I know that Gandalf said it would take four days to get across the mines so let's say I took some artistic license to stretch the time out a tiny bit. Also they probably got lost a one point or another so I'll use that as my justification :) (This story is not slash)

Estel is the name given to Aragorn by Elrond when he adopted him. It means Hope.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of these characters.

The sun shone merrily upon a company of nine as they made their way through the dappled red and gold woods below the Caradhras. The soft rays filtering through the leaves made a certain elf's hair shine like spun gold. The fair being's sapphire eyes were lit up in delight as he weaved around the grassy path to brush his fingers along the chestnut trunks. The trees themselves seemed to rejoice in the presence of the wood-elf as much as the elf enjoyed their company. The branches danced and sang with no breeze and some eager saplings even extended low hanging branches to caress the fair being's face.

Legolas paused to rest his forehead against a maple and whispered soft elven words in his mind with the young tree.

"Mr. Strider what's Legolas doing?" Pippin asked curios as ever. Aragorn looked back in amusement watching as yet another oak caught the prince's attention and he walked over to converse with the tree.

"He's talking with the trees Pippin." The four Hobbit's eyes widened.

"He's talking with them? What are they saying?" Merry asked gazing at the swaying branches as if he thought they might start speaking the common tongue.

"Let me guess." Aragorn's voice was full of mirth. "They are overjoyed to be blessed with the presence of Eldar." His words were directed at the content elf who opened one blue eye.

"Aye, they are indeed mellon-nin." He replied grinning.

"Always knew those elves are crazy." Gimli, son of Gloin, muttered under his breath. Legolas was in such a good mood he didn't even bother retorting.

He hadn't felt woods so untouched by shadow since leaving Imlandris and, whether he admitted it or not, Legolas was glad to be away from the Caradhras. The mountain felt ominous and unwelcoming even before the unnatural storm had forced the fellowship away from its icy claws. But now the sun shone and the trees sang and the evils of Mordor seemed leagues away. The trees had rarely ever met elves much less a wood-elf such as Legolas who could communicate with them at such an intimate level.

"Where's he going?" It was Sam who asked this time as Legolas once again dashed off the path.

"There's probably a pine who feels left out." Aragorn chuckled. The four halflings exchanged bemused glances unsure if the ranger was jesting or not. Boromir just shook his head keeping his eyes on Gandalf's grey back. The wizard glanced back the at elven archer with a mixture of exasperation and affection.

"Come now Legolas, at this pace we won't be able to reach the mines until nightfall." A golden head popped out from behind a tree, eyes alight in mischief.

"Are you trying to encourage me to stray further Mithrandir?" The wizard huffed and turned away hissing,

"Fool of a leaf." But there was no real irritation behind the Istari's words. The hobbit watched in fascination while Legolas continued his merry prance through the woods, never meandering too far from the fellowship while Aragorn watched with a fond expression.

The sun had already set when the fellowship settled in a downtrodden mood next to the dark waters outside the entrance to Moria. Gandalf continued to mutter spells, or sometimes curses, in varied languages under his breath trying to coax the enchanted door into admitting them to no avail.

The Mirkwood elf's cheerful mood had fled as quickly as Anor had vanished from the sky. He now sat next to Aragorn keeping a watchful eye on the unnaturally still water.

"Ma quir im i nen." (something stirs in the water) Legolas whispered.

"Mani?" (What?) The archer shrugged shaking his head slightly. Aragorn nodded keeping one hand resting gently upon Anduril. Legolas's instinct was seldom wrong.

A loud thunk rang out like a drumbeat in the quiet night. Droplets of water flew up as the large stone floated beneath the surface.

"Don't disturb the water." Aragron said sternly to the guilty hobbits. They nodded sheepishly.

"HA!" Gandalf's triumphant cry rang out as the dwarf door finally yielded. "It is truly as it says. Speak friend and we may enter. Come along..." Before the wizard could finish his sentence slithering tentacles erupted from the water faster than even Legolas could react.

Frodo cried out in alarm as his ankle was trapped in a slimy appendage. Aragorn drew Anduril and sliced away an aggressive tentacle in one elegant arc. Legolas nocked two arrows faster than the eye could see and severed two more feelers. Gimli hefted his great battle ax and unleashed his rage upon the creature with a war cry.

"Get into the mines!" Gandalf shouted ushering the company away from the watery guardian.

"Help!" came a high pitched cry.

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried catching the elf's attention. Legolas spun realizing Frodo was dangling in midair as the head of the monstrous cephalopod surfaced. A green fletched arrow found the monster's eye. It screeched in pain and dropped Frodo into Boromir's waiting arms. Covering their retreat Legolas followed on the heels of Aragorn as they fellowship retreated into the caverns of Kazad-Dum.

The elf was about to breathe a sigh of relief when a mighty crash slammed against his sensitive ears. Massive blocks of stone blocked all natural light plunging the nine walkers in total darkness. Legolas couldn't control the sense of panic that crowded his heart as soon as the light vanished and oppressive darkness descended on him like a smothering blanket. The presence of the Watcher was gone now only to be replaced by something even more sinister, something more evil. Legolas could feel it in the air. There was shadow and death here. An involuntary shiver wracked his lithe frame.

"Are you well mellon-nin?" A concerned voice sounded close to Legolas's right. A small smile played on the elf's lips. Trust the ranger to noticed his shiver when he couldn't even see his fingers three inches from his face.

"I am fine Estel." Legolas said but was relieved all the same when Mithrandir summoned white light to fill the room. What was revealed to the fellowship did not quell his unease. The remains of dwarves littered the halls.

"Goblins." Legolas announced with distaste casting aside the arrow he picked up to examine.

"This is no mine. It's a tomb." Boromir said grimly.

"We've no choice but to go through the mines at this point. It will take at least a week to reach the other side." Legolas blanched. A week? He had been underground for barely five minutes and was already feeling the negative effects, how was he going to last a week? Legolas felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Aragorn had clearly seen his distress.

"I know you hate caves Legolas but it will be over soon and we don't exactly have any other choice but to follow Gandalf." Legolas nodded trying to reassure the ranger as well as himself.

The fellowship trekked on mostly in silence with occasional whispers from the hobbits. The air was cold and stale, smelling of dusty stones. The gloom was absolute and Gandalf did not dare cast any more light than necessary less they alert potential enemies.

Elves did not belong underground, wood-elves even less so. The shadows seem to twist and watch Legolas with malevolent eyes as he passed making the elf draw his cloak tighter around his small frame.

When they finally stopped for rest Aragorn volunteered for first watch and Legolas settled himself away from the others seeking solace and peace in elven dreams. However it was not meant to be.

His dreams were filled with vague fears and unnamed threats. Chilling whispers echoed in his mind. They delved too greedily. They delved too deep. They disturbed what's best left forgotten. Shadow and Flame. A menacing presence flittered through the edges of his consciousness. Ever present but gone before the elf could place the source of his anxiety.

The blackness was inky oblivion, the flames greedy tongues of destruction. The darkness descended, blinding him, choking him.

Legolas woke with a start blinking his already open eyes to focus them.

"You're awake." A quiet voice whispered.

"How very observant of you." Legolas answered dryly getting up to sit beside where he knew the ranger was keeping watch.

"Something troubles you." Legolas kept silent yet didn't contradict his friend either. "Something about Moria, and it's not just being underground." Sometimes he hated the fact that the human could read him so well. Legolas sighed.

"Rest Estel you'll need your strength for tomorrow and I will find no peace tonight." Legolas could feel Aragorn's reluctant pause and could imagine the frown on the young man's face. After a few hesitant seconds he got up from his post.

"You will wake me if you need anything?" He gave a swift verbal confirmation. Legolas spent the rest of the night staring into the distance seeing nothing but a wall of black. The hateful presence never left his mind.

The days passed in an unrecognizable haze, day and night held no meaning in the unending dark of Moria. On the fourth night the fellowship settled on a flat stretch of rock and kindled a small fire for dinner. Legolas kept silent and politely refused the food offered to him by Sam. The flames provided the illusion of light but legolas knew if he fixed his gaze just a little further the impenetrable darkness of Moria would be revealed.

How he wished to see something green. At this point the Prince of the Woodland Realm would have settled for a tiny piece of moss. He tried to close his eyes and imagine his home, not Mirkwood, but his home as it was in the days of old, Greenwood the Great. The forest alive and singing of sunshine and joy, animals of all sizes dashing to and fro gathering food. His kin would sing and dance under the beautiful stars of Elbereth and sing praise to her and Yavanna's creations.

Suddenly the longing to see the trees and stars became a physical pain that constricted Legolas's chest. It felt as if there was a stone pressing down on his heart. He doubled over gasping in surprise and pain. Aragorn's eyes shot up in concern.

"I'm fine." Legolas said automatically schooling his features. He stood and walked resolutely away from the fellowship as the sharp pain faded to a dull ache.

Aragorn's eyes snapped up as soon as he heard the pained gasp from Legolas. The elf quickly pulled his hand away from his chest and smoothed his face but not before Aragorn had glimpsed the pain in his friend's eyes.

"I'm fine." The ranger had to try incredibly hard not to roll his eyes. Despite Legolas's attempts to hide it Aragorn had noticed the elven glow that usually surrounded the prince was dimming. The elf's complexion was unnaturally pale and he had taken that last two watches without rest. When Legolas walked away he decided enough was enough.

The future king walked determinedly up to the prince.

"You." He pointed to Legolas. "Here." He pointed to the ground where blankets had been rolled out. "Now." The archer raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Are you ordering me to sleep?" He asked incredulously. Aragorn nodded vigorously. The rest of the fellowship had turned to watch the pair with interest."You know you can't do that."

"Oh yes I can and I will! Legolas Thranduilion you are hereby ordered to go sleep on that bedroll and if you so much as try to sit up I swear by the Valar I'll…I'll." Aragorn searched for a formidable enough threat while his friend's eyebrow rose higher and higher until he resembled Lord Elrond.

"I'm an elf. I'll be fine."

"You're not going to fool me mellon-nin and don't even insult my intelligence by trying." Aragron said fiercely fixing Legolas with an unyielding glare. He wasn't surprised to see equally determined blue eyes locking with his own grey. There was absolute silence. None of the fellowship, even Gandalf, dared move as they watched the face-off between the duo. The ranger was surprised to see veiled anger dancing in his friend azure eyes.

"Please." The word was so soft Aragorn knew only Legolas would be able to hear his plea. The single word broke the elf. He sighed in resignation.

"Very well." He sat down dramatically on the bedroll with less than his usual grace. "Satisfied fussy ranger?" Aragorn was beyond relived to see the old spark of mirth in Legolas's eyes.

"Not really. You didn't eat dinner."

"Don't push you luck Dunadan." Legolas muttered bending his arm to use as a pillow before closing his eyes. Aragron frowned at his friend and nudged Gandalf. The wizard noticed the closed eyes and also glanced at Legolas with worry.

"The darkness weighs heavily on his soul." Aragorn sighed tiredly suddenly looking much older than he was.

"But he won't let me help." Gandalf chuckled lightly watching the endearing form of the elfling.

"He is stubborn. A trait he inherited from dear Thranduil." Aragorn agreed wholeheartedly. "But, if there is one person in Arda who our little leaf will open up to it's you Aragorn." With that the wizard left the ranger in the growing darkness as the merry fire died to smoldering embers.

Legolas woke feeling frozen. It felt wrong. Elves weren't suppose to feel the cold and it was hardly chilly enough in Moria for even the hobbits to complain yet the warrior prince of Mirkwood was almost shivering. Abandoning sleep Legolas rose seeking the comforting form of Aragorn sitting a few paces away from the sleeping fellowship illuminated dimly by the red cinders glowing in the fireplace.

The elf walked soundlessly to his friend sitting so their shoulders touched. The biting cold retreated as Legolas rested his head on Aragorn's shoulder. The ranger wrapped one arm around the elf's in a protective embrace pulling him instinctively closer.

"Won't you let me help mellon-nin? How many years will it take for me to knock it into that thick skull of yours that I want to share your burden?" Legolas sighed contemplating how to put his unease into words.

"This place is evil Aragorn. I don't know what the dwarves awoke in the deep places but I can sense it and I fear it spells doom for us all. I do not wish to despair for that would mean giving up but sometimes it's hard Estel. There are nine of us against the combined forces of Mordor and Sauron. The Ring is already influencing the company don't tell me you haven't seen it. Boromir gazes at it more and more each day and it is such a great burden for young Frodo."

Legolas laughed but it was cold and humorless. "And what if by some miracle we do succeed only for Mirkwood to be lost in the battle. How can I return to my home only to find it burned and my people murdered because I was elsewhere. And what if…what if ada." Legolas broke off with a ragged gasp.

Aragorn tightened his grip on his friend, he looked down at the golden head sympathetically. He recalled many times when he was the one despairing on Legolas's shoulder and now the elf's words mirrored his own fears.

"I don't know if I could ever forgive myself Aragorn. If I make it through this war and Mirkwood falls to shadow. Never to rejoice in the lasting peace." Legolas leaned against the still form of his friend in silence regretting his rant. Aragorn already had too much to deal with without having to worry about his own insecurities. Finally the ranger spoke.

"What's my name?" Legolas jerked upright looking confusedly into the serious grey eyes. A wry smile touched the warrior's lips.

"I don't know mellon-nin. There are just so many. By which name do you wish to be called by tonight?" Aragorn smiled lightly but his eyes remained serious.

"What is the name bestowed upon me by Lord Elrond?"

"Estel." Legolas breathed gently.

"That's right. And I am alive and well aren't I? So do not despair gwador-nin. We will make it through these dark days and you will return to Greenwood. I promise."

Legolas lay back against Aragorn, the Shadow in his mind not gone but not weighing so heavily either. Estel was alive and well.

And I promise you Estel. I will see true peace returned and you sitting on the throne of Gondor no matter the cost. Legolas fixed his gaze on the blackness of Moria a genuine smile lifting his lips. It always darkest before dawn.

END

Elvish translations:

Mellon-nin - My friend

Gwador-nin - My brother (sworn)

Mani - What

Ma quir im i nen - Something stirs in the water.

Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it. Whether you liked it or hated it I would love to know ;)