Part 4

Posted: October 2003
Author: Inwe Saralonde

*****

‘I can search the whole world over
Until my life is through
But I know I'll never find another you'
‘I'll Never Find Another You' – The Seekers

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Aragorn's POV

I had been in Imladris for the past week. I thought by returning here I could put my thoughts into some semblance of order but, if anything, they were in more turmoil than ever. Nights provided me with no respite; I would wake up, trembling and sweating, from dream after dream of Legolas – dreams that were becoming more sensual, more erotic. And it was slowly driving me insane.

A number of Elves – Elrond, Glorfindel, Erestor, Arwen, to name a few, noticed that I was often out of sorts. How could I possibly tell them that I had fallen in love with one who I had deemed as my friend for many years?

A male Elf? The Prince of Mirkwood no less? They would no doubt think I had taken leave of my senses.

The sound of hoof-beats in the courtyard below interrupted my musings. Looking down, I noticed that my foster-brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, had returned from another one of their ‘missions'. Since the attack on their mother and her subsequent departure to sail to the Havens, the twins had embarked on an orgy of killing every Orc they could possibly find. Gone sometimes for months, they would return, stay few days to clean their gear, saddle their horses, and ride out again.

I could see how Elrond despaired for them; hear how he beseeched them to leave off for a while, to stay home, so that he may enjoy their company for a longer period of time. But each time it ended the same – the brothers would hug their father and go, leaving him bereft. Arwen would do as much as she could to ease the pain, but my foster-sister could only do so much.

Sighing, I went down to meet them.

"Mae govannen, Aragorn! ‘Tis a long time since you last here, gwador."

"Mae govannen, Elladan. It has indeed been a long time," I replied. Too long, in fact. It is only when I return here that I realise how much I miss it, and miss the Elves who had been my family for as long as I can remember. Yet I do not stay long when I am here; too many things assail me – the mural of Isildur facing Sauron, the shards of Narsil, waiting to be re-forged. All the things that remind me of who I really am, and why I took up the life of a ranger so that I could try and escape it.

"Come Aragorn, let us find a flask of wine so that we may sit down and catch up on news," said Elladan. "Elrohir, leave our gear. We will go and relax for a change." Putting his arm across my shoulders, Elladan and I proceeded into the house, Elrohir trailing behind.

"Elladan, surely we are entitled to a bath before catching up with any news? I don't know about you, but I most certainly am in need of one! And, might I point out, so do you – you still reek of Orc." Now *that* was something that I could agree with Elrohir on! "Go Elladan, Elrohir. Clean yourselves, then we can sit and talk."

"There's nothing that says that we cannot talk while my brother and I lounge in the bath, Aragorn. You should join us – you don't bathe as often as you should," said Elladan. Inwardly I winced; had I not heard similar words from Legolas?

"Very well," I sighed. "I will meet you in the bath-house." Turning, I almost ran into Elrond, who had come down from his study to greet his sons. "Careful, pen-neth, I would like to remain upright when greeting my sons, not sitting in a heap on the floor." The rebuke was mild, tempered even further by the smile on Elrond's face. Plus the fact that he knew I disliked being called ‘pen-neth'; while I know I would never live as long as an Elf, I would live considerably longer than most men, courtesy of the Númenorean blood that flowed through my veins, little that it was.

I smiled, and couldn't help but tease. "As you wish, Ada. Though may I add that you would at least be sitting in a dignified heap; anything less would not befit your status as Lord of the Valley." Elrond's eyebrows rose in astonishment, then he gave a bark of laughter. "Whilst I should chide you for your irreverence, I will not; I am glad to see your good humour seemingly restored."

Elladan raised his eyebrow quizzically. "Oh, and what has happened to cause Aragorn to lose his good humour?" he asked. "Better still, gwanur," chimed in Elrohir, "did he actually have any to lose in the first place?"

"Careful that I do not drown the two of you in the bath," I responded, grinning. Ah, it was good to have the brothers home – despite their reputation as hardened warriors both, like their father, had a sense of humour. It was a shame it was not seen more often. "If you dare, Aragorn, if you dare," smirked Elladan, "though I do not like your chances."

"We'll see," I said, and left the brothers to greet their father, my heart feeling lighter than it had been since my arrival at Imladris.

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"So gwador, what was it that caused you to lose your ‘good humour', as Ada put it. He tells that us that you have been morose since your return." Elladan was lounging back in the bath, glass of wine in hand, looking at me intently.

"Maybe ‘tis a matter of the heart," said Elrohir. I flushed under the steady, unrelenting gaze of two pairs of grey eyes.

"Well? Are you not going to tell us? You told us many a thing as a child, Aragorn."

"Yes, as a child, Elladan. There is no need for me to tell you anything now if I have no desire to. I do not ask that of either of you." My voice was tetchy.

"Ah, then it is a matter of the heart!" crowed Elrohir. "Come, Aragorn, the details. Who is she? Where did you meet her? What is she…"

"Elrohir, shut up. Let Aragorn speak." Elladan turned back to me. "So, who is she?"

"What makes you think it is a matter of the heart, Elladan? It could just as easily be something else," I responded.

"Namely?"

Hmmm, good question. I certainly had no desire to tell them what was troubling me, yet I could not think of anything to tell them to quell their curiosity.

"It's not a ‘she', is it Aragorn?" asked Elrohir shrewdly. I swallowed, fearing their perceptiveness. I made a move to leave, but Elladan's voice stopped me.

"It's the Prince of Mirkwood, isn't it, Aragorn?" I turned to stare at him. "I was wondering when it was going to happen," he said matter-of-factly.

‘Wondering when it was going to happen?' I could not help but stand, staring stupidly at the brothers. Both were looking at me with serious expressions on their faces.

"Sit down, gwador. We only wish to help, not condemn you." Elladan put down his glass. "You realise that Legolas has been in love with you for years. To us it seemed a natural progression that you would fall in love with him."

Excuse me? Legolas in love with me? Natural progression that I fall in love with him? Have I missed something here?

I sat down heavily on a bench. "Elladan, what on earth are you talking about? And what do you mean that ‘Legolas has been in love with me for years'? That's impossible!"

"Care to tell me why it's impossible?" Elladan's gaze was unwavering.

The thought suddenly occurred to me, and I asked, "How do you know that Legolas loves me? When did you see him? Did he say anything to you? How…oh Elbereth, this is too ridiculous for words!"

"Aragorn, we've known for a long time. We started becoming suspicious when he began to ask a lot of questions about you, how you were, what you were doing, and so forth. So we asked him outright; he was so startled by the question that he could do nothing but tell the truth."

"Elladan," cut in Elrohir, "don't you think it should be up to Legolas to tell Aragorn that he loves him?"

Elladan looked at Elrohir. "If we waited for that to happen, then Mordor would become a beautiful land to rival Valinor and Sauron its benevolent ruler," he said, the words heavily laced with sarcasm. "No," he continued, looking again at me, "better to tell Aragorn ourselves, and let him make the next move."

Oh Gods…me, make the next move. Smiling weakly, and with legs shaking, I managed to get up and make my out of the bath-house.

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Translations:

Pen-neth – young one
Mae govannen – Well met
Ada – Father
Gwador – brother (not related by blood)
Gwanur – brother (blood-related)

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