Author: Mirrordance

Title: Love, War

Summary: The War brought them together, but the peace will tear them apart. How much is a man willing to pay to keep a friendship, and how much is a friend willing to lose for revenge? Slash.

TIMELINE: the story happens about a year or two after Return of the King— the exact year is immaterial really, just as long as certain future events operate as a given: one, peace is yet to be attained with the Eastern tribes of Middle-Earth. Two, Ithilien is already restored and Legolas lords over the elven colony there, just as Gimli is lord of the Glittering Caves. Three, Eomer is already engaged, as is Eowyn and Faramir. Four, that Elrond and Galadriel have already sailed away to Valinor. The fic is generally faithful to the book and the movie with respect to the major events, although some factors about it may be considered as an AU; the irrepressible Haldir, for instance, is very much alive in this piece.

ORIGINAL CHARACTER GUIDE:

The Sang-age Tribe: a tribe name created from Latin roots which means 'belong to blood.' They a creation of the author and is supposed to be one of the multitude of Easterling tribes, not particularly powerful but also influential. excuse any possible inconsistencies haha.

King Nathaniel: the King of the Sang-age tribe.

Prince Nicolo: Heir of Nathaniel, a renown and vicious warrior.

Danielli: the king of another Easterling tribe, and a dear friend and ally to Nicolo.

Princess Nadina: Nathaniel's daughter, Nicolo's sister, and Danielli's wife.

Lilian: Legolas' murdered betrothed. An elf from Lothlorien.

Mikael: Legolas' personal guard.

PART ONE: Those Lost

Chapter Ten: He Never Said

The Rohan Front

Eomer of Rohan, King of the land of the Horse Masters, knew full well the sounds of hooves on ground, even from a distance. It matched the anxious beating of his heart. Long before his aide rushed toward his makeshift quarters to announce the arrival of Elessar, he was already out the door and headed toward the edges of the camp, eager for the King of Gondor's company. His men shared his cheer as they greeted Elessar with irreverent aplomb and warm welcome. The men were eager to return home and end this warring and were thrilled by the prospect of its nearness, by virtue of Elessar's arrival and the drafting of a treaty.

Eomer barely restrained a jovial hoot himself- diplomacy was a mad man's calling, he mused. And decided that it therefore must be more up Aragorn's alley, then.

"King Eomer," Aragorn greeted him with a reverent bow that he followed up with a murderous embrace. "I am very, very happy to see you well."

"Old friend," Eomer said, pulling away from Aragorn and looking at the entourage behind him. Of course Gimli the Dwarf was looking at him with that devilish grin, and Legolas' right-hand man was looking as impervious as ever.

"Horse-Master," greeted Gimli, "You look well."

"And you, Master Dwarf," said Eomer, "Legolas brought you here with all speed, for which I am thankful." He nodded toward Mikael. "I suppose since you are here, our elfin prince must be as well?"

"It's a shame he couldn't join us," said Aragorn, "The running of two kingdoms is taking a toll on him, especially in times of war. He needed to see to Ithilien, which he had long left in the hands of able Faramir and his own elfin lords."

"Well he'd have to live with it, I suppose," said Eomer wryly, "Especially since those kingdoms he runs will soon be rising up to three."

Aragorn's brows furrowed. "Three?"

"Has Legolas not explained the situation to you?" Eomer asked, growing a bit worried, especially since Aragorn was so jovial and, given the situation, he really shouldn't be…

Why are you so happy? Eomer wondered, feeling a bit of dread.

"Ah, yes," Aragorn replied, his face beaming again, "He had. He told me of the fall of the northern opposition, and the surrender of Nathaniel and his army, and the possibility of a treaty with a well-connected King."

"That was all he said?" asked Eomer flatly.

"Of course I did not expect every single detail to be fleshed out," said Aragorn, "He is a messenger, has been for age after age. He knows to say what needs saying at the time. I am here, and this is the time and place for the nuances."

"Nuances?" laughed Eomer mirthlessly, "Oh dear gods."

The King of Rohan was very heavily annoyed. He was so annoyed he didn't know what to do with his ire short of taking a breath and simply sighing. It was beyond words, beyond the effort of raging and ranting.

"Your princely messenger," he said to Mikael through grit teeth, "Should consider a change in profession."

In the privacy of the King of Rohan's tent, Eomer apprised Elessar and Gimli the Dwarf of the events of the days past. Over tea and a warm light, they discovered that the victory of the Northern front was not as simple as it sounded. The commanders of the Easterlings surrendered already, and still Legolas killed them. And when Nathaniel surrendered to Eomer, Legolas tried to kill him too. And then, of course, was that little matter of sealing a peace treaty through the marriage of Legolas of Mirkwood to Nadina of the Sang-age.

The light of Elessar's previous joy had long since vanished by now, as he ran his hands wearily over his face. "Oh dear gods," he said as well, unwittingly echoing Eomer's helpless lament from hours before.

"Don't I know it," muttered Eomer, wishing his aide had served them ale instead of tea. He hated Legolas at the moment, for making him the one to have to say all of these things. And then he decided he hated Aragorn and Gimli too, for their silence was going to force him to be the one to say other dreaded things too:

"These are war crimes, Elessar," Eomer said flatly, reigning in his temper, "And you are well-aware of it."

"He must have his reasons," Aragorn pointed out, even though he knew the futility of it, the uselessness of his argument.

"Everyone does," Eomer snapped, "It does not change the outcome. Many men have and could have died and can still die because of his apparent bloodlusting. I know not his reasons and I care far less to discover them than to halt his actions or repair them. If he were punished it will be simply what is just. And all at once I know for a certainty that Legolas is the son of the elfin king, the lord of a colony, a rather popular war hero, not to mention a dear friend of yours and mine and he will therefore not be touched."

"What are you proposing?" Gimli asked at a low growl. He was torn over ringing Eomer's neck for the slander or Legolas's for his actions.

"The way I see it," said Eomer, "And I've been giving this much thought, much diplomatic consideration. There are two ways that we can go about this. We want a treaty with the Easterlings, that is the end goal, am I correct?"

Aragorn nodded. "It is."

"Toward this treaty, " said Eomer, "We have to be able to gain their trust and their confidence, and show them our good will, not to mention our desire for a lasting bond. King Nathaniel proposes we seal the treaty with marriage, as is their tradition. They understand tenacity, and cunning, and victory in battle. They do not like Legolas, but they do not have to. He was their victor, and a warring race will readily embrace his displayed viciousness.

"But," said Eomer, with more difficulty, "they also understand blood. They understand justice. They know about Legolas' transgressions. The gods know he certainly did not bother with hiding his profound disdain for them. The way I see it, either Legolas seals the treaty by marrying Nadina, or he seals the treaty by accepting punishment for his crimes."

The dwarf's eyes raged and he opened his formidable mouth to argue, his stout, loyal heart unwilling to believe what he was hearing. But Aragorn pressed a hand to his shoulder, and nodded for Eomer to continue.

"If we punish him for his crimes," said Eomer, "We show the Easterlings our desire to be fair to them, even at the cost of not only punishing one of our own, but a known War hero too. And stay your arguments, Master Dwarf I do not speak of execution or a sound lashing or some such thing. Something more… acceptable. You know that he is a friend to me, and a hero to my country as well."

Aragorn winced. Legolas unknowingly sparked a diplomatic nightmare. Everything that Eomer said was true— either Legolas married Nadina, or some form of justice had to be done. The order of a society was partly founded on the promotion of the good and the punishing of the bad, and the two options Eomer proposed embodied both: the promotion of the good through a wedding, or the punishing of the bad through… whatever kind of punishment they could think of that was 'acceptable.' Yet to punish Legolas was… unimaginable, to say the least, with consequences that would undoubtedly cost Elessar valuable elfin allies and Aragorn an irreplaceable friend. But to not punish him left nothing but the option of marriage, which Aragorn could not find the heart to force Legolas to do either. The two kings mulled the grave situation.

"Personally," Aragorn sighed, "I want to wring his neck."

Eomer was not in the mood for kidding. He glared at Aragorn. "Then why don't you, for the both of us?"

Aragorn set his jaw in irritation, wisely biting his tongue until he could recover his calm. Eomer was justly angry, he told himself.

"You know I prefer the option of marriage," Aragorn said, "given the alternative. But must it be Legolas?"

Eomer pondered the question. "He may have to be," he replied with a wince, "first, because their custom dictates that 'to the victor go the spoils—' including the wife of the deceased. Secondly, marriages seal alliances because it guarantees that both sides have something valuable at risk should any party not hold to the agreements made. Like a daughter, a son, a brother, a sister… And of these you have none to offer. But Legolas, who was often seen at your side, is as close to a brother as you can get, not to mention a renowned warrior. They will definitely see him as invaluable to you and therefore, worthy of their royal Easterling woman."

"I do have brothers," Aragorn pointed out.

"Elves and therefore unarguably not blood-brothers," Eomer reasoned, "And not seen as much by your side. It would have to be Legolas, unless you plan on offering them the dwarf."

Aragorn managed a smile at the thought.

"Naturally," said Eomer, "I myself would make for a viable candidate in this marriage alliance, but I cannot volunteer for I am elsewhere promised—engaged, as you know. I am certainly not volunteering my sister to wed some warrior or royal of theirs, for if she does not strike me down with her ire, your faithful steward-captain would. And I do not think you have the heart to make this a duty of Faramir's. There is none other who could accept this task but Legolas. A good deal if I may say so, it being that his crimes have actually garnered for him a beautiful wife and a kingdom."

"He does not need or desire another kingdom," Aragorn sighed, "He has enough of his own. He does not seek land and riches, he does not seek the love of an Easterling woman and he certainly does not seem to desire absolution for his errors."

"What does he want?" Eomer's eyes narrowed in irritation.

"He is betrothed himself," said Aragorn quietly, "To an elf maiden of Lorien, by the name of Lilian. He has been since before the War of the Ring. He's been betrothed long before any of us, and he loves her dearly. It cannot be him given to the Easterlings in marriage. We cannot ask it of him. I cannot ask him to give her up."

And the gods know I've once certainly tried, Elessar decided not to add, although his embattled mind certainly and helplessly immediately thought of it.

Eomer stared at him for a long moment. "You are certain of this betrothal?"

"Absolutely," replied Elessar, "I know it for a fact."

"He did not say this to me," Eomer said quietly, "When I was imploring him to make up for his actions by wedding the Easterling woman."

"What did he say?" asked Aragorn.

Eomer's brows furrowed. "He said he cannot wed an Easterling for all that they've stolen from him. I know not of what he speaks, what it was that was stolen such that it arouses such rage from him. He could have simply told me he was betrothed and I'd have let it go.

"Either way…" continued Eomer, "Without marriage then we are left with but one option. Legolas fought for Rohan valiantly during the war and with this in mind I find it hard to not only punish him, but to even conceive that he is capable of all the madness he's lately displayed. But I cannot deny me my eyes. He saved us then but he cost us now. He deserved his heroism then, just as his deeds deserve punishment now. I am prepared to turn a blind eye in favor of his part in the marriage, but if he still adamantly refuses… there has to be punishment of some sort. Maybe… maybe exile. Perhaps… perhaps to ban him from Rohan, or the East, or any human settlement. On these lands he cannot ever cross. We must show the Esterlings that he has wronged, and he will pay. This is a punishment that is most lenient, you must admit. Our lands are few and his elfin ones are far grander. It should not cripple him at all."

Aragorn rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Again, the King of Rohan's words rang true, at least, to the extent that Eomer was being more than fair. But that latter part, about the punishment being lenient was an outright lie. The exile will break the elf's heart. He loved this land, shed blood for its people. To be exiled from any span of it, no matter how small, was almost to deny him all that he had fought for. But then again, the marriage would hurt him too. However, Elessar felt that they were still missing a piece of this puzzle.

Legolas was apparently insanely angry at the Easterlings for taking 'something' from him, but he wouldn't say what. And he also kept his betrothal a secret from Eomer, when it could have indeed been so simple to say that he cannot wed Nadina because he was set to marry someone else. Maybe… maybe… Aragorn's heart pounded furiously in his chest. Maybe these two things that Legolas left unsaid- what was stolen, and that he was betrothed- was one and the same.

They stole Lilian away from him… Aragorn feared.

"I need Mikael," Elessar said, "Legolas' guard. The elf I came with. I need him."

Eomer ordered the aide who stood guard outside his tent to fetch the old elf, and stared down at Elessar worriedly. The King of Rohan did not push him into saying what was on his mind; it will come in due time.

Oh dear gods, Aragorn thought, thinking back to what Legolas had said to him at the war front in Gondor,

"About this treaty business. If you asked me to, I will. I can't pretend it won't be difficult but just ask it of me. Just give me some time, but I will do it if you ask it of me…"

"He will wed the girl, I believe," Aragorn said at last, breathless, just as Mikael stepped into the tent.

"My lords?" the elf inquired of them quietly.

"Whatever happened to Lilian of Lorien, Master Elf?" Aragorn asked him, deciding not to mince words, "Speak plainly, I implore you."

Mikael's jaws tightened. He was caught between Elessar's stare, and the formidable princely will of Legolas. It was like being squeezed between two rocks. But his love and loyalty for Legolas also demanded to do what was right for his Prince, not just to follow whatever he wanted.

"Lilian of Lorien is dead," Mikael said to them in a flat tone, "She died during the War of the Ring."

"About this treaty business. If you asked me to, I will. I can't pretend it won't be difficult but just ask it of me. Just give me some time, but I will do it if you ask it of me…"

"At the hands of the Easterlings?" asked Eomer.

"Yes," replied Mikael, "Yes."

"Dear gods," breathed Aragorn, "He never said… He never said so."

"It was never his way to speak of such things," mumbled Gimli, "I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."

"We need to speak face to face," said Aragorn. "I will leave now. But I need fresh horses."

"I will go with you," offered the Dwarf.

"Stay here, Gimli," Aragorn implored him, "I ride faster with a smaller entourage of more experienced horsemen."

"I will ride with you," Mikael said, booking no arguments. He'd defied Legolas by divulging his secret, he might as well follow one order, and that was to stay by Elessar's side.

To be continued…