him through the hallways and towards the main dining hall. The hall torches were burning brightly as he slipped silently past all the rooms with unknown occupants. He could hear the sounds coming from the dining hall far before he reached the large room. He was still adapting to everything that came with being an elf but was finding it…interesting.

            Walking through the open large set of doors, he saw Gimli standing next to the king talking with a few soldiers scattered around the room also eating food. Large stone columns flanked him as he slowly walked towards the two and glanced back to the door where Legolas suddenly appeared. The two of them glared at each other before Renatus turned back to the king and dwarf.

            "Forgive my tardiness, my king. I was unavoidable detained," Renatus commented and glanced over at Legolas from the corner of his eye.

            "That is quite fine, Renatus. And please, call me Eldarion. My king was my father."

            Renatus choked on the wine that was in the process of sipping and coughed a few times to clear his throat. Bracing a hand against the table, he coughed some more and almost slammed his face into the table when Gimli pounded on his back. Waving everyone off, he set down the wine goblet and poured out some water to clear his throat and cease the burning. Legolas was closely watching him as Renatus sat down at one of the large tables and cleared his throat.

            "Pardon me. Wine went down the incorrect way. Why do you say that about your father?"

            Eldarion sighed while picking off a few grapes from the small bundle in the bowl. Turning, he walked towards one of the stone columns and leaned against it while munching on a few grapes. He had several emotions swirling around him when his father was mentioned and he didn't know which the correct one was. All his memories were precious to him but he couldn't help but feel that his father had some how shortchanged him in some way. Was it wrong for him to feel anger towards his father for leaving him with this kingdom? He didn't think so but that was one of the emotions whirling around him. He could remember nothing that his father spoke to him about forming battles plans. The plans that he was shown were basics that every soldier and king should know but none of these were helping him any in the case with the Corsairs. The Corsairs didn't think like orcs or wargs did, or other men. Their sense of honor was vastly different from those of Gondor.

            "My father…now there is a topic we could spend all night on," Eldarion muttered before pushing away from the stone column and moving towards the center of the hall.

            He needed to move; he thought clearer when he was moving. His mother once commented that it was a trait that he picked up from his father and his Ranger tendencies.

            "I had once thought of your father as a great man. Apparently you think different," Renatus replied as Eldarion dropped his head to look at the stones under his feet.

            "My father was a great man. I only wish that he had lived longer so that I could learn more from him. More about him; what the books do not speak of."

            "Ask and I shall answer as best I can. What you wish to know, I will tell you."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Well, this is a small present to everyone out there. I was pushing to get this new chapter out before leaving for London and lookie! I succeeded! Anyway, thank you to everyone out there that is reviewing. Every time I get a new review, I just start to glow. I swear I do and it just amazes me when people tell me how much they love my stories. So, anyway, onto the responses and then I will leave to review this chapter. Cheers!

Grumpy- Aragorn will continue to run into some small problems but they will not be serious. Just a few stumbles here and there. Legolas is wondering and will probably turn in his own version of a private eye. I can just see him with that fedora. Heehee.

LOTRFaith- But I still have to thank you because without the readers and reviewers there would be no need for my stories but I thank you very much for the compliment. The scene where Legolas figures it out is circling my head already from an earlier conversation with Linuvial Greenleaf so I have the idea; now to just write it. Till next update.

Joshua Nenya- Thank you very much for the compliment. I hope this chapter came out quickly enough for you.

Aislynn Crowdaughter- Thank you very much for the compliments on my story. I do not know how I will write the rest of this story but I hope that it will be up to everyone's standards. Can I also just say that I really dislike people like you? I do not mean for that to sound harsh but it annoys me with people that nitpick about small little things. I understand the idea that you present about the Valar reembodying Aragorn as an elf but I think that it would pose a far worse problem if they sent him back in his original human body. An elf body, I would think, would be the next to choose from. The Valar did specify when they talked to him that they would call him back when his task was complete, so it was all temporary and Aragorn accepted this. He knew that was supposed to be dead and he was actually arguing to stay dead and not help because it was not his place. The name Renatus is Latin but the Sindarin and Quenya name were far too…boring, I will say. I did obtain this name from Council of Elrond website because it was one of the better sites for name changing. But thank you for the compliment on the story.

Aralondwen- (jumps back in shock) Well, I hope you did not injury yourself during the day. I do not like it when my stories injury people. It is usually the plot bunnies fault. Honey! I think you need to calm down and breathe. Take deep breathes in and deep breathes out. You were seriously worrying me when I read your review; you just seemed so…ecstatic, might be the best word. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reviewing my story; I am deeply honored. Your review just shot me straight up to the clouds for the rest of the day and my family could not understand why I was smiling so brightly. I will email you some time when I need to bounce an idea off someone in the near future. Till next update. Remember…breathe in and breathe out.

XxgemxX- Aragorn can just get into everything no matter what he is. I am going to have several little clashes with Legolas and Aragorn in the coming chapters and only hope that they stand up to everyone's expectations. Legolas will discover it but not till very later.

Starlit Hope- Thank you much for the compliment. Enjoy reading.

Elvendancer- Hopefully, I can get this chapter out as quickly as possible. I am just waiting to hear back from my beta reader. You thought of my story while lying in bed, unable to sleep? AAAWWWWW, I feel so honored. Usually I thing about how badly I did this scene of that scene and that I am going to black-balled from ff.net or something of the likes. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others.

Elysia of Corellia- I did not think that it was that evil. Well, I could have written if far worse than I did write it. But then I asked someone else and they were like: "Yeah, it's a cliffie Spades. There's no other way to look at it other than it's a cliffie." Well, sorry then for the cliffie. I use to find the Cassia and Sio stories well written and a good story but now they are starting to become repititous to me. I mean the plots change but it is always the same: Legolas gets hurt (very badly) and Aragorn saves him (while sustaining some damage of his own). So I have lost a bit of respect for the authors (I know that I am going to be lynched for this). Anyway, I thought that the confrontation between Legolas and Aragorn in Chapter 2 was really good. I just kept writing it and it would stop and by the time I finished it, I was just blown away. I was like: "DAMN! I didn't know I could write like that!" Heehee. I was watching Monty Python and Quest for the Holy Grail earlier today and I think the Black Knight represents Legolas and Aragorn perfectly. "It's just a flesh wound!" Well, thank you very much for putting my story on your favorites. I am extremely honored, mellonin.

Linuvial Greenleaf- I think he just stumbled and fell onto the arrow. Happens to everyone. Heehee, anyway, thank you so much for being such a good friend and for being my beta reader. You are priceless.

Got-lotr- Well thank you very much for the compliment. I try as hard as I can to write a likeable story. I am sure that I will write it like that; that they find out who Renatus is but I am not sure as to how I will write it. Oh well, I will figure it out eventually.

Neoinean- Well, it can be seen as both happy and sad. I will be crying while writing it probably but it will be written well and also made slightly happy. I hope it all works out in the end.

Kalquelle- Seriously! I am worried about everyone stampeding ff.net while I am gone to London because they all want a chapter. Who are you now? Or at least give me a name that I can recognize. All you reviewers changing names on me, it is about to drive me mad.

Cloud-123- Thank you very much for the compliment. Till next update!

Dha-Gal- Well congratulations to you and your sister. A few months ago, I had to drive my entire family up to my aunt's place with all of us in my car. A small Toyota Corolla and four of us smashed together for about an hour; oh, I almost lost it. I love my family but I can not handle being in close contact with them for long, extended periods of time. I have several bags of skittles so I will put these with my other bags.

Eile igen Briain- Yes, my plot bunnies are original if nothing else. I am deciding to leave Arwen out of this one; I am having enough trouble with Gimli in there.

Elven Kitten- Thanks for the compliment. Till next update!

Beling- You can not see it now but I am blushing a deep red here at my place. I do not handle compliments like those very well. Thank you very much for the compliment and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first two.

Tung- Next time I am in the movie store, I will go looking for that movie. It sounds interesting. I am sorry for the short response to you review but I am very sleep and I want to hurry up and get this chapter out.