The World of Men

"You appear troubled Aragorn."

"It is nothing."

"I see the fires of Mordor on the horizon. Their light casts a shadow upon you."

It might have indeed been nothing, Legolas reflected, as his friend said nothing. The shadow of the Enemy was cast upon them all, and even the mightiest of the Free Peoples felt it touched. He had felt it as early as leaving Rivendell. And now, on the plains of Rohan, even with Gandalf at their side as they made passage to Edoras, the shadow's touch was stronger than usual.

"Sauron fears me," Aragorn said, breaking his silence. "But I cannot see it in myself as to why."

Clearly, it had touched the heir of Isilidur as well.

"I did not ask for this," the ranger said, sitting down beside the elf. "It is Frodo Sauron should fear, the one who carries his destruction. But he fears what I represent for Men. What I may become. What I have no desire to be."

"What we desire does not always become manifest," the prince of Mirkwood intoned. "But I am sure that many of the sundered realms desire a return of a king. You may grant their desires, my friend."

"Then their hope is sundered."

Legolas met Aragorn's gaze -it was old. Even by the standards of elves, such as the things he had seen over his years, even if they only totaled decades. He had seen him talking to Gandalf earlier, discussing what, he did not know. But he wondered if the reasons for his friend's disillusionment stemmed from more than just the looming war with the Enemy.

"I am a ranger, Legolas," Aragorn said. "Not a king. Not now. Not ever."

"Bard said the same once."

"Who?"

Legolas glanced at Gimli and Gandalf - both sound asleep, both unable to get him out of the hole he had dug for himself. If it was indeed a hole. Whoever, whatever Aragorn was, whatever and whoever he may become, it would have to be on his own terms, not held to another standard. But if that standard could provide inspiration...

"Bard," Legolas said. "The former king of Dale."

"Ah yes, I recall," Aragorn said. "I believe his son Bain now rules."

"Indeed. And I remember him from six decades ago," Legolas continued. "Before the Battles of the Five Armies. After the battle. In a way, you remind me of him."

"In what way?"

"Good for a bow," the elf said, fighting back pointing out that neither man was as good as him. "And more importantly, neither ever thinking they would be king of their realm. Neither thinking that realm could be restored."

"I am not Bard, Legolas."

"Nor are you Isilidur."

Legolas could see he'd touched a nerve. He could see it in Aragorn's eyes. He could see it as he got up and bid the elf goodnight. He could see it in the way he moved.

Yet he did not regret it. For he could see something, someone else. Even if his friend did not.

He could see a king.

A/N

I've noticed a bit of a theme in Jackson's Middle-earth films, and that's father-son tensions in royalty figures. In The Hobbit, there's tension between Legolas and Thranduil, and Bard's haunted by Girion's failure. In Lord of the Rings, Aragorn's haunted by Isilidur's corruption. Anyway, since photos indicate that Legolas and Bard will interact in There and Back Again, it gave me the idea for this.