Cale au Aratar 11

Elrond frowned his brow as he heard this: maybe there was a way for him to help.

"Legolas, Arwen was going to sail to the West, I had made sure of that! Before you left Imladris together with the Fellowship I asked Aragorn to set Arwen free so that she may remain with her people... Before you left he asked Arwen to leave, to sail so that she would not forfeit her immortality - I had not seen that she had already chosen a mortal life, that she had already decided her future when I asked this of Aragorn... and he believed me.

Arwen was already on her way to the Grey Anfurts when she had a vision of Aragorn and their son... their union is blessed by the Valar or even Eru himself, nothing we have done could have destroyed it...

Before Arwen was born I had a vision of her death, this vision was the reason why I had send Arwen to her grandmother when I received your message of Arathrons dead, I feared that his son would be the one who would gain my daughters heart.

It was not your fault that Aragorn believed that he would see Arwen never again, I had made sure of that. I did not want to loose my only daughter like I had lost my brother: when Elros had fallen in love with an edain I had tried to convince him to still chose an immortal life, but he chose his love, ... just like Arwen...

It was not your fault that he believed himself alone, nothing you could have said would have made him believe otherwise!"

For the first time since he had left Imladris with the Fellowship did Elrond see a glimmer of hope in the High Prince eyes.

"Legolas, you have to come with me now, you have to wake up - maybe we are still in time for the banquet and you can see for yourself that Aragorn has found his will to live!"

Elrond held his hand out to the elf next to him and was relieved as it was grasped.

As they opened their eyes the two tear streaked elves on the bed found themselves face to face with the two sons of Lord Elrond and Legolas father Thranduil, all already clad for the banquet.

"If you hurry, we will still be in time for the banquet, I will help you get dressed father and Elladan will help Thranduil with Legolas," and to Legolas he added," you gave ada and your father quiet a scare when Pippin told them that they had found you unconscious in a garden!

Don't do that ever again - uncle!"

He concluded with a wink which was returned with a tired smile.

The five elves were just in time for the start of the banquet the four hobbits, Gimli, Althilwen, Luimîr and the rest of the ilsa tirnoë who all knew that Legolas had been the whole afternoon without conscious, were delighted to see that Legolas was also present.

With alarm Elrond watched how Aragorn avoided Legolas eyes during the whole banquet; even though they were sitting only two seats apart did he never directed his words to the Elven prince.

He could do nothing as he noticed the glimmer of hope in the elves eyes fade as he himself observed his friends behaviour. Why asked Elrond himself did Aragorn not see what he was doing to his best friend, how his actions were literary killing him?

It was Luimîr who first noticed the dark stain on his nephews silver-green tunic but as he tried to motion Legolas to follow him out of the hall to his rooms the prince only shook his head and continued to talk to his friends as if nothing happened. Only after the banquet was finished did he allow his uncle to lead him back to his rooms.

"Legolas, you should have come with me when I asked of you to leave - you are loosing to much blood to continue as if you were not wounded!"

Even though he was scolding the only son of his sister was the worry he felt clearly visible. Like Elrond of Imladris he was a healer and like him he knew that Legolas wound should have long stopped its bleeding and even though it was still open and would not heal till both poisons had left his body it should not bleed.

"What good would if had done if I had followed you, uncle? We both know why my wound is not healing - and why it is still bleeding. It would make no difference if I had followed you immediately and it will not stop me to go back to the dancing!"

Seeing his mothers brother start to protest he continued with a cold edge:

"You won't stop me from returning, uncle, even if I will rue it in the morning I will be there and you can either help me or at least not hinder me. I have promised both Arathron and Aragorn that I would be there for him at this day and nothing will keep me from fulfilling that promise except the Valar themselves!"

Torn Luimîr watched as Legolas staggered as he tried to walk on his own over to a chair to allow him to redress his wound. When Legolas had been a child almost no-one had been able to deny him anything: the prince of the Woodland Realm had always seemed so fragile, as if every wind could blow him over, break him. Even most of the eleths had seemed more robust than the prince and all had feared that he was to delicate for Arda.

As the Aratar had chosen him as their Light, as the leader of all Eldar the fear for him had only increased as he would now be in even more danger from the dark forces.

Surprising all Legolas had shown even as a child a talent with the bow, a bow he had secretly taken out of the armoury of his grandfather king Oropher.

The bow the young prince had chosen was taller than himself but he had been able to hit the target dead-centre and after that he had always been fascinated with bows and other weapons - except the sword. It had been Celebrimbor who had given Legolas the other two weapons he favoured besides the bow above all others: a double blade forged out of Mithril and his white twin knives that he always carried securely fasted at his quiver.

Carefully he was redressing the lethal wound on his lords side, all the while praying that this relatively young elf may find peace, no longer caring if on Arda or the halls of Mandos.

"Here, Legolas - take some of your fathers wine, it will dull your pain so that you may enjoy yourself for a few hours ... but please come back to your rooms as soon as the pain grows stronger to rest, there is no reason to make your wound even worse than it already is.!"

Thankful the younger elf took the goblet that his uncle had filled for him, knowing very well that he would not be able to stay at the celebration when the pain returned with vengeance. He had tried it during the day when the drugs Elrond had given him had worn off, hoping that he would be able to return to the festivities after a bit of rest - and had promptly lost conscious. If it hadn't been for Elronds efforts he would still be unconscious and he knew as well as the others, that it was unlikely that he would be able to wake up if he lost conscious again so soon.

As they came back the dancing had already started and Althilwen was dancing with her nephew Elrohir so that Legolas was able to watch her for a few moments before the dance stopped and they parted. It had been over a year since he had last danced with his betrothed and even though he knew that it would be painful even with the wine he would enjoy it greatly. Stepping forward to intercept her before a noble-man of Gondor could reach her he felt beneath all his pain and grief happiness.

No-one who was watching the daughter of the Lord and Lady of the Golden Woods and the heir of the Woodland Realm dance was able to guess that both feared the future: Althilwen because there was nothing she could do to ease the grief of her Beloved and feared that he would die even before their wedding either of the deadly poison that was torturing him or on his broken heart.

She had known him most of her life and had known form the first time she had seen him, not knowing who he was, that she would never love someone else and that she would fade if she lost him. It was not for her own life she was fearing, no elf feared death even though they were immortal - or was it because they were immortal and were therefor not able to fully comprehend death - but for the life of the elf she loved more than anything else.

When Isildur had claimed the Ring for himself their wedding that had been planned for the year after the war had finished had been postponed to a time when it would be save for her to be the wife of the High King, one of the greatest enemies of Sauron, one of the few who were able to resist the power of his greatest weapon the One Ring - and the only one besides the Valar and Eru who could grant the right to enter the Blessed Realm.

If Legolas would die, she had sworn herself as she had learned of his wound, she would hunt down the traitor Saruman herself and would kill him as slowly as possible - and then she would follow her love to Namos halls.

Like his betrothed Legolas did not fear for his own future but for his friends and family, he knew of the pain it would bring to them, no matter if he survived or faded. When his mind had followed Elrond to awareness he had still believed that there would be a chance for him to overcome his breaking heart - but when he had seen Aragorn, had seen how his best friend had still not found the peace he had possessed before they had started on their quest to destroy the ring he had lost all hope for himself.

He knew that it had been foolish to place his heart in the hands of a mortal, had known it even before he did so, but he had not been able to withstand the charm of Arathrons small son.

From the moment his heart had decided that it saw in Aragorn the son he did not yet have, had it been tied to the happiness of the edain. Aragorn was not aware of this ties, was not aware how important he was to the elf - and therefor he had not been aware at Helms Clam that he had rudely ribbed this bonds off when he had declared that they would die together with the men of Rohan as one of them.

How could he blame Arathrons son for his breaking heart when it was his own fault, when Aragorn had not even been aware of his ability to wound the other more lethal than any weapon could? Never had he told Aragorn that his despair, his hopelessness, his resignation, his fear, his anger would kill his Elven friend, for how could he burden someone he thought of as a son in that way?

After a few dances they were interrupted by Lord Celeborn who wished to dance with his daughter - and to give Legolas a chance to rest. Seeing most of the present dancing Legolas was able to wander of into a quieter place of the palace grounds were he was after a few moments followed to by Frodo.

"How are you, Legolas... I saw you and the other elf leaving after the banquet - and I saw why.."

the quiet hobbit trailed of, fearing that he might have offended his friend with his bold question.

For a long time Legolas only looked at the hobbit till he sat carefully down, his back leaning against a wall. He indicated for Frodo to join him before he answered:

"I am as well as can be expected - and I know, that if I were to ask you, you would answer the same: that you are fine."

Frodo had to smile for a moment at this answer that was so typical for an elf: as Bilbo had told him as a small lad, never ask an elf, they will always answer you both yes and no. On one hand Legolas had told him that he was fine - but on the other hand he had conceded that he was no more fine than he himself and as the first anniversary of his wounding with the Morgul Blade at Wheathertop neared he was already feeling rather ill and weak.

"Will you survive?"

there was no polite way to ask this question, but Frodo needed to be sure, to be sure if he was also responsible for the kind elf's death and he knew that Legolas would not scorn him this question.

Legolas stared into the sky that had already darkened and where Eärendil was showing.

"Do you see Eärendil?"

he questioned the hobbit,

"We believe that the Valar placed this star in honour of Elronds and Elros father on the sky who sailed West in order to plea with the Valar to send help to Arda against Morgoth, in a time the Valar had banned the Noldo from entering the Blessed Realm.

His love for Arda was so great that he left his wife and his newly born sons to gain help, knowing that without it Arda would fall.

The Valar heard his plea and sent an army that conquered Morgoths army of Darkness and imprisoned him for eternity. In the night Morgoth fell the Valar gave my people a promise that one of the First Born would become the Cale au Aratar, the Light of the Valar.

This elf, a child of all the different races of Eldar would be able to grant entrance to Valinor to whomever he wanted and would unite all First born.

He would be the one who would mend the rift between his race and Aules children and he would be able to raise an army against the darkness if there walked no-one on Arda who could defeat it."

Legolas trailed of and directed his eyes at Frodo, who was stunned by the sadness that filled them.

"Like Eärendil I have not given up on Arda, I will not condemn my people to have to remain here and never be able to see the Elven Home...

My love for all life on Arda, my love for my family and friends is all that I have to ensure that I will not fade, neither my heart nor my body are anylonger able to ensure that I will live."

Not being able to see the sadness and guilt in the eyes of the hobbit he turned once again to the sky before he continued:

"No Frodo, neither my wound nor my breaking heart are your fault, you did more for us than anyone could have done. Before we started from Imladris I did not expect that we would succeed, the chances that we would be able to destroy the ring were very slim - and that we would survive even slimmer. Then when you and Sam parted from us at the falls of Rauros the chances that you would succeed became higher - but the chances that you would survive became almost non existing.

When we left Moria after Mithrandir and fallen into the shadows, I became aware that the one who would be able to defeat the darkness was found. Not by one of the Eldar or even the Istari but by the Darkness itself. Darkness had found his own destruction when the ring fell into Bilbos hands.

You have done more for Middle Earth than we could ever repay you, Frodo Baggins. Be assured in the knowledge that Valinor will always welcome you if you are no longer able to bear this shores."

After a glance at the saddened face of the hobbit he continued on a lighter note:

"Frodo, today we bowed before you, Sam, Merry and Pippin as a sign of our gratitude, will you, together with Sam, Pippin and Merry do the Eldar the honour of presenting their High King his crown? In the times past the crown was always presented by the highest ranking member of the court, which would be Lord Elrond - but it was your sacrifice who made it possible that the king can come forth again..."

Frodo was stunned by Legolas request, he was asked to present THE Elven king his crown. Since he had first heard of elves he had been awed by them, not as much as Sam but awed all the same. When he had met the first elf in Rivendell, Lord Elrond himself, the awe had turned into respect, even more so while he had travelled with Legolas and he knew that he would always count the elf besides him among his friends...

But to present the king his crown was something totally different, could he possible accept this honour?

"But why me? The others I can understand, but I claimed the Ring! If it hadn't been for Sam I wouldn't even have made it to Mount Doom and it was Smeágol who destroyed the Ring, not me!""

he asked in bewilderment

"Because without you there would be no coronation! Sam did not set out from Rivendell to destroy the Ring but be there for YOU, like Merry and Pippin. YOU accepted the ring, knowing that you would most likely not return from Mordor and yet you were willing to risk your life because no one else came forward; You four are among the bravest people I have ever had the honour of meeting, non of you were warriors and yet you set out to defeat the greatest evil Middle Earth has seen since the day Morgoth fell.

Will you accept?"

To overwhelmed to answer Frodo only nodded, knowing in his heart that the elf was right, but his mind could yet not accept that he had not failed them in claiming the Ring for himself.

Before Legolas had to leave the festivities, to exhausted to continue pretending that he was not dying, he managed to find the other three hobbits and convince them to present the crown together with Frodo. While Merry and Pippin readily agreed Sam was even harder to convince than Frodo, claiming alternately that he was just a gardener and not fit for such an honour and that he had done nothing on this quest than his duty to protect Master Frodo. It was only when Frodo found his way to them that he was able to get Sam to agree to his request.