That's so sweet. Is the boy at the beginning and end that Legolas is telling the story to Eldarion? All clues point there, as they say. It was a really good story.
-SunStar

This was lovely. The way you take the time to describe the snowfall, the small interactions, the glances, the thoughts all the small details, makes the story very special. I like your writing. It's beautiful. And I liked the beginning of a great friendship. So good how you packed it into the memories Legolas tells to his friend's son. Is it Eldarion?
The beginning, where the boy urges Legolas to tell him a story tugging at his sleeve is so very cute.

Great story!

Another fabulous story! So glad I found this

Excellent! Caught my interest and held it all the way. char development of Strider as a boy was well drawn. Makes me want to read more to find out how he became more grim.

A dainty and well-thought tale !

Indeed there must be a strong reason why Legolas takes Aragorn's defense as a heir of Gondor's throne, at the concil of Elrond. Whatever one might think about the film's explanation, your story is an elegant and likely first encounter.

It's the litte details. The watchman on the ridge. Wiping a hand on a tunic. It is as though it becomes a dream one can touch.

So sweet!

I love young Aragorn in this. I mentally pictured him as the gangly teenage Carl from 'the Walking Dead.'
This was really sweet. I have never read your one-shots and I'm so glad I did. Fantastico!

Good story - and also a more realistic portrayal of Aragorn at the time of Bilbo's adventures. Halbarad was both a relative of Aragorn and his guardian, as well as a close friend. It is entirely possible that he could have spent some time with the Dunedain during his childhood, even though he was raised in Imladris after his father died - which is where he would have met Arwen.

That idiotic comment at the end of The Hobbit, about Legolas searching for a man called Strider, was actually the "inspiration" of one of the scriptwriters who clearly hasn't read either LOTR or The Hobbit. It adds nothing to the film and actually makes Thranduil look rather stupid, since he would obviously know that Aragorn is actually a small child and the foster son of Elrond, with whom he lives. So in effect, he would be sending his son and heir on a wild goose chase, rather than persuading him to return home.

Lovely story. It was written so well.

I really liked this story. It was sweet and healing.

Aw, this was sweet! I found it slightly weird how PJ overlooked Estel's actual age at the end of BOTFA, too. Thanks for posting, though!

I loved it! Kept on willing Legolas to realise that the boy was Aragorn! Come on, Elf! XD Great job!

I like this story within a story thing you have going here. In some ways it reminds me of Kingsfoil, with your flashbacks.

Little Aragorn is precious! So did the movies change Aragorn's age? That's interesting.