Author's Note - In the interest of preserving your sanity, my readers, I have chosen not to babble on about the trip to Gondor. I am keeping the chronicling of the long journey short and sweet.
Oh, and just for your information, the portion of the story that is italicized is a flashback, in case I ultimately didn't make that as clear as I think I did.
Gimli thoroughly enjoyed showing Malenfín the glories of Aglarond. He always wished he could have taken Legolas on a tour, but now he was satisfied that at least one Elf he respected had seen the place he was so incredibly proud of.
For his part, Malenfín was extremely impressed by the masonry expertise of the Dwarves that was all too evident in the ornate and careful stonework that comprised the living areas of the Glittering Caves. He also was very touched that Gimli wanted him to see his home and all the wonders within it. It struck the Elf as a hard-won honor his father had procured for him.
The morning of their highly anticipated trip to Gondor came faster than they had expected.
After wolfing down a hearty breakfast, they packed some dried fruit and water skins, attaching them along with their weapons (Malenfín carried a bow, as to be expected) to the saddle of a roan horse the Dwarves typically used for the transfer of supplies and stone during building projects or bartering trips. Malenfín was relieved that they were not forced to ride a pony, and when he voiced this out loud, Gimli roared with laughter.
When they arrived in Elessar's kingdom, after approximately eighteen days and nights of riding with very few breaks, Malenfín took a deep breath, relieved to be home at last. They approached the first gate, and when Gimli announced himself and mentioned that his travelling companion was the son of Legolas Thranduilion, the guards were quick to permit them both entrance into the White City.
They dismounted (or, rather, the Elf dismounted and Gimli more or less slid off and landed on his seat with an unceremonious thump which irritated him to no end) upon reaching the first circle. A skittish stableboy hurried forward to take the reins from Malenfín, who offered him a few pieces of gold for his efforts and suggested a bran mash for the horse along with a nice bath and brushing indulgence.
Gimli was surprised when the great front doors of the inner castle burst open noisily, startling them both a bit, and Aragorn himself came rushing out to meet them. It was very un-Kingly, but Aragorn had been made aware of their arrival by the tower guards who lounged in their posts only for the possibility of a Haradrim attack. He harbored absolutely no intentions of forcing them to enter and greet him upon his throne. Gimli was his friend, after all, and an equal in his eyes, and Malenfín was practically his son. No such formalities were necessary.
The King of Gondor swept them both into a hug, exclaiming warm salutations and inquiring about their trip. The Elf and Dwarf each answered his flurry of questions through their laughter.
"Malenfín," the King said after the formal niceties were exchanged, not wishing to keep his guests waiting now that the Elf and the Dwarf were here, "your mother would be delighted to see you. She is in her chambers now, if you wish to go to her. I will entertain our Dwarven friend here until after dinner, when I have a surprise planned for you."
Malenfín grinned. He was never one to turn down surprises. "I will return after dinner," he echoed, then hurried off to find the Queen and seek her advice on how best to handle introductions to this temperamental and intimidating grandfather Gimli had spoken of.
After dinner had commenced, the three friends made their agreed rendezvous where they had last been together, before the castle gates.
Wasting no time, Aragorn placed a hand on the Elf's shoulder. "I have a gift for you, Malenfín," he said, "and it has been a long time coming."
Malenfín smiled. "I am certain it is wonderful, my King. I cannot wait to behold what you deem me worthy for."
"Lead the way, my lord," Gimli offered when a pause fell over them, knowing that the exchange of appreciative comments might otherwise go on forever.
The King began to walk in the direction of the stables. Gimli was confused, but asked no questions. He trusted Aragorn to know where they were heading and why.
As soon as they entered the stables and he saw the white horse's head peering out from the door of his stall, he knew, and his heart flooded with warmth.
The three unlikely companions headed toward the stall, and a pair of inquisitive dark eyes watched their approach.
"This is Arod, a gift-horse from Rohan," Aragorn told Malenfín as he opened the stall door and rested a soothing hand on the horse's velvety muzzle. "He belonged to your father." The animal let out a snort, and the man laughed. "I apologize. Arod belongs to no one, but your father was his primary rider. Better, Arod?" He smiled. "He is sure-footed and swift, and wild enough to still have a free spirit, but he is very tolerant, especially of Elves. You should have no trouble."
Malenfín's eyes were bright as he reached out to graze his fingers along the horse's gleaming silvery-white coat. "He is radiant," he breathed, stroking Arod's flank reverently. "Thank you, Aragorn."
The two friends watched in silence as Malenfín murmured something to Arod in Elvish, looking deep into the watery brown eyes. The horse nickered softly, and the Elf laughed when a cold nose was pushed into his upturned palm.
"I think that is his way of giving his permission for me to ride him," Malenfín announced, smiling with pride as he mounted. Arod had accepted him, and he had immediately gotten the impression that this horse was not easily won over.
As the young Elf swung easily onto the bare back of the stallion, Gimli and Aragorn both sucked in their breath. He looked exactly as his father had.
Aragorn rested his hand on his friend's shoulder, and Gimli in turn reached up and placed his hand atop it. They were silent, both thinking the very same thing.
Legolas would love to see this.
Malenfín whispered an Elvish command, and Arod responded immediately, taking off at a great gallop.
Gimli and Aragorn watched his departure, both still in awe of how much he resembled his father.
Finally, after a long moment of reflection, they turned to each other. Again, they were thinking the same thing, but this time, it was completely different. Their lips curved into knowing smiles as they realized their desires were mutual.
Pipe time.
They returned to the city, and once inside the king's firelit chambers, they lit their respective pipes and sat smoking in companionable silence, each lost to his own thoughts for awhile.
It was Aragorn who spoke first. "Malenfín is incredible."
Gimli nodded. "Of course he is. He's Legolas's son," he replied matter-of-factly.
Aragorn's smile was dazzling. "Well said, my friend."
Gimli thoughtfully puffed on his pipe, then revealed, "I thought my heart would either burst or break watching him ride Arod this afternoon."
The King sighed. "He looked exactly as Legolas used to. I had no idea how much it would hurt to see another on Legolas's horse."
"Legolas would want someone to have him, Aragorn. You did the right thing. After all, who better to inherit the creature than the child of he who loved him most? Arod grieved too. Do you not remember how miserable he was after Legolas's death? He refused to eat for days, and wouldn't even look at the stableboys for weeks. You know he recognizes Legolas in Malenfín, and I am certain it soothes the silly beast. It will help them both, Aragorn."
The man nodded. "I know, Gimli, but it will be hard to not have him around. Arod was Legolas's horse, and I got used to seeing him when I went to the stables. It was like having Legolas here."
"Perhaps you can sweet-talk Malenfín into living here permanently. Then it would really be like having Legolas here."
Aragorn chuckled. "I might try, if Thranduil does not insist that he stay in Eryn Lasgalen."
Gimli sighed. "Speaking of Thranduil...I am dreading that visit more than you would believe."
"Oh, I know how you two despise each other. I would recommend avoiding the King at all costs. His temper alone could serve to be your demise."
"That is the problem, my friend," the Dwarf responded, sounding sad. "Legolas's dying wish was that the Elven-King and I reconcile our differences and try to be friendly toward one another. I promised I would. If Thranduil doesn't kill me first, I will keep that promise."
Aragorn actually winced. "A hefty pledge."
"And impossible."
"Nay, rather hefty, but not impossible. You both want to do what Legolas would have wanted. If that was his last request, you both will do all that is in your power to fulfill it. He will have to move past his negative feelings about Dwarves," and here his tone turned stern, "and you will have to move past yours about Elven-Kings."
Gimli rolled his dark eyes. "I do not care for Thranduil, but after befriending Legolas, I find it increasingly difficult to ignorantly hate Elves."
"Thank the Valar!" Aragorn declared, laughing. "You cannot imagine how annoying it was to listen to Legolas and you bickering. I would hate to know that you and his father are doing the same."
"I want this visit to go smoothly, for Malenfín's sake. He will come with me, mostly for my own peace of mind in case the Elves of Greenwood are itching for target practice, but also so that he can meet his grandfather. I do not want Thranduil to shame us both by being snide or even spiteful in front of Legolas's child. I would shave my beard clean off before Malenfín knew how deep this grudge runs between us."
"May I offer you a piece of advice?" the man asked. At Gimli's fervent nod, he smiled and continued, "If I were you, I would go to Thranduil first and negotiate a truce. After you two have managed to maintain a level of civility, I would bring Malenfín and introduce him to his grandfather. It will help to ensure that the truce endures longer than, well, the visit. Once Thranduil sees that Legolas has a son, he will be thankful that you brought him. Grudge resolved."
The Dwarf considered this. "A good thought," he conceded after a moment. "You are very wise, King of Gondor."
Aragorn shrugged. "It's leverage. Very simple. This is strategy, not wisdom, Master Dwarf."
Gimli shook his head as if to clear it of all thoughts of Thranduil. To better do so, he changed the subject entirely. "I cannot believe Legolas fathered a son and never told me," he mused out loud, goading Aragorn into commenting.
"He never told me either, Gimli, if it is any consolation. Arwen told me."
The Dwarf grumbled, "At least someone told you. Malenfín briefly explained to me that the Lady Arwen told you before the Quest, but no more was said on the matter."
Aragorn nodded. "Just so you understand, Master Dwarf, I never begrudged Legolas," he clarified firmly. "I had not even come into this world when Thranduil and Elrond made that marriage agreement between them."
The Dwarf was flabbergasted. "This is the first I've heard of a marriage agreement between Legolas and the Evenstar!"
"Well, it was kept very quiet. They wanted to be certain it was a good match before they announced it to everyone. There are still many who do not know it ever existed."
Gimli shook his head. "So Malenfín was an experiment to test the compatibility of Legolas and Arwen?" he asked, sounding disgusted.
"Oh, no, no, Gimli, do not misunderstand me," Aragorn answered quickly. "No children were expected at all, as Thranduil and Elrond both agreed that the Elves were fading and bringing any more of them into this world would be a mistake. They decided Elflings would only become targets for Orcs. The danger was too great."
The Dwarf was utterly confused, but before he could voice his frustrations, Aragorn beat him to it. "Gimli, let me finish and you will understand. Legolas and Arwen fell in love, much to their fathers' surprise. They had not expected cooperation from the young Elves, but nevertheless they had it, and they were thrilled. Unfortunately, the bond became very, very deep between them, and...well, Malenfín was conceived."
There was a long, uncomfortable pause as the Dwarf tried very hard to keep his imagination out of this conversation.
To spare Gimli the awkward details, Aragorn concluded, "Elrond discovered that Arwen was with child, and quickly nullified the agreement, telling Thranduil only that he wished for his daughter to have a Noldor Elf as her husband. Thranduil was angry, I am certain, but he took Legolas back to Mirkwood, and the marriage pact was soon forgotten. Once Thranduil learned that Arwen was in fact with child, however, he insulted Elrond with accusations that the Lord of Rivendell had insisted on Arwen and Legolas beginning a family so that his daughter could bear a child of royal descent, rather than merely the blood of Half-Elves. Needless to say, the two Elf-lords are still enemies to this day and refuse to speak."
As for the parents-to-be, Legolas and Arwen were kept apart until the Council was called for the Fellowship to be created. So far as I know, they did not speak then either, although each came to me separately to explain the situation. I was not angry, for by this time, Arwen had fallen in love with me and I was best friends with Legolas, who was amazingly supportive of my budding relationship with his child's mother."
I think their love faded because they lost hope, but I would never have been angry at Legolas had I known he was still in love with her. Who can blame him? My wife is absolutely wonderful. I am glad that she chose me, but am also glad that she and Legolas enjoyed the brief romance that they did, and I love Malenfín as though he were my own son. I do not dislike him for being so similar to his father...in fact, nothing makes me happier."
The Dwarf grinned. "And for that, I am very proud, Aragorn. You are by far the most forgiving and understanding man I've ever met."
Aragorn shrugged. "As if anyone could be angry with Legolas for very long, anyway."
"Good point," came the answer, and they both chuckled.
The King watched thoughtfully for a moment as his friend smoked happily, then allowed himself to succumb to the onslaught of memories that had been plaguing him since he had explained the circumstances of Legolas and Arwen's child's birth.
His mind travelled back to the day of his coronation.
The coronation ceremony was beautiful, and there was not a dry eye in the entire courtyard when Aragorn bowed his head with all due humility and accepted the gleaming crown of Gondor. None present doubted his promises of restoration. After all, he was their Hope.
Before the feasting, dancing, and general merry-making began, however, the party-goers insisted that their King announce a toast.
Aragorn thought long and hard, then he lifted his goblet. "For those who prosper yet after the troubled times now behind us," he toasted, "and for those we lost along the way."
"Here, here!" came the chorus of cheers.
And that was all that was mentioned of the fallen warriors, which bothered Aragorn more than he would like to acknowledge, but he did not begrudge his friends their happiness. Valar knew they all deserved it.
However melancholy his mood, he had to admit that the celebrations after the formalities were truly awe-inspiring. The music was bright and festive, the wine was a perfect, potent Dorwinion imported from Dol Amroth, and all around, people were chatting gaily with one another. There was no talk of the Ring, or the Dark Lord, or the Shadow, or anything evil or depressing. Everyone was brimming with optimism.
Everyone, that is, except the King. He was trying to be as ecstatic as all his friends, but ai, Elbereth, he missed Legolas. Aragorn fought back the urge to sigh. Today was a day to rejoice, not mourn.
"He is here, my lord," Gimli said softly, as if he had read his mind. Aragorn started in surprise, then mentally berated himself for allowing a heavy-footed Dwarf to sneak up on him. "Can you not feel the warmth of his light? Why, he's probably fit to burst with joy for you."
Aragorn's smile was like sunshine after the rain. "You're right, of course, Master Dwarf."
Gimli huffed out a breath. "A Dwarf is never wrong." After moment, he shook his head and added, "I can practically hear Legolas's snort of protest."
The King laughed. "Aye, he would never allow that comment to go by without a rebuttal."
"I miss him, too, Aragorn," Gimli told him gently, "but I know that he is enjoying this celebration as much as everyone else, and would want nothing less for you."
The man looked around, taking in the cheerful atmosphere, but when he spoke, his voice was solemn. "I hope he knows how much I miss him on this day, of all days."
"I hope YOU know how happy he is for you, on this day of all days," the Dwarf countered, turning to leave, but not taking a step before calling over his shoulder, "Remember that, King of Gondor."
Aragorn nodded, watching as Gimli, seeming satisfied with that response, disappeared back into the crowd of merry-makers.
Once the Dwarf had predictably squeezed his way back into the throngs of people around the drinking table, the King again was lost in his thoughts of how much he wished Legolas was here to see his unshakable dreams for the Ranger he had so often deemed filthy and putrid come to fruition at long last.
He decided he would gladly give up the crown Legolas knew he would wear one day, if only to see the Elf enter the hall and give him that infuriatingly all-knowing smile.
He felt guilty. Gimli would not be thrilled to know this, but he could not help himself. It was what his heart longed for most.
No, the one who approached him now was what his heart longed for most, he corrected himself firmly. The Evenstar was the only one he loved more at this moment than Legolas.
As if reading his mind, which was never an impossibility with the daughter of Elrond, Arwen rested her hand against his cheek, looking her future husband directly in the eyes and smiling as she told him in her sweet, gentle voice, "He would be so proud of you, Estel. We all are proud, but none so much as he."
"He always believed in me." He covered her soft hand with his. "You always believed in me, Undómiel. Have I ever properly thanked you for your unwavering faith in me?"
Her smile widened. "You thank me everyday with your love, Estel. As for Legolas and me, we believed in you because we both knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were destined for greatness."
"Then it is fitting that you two found it in yourselves to love each other, as well."
"I never properly thanked you for being so understanding about my past with Legolas. We both loved you from the moment we met you, even more than we had ever loved each other."
"My love, I beg to differ," Aragorn replied simply, touching the glowing, mithril-encased jewel at his throat. "If it truly troubles your heart, then you may properly thank me by marrying me."
A smile curved the Evenstar's lips. "Agreed."