6

"It is almost as good as new," Elrohir said peering at Legolas' foot. "In a few days, the worst bruises will be gone," he assured him. "Good job Aragorn, you have improved."

"Why thank you dear brother," the ranger drawled lighting up his pipe.

"A foul habit," Elrohir said in mock despair to Legolas. "Come letme see what skills you possess while the dúnadan pollutes the air."

He leapt easily from the flet to the forest floor but Legolas climbed down awkwardly. From nowhere it seemed Elrohir pulled a long sword that was slightly curved at the blade. This he passed to Legolas and for himself he produced another.

"Now… defend yourself," he warned.

As quick as a flash the silver blade swept toward Legolas' neck. There was a terrific clang as Elrohir's blade was stopped by a slight parry. Legolas' eyes were wide.

"Very good," said Elrohir.

His blade swooped, thrust and cut at Legolas, but each time the blade was stopped efficiently. Legolas was panting with both fear and excitement at the end of the session.

"Excellent," Elrohir praised him.

"I do not understand," queried the younger elf.

"Your body remembers its training even if your mind does not."

"What does that mean?"

"It means let us see how good you are with the bow. Set up a target Estel," he called to Aragorn. While Aragorn agreeably knotted some things together Legolas asked.

"Why do you call him Estel?"

"That is his name, the name that our father gave to him."

"Oh," Legolas thought for a moment. "Then why did he say his name is Aragorn?"

"Because that is the name his father gave to him."

"And what of Strider?"

"Ah, that is the name the Dunedain gave to him," Elrohir said looking at Legolas with a twinkle in his eye.

"Has he any more names?" Legolas asked after a moment.

Elrohir just laughed.

"Come now, let us see you hit that," he indicated the wreath of green leaves that Aragorn had attached to a tree trunk. It was some forty feet away.

Legolas was incredulous. "I cannot hit that!" he exclaimed. "It is too small and too far away!"

"You have not tried," Elrohir said calmly. He placed a bow made of polished blackwood and an arrow in his hands.

Legolas fingered the bow nervously; he squinted at the target then squeezed his eyes shut.

"Concentrate," came Elrohir's voice.

Legolas opened his eyes and looked at the target. Aragorn was standing off to one side nonchalantly eating an apple. As he took a noisy bite, the scene locked into place in Legolas' mind. He saw in Aragorn's place an elf dressed in green, with hair the colour of pale straw and eyes of warm blue ice. He took a bite of the apple and said,

"Hurry up little one,"

Legolas drew back on the bow, arms trembling.

"Concentrate," said a voice, but it was not Elrohir's.

He felt phantom hands steady his arm and shoulder.

"Think your arrow to the target," said the voice. "See it hit before you release it."

The voice vibrated through the very fibre of his being. He caught the faint scent of wild flowers. If he could just turn he would see, he would know.

"Now child," urged the voice.

Legolas released the arrow without a second thought. It hit the target squarely in the middle.

Elrohir and Aragorn both exclaimed in surprise. Aragorn pulled the arrow free and turned to compliment his friend. But Legolas had let the bow fall to the ground. His face was a mirror of anguish. He walked swiftly pass them into the trees.

…………….

Aragorn found him pressed against a dying Birch, breathing shakily. His eyes were full of tears but none fell. When Aragorn stopped a short distance away he said,

"After eleven years I stopped trying to remember. I stopped hoping for a better life. I stopped wanting to be free. I accepted my fate."

He stopped speaking and looked at Aragorn directly. "You have made me want to feel again. You have given me hope."
"Is that such a bad thing?" Aragorn said softly.

"What if there is no home for me? What happens if I am turned away? Where then shall I go, who then shall I call my people?" Legolas asked in a voice filled with pain.

Aragorn closed the distance between them. "I cannot promise that all will be well for you at the end of this journey. But I would be honoured to be named brother by you. I would be honoured should you name my home your own."

Legolas searched Aragorn's eyes for any hint of deceit, but he found none.

………………

Elladan returned the next morning with four horses and more bundles than any of them could carry. For Legolas he brought two sets of clothing and a pair of finely tooled boots. Delighted Legolas immediately changed and walked around experimentally. They were adequate. For Aragorn he brought a new winter coat and gloves.

He had also brought dried apples, cheeses, bread, dried meat, two extra water skins, tinder and flint and waybread wrapped in cloth.

"Well at least they won't starve," Elrohir observed.

His only answer was a glare.

…………………

Legolas was too nervous to sleep that night, though he lay perfectly still in his corner of the platform. Both he and Aragorn had been shooed off to an early night's rest. He could hear the twins talking. Their voices were a melodic blend of sound. His mind freely wandered imagining the journey that lay before him.Would it be perilous or an easy jaunt through strange landscapes.

'Has your life ever been easy?' a voice asked in his head. He knew this voice it spoke to him all the time.

Almost immediately an image of Talen grew in his mind. He heard his derisive laughter, saw those giant hands reach for him. He felt those calloused fingers caress his skin. The flame of his spirit shrivelled inside him; 'defiled, soiled tarnished.' the words marched around his head like a death knell.

'No one will want you now,' the voice claimed.

'Worn, used, worthless,' it chanted.

Legolas whimpered and drew his knees to his chest.

"Daro," he whispered aloud.

But the voice did not stop.

…………………

A steady vibration thrumming through the wood beneath his head caused him to jump from sleep. He peered into the darkness. He could just make out a movement to his right.

"Legolas?" he called questioningly.

A strange strangled sound answered him. Aragorn crawled forward until his fingers touched the elf's heated skin. Legolas was rocking back and forth arms locked around his middle.

"What is it ?" Aragorn asked urgently.

Only a strange keening noise came from Legolas.

Tentatively Aragorn felt for his face. Hot tears were on his cheeks. Sorrow and pain radiated from him. Aragorn could feel the tension in his body. He wrapped his arms around the elf's thin shoulders and met no resistance.

"I am here mellon nin." Aragorn breathed into his hair.

As he soothed the tormented elf, Elrohir's words came back to him and he wished that he had indeed killed Talen.

………………..

Elrohir tucked the blanket around both of them, neither stirred. He tucked tendrils of Aragorn's unruly hair behind one ear and wiped Legolas' stained face.

"We should go with them," he said softly to his brother.

"We cannot, we alone patrol these borders. We cannot leave our home defenceless." Elrohir responded not unkindly.

"What does father say?" Elrohir questioned, getting to his feet.

"He had gone to one of the villages when I arrived. He will not be back until tomorrow."

"He will not be pleased to hear that Estel has gone off again."

"I know, but this young one needs to be with his family."

"I fear for them," Elrohir said.

"He has survived for three years without us. I do not think this journey is too much for him. Besides," said Elladan looking down at the sleeping pair, "I think having someone who depends on him will teach him what we could not."

Elrohir lifted a brow in inquiry.

"Patience and temperance. He is much too headstrong for his own good. He must learn to consider another's feelings above is own sometimes; to understand that he cannot have things his own way all the time."

Elrohir smiled, he remembered how Aragorn had been on top of the world when he had fallen in love with their sister Arwen. He also remembered the coldness of the young man when their father had refused to accept their troth. Aragorn had left secretly in anger and shame. He had never known how much their father had regretted his words, how he had sent them out to look for him over the next six months. It had rained steadily in Imladris for just over a year.

"Mayhap you are right," Elrohir agreed.

……………….

Four days later at the end of the High Pass the twins stood watching them ride away. Aragorn turned and waved just before they disappeared around the mountain side. The twins returned the farewell.

Elrohir had gifted to Legolas a bow of Rivendell and a quiver of fifty arrows. Legolas had strapped it on very self consciously.

"I do not know how to use these," he had whispered.

"Do not worry, when the time comes, you will know what to do," Elrohir told him.

Elladan had given to him two knives. Their handles were made of finely etched blackwood. Legolas was overcome by the gift. He hugged Elladan so tightly that the elder elf laughed.

"Thank you,' Legolas said close to tears.

"Well, you cannot always depend on the ranger. He is a middling swordsman at best." Elladan said with a look in Aragorn's direction, but Aragorn merely chuckled.

Elladan had taken Aragorn aside thereafter.

"Father bid me give you this. He says you must have forgotten it."

Into Aragorn's hands he slipped the ring of Barahir. Aragorn's eyes misted over. "Does he forgive me?" he asked.

Elladan nodded.

"For everything?"

"He does and bids you to remember that this is your home."

"I shall remember it," Aragorn declared raising his head and squaring his shoulders. He slipped the ring onto his finger.

"Safe journey my brother," said Elladan.

"And to you both," Aragorn replied.

As the twins retraced their path through the pass Elrohir turned to Elladan, "I thought you said father was away?"

"He is," Elladan said looking at his brother. "But he would have told him the same thing that I did."

Elrohir just snorted.

But Elladan was not quite done.

"What about you, you did not even tell him who the elfling really is."

It would be better if he comes to that knowledge on his own. I would not want to complicate their relationship." Elrohir explained.

Elladan shook his head. "We are a sad pair of liars muindor."

"I know," Elrohir agreed without a trace of guilt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

muindor..brother

daro..stop

mellon nin.. my friend

Lindahoyland……….. I liked the necklace too.

Ookamijudge…………Thanks it means a lot to me.

Silvertoekee…………..ta da!

Ciryaquen……………he trusts his own kind. Vulcan mind meld yeah!

tmelange……………..thanks and no faster these days, got lots more work to do.

Aleerah………………..from Van Helsing thanks a bundle

Shanna……………….Muchismos gracias y besos

Ainu Laire…………..heard some snoring there too!

Muse9 ………………I love slash can't seem to write it well though.

Ankka……………hope your questions were answered and thanks for the piece.

Llaris………………thank you

Quickbeam…..kept your questions in mind while writing this one.

Viggomaniac……….crawling huh? feel better today?

Julia………….. Hey a little cheese is good now and then.