a/n And now at last we come now to the end.

Title: Kindled Flame
Author: Keithan
Disclaimers: Lord of the Rings and its characters belongs to their respective owners.
Rating: PG
Series: 7/7; Complete
Warnings: None other than implied love between same gender. mild/implied slash ; legolas/(estel)aragorn; (estel)aragorn/Legolas
Summary: Having no tale to tell of its story would not mean that the light from the love of hope and its green leaves did not exist. But of the time when Hope was young, unburdened still of the cares and troubles of the world, only this tale was told.
Notes: Aragorn and Legolas, a sort of back story. When it was said in the appendices that Elrond receives Aragorn as a foster-son, I take that to mean exactly that.
This takes place in Imladris and all dialogues may be assumed to have been spoken in Elvish.

The light from the house soon became blurred patches of yellow between the thick foliage as Legolas walked further and deeper into the surrounding gardens and woods of Imladris. Rain had poured slightly yet incessantly since the evening meal.

His hood covered much of his face and his cloak was wrapped tightly around him. No matter how much he would want to feel the rain on his skin, it wouldn't be good to get himself wet. Inside his cloak, his hand clutched a bundle of cloth, careful in keeping it dry.

The sons of Elrond had cancelled the trip that they were supposed to take a few days ago and Legolas would like to think that it was because of the coming rains. Dark clouds had appeared in the sky that told them the coming days would not be exactly ideal for some prolonged outdoor activity. Yes, they cancelled it because of the unpredictable weather that they would have in the coming days, not because of his departure.

Or at least that was what he told himself.

He would set out for Mirkwood in the morn, and by then, he was sure the sun would already be shining. He also knew, from the summons he received, that he would be staying there for quite some time.

He had spent the afternoon in his room, laughing with the sons and foster-son of Elrond as he packed. Though there was a strain in his room, a blatant tension among them. His smile didn't reach his eyes, and Estel had been unusually quiet.

He had not seen the human since.

In the distance, his sharp hearing could pick up the sounds of running water. There were many courses of water that passed through Imladris, and he changed his path and turned to the direction of the small stream he knew would be there.

Not long after, there was a break in the tree line and he stopped, seeing the figure of Estel sitting on a log on the banks of the flowing stream. He wasn't soaked, not yet. The rain was only pouring in small amounts but the young human had already been graciously wet, telling Legolas that he had been out there for some time.

Estel flipped the hair from his eyes. The rain water had been matting it down his face. He didn't know how much time he had spent there, but he knew he must be going back soon. Yet he remained still, just feeling the rain, listening to the sounds around him and just... staying still, hoping time would as well.

But he knew it would not.

A soft sigh escaped his lips. Shortly after, he was startled out of his thoughts when something was gently placed in his shoulders. He looked up behind him to see Legolas place a dry cloak around him, arranging it on his shoulders to prevent it from falling off.

He looked away, but he reached out to grab hold of the cloak and wrapped it around his nearly soaked body, suddenly aware that he was cold and was grateful for the warmth. He felt Legolas reach for the hood of the cloak to place it on his head.

He said nothing.

Legolas remained silent as well.

The Mirkwood prince continued to stand unmoving just a little behind the log Estel was sitting on, but the human acutely felt his silent presence.

The silence between them continued unbroken, a silence that was waiting to be breeched.

"You are cold. We must get back." The sounds of the pouring rain weren't enough to drown out the softly spoken words of Legolas.

"I am fine," Estel answered. "Thank you," he said, tightening the cloak to show that he was grateful for it.

And yet again, silence ruled them.

"You are leaving tomorrow?" Estel whispered after a while.

"I have to," was Legolas' answer, equally soft in volume.

A moment, then, "I know."

Somewhere in the dark of the night, a squirrel scrambled to find shelter from the pouring rain that promised a harder downfall later in the night. It was dark. The light from the stars and the moon was obscured by rain clouds that seemed to have no intention of moving any time soon.

"So soon," Estel whispered for a while.

Legolas knew it was not a question, but he replied to it anyway and somehow, his words were a reflection of Estel's just a while ago. "I know."

By some odd way, they both knew that this time, their goodbye would be different. Both felt that if they parted then, they would be parted forever. But it could not be helped. There was nothing to be done.

Somewhere in their hearts, they knew that it would be long before they would see each other again. Both felt it, and it made the parting all the more difficult.

But neither said anything.

Their goodbye remained unspoken, yet no less meaningful.

Estel stood up then, unconsciously shivering as the cold night breeze blew.

Legolas reached up to unfasten his own cloak. He stepped closer behind the Estel and reached around the mortal to wrap it in front of him for a second layer of protective clothing.

His movements stilled when he felt a cold hand enclosed his wrist, his arm encircled around Estel's neck.

He said nothing.

Estel remained silent as well.

And both stood close to each other, unmoving.

The rain continued to fall.

Estel's eyes were focused on the flowing stream yet he was well aware of Legolas just behind him, his hand holding the Elf's wrist. In a voice that betrayed his chill, he said softly, "Let's go home."

And the words tore at each of their hearts for they knew that now that they had said their goodbye, acknowledged their parting, what was left for them was to relish the remaining time they had and not spend it in the shadow of Legolas' departure.

The Elf prince nodded even though the human would not be able to see it. Estel released his hold on him and he then continued to wrap his cloak on the slightly shivering form. He clasped the cloak's end behind the human, just between his shoulders.

His eyes blurred, the rain getting into his face now that he had no hood to protect it. The vision of Estel in front of him became unclear for a while.

And before he could do anything else, he found himself leaning his forehead to Estel's back, his hand still tightly clasping his own cloak that now protected the young human from the cold.

Elrond's foster-son didn't say anything when he felt a weight on his back. He didn't move either. He just closed his eyes and allowed himself to just feel.

And they stayed that way for a while.

"You and I," Legolas uttered, the words a mere rush of air from his lips. He could see the droplets of water that ran down his nose, chin and some on his hair fall on the already wet ground below joining the other rain drops that continued to fall from the sky.

His sentence was left hanging. He didn't continue, nor did he know how to.

Estel opened his eyes, looking beneath the hood that hid half of his face at the flowing waters once more. He felt his chest tighten and constrict. "...will meet again," he continued for the other.

And despite it all, Legolas smiled.

He straightened up then, adjusting the cloak so that it rested comfortably on Estel's shoulders. The shiver that went through the human's body didn't go unnoticed. "You are cold," he said, picking up the thread of the conversation they had earlier.

"I am fine."

"We must go back."

Estel was silent for a moment, not making a move. Then in a soft whisper, he spoke, "I want to stay."

He was then pulled back against a warm chest as Legolas' arm was around his shoulders once more, holding him close. He sighed, and leaned back, slightly.

"We couldn't."

Estel felt more than heard the words spoken near his hooded ear, felt also the vibration of sound on the Elf's chest. He closed his eyes, tight. "I know."

Both knew that they could not stay, not there beside a small stream and under the pouring rain or in their seemingly timeless haven that they had created in Imladris. Time slipped from their fingers as it would in an hour glass. They could not stay. When the morning comes, Legolas would have to return to Mirkwood, Estel would have to live his life and make his way into the world. Nay, they could not stay.

The rain was steadily pouring and would increase in amount any time soon. They had to go.

Estel finally turned around. Legolas let his arm drop to his side as he took a step back to gain distance once more.

And for the first time since Legolas arrived, their eyes met. And a thousand words passed through them, although their meanings were not exactly known.

Legolas' hair was damp, and the rain started to soak through his clothes, unprotected now by the cloak he gave to Estel. His form glowed faintly in the dark of the night as he held the other's gaze steadily.

"You're going to get wet," Estel said after a while, seeing that he had the Elf's cloak and Legolas had no other protection from the weather.

It seemed that both of them concerned themselves with such trivialities, small unimportant things. But it was enough. Such things spoke much without really saying anything at all.

"I will be fine," Legolas answered.

The wind blew and it was too harsh and cold for a drenched young human to take in an already cold rainy night.

Estel tightened the cloak beneath the Legolas' own, his hands hidden beneath two layers of clothing.

Legolas reached the back of his hand to Estel's face, feeling the cold wet skin under his touch. "Estel, you are cold," he said yet again.

"Yes," the human finally admitted. Tilting his head slightly to the touch, he closed his eyes for a moment before meeting Legolas' eyes again.

The prince smiled gently, yet almost sadly. "Then come," he said. "Let us go home."

And thus it was.

Their goodbye had taken on a bittersweet taste on their tongues and left a bittersweet imprint of memory in their minds.

Legolas Thranduilion, Prince of Mirkwood, then took leave of Lord Elrond of Imladris and journeyed back home where sunlight only reached the ground in mere patches of white.

Not long after, darkness crept back into the south of the realm of Mirkwood just as it crept steadily to encompass Middle-earth and it was not fated that Estel, foster-son of Elrond Halfelven, should meet the Prince of Mirkwood for many long years more.

Yet even though each had their own paths, own battles and wars to fight, their love that was kept in their hearts remained innocent and pure, untainted still and perhaps forever would be, of the darkness that readily threatened to overwhelm the lands of Arda.

Long years in the span of time for Men would pass before their paths crossed again, and once more, they would find themselves caught and wound around fate's play of its web.

And thus this part of this tale had come to a close. Of their love thereafter, once again, no tale had been told as yet for another love shone and of it much was told for much of it was known to many.

This love was of the love of the Elfstone and the Evenstar.

But having no tale to tell of its story or song to sing of its beauty would not mean that the light from the love of hope and its green leaves did not exist nor did it not shine any longer. For it did.

And with its light, hope remained bright like a shining beacon in the darkness that engulfed Middle-earth at the end of the age.

.end.
And so it is written, but this end might just very well be a beginning for two souls forever entwined in the endless web of fate and destiny, and two hearts forever dancing the endless waltz of love, heartbreak, and hope.

Author's Notes:

"You and I will meet again."
-Into the West

"...two hearts forever dancing the endless waltz of love, heartbreak, and hope."
-inspired by Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Now that I have finally dished out a multi-chaptered fic after my first and so far my only non-one-shot LotR fics, Things Unspoken and The Slap of Mortality, I finally can have the privilege of bringing you some real story notes, which are actually author's notes, but most of them are already said before in answer to some questions and some are only short notes on the story. I believe the story already or should speak for itself so most of it are my views and thoughts on things connected to the story. I will not be explaining detail by detail of the story here. I'm sorry if some are confusing, I'm writing this from my mind, and well, we all know minds are mazes. :D

Story (Author's) Notes: (since most doesn't only apply to the story but to my writing in LotR)

Setting:

Elrond took the place of his father and came to love him as a son of his own. But he was called Estel, that is 'Hope', and his true name and lineage were kept secret at the bidding of Elrond; for the Wise then knew that the Enemy was seeking to discover the Heir of Isildur, if any remained upon earth.

But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond, and Elrond looked at him and was pleased, for he saw that he was fair and noble and was early come to manhood, though he would yet become greater in body and in mind.
LotR Appendix A, Tale of Aragorn and Arwen

As for the setting in Imladris, although it is not really the main focus of the story, I tried to outline what could have been Estel's life when growing up. Having the above passage as basis, I sketched in the story how he could have grown up in Elrond's care. I had Estel travel often with his brothers at an early age since he was already well traveled by twenty. How I had him help Elrond and the herb-master in stocking the herbs would be able to explain how he had honed his skills and knowledge on healing and herb lore, and so on…

And of course, as this is fanfiction, in Kindled Flame, Legolas had a hand in helping Estel grow and mature, in teaching him skills and certain ways of life, being a role model, and unknowingly teaching him the strength of his heart and spirit. I'd like to imagine that he couldn't have come to manhood that early and mature that early without having experienced or encountering some kind of emotional turmoil and pain or something. (His father's death happened when he was but a child, so that doesn't really count) And separation from someone we hold dear is one of the painful things we have to face in our lives.

So in comes Legolas, and the night when they parted, in the last chapter (seen above), was like an opening of Estel's eyes to the world as he struggles to finally leave the last of his childhood behind to be able to face the bitterness of parting. And I imagined that after that night, Estel had grown up… or something like that… hahaha. (See notes on ending below)

Characters:

.Aragorn and Arwen (because I cannot write fanfiction without at least acknowledging canon)

As for Aragorn and Arwen, I must admit that I think one of the best works that Tolkien had ever written was the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen. I had read it many times over and I feel it every time. I actually felt tears in my eyes the first few times. That is why, regardless of what I write, I hold their love in high respect and probably because of this, most of what I had written so far had some measure of angst. That is also probably why, in my work, I always had Aragorn and Legolas meet before the Man turned 20 if ever that is mentioned.

.Legolas and Estel

"But the flame has been kindled and its flare will continue to blaze blindingly unto the ends of the world."
Kindled Flame

As for Aragorn and Legolas, in the realm of fanfiction (or not), I believe that their love, friendship or otherwise, is/(could be) pure and innocent, an untainted and unadulterated love between two beings. I believe that that love, friendship and devotion to each other, unspoken though as they were in the books, are things that are always present between them, things that could never be measured in depth and strength.

It is because of this belief that I am able to write them despite of my other belief of Aragorn and Arwen's love. Why I write them, however, would take a longer explanation and would eventually turn into why I write fanfiction and this is neither the place nor time to discuss it, so I would not bore you with that. :D

.Gilraen and Elrond

As for Gilraen and Elrond, they were good tools to use to be able to watch Estel and Legolas in an unbiased point of view and also be able to explain things that I can't just explain out of nowhere. I think it is the first time I acknowledged Gilraen in my works – I hope I had portrayed her well.

Story:

As for the story, taking into account all the notes I have written above, you could probably see why I wrote the story the way I did, especially since I was aiming for this to be in the canon timeline. I distinctly set it before Estel turns 20, because (1) it's easier for me to think their love possible if it happened before Arwen, (2) it is easier to imagine young Estel to fall for Legolas when he's still unburdened of his duties and his heritage, although it can also be otherwise, of course, and, (3) with the way Tolkien wrote Aragorn and Arwen's love, I can't see Aragorn betraying Arwen, but having his love for Legolas vague, unnamed, and unacknowledged, and practically unknown, he wouldn't really be betraying Arwen outright when the time comes that he realizes the depth of his love for the Elf prince now, would he? (I'm sorry, this is probably confusing you! If you want a portrayal of what I meant here in fiction, I think, more or less, all my LotR stories portray this, but most are one-shots, only Things Unspoken is not.)

.Ending

And that is also why I ended it the way I did. I ended it in a way that would make it possible for Aragorn to be able to love Arwen. Because if I ended it with them, Legolas and Estel, being able to give name and voice their feelings of love, I can't see Arwen and Aragorn happening. And since I aimed for this story to be in canon, I can't really bring them together at this point. Or in other words, if I ended this with them facing and acknowledging their feelings for each other, I wouldn't be placing this story in canon, it would be a complete AU, because I don't see Aragorn betraying Legolas, thus no Arwen happening there. So as much as possible, I left both Legolas' and Estel's feelings, especially Legolas', vague at most (well at least to them, but of course, to you readers might be as obvious as the sun in the day :D), and very close friendship-like, which is also true.

And as I said above, the ending more or less serves as the last of Estel's childhood as he faces the pain of parting. He is forced to grow up and face the reality that the world isn't just in the safe havens of Imladris, that orcs are not the only demons he has to face, and that the timelessness in his homeland valley isn't at all timeless as time continues to move and take things away from him. After this story, I imagine that he would now face the world and leave Imladris for a time (yes, with the rangers and sons of Elrond) and come back when he's twenty. (and he has already done those great deeds with the Els. :D) This is only a simple experience in Estel's lives, but well, sometimes, the greatest lessons in life are learned from small experiences and moments.

Having said all that, I had hoped this story could be a background of what could be Aragorn and Legolas' love in the LotR timeline.

Thanks!

Alexandra Amy docmon empath89 grumpy Isildwen Jadesaber Joshua Nenya Laebeth Landorie Legoviel Losing Grip Lyn nevermind SadieSil sielge silvertears630 silvertoekee Starlit Hope The tmelange trustingfriendship and to all those who doesn't review, thank you as well, although I wish you'd at least let me know you're reading. :) Those who emailed me, you know who you are, thank you. If I missed anyone, I'm sorry, just tell me! Also, just inform me of any typos and/or mistakes. :D

This is the last time I'd be able to hear from you about this story, so please do tell me what you think! :) Until my next fic! And I almost forgot, HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone! Merry Christmas to all of you. :D

Don't say we have come now to the end,
You and I will meet again...
.intothewest.