Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess
Author's Note:
This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)
~ XIV: Many meetings ~
~ Part I: Friends of old ~
Imladris, 3018 TA, October 24
The early morning came as a promise kept and the wind was howling stronger through Imladris. All seemed empty and silent as the day had not started yet. Rain was drizzling from the cloudy sky and had been falling against the long waterfalls of Imladris echoing its sound like a whispering angelic melody. More gusts of cold wind rushed through the open corridors outside the prince's bed-chamber. He was dressed and knew where he was heading. He knew who he would meet. The thought of finally meeting him after a long time made him feel comfortable and homely.
"You draw too much attention to yourself?" he heard suddenly someone speak to him. He came to a hold and turned his gaze from where the voice was heard. There at the beginning of the corridor on his left side, he saw a figure standing close to the shadow. "I was expecting a little more caution from you." the male said.
Legolas noticed the man's rich voice, which gave him an impression of solid assurance and was really pleasant to listen to. His tone was earnest, and his language was informal but not disrespectful. Only someone close to the prince, a trusted friend... an old friend, would talk to him in such a manner.
"Ú-dangada?" [Who can say?] Legolas replied, the corners of his lips slipped upward when he saw the familiar figure approaching him. "Why does that bother you?" The elf gave the man a phoney serious look before skipping beside him and giving him a tight embrace. A deed that the Prince reserved for those he held dear.
"Indeed? I can avoid being drawing as much attention as you do my friend," the man offered while sharing an embrace with the elf. He seemed happy to see Legolas after so long, he smirked and provoke the prince a bit further "Are you frightened?"
Legolas tilted his head confused "Frightened? Of what?"
Both men began going down the halls, carrying on their cordial conversation. The man gazed at the elf with amusement, he had missed his friend and the times they have shared fighting and talking. "Not nearly frightened enough," he said seriously in a soft tone "I have heard about the recent incident, are you well?"
Legolas ignored the seriousness in his voice and smirked proudly "It would take more than that to kill the prince of Mirkwood. However, if you must know I am well!" As if to answer his next unspoken question he added "You have yet to believe me, it was an accident."
The ranger stopped and observed his friend closely "An accident?" he repeated in disbelief "In all the years I have known you, you never had an accident and you never made a mistake Legolas. What happened?"
The elf could never fool the ranger, they both knew each other very well. And the best part was he did not have to fool him. Legolas could be honest with his friend, he could speak his mind without worries. Because to him, he was Legolas, his warrior friend. "Do you want the whole narrative or just portions of it?" he asked him in a teasing tone.
"You cannot give me the short version..." the ranger demanded "Time is on our side and I would want to hear the long version of your tale."
Grinning, the elf watched how the man's face was smiling slightly. He cleared his throat and started narrating the ranger through all the events that unfolded since Xena and he met. He started from the first night he met her outside the opening, and how alien he found her. Then he kept with all the small "accidents" they kept having. The alien woman and her bizarre actions surprised the ranger and the discussion went on until yesterday's event was mentioned where Legolas was injured.
"It wasn't a mistake, Aragorn," Legolas eventually said, "but it was a hasty deed!"
"A hasty deed that you would normally not do, my friend," Aragorn told him "but you don't frequently encounter maidens who would break your nose with a head knock!"
Now the elven prince narrowed his gaze towards his friend "That was a mistake," he acknowledged "My guard was down and I was never attacked by any other maiden ever!"
"You fought brave, my friend," Aragorn laughed "But was beaten fairly!"
His mischievous part became somewhat childish "I grant you that. But it keeps me feeling more alive than I could otherwise ever be." Legolas admitted, "I do not know but the darkness is rising Aragorn and those foolish incidents brought some chaotic moments of light and some comfort to our souls."
Aragorn agreed with Legolas the times had become darker, while returning to Rivendell with the hobbits, the ranger confirmed that as he had met troops of the enemy. And even the fact that the one ring had returned. But Aragorn did not talk about the ring of power. The two men chatted a little longer, Aragorn telling Legolas about his exploits and Legolas telling him about his. The prince even informed him about Gollum and how he managed to flee his father's halls. Aragorn stated to Legolas that it was not their fault and that they now had to confront the approaching darkness. The ranger did not go into greater detail since everything will be presented to Elrond's council tomorrow.
"He will overcome it, Estel," Elrohir said as he appeared with his twin brother from the west corridors. "Give it time, and the prince will find his glory again!"
Aragorn nodded smiling at his close friends, he sighed silently impatience at the mocking that would follow towards Legolas. When the twins and he were together, Legolas ended up becoming their target. A role that the prince never complained of taking.
"Elrohir is about time to respect the prince of Mirkwood," Elladan turned to his brother cheerfully "What would happen if some of the maidens heard you?"
Elrohir shrugged playfully "I would not know, but I have in mind one that would try to beat him up."
"Aw, you mean to beat him up again..." Elladan corrected him.
"Do not think I won't get you both of your insulting behaviour," Legolas defended himself.
"They are now so smitten with your words," the ranger added waiting for a small war to unleash between the four.
That implied that all four would wind up on the practise grounds, where they began a friendly sparring match. For a brief period, it seemed like old times amongst close friends, before the darker days arrived. They would not complain about the result of the fight since the sole purpose they were duelling was to unwind and relive old memories.
"Elrohir! Elladan!" Arwen's melodic voice resonated over the training grounds as she began her search for them. She was going to murder them. Every single one of them. It was early in the morning when she sent her twins brothers to locate Legolas and Aragorn, but they never returned. She overheard a few elf maidens gossiping about a contest between the Prince, Aragorn, and her brothers on the training grounds.
'Foolish,' she thought to herself. He rarely returned to Imladris after becoming Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. And he ended up dragging the twins and even Legolas to be part of the rangers of the North. She hadn't spoken to Aragorn in a long time, and she missed him. However, it seemed that he missed Legolas and her brothers much more. 'That's what happens when you fall in love with a human being. Arrogant human. They are foolish no matter how old they are...'
"So sad!" a voice called behind her "How did such a lovely elleth end up lost in such dangerous lands?"
Arwen turned around careful grabbing the end of her long blue velvet gown as she faced the man speaking at her "Daring Ranger of all," she said hiding her smile "My heart lays now in rest as our paths crossed and I no longer face danger!"
"You may tell me, my Lady, what foul beast dared to attack you," Legolas said with a winning smile suddenly as he appeared from the western parts and he jumped from the gigantic tree and landed next to Arwen.
"Nay, it was not a beast," she played along "Two twins mischievous creatures are nudging my temper this morning."
"I know them, my Lady! They are quite full of themselves," the elf answered causing the ranger and Arwen to laugh "we should have killed them long ago!"
"We will not be defeated! Even if our dear sister is already uniting her power with the enemy," added Elladan who suddenly showed up next to Legolas with his twin Elrohir.
"Please Ranger rescue me from those dangerous beasts and the pretty prince," Arwen begged the ranger with a captivating smile "I might end up losing my calm shall they continue with their immature act."
"I have to accompany our Lady," the ranger said to the twins and Legolas. Aragorn pulled his sword, which he was still clutching from the last combat, and extended his hand to Arwen. She gave him a sincere grin, took his hand in hers, and began walking away from the training grounds.
"I'm surprised that it took our beloved sister so long to find Aragorn," Elrohir observed as the duo walked away from them. "Shall we continue?"
"I've never understood Elrohir how you can still appear like an elfin," Legolas said as he adjusted his attire. "Aren't you expected to be a lot older than me?"
"You see that's a rather complicated and delicate subject to mention," Elladan added, "and we could explain it all to you if you wish."
Legolas shared a smile with the twins and nodded "How could I decline such an offer?"
Like that Legolas and the twins' sons of Elrond strolled away from the path that the pair had taken. Legolas followed Elrohir and Elladan, listening to their ridiculous explanations for why age didn't matter; even though they were two thousand, nine hundred eighty-eight (2,988) years old, they felt quite youthful. Legolas rolled his eyes; he was meant to be five hundred (500) years old, but he already felt way older.
The sound of light footfalls strolling with him along the road made the ranger grinned. He had missed Arwen, and although he would not say it, it was apparent that his heart had been devoted to Arwen years before. He noticed a wide smile creeping over his face as he followed her. His movements were unusually quiet for a human. Both strolled in quiet for a long period at first. The aroma of Rivendell and Arwen gently reminded him that he had returned home.
The magnificent valley of Imladris slipt silently into the night. As Arwen and Aragorn approached the stone bridge, they eventually broke the stillness and began chatting. The waterfall provided its own melody and blended it with the tranquil night, producing a magical scene full of soothing noises and invigorating aromas.
"Why do you fear the past?" she said, and her voice was heard as a whisper "You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."
The ranger cast a glance at her, before answering her question. "The same blood flows in my veins ... the same weakness..." said the ranger. He would always offer her the same answer, the same reason. He wished he could follow that path, but he had abandoned that path long ago.
"Your time will come. You will face the same evil. And you will defeat it." she ensured him and her tone sounded solid through the night. She placed her trust in the man she knew for so many years. "The shadow does not hold sway yet. Not over you and not over me," she added gazing at him as they both stepped on the stone bridge and took hold in the middle of it.
"Arwen," he called with the slightest tremor of fear in his voice. He paused and stared at her. He felt reckless staring at something so beautiful as her, and something so far away. She was like a far dream that no human should be allowed to touch, not even he. However, he felt weak, weak to forget her, weak not to love her.
"Do you remember when we first met?" she asked him as her arm lifted and her finger softly run through his wavy hair "Long years have passed. You did not have the cares you carry now."
Aragorn closed his eyes recalling the memory of the first time seeing Arwen. "I thought I had strayed into a dream," he admitted.
"Do you remember what I told you?" Arwen asked him in a soft voice letting her hand reach his while gazing directly into his eyes.
"You said you would bind yourself to me, and forsake the immortal life of your people," he answered recalling her words and all the feelings that filled his mortal heart with happiness and sadness at the same time.
"And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the Ages of this world alone." Arwen said as she placed the Evenstar in his hand "I choose a mortal life."
Aragorn seemed troubled, but deep down he was happy. How could he not be, it felt like a miracle to have the person you love, to love you back. However, he was only human and she was immortal. Their union could not be. "You cannot give me this!" he said.
"It is mine to give to whom I will, like my heart," Arwen concluded and closed his fingers around the Evenstar. She leaned slowly against him and gently kissed him. And Aragorn wrapped one arm around her and kissed her back.
((Upcoming Chapter Fifteen))
Thank you for taking the time to read this! Feel free to Review - Follow - Favorite!
amyunder: I think no one would oppose that. ^_^
thenoneandonly: Thank you for reading and re-re-reading it.
enjoli3: Welcome then. Thank you for your kind review and I hope you have a great time reading all those amazing Fanfictions that exist out there. ^_^
AudoUnique: In some chapters, the lyrics are needed indeed... ^_^
athhela: Thank you, and love your nickname. ^_^
20554712: I agree with you. The elven king is proud and hard to the edges, but I believe he is a great father. But we shall see how he will end up in this FF. ^_^