"Once again, how did you say that word?"- Bjarte struggled to remember the way Haldir was telling certain words and repeat it. The blond elf only sighed and smiled. His patience with the boy was quite lasting and the boy was learning fast so he found it interesting to talk with him.
His gaze absently trailed towards the prince who was silently following Aragorn's horse. Haldir only wondered how long will it take before the elf decides upon his fate. Bjarte's question rang in his ears once again so he turned back to the boy.
The night was falling fast as they were passing by the cove where Aragorn was attacked, but now there were no orcs or any other suspicious thing. In fact, it was calm.
"We should rest here and continue tomorrow."- Aragorn offered and stilled his horse. The elf frowned but uttered no word for he knew that, although Haldir and Aragorn needed no rest, there was a human boy who would like to sleep and eat in peace. Legolas only slightly nodded and eyed the entrance of the cove. One familiar figure moved and he breathed out in surprise.
"My king."- Devon smiled when he approached them with his servant following him in step. He did not even glance at the elf.
Haldir suddenly lifted his gaze when his horse neighted in discomofort and gazed at the still man before him. Instinctively, he pulled the reins and forced his horse to take a step back.
"Devon."- Aragorn nodded, not surprised to see him for he knew that the necromancer would never accept to go to any elven lands, even if he was offered. And surely, there was no way Legolas would offer anything like that. The row between the elf and Devon was something the man didn't know about and it seemed that neither Legolas nor Devon wanted to bring up that topic. And if the elf was not willing to talk about it, then Bjarte had no intention to do anything that could put his friend in awkward position.
"You are well."- the man nearly said in annoying tone, still ignoring everyone else, including Haldir. Legolas hissed quietly when he got off his horse.
"Yes, nothing serious."- Aragorn mumbled and walked beside him, leading his horse to the cove. The elf had thrown one piercing glare at Devon before he hurried to the man, with the boy behind him.
Haldir took one hesitating step but his eyes were fixed on the necromancer. There was no fear or suspicion in them- only disliking. The necromancer wasn't something he wanted to mess with, but he wasn't scared of him. Devon returned the gaze coldly and yawned. After it, he simply turned his back on the elf and went to the cove.
Haldir caressed his horse's mane.
"Calm down, my friend. We shall not share this cove with him tonight."- he assured the nervous animal and removed the reins and the saddle from him. Haldir freed the horse and let him to gallope wherever he wanted, certain that he will come back in the morning.
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The boy was peacefully lying on his cloak with closed eyes. It was the middle of the night and his dreaming was undisturbed. He shuddered once and turned on the other side. He slightly frowned.
Legolas, same like the boy, was lying down on the stone. His eyes were closed too, but he was awake. He couldn't relax when he knew that Devon was sleeping few meters away from him, in his corner. Although he was sure that Devon won't follow them anymore, there was a hard feeling in his heart that wouldn't let him breathe normally. Last time they departed, Devon was indeed mad and humilated and now he acted as if nothing had happened. He barely spoke a word with them through the whole night. Something was wrong with him and nothing could deceive the elf, not even the sight of the sleeping necromancer, with his brittle fingers tangled together and laid on his chest.
One gentle hand suddenly touched his shoulder and shook him carefully. He blinked in surprise. Above him, there was Haldir.
"Legolas?"- he whispered quietly and his eyes were weakly glowing under the moonlight but his face expression was hard to read.
"Yes?"- the elf coughed and lifted his body up a bit before one confident hand was firmly pressed on his chest, pushing him down again. Haldir shook his head.
"No, I didn't mean to disturb you. I wanted to tell you I am going for a walk. I cannot sleep in here."- he said and glanced at the sleeping form of the necromancer.
At first, Legolas was blankly staring at his clear eyes but then he nodded in understanding.
"Aye, feel free."- the elf whispered, not wishing to wake the restless boy up.
When Haldir smiled and removed his hand, preparing to get up, Legolas suddenly sat up and pulled the elf by his tunic.
"Haldir, wait!"- he hissed quietly and the blond elf turned around curiously.
Legolas swallowed at the sight of the elf that was so familiar to him, that looked almost same like him. Same eyes, same hair, same quiet, nearly imperceptible and swift movements.
"Thank you.. I am glad you are with us."- he whispered and his hand fell down on the ground.
At first, Haldir was shocked by this sudden confession but then he gave a somewhat sorrowful smile.
"Pleasure is mine."- he answered back and sat in silence with the elf. He wanted so bad to tell Legolas everything the Lady told him, but the elf knew that is wasn't up to him to enlight the prince. At last, he sighed and got up. In slow, careful steps, he left the cove, leaving Legolas alone in the dark.
On the other hand, Legolas remained to lie on his side and stare into the night, thinking about nothing in particular. He could hear Bjarte's ragged and nervous breathing, as if he was having a nightmare. When he was about to walk to the boy and wake him up in order to end that bad dream, his gaze accidently fell on Aragorn's bed made of few pieces of cloth. It was empty.
Legolas shuddered a bit and looked around the cove. The man was nowhere to be found. The elf narrowed his eyes and stood up. He was quietly moving across their shelter, his view slightly unclear for the moonlight couldn't break the darkness apart- it was too thick. Legolas started to worry.
He was roaming around the cove until he decided to go out and check if Aragorn was there, assuming that the man changed his mind about the watch- maybe he concluded that it would be better if someone was awake. And Legolas was right.
On a small but thick piece of old wood, there was Aragorn sitting. His back was turned on the cove and he was obviously smoking his pipe. But Legolas wasn't right about the second part- the man wasn't taking a watch. He was too moony, he hasn't even noticed or heard the elf approaching him.
"Aragorn?"- he jumped at the sound of the elven voice, not expecting it at all. He blinked and looked behind him, eyeing the still elf who was standing above his head.
"You are not sleeping?"- Aragorn asked and moved aside so Legolas could sit next to him. He took the pipe out of his mouth and placed it down on the ground, knowing that the elf didn't like the smell of smoke.
"No, I am not tired yet."- Legolas chuckled when he sat down.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"- the man suddenly asked and lifted his chin in manner of pointing at the view before them. Endless surface of a dry and cracked earth with rare plants that fought to survive in this waterless area were shining under the weak moon. By day, everything looked yellow and sick, with no sign of life or vegetation, but now, in the night, one couldn't wish for a calmer place than this one.
Legolas nodded slowly and looked up into the sky.
"Yes, it is. But is it is too dark. I can't see stars. Besides, this land seems lifeless"- he said absently. After this, silence took over.
The elf lowered his eyes down and studied the man's profile. Some light was sparkling weakly but his eyes were gloomy. He was looking before himself, not really seeing anything.
"Yes, you are right. This land is indeed lifeless."- Aragorn agreed slowly and strained his eyes, as if he was trying to see something.
"But it was not always such. What have happened here?"- Legolas asked.
Aragorn weakly smiled, making the elf wonder if he had asked a wrong question.
"Life has happened, Legolas, life. Time."- the man spoke quietly and Legolas stilled himself, sensing that Aragorn was troubled my certain things.
The man lowered his gaze and tangled his fingers.
"You've been asking why I am troubled since we abandoned Minas Tirith. I refused to answer your questions, but now.. What's the point? Do you really want to know what I was thinking about?"- he lifted his head and looked at the elf who was staring at him with both confusion and curiosity burning inside of his pupils. He nodded. Aragorn shook his head and sighed. Once again, he looked before himself and slightly leaned over his knees.
"I saw how Borghild was looking at you. It's not like I didn't know for his obvious interest, but it has never been that intense. It looked like.. Like life was passing by him. And only then could I realize how much you mean to me."- Legolas raised his eyebrows at this completely sudden and confusing conclusion, but he didn't stop the man.
Aragorn swallowed once.
"Before you came, I had a completely different life. We can say I was slightly different than now. Yes, I had lovers, even loves, but I wasn't able to commit myself fully to them. They were so breakable, gentle.. They couldn't resist time and aging. Before I knew, they had turned old, sere and they died before my eyes and there was nothing I could do and save them. So I decided that it's better not to give myself to them for no one could endure me, no one could keep my pace."- Aragorn suddenly stopped and looked at the elf.
"I was their eternity and they were my moments. Do you understand how cruel, unfair that was?"- Legolas' throat went tight when he captured the pain in the man's eyes.
"I've hoped that, when I enter the last chapter of my life, I could find someone who can carry that burden with me and, for the first time, last longer than me. And I did. I've found you."- he smiled and hesitating caressed one high cheek with his fingers.
"But what I hadn't planned is exactly what have happened to me. I started to love, knowing that my life won't last long. And when I saw Borghild, I understood that tables have been turned. I became someone's moment, and someone became my eternity. But I am so tired of living. My days shall end soon, I can feel it, but.."- there was a hand over his mouth and he was silenced.
"Stop.. Please, don't talk."- Legolas whispered in shaky voice with tears in his eyes. His was shaking like a leaf on a breeze. Aragorn smiled painfully. With his rough palm, he grabbed the elf's wrist and dragged his palm down his mouth.
"It is truth, Legolas, no matter how much we avoid to discuss it, we cannot ignore it. Just look at my face. I am older."- and Legolas could see small, new wrinkles near the man's eyes. They were invisible to a human's eye, but one elf could clearly see them.
The elf touched the man's face and rested his forhead against Aragorn's.
"Your beard and hair are not gray. You are not old, my love."- he whispered desperately and closed his eyes.
"Maybe my aging is not quite visible, but I feel it."- Aragorn protested. Even Legolas' bones shivered. He grabbed the man's chin.
"Promise me. Promise me you won't leave me."- he warned the man but it sounded morelike a plea.
Aragorn sighed.
"As long as it depends on me, I shall stay. But you have to understand one thing... I cannot remain to sit on my throne as long as I am alive. Do you really think I would accept to rule my kingdom to the very day when I become senile, when I am not aware of what I am speaking and when I am not even capable of washing my body myself? No, Legolas, that won't happen. I have to die with dignity. And that's the gift given by Valars to the Dúnedain- we can lie down and die when we feel that our end is near."- the man stated firmly although the elf was shaking his head and grasping his tunic with trembling fingers.
"I hate when you speak such things. Have you forgotten your promise? You shall sail with me, Aragorn. And there is no death or aging in Valinor. You shall recover there and be young again. It's not the end.- Legolas hissed, not even capable of enduring the thought about life without Aragorn.
Aragorn nodded slowly.
"Yes, I know. But that does not change the fact that I am a mortal and I feel all of the curses and blisses of my mortal life."- he whispered and opened his arms when Legolas nuzzled his neck. He wrapped his arms around the elf's back and pressed him tightly on his chest.
"We can ignore reality, but we can't ignore the consequences of ignoring reality."- Aragorn sighed and caressed the blond hair.
"I ignore nothing, I just refuse to talk about your death when there is no need for it's not going to happen."- Legolas mumbled in the ranger's clothing.
Aragorn sighed and smiled, this time with relief.
"There, that's what I have been thinking about."- and Legolas lifted his head.
"I wish I could slap you and erase those thoughts out of your insane mind."- he half-joked, and kissed the man's lips briefly.
"There are less painful ways."- the man murmured and pulled the elf closer. He tangled his fingers in Legolas' hair and pressed their mouth together.
"Wouldn't know."- Legolas panted but either way parted his lips willingly and gave the man better access to the soft pile of flesh inside of his mouth.
To prove his point, Aragorn grabbed him by his waist and easily forced the elf to sit on his lap.
"And you are not too old for this, mm?"- the elf giggled but pressed their bodies together when the man let his hand to roam over his back and neck.
Aragorn only rolled his eyes and rested his hands in the small of Legolas' back. He pressed his cheek against Legolas' chest and settled down with hearing the beating of his heart.
Legoals happily sighed and tangled his fingers in the man's dark curls. He lowered his chin down on his nape.
"I am glad you've told me."- he said quietly and closed his eyes.
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"Master, master!"- Devon rolled his eyes, annoyed, but remained to sit next to the boy, with his skinny hand on the boy's forhead.
"What is it?"- he asked his servant, ignoring Bjarte's weak moans filled with discomfort and his desperate twists.
"I've heard something."- the creature told hesitating and stopped when he noticed the boy's state. He knew that Bjarte was unable to wake up for his master held him firmly while he was lazily sucking out his energy and health.
"Do you wait for me to encourage you to go on?"- Devon yawned and narrowed his eyes when he felt how much Bjarte was struggling to keep his sense together, blocking his access.
The little man shuddered and felt a hint of horror when he looked at Bjarte's sweaty face.
"I-I've hear the elf speaking to Elessar. He said something about Valinor.."- he stopped and jumped when Bjarte shrieked queitly.
"Dammit!"- Devon cursed- "You are strong, boy, aren't you."- he laughed out of all sudden but the palm wasn't removed.
"Elessar is going to sail with the elf!"- he almost yelled at his master.
Devon looked up with pure surprise in his dark eyes.
"He's going to sail? Are you insane? Humans cannot sail."- he frowned and looked down at the boy.
"No, you are wrong, master! I've heard them well! The elf mentioned some promise, vow, I-I don't know! But I know he said that Elessar won't die."- he spoke feverishly. And it seemed that he earned some of Devon's attention.
"Well, Elessar.. Maybe.. But I don't really understand why."- he raised his eyebrows.
"I don't know either, but there is no need for you to do that.."- the man gently pleaded, saddened to see Bjarte like this.
After few minutes in silence, Devon suddenly stood up and left the boy alone. His servant breathed out in relief.
"Well, well.. You are certain?"- the necromancer asked the man absently and he nodded rapidly.
"Oh.. Interesting. But he is a threat."- he said and studied the lying boy who was finally able to breathe normally.
Devon was looking down at him for some time. At last, he simply turned around and headed to his corner. His slave was startled at first.
"M-master? The boy... wha.?"- he started to mumble but the necromancer hissed.
"Let him be. I've changed my mind. Sleep now. We are going back to Gondor tomorrow."- Devon said, already half asleep when he lowered his body down.
"B-but the elf? The man? What about them?"- the slave whispered quickly.
"They are heading to Mirkwood. I cannot follow them anymore. Besides, if you are telling me the truth, then it should be easy to bring Legolas back to Gondor. All we need is Elessar. But if you are lying.. I am warning you.."- he started but the creature jumped.
"I am not! It's the truth! Every word!"- and Devon closed his eyes peacefully.
"Then there is nothing to worry about. We are going home tomorrow. I am not prepared anyway. It's good it turned out like this. Finally I will get some sleep."- he whispered in sleeping tone.
"But how will you bring the king back, master?"- the creature asked curiously.
"That is my concern. Now, shut up."-he was already asleep.
The creature, once again, slowly sneaked to the entrance of the cove and looked at Elessar and the elf. They were whispering something and from time to time, they would laugh quietly or touch each other. He sighed and returned back to his master.
And Devon, same like Legolas, was truly happy that night.
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One elleth was slowly walking through a lifeless garden. Easy, pale dress was touching the ground. Her long, blond hair was hanging down her narrow back and her white, porcelain face was calm. Blue waters inside of her beautiful eyes were warm and kind.
In the middle of the night she was awake and same like Thranduil, she was waiting for Legolas.