There’s Sacrifice in Love

Title: There’s Sacrifice in Love 2/3

Author: Sivan Shemesh sivan325@walla.com

Beta: Manon. You are the best. Thank you!!!

Rate: NC-17

Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas.

Disclaimer: I wish but I don’t.

Warning: Angst, violence, sex, blood. ld Ild I add more?

Summary: Aragorn is nearly executed – but who was it that ordered it and their reasons to have him killed? And what, in the end, was the real cost?

Spoiler: AU.

Author note: This was written for LOTR FPS Secret Santa, for Kitty. Inspired by “Forbidden Love” by Celebrían.

Since there is no clear info about Legolas and Glorfindel of Gondolin, that is my version.

~*~*~

2.

“No,” Aragorn whispered, and kneeled next to his love, still with his hands tied. He started to cry and wonder ‘Why?’

“No… my son…” Thranduil wept over his son’s body. He felt angry at the human.

“You…” Thranduil yelled, pointing at Aragorn. “It was your fault…” He was overcome with grief.

“My Lord,” Aragorn tried to say, “I can heal him…”

“You are nothing but a filthy human,” Thranduil hissed.

“My Lord, I am a healer,” Aragorn said, and moved closer to the king, adding: “I was taught by Lord Elrond, I am his foster son.”

“But he is dead. How can you heal him?” Thranduil asked.

“There is hope, my Lord,” Aragorn said.

“Guard!” Thranduil called. He did not understand how this human intended to heal his son.

“Yes, my Lord?” the guard said.

“Untie him,” Thranduil ordered, motioning to Aragorn. “And keep a close watch over him.”

“Yes, my Lord,” replied the guard, and cut the rope.

Aragorn’s hands were free and he moved his hands to his beloved’s neck to see if there was still a pulse. There was.

“Well?” Thranduil asked.

“You will not lose him, my Lord,” Aragorn said. “There is still a chance.”

“Guards,” Thranduil called. “Move my son to the healing rooms.”

The guards did as the king asked, and were followed by Thranduil and Aragorn. They very gently placed the prince on the bed. Aragorn could feel the king’s eyes on him, watching every move he made.

“I need bandages, water, and your assistance, my Lord,” Aragorn requested.

The guards left them, and after a few minutes came back with the bandages and water before leaving again.

“My Lord?” Aragorn asked.

“What is it?”

“I need you to sedate your son, my Lord,” Aragorn said. In the meantime he reached for one of the candles and began to heat his knife over the flame to sterilize it.

“Can you not do this?” Thranduil asked him, wondering why *he* has to sedate Legolas.

Aragorn did not answer. Thranduil looked at his son, frightened his child’s fëa was already on its way to Mandos’ Halls. He had to make a decision or he would truly lose his only child.

The king fetched the herbs needed, wrapping them in a cloth and gently pressing it on Legolas’ nose and mouth. Already unconscious, it did not take long for the prince to fall under, and Thranduil moved the cloth away, his face filled with grief. He had to put his trust in the human.

Thranduil was stunned watching Aragorn; the man’s hands were shaking as if he was afraid to touch Legolas, or do something that could cause the prince to die.

“Prepare the bandages for me by dipping them in the water. I will pull out the arrows, one by one,” Aragorn said, beginning to cut into the flesh around one of the arrows.

Thranduil watched as the human carefully pulled out arrow after arrow, trying to do as little damage as possible. He gave Aragorn the bandages and the man wrapped them around the wounds. Fortunately the bleeding gradually slowed before stopping entirely.

Aragorn took what was left of the bandages and used them clean off any blood still on the prince.

“Wash yourself!” Thranduil ordered. “I will watch him.”

Aragorn nodded and left the room, closing the door after him.

After the man left, Thranduil turned back to his son and looked at his son’s face. It was pale, but peaceful. His eyes were closed, the lids covering the ocean blue of his eyes.

The king wanted so much to hug his son; he wanted to ask him why he sacrificed himself to save the human? Why did he want to save the mortal?

“Why did you do this?” Thranduil whispered, feeling betrayed by his son. He placed a gentle kiss on Legolas’ forehead, then lowered his head started to cry, his tears of agony and pain.

*****************

Aragorn returned to his room and closed the door after him. ‘I really need a bath,’ he thought.

He took off his tunic and leggings, shivering slightly in the cool air. Walking to the bath, he saw it was already full of warm water, as if someone knew he was coming back and needed to wash himself. ‘Maybe one of the guards arranged it,’ he thought, as he stepped into the water and sat down, letting it cover him.

‘I hope I will be able to hold him again,’ Aragorn thought. In his heart he believed Legolas would survive, but his face was sad as he remembered why Legolas had been hurt. He sighed. Taking a piece of soap, he started to wash himself.

Aragorn began to think of the time he had spent with Legolas, and he wanted so much to feel him, to smell him again. He moved the soap over his body and slid it over his cock. He started to stroke it, wishing it was Legolas touching him.

Aragorn took a deep breath; there was no time for this - he needed to see his love again. He was not looking forward to seeing the king, though, but he knew he had no choice. At least feeling clean, he got out of the water and dried himself with a towel. Finding some clean clothing in his pack, he quickly dressed.

Returning to the healing room, he knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
He opened the door quietly and entered.

“My Lord?” he asked a little fearfully, coming closer and putting a hand on Thranduil’s shoulder.

The king was fully aware of the human’s presence, but it did not matter to him anymore.

“My Lord?” Aragorn asked again.

Thranduil raised his head and opened his eyes. He had falleleepleep briefly, but had woken before Aragorn entered the room. The king did not want to leave his son’s side.

“Tell me about my son,” Thranduil said softly. He did not want to yell, after all this human might have saved his son’s life.

“I’m sorry my Lord?” Aragorn asked surprised.

“When did this all happened?” Thranduil asked. He felt defeated by Legolas’ relationship with Aragorn, knowing it could not be undone.

“It happened when I came, my Lord,” Aragorn explained.

“Did you tell him not to say anything to me?” Thranduil asked, hoping the human had forced Legolas into keeping quiet about it, making Aragorn at fault and not his son.

“On the contrary, my Lord,” Aragorn said. He saw the change of expression on the king’s face. “It was your son’s choice when to tell you about us.”

‘Then he must be afraid of me,’ Thranduil thought sadly.

“Did my son fear me?” Thranduil asked.

Aragorn was surprised at Thranduil’s question. He did not know what to say and feared to hurt the king’s feelings.

“The last thing your son said to me before we got caught, was: ‘if my father finds out, he will be hurt’.” Aragorn said.

Thranduil was lost in thought, remembering the words he had said to his son.

“I told him the cost of love,” Thranduil mused aloud, and added in despair: “I failed him, and for that I almost lost him.”

“My Lord?” Aragorn felt for Thranduil. He put his hand on the king’s shoulder and squeezed it in support.

“Go and rest, my Lord,” Aragorn said. “I will stay with him; he will be safe.”

Thranduil nodded; he knew Aragorn was right. ‘He is very patient for a human, almost like an elf,’ he thought. The king glanced at his son once more before he left the room with a heavy heart.

Aragorn watched over his lover. All the time he was wondering: ‘Why did you save me?’

~

Both Thranduil and Aragorn stayed with Legolas, waiting for a sign. Two days had passed, and nothing had happened, but at least the prince was still alive, and people began to hope.

On the third day, Thranduil awoke at dawn. Already there was a little sunlight in the room, and the king could hear the birds singing. He looked around and saw the human was still asleep before looking towards his son, and froze.

Legolas’ eyes were open. The king closed his eyes and then opened them again; he did not know if what he saw was real or not.

Legolas tried to lift his head, but it hurt, and he felt pain in his chest every time he tried to take a breath.

“Easy, my son,” Thranduil said softly, watching his son’s head drop back onto the pillow.

“Adar?” Legolas whispered.

“I thought I had lost you,” Thranduil said and kissed his son gently on the forehead.

“What about Ara… Aragorn?” Legolas asked, fear showing in his eyes.

“He is fine. You are alive, thanks to him,” Thranduil said.

Legolas felt his father’ eyes on him, and turned his face away; he did not feel comfortable.

“You do not have to feel ashamed,” Thranduil said, adding: “It was not your fault, it was mine.”

“No it… it was my fault, Adar,” Legolas turned to his father, tears spilling down his face.

“No, it was not,” said Thranduil.

The only sound now in the room was Legolas crying; he felt he needed to expel the burden from his heart.

“What is it, my son? Why are you crying?” Thranduil asked. He cannot see bear to see his son weeping. He felt a growing dread in his heart.

“I am sorry, father,” said Legolas.

“For what, my son?” Thranduil asked.

Legolas took a deep breath and said: “For everything,”

Legolas’ chest burned him as he tried to breath, his face twisting from the pain.

Thranduil began to worry and moved his hand over his son’s chest, and saw that Legolas was starting to gasp for air. He quickly got up and went to Aragorn.

“Aragorn… Aragorn… please wake up…” Thranduil shook the human. He was afraid his son was dying; he could not deal with it again, not after his wife had died.

Aragorn woke, opening his eyes slowly when the light blinded him a little, before looking at the king in concern.

“It is Legolas… he is awake… but…” Thranduil said.

‘Legolas … awake? … But…’ Aragorn tried to clear his mind. ‘Legolas…’ he thought.

“Aragorn, can you save him?” Thranduil asked impatiently.

“What…?” Aragorn asked, then trailed off as he saw the pain on Legolas’ face. He got up and went to the prince, and saw fresh blood seeping from the wounds.

“Stay with me, my love…” he whispered. He could feel the sweat on his forehead as his hands reached out to the wounds on the prince’s chest.

“Is he not supposed to have headed by now?” Thranduil asked worried.

“He is…” Aragorn began to say. He could not believe this was happening; he must have missed something!

“My Lord, I need new bandages, fast…” Aragorn said, pressing down on the wounds to try and stop the bleeding.

Thranduil strode to the door and opened it, yelling at the guards to get some bandages as quickly as possible.

“Stay with me, Legolas; stay with me, my love,” Aragorn said as he saw Legolas trying to open his eyes, but without any success.

Blood began to trickle from the corner of Legolas’ mouth. ‘This can not be true,’ Aragorn thought. ‘His lung must be damaged - that is why he bleeding so much!'

End of Chapter 2.

R/R