Title: The Pearl of Love 1/1

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Manon. Who helped me so much, and supports me all the way.

Spoiler: Sequel to "Question of Love", used my own imaginery.

Summary: Legolas hears the call of the sea, while Aragorn finds the 'Pearl of Love'.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters belong to the Master, Tolkien. Not me.

1.

Mirkwood

Next morning…

Aragorn woke up and saw Legolas staring at something that he couldn't see. He got to his feet and made his way to Legolas.

"Legolas?" he asked. There was no answer from Legolas, so he asked again.

"Legolas?" He almost shouted at Legolas.

Coming closer, he saw Legolas' eyes filled with tears. He sniffed the air – he swore he could smell the salt from the sea.

Legolas turned to him and said: "I desire the sea. I must see the sea, it sings to me." Turning away from Aragorn, he began to walk towards the distant horizon.

Aragorn followed him, quietly worried about his friend.

Half a day passed before they reached the shore.

Legolas walked on the sand, and then began to run towards the sea, heedless of the rocks and shells under his feet. He ran as if there was an army chasing after him. He wanted to feel the sea that called to him. His heart melted, his eyes staring as the gulls cried, as he smelt the salt from the sea.

He fell, and found his face covered with wet sand Aragorn saw his friend fall, and ran to him as fast as he could. When he saw Legolas' face, he began to laugh to himself.

"Legolas, let me help you," he said to his friend. He helped Legolas to get on his feet, and then helped him to clean his face.

"Now, let's see what cause you to fall," Aragorn said and began to look for whatever it was that had tripped the elf.

"Legolas!" Aragorn called to Legolas, and saw that Legolas was still staring at the sea.

Aragorn bent down and picked up a shell lying at his feet. "What this?" he asked the elf. At his question, Aragorn has Legolas' attention.

Legolas saw the beautiful shell that Aragorn had found; the shell was pink, and it shone in the sunlight.

Aragorn opened the shell carefully, trying not to get his fingers caught. There was a lovely pearl within the shell.

"Legolas – isn't it beautiful? It reminds me of Arwen's beauty." He said the name of his love softly.

"Aragorn –you have found the Pearl of Love," Legolas said.

"What?" Aragorn asked, wondering at his friend's words.

"All the elves look for the Pearl of Love. And you have found it," Legolas said, as he felt his heart melt again as the sea started to sing to him.

Aragorn closed the shell carefully so that the pearl would not fall out, and put the shell in the pocket of his tunic. Grabbing Legolas by the hands, he forcibly led Legolas away from the sea.

That evening, as darkness fell…

"Legolas, how do you feel?" Aragorn asked him. He was worried about his friend's emotions about the sea.

"My heart desires the sea," Legolas whispered to his friend.

Aragorn took the shell out of his pocket. Seeing Legolas approach him, he opened the shell and removed the pearl.

"This is the Pearl of Love," Legolas said to him, and explained: "When a person is in love, and he finds the Pearl of Love, then that love is blessed."

Legolas looked at his friend, looking into the heart and mind of Aragorn and seeing the deep love that he had for the beautiful Arwen.

"I think you should give her the Pearl of Love as the sign of your love," Legolas said, and began to sing the song of Aragorn and Arwen's love.

Aragorn was staring at the pearl. He heard Legolas' voice raised in song, and began to hum.

Arwen. Pearl on your necklace
Shining on the love between
You both.
As Aragorn found the pearl.
The Pearl of Love.

Legolas stopped singing. He saw that Aragorn was staring at him and smiled.

"This is the song of the pearl?" Aragorn asked him in wonder.

"Yes, my friend. The pearl that no one found before," Legolas said to him.

"Legolas, take your rest. I'll take first watch. Go to sleep," Aragorn said to his friend.

Legolas slept in the manner of elves, with his eyes open, and his hands crossed over his chest. He slept peacefully, like the sea.

Aragorn saw that his friend finally slept. He looked again at the pearl, amazed at its beauty, and remembering the beauty of Arwen.

He watched the darkening sky, and saw his friend in peaceful sleep. And he hummed to himself the song of the 'Pearl of Love'.

The End ?