Legolas sighed as he walked through the streets of Helm's Deep. It was not the second day since Aragorn fell and nothing could cheer the elf up. Gimli tried with his gruff humor and witty comments that usually drew a smile from Legolas, but the elf remained downcast. Théoden tried to put Legolas' mind on other things by including him in every council and debate. However, it only deepened the knife in Legolas' heart when he found himself standing where Aragorn should have, giving advice that his friend should have given. Everything was simply a constant reminder of his friend's lack of presence in the world.

The only thing that brought him some comfort was seeing Éothain and Freda. The children would find him several times a day, sometimes with their mother, sometimes with friends they had made in the fortress. Legolas loved the second the best. Children had always brought a smile to him and seeing the young faces with wide grins allowed him to forget his heartache for a bit.

But it was these times, wandering alone in the streets with nothing to occupy his thoughts, that the grief of Aragorn's passing was the most heart wrenching. A mere 87 years, while enormous by human standards, was naught but a blink to him. He still remembered the tiny, scared boy he had met on one of his trips to Imladris. He had instantly fallen in love with the warm, grey eyes of the child and his energetic personality. Legolas remembered teaching Aragorn Sindarin, weaponry, history, and of course, how to best prank the twins.

He remembered the first time he visited after Aragorn had become semi-fluent in Sindarin. An orc pack had held him up and when he arrived, Aragorn had stormed out of the house and stood straight before him, drawing himself up to his full 7-year-old height and looking Legolas squarely in the eyes.

"Le ab tolen", he had said immediately. "I was worried about you!"

"I am sorry, penneth", Legolas had said, scooping the boy up in his arms. "I was held up."

Aragorn had hugged Legolas tightly and murmured into his clothes: "It's alright. But you do need to take a bath. You look terrible!"

It all seemed like only yesterday. But now his best friend, his gwador, was gone. It simply too much for Legolas to wrap his mind around.

Releasing another heavy sigh, Legolas trudged on toward no where in particular and soon found himself at the stables. He crossed to the small side wing where Arod was stalled and the white horse poked his head out of his door, nickering a greeting.

"Hello, mellon nin", Legolas murmured, pulling a few sugar cubes out of his pocket and feeding them to Arod. "I am sorry I have not come to see you much lately."

Arod snorted softly and bumped his head into Legolas' chest. The elf smiled and gently stroked the horse's nose, drawing comfort from the kind animal.

"I cannot believe he is really gone, Arod", Legolas murmured. "He…He shouldn't be gone yet. It was not supposed to end like this!"

Legolas buried his face in Arod's mane and sobbed softly. It wasn't right! Why was Aragorn gone and he left here? Aragorn had a destiny in Arda to fulfill. He was supposed to see the end of Sauron's wickedness and become the king of Gondor. He was supposed to have taken the Evenstar as his wife and sired many children with her. He was NOT supposed to have fallen because a wicked, vengeful orc maggot, never to be seen again. It simply was not right!

Legolas cried into Arod for many moments before he was able to compose himself once again. He sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. The horse nickered sadly at his master's distress and nuzzled Legolas face.

"Hannon le, mellon nin", Legolas murmured.

Suddenly Legolas sharp ears picked up the sounds of commotion coming from the courtyard. It sounded like the people were excited about something, but Legolas could not tell what.

"I suppose I had better see what is going on", he sighed. "If it something important, Théoden will be holding a council on it soon enough."

Suppressing another sigh, Legolas trudged out of the stables and toward the courtyard. As he neared the sounds, he noticed that the voices were ones of joyous greeting and his steps quickened. Maybe Gandalf had been successful in his search for Éomer and had returned early with reinforcements. Legolas hoped it was so for he had felt a growing darkness building for the last two days apart from the cloud of grief that swirled around him.

He was just making his way down the hall that led into the courtyard when he almost crashed into someone heading the opposite direction. Legolas raised his eyes from the ground to apologize for not looking where he was going but suddenly froze, mouth agape. It couldn't be possible. The face he stared into could not be real. The grey eyes he met should have been closed forever. The weathered face should have been pale with no life left in it whatsoever. And yet here he stood. Aragorn, his best friend, his sworn brother stood before him, injured and weary looking, but alive and breathing and meeting Legolas' own eyes with a mixture of joy and relief.

"Le ab tolen", Legolas said, a small smirk on his face as the memories of that meeting not so long ago resurfaced in his mind. "You look terrible, mellon nin."

It appeared Aragorn remembered that day as well for his face instantly split into a huge smile and he churckled, reaching out to place his hand on Legoals' left shoulder while the elf did the same to him, their eyes speaking all that needed to be said.

Suddenly, Legolas felt a burning sensation in the breast pocket of his tunic and he smiled as he remembered the Evenstar pendant tucked safely away. He dug it out of his tunic and pressed the pendant into Aragorn hand. The man stared at it with a look of shock on his face. Legolas knew he had thought the precious necklace gone forever. Aragorn raised his eyes with a look of pure joy in his eyes.

"Hannon le", he said sincerely.

Legolas smiled and rest his hand on Aragorn's shoulder once again, however this time he pulled his friend into a tight hug and buried his face in the man's shoulder.

"I mourned for you, Aragorn", Legolas murmured, eyes welling with tears yet again. "I thought you gone and my heart felt torn to pieces."

"I'm sorry, mellon nin", Aragorn whispered, hugging the slender body of his best friend close. "I meant not to cause anyone grief, you least of all. But you took care of Gimli and the people of Rohan for me when I could not. Thank you, Legolas."

"I knew it was what you would have wanted", Legolas sniffed, pulling back to look at Aragorn. "But do not ask it of me again filthy human! My place in support of you as you lead. Not leading in your stead."

Aragorn chuckled and wrapped his arm around Legolas' shoulders as he continued on his way to the king's hall. "Then come and be by my side while I meet with Théoden, mellon nin. For there is none I would rather have."

Elvish Terms:

Mellon Nin – My Friend

Hannon le – Thank you

Le Ab Tolen – You are late

I have been trying to stick as close to the movie-verse as I can so that is why the reunion is not as heartwarming as I would like. I will probably rewrite this scene at some point and post it under 'Middle-Earth Moments' so I can write it the way I think it should be done. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Please review!

P.S. To all my guest reviews, thank you so much for your support and I'm so glad you are enjoying my stories!