Part 5

Posted: October 2003
Author: Inwe Saralonde

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‘There is always someone
For each of us they say
And you'll be my someone
Forever and a day'
‘I'll Never Find Another You' – The Seekers

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Legolas' POV

"The King will see you now." The voice of the King's chief advisor interrupted my musings.

"Thank you." Smiling briefly at him, I made my way into my father's study, my mind wandering back to what Silinde had told me. ‘I am sure that he loves you, only he does not know how to tell you. Which is why you must make the first move.'

A small cough. "Legolas, do you plan to stand there the whole time in a trance, or are you going to give me a report?" Hmmm? Oh, of course. In father's study. Report. Right. I cleared my throat.

"Forgive me, my Lord. My mind was elsewhere."

"Obviously," came the dry retort. "I understand from Silinde that you had been joined by Aragorn; I thought he may have returned with you."

"Unfortunately he could not. He said he other matters to attend to." I felt a twinge of guilt, remembering the relief I felt when Silinde had reported to me that Aragorn could not return with us.

"A pity. I was hoping that he may have further information on the increased activity around Dol Goldur."

"Aragorn made no mention of it to me, my Lord."

"From what I gathered from Silinde, you did not speak to Aragorn much at all before he left," my father replied. Ouch. I keep forgetting how good my father was at eliciting information from others. I sighed inwardly. I knew now that I would not just be giving a report on the Orc encounter.

"My Lord?" I queried, trying to keep my voice neutral, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"Legolas, drop the formalities. Right now I am your father first, your Lord second. Something has happened between yourself and Aragorn – will you not tell me about it?" I looked at my father, and saw the concerned expression on his face.

"Ada…nothing happened between myself and Aragorn." Oh Gods, shades of the conversation between myself and Silinde. And if Silinde had guessed that I was in love with Aragorn…then my father would surely know. Eyes downcast, I chewed on my lower lip, fighting the urge to flee from the eyes that were scrutinising me intently.

"Legolas, I know that you love him." My father approached me, and his hand cupped my chin, lifting my head so that I was forced to look at him.

"There's no need to look so miserable, iôn-nîn." He sighed, dropping his hand. "However much I wish to, I cannot control matters of the heart. While it pains me," at this my father smiled ruefully, "I know that I cannot stop you from loving him. To try and forbid it would only end up destroying you, and I could never let that happen."

‘Oh Ada, if you only knew what this love for Aragorn was already doing to me!' I silently cried.

"Have you thought about telling Aragorn how you feel?" my father asked.

"He does not return my feelings." ‘Strange,' I mused, ‘how I end up saying almost the same words to Ada as I did to Silinde.'

"How do you know he does not?" I looked at my father with exasperation on my face. "You've been speaking with Silinde," I stated flatly.

Eyebrows raised, my father replied: "No, I have not. I take it that you have had a similar conversation with him about this?"

"Ada, does everyone know that I love Aragorn? Have I been so open with my feelings on this?" I asked bitterly.

My father chuckled. "Oh Legolas. Every time when there have been visitors to Mirkwood, you ask about Aragorn. What he is doing, where he is, how he is…you have not exactly hidden your interest in him. So to answer your question, I would say that yes, everyone does…except for Aragorn. Can I suggest that you go and tell him before someone else does?"

I sighed. "Silinde said something to me about making the first move," I admitted.

"Well then, you shall. I plan to send a message to Elrond tomorrow, and you will be the one to bring the message to Imladris. I have a strong feeling that Aragorn will be there."

I looked at my father. "And if he isn't, what should I do…chase him around the whole of Middle-earth in order to tell him I love him?" I enquired with a little sarcasm. I scowled; I don't like being manipulated like this. "I would prefer to tell Aragorn in my own time, at my own choosing."

"Which would be never at all. Legolas, please. Go to Imladris. Seek out Aragorn and talk to him. Do this for your own peace of mind, if nothing else."

For my own peace of mind? ‘If anything, it will only worsen it,' I thought morosely.

"Legolas?" I looked at my father. "All right, Ada, I will go to Imladris," I said resignedly.

"Good. And Legolas," said my father, placing his hand on my cheek, "everything will work out, you will see."

Oh sweet Elbereth…I hope so.

A thought came to mind. "Ada?" My father looked up from a parchment he was perusing. "Ada, do you think…is it possible that Aragorn…that he is my soul-mate?" The last bit the question came out in a rush.

Ada closed his eyes, then opened them again. I could not read the expression in them. "I don't know, iôn-nîn." The question had made him uncomfortable.

"Legolas, I…," here my father faltered. "Legolas, I only wish for you to be happy. Keep in mind that he is mortal, and that one day he will die. As I said before, I cannot stop you from loving him, and to try and stop it would destroy you. Yet, when the time comes and he dies, I do not want to lose you because of grief. I just…" His voice was shaking by now.

"Ada…" I went over to him and put my arms around him. After a short moment, he put his arms around me, and we stood there for a time till he pulled away and, looking into my eyes, he said: "Just be careful."

I gave a small smile. "I will, Ada."

I turned to leave but am assailed by another thought. Turning back to my father, I asked: "Ada, did not wish to have a report from me?"

"Hmm? Oh, that won't be necessary Legolas. Silinde gave a full briefing upon your return." He smiled at me. "Go. Get some rest; you will need to leave at first light tomorrow."

"Yes, Ada." Bemused, I left my father's study.

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The next morning

I stood next to my horse, waiting for Silinde and Saelbeth, who were to accompany me to Imladris. My father's words ‘everything will work out…everything will work out…' ran like a mantra through my head.

Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the up-coming trip. "Ready, Legolas?" It was Silinde. "Yes," I replied, nodding to Saelbeth who arrived behind Silinde. ‘As ready as I'll ever be,' I thought darkly to myself.

"Everything will work out, Legolas." Hearing these words from Silinde, the same that I had heard from my father, made me want to knock my head against a tree.

"So I've been told," I snarled, and mounted my horse. Looking down at the other two Elves, I said: "Come, we haven't all day. I would like to try and get to Imladris as soon as possible."

"In a hurry, Legolas?" asked Saelbeth, a knowing smile on his lips.

Keeping a rein on my temper, I replied: "I only wish to make full use of the day, not to spend it idly standing about talking." I ignored the look that passed between the two of them.

In a hurry, indeed. In a hurry to make a complete and utter fool of myself, the truth be told. And I was not looking forward to it one little bit.

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Translations:

Ada – Father
Iôn-nîn – My son

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