Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. Thanks for the reviewers who posted these ideas. There will be flashbacks about Aragorn's wedding day and his goodbye to Legolas. Let's begin.

Aragorn moaned softly as he uncurled his arm from around Eldarion. The young prince immediately awoke and looked at Aragorn. "Is everything alright, Ada?" He asked softly.

Aragorn gave him a gently smile as the king spoke. "My body is not as young as it once was, ion nin. Now I cannot sleep on the floor like this again without feeling my body protest against every movement."

With a fluid motion Eldarion rose and extended his hand to Aragorn. Within a few moments Aragorn was hauled to his feet and together they proceeded to their bedrooms. The silence between them became painful as the minutes passed. Finally stopping in front of Aragorn's door, the king turned to say. "I wish to speak with you, Eldarion. I have a tale to tell you which hopefully will make you understand me more as well as the choices I made."

Meeting his son's confused gaze Aragorn then walked in. He held the door open even as he sat down near the fire in the chair, resting back against the cushions. Soon he felt the weight shift and Eldarion sat down beside him.

"Then tell you tale, Ada and be comforted." The young man said softly as Aragorn smiled and allowed his memories to take him.

The day was bright as Aragorn looked around the people gathered to see the newly crowned king of Gondor. He felt the weight of the crown settle on his head as Gandalf spoke the words. "May they be blessed." He rose up and forced to smile at the wizard and the gathered crowd.

The song of his people passed his lips without a thought even as he was oblivious to the worried stares he received from his friends. He walked forward numbly until he found himself looking at Legolas. The elf merely gave him a smile as his eyes rimmed with tears.

He found himself thanking the elf, even as his thoughts burned and his heart seemed to be swallowed in darkness. "I want you to be mine but it cannot be. Know my heart shall weep every time I see you and I pray that in time I shall be with you."

But instead he merely thanked the elf. Thanking him for loving him and for being there with him throughout the dark times and hopefully to be there in the light times as well. He followed the elven line of vision to see Elrond waiting for him.

There was a silver banner in front of the elven lord and curiously Aragorn released Legolas to walk forward. He could feel a dark feeling settling in his limbs, this would be his undoing, he was sure of it.

He took the banner as Arwen's beautiful face became visible behind it. Swallowing hard, he forced a smile to his lips, knowing what she deserved. She smiled at him in an away it made his heart ache and the next moment she cast an uncertain look at Legolas.

Not following her gaze Aragorn could feel the cry of his soul mate. He knew his own soul echoed that cry as his people started cheering. He did what he thought he could never do and moved forward to capture Arwen's lips in a soaring kiss, spinning them both around as she threw her arms around him.

He buried his head in her hair, trembling with the intense pain of his soul. He did not respond when he felt a calm hand upon his back only when distressed cries reached his ears as he tried to move his limbs but found he could not.

Closing his eyes he allowed himself to sink into darkness. The next moment a gentle light reached him and he held on, recognizing the light as his father's overpowering strength.

He opened his eyes as a voice called for him and found himself sitting on the stone steps in front of the throne, head held up only by sheer willpower and Elrond's hands. The older elf was peering in his eyes and Aragorn broke away to look around the room.

He was alone with Elrond and Gandalf. Deafening cries were raised outside of the closed doors and Aragorn could hear Faramir's voice raising effortless above the crowd. Gandalf was leaning heavily on his staff as Elrond sat back on his heels, still keeping a firm hand upon Aragorn's shoulder.

"What happened?" Aragorn eventually forced out, meeting their gazes.

"Legolas collapsed and you started swaying the moment after. Arwen started crying out, she is in the care of her brothers now and I have taken you inside. But we were hoping that you might tell us?" Elrond said softly but in a firm tone.

"I do not know." He said softly, eyes cast down as he remembered the kiss he and Arwen had shared.

"What is the link between you and Legolas, Estel? I need to know." This time his father's voice was calm as he felt a hand underneath his chin to force his gaze up.

"I love him, Atar…" The words spilled from his lips and he could see the shock in Elrond's handsome features.

The elven lord reeled backwards as he cast a quick look with Gandalf before they both sank down on their knees before Aragorn. "Estel, did you bind with Legolas?" Elrond asked quickly.

"No, we chose not to because I was meant to marry Arwen." The man answered softly. He felt tears made their way across his cheeks as Elrond's gaze softened.

"Ai, Legolas will fade then." The aged wizard ran a hand through his white hair. Aragorn stood up, shock coursing through him.

"No, you must save him, Ada. Please for my survival and for Arwen's. I cannot live without him." Elrond placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder and pressed him back down.

"Do not worry, Estel. There is a way to keep Legolas from fading and that is by your binding with him." If Aragorn had thought the answer made things simpler, he had been wrong.

"Oh, it is that easy, huh? Simply because I bind with him, he will not fade. Have you forgotten I am supposed to marry Arwen today and make her mine in the ways of the elves, thus binding with her? And this will not kill Legolas!" He spat out.

"What do you want, Estel?" Aragorn was not aware that Elrond had joined him on the stone steps. Not until he felt his father's arm around his shoulders and blinked to focus his eyes upon the ancient elf. "By binding with Legolas, you will not only save his soul but yours as well and eventually Arwen and your kingdom. It is possible what we are proposing."

"Oh, really how then?" Aragorn asked weary, resting his head against the soft shoulder padding of Elrond's robe as he had done when he was a small child.

"By binding with Legolas and not with Arwen," Elrond's voice shook as he voiced those words. Aragorn raised his head slightly to see a tear making its way down Elrond's cheek but even so the elven lord smiled calmly.

"But if I bed Arwen, I will bind with her, would I not?" The man asked carefully, aware of the pain Elrond must be feeling now.

"There is a way for Arwen not to bind with you. But it depends entirely on her. Elves, like humans, can have several lovers without ever binding, although it is rare. If Arwen chooses not to bind with you, she is free to find a different partner through you will be married in the ways of Men." Gandalf softly explained.

"But it does not sound fair to her. Why would she deny herself the comfort of a true binding?" Aragorn swallowed thickly as he asked.

"Out of love for you and Legolas, And also for herself, she will know your love for her is not true, well perhaps it is not the right word, but she will know you do not love her completely. The most important part of you will always belong to Legolas." Elrond said in a shaky whisper.

"Then I will leave it to Arwen if it is the only way to save Legolas." With those words Aragorn finally gave way to tears as Elrond held him, comforting him.

Aragorn took a shaky breath as he saw Eldarion had watched him like a hawk all though the tale. "What eventually happened?" The young prince asked as Aragorn took another deep breath.

"That is a secret I have kept for years and which I will finally tell you. That evening I saved both my life and Legolas' life by binding with him. What Arwen did was the most unselfish thing I have ever heard. She married me without ever binding with me or allowing herself the comforts that a bonding would bring." Aragorn softly answered.

"And Legolas?" Eldarion asked, shaking himself.

"I married Legolas in the truest sense of the word. But he and I never lived together and even after Arwen died we were very cautious about our relationship. Only two people other then the three of us know about this and these were Elrond and Gandalf. Elrond was not angry when Legolas and I finally got together but when Legolas was raped he did take Legolas over the sea, out of fear Legolas would die and by his death mine would be only months away." Aragorn reached out to touch Eldarion upon the knee.

"I know this is hard on you, ion nin, but I hope that you understand my place and pain now. I am sorry for causing you all this hurt, Eldarion." Aragorn choked back tears as he stared at the boy sitting in front of him.

"All this time you have been without your soul mate? You have been ruling without the one you love by your side?" The boy asked softly as Aragorn only nodded.

"Now, I do understand your pain then and I am still sorry for the words I have spoken to you earlier. I hope I may never find myself in the same position as you did. I am proud of you, Ada and can only hope to become a great ruler like you one day."

With those loving words a relieved father pulled his son into his arms.

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