Drowning
The autumn leaves sing their song and return to nothingness. Green leaves will become yellow, then finally brown with sorrow. Stifled with grief they will fall down to perish.
Legolas breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. The words were suffocating venom, a poisonous haze, which seemed to block his respiratory. He shook his head weakly to dislodge the veil that had encircled his field of vision. The sounds of his environment were oddly hollow and empty, not even the constant noise of pouring rain was able to calm his soul.
Unconsciously his steps became slower until they finally deceased when he saw the cave which they choose for tonight's hideout in front of him. His thoughts mingled, were formed anew but seemed to come to no solution in the end.
What was he supposed to say?
Imperceptibly his fingers moved up to touch the scratch on his throat.
He hadn't heard anyone, hadn't actually seen anyone either. He had just sensed the bitter smell of breath on his skin. That and a whisper in the storm that he could possibily have just imagined after all.
Then where did this wound come from? It just didn't make any sense!
He focused his attention on the sky as if it could show him an answer. After a minute of silence his shoulders slumped down slightly and he continued his way. He would ask Aragorn of his opinion. See, if the young man could come up with an explanation that seemed to elude him as of yet.
Content with this solution he entered the dark place. Frodo and Sam were still sleeping peacefully, covered in their blankets. Apparently they had moved during the night because Frodo's head was almost touching the shoulder of the other Hobbit. Legolas smiled. Surely it would be funny to see their reactions when the two of them woke up the next morning only to recognize which position they were in. It was quite obvious that their relationship was beyond mere friendship and loyality.
Then he allowed his eyes to ramble through the room until they found the person who unknowingly held his heart in such a firm prison.
Aragorn had withdrawn further into the cave and now sat on the ground, his back leaning against the wall. His head was tilted downwards as he had a long, close look at the tiny object he held in his palm.
Curious, the Elf approached the human silently and caught a glimpse of the shimmering material in Aragorn's hand. The Evenstar. Arwen's Evenstar. A promise of eternal attachment till death from the fairest and most beautiful of all Elves.
Legolas' heart skipped painfully and for a moment everything stopped. Then the emotions came crashing down and he lifted his hand to his chest and his fingers grabbed his flesh almost brutally in hope to ease to burning pain. Oh Elbereth, how he wished to tear out his heart just then because it certainly felt like he was combusting to ashes inside.
He hurried to turn his back to Aragorn and rush to the exit to get his body back under control before the human noticed his appearance. The jerky movement triggered a wave of dizziness that left him tumbling against the wall helplessly. He gasped for breath and tried support his body weight with his free hand against the rough stone. His sight was swimming and blurring at the edge, the contrasts deepening the colors darkening.
In
and out
of focus.
"Legolas?!"
Aduously he opened his eyes when he felt heavy arms on his shoulders catching him. His hands trembled in the attempt to remove the strong grip from his body.
"I'm fine," he reassured the son of Arathorn. He inhaled deeply and noticed that his breathing was slowly regulating again. "'Tis nothing." He smiled slightly to confirm his words. "Apparently this trip tired me more than I thought it would."
Aragorn's brows narrowed sceptically and his fingers touched the Elf's throat lightly, cautiously. "You're bleeding." He detected.
"Must have happenend just now," Legolas managed.
"But what could have cut you?" the ranger wondered as soon as his gaze scanned the area for Legolas' blood.
Aragorn's touch lingered for yet another moment but when it became clear that the Elf wasn't willing to speak further about the issue he sighed and removed his hand. Legolas used every bit of volition not to catch it with his own and maintain the warmth and proximity.
He closed his eyes weakly and concentrated on his breathing. In... out... in... out... He heard the soft rustle of clothes through a mist of cotton wool, when Aragorn removed his hands hesitantly and moved away. The Elf allowed his body to glide down the cold stone to the ground and finally leaned his head against the wall heavily. The throbbing in his ears was reduced to an endurable extend, the thoughts in his head however began screaming hoarsely. Louder.
What had happened just now? By Elbereth, what was happening to him?
"Drink this." Aragorn was back by his side and held a mug to Legolas' mouth and the Elf opened his lips obediently. After swallowing the mawkish liquid he shook his head, trying to erase the heaviness that took claim over his whole body. Black lashes fluttered softly, looked queringly into the grey eyes of the ranger.
"It will help you sleep." The man answered the unspoken question.
Legolas nodded, a movement so puny that it was hardly perceptible at all. Colors united in a dark tint. A fog surpressed his senses.
And finally he allowed himself to drift away into the blackness that was offered so sweetly.
The golden Elf was sitting on the wooden footbridge, his slender legs swinging softly in the black water. The sun was slowly but surely fading away, leaving the world in an almost frightening shade of shimmering flames. His silky hair was moving in the wind lightly while the autumn leaves seemed to sing a perishable melody of life.
Sighing he leaned back down and closed his eyes, banishing the false calmness from his mind and soul. He touched the sticky water with his fingers, trying to grasp what exactly it was that alerted all of his nerves and senses.
When he opened his eyes again he found himself looking into a storm of grey.
"The feast is about to begin, melamin." The ranger bent down to put a fleeting kiss on the Elf's lips. Legolas smiled softly, tracing the man's face slowly with his fingers. Aragorn seemed to be able to make the rain shine, just standing there next to him.
Aragorn chuckled and covered Legolas' hand with his own, then taking a step backwards, pulling the Elf effectively on his feet and stumbling against him.
He laughed at Legolas' perplexed features.
"I'd love to spend my time with you, alone and in private," he breathed into the Elf's ear, "unfortunately Lord Elrond will certainly look for us and I am almost sure you wouldn't like the outcome when he finally found us, melethron nin."
"True," the archer replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But one more minute shall not kill us. One more minute, before the sun rests in peace."
Aragorn turned his head to the last light of the day, the Elf in his arms.
"Aragorn?"
He tilted his head to melt in the deep blue eyes. "Hnn?"
"For what purpose do you live? What are your reasons?" The man looked at him, clearly surprised for a second. Then he smiled mischievously.
"Would that be a catch question?" he finally smirked. "You're more than enough reason to keep me breathing, if that's what you wanted to know."
"No, it wasn't meant to be a trick question," the Elf answered slowly. "You'll never know if there will be a tomorrow. Always living in constant fear of what will happen. Haven't you ever thought about what it is that keeps you struggling? I am an Elf, I have forever and more. But you are... mortal." And shalt you die, my forever will vanish with your death.
The last thought, however, he kept for himself, not wanting to worry his lover.
The man looked at Mirkwood's child strangely.
"Well... most certainly my family and friends. My self-esteem, my will. Joy, trust, hope, strength, the people of Gondor. There are many things that are worth pulling through everyday's struggle, Legolas. But I think even with those I wouldn't be able to live, not having you by my side. So then... so then love must be my reason to continue struggling."
"Simply said he wouldn't be able to live without your love. The question is: Can you? Are you able to live without his love? You know it well: He doesn't love you. He loves the fair Evenstar. Can you endure seeing them together, embracing, kissing, making love? Will it be easier once you are apart? What keeps you alive? What sense is there to - live?" Cold breath against his skin.
His head snapped up. That voice....
"Legolas?"
"We better get going. I wouldn't want Lord Elrond to chase after us for being late again." The removed his body from the Man's arms. Then he turned around and ran, leaving Aragorn standing on the footbridge, watching the Elf's sudden retreat with concerned eyes as the wind seemed to sing a hollow lullaby for them.
-*-*-*-*-*-
Legolas awoke with a silent cry. He sat up slowly and put a hand to his head, massaging his temples, willing to keep the coming headache away. The prince closed his eyes briefly.
And the laughter was so close, too close, too true, too cruel, so mocking.
He opened his eyes again, panic engulfing him. Hurriedly he studied the cave, trying to find the source of the noise. There were the Hobbits, still sleeping quietly. The ranger was away, probably outside making sure of their savety or fetching herbs.
Franctically he got up and stumbled to the cave's exit. At first he didn't recognize anything unusual. Everything was as it should be. The ground was wet with last night's rain, the sky was still dark.
Then a simple movement caught his attention.
Without a second thought he rushed forward, needing to find the source of this noise, needing to make sure that he wasn't going insane. That everything could be solved reasonably.
He ran into the woods, looking for something, anything.
There! There was a figure, male, with his back turned towards Legolas. In the back of his mind he wondered why he still couldn't feel the person's presence. This thought, however, was immediately pushed aside by the need, the exigency to uncover the stranger's identity.
"Wait!" The Elf shouted panic-stricken, when the golden haired person made a move to walk away. "Wait!!!"
The male chuckled and paused again. Then he faced the Elf and Legolas stopped mid-step.
He stared for two seconds, three. Then, finally: "What...?" He uttered weakly, confused, not able to form a simple sentence as identical eyes stared into his own.
"What..?"
His mirror image laughed again then lifted his hand in silent goodbye before he turned away while Legolas was too stunned to do anything but watch.
IMTinity: Thanks so much for your review. What happens when the plot thickens. Well... lots of suffering for poor Legolas I can assure you. ^_^
Goldmund: Thanks! I loved your feedback! Hope you like this chapter as well!
The little: Thank you for your compliment! Since this is a Aragorn/Legolas slash fiction there will certainly be more of Aragorn ;) But I'm sorry to say that the development of Frodo and Sam will mainly happen in the background....
Legolas19: Strange? *g* Trust me, it was only the beginning
Anon-101-6: Thank you! I hope this chapter will be to your liking as well.
Bruised Lady: You asked, I answered, here's the next chapter ;)
A: (great nick by the way) Happy ending? Well... I'll think about it ^_^
Gwyn: Elf angst is my favorite. Don't worry, there will be more of it *laughs evilly* Thank you!
Cerasi2: *g* Well you're right. That certainly is the way to get an update and here it is, hope you like it ;)
Jade Stellar: Thank you for your review!
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I'm sorry if there are any grammar mistakes in the fic, I just don't have the nerve to read through it again. Moreover English is not my native tongue, so forgive me.
Anyway! Please review! I can only improve if someone tells me what mistakes I make