Title: Found and Mended
Prompt: #82 - Fixed / Mellon Fic 100
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil
Rating: Hard R
Genre: Angst, Drama, Tragedy, AU
Characters: Aragorn, Elladan, Legolas
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.
Summary: The healing of a soul ...
Warning(s): Implied (please note: implied only!) rape, torture, CHARACTER DEATH, and general not-niceness.

A/N: The evilness flowed like water with this one. I don't know where it came from, but I'm hoping there is more like it, hahaha. And please READ THE WARNING AND THE RATING before the fic ... do not say you were not warned!

2nd A/N: This is a companion piece to "Lost and Broken". Please read that first to get a better understanding of this fic.

--

Two months passed in Rivendell since Aragorn had awoken and in that time, the man had not spoken a single word. He had taken his grief and turned it inwards, hoarding it to himself instead of letting it flow from him. It was as if he was punishing himself for the deeds done to his father; Elladan knew that in a way, Aragorn did see this as something of a punishment. Elladan himself did not blame Aragorn for the death of Elrond ... how could he, when Aragorn himself did not blame Elladan for the death of Arathorn?

Rivendell was quiet now; it was not a welcoming quiet that people had found attracting about the elven haven. This quiet was more of what one would find inside a tomb, dark and foreboding. It might have been this that caused the inhabitants to leave, to flee to a place where they could once again find peace. Aragorn seemed unaffected by the atmosphere, choosing instead to wallow in grief and misery.

Legolas stayed there with Elladan, waiting for Aragorn to come out of his shell. Besides them, there was one other servant who remained to keep watch over Aragorn. When the man was a boy, known then as Estel, he had won the servant's heart over with his childish antics. Their friendship, though, was not enough to get Aragorn to speak, or even acknowledge that another presence was in the room.

Another month later, the servant sailed with a heavy heart, leaving behind only a letter for Aragorn to read when he had healed.

Elladan sat wearily down upon the hard chair left behind in his father's study. He could clearly remember the days not so long ago that Elrond would sit in the same chair, his expression amused or angry depending on what situation his sons had gotten themselves into again, while he made sure Rivendell stayed intact. Those days were gone though and Elladan quickly banished the images, ignoring the now familiar tug at his heart. Legolas walked in the room without making a sound and sat lightly upon the desk in front of the chair. There was silence for a few moments.

"He is not getting any better here." Legolas murmured.

"I know that, mellon nin. What would you have me do? I love him with all of my being, but if I stay any longer I may fade away with grief. I do not know how to fix him!" Elladan clenched his teeth, blinking back the tears that had formed in his eyes.

Legolas adopted a thoughtful pose, and then said, "I could take him."

"What do you mean? Take him where?" Elladan frowned. The sudden image of Aragorn being cast back out into the wild to fend for himself sprang in Elladan's mind and his suspicion grew before he squashed it down again.

"To Mirkwood, with me. My father is sailing very soon - it is why I was sent here, to help you tie up loose ends. He is taking a good portion of elves with him, but there are some who still want to stay and defend Mirkwood's borders. I am not yet ready to journey across the sea; I could watch him, help him heal, and keep him on the track to his destiny."

Elladan's lips quirked slightly. "You've been talking to the Lady Galadriel."

"Yes, I have. She wants me to do this also, I think, but she did not say it outright." Legolas shrugged. "I do not know the human as well as you or your family, but I think I could help him. There is something about him that calls to me, like a moth to the flame. I know this is what I must do."

"Are you sure? This is not something I can decide upon easily, Legolas. This is his life we are talking about!" Elladan shook his head. "I cannot leave without being positive that you can do good for him."

"I am sure, Elladan. As sure as I have been of anything." Legolas responded. "If you are ready, my father is sailing in a week. It would be best if you went with him."

Nodding, Elladan sighed and stood up. "Very well. I trust you, my friend, but do not lead me astray. Take care of him as if he were your own blood."

"I will, Elladan. Do not worry, I will."

--

Elladan sat numbly down in front of Aragorn, who still refused to speak. It was the day he was leaving Rivendell ... leaving Aragorn. He had already said his goodbyes to Legolas and his things were packed and sent along with Thranduil's carts. Now, he had only to say goodbye to his brother, and leave Rivendell forever.

It was a hard thing to do and he wondered how he might survive the journey to the havens with this weighing on his heart.

"I am leaving, Aragorn." Elladan spoke softly. "I am sorry that I could do nothing for you. Legolas feels that with him in Mirkwood, you can finally heal, and become what you were born to be. Please remember that I love you very much, my brother. I will miss you more than you can know." Elladan sniffed, wiping away a tear. He leaned forward and captured Aragorn's head in his hands, laying a gentle kiss on the man's brow.

"Be safe, Aragorn. I love you." Elladan stood. Without another word, he turned and walked away ... away from his brother, away from Rivendell. When his form could no longer be seen from the window, Aragorn raised his head with tear filled eyes and said, "I love you, brother. I will miss you."

--

Many, many years later ...

Aragorn stood in front of the large crowd, feeling the weight of the crown upon his head. Legolas stood beside him, as well as what was left of their small fellowship. The elves that had remained in Lothlorien and Mirkwood were there, as well as Galadriel and Celeborn, to witness Aragorn reclaiming the throne. It was a joyous moment and yet, deep within Aragorn's heart, he mourned. He mourned for the faces that he did not see amongst the crowd, for the love that he missed during his hard life ever since that fateful day.

As if sensing his thoughts, the heavy clouds overhead opened up and a single beam of light shot down onto an empty space just in front of him. For a moment, Aragorn could swear that he saw Elrond's smiling face; beside him was Elladan and Elrohir, with Glorfindel, Erestor, Arwen, and many others he had not seen in a very long time.

The people of Gondor would later tell of the tear that rolled down Aragorn's cheek as a sign of happiness, that the evil had been defeated and the king had returned. Very few knew what it really meant ... those who did sailed across the sea years later and remembered a great man who had been broken and fixed again, but even the greatest repair will still show the cracks and lines now and then as a memory of a sadder time.

End