Disclaimer: Don't own any of the recognizable characters. Nope. Not one. There have been several kidnapping attempts aimed at Legolas, and one for the twins, but the stupid human just keeps getting in the way. Guess that I'll have to get him out of the picture first, won't I? Also, the only profit that I turn from writing this is the lovely reviews that you'll be leaving.
Author's Note: Gasp! Four reviews in two days! runs around and hugs everyone! I am a really slow poster, because I edit everything to death, but the reviews have inspired me, so I stayed up all night to get this out ASAP. Reviewer responses at bottom of story!
Chapter 2:
Aragorn, Elrond, and Arwen ate a simple meal, conversing lightly, speaking of the things that they planned to do when Elrohir, Elledan, and Legolas finally got back. Aragorn sighed, wishing that Legolas was already there. He silently vowed to himself that he wasn't going to waste one single second of their time together as soon as Legolas arrived. The trio talked until Aragorn yawned widely.
"Oh my," Elrond said, looking out the window at the night sky. "Look at how late it has gotten. No wonder Estel is tired. In fact, I think that we should all get some sleep. Elrohir and Elledan are due back either tomorrow or the day after, and I would like to be well rested, if I shall have to deal with those two's bickering once more."
Aragorn agreed wholeheartedly, and after two fond goodnight hugs, he slipped back to his own room. He slid under his crisp, clean sheets, and the last thing he saw before he shut his eyes was the top of the magnificent elm swaying high above the other treetops.
Elrohir and Elledan returned the next day, relaxed and happy, it seemed that there had been very little bickering on this trip, which was a rare occurrence indeed. Aragorn was finally entertained, listening to tales of their trip, and storing away tiny mishaps in the back of his mind, knowing that they would come in handy, should he need any quick comebacks at a later hour.
The day passed quickly, and Aragorn did not venture from the house for it's entirety. Indeed, He didn't have any need to. He was content as he prepared for bed that night, and he happily thought about how good it would be to spend an entire summer with his best friend. Legolas should be arriving any day now, and then they would have months of time.
Legolas did indeed arrive the next evening, a little bit before sundown. He looked energetic and happy, and, as always, Aragorn was delighted to see him. " Mellon-nin!" He exclaimed as Legolas rode through the gates. "Does all go well in Mirkwood?"
"Yes", Legolas replied, swinging down from his horse gracefully. "Political issues. They have been resolved. I should be back to stay."
"Well good!" Aragorn replied, clasping Legolas' forearm. Come, you must tell me all about it.
Legolas and Aragorn got a platter of fruit from the kitchen, and carried it back to Legolas' room, so that they could talk while he unpacked the few things he would need that weren't already in Rivendell. "So, what was the trouble in Mirkwood?" Aragorn asked curiously.
"Well", Legolas began, "It seems that we were having some border disputes with our neighbors, the clan of elves that lives beyond the river. So father invited their king and his court to Mirkwood, informing them of his desire to put and end to the pointless disputes. I was to be the pacifist, to a certain degree. Father thought that we would present a less hostile front if we were working as a family unit. He also said that he wanted my help with the negotiations, but there was never really a need for my counsel. It has been a very boring two weeks."
"And all went well?" Aragorn queried.
"Well enough. We came to an agreement, but I did not much care for their party. They had an unsavory air about them, something that I couldn't quite place, just an odd feeling that shouldn't be there. But that land also has an unsavory air.
There was one elf in particular that bothered me. Lothmir was his name. I caught him snooping around outside of the guest wing of the palace several times. I actually caught him at my door, in the royal sleeping chambers. After that, I recommended that the other elves lock their chamber doors when they weren't occupied or their owners were sleeping. I kept a close eye on him as well, but he didn't try anything else. Nonetheless, I was grateful that my part in the negotiations was over, and happy to come back to Rivendell."
"But aren't you worried about your father? The rest of your family?" Aragorn asked. He certainly was.
"No, I'm not worried. My father and I discussed our options at length, and he didn't want to detain me any longer. I can assure you that he is fully aware of the risks. He has assigned a few elves from the castle guard to Lothmir, and has several more monitoring the rest of the party. They will be fine."
" Very well then. Enough serious talk! Lets go find the twins and have some fun!" Aragorn exclaimed, figuring that Legolas had had enough political animosity to last him a while. Legolas readily agreed, and the two were off down the hall like a flash. They met up with Elledan and Elrohir halfway to the stairs.
The two had just left their room, and were taken by surprise as two heavy bodies came hurtling into them. The four fell into a noisy dogpile. Elrond sighed happily. He was sitting in his study, but he could still hear the commotion through the walls. Things were always so lively when the four of them were thrown together. He liked hearing them racing through the halls, it reminded him of when they were all tiny elflings, small enough to snatch up into his arms as they went racing by, trying to escape their bedtime.
Legolas was the first to disentangle himself from the pile, and he aided the other three's escape with a few strategically placed kicks. "Lets go swimming." He suggested.
" I know exactly the place" Aragorn replied.
"Oh Really?" Legolas asked sardonically, cocking one perfect eyebrow, "I'll race you there."
Aragorn was off down the hall the minute he heard the word "race". Legolas quickly caught up with his long stride, and the twins followed along a few paces behind, not exactly sure where they were going. Legolas picked up speed until he was several yards ahead, then settled into that pace, easily keeping his lead. The group reached the pool panting, and a bit out of breath.
"Ai, Legolas, I can't keep up with your elven speed!" Aragorn laughed.
"Yes, but you certainly try" Legolas teased, leaping into the water. He barely disturbed the surface. He reappeared several seconds later at the complete opposite end of the pool, his head popping up directly under the waterfall. "The water is perfect!" he yelled, waving an arm above his head in an invitation.
The four of them swam for hours, splashing and enjoying each other's company. Finally, Aragorn wore out. He swam away from the group of tussling elves. They were trying to shove each other under the surface, Laughing as they came up for air. Aragorn sat alone on the bank, watching his brothers and Legolas, who were now faintly glowing in the near-dark.
He was struck by a sudden bought of depression. He had always lived amongst immortals. It had never really bothered him, everyone was very careful to make sure that he fit in, and for the most part, they needent be as careful as they were. He hadn't really ever felt that his mortality affected his relationships with elves, but as he thought about it, sitting in the glade watching the three elves tussle in the water, he realized that it did. It affected every aspect of his life with these people. His perception of the world was totally different from theirs. His senses were less keen, and didn't have as many dimensions. Elves were constantly in touch with nature, feeling it, hearing it, it understood them, was always there for them, and they understood it. Along with this realization came a bittersweet longing.
He felt closer to Legolas than he did to any other creature, man or elf, but could Legolas really consider Aragorn his best friend? Could an elf really consider a human his best friend? Aragorn was not sure. However, he didn't have any time to dwell on the issue. Noticing his friend's absence, Legolas came bounding out of the water, smiling happily. He plopped down on the grass next to Aragorn, and flipped his long hair out of his face, re-drenching Aragorn's half-dried clothes. He stretched luxuriously on the long grass. "It's good to be back." he stated simply, a happy sigh escaping his lips.
"It's good to have you back" Aragorn replied, watching his twin brothers, who were still tussling in the water. They had worked their way back under the waterfall, and all that he could see was an occasional flash of brown hair or a wildly flailing limb. Legolas took this in as well, and snorted derisitively. A single leaf disengaged itself from the elm tree, riding the gentle breeze, until it landed lightly on Legolas' chest.
"Ah, the elm greets me at last!" Legolas exclaimed, jumping up and launching himself into its welcoming branches. "How are you, my friend?" He asked the tree in Sindarian, even though it was hardly necessary for him to voice the question. The verbalization was really more for the sake of Aragorn (who had clambered up into the tree next to Legolas). The leaves rustled quietly in the wind, and Legolas smiled, his eyes twinkling happily.
He must have sorely missed his special tree while he was away. Aragorn had certainly missed his own special friend. Maybe that was the connection between Legolas and this tree. For all Aragorn knew, Legolas could love this tree more that him. That was issue in this situation. Aragorn didn't know. Couldn't know, and probably never would even be close to knowing how the elf's heart truly functioned, because however connected he felt with Legolas, Aragorn lived in a three-dimensional world, while Legolas lived in a four-dimensional one.
Aragorn considered voicing these thoughts to Legolas, but as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Elrohir shouted loudly. Apparently he had been ready to escape Elledan's death-grip. Legolas threw a loose piece of bark at the pair, and then he turned back to Aragorn, who found that he couldn't spoil the elf's giddy mood. He sighed, and then shook those dark thoughts from his mind, leaning back against the tree trunk.
A little more than a half an hour later, when the twins had finally crawled onto the bank to dry, and when Aragorn had fallen into a more peaceful strain of thoughts, Legolas began to sing. He sang about the simple pleasure of being among loving friends, and a friendly people, of how easily the frustrations of life could be so easily forgotten in their special glade, and then he sang praise to his elm, the forest, and the stars for being so grand. He sang for a few minutes, and was just beginning to settle down for what may have been a night-long serenade, when his voice cracked. Aragorn turned and looked at Legolas curiously. He must still be tired from his journey here. The twins were also curious, as they had climbed up into the tree as well.
"Are you alright?" Elledan asked, knowing exactly how odd it vas for an elf's voice to crack.
"You must still be tired from your trip" Aragorn added sufficiently.
"Yes", Legolas replied, " I am feeling a bit achy, perhaps it would be better if we came back tomorrow night?"
"That sounds fine to me" Elrohir said, the healer inside him starting. Legolas had never been one to admit to being tired. Or having broken bones. Or gaping wounds. Well, perhaps he was starting to accept that he could tell people when he was tired. Or perhaps he was in more pain than he was letting on.
The four of them clambered down out of the tree, and Legolas sang on the walk back. The hoarseness of his voice didn't elude one of them.
Reviewer responses:
Of PiratesAndElves: Well thanks for reviewing! The reviews have inspired me to get this chapter out right away!
Invisigoth3: Thanks for the compliments! Here's your chapter. BTW, awesome name.
SmilingDragonGirl: Thanks! I looove long reviews. Glad that you liked the disclaimer. Wow. So many compliments. My head is ballooning! Here (was?) your chapter.
Viggomaniac: Well, If he won't let me kidnap the pretty little elves….But no. I'm not gonna kill him. Hurt him a little bit, yes. But I couldn't kill him. Maybe I'll just kidnap all four….