Title: Elessar & Eldarion: I want to be an Elf!

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Aranel

Rate: G/K

Disclaimer: Not mine, but the plots.

Warning: fluff, bit of angst, AU.

Summary: Eldarion is jealous of Legolas; he has his reason, what Elessar has to say?

A/N: Dedicate this ficlet for rosethorn59 who unconsciously gave me the bunny. This is for you, sweetie.

Gondor

"Ada," Eldarion called for his father, his eyes wary, "I want to be an elf like Legolas."

Elessar stared at his son. How had this idea begun? He wondered if Legolas had said or done something to set his son on this strange quest.

"What did Legolas tell you?" Elessar asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Eldarion replied.

"Why do you want to be an elf, then?"

"I want to see what is beyond, and hear everything including the whisperings of nature. I want to walk lightly, and I want Legolas' grace in walking." Eldarion said excitedly, not noticing how his father was muttering curses upon Legolas.

Eldarion then stared at his father, and reminded him, "So, how can I be an elf, ada?"

The king looked at his six-year-old boy. What had he done to deserve this? He had tried everything he could, and yet his son would rather choose to be an elf?

"You should ask him that, my son, because I do not have the answer for you." Aragorn told him gently, and noticing the sadness that showed in his son's eyes, he asked "Eldarion, what is it?"

"Legolas told me to ask you, and you say that you do not know. Then who will know how to make me an elf?"

Aragorn stared at his son in surprise.

"My son, you are half-elf, half-human, though you have pointed ears," Aragorn started, remembering his foster father's reaction the first time he saw his grandson, and he continued watching Eldarion move his hand toward his ears, "And, son, you have a heart of gold, which can be found in any race, though yours is uniquely special, and no matter if you are elf or hobbit, you will always be my son."

"Am I half-elven?" Eldarion asked as he tried to make sense of what he just heard.

"You are, as your mother is." Elessar replied.

"Why could I not be an elf too?" Eldarion persisted, seemingly not buying his father's words.

"Is being half-elven not enough, son?" Elessar asked, cursing in his heart the elf who caused all this trouble. Legolas must have had influenced his son in more ways than one.

"No." Eldarion replied stubbornly.

The king's face was now clouded in sadness though he tried to be happy for the sake of his son who was with him.

"I want to be like Legolas," Eldarion sighed heavily before he added, "Why could not you be an elf and be so keen in everything?"

"That is not my place to answer, though I once did ask my foster father the same question. He had no answer to give, and neither do I have any for you, my son."

"Do you think that, maybe, when Legolas comes here again, he might have the right answer for me, ada?" Eldarion asked.

"It might be possible." Elessar replied, a trace of a smile on his lips.

Eldarion smiled wildly and asked his father, "Can you write to Legolas to come here as I have missed him very much?"

"I will, my son." The king said, and added mentally. 'And when Legolas comes I will hunt him down for giving my son this bizarre idea to be an elf. He will pay for it dearly.'

The End