.

Aragorn.

He found Legolas outside the hall where the sounds of hilarity and joyous celebration echoed. The Wood Elves were celebrating the return of their prince and they were enjoying themselves while they did so, even in his absense.

"Why are you out here Legolas? This party is for you I believe."

Legolas sighed,

"I find I am not in the mood for partying tonight, I will just make them miserable, I thought I would get out of their way, let them be happy if they wish it. Gimli is enjoying it at least," and he gave a small smile.

He placed a hand carefully on Legolas's shoulder, he was still aware of unspoken turmoil churning between them and so wary of presuming too much contact.

"They are happy to have you back with them. They thought they had lost you."

"I know."

He waited but recieved no more reply than that.

He took a breath and tried again,

"We will leave in the morning, I would stay longer but..." His men awaited him on the edge of the forest and he did not want them deciding he had tarried too long here and come searching for him. A meeting between Men and elves was probably best avoided for now.

Legolas turned to face him.

" I understand you must leave." he said, "I thank you for bringing me this far."

He frowned at Legolas's formality, at the stilted wariness of their conversation.

"You will come back to Minas Tirith soon?" He asked although he knew it was unlikely.

"I do not know when I will be back there Aragorn." Legolas looked uneasy and his eyes slid off to the side avoiding his gaze.

" It is difficult... Things as they are ... Your people will not welcome me there I think." And he turned away.

But he would not allow him to avoid this conversation or dodge what lay between them by using the convienient excuse of his peoples distrust. He reached out and grasped his arm causing Legolas to swing back towards him.

"Do not give up on US Legolas! What my people think does not matter."

"It does matter Aragorn. It is their city, you are their King and I have wronged you. It does matter. You can not ignore their wishes."

He was frustrated beyond belief.

"It is you who have been wronged Legolas, by them, by me because I did not ensure you safety. I have forgiven you what happened in the forest, what more must I do to convince you this means nothing to me?"

"You have forgiven me but I find I cannot forgive myself." Legolas's reply was blunt and uncompromising.

"There is a chasm between us now, can you not feel it?"

"A chasm of your making. It is not real, we are still ourselves."

Legolas reached out and placed his hand gently over the bandage on his wounded arm.

"Of all that has happened to me it is this which causes me the most pain". His voice was low,

"I cannot believe myself capable of this, I fear it may happen again. I wish... I wish I could take it back. I cannot..." His voice broke, he quickly turned away and Aragorn was left distraught and completely at sea as to how to repair this. He could only say what he had said before and keep saying it until Legolas heard it, really heard it.

"Nothing has changed Legolas, it was not me you saw, it was not me you attacked. I know this. I wish you would believe me. You have nothing to make amends for. Nothing."

Legolas kept his back to him, he knew it was because he did not want him to see his distress. For a moment there was silence but finally he spoke again.

"I can only promise you I will try. I will try to fix this. I wish us to return to how things were. I do not want to lose our friendship, I will fight for us Aragorn, within myself."

And he realised that would have to be enough. He would have to wait, and hope, for Legolas to find a way through this himself.

"I will see you in the morning then" He said softly, and turned to leave but Legolas called out after him as he went,

"Wait Aragorn ! There is one more thing I must say..,,,.I have judged you harshly, I know that now. I am sorry."

He was confused and he knew he must look it.

"You have judged me? I do not follow..."

Legolas dropped his gaze to the ground and looked shamefaced.

"I talk of the sea longing. I chastised you in Minas Tirith, I accused you of treating me as a child, of refusing to see I have made my own choices and lived my own life."

"And you were right Legolas, I have done that. I needed to hear it."

"But now I realise it is not that easy... To let go of the guilt, to recognise the responsibility does not lie with yourself. I did not know, until now...how hard it must be for you..."

And suddenly he understood what this conversation was about.

"You speak of Erynion."

Legolas rubbed his hand over his face and he could sense his despair .

" I have listened to you Aragorn, what you said to me yesterday and it makes sense. I know that. His family were here to meet me when we arrived, did you know that? They do not hold me responsible for his death, and you tell me I am not, I can see the truth in that and yet in here..."

He pressed his hand against his heart,

"In here I still feel it. I still believe I am at fault even though I know it is not so. I have not been fair to you. I have not realised how hard it would be for you not to feel as you do."

"Give it time, Legolas. Your feelings will change, they will fade and what is real, that this all no fault of yours, will become more obvious. I am glad you are here among your people. They will help you heal and let go of this."

He smiled gently at his friend,

"As for me, I did need you to call me to account and you were right. I had not allowed you due respect for your decisions. I will not lie I still feel I carry some blame for the sea longing, perhaps I always will but I will run from that no longer. You do not need to apologise for your words Legolas. They were welcome, they were needed."

He hesitated before he said the next, perhaps it was not for him to ask,

"Does this mean you understand Elrohir better also?"

He watched as Legolas's brow furrowed in thought and waited for his reply.

"Elrohir does not feel guilt for the sea longing." he said at last, "He blamed you, it is not the same."

"He fears to face it,"he replied, "as I do. He fears you will leave him...leave us."

At that Legolas gave him a long, hard somewhat unpleasant elven stare.

"You have said this to me before. Do you think I did not listen?"

He wondered at this point if he should have started this discussion but he had so he may as well see it to it's conclusion.

"I think you choose not to see Elrohir's fear as much as he chooses to turn his head from the sea longing. You are both running. I do not know why his fear of being without you bothers you so."

At that Legolas's defiance and attitude deflated. His shoulders slumped.

"I have heard you this time Aragorn. I have seen how he feels and we have spoken of it. You need not worry for your brother. I will run no longer, but as to why, well that is our business only." And he looked at him sadly,

"I will speak with him more about this tonight, for he will be leaving with you tomorrow and we will have to say our goodbyes again. It seems we are destined always to be apart."

Legolas seemed so deflated at that statement he felt a surge of guilt that his brother would be leaving with him and reached out in a reflex to comfort and though his words he knew were empty, it made him feel better to say them.

"You will not always be apart Legolas, not always. One day you will be together."

Legolas.

He was in turmoil as he watched Aragorn leave for he did not know what to make of their conversation. They had fallen so far from the close brotherly relationship they once had. He could feel Aragorn's hesitancy, his apprehension as he spoke to him. It could only be because the attack had changed their friendship.

He did not know how to fix it but he had promised Aragorn he would try and so try he must. Even if he did though there was still the problem of Aragorn's people who would, he thought, never accept him again. It was all too hard, too complicated and so he turned his thoughts away, towards Elrohir who would be leaving with Aragorn in the morning.

Always they were forced to do this, say farewell as they were separated by distance and duty. It tore at his heart. It was the reason for his melancholy now even as he was surrounded by the love of his people and the calm of the trees.

He sighed to himself and turned to go, back into the partying crowds to find his lover for they needed to talk. As he moved towards the hall he was startled to find his way blocked by the person he thought least likely to seek him out.

"Legolas, I need to speak with you."

Elladan's tone was harsh and he felt it did not bode well for a pleasant conversation.

"About what?" He was on the defensive already and he knew he sounded it. He should try harder to control his words.

"About my brother, my brothers. Both of them."

His heart sunk, what else could it be about? He was tired and weary, his hand and back ached and he simply wished to spend some time with Elrohir. He did not need this.

He was tempted to pretend he didn't understand, play games with Elladan and make life difficult for him but then time spent arguing here meant less time with Elrohir so in the end he cut to the chase.

"You don't trust me." He said bluntly.

If Elladan was surprised by the direct approach he didn't show it. He was just as blunt in return.

" No, and I have good reason. I will not let you hurt them again."

He sighed deeply for how could he convince Elladan of something he was not sure about himself?

" I will not harm them, never again. You have my word."

" Your word is not good enough Legolas. Stay away from them! What will happen if no one is around the next time? Estel would be dead if not for Gimli!"

Right now this was his deepest fear, that Elladan was right, somehow the memories would flare and he would lose control again. The logical side of him said that was a fallacy, it would never happen again. He was healing, he was not the same as he had been. But what if?

He gave a bitter laugh.

"I cannot stay away. You know not what you ask, although you should do. Elrohir needs me as much as I need him. I cannot leave him."

"I will not stand by and let you hurt them." Elladan's face was dark and threatening.

He was so tired of this, of everything.

"Well you will not have to will you. Aragorn departs in the morning. I hardly have time to attempt whatever it is you believe me capable of."

"What of Elrohir?!" Elladan snapped back viciously,

He was confused, what did he mean by that? Elrohir went with Aragorn, with Elladan, and since he was unlikely to be able to bring himself to go Minas Tirith again before they departed he was no threat to Elrohir either.

"What do you mean?" His reply was hesitant, was he missing something.

Elladan's beautiful face was hard and cold.

"You take him from me."

He almost laughed at that for how could he ever take Elrohir from Elladan? The idea was ridiculous. He knew, as he had always known, Elrohir put Elladan before him in all things.

"I do not!" He exclaimed, " I have no power to do that even if I wished to. Elrohir is his own master. Not mine to take as I please."

"You do not know." Elladan murmured almost to himself.

"What do I not know?"

But Elladan turned to go, his cloak swinging round him as he spun on his heels and began to walk away. At the edge of the light, before he disappeared into darkness, he stopped looking back at him over one shoulder.

"Do not hurt him Legolas. I cannot survive if he is not here."

And then he was gone.