Part 15

Posted: October 2003
Author: Inwe Saralonde

*****

‘Thought we had a good thing baby
You pulled the wool over my eyes
I should've seen it coming baby
Now all I see is a cool love dying
Honey I don't want to hold you down
Why you gotta own the lock and the key (tell me baby)
A good thing don't just come around
And you can't have it for free (not me)'
‘What's In It For Me' – Faith Hill
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Legolas' POV

I had been pacing up and down the library till I felt I had almost worn a hole in the floor. Every so often I would glance at the door, expecting it to open and for Aragorn to step in at any moment.

In truth, I had no idea what I should say to him. I knew he had apologised to me back in Imladris; that I had said to him ‘I can forgive you', but those words seemed hollow to me now.

‘Or is it you cannot forgive yourself?' I stopped my pacing, and took a deep breath. How I desperately wished that I had declared my feelings to Aragorn earlier – then none of this would have happened.

But the traitorous thoughts continued: ‘Yet even if you had declared your feelings, you were not certain that Aragorn returned them. You only had the word of others. What happened with Haldir may still have happened. So what then? What would you have done? Would you have attempted to seduce Aragorn yourself? Try and prove that you were the better elf?'

Bah! My thoughts were beginning to get out of hand. I gave myself a mental shake, and resumed my pacing.

A knock on the door. "Legolas?" a voice called softy.

Sweet Elbereth – Aragorn. "Come in, Aragorn," I said. Unfortunately the normal timbre of my voice had somehow changed to a higher pitch.

The door opened, and I watched as Aragorn hesitantly came into the room. Good, he was as nervous as I was. That made me feel a little better.

"Mae govannen, Aragorn." Ah, my voice sounded much better, more formal, more…regal.

"Err…mae govannen, Legolas," Aragorn replied, looking a little confused at the sudden formality. Even better – now I felt that I was in control.

"I believe you wished to see me, Aragorn."

"Well, yes, that is correct. And now I am here, at your request." Aragorn's tone, too, was formal, and more assured. Bother – his nervousness seems to have disappeared. *LOL*

"Correct, Aragorn, on the assumption that you wished to see me anyway. I thought the sooner, the better."

"While I agree with your sentiments on ‘the sooner, the better', I had hoped for a chance to freshen myself before we did."

The conversation stalled – both of us knew we were going through this silly charade in order to avoid the real issue.

"Uh, Legolas…?"

"Yes, Aragorn?" I replied sweetly, pasting a smile on my lips. I saw Aragorn getting a little nervous again, and it gave me a small sense of satisfaction.

"Damn it, Legolas – this is getting ridiculous!" he exploded.

"Is it, Aragorn?" I felt that if I kept calm, then Aragorn would become more frustrated. I smiled to myself – so much me becoming ‘hysterical'! And, after all, I was the one who had been wronged – wasn't I? I decided to let Aragorn suffer a little more. Walking to a chair, I sat down. I looked at Aragorn who looked back at me, obviously trying to work out what to do or say next. I kept quiet, waiting.

I was going to enjoy this…

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Aragorn's POV

I was more than a little bemused – and nervous – by the direction this conversation was going. I looked at Legolas sitting in the chair, not saying a word. To say that I found this all a little unexpected would be an understatement. This was not the Legolas I knew. It was almost as if he was…toying with me.

I wasn't expecting instant forgiveness – it would be foolish on my part if I did. Yet at the same time, I did not want to be led along with a possible promise of reward at the end. Taking stock of the situation, I decided that a change in conversation was in order.

"Tell me, Legolas. What was it that attracted you to me?"

I watched as Legolas' eyes widened – he certainly wasn't expecting *that*.

"I could counter that question by asking you what attracted you to me, Aragorn," he replied. He wore a smug look on his face, as if congratulating himself.

I was becoming intrigued by this. ‘Very well, Legolas,' I thought, ‘if this is how you wish to play the game, then I'll follow – for now.'

"But, Legolas, I asked the question first. And it is bad manners to ask a question with a question. So, what is your answer?" I stood there, watching, waiting. I could see Legolas battling with himself as to how he was going to answer the question.

He sighed. "A number of things, Aragorn. Your honesty, integrity – or what I thought was integrity…" I winced – maybe this was not a good question to ask after all. "…your courage, the fact that you don't put yourself forward as a hero. You don't have any airs and graces…" Here Legolas' voice tailed off, as if he said too much.

The confident air that Legolas wore was gone – now I could only see vulnerability in Legolas' face.

"No more games, Legolas. We both know why I'm here," I said softly. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am for what happened. But this has been eating away at me – I've had no rest since you left Imladris, and I know it's been no different for you."

"Who told you?" I could hear anger in Legolas' voice.

"Silinde, your father. And I can see it with my own eyes…"

"Can see what, Aragorn?" Legolas interrupted. "You have not idea what it felt like to see you with Haldir. And I'm not only angry with you, I'm angry with myself for not saying anything sooner. You're mine, Aragorn, no-one else's!"

I stared at Legolas. Ye Gods – first Haldir, now Legolas. Shakily, I ran a hand through my hair.

"Legolas – I will be honest with you. I heard similar words from Haldir. I did not like the idea of being someone's ‘possession' then, and I do not like the idea now. Your father asked me if I saw you as some sort of plaything, but I'm beginning to wonder if you do not regard me as *your* plaything, to be put aside when finished with."

There was a look of shock on Legolas' face. "Haldir said that he wanted you to be his?" he whispered. I nodded. "You never said…" continued Legolas.

"…no, I didn't. I'm sorry," I finished. "As far as I was concerned, I had made it clear to Haldir that there could never be anything between us, and I will hold to that." I watched how the emotions flitted across Legolas' face.

And I watched as Legolas went to the door, opened it, and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

*****

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