The down side of Love, Loyalty and Duty.
Warning: This is M for a reason, and though there may be no drugs there is still violence, course language, sexual references and scenes and also the use of alcohol.
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. Cause if I did, THIS is how it would end~!
Note: The chats between Aragorn and Legolas are always in Elvish. Also with Arwen.
2nd Note: Talking with anyone else is in english.
Chapter seven: A secret Affair
Aragorn didn't know how he felt about no one knowing his son was his own, but he understood the repercussions, were this information to ever get out. Then there was the matter of Gimli. Aragorn had always suspected the man of feelings for his elf, but never had the king acquired a solid argument. But, he knew a look of longing love, the constant craving that ate away at your very essence as your soul cried out for another. He turned the smokey gaze to the blonde elf and internally let out a forlorn sigh.
Legolas refused to meet Aragorn's gaze as he and Gimli chatted about their missing years, filling in the blanks in each others lives. Aragorn listened attentively as his love shared memories of their son's first sounds, crawl... just, all of it. It touched his heart in ways that he naught had felt for years. But the memories were laced in a bitter melancholy for there were so many regrets.
"The little tyke sure raised some hell aye Legolas?" Gimli chuckled as Legolas recounted how the baby screamed his head off the first time someone other than Legolas tried to hold him.
"Mmhm, yes, but I'm actually a little glad that he's so dependent of me. It helped me get over my grief..." Aragorn wanted, in that moment, nothing more than to turn and wind his arms around his lover. Wanted to sooth away the ache he so unwittingly caused. How he wished nothing more than to rewind the clock back to the dawn of that nightmarish day, where he denied the elf and denied his heart. Where he denied his child.
"Oh Legolas, I can offer you nothing but my condolences... how can I ease your pain?" Gimli beseeched, causing Aragorn's hackles to rise.
"You cannot." Aragorn spoke without thinking, and with a bit too much bite.
"I beg your pardon?" Gimli raised his brows in shock. Legolas actually had the gall to be amused by this situation. In fact it looked like the elf had predicted this very outcome.
"I am sorry my dwarvern friend, I simply meant that losing the one you love is a loss so great only time can manage to heal... no not even heal, simply harden... though I suppose you know greater loss than I." Aragorn mused. "I did not mean to offend."
"You are correct in that assumption." Gimli's gaze darkened. "But you are forgiven, for I understand perhaps I was too presumptuous in my wording." he smiled charmingly at Legolas. Legolas simply smiled his patient smile and rocked the giggling baby in his arms.
"It is fine mellon nin. Adar and Nana managed to salvage me and make sure I was not completely incompetent both before and after Melleth's birth." he joked lightheartedly, causing the blond haired boy to squeal in delight, waving his arms around joyously. Aragorn's heart melted into a puddle of ooze as he stared at the pair, enamored.
'By all the gods of Valar, none is more beautiful, more radiant than they. No smile more precious, no eyes more kind.' The overwhelming urge to grab the elven prince by his cheeks and kiss him senseless was almost too strong for Aragorn to resist. Legolas looked up at Aragorn through his lashes, the small smile still lighting his face, eyes dancing with mirth.
"Elessar, why do you tremble?" The elvish words rolled off his tongue with all the beauty and elegance of a prince.
"I tremble with the struggle I endure to not capture you in my arms and lose myself in your love right this very moment." Aragorn all but husked, eyes dark with promise. Legolas' lips parted as Aragorn's words caused him to take a shuttered breaths.
"Please, you cannot say things like this in front of our companions, if anyone were to overhear-"
"Lo-Legolas, why do you fret? You would have heard just as well and the only other elvish one here is Arwen."
"The Evenstar is not without wit, she will know Elessar, and she may not survive it." Legolas warned, stroking his babe's head gently.
"If that time were to come perhaps then my time with you would not be so fleeting." Aragorn lamented. Legolas smiled a soft, heart-breaking smile.
"No my love," Aragorn's breath hitched. "Circumstances were made as they are with good reason. You and I rule different kingdoms, far apart. I could not fool myself, for me to take a wife would have been close upon impossible, I would be unable to perform, Valar smiled upon me that day and presented me with a miracle though it be a selfish one. I received my love, two to love me, a son and an heir. I could not take more, especially what is doomed to fail."
"Legolas, how could you say that?" Aragorn's heart broke.
"I say it because it is easy, and true, and so very painful. So let me enjoy my moments with you as I can. Leave our son to have a peaceful life." Aragorn stilled at this. After a few moments of silence, with the two kings simply staring at each other, Aragorn sighed as he yielded.
"What of us?" he murmured.
"We be what we can be, for we both know we cannot deny each other, nor does it seem we wish it." Legolas stated. Silence ensued once again as both kings lost themselves in thoughts.
"So uh, does anyone care to translate?" Gimli chuckled, raising a brow. Both kings jolted, realizing that they had lost themselves in the conversation.
"I am so sorry Gimli, it was to do with problems in the elvish community that cannot be disclosed yet, I apologize for the secrecy." Legolas lied easily. He had gotten regrettably used to it with the constant need to hide Melleth or any of the details of the child's birth or heritage.
"Oh it's no problem at all. But it does remind me, I want to learn elvish, would you... be able to help me?" Legolas opened his mouth to agree, but caught sight of Aragorn's disgruntled figure.
"As enjoyable as that would be, I regrettably have to decline. Between Melleth and the kingdom, it seems time is not on my side. However, I can have one of my scholars aid you if you so wish it?" He pretended not to notice the way the light in Gimli's eyes was immediately extinguished.
"Uh, I dunno, maybe, I'll think on it." Gimli's smile was forced, but Legolas steeled himself to it. He was allowed to be selfish, just for a little while. While he was within Gondor walls, he would be selfish. Time spent will be with his family, by Aragorn's side, with their son in their arms. Gimli was his best friend, but he could not allow himself to miss such an opportunity, especially one so short, for he would be leaving by the next full moon.
Aragorn always wished for his companions' happiness, however, he could not help the sick feeling of pleasure that bloomed inside of him as the dwarf was shot down once again. The knowledge that the blonde haired warrior's heart was solely his own for the taking filled his own heart with light and warmth along with the knowledge that, among friends, they had could speak freely and secretly to each other without worry. It would certainly make future events simpler.
"We have finally arrived." Aragorn broke the awkward silence as guards opened the doors to the banquet hall with flourish. "Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, how wonderful it is to see you again." The trio went to greet the rest of their friends, hugs and joyous laughter all around.
"Good heavens, is that a baby?" Sam's brows shot to his hairline as he gushed over Melleth.
"Yes, his name is Melleth, my son." Legolas spoke with pride as clear as crystals. He stroked the blond tuft of hair gently, rocking the infant. Aragorn soon stood beside him, caressing their son's face with a brush of his thumb, smiling down at the giggling figure.
"Oh wow..." Frodo whispered.
"It's so-"
"Chubby." Merry and Pippin's eyes went wide as they started to play with the baby's hands.
"Pfft, you guys can't talk." Frodo rolled his eyes at them, before going back to coo over the babe.
Legolas laughed softly. "Isn't he precious?" he hummed in contentment, nothing could be more perfect than this. His child in his arms, the love of his life right beside him, surrounded by his friends. He smiled up at Aragorn, knowing he was thinking the same. Aragorn grinned dopily back at his love, he shared the sentiment.
"So where's the mother?" Frodo asked, looking up to Legolas.
"Oh, well..." Legolas sighed. "She does not exist..." he tried to word carefully.
"Anymore." Aragorn finished, eying the blond wearily.
"Oh no, Legolas we're so sorry, do we-?" Sam questioned the elf.
"Gentlemen, we should not push the matter, no doubt the wounds are still fresh." Aragorn cut in, throwing a frown towards the inquisitive hobbits.
"Why don't we all go to the garden and speak there. It's a lovely day, and we have so much to catch up on." Legolas questioned, looking to Aragorn, who nodded reassuringly.
"Legolas is right, come, let's head outside." As Aragorn tried to move away, the baby started to wail. With a jump he returned to his lover's side, shushing his son gently. "May I?" Aragorn questioned, more for the sake of those around them than anything. Legolas nodded, handing the child over to his other father. "Come Mell, calm yourself." He rocked the infant gently in his arms, still leading the way out to the palace courtyard.
"Attached to the king already?" Sam raised a curious brow. Legolas shrugged helplessly. "Initially I was surprised too, however, thinking on it, I suppose Aragorn has always been good with children." Legolas mused, watching over his family with fond eyes.
"Oooo- I wanna hold him!" Merry's eyes sparkled.
"Hey, wait your turn." Pippin glared at his brother.
Legolas' eyes shot up in alarm and Gimli glared at the ground. "Oh no I am sorry my young friends, I am afraid that won't be possible. Melleth isn't very fond of strangers you see... he's still wary of my own parents. So please don't be upset if he denies you. Aragorn is... just a miracle worker." Legolas caught himself before revealing their secret.
"Oh, well that sucks." the twins muttered together.
"Perhaps when he's a little older he will settle?" Legolas tried to appease (please change Melleth's age in your minds to 14 months). The hobbits nodded and Gimli simply pursed his lips, eying Aragorn with jealousy. There was more to this than meets the eye. And so Elbereth help him, he would find out. No matter what.
Heeeeey guys. What's up? Feel free to ignore the fact that it's been like a year. Pssh, think of it as like, an elf's day. But in all seriousness. I am truly, deeply sorry. I seem to have dropped into a mood for the past year and I wasn't able to shake it off. But now I can~! So hopefully, look forward to a faster update ;D