Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: Thanks for the reviews. On the way to Mordor. Letter passing back and forth. Let's begin.
Aragorn stared out at the sky, in a vain search of stars where none where found. He sighed and turned his attention back to the party gathered at the fire. Soldier, his soldier, well soldiers in the service of Gondor and now supposedly in the service of him. "Are you looking for something, my lord?" One of them asked, handing him another loaf of bread.
"No, nothing. Merely seeing what the weather will be like." Aragorn offered as an answer, smiling at the older soldier. There were several young soldiers as well but most of the people gathered here were farmers and not really soldiers, they had never seen war and Aragorn felt the same doubt arise when he had first glimpsed the people at Helms Deep.
They were well upon their way to Mordor and Aragorn was losing count of the days they had spent in near darkness. Even now it was nearing dawn but no light was to be seen. No light to help the haze lift from his eyes, no Legolas to be seen to ease the longing in his heart and limbs. His arms ached to hold the elf; his heart yearned to hear words of love passed from his beloved's lips.
He rang a hand through his hair, feeling the faint wind blow through it. "Lord Aragorn, king Eomer has requested your presence." One of Eomer's messengers came running to him and Aragorn excused himself from those gathered by this fire to go to next to ask what Eomer wanted.
"Ah, Aragorn, have a seat." Eomer offered him peace of a log and Aragorn frowned before saying. "No, thank you. I will stand I wish to stretch my legs." Eomer passed to him a flask of water while he asked. "Did you get my message?"
"You requested my presence." Aragorn answered. The next moment Eomer pulled him down so the man had no choice but to sit. "I get nervous from you standing there. This will talk easier." The young king offered as explanation with a grin. Aragorn was lost for words so he eventually answered. "What did you wish to discuss?"
"I thought you needed saving perhaps. Some of the soldiers can be a little bit overwhelming." Aragorn smiled at the caring side of Eomer and replied. "Thank you but you really did not need to. I am fine, Eomer. Have you received any word from your sister yet?" Aragorn watched as Eomer seemed to brighten as he nodded and said. "Yes, she was very happy the last time I saw her. She seems to have found a friend in Faramir; it will do her well if she does not become too smitten with you. Aragorn, can I ask you a question? Would I get an honest answer back?"
Aragorn raised his eyebrows before he nodded and replied. "But of course." He took the flask again to take a big gulp from it before passing it back to Eomer. "If my sister does truly love you and your elven lady sails, will you consider her as your future queen?" There was protectiveness in Eomer's eyes which Aragorn did not liked but he had promised his friend an honest answer and he would get one. "No, she would not. I will be betraying my heart twice, Eomer and once I can but twice no I will simply refuse."
Eomer looked at him while the king nodded and somehow Aragorn knew he had passed a test, a test Eomer had set before him without him even knowing. Sighing softly the man got to his feet, intend on going to his tent and trying to write a while in his journal before trying to sleep. He did not get far for soon a boy called his name. He turned and frowned, waiting for the young lad to catch up with him. "A letter, sir, from lord Legolas." The boy panted as he trust the letter forward.
The boy waited smiling while Aragorn accepted the letter until the man remembered and tossed him a golden coin. The young lad turned until Aragorn called out. "What is your name?"
"Caleb, sir." The boy answered, slightly suspicious. "Why are you here, Caleb? Surely you are not fighting." The boy shook his head and answered. "I am here as the son of one of the warriors and I am quite able to fend for myself, sir. But mostly I do chores now. Father had to promise mother not to let me fight." This all was said with some sort of pride and Aragorn was again reminded at how different his raising was from the children of men.
"And you bring letters to people?" Aragorn eyed the letter in his hand, knowing he should not open it until he was alone. "Yes, I could deliver a letter as well to anybody you like, sir and I will do it as fast as I can. I can even do it running." The boy announced proudly and Aragorn only nodded as he answered. "I will call for you soon and you must deliver another letter but by that time I shall let you know." The boy nodded and soon Aragorn was alone.
He went into his tent and sat down on his cot before opening the letter. He frowned at the contents before laughing lightly to resume reading. "Dear Aragorn, why this letter you must wonder. I know times are dark and we cannot be together as we wanted to. Do not forget that I love you and I thought perhaps Estel could use a little bit of hope, hence the reason of the letter. I cannot think of anything more to say but hold fast to the light, my beloved and it is for now all the hope I can offer." The letter was written entirely in elvish and Aragorn felt his heart clench together at the prospect of spending several days without the company of the elf.
He lay down and buried the letter close to his heart, feeling it rustle every time he took a deep breath. He shot up again only to grab a sheet of paper and to scribble a short note. "Legolas, I have received your letter. I need to see you for I long for the comfort only your touch can bring. Is there a place we can meet?" He folded the parchment and walking outside of his tent called for Caleb, the boy soon coming. He handed him the letter with instructions to bring it to lord Legolas as soon as he could.
He sat down and took out Anduril and inspected the blade, waiting impatiently for Caleb to return. It did not take long until he heard rustling outside and a panting Caleb stood waiting. The boy handed him a letter before collapsing next to a rock as Aragorn walked back inside his tent. With swift fingers he tore it open and his eyes scanned the quick scribbling before him. "Aragorn, you know as well as I do that it is far too dangerous for us to meet as anything more then what we already are. Do not get foolish now, we are surrounded by your kin and it is therefore impossible for us to meet. This will be the last letter; you would do well to rest."
Aragorn folded the letter away, worry coming to the surface. Worry for the fair elf he had for so long longed to call his own had forfeited that right to give Aragorn a destiny and a bride he did not want. He strode out of the tent, startling Caleb who was slumbering nearby on the rock. "Show me to lord Legolas' tent, Caleb. It is a matter of life or death." The boy looked at him before nodding and walking towards the other side of the camp.
They past soldiers who were singing, some who cried out to him and to Caleb but Aragorn ignored them all. He urged Caleb forward until they came to a bunch of tents which seemed empty but Aragorn knew they were reserved for Legolas, Gimli and the Hobbits. Aragorn gave the boy another piece of golden and Caleb hurried away, smiling and thanking him.
"Hello Strider, cannot live without your friends?" Merry called out to him and Aragorn froze. He had forgotten the hobbits were here. He smiled at them before asking. "Which tent belongs to Legolas? Do you happen to know that?" The hobbits shared a smile and Pippin added. "He went out to scout. He did not say you were looking for him though. Should we tell Frodo this for his book; Aragorn goes looking for Legolas in the dark? I am sure he would like to hear it."
Aragorn shook his head and while his anger lashed forward he snapped. "I could care less if you told the whole world about it; I simply wish to know which tent belongs to Legolas. He and I have things to discuss." Snickering softly Merry pointed to a tent a bit further away and with an angry huff Aragorn drew his cloak around him and stepped towards the tent.
He stepped inside and seeing the neat things so personal to Legolas his despair reined. He collapsed on the bed, wondering where he had gone wrong. Had he done anything to drive his beloved elf away from him? Had he given any reason why Legolas should not love him? Or had the elf simply changed his mind? He could not find any answer and while the pain seemed to spread to his soul he wondered briefly if he was going to die.
He gathered up the light blankets and brought them to his face, seeking to smell Legolas. His eyes locked on a dark patch on the blanket before he realized thick tears were falling down his cheeks. "Must be some special elf to bring Aragorn, son of Arathorn to tears." He whispered to himself, hardly remembering he had shed such tears for anybody else.
His mind mulling over any signs Legolas might have given him to think the elf had turned from him. He had not spent so much time with Legolas as he normally had but this could not mean Legolas had simply giving up on Aragorn. How could he have lost himself so to Legolas?
"Legolas, I…" A voice stopped in the entrance before Aragorn turned. He watched as Gandalf regarded him with kind eyes before the wizard stepped inside, not at all embarrassed by the tears on Aragorn's cheek. "Legolas is not here. Merry said he was scouting." Aragorn found himself hiccupping, wondering if Gandalf was going to leave him.
"I see. Does that explain the reason why I find you in his tent crying?" The Maia sat himself down beside Aragorn and brought a hand up to rest upon the man's bent back. Aragorn shook his head, wishing for the entire world the tears would stop. "The tears will continue to come, Aragorn. To fight them is to fight your heart. They fall because your heart is mourning in thinking Legolas is turning from you, am I right?"
Aragorn merely shuddered, wondering briefly how Gandalf knew so much. "Because I know you, Aragorn." The wizard simply explained. "He said it was not wise for us to meet for I am among my kin now. But it does not feel that way, this is not my kin. The elves are." Aragorn answered around sniffles. "He was right that it is not wise for you to meet, but he also did not know you needed him so."
"Where is he now?" Aragorn blurted out, making a move to rise but Gandalf's arm around his shoulder pressed him back down. "He is on his way. He knows naught of your fear or doubts, Aragorn. He has an idea but knows nothing about them. He is worried for you and spoke to me about them. But I think he has distanced himself from you after seeing how you behaved with your own kind. With the people you are soon to lead, Aragorn. You may wish to forget your position but he cannot and for that you cannot begrudge him."
"I have not forgotten my position, Gandalf, by no means. You should not worry about such things. I cannot forget my position for I have been confronted with it since I was first told of my heritage." Aragorn hated how his voice sounded so bitter. "I know and you shall be ever ready for it, my friend. I know this; you shall make a great king one day." Gandalf smiled at him.
"Then allow me to be the mortal needing his beloved elf for now, for else I fear I will lose all hope." Aragorn watched as Gandalf seemed to contemplate it before the wizard answered softly. "Yes, mortal and immortal alike need this, Aragorn. Legolas is suffering as well."
"Will he die if Arwen is to be my bride?" Aragorn was startled at how desperate his voice sounding in search for this truth. "I know not, Aragorn, I really do not. He can easily if he wishes to. But I believe he will wish himself by your side simply because he wishes to see if you are happy."
"Yes, he should know I will not be." Aragorn softly answered. "I do not believe he knows even the extend of your feelings, Aragorn. He loves you with his whole being but he does not even dream about knowing you love him the same way. "
"But I do. I tried to tell him this but I cannot find the words to express this love I am feeling to him. This need to be with him." Aragorn cried out, not realizing another person had stepped in the tent. "No words in any tongue I have learned can express how much I care for him, nay how much I love him. No the ancient tongue or the fair tongue of the elves can even begin to tell him how deeply I wish to set all wrong done to him, to set my life in service before him if he wishes me to do so. Alas for this throne is mine for the taking."
Gandalf smiled at him, encouraging him to go on. "He is the light when my hours are dark. I will truly be the greatest king if I have him by my side. I cannot live without him, without his company, his wisdom, his love. I do not know how to continue without Legolas." Aragorn finally finished. He had not seen the figure at the entrance had gone pale.
The man looked back down at the blankets still in his hands while tears overcame him once again. "Have hope, Estel, the Valar might have a surprise in store for you yet. But I believe you have made your feelings clear for the elf, has he not, Legolas?" At the mentioning of the blond elf's name Aragorn head shot up to set his eyes upon Legolas' trembling form standing near the entrance.
"Is he still the king, Legolas? The king you could not love for it would not be accepted by his people? Out of fear you are turning away? Or is he still the king you love? Answer those questions now you know how deep his feelings run for you." Gandalf drew himself up as Legolas stepped forward, keeping his eyes fixed on Aragorn.
"He is still the king…" The elven voice sounded so steady Aragorn feared Legolas would indeed turn from him. "The only king I will ever love with all my heart." The elf crouched down, taking Aragorn's hands, blanket and all in his own hands. "The only love of my life. The only soul mate, may we be together or not." With those words the prince pulled the king to meet his lips before both wept at the fate which seemed so dark, as dark as the night of Mordor while a Maia kept watch, hoping Gondor's future was not so dark but in fact knew nothing more then the two loved ones beside him, only that the darkest hour was still to come.
Hope you liked it. Please review and ideas please. I am going to vacation so I will not be able to update any time soon.