Slash

Completely AU

Legolas is younger, in this story, than actual.

[Prologue]

Stars twinkled in the skies above and upon the dimly lit hill two figures sat atone with each other. One was a handsome man with distinct features and stern and wise eyes. The other was a pretty elf with long silky blond hair that hung down his slender back. His head lay upon the man's chest and his bright blue eyes sparkled just as the diamonds in the sky.

"… Aragorn…" He spoke gently, "Tell me the truth… Do you love me?" They were parting again the fallowing day and he needed some reassurance.

"… What do you think?" The handsome man replied slipping his arms around the elf's waist.

"No, don't play games…" The elven prince muttered pulling away from the hand that was fingering his hair, "I am serious, I want a straight answer."

"… Legolas… I do care about you."

"… Nay…" The elf shook his head sadly, "That was not the question I asked. I asked if you loved me…"

"… What do you mean by love?"

"… Aragorn, if you cannot answer my question then you certainly do not feel the same way I do…" Legolas replied knowing that he was not going to get the answer he wanted.

"I… you know how I feel about you." Aragorn whispered laying a hand upon the blond elf's cheek.

"… No, I don't." Legolas replied without remorse, "You have never told me… Not once…" With that he gently pulled the man's hand from his cheek. He had waited so many years and he could not wait much longer, his heart would not let him. He knew he could not give any more of his heart to this man unless he knew that his lover felt the same.

"I feel good when I am with you… I enjoy your company…I… I don't even know myself." Aragorn said softly, trailing off as he spoke.

"… Maybe you need time to think it over then." Legolas whispered coldly and with that he stood up, "I love you… but I can't sit around forever waiting for you to feel the same. Take some time, Aragorn… as long as you need." He could feel his own heart breaking as he spoke.

"No… why is this so important?" Aragorn said standing up as well, "I know that you mean a lot to me."

"What am I to you, exactly?" Legolas said softly and sincerely, his heart fluttering about his chest. 

"… You are my friend… and…"

"Your friend?" Legolas repeated; his eyes blinked back the disbelief and tears. "That's what I am? A friend?"

"I…"

"…Forget it." Legolas shrugged amid the tears, "I'm sorry for bring it up." He was overcome with sadness in his own heart, and he turned away and started walking.

"Legolas! I don't understand…"

"… I have to go tomorrow, Aragorn… you know that." Legolas said gently, "And I may not see you for who knows how long… we can't go on like this … I don't have anymore to give unless I know how you feel…. tell me what you want…tell me and I…"

"I want you…." Aragorn whispered pulling the elf close. Legolas did not respond and only looked at him with searching eyes.

"… Do you? If there were not all these people around expecting it of us… would you still want me?" Legolas spoke. He was surprised at himself for spilling all those words that has haunted him for years.

"… Of course… what are you talking about?"

"… I don't know… you tell me." Legolas said gently and he pulled away.

Aragorn watched as the elven beauty walked away down the hills. His thoughts were racing and he was cursing to himself. Why couldn't he say it, they were only three little words! Why was it so hard for him? He did love Legolas. But he could not bring himself to tell the prince. God it hurt him when he saw those tears in the pretty elf's eyes. What did he want?

                              [One]

Aragorn awoke with a start; he tried to remember the previous night when he and Legolas parted. He saw a strange light before heading back to the shelter and it seemed that was all he could remember. He must have dozed off and one of the guards must have found him. He sighed in shame and remembered that Legolas was leaving that day. He quickly sat up and looked around. Something has changed. This was not Imladris… not at all. His room was bigger and more spatial. There were things around that he did not recognize and everywhere around the elven elegance was missing. The furniture was rich yet plain and the window were much smaller.

"… Where am I?" He thought pointedly. He realized the clothes that have been laid out for him. They were definitely… fancy and elegant. Not at all like the clothes he always wore. Silver lacings and gold trims were everywhere upon the silver fabric. He looked down and realized that he was wearing a white night shirt.

The door to his room opened and a slender elf clad in torn and clothing much too loose for his thin body walked in nervously. He watched as the golden hair of the elf shone and moved from side to side as he gracefully walked. He realized, glancing at the torn sleeve of one of the elf's arms, he was covered in scars and bruises.

"My lord… are you awake?" The elf muttered softly turning his trembling blue eyes to him.

"Legolas?" He gasped as the elf turned to him, "What happened to you?"

"… Nothing happened to me, master." The elf whispered, making sure to keep his distance, "I did everything you had told me to."

"Why do you call me master?" Aragorn responded.

"…You are the master… and it is to you I belong and serve." Legolas replied, nervous and confused. That was what he had been taught to say, at least.

"What?"

"I'm sorry…" Legolas whispered quickly, "If… you would like me to call you by another title then…"

"No! I mean… yes… I'm Aragorn…"

"… I know that, my lord." Legolas glared, utterly lost and worried that this was another way to find a reason to whip him.

"… I am not your lord"

"… I don't understand…" Legolas said softly as he began to lay the tray he carried upon the nightstand.

"… What are you doing?"

"… Are you not hungry?" Legolas said quickly, and in his tone there were hints of distress, "I'm sorry, would you like me to bring you something else?" He quickly stopped buttering the bread with his scared and blistered hands.

"… No… why are you serving me breakfast?"

"… Master I- … do you feel not well?" Legolas said as he laid the butter knife back on the tray, "You would probably like some water better…I'm sorry… I will get it for you right away."

"Legolas… why are you doing this? Is this some joke I don't understand?" Aragorn said utterly confused and shocked as he looked at the very real cuts and blisters on the pretty elf's hands. He laid his fingers upon the slender fingers and looked toward the blue-eyed elf.

"… Master… I'm sorry… could you tell me what you would like me to bring?" Legolas whispered quickly pulling his hand back. He was just as confused, if not even more. He feared this man more than others could know and he knew that he would be struck beyond his nightmares if he were to slip… even a little. With that the door opened and another man came in. This man was eying the elf both angrily and lustfully.

"… What the hell are you doing, elf! Did I not specifically tell you there were floors to clean?" The man lashed out at the elf. Legolas nodded quickly and began to stand up and walk away.

"How dare you talk to him like that!" Aragorn blurted angrily, he noticed the panic in his friend and lover's eyes. Why did Legolas just take it? Legolas looked at him, both confused and horrified.

"… Master…" Legolas muttered in disbelief. The man looked at both of them and struck the blond beauty hard, knocking him against the wall.

"Speak only when you are spoken to!" The man hissed. The fair elf did not need telling twice, and swiftly ducked out of the room.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Aragorn yelled in his rage, he wanted to go after Legolas but the man stood blocking the door.

"My lord… is something bothering you?" The man stared in surprise.

"Yes, there is something bothering me! I have no idea where the hell I am, or who you are. Personally, I do not give a damn about who you are, except that you have no right to lay a finger on him!"

"My lord… he is only an elf… I do not understand."

Aragorn glared at him in anger. What did 'only an elf' mean? Elves were the eldest and fairest beings of Middle Earth, and Legolas was definitely among the best of them. "Why does he serve me?"

"… He is your slave… my lord. It is his duty…"

"… No, no he isn't!" Aragorn shouted, completely and utterly hoping to wake up from this nightmare, "He is… he is a warrior in his own right."

The man backed away slowly, looking as if he had just seen a lunatic. "He is an elf…they are not even human… why do you defend them?" Aragorn was too angry and lost to speak. He just shoved the man from his view and stormed out of the door. He looked around franticly at where Legolas had gone but saw no one.

"Haldir?" He whispered as another elf was walking down the stairs. What was the Lorien elf doing here? At this… whatever this place was. The green-eyed elf snapped his head towards him and glared.

"Master…" He bowed low and tilted down his head, "Are you in need of something?" Haldir was wondering when the high almighty lord Aragorn had bothered to learn his name. He seemed to get enough joy calling him 'elf.'

"Why do you bow to me?"

"… I am ever your loyal servant…" Haldir replied like a robot. Aragorn noticed the many bruises and scars that were upon his cheeks and arms as well. Haldir looked up with one eye, curious if he was going to get kicked or struck. But nothing came.

"You…" Aragorn began but thought better of it, he was catching on that something was not right. "Where is Legolas? Have you seen him?"

"I'm sorry… I do not know." Haldir's mind turned quickly. He knew that if he did tell where his friend was, Legolas was bound to be struck, whipped, or who knows what else… The almighty master was famous for his cruel and unusual ways of treating the elves. It was known but never spoken what he had done to Legolas in the past.

"Alright, thank you." Aragorn said as he quickly walked off. Haldir was left pondering the meaning of 'thank you.'

Legolas looked bitterly at the hand that has come to lift his chin. He did not want this… why were the men so cruel? What was so wrong about being an elf? Did that mean he automatically deserved to be treated this way? He did not care for the pain of the whips that touched his skin but if only that was all he had to endure. He trembled as the finger trailed up to the tip of his pointed ears.

"… Come on… elf…" The hissing voice of the man came in too clearly.

"Sir… please…" He said as he tried to concentrate on the towel that he held and continued to run it back and forth upon the already clean floor.

"… Look at me!" The man snapped. Legolas lifted his glittering eyes and stared. He was so afraid, yet he decided that this time he would not let them win. He no longer cared about the consequences… anything was better than this. When he felt the hands come to snap at his clothing he pulled back and shoved the man away. The rough and burly man fell back in surprise.

"You little-…" The dark-eye man lunged at him but Legolas was already running swiftly down the halls and out of sight. He was unable to follow up to the elf.

Aragorn looked around, distraught at what he saw. The elves were enslaved… that was all he knew. How did it come to be this way… this was what he did not understand. But he had to find Legolas… to keep him safe, first of all, and maybe get some answers.