4

Not completely at ease, but happier than he had been for a long time, Greenleaf sat wrapped in Aragorn's sole blanket before the fire. He was clean from the top of his head to the base of his feet and he was enjoying it. He wriggled his toes as the ranger, hair still dripping from his bath, produced a long pipe and proceeded to light up. As the first smoke wreath floated upward Greenleaf ventured to ask,

"Does that not make you ill?"

"No, contrarily it relaxes me entirely." Aragorn drawled sending up another puff.

After a few moments passed,

"Can I try it?" Greenleaf asked.

Aragorn brows rose in surprise but he obligingly wiped clean the mouth of the pipe and passed it over.

Greenleaf held it gingerly then put it between his lips.

"Slowly now," Aragorn cautioned.

But Greenleaf had already drawn in a lungful.

Eyes bulging his first cough expelled most of the smoke he had taken in. Laughing Aragorn pounded him on the back.

"This is poison," he spluttered between breaths.

"Aye," Aragorn agreed grinning. "I have yet to meet an elf who can enjoy it."

……………………

Greenleaf lay as still as he could as Aragorn wrapped his foot with clean bandages. The ranger worked quickly, his long fingers manipulating the cloth with practised ease. Greenleaf observed him as he worked. His face was youthful and without the beard that most human males possessed. His hair, a mixture of brown shades was long. There were two tiny braids above each ear and they were intricately woven around a thick swathe of his hair to form a tail at the back of his head. The rest of his hair hung free.

He worked with quiet assurance. He seemed to be very confident of his skills and knowledge. He had said that he had grown with elves in a valley at the foot of the Misty Mountains. Imladris it was called ruled by Elrond half elven. This roused a great curiosity in Greenleaf but he asked no questions. The ranger talked fondly of his elven brothers, twins by the names Elladan and Elrohir. They he explained had taught him the techniques of sword play, the skills of tracking and fighting, the essence of being a ranger.

But he did not explain why he rode alone in the wilds, why he hunted in places where danger and death lurked behind every tree. Greenleaf thought this passing strange, that he would leave his family whom he clearly loved and choose a life of solitude. But he did not ask any questions. Being Talen's slave for the last fifteen years had taught him that it was less painful to keep his thoughts to himself. Yet there was one question that burned in his mind, one that he needed to be answered.

"Why did you help me?"

Startled Aragorn looked up into blue eyed that were filled with such emotion that for a moment he could not breathe.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," was his quick and flippant response.

"Oh," the elf responded.

Aragorn looked down, fussing with the bandages to cover his confusion, for the elf's eyes had been filled with sudden hurt.

'Why should he care as to my reasons? Isn't it enough that I rescued him?' he said to himself.

Aragorn looked up again to see that Greenleaf had turned his head away.

"Legolas," he began. "I helped you because no one should be kept against their will. It is not right. I could not just leave you with them and ride away."

"But why, why could you not leave me?" Greenleaf insisted. He turned to face Aragorn his blue eyes shining. "I am nothing to you."

Aragorn stared at him nonplussed. "You are a person Legolas not some wretched beast. Do I need more reason than that?"

Greenleaf shook his head slowly and a tiny smile touched his lips, "Hannon le ranger."

"Call me Strider."

"Strider," Greenleaf repeated.

There was silence in the vale for a long time and the man settled down, face turned to the sky. He hummed to himself as he began to relax.

"What will you do with me now that you have bought me?" Greenleaf asked suddenly.

Aragorn sighed, 'And I thought elves were such quiet, contemplative folk,' he thought.

"I intend to take you home," he said aloud.

"But I do not remember my home, how do you know it?"

"Well by elimination it can only be one place. You are not of Imladris or Lorien; therefore you must be of Mirkwood."

"And what if I am not?"

Mildly irritated Aragorn shook his head.

"We shall deal with that if or when it happens elf. Now go to sleep!"

Aragorn heard the elf's smothered chuckle. He turned slightly, a sharp remark on his tongue, but then he saw that Greenleaf was smiling. It was the first real smile that Aragorn had seen him give. The rebuke died in his mouth. Instead he said,

"Goodnight Greenleaf."

"Goodnight Strider."

Dawn had just touched the tips of the mountain peak when Aragorn woke up. He was surprised to see that the tiny camp had already been taken down. The fire was out and the ash scattered. His things were put away. Greenleaf stood next to the mare talking to her in his soothing melodic voice while he stroked her neck. He was wearing one of Aragorn's spare shirts and leggings. His feet were bare. He plucked at the neck of the shirt nervously as he noted Aragorn's gaze.

"There was naught else to wear. I could not find my old clothes," he explained.

"That is because I burned them," Aragorn said pushing himself to his feet. "You are welcome to wear whatever fits."

He turned and made his way to the bushes, completely missing the poignant look on Greenleaf's face.

"Hannon le ranger," the elf whispered.

…………………

Aragorn unrolled his only pair of elven made boots and insisted that Greenleaf try them on. They were at most two sizes too large and would chafe the skin. There was nothing to stuff them with.

"You would not last the journey over the mountain with bare feet. The cold would kill you, though elf you are you are not immune to frost."

Greenleaf stared at his toes mutely and shrugged.

"Well let us be off, I may be able to get you a pair at a place I know."

They mounted quickly and Greenleaf wrapped his arms around Aragorn's middle. Moving out at a brisk pace they went across the rugged stony hillside.

"What place do you know?" Greenleaf asked suddenly.

Aragorn smiled before replying.

"You shall see,"

………………………

Around noon Aragorn halted for Greenleaf's foot had begun to throb. Helping him to the ground, Aragorn massaged his muscles, kneading them with his long fingers to get the blood circulating.

"I am sorry Legolas, I should have stopped sooner. I forgot about your leg."

Greenleaf could not reply for he was swamped with pain. Lying half propped against a small boulder, he closed his eyes as Aragorn rotated the foot slowly. He sweated, his body rising involuntarily as the throbbing escalated to his hips.

"Try to relax," Aragorn said putting his hand flat on the elf's stomach.

Greenleaf had a fleeting moment of panic as Aragorn pressed him down. He groaned, grasping at the ranger's hand.

"Open your eyes and look at me Legolas," Aragorn demanded, keeping his hand pressed firmly against the elf's abdomen.

Greenleaf shook his head.

"Legolas," Aragorn growled in a tone that brooked no argument.

Blue eyes flew open and Greenleaf's wild stare found the ranger's calm grey eyes.

"Listen to me Legolas of Mirkwood, I swear to you now that I will never hurt you and never would I willingly lead you to harm. Trust me even if you have never trusted another."

Greenleaf felt himself drowning in those warm grey eyes, becoming part of something greater. The pain subsided, flowing away in a wave of warmth. Aragorn looked away breaking the bond.

"What are you?" Legolas asked.

"I am Aragorn son of Arathorn. I ride with the dunedain of the north. I am son to Lord Elrond half elven and brother to Elladan of the sword and Elrohir of the horse and Arwen whom I love."

"But you are more than human," Greenleaf said in a whisper.

"And less than elf," Aragorn returned with a wry smile. "Come on, it gets easier once we cross this ridge."

……………….

Pine gave way to Beech and Beech gave way to Oak. The ride took longer than it should have for they stopped often to walk, so that Greenleaf could exercise his leg. Aragorn found himself talking easily to the elf. He pointed out herbs used for treating various ailments and several trees whose leaves and bark were used for reducing fever, taking away pain and other physical woes.

"How do you know all this? You are so young."

Aragorn stopped, hands on hips and gave a short snort of derision. He turned to Greenleaf eyes flashing.

"To you, to my brothers and to my father I am a child, untested and unproved. This is why I ride alone, for I am a man and would have every one know it. I ride alone until the worth of my deeds go before me, proclaiming my name to all who would listen."

"I did not mean to give offence," Greenleaf declared. Disturbed by Aragorn's sudden anger he stepped back unconsciously.

Aragorn took a deep breath to calm himself and shook his head, this elf had done him no wrong.

"I must ask you to forgive me once more. I wear my hurts close to my heart. And as for my knowledge, I had a great teacher."

Aragorn smiled, a true smile free of malice or want. He extended a hand to Greenleaf who looked at him for several seconds before accepting it.

…………………..

"This path is tricky," Aragorn cautioned indicating the rise ahead. "We will have to walk the rest of the way. Are you able?"

Though his foot ached and all he really wanted to do was lie down on the green earth for the next six hours, Greenleaf nodded.

Aragorn looked him over. Standing there in his borrowed clothes he seemed a thin young willow on a lonely hill waiting for the wind that would bend and twist him to its will. In that moment Aragorn felt his heart ache. Were they not the same, alone in the world searching for some place to call home? Aragorn blinked back sudden tears and said,

"Come mellon nin, we will walk together."

……………….

The shale was looser than he remembered and the footing less sure. Aragorn gasped as he slipped another two feet. He scrambled for purchase and stopped abruptly. He was lying sprawled flat against the face of the mountain, arms and feet outspread. Ever so slowly he turned his head up to see how Greenleaf fared.

Greenleaf was perched precariously upon two flat slats of loose shale. His arms were out for balance and his knees were bent. His right leg was extended in front of his left and his upper body was bent slightly forward. He was barely breathing for he knew the slightest twitch would send him cascading down the hillside. His face was a mask of fear.

Aragorn swallowed hard as he watched him.

"Relax, relax," he whispered, mentally sending the thought to the terrified elf.

Time seemed to slow down as a great gust of wind, quite deliberately it seemed, chose that moment to come up over the ridge and blow forcefully across the hillside.

"No," Aragorn breathed out.

Greenleaf seemed to sway, his hair whipped forward and then back. His feet did a crazy dance and he seemed to walk on air as the body of shale on which he stood moved downward like a wave. Then with a shout he was gone.

He slipped, skid, finally fell and went straight down to the bottom of the mountain amid a cascade of stone. He covered his head as chunks of rock and stones rained down on him. His hands were cut and his backside nicked in many places, but he survived the fall. Shakily he got to his feet and with a trembling hand he pushed his hair out of his face.

The tip of the sword touched Greenleaf's nose, lips and then settled under his chin.

"Interesting ride," said the elf as he cocked his dark head. "You have five seconds to tell me why I should not skewer you where you stand."

In awe Greenleaf stared into a pair of beautiful hazel eyes, eyes that were glittering with anger.

"Are you unable to speak?" the elf spat.

Then very clearly they both heard a yell and an avalanche of rocks moving down the hillside.

"Another," the auburn haired elf called out.

From nowhere it seemed to Greenleaf another elf appeared armed with a bow that was notched and ready to fire.

Aragorn came to a tumbling, twisted stop some five feet from where Greenleaf stood. He groaned and turned over slowly…and was met by the tip of an arrow head. His eyes followed the shaft of the arrow to the hands that held it, to the face above the weapon. For several moments no one spoke, then the elf said,

"Lada look what the cat dragged in."

Naughty Nettie…… You are very generous with your words. He will get him home minus a few incidents heh heh.

Ciryaquen………..Legolas' energy was pure adrenaline Thanks for the compliments. I actually did that to my brother once.

Silvertoekee………I love the twins though. Hopefully Aragorn won't be doing that again.

Lindahoyland………Thank you very, very much.

ALonelySoul……You are welcome. You were worried? (Grin)

Quickbeam………You are just the best

Ankha………Your review was very touching and please write your story!

Twilight Unicorn…. A special heartfelt thank you for taking the time. Yup a long fight ahead!

Ainu Laire….Don't worry Aragorn, it's your turn next.

Viggomaniac…….You do have a way with words man! I am speechless again. Thanks for adding me. And yes I love old English. Oh and I might have to use a hammer soon. Ha, ha.

Ali64….Legolas is just getting started.

Shanna…. Te gusta el 4 amiga? Gracias por el review, como siempre.

Ookami Judge……..Yes you can …

Grumpy………….Thank ee grumpy

Tmelange…..Thank you, thank you and thank you. Hope this was soon enough.