CHAPTER 2: WITHDRAWAL OF THE SHADOW

The Last Battle has ended- Rivendell

Elrond was standing on his balcony, a warm breeze carrying his dark hair. His eyes were fixed on a horizon in the distance. A change was coming and it was bringing the warmth with it. But the changes weren't just in the air; they were roaming the Rivendell's walls too. Elrond felt old, the calling of the sea grew stronger every day in his heart. His daughter would never feel it or maybe she would but her choice was already made and his heart was almost jumping out of his chest because of it. Nor the twins were themselves these days; they became clouded by the shadow and burdened by their obligations to their land. The elven lord sighed silently, because of the darkness of Mordor he has lost more than many can imagine. He looked at his royal gardens little below the bedroom balcony and in his mind a memory of happier times appeared. The wind blew stronger this time, it was a warm and soothing wind, unlike all the winds that used to come in the dark days. Elrond was worried and there were a few things that could ease his troubling but this breezing relaxed him somehow. The Lord gazed over once more, was it just his imagination or did everything become so much brighter? The changes were coming, he noted, but these weren't the bad ones.

Could it really be? Could it be that it is over? His heart knew that it was but his mind was still in doubt, though after seeing everything so serene and beautiful again he knew it truly was over.

Elrond rushed out of the balcony to inform everyone, these were the most wonderful news he got in a long time. He ran to the Hall of Fire for he knew everyone was there. His children were probably musing and waiting, always waiting and now they will wait no more.

It wasn't ordinary to see one of the highest elven Lords and his King at that running like mad and barely noticing his counsellor, so Erestor rushed after him.

His strong feet quickly brought him to the retirement room. As he rushed in pushing the doors away, his look shining like it used to and Erestor bumping into him as he suddenly stopped, the twins stood up alarmed in wonder, like cats, one reflecting the other. Arwen just looked up from her book for she was still affected by her mortality and felt nothing else could surprise her. She was only waiting for her beloved to take her passionately because she knew she was his only one.

"The shadow… it…" began Elrond with an effort.

"What is it?? Have they failed?? Oh, no… "Cried out Arwen.

"No, on contrary. It is gone." Elrond responded.

Arwen's book fell out of her hands, Elladan and Elrohir wore the same looks of disbelief and happiness on their faces. Everyone was so overwhelmed to even move. Erestor was the first one to speak after a few minutes, "Are you sure? My Lord?"

"As sure as I can be my friend!" Elrond turned to look at him and saw the sigh his counsellor let out. A tear of joy was sliding down Arwen's face now and the twins had huge grins plastered on.

"We must celebrate this! Immediately! Ada!" Elladan almost screamed and Elrohir nodded vigorously.

Arwen still wasn't moving so Erestor asked her, afraid that this moment of joy wouldn't be ruined, "My Lady, Lord Aragorn, is he? Is he alive?"

She looked up, her look expressionless, then her lips curved into a beautiful smile and she whispered, "Yes!" her eyes were shining as she yelled once again, "Yes! Yes! He is alive!"

She looked up, her look expressionless, then her lips curved into a beautiful smile and she whispered, "Yes!" her eyes were shining as she yelled once again, " Yes! Yes! He is alive!"

She finally stood up, hugged her brothers, pecked her father and ran pass the confused Erestor.

Arwen began packing like a maniac, ripping her dresses out of her wardrobe and folding them into packs. They must hurry. She wasn't going to wait any longer, her life was short enough already.

Elrond entered the room and put his hand on Arwen's shoulder. She turned around and looked at him. "What is it, ada?? I have to pack."

He glared into her innocent eyes and spoke "Are you positive, Arwen? You still believe your place is on his side?"

"With all my heart" answered Arwen without a blink.

"Are you going to believe that after years from now?" asked again Elrond.

"With all my heart." Repeated Arwen.

"Do you wish to marry him and none else before him??" Elrond asked his final question as he looked deep into her eyes.

She stood there with all the memories coming to her, thinking a moment but not letting herself show it.

"I do."

"Than I shall not hold you any longer. We must be in Gondor by the time of coronation and it is your right and luck to be there for another reason." Smiled Elrond with tears in his eyes. He hugged her again, kissed her forehead and left the room.

Arwen stood like that, stunned for a few minutes and then sat on her bed. She forgot about the packing.

Everyone was informed about the victory and with the first morning light the party of elves that was supposed to leave for Gondor was packed and ready. Arwen looked upon the great elven kingdom that was her home for many centuries, she knew she wouldn't see it for a long time, with one last look on such beauty she spurred her horse and their journey to Gondor started.

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Back at the Gates of Mordor

Legolas wasn't sure what he was doing. "I know…" he repeated the words he said little over a month ago to Haldir in halftone.

Aragorn looked up, was this some kind of a game or did Legolas just want to comfort him? "You know what?" he asked a bit stressed.

"I know… I know how it feels to loose the ones you love, I lost many friends through my time." Legolas answered, he couldn't gather the strength to tell him.

"We both lost friends, Legolas, and the people we love. We cannot change it in any way; we must make peace with it. It's sometimes hard though, and I-we can't let it go that easy." The future King of Gondor got into a sullen mood once again.

When Aragorn realised what he was saying he snapped his head up to look at Legolas and saw strange feelings and emotions that he couldn't quite resolve in his eyes. He knew the elf was restraint in such moments so he read it as a need of support and just stepped closer to him and wrapped his arms around the prince's back.

Legolas was stunned at the moment by his reaction and not knowing how to read it returned the gesture. They stood like that for a couple of moments that were a pure source of pain for the elf. His wounds didn't hurt at all, it was his heart that wanted to burn its way out of his chest. The man's arms were so strong he wished them never to let go. The warmness of Aragorn's body slightly pressed with his own was almost unbearable to Legolas, so when Aragorn broke away from him it was relaxing and yet too horrifying. The man nodded, "Do not despair my friend." With that said, he stalked away leaving Legolas dumbfounded.

The elf let out a long breath; he couldn't believe what just happened. Aragorn hugged him, it didn't matter that it was only a friendly gesture. That strong arms, his body, his scent, he was so close to him, he hadn't been so close to him in a very long time. That one hug could keep Legolas standing the whole day, now he could endure everything.

Aragorn felt guilty as he walked away, for to him that wasn't just a friendly hug. Deep within it was his way of saying goodbye to Legolas because he was bound to Arwen. Although, he taught, if Legolas gave him a shadow of a sign of love as Haldir did he would leave Arwen and take him for himself.

( Flashback )

Waves of a deep blue ocean were crushing against two black rocks. The shade of the blue was so powerful and intense that no man nor elf nor any creature could even dare to fight it. Aragorn tilted his head to the right admiring the beauty that wilderness provoked.

"What??" came a voice.

Aragorn snapped out of his trance and fixed his pupils out of the ocean. A face appeared in front of his own as a pair of deep blue eyes shone from it piercing him with annoyance.

"Why are you staring at me?? And what did you want?? You've been walking here in circles noisier than Oliphant, inviting me, saying it's important and when I show up you stare like an orc to a vegetable." Hissed the voice.

Aragorn's eyes finally retrieved the focus in the darkness as he recognised the milky-white face with those magnificent blue jewels as Haldir's.

"I'm sorry meleth, I got carried away with your beauty." The man said.

"Aragorn, what do you want?"

"What do I want? Well, most of all I want you." He said that with such seductiveness that Haldir almost tripped over a root and fell. He looked Aragorn incredulously and slowly backed away; he didn't want this nor needed it right now. Oh, who was he kidding? He wanted it more than anything but he could never have it, and it had to stop right now.

The elf plied Aragorn with a look of pure annoyed impatience as he composed himself. "You said it was urgent and important. Get to the point."

Aragorn saw that the tactic he was using wouldn't work this time, he had to find a better one, "Already? I thought that we could talk a bit before..."

Haldir said nothing, just glared at him.

The man sighed, "Alright. I'll get to the point then."

Marchwarden crossed his hands over his chest and continued to stare annoyingly.

"Haldir, we both know that we can't be just friends, far from it. I know you love me and I love you. Why fight it?" Aragorn said reasonably.

"Why fight it? Why fight it?? Why fight what??" asked Haldir in annoyance. He dissolved his hands from his chest and started to walk silently and slowly around Aragorn forming a circle.

"Your imagination has done its thing this time. How can you be so self centred to say such a thing. Just because your mind had a twitch or you're in a mood for a very cruel joke we should all be bowing to you? Like you are a king or a royalty. You should really get rid of that altitude because a- you are never going to be a king, you are too manipulative to become a king and b- you haven't got the blood to be a king. So, there's absolutely no reason for you to act all superior, you're just one more spot in the Middle-earth like the rest of us!" his voice started shivering at this point.

An awkward silence took its place in which both of them breathed deeply like they ran through the whole Lothlorien forest. A tension started to form between them. Aragorn looked as if he was willing to jump on Haldir at this instance and claim his passionately angry lips.

"Stop looking at me like that or I swear I'll hit you Aragorn!" the elf shouted hysterically.

"Why do you still deny it? Our love is free, no one can or will condemn us for it! We are free my love." Aragorn said calmly, oblivious to Haldir's annoyance.

"We are not free! We will never be! I can't love you! It is forbidden and you should know it!"

"Valar gave us our free will when we were born; we are to do with it what we want to. They cannot interfere!"

"You have apparently missed a few lessons about what Valar approve or not. They do not and never will approve what you say, maybe you are so bold to talk because you are human, but I am not. I am an elf and the word of Valar must be obeyed without any doubts! It is our guideline and our code! What would Lórien say if he heard you talking like this?" Haldir was raging, not only Aragorn clearly said he didn't care about Valar but he almost dragged him into too. The elves always respected and loved Valar more than people did. Aragorn almost crossed a very dangerous line.

"I don't care what he would say! I care about you! I love you! Surely they can't deny love, even if they say it's wrong. Love is what moves us." Aragorn yelled back, why won't Haldir understand?

"I care. I always cared; you think that all I want right now is to be with you. I don't, I never loved you that much. You live in your own imaginary world Aragorn and that world is not mine." Haldir said it, those painful words that tore his soul too. He lied for everyone's good, he had to. Valar wouldn't permit their love and they had to stop it.

Aragorn twitched, his face assimilated a painful expression, "You don't mean that. You, you love me! I know it! You can't fool me mela."

Haldir simply waved his head sadly and whispered, "No, it was an illusion. I cannot love you, you are my friend and that is the way it shall stay. Goodbye Aragorn, I wish you a happy life."

The man's eyes flashed with grief and filled with tears,"Haldir, meleth-nin, don't do this to me! You can't!!" he yelled but Haldir already turned away.

"Haldir! Don't!" Aragorn screamed and walked after the love of his life but Haldir didn't turn. He had to get away as fast as he could or else he'd crumble, and he couldn't allow it. He ran, through the forest and away from Aragorn. Away from everything. Aragorn's words and pleas still rang in his ears, the tears that sipped from the man's eyes burned like they were his own. He ran away and that was the best or the worst thing he ever did. Haldir stumbled helplessly under a tree when he assured himself that Aragorn wasn't following him anymore.

Yes, the man was devastated. The most painful words came out of his most beloved person, the words which cut out his heart and his knees. He didn't remember falling on the grass. All he could remember was combing his fingers between the strokes of his hair and then doing the same to the grass as he fell on his hands without any control of his body. He was completely and utterly broken, inside and outside, tears caressing his face and his fingers in the grass. There was nothing else to live for.

The rain started crying, uniting the two sad persons in the forest. Haldir watched his face crooked in the drops on the leaves around him, same as his heart was.

"No more" A voice in his head ringed. "No more."

It was all over at last.

( Flashback End )

Aragorn twitched from his thoughts. He could not take it any longer. He reached a large rock and ran behind it. Tears slide down his face without control, why was he doing this to himself? The devastated man crouched with his back against the warm surface and buried his face into his palms. He felt something under his foot and peaked between his fingers. He moved his foot and saw one of the hobbit's leaf pins. "Greenleaf." He whispered stroking the smooth surface.

Legolas felt somewhat better, he watched as Aragorn left and turned to leave himself. He was tired of being in that place, the darkness was gone but that didn't mean he liked being in front of the Black Gates surrounded by dead soldiers and orcs. Gimli already left by foot as it seemed for Arod awaited him not too far away. Legolas fondled him proudly, he was a fair and honourable friend through these dark times, and he would have to make sure to award him properly.

Legolas heard another horse approaching behind and then a familiar voice spoke to him, "Going back to Gondor? May I join?"

"Why of course you can my lord!" The elven prince turned around and smiled as he mounted Arod.

"Alright then, my prince!" retorted Eomer.

"Oooh, I see you've been doing some research on me, my lord!" Legolas added amusingly.

"Not a research, merely a question or two, and if you stop calling me my lord I will stop calling you my prince."

"Alright, I will stop calling you my lord. From now on you are a Sir!" answered Legolas.

"And if I am a Sir, you just might be a princeling of Mirkwood." added Eomer with a smirk.

"I see that your source of information was my little soon-to-be-smashed friend Gimli." laughed the prince.

"Oh, now you've made me a traitor." Said the man with irony as Legolas climbed up his horse.

"Shall we gather everyone else?" he added casually, changing the subject

Gandalf was watching in silence from a distance. He gave the hobbits something to eat and glared at Aragorn as he hugged Legolas. Something twitched his heart, something new which wasn't friendship, it was jealousy. How could this happen?? It was just a hug. How could he be jealous about something as innocent as that? But it wasn't innocent, it was not at all. He saw Aragorn's eyes behind Legolas's shoulder. "Filthy man." whispered Gandalf. He could never be worthy of something as pure as the prince.

Eomer and Legolas counted the number of those who fell and ordered the rest of soldiers to gather and bring them back to the city. There would be a big burial ceremony held that night and they had to make sure everyone got the proper medal of honour for the bravery they had shown against the Dark forces, even if the price was their lives. After that Legolas and Eomer continued back to Gondor while chatting about nothing particular, they were finally allowed to talk normally now that everything was finished.

"So, a joyous or not so joyous day for Gondor is approaching?" asked Eomer "Although I think Aragorn is very hurt still. I think I saw him running behind a rock, I do not know what that was."

"A joyous day maybe, we won but many families lost their husbands and brothers, and those scars are not so easily mended…" answered Legolas deep in thoughts.

"Yes. Oh, well, maybe it was just nature calling, after this great battle and all, body has its needs so running behind a rock isn't that strange. Anyway, they could use more trees around here now…"

Legolas stopped listening to Eomer; his heart was aching to leave this dull, gloomy area which aggravated his depressed mood. Why were people forced to participate in such events, these were joyous only to their families, sometimes not even them. He wanted to leave this sullen place but he felt nothing like celebrating either. Nonetheless he continued in as slow pace as it was possible feeling the pain in his chest spreading like a disease in every step of the way.

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