Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings. It all belongs to J.R.R Tolkien.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. No, Elrond is not gone for good; he is coming back, but when? That is the question. Anyway post some ideas if you have them. Let's begin.

The party rode hard, Aragorn wanted to make it to Ithilien before the night would fall, something they would not make but Aragorn was determent to try it. Legolas shook his head as he watched his human counterpart. The human was extremely lost in his own thoughts, and Legolas would take too much on himself if he through that he was plaguing the man's thoughts. He could hear the Hobbits chattering among themselves, Frodo and Sam had decided to go with them while Elrohir and Elladan rode with their own father.

Aragorn's thoughts were with his late wife. Last night when everybody was asleep he went to her room and had paid his own respects to her, crying bittersweet tears over he body, not wanting to let anybody else see what he had been trying to hide for so long. Aye, he had loved her, but it was not the kind of love he had wanted for himself and now by her own sacrifice he could be with the one he wanted the most, he cried that she would never get to known her son, that she would never be happy as he had wanted her to be happy, to see her mother and her brothers again, no, he had condemned her to a mortal death. Something he could not forgive himself for. He looked at Legolas, as the blond Elf threw back his head and laughed at one of the comments Gimli made about horses. A smile tugged at his lips, yet sorrow was in his thoughts, he had wanted this for Arwen, for her to smile no matter what faith might bring her just so she could be with the one she loved, he had wished for her to be with somebody who loved her as much as she loved him.

Maybe that was still to come for her, if she was reborn, she could enjoy her life with somebody who was worth her, somebody who loved her for who she was and not lost his heart to another. He smiled at the memory when he left with the Fellowship, her face when she heard that he did not want her, she had known it then, had always known it, from the moment that she kissed him on the bridge in Rivendell, she might claim him in marriage but she would never claim his heart, that belonged to another and would always do so.

The doubt that had consumed him when he was in Lorien, knowing that if he was to reclaim his destiny to be crowned King of Gondor and the United Lands, he would call her wife and he would never be happy, never be free in spirit, and he would trap her along with him. It was one of the reasons he would not want to hear anything about becoming King, when he was with the Rangers, he could claim the illusion of living a life with the one he truly loved.

His thought strayed to something she had said after they were married. The night was filled with passion but Aragorn found himself wishing that it was not her but another Elf lying in his arms that night, to make him scream, to tell him afterwards that he loved him and to call him Meleth-nin. He had known in that night that there was no going back, once an Elf was bound to a human, they would never remarry, Arwen was his for eternity. He cried with that knowledge, she held him, knowing full well what this moment meant for him, to give up his own heart to make his people and her happy. "Estel, my husband, I will always love you but may something happen to me then don't hesitate and make yourself happy. Promise me that, will you?" He had nodded, tears still streaming down his face, not knowing what she had meant by that, now he knew.

He smiled when he thought about what was bound to happen in Ithilien. No matter how much problems they would encounter in the day, the nights would belong to them, to Legolas and him. He would shoot anybody who would disturb them.

He cast another look at his beloved, he found the Elf looking back at him. He smiled, earning himself a wink from Legolas; he fought to hide the blush that was rising to his cheeks, god he was behaving like a little child. Legolas raised his eyebrow before the Elf's eyes shot down to his pants and then back up to meet Aragorn's grey ones. Aragorn knew what he was saying. "Are you aroused again?" Quickly he shook his head, the corners of Legolas's mouth twitched, he nearly smiled. Sometimes he wondered who acted more as a child, him or Legolas.

He focussed his attention back on the horse. Legolas smiled openly now, his game with the King was not quite as boring as Gimli believed it was. He could hardly wait until they were alone, then he would make the human scream. His brow furred when he tried to think of a spot that would be isolated enough so that the other Elves would not hear him. There were enough rumours going on about him, he did not need actual proof. "Gimli, stop gripping my sides, you are hurting me." He growled behind him.

"Then stop flirting with Aragorn, you can do that when you are in private. Do not tell me that when I asked him to examine you, that he actually, well you know?" The Dwarf hissed back. Legolas fought the urge to roll his eyes before he answered. "No, it was not in the way you meant it, merely a healer towards his patient." He could hear Gimli sign in relief, Legolas smiled when he got that pleasant feeling in his stomach again when he thought about that day, feeling Aragorn's feather light touch on his abdomen, the look in his eyes, the smile that he gave him and then the kiss that send fire straight into his groin. It had taken Legolas every ounce of willpower that he had not to show the man that he was aroused, speaking off which, it took him the same amount now.

Legolas let out a ragged breath while his mind sought for ways to keep control over himself. His mind wandered to various things, lakes, sea, the battles he had shared, the horrors that he had seen but in the end, they strayed back to Aragorn. Aragorn when he came to him and told him that he loved him, Aragorn holding him and then to his amusement touch his stomach in search for a wound that was long since healed. Legolas's chest swelled with love for this man, the man who would risk his own life to safe that of his friends, who loved him back.

When his gaze searched out the one of his beloved it was Aragorn this time that smiled suggestively and raised his eyebrows at the Elf. Legolas rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue in a quick motion before he licked his lips, wetting them, not bothering to get a drink. Aragorn's eyes nearly bulged at this gesture and he quickly looked away. Legolas laughed, the laugh was clear and soon he heard Gimli ask behind him what was bothering him. "Nothing, Master Dwarf, merely enjoying some good times with my friends." He countered, looking back to see Merry and Pippin laugh behind their hands. Sam was shaking his head and there was even a smile playing on Frodo's lips.

"My Lord, we can see the colony as we speak. Riders are approaching, would you have us stop?" One of the Gondor guards asked him. Legolas shook his head and called out. "No, they will know their own Lord; I have not been away that long, ride on in the same pace unless your king tells you other wise." Aragorn shook his head, comfortable with the comments that Legolas had given to his men.

Soon his scouts came into view, they called out to him. "My Lord Legolas, you have returned, we did not receive word of this. We thought you would still be in Gondor until the end of this season. Is it true then, the messages that we received?" He nodded, casting a quick look at Aragorn before he answered. "Aye, I bring with me King Elesar of Gondor and Master Gimli of the Glitter caves and the Lord Pippin, Merry, Sam and Frodo, Hobbits of the Shire. Make sure that they will receive everything that they can ask for."

The scouts nodded and took off again to give the news to the guards and everybody who would need it in the colony. The party urged their horses into another gallop; Legolas could hear Gimli cry out when he urged the horse faster. He smiled and caught the look Aragorn send him, a look asking him what in the name of the Valar he was doing.

Soon enough they had arrived in the colony. He dismounted and helped Gimli off the horse, Legolas turned around to find Aragorn dismount right beside him. The man smiled before he leaned forward and whispered. "Would your servants find it funny if I asked to sleep in the same room as you?" Legolas grinned before he answered. "Probably not, they would think that we are merely friends sharing a same room. Elves think differently on these subjects." He was tempted to give the man a quick kiss but Gimli stepped in beside him. The look on his face was murderous. "What did I tell you? Have you totally lost it? What if Elrond was here then what would you do? You would not be able to do these things, so stop them this instance!"

Legolas shook his head; Aragorn looked at the Dwarf, uncertainty in his eyes. Legolas saw this, his heart ached for the human, instead he bowed his head before he muttered, sounding more brokenly then he wished. "Aye, Master Gimli. It pains me to see you think of us in this way, we had hoped that as a friend you would want us to be happy, it seems I was wrong." Aragorn slowly nodded, not trusting his own voice. Gimli looked from one to another before he signed and said. "I did not mean it, but I was merely saying that you should be careful, it is true, I have never seen you this happy, that goes for the both of you, and I should not have said anything. Forgive my words." Aragorn silenced him with a hand on the shoulder and answered. "Accepted, don't apologies, you were worried, thank you, Gimli. Friends like you are rare and hard to find, thank you." The man smiled at the Dwarf. Gimli smiled back uncertain before he walked off. Aragorn turned around one last time before he too walked off into the palace.

Legolas smiled when a plan entered his mind, it would need help from one of his most trusted servants but he doubted she would get in the way. Moriethel had been his personal servant ever since he was a little Elfling, when he moved from Eryn Lasgalen to Ithilien, she had promised his father that she would be there to take care of him, and not that he needed it. Now only to find out where she was. As usual he did not have to search for long; it was as if she felt him coming home because there she was, standing by the door.

Her face spoke of joy when she saw him and she bowed out of habit before she rushed to him, pulling him into a hug and exclaimed. "My little Greenleaf, you are home once again, I did not expect to see you here so soon, you said you would be gone until the end of the season." She would have continued but Legolas cut her off. "My dear Moriethel, seas, mellon, please relax, if you did not hear the news it saddens me to share it with you. Arwen Undomiel, as you might know, the wife of Aragorn Elesar Telcontar has passed away. There were complications with the birth of Aragorn's son and things have happened in those past few weeks that required for me and Aragorn to get out of Gondor and spent some time apart from the court." He fell silent then, not bothering to hide the grin that spread out on his face.

Moriethel smiled and gasped his hand, she was always glad for him when things like this happened. She had known about his love for the King of Men long before he even dared to voice the feeling in his heart. She loved him like a mother loves a child, having no children of her own when he husband fell in the Last Alliance, standing between the blade that would have ended Thranduil's life, instead he gave up his own to safe that of the King of Eryn Lasgalen. "So tell me, my lord, what has transpired between you and the king of men that gladden your heart and put your mind at ease?"

Legolas shook his head, he was not one for telling much, and he smiled before he asked. "I need you to do something for me…"

Later that evening after the feast held in honour of the return of Lord Legolas and the remaining members of the Fellowship who had travelled with him, had ended, Aragorn was asking around for somebody to show him to his room. Nobody seem to know or they did not care, some of the Elves were still in mourning for Arwen, some were actually very drunk and some had to help Gimli to his room. "Are you looking for something, King Elesar?" A soft and sweet voice asked. He turned around and smiled when he saw who it was, Moriethel, Legolas's personal servant. "Aye, Lady Moriethel, will you show me to my room? Lord Legolas forgot to mention where I was to sleep in these next few weeks here."

He patiently waited for her responds but nearly fell over from sheer shock when he heard the answer. "Lord Legolas did not assign you to a room, my Lord. He did not say anything on the matter and the Prince went to bed, I do not know if it such a good idea to disturb him."

"Are you sure he did not say anything else?" Aragorn choked out, feeling silly, this must be another one of Legolas's pranks, normally his brothers would do such a thing but he had never known Legolas to do this, maybe he did not know the Elf as good as he would have liked.

Moriethel looked around if nobody else was near before she gestured for him to come closer and she said, while she pushed him something in his hand. "Ai, yes, now I remember, he asked me to give this to you, in case you might inquire where you would be sleeping."

Aragorn opened his hand to find a small piece of paper. He opened it and in the neat handwriting of Legolas there was written.

Greeting Aragorn, I think you might not find this funny to find out that you do not have a room to sleep in. I want you to know that it is meant to be funny. I am not playing a joke on you but after what you said this afternoon, I hope you can forgive me, but I took the liberty to arrange a room next to mine. You can put your stuff there; I was merely hoping that you would not mind sharing a room with me and use the other room as cover up.

Eagerly awaiting your response.

Meleth

Legolas

Aragorn opened his mouth but closed it when he did not know what to say; instead he gathered his thoughts and did not need to think twice before he answered. "Bring me to Prince Legolas's private chambers, right away." Moriethel smiled and bowed quickly before she muttered. "As you wish, my lord."

Soon the both of them were standing in front of Legolas's room. Moriethel smiled before she bowed and walked away. Aragorn leaned against the door; he still had to summon enough courage to knock. This was it, after this night, there was no going back, and would that be what he wanted? His mind was reasoning with him, trying to think of reasons not to do this, there were none, this was what he wanted, he smiled and while his heartbeat quickened he knocked.

This is the chapter for today. Next chapter, a lot of action between the two. Hope you liked it and tell me what you want to see in the next chapter. Have a great weekend.