Hey! Another Aragorn/Legolas friendship one-shot
Please note, Aragorn is meant to be about 20 and Legolas… yeah… anyway this is set way before the LOTR and thus the two are much younger than in the films/books and are far more care-free and thus may appear OOC… sorry about that awkward grin
Anyway! Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Lord of the Rings! It ALL belongs to Prof. J.R.R Tolkien! The best author of all time! YEA!
… ahem… Enjoy!
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The rain was coming down hard, creating small puddles on the dirt road.
The disappearing footprints in the mud were the only clue that he had been there, but if they had continued down the road they would have found him.
They stood for a moment. 'Where do you suppose he could be?' The younger of his twin companions asked.
'I know not.' Replied the other. 'Maybe he didn't come this way.'
'No!' The man shouted. 'He wouldn't have gone back to Mirkwood; you heard what his father said.'
The twins nodded, remembering the terrible words the Elf-Lord had said to his son about his choice in friends.
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He walked slowly down the road, the rain dripping from his already soaked hair that hung loose about his shoulders.
Why had his father been so cruel to him? Why did he have to be so against mortals?
He stopped walking and looked up at the night sky, with a sigh. He wanted to go home, but he wasn't sure if he would be welcome. He continued his slow trek towards his favourite place; a large Mellon tree that was in the middle of a small lack.
When he reached it, he was reminded about all the things he and Estel had done here.
The smell of the rain on the leaves made him feel content. It felt almost… like home.
He sighed, as he began to climb the tall tree. Again he was reminded of when they were younger and how the branches had been slightly too high for the young man, and he let a small smile appear.
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'Did you find him?' The Half-Elf Lord of Imladris asked the three as they galloped through the arch of the court-yard.
The twins shook their heads. 'No.' they said simultaneously.
'There was no clue of him.' The man said as he dismounted.
'We will have to try again when it is not so dark.' The younger twin said as he followed his brothers into the Last Homely House.
The night was long and no one slept through worry of their missing friend.
The twins and their human brother entered the Hall of Fire to find their father stood, staring into the flames of the fire. They each took a seat and the Half-Elf Lord finally turned from the smouldering wood to take a seat next to them.
Why had he ran away? What had his father said to make him leave in such a hurry? And why hadn't they found him yet?
All these questions were passing through everyone's minds, as they remembered the events of the day just gone…
The blonde Elf had come for a visit and had been at Imladris for many days, when his father had turned up. The Elf-King had said he had urgent news to discus with the Half-Elf Lord and so the two had retired to the study.
Upon leaving the small room, a few hours later, the Elf-King had caught sight of his son running around outside the building and had walked to the window. He watched as the small group of friends play a game, which he later learnt was called 'stuck-in-the-mud'.
Upon closer inspection, though, he realised a human was playing the game as well. This, for some reason or another, had infuriated the Elf-King, and he had immediately called his son to him.
The two had disappeared upstairs to the Elf-King's chamber and were not seen for many hours afterwards.
However, when one of the housemaids was sent to fetch the duo for dinner, she found the two were arguing and when she opened the door, the younger had stormed out without a word to his father nor the maid who stood in slight shock in the doorway.
That evening, the young man had gone to the prince's room to see if he were hungry but when he knocked, there was no reply. And when he opened to door and entered the room to see if his friend was sleeping, and so hadn't heard him, he found the room empty.
He had then left in a hurry to find his father and the others to inform them of what he had found.
Then the trio had gone to look for the prince, but to no avail.
Maybe he had gone back to Mirkwood. But then again, he probably hadn't because if he had, he would have at least of taken Arod.
No, he had have gone somewhere but where? The young blonde Elf had always loved the trees, so he would stay where he felt safest and that was by trees.
The man was perplexed and he knew that being up all night was not the best way to solve unanswerable riddles... but still… a place he felt safest… trees…
'Trees!' The man jumped to his feet, drawing the attention of the three elves, as he ran to out of the room.
'Estel!' The Lord shouted after his son from the doorway. 'Where are you going!' He asked.
'I think I know where he might be!' The man said, pulling his boots on and grabbing his cloak and fastening it around his neck.
'Wait! We'll come with you!' The twins said in unison, also grabbing their cloaks.
'No! You two look tired, stay here and get some rest!' The man retorted, stopping the two in their tracks. 'Don't worry, I'll be back soon.' He said with a smile.
'Be safe, my son.' The Lord said returning the smile, before shooing his two remaining sons up the stairs to bed.
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The horse's hooves fell heavily on the dirt road, as his rider urged him forward through the sheets rain, towards a lake in the forest.
The man stopped at the banks of the lake and peered through the rain at the large Mellon tree in the middle of the water.
Dismounting, Estel stepped into the lake and wadded towards the tree.
Reaching the trunk, the man used the Elven rope hidden amongst the leaves, to climb to the lowest branch. As he did so, he was reminded of when he was younger and how he was never able to jump out of the water and catch the low branch like an Elf and he smiled.
As he pulled himself onto the branch, he looked about him and even called the Elf's name, but there was no response. The smile faded as he climbed higher only to find there was no sign of his friend.
Just as he was about to give up and go home, he noticed a bit of cloth hanging over the edge of one of the high branches, and a smile came to his face again as he climbed a little higher.
'Hi.' He said, moving a branch out of his way and resting his arms on the Elf's branch.
When he received no reply, Estel tried again. 'Everyone's worried about you, why don't you come back?'
A small sigh escaped the Elf's lips and he finally turned his head slightly to look at the man with solemn eyes.
'That's better.' Estel said, smiling up at his friend, only to have him look away again. His smile fell. 'Hey. What's wrong?'
After a while of silence, Estel sighed. 'Well, I guess you want to be alone.' He turned to leave but was stopped when he heard a sad voice speak.
'My father isn't worried is he?' The man turned back to his friend, not knowing what to say, so he stuck with silence.
'Hmph. I thought just as much.' Estel looked up at the Elf again. 'He does care about you.' He said.
'No he doesn't.' Finally, the fair being turned around on the branch, to reveal an angry-red hand-print on his cheek.
Estel gasped. 'What! Legolas! Did… did he do that?' The young Elf nodded and the man could see tears brimming his eyes.
In one fluid movement, Estel pulled Legolas from the branch into a hug which he returned.
'It's alright...' The Elvish words seeming to sooth the young prince. 'You safe now.'
Legolas' tears slowly subsided and he pulled out of the embrace to look at his friend.
'Hannon le, Mellon nin.' Legolas said, quietly, a smile appearing.
Estel returned it. 'Come. Elladan, Elrohir and father are worried about you. Let's go home.'
Legolas nodded before the duo jumped from the tree, mounted Arod and started on the path home.
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As the sun began to rise, Elladan looked out the window but frowned when no sign of the missing Elf or man came into sight.
'He's been gone for hours. Let us go look for him?' Elrohir was practically begging his father, who was sat in a chair in the Hall of Fire.
'Elrohir,' The Elf-lord said slowly, whist massaging his temples. 'I am only going to say this once; Estel can look after himself, as can Legolas, so please, sit down and wait. You must trust in your brother's skill.'
The younger twin huffed and, reluctantly, sat down in a chair next to the window, only to spring up again.
'Elrohir!' The Lord shouted. 'What did I say!'
'Look!' The Twin said pointing out the window. 'He's back!' Forgetting his anger, the Lord, and his oldest son, rushed to the window, to see that, sure enough, Estel and Legolas were entering the courtyard. 'He found him!' Elladan said.
With that, the trio ran to the courtyard to greet the duo.
'Where have you been? We've been worried sick!' Was the general subject of their words.
'I just felt I needed sometime alone, that's all.' Legolas said.
'From what?' The twins asked.
'Um… I believe… I'm the answer that…' everyone turned to see Thranduil walking down the steps towards them.
A silence fell but was then broken by Lord Elrond. 'Um… Estel, Elladan, Elrohir, come with me, would you. I need to show you something that is in my study.' And with that poor excuse of an… excuse, the trio left Legolas to talk with his father.
After a moment of silence, Thranduil spoke. 'Um… I ur… Where have you been? Everyone was worried sick!'
'But you weren't were you?' Legolas replied quietly, staring at his feet.
'I…!' The lord sighed. 'Legolas, you are my son, f course I was worried, I just needed to stay strong for the others.'
'That's your answer to everything.'
'Now, see here! I… Legolas I was worried. I though you might have got hurt or worse! I thought might never see you again!'
'… Well, if Estel hadn't found me, you won't have…'
'You mean the human?' A small frown crossed his fathers face.
'What's wrong with him being human, Father? Do you hate them so much, that you won't even allow me to be friends with one?'
'They're inferior! You're an Elf, and as such you should know better!'
'Father, it is not the humans we rival! It's the dwarves-!'
'Do not speak of such creatures!'
'There is nothing wrong with Aragorn!'
'He's human!'
'He's me friend-' A sharp pain made itself known in his cheek and he gingerly put a hand to his angry-red hand-print.
Another silence fell and Thranduils frown did not falter, even when tears came to his son's eyes.
'I forgot this is what you do to get your own way… even to me…' Legolas spoke, his cheek glowing red as a ripe tomatoes.
His father took in his son's words and slowly his frown softened. '… Legolas… I… I'm sorry…'
'Are you? Are you really?'
'Yes.'
Legolas looked at his father for a moment before nodding.
'Legolas,' Thranduil smiled before pulling his son into a hug, which he returned. 'I'm so glad you're safe. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come back; since your mother left us, you've become my whole world.'
'Hannon le, Ada.' Legolas replied with a smile.
'I have spoken with Lord Elrond about Estel and… I suppose humans are alright.'
'You mean…?'
'Yes, Legolas. I'm sorry for trying to push my views on you. My father did the same to me…'
'It's alright, Ada. I forgive you.'
From inside Elrond's study, the twins, Estel and even the lord himself, were looking out the window.
'Do you think they've made up yet?' Estel asked, breaking the silence.
'Well,' Elrond replied. 'They are hugging, so…'
'Does that mean they've made up?' Estel asked, stupidly.
'YES!' The Elves shouted, a little too loud because when they looked back out the window they saw the two staring at them, and so quickly ducked under the window, out of view.
After a minute or two, Estel spoke again. 'Do you think they heard us?'
'Um…' Elrond said.
'No.' the twins replied as they poked their heads up to look out the window again. 'I don't think … so…'
'Hm? Where did they go?' Estel asked before hearing the door opening.
'Um… What are doing?' They all froze before looking round to see Legolas and his father stood in the doorway.
'Thranduil! Legolas!' Elrond said, jumping to his feet. 'I was just showing my sons… um… the… state of my window ledge, caused by their last prank, so they can fix it later… and that is why we were looking at the window.'
Neither father nor son looked convinced but they accepted it anyway.
'Um… is everything alright now, Legolas?' Estel asked.
Legolas smiled at his friend's lame attempt to change the subject. 'Yes, Estel, everything if just fine.'
Estel breathed a sigh of relief and smile back.
He was glad that Legolas had straightened thing out with his father and when Thranduil told him that he was allowing Legolas to stay longer, he jumped for joy! Metaphorically, of course.
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So what'd you think? dodges sharp objects… again
… I really need a shield…
Anyway, please review!