Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any characters associated with them; They belong to their rightful owner J.R.R. Tolkien. We just borrow them to play. ;)
My Elvish sucks. Tolkien forgive me. *sobs*

A/N: Ha! I bet you were all expecting air to be the next element! Nope! XD I never said I'd stick solely with the four basic elements, now did I? *grin* So, this next chapter is using the element ice. Let's see how that goes for our favorite ranger and elf! And a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! See you all next year! *waves*

If my Sindarin is wrong, do not be rude about it. Please either politely correct me, or kindly tell me what does not exist and I will replace it with English/edit the scene. Thanks

• Mellon nín: "My friend"

• Tolo: "Come"

• Ada: "Dad/Daddy"

• Le hannon: "Thank you"

• Namárië: "Farewell" (Quenya)

Ice

To say it was a cold day in winter was a great understatement for the human ranger trudging through thick layers of snow. The warm sun usually brought some solace to the man, but of course it was hidden away behind ugly gray clouds and thus, no warmth was provided by the blazing orb that was high in the sky this day.

Aragorn often wondered about his choice to become a ranger when facing elements as harsh as winter snows like today's. On days like today, he thought blissfully of having just stayed a healer. But, deep down he knew he could not stay just a healer. A ranger's life called to him, and had he not become one, he may not have met his best friend.

Even if said best friend was currently making him glare daggers at his back as the light footed elf easily walked atop the snow and seemed perfectly content in the winter's cold breeze.

All elves were naturally light weighted, Aragorn knew this, but it was the fact they could literally walk atop snow, no matter it's thickness or how deep it was, that made him get so flustered with his friend. That, and Legolas always seemed to be smiling when he would look at the struggling human yet he himself couldn't have it easier.

Stopping again, Legolas turned back to make sure his human friend was indeed following him still and had not collapsed somewhere or became lost. Though the elf's keen hearing couldn't possibly miss the crunching of the man's feet as they sank into the snow with each step, and he simply smiled at his friend trudging behind him.

"Stop smiling, you elf!" Aragorn cursed none too kindly after that in Sindarin. He may not be able to see it, but he just knew that the elven prince was smiling back at him. He could practically hear the smirk on his face, and the musical laughter Legolas didn't even try to stop only confirmed he could hear it.

"Mellon nín, are you not the one that wished to come out here this time of year, simply to show me something?" He questioned, and the mocking tone in his voice was oh so thick.

Aragorn's scathing glare could have very well melted ice if he had any heat left within his body to do so. "Do not remind me." He grumbled and griped while trudging forward after the elf.

But it was indeed true, Aragorn, not Legolas, had insisted on coming to this patch of land during this time of year with the elf. The only reason Legolas had even been unsure about the idea of coming here was because he knew Aragorn would not be happy having to travel through snow to get there, and thus he would curse and gripe the whole way there.

However the elf's curiosity as to why the human ranger wanted to bring Legolas out here had of course gotten the better of him. And the man had been adamant about not even telling him why, so now he had to listen to unpleasant words escaping his friend's mouth. If lord Elrond or even his own father heard the words, they would not be happy with the human.

"But I must remind you, Estel!" Legolas chided with a smirk. "Or else you would be blaming me for everything. You cannot put blame on me for this weather or us being out in it." He smiled though. Something was apparently worth all this to the ranger, so he would oblige him and continue on. He would simply have to try harder to ignore the insults and cursing from the human ranger.

Shivering hard under his winter garb and tightly wrapped cloak, Aragorn looked hard ahead of himself to try and ignore Legolas' words - even if he was right. "Do your elf eyes see a hill ahead yet? It would have two large oaks on either side as it rises up." He said, working hard to keep his teeth from chattering.

Legolas turned his sharp gaze toward the east, in the direction they'd been traveling, and nodded his head. "It is right in front of us." He looked back to Aragorn, and was surprised to see the man running -or attempting to run- in his direction. Or more accurately, east, the direction they'd been heading.

Aragorn was working his hardest to plough through the snow to get to his destination, and though he could be running right now, it was more like a quick walk through the thick snow that reached up almost to his knees. Finally, after ten minutes of struggling, he stood atop the hill overlooking a frozen lake, with Legolas beside him.

The sight was unremarkable, to say the least. Aside from the frozen lake and a small island at it's center, there was nothing special to see. Which made Legolas all the more curious, because Aragorn's spirits had been lifted so much to know the hill was right here.

Looking at his friend with his head tilted just a tad to the side, Legolas asked, "Is this where you wanted to take me?" Of course, confusion was very prominent on his fair face.

To his even greater surprise, the man turned to him with the biggest grin he'd seen since before winter started. "Yes and no. I will explain tomorrow." He tilted his head up, seeing as the sun was dipping dangerously to the west and was about to disappear over the horizon in less than an hour now. "We will camp over here. There is a hole in the ground that we can use to get shelter from the cold."

Aragorn then turned and began his march through the snow toward said hole in the ground, with a dubious elf following behind. Legolas wasn't liking how this was turning out. A hole in the ground is the last place he wanted to sleep. "Estel, I do not think I like the idea of sleeping in a hole. Is there no where else?"

"Not this time, mellon nín. I know you do not like enclosed spaces, but try and trust me." He turned to look at Legolas, and this time it was him smiling back at a frowning elf.

The two walked down the little hill and around the left oak, where Aragorn began kicking up snow until his frozen, booted foot hit home. A large log, covered in snow, sat unmoving and sent a jolt up his leg, but he gritted his teeth and knelt down to begin clearing the snow. Legolas stood back and just watched the human ranger, perplexed on the whole scene.

Soon enough, though, he realized that Aragorn was trying to uncover said log, so he began helping him and after a few moments, the log was cleared of snow. It was once a great oak tree like the other two, but had somehow ended up dead. Legolas did not try to think of how that could have happened.

"Help me push the log over." Aragorn said, bringing Legolas out of his thoughts concerning said log. He blinked at the man, whom grinned and just pointed to the other end of it. "Just trust me."

Nodding, Legolas stood on the other end of the log, and together they pushed until it had rolled back a good four feet. And that's when the Wood-elf seen the hole his friend had mentioned earlier. "Ah." The grin he received from Aragorn was rather smug, but the man just crawled into the space head first.

Legolas was not about to just crawl in there and instead stared at the dark hole his friend had just crawled into. "Are you going to stand out there all night and freeze to death, or would you like to join me?" Came the ranger's voice from within. Letting out a sigh, the elf pushed away his discomfort and began crawling into the space.

He was once again surprised when the hole was rather spacious, in fact Aragorn sat upright with his back to the far wall. Legolas was soon sitting upright as well, his twin knives and longbow along with his quiver sitting to the side with Aragorn's sword and their packs. He turned a questioning gaze at his friend.

"It is a place only rangers know about. It was a lot smaller, but they have dug it out to give it some nice space. It is just used to give shelter." He shrugged, like that was common knowledge.

Legolas just shook his head at his friend with a smile on his face.

The two ate a quick, cold dinner, and then curled up with their cloaks wrapped around them to get some sleep. Without any wind or even a breeze and no snow, the little burrow provided great protection against the cold weather outside, so even without a fire, their clothing soon did the job of keeping them comfortable enough to find sleep.

The following dawn, Aragorn was up before the sun had even broke out in the east. He had crawled out to make sure of the time, and then he returned to wake Legolas whom was awake and alert with a gentle shake of his shoulder. "Tolo, mellon nín, we do not want to miss the reason I brought you out here."

"Miss it?" Though he was as alert as ever, Legolas was sure he had somehow misunderstood his friend. But the man nodded in answer and took up his sword and pack, then crawled out of the hole. Legolas was right behind him, still confused.

When they were out of the hole, they replaced the log where it had been to cover it up and prevent snow from getting in, then Aragorn led them up to the hill, where he sat with his back against one of the large oaks. He motioned for Legolas to do the same, so he did, and they ate breakfast before the sun had even come up.

"Estel, I do not think I understand what I am supposed to see here, or why we are even awake at this hour." He finally could take it no longer, but Aragorn just smiled and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself. Taking that as a sign to just be patient -which an elf could very well be- he sat back and waited for whatever the ranger wanted to show him.

Finally, Aragorn moved and Legolas looked to them as he stood, doing the same himself. They stood side by side on the hill, and Aragorn pointed down to the frozen lake just as the first rays of dawn broke out over the horizon. Legolas looked, and he stared in awe as the rays hit the frozen lake.

The entire lake was shimmering, ice crystals sparkling and their colors shifting with the morning light. He had not seen such a beautiful sight the evening before, but the sun had been setting then. He watched as the sparkles shifted and intensified the higher the sun rose, until the lake looked as if it was made of the finest of diamonds. "It is beautiful." The elf said breathlessly.

Something drew his gaze away from the dazzling sight up to the top of hill in the middle of the small island, and even his keen elven eyesight could not detect what lay beyond the strongest of sparkling light. "What is that?"

"That, mellon nín, is why we are here. Come, before the ice on the lake can get too warm to walk across." Aragorn said, then began making his way down to the lake. Legolas followed without question.

When they were even with the lake's water, Aragorn tested the footing first, knowing if anyone would break the ice it would be him. As it stood, the frozen lake held his weight, and the two friends carefully picked their way across to the little island in the center. From this point of view, the lake looked like any other frozen over lake, so it had to have been where they were standing and how the rays of the morning light hit it to make it sparkle the way it had.

That's what Legolas was thinking when they walked onto the small island. Aragorn began climbing, so the elf followed suit and climbed up beside him. It was a rock that rose up in the middle of this little island, as the elf soon found from the hand and foot holds he grasped under the snow. As Legolas was about to pull himself up further, his eyes were greeted with a sight that took his breath away.

On a small ledge just in front of his face, was a patch of flowers unlike any he had ever seen before -and for a Wood-elf, that was saying a lot.

The flowers seemed to sparkle with pinks and blues and their sparkling petals shimmered with the shifting light of the morning's sun. Legolas stared at the beautiful flowers, so very tempted to reach out and touch one of the petals to see if they were made of crystal, yet too afraid they would break at his very touch as they looked so frail and delicate. "Estel..."

"This is why we are way out here this time of year. I found this by accident last year when I was traveling through here. I had just reached the hill up there when dawn broke, and seen the sight you saw, along with the sparkling light these flowers were giving. So I climbed up here and seen them. When I returned to Rivendell, I asked Ada if he knew of them, and he said they are very rare, and only ever bloom during the winter. In all his years, he said he had only ever seen one."

Smiling fondly at the expression Legolas had on his face, Aragorn nodded to him. "I knew at once I wanted to bring you here to see them. I wish Ada had come, but he said he would come another time perhaps. Elladan and Elrohir could not make it, either." Which meant the man would have to return again to show his foster father and brothers this, but that was okay with him.

The look Legolas had was well worth it, and he knew it would be worth it again. And Legolas would no doubt join them, so he could see them again in his life.

"Le hannon, Estel, for sharing these beautiful flowers with me." Legolas said, finally turning his gaze away from the flowers to look at Aragorn, a deep appreciation in his blue-grey eyes. The look itself was enough for Aragorn and he just smiled at his friend and looked back to the flowers as the sun continued to rise and the sparkles shifted and shimmered in it's light.

They stayed like that for several minutes, just admiring the flowers in all their glory, until Aragorn's hands began cramping from his handholds. "We should go before the ice on the lake begins to get too thin to cross. I do not want to be stuck out here all day and night or risk freezing to death in the swim back to shore." He shivered more from the thought than the actual cold.

Nodding in agreement, Legolas took in one more gaze of the flowers his friend had shared with him as Aragorn began his descend. As soon as Aragorn was on the ground, Legolas was beside him, the elf's nimble movements allowing him to climb down quicker than Aragorn cared to think about.

The two began walking across the frozen lake, when elf and ranger froze where they stood, between the island and the shore. The sound of ice cracking resonated in their ears. Neither took a breath, not even the light Wood-elf, because either could cause the crack to further. It was under Aragorn's left foot.

Legolas carefully picked his way a couple of steps ahead to test the ice, and when no further cracks ensued, he looked at Aragorn. "Estel, can you move?"

Aragorn slowly and carefully slid his foot away from the crack. "I think so." He breathed, realizing he had been holding his breath. He took another step, away from the crack in the ice, when it spread rapidly under his feet, cracks spreading like lines of angry infection on flesh. Aragorn knew the ice was about to break, and if it did, not only he would go in but so would Legolas.

"We run on three." The man said, turning his hard grey eyes on his best friend.

The elf nodded. His muscles ready for the sprint. He knew he would make it, but it was Aragorn he placed his fears for. "On three."

They counted together. "One. Two. Three!"

On three, Legolas' hand shot out and he grasped ahold of Aragorn's wrist, and then the two sprinted off toward the shore. The ice broke apart almost instantly at Aragorn's movements and his feet were soaked through the boots as he began sinking, the ice crumbling right out from under him. Legolas was just a step or two ahead of him, pulling Aragorn while sprinted across the ice.

The cracks were trying to reach the elf's feet but he was too light and quick and stayed ahead of them easily. But he felt Aragorn slowing as the ice under him was sinking into the freezing cold water. Then Legolas suddenly felt the jerking of Aragorn dropping down, and his heart sank as he turned his head to see his friend sinking into the water's depths.

He never let go of his friend's wrist, and thus was dragged down to lay flat across his stomach, his hand plunged into the icy cold water when Aragorn went under completely. "Aragorn!" He yelled, pulling with all his strength. Though elves could handle extreme temperatures better than humans, his hand was going numb from the freezing cold water.

The water soaked Aragorn's clothing and pack, thus making him twice as heavy and making him sink while Legolas struggled to pull him up. He pulled with all of his elven strength, gritting his teeth as the ice began cracking under him as well.

Under the water, Aragorn was struggling. He only had one hand available as Legolas' iron grip was around his other wrist, keeping him from sinking down the lake's bottom. His entire body was going numb almost instantly. He grabbed for his cloak and released it to try and free some of the weight holding him under the water.

Legolas felt the release of weight and he shoved his other hand into the water, grasping ahold of Aragorn's wrist and pulling him up now with both hands until the man's head was above water. The ranger gasped for air as he reached out with his other hand, trying to pull him up out of the freezing water.

However his body was so numb his strength was quickly leaving him, and he was still too heavy for even the elf to pull up as soaked as he was in water. The Wood-elf did the only thing he could think of and he reached behind him with one hand while keeping his other tightly grasping Aragorn still, and he grabbed ahold of one of his twin knives.

With quick and deft movements, he cut the ranger's pack off and it sunk down behind him into the water's freezing depths. The immediate release of so much weight was enough for Aragorn to pull himself up to his waist, and with Legolas' help he was pulled out of the water completely.

The elf dragged Aragorn across the top of the cracked ice which began to break apart with Aragorn's weight, but it stayed strong until they were safe on solid ground. For Aragorn, the sweet lull of oblivion was too irresistible for his freezing body. Even the violent shaking his own body was having didn't seem to keep his mind sharp and awake long enough to realize or even register that Legolas was frantically trying to get his attention.

A cold darkness swallowed the human ranger.

The next thing Aragorn knew, he was shivering, but it wasn't as bad as he had remembered in terms of how cold it was. His teeth weren't even chattering. He blinked open his eyes, which he had to reach up and wipe away the annoying morning crust out of the corners of them. His bleary vision cleared enough for him to see dirt in front of his face.

Shifting his body, he realized there was a weight pressing in on his back and across his shoulders, pinning him where he was. Mildly panicked at not knowing what was holding him, he jerked himself to try and pull away, but the hold on him was an iron one. "Estel, it is me."

He paused, looking down at the offending object holding his shoulder down to see an arm draped over him. He then looked behind himself, and staring back at him was a pair of blue-grey eyes. "Legolas..." He breathed, relaxing his entire body until it slumped against the elf. "What happened?"

"You passed out after I pulled you from the water." The elf shifted his weight, then was sitting beside Aragorn and looking at him. "I got you here and took off your wet clothing to help you dry and try to get warm." He jabbed his chin in the direction of where the man's clothing lay, still damp but not soaked. "Then I wrapped you in my cloak and have done what I could to keep you warm."

"That is why you were holding me down." Aragorn observed, sitting up now that he was free. Though elves did not give off much natural heat, by the elf holding him it would help trap Aragorn's own natural body heat against him. He smiled appreciatively at the Wood-elf but Legolas just shook his head.

Both knew they would do whatever it took to keep the other from harm in any way they could.

"How do you fare, Estel?" The elven prince asked, scooting over to check the man over. He'd gotten concerned when Aragorn had passed out, and then would not wake no matter his efforts to rouse him.

But Aragorn just smiled and shook his head, ignoring the trembles that continued to shake him now and then from the cold. "I am fine, mellon nín, thanks to you. I will be better when we are in a warm home with a working hearth keeping me warm. And warm clothes on. Although depending on the company I may not need them." He laughed and grinned ruefully at the elf.

"I do not think lord Elrond would find that so amusing." Legolas said, glancing at his friend with a look.

Aragorn's horrified expression was priceless for the woodland prince. He bristled and brought the cloak closer around his shoulders with a huff. "Way to ruin a man's warming thoughts." He muttered, eliciting a lovely, musical laugh from his elven friend.

"I am sorry, mellon nín. You are cold because of me, and this time the blame can be placed on me. We would not have been out here if not for those flowers you wished to share with me." He looked at the man, an apologetic look coming over his expression.

The human ranger shook his head at Legolas though and reached out, gripping the elf's shoulder. "No, I do not blame you for what happened. It was worth the risk, being able to share those flowers with you. I knew you would love them and that is enough for me to risk being cold for a time longer." He smiled at his friend and gave a squeeze to his shoulder before pulling his hand back under the warmth of the cloak.

Nodding, the elf returned the man's smile. "They were most beautiful. I will cherish their beauty forever. Thank you for sharing them with me."

"Anytime, mellon nín." Aragorn replied, grinning as he leaned back against the dirt wall. If it brought joy to the Wood-elf, he knew he'd do it all over again, even risk freezing to death again for his friend and companion.

After Aragorn had recovered well enough and his clothes dried, the two companions left the burrow behind and began traveling back the way they had come. Legolas, as fine as ever in the winter chill, gave Aragorn his cloak until they would reach a place where he could get another one. Usually Aragorn argued about something like that, but he was decidedly too cold to argue with the stubborn elf today.

Fin

A/N: Well this isn't a short drabble. *facepalm* Ended up way longer than expected, but I didn't have the heart to cut out any scenes, so you'll just have to enjoy the longer chapter. Thanks for reading and don't forget to drop me a review! They are so motivating and I love knowing my readers thoughts on stuff. :)
Namárië.