Not mine, I swear, I don't own the characters merely the plot.. If you can call it that..

Ok, this is my FIRST Lotr Fanfic, until this point I have only ever written Gundam wing, so this could be totally way off, I have tried many time to write something like this, and have finally found a draft and an idea that I am pleased with. I'm sure that it is highly Out Of Character, but it seemed good at the time. Please tell me how I can improve..

It is set after book or movie three, at the end of the series either way, so I wouldn't advise reading it if you don't want to know some stuff that happens, spoilers? Hell yeah.. Also I feel I should mention the fact that some things are wrong, I know some of the characters I use are already gone, or are leaving, and that some may not be where they should be, this is artistic licence, and I'm sorry if it causes confusion/ . Well, I guess I should probably warn you of the fact this is Yaoi. As in two guys have fallen in love.. If you think this is wrong then don't be an idiot and read it, or even pretend you have read it and leave a flame because no one will care, I feed flames to my dogs, gives them gas but I can live with the smell.

Its Aragorn + Legolas, well, sort of, its kinda angsty I guess, and I need some help on the eventual out come, if you want me to continue, cuz well, I'm only posting this cuz I don't know whether I should write any more of it.. If I should then do you want the happily ever after ending or the real tear jerker, either is good. I know it seems that I am planning to write an Aragorn Arwen, but I assure you I am not, Arwen is not bitchy in this either.. So if you really hate Arwen, like some ppl do, then this may not be for you. But you could still give it a shot.

A review would really be appreciated, but I'm in this more for the writing than anything else, so review if you like, comments are noted and put to good use.

That's about all I think, umm, on with the story. I really hope you like it.

With an audible sigh, and a hand pressed against his heart, Legolas, prince of Mirk Wood, stepped under the leafy canopy that was his home.

"Mirk Wood. I have returned, one final time." It came out as a sigh more than anything.

He had been away. Acting as the Mirk Wood Elves representative at the wedding of the King of Gondor, the one time Ranger Aragorn and the Evenstar of the elves. The fair lady Arwen. She had given up her immortality to spend a mortal life as the Queen of Gondor and wife to an acclaimed hero.

With another sigh the blonde elf stopped and cast his eyes around him.

He had walked a fair way into the wood now, and at one time, when the race of elves was flourishing, the boughs of the trees would have been filled with his people welcoming him home, but no more.. His people, his fathers people, were leaving Middle Earth, crossing the sea to the Undying lands. And once he returned from the ceremony, he, his father and the remainder of his family would be joining them. Leaving the care of middle earth to the race of men, strengthened now by the presence of a King on the Gondorian throne.

The same was true for Galadriel and Celeborn, they had returned from the wedding only to join the remains of the elves of Lothlorien on this final journey.

Slowly, almost painfully, Legolas lowered himself to the ground, resting his back up against the rough trunk of one of the ancient trees.

Once again he looked around him, and as the knot that was already present in his chest tightened, he realised ho much he was leaving behind him. He would never see these woods again, never run beneath the boughs and the lush green canopy in summer, nor flit between the great trunks, stark against the winters brilliant white blanket. Never again would he sit for hours, surrounded by the dryad spirits of the trees, feeling as much as hearing the windy whispering.

Without the elves nothing would prevent Men using the forest as lumber and firewood. The thought brought great regret to the princes heart.

But not so much as the thought that he would not live to see the Undying lands either.

Elves are immortals, untouched by illness and only marginally by hunger and thirst, for they can survive off the gifts that nature provides, they can live forever, but an elf can be killed by a knife or arrow to the heart, or by the simple and almost common place emotion of grief. And that was the sickness that plagued the prince.

He might, Legolas reasoned with himself, as he negligently shredded a fallen leaf, have been alright, had his father not insisted that he be the one to attend the joyous wedding celebration, but since he knew both the bride and groom he had been the obvious choice. And thus, unwilling but also unable to go against his fathers will, Legolas had attended, and endured watching the one he loved with all his heart and soul, being joined in love with another.

That had been his undoing.

Had he not witnessed it for himself he could have left Middle Earth, deluding himself that his love had been returned, yes it would have been painful, but no where near as bad as knowing that your love was all in vein, the many whispered endearments that had been exchanged had been empty, and the nights lying together, after the throws of passion had run their course had been false and merely to vent feelings.

That the words of love that had been spoken before each battle had had no meaning other than to ensure comfort could be found after the tiring and horrific efforts were over.

It had cut Legolas deeply to see Aragorn deny all that he had told him to be true with two simple words. 'I Do.'

So deeply had the cut gone, that Legolas could feel the wound. It wasn't a pain so much as the feeling that a hole had formed inside him and was slowly draining him away. Soon he knew he wouldn't care where he was if anyone was talking to him, or even whose company he was in. Laughter would have no presence in his life and nor would tears, no emotions at all. He would lose everything that caused him to be alive. And when it was all gone. He would die.

He didn't expect death to hurt, betrayal hurt much more, for although the wound itself hurt no longer, the knife was still embedded in his chest, and every so often, when his mind wandered to a familiar rugged face, the knife would be given a sharp twist. No, death couldn't hurt as much as the knowledge that all he had shared with the man he had dared to call his lover had been a lie.

Death may even prove to be a reprieve.

All that remained for Legolas now was to send his father on his way without him, for Legolas had no wish to die in a boat or on a strange land. He wished to die in the beautiful summer green woods that had been his place of birth, his home and in his thoughts when he was far away.

With a great deal of pride had he shown these woods to Gimli, and indeed Aragorn, and had then, as agreed, and with Aragorns insistence, followed the dwarf into the caves and mines that were his love..

When he had returned he had expected Aragorn to be there to welcome him, as he had promised, but had found Rivendell empty. Bereft of elf and human alike.

With a sense of foreboding had he made his way home, to Mirk Wood, and been told by his father of the soon to be joining of Aragorn, King of Gondor, and the lady Arwen.

He had wept, it was true, but in his heart of hearts he had believed the news to be false, Aragorn had sworn his love to him, and he was sure that it would not be retracted without an explanation, if at all.

And so he and his family had readied themselves to cross the sea, with determination and a little regret on Legolas' part.

But Legolas could no longer deny the truth of the matter when the invitation had arrived, and it had been decreed that Legolas, as Aragorns comrade in arms should attend.

And that had left Legolas in his current situation, leaning against a tree silently weeping.

"Ah, this will never do." Legolas mumbled to himself as he pulled his lithe form to its feet and wiping the tears from his eyes. (You brought this on yourself anyway.) He silently reprimanded himself as he brushed down his clothing (You knew he was to be King. And just what good are you to a King anyway?)

Legolas forced himself to walk along the forest avenue that led to the Woodland fort.

"Indeed," he murmured as he looked around him. (What use could you have been to him other than the comfort you provided. You are not of his race..)

provided a small voice in the back of his mind. Legolas quelled it with a graceful wave of his slender ivory hand.

"Nay." He murmured again. ( But Arwen at least is female and can provide him with an heir, his race is failing as my own diminishes, but with a strong king, and the line of Isildur back on the throne they shall prosper once more, but the line must continue.)

As he reached the fort Legolas was sure at last where he stood. (You could never give him an heir. You were his for a while, you offered him what you could, comfort through his troubles, and a shoulder to lean on. You helped him. Be satisfied, not vengeful.)

"I am." Legolas assured himself as he stepped towards the door. "I could never bear him enmity anyway. I am happy to have been considered his friend."

the little voice sighed sadly as he stepped into the structure among the trees that had been his home.

(I accept my fate, grief has claimed my heart as surely as if it were Aragorn him self. I was a fool to believe it could last, I was a fool and I shall pay the price, but I pay it willingly because a life without him would be a life without love, I do not regret a single moment that we shared together, and each one I shall hold in my heart always. Even as my spirit dances with those of the trees, my love shall live on. And one day my spirit may meet once again with his.)

Ok, that was chapter one. If you liked it please let me know so that I can carry on writing, but if you think I am embarrassing myself by posting this please let me know as well, I will appreciate the honesty.

See you soon I hope.

Lora Helen