Then and Now
By Gwenneth
Summary: Legolas goes away with a war party long before Aragorn is born and when his party finds his father's under attack, the young prince makes the ultimate sacrifice. Years later, Aragorn finds himself in the prince's shoes. though it takes a while, I do eventually fast forward in time!!
Disclaimers: I own none of the recognizable characters and make no money from the writing of this story. The characters and places etc etc are all Mr. Tolkien's.
Rating: PG-13 for bloody violence and death
Chapter One: Father and Son divided
The early morning sun filtered through the thick tree cover, barely gracing the courtyard within the palace gates. Still, despite the early hour, the Elves of Mirkwood were out in force. Today, the war parties would leave to scour the forest for Orcs and other such beasts of the enemy. And their King and youngest Prince would be going with them.
"My dearest Ithilwen, take good care of our people in my absence," Thranduil remarked, lightly planting a kiss on his wife's brow. "I leave Mirkwood's rule in the best hands."
After his parents embraced, Legolas, Crown Prince of Mirkwood, stepped forward to bid his own farewell. "Naneth," he began, but was quickly cut off when Ithilwen swept him into her embrace and held on for dear life. "Nana...please, not in front of the warriors!" Legolas begged.
He felt his mother chuckle. "Dear Greenleaf, you will always be my little elfling, no matter how much of a warrior you have become."
A small smile crossed the Prince's lips. "Yes, Nana. This I know. I will look after Father for you. We will be all right, the warriors will protect their King and Prince before themselves, I assure you of that."
Ithilwen nodded. "Yes, I know and it seems to trouble you, Legolas."
Darn, he chided himself. She can read right through me! He never could lie to his mother. "I do not feel my own life is better then that of any of our warriors, Naneth. It pains me to think that they might die for me."
Thranduil, who had returned to hurry his son up, heard the last remark and spoke quietly. "In a war party, Legolas, no one owes another any debts for saving their lives. It is simply the way of things. You would die for any of them, just as they would for you."
Legolas, momentarily surprised by his father's appearance quickly regained his composure and countered. "Yes, but they risk their necks far more for royalty."
"As it should be, ion nin, as it should be. I don't like it myself, but you and I can not change the way things have been since the beginning." Thranduil sighed. "But it is time; the parties are to be assembled now."
Nodding, Legolas kissed his mother farewell and turned to leave. She watched, with barely restrained worry, as her only son and husband joined the warriors. Legolas had grown much in the last two hundred years or so, but he was still very young and had only just earned his warrior status.
She watched him mingle with others near his own age, though there were none that were actually of his generation. Legolas was the youngest Elf in Mirkwood. She sighed, taking in the sight of her son, with his bow and quiver strapped to his back and the long, white twin knives he always carried fitted into their harness on his back as well.
He looked every bit the warrior. But to her, he looked every bit the child.
"Warriors of Mirkwood. Today we embark on a task that will rid our forest of Sauron's minions...at least for a time," Thranduil began, speaking above all until the voices quieted. "Prince Legolas and I will join the war parties and together we shall overcome the darkness."
The was an uproar of cheering from the assembled warriors and Legolas smiled despite the gravity of the situation. He had always admired his father's commanding voice and ability to instill patriotism in the warriors.
As he father continued, breaking the warriors into parties and assigning locations to each group, Legolas felt a nagging worry in the back of his mind. Neither of his parents had the gift of foresight, but his grandmother had had it and sometimes he felt like he might have inherited some of it, if only a latent power he had no control over.
He was only shaken from his thoughts when Thranduil turned to him and said quietly, "Now, ion nin, we part ways."
Legolas' head snapped up. "Part ways, Adar? What do you mean?"
Thranduil rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "You and I shall not be with the same war party. It is too risky to send the Prince and King together, should the party fall at the hands of the enemy, both would be lost."
Alone? No, I can not do this alone! He thought. Well, not alone really, just without Adar. But still, that is not what I was expecting.
"But..." he began, than cut himself off. His father had a point. "You are right, I am sorry to have questioned you, Adar." He bowed his head, breaking eye contact with his father.
Thranduil lifted his son's chin until they locked eyes again. "I know you are young, Legolas. But you are an accomplished warrior. As much as it pains me to send you into danger with me by your side, I know you will be well cared for with the warriors. See to yourself and your fellow Elves and we will meet again, ion nin."
Legolas drew himself to his full height and nodded. "Yes, hir nin, we will not fail in our endeavor and will meet again either on the field, or back here."
Thranduil smiled and embraced his son, then scooted him off toward one of the larger war parties that would be nearer to his own. He was willing to let Legolas be apart from him, but not so far just yet.
Ithilwen looked on with growing anxiety. She, too, had not expected the two royals to be separated, but knew not to question Thranduil's decisions in the matter of war parties. He knows what he is doing and Legolas is a talented warrior, the best archer of Mirkwood. They will be fine.
But as the war parties rode out the gates, Ithilwen wasn't so sure about this mission.
A/N: HAHA..there you go...next chapter will contain battles, orcs, injuries and ANGST...who will be hurt? Will they live!? Please r/r! It affects the speed at which I post!!