Art of Life

Title: Art of Life
Part: 4/?
Author: Indil (lily@stranger-inside.net)
Pairings: Aragorn/Legolas, Elrohir/Legolas
Warnings: None for now, really, unless angst counts? Mpreg for later.
Rating: PG-13 to R
Disclaimer: See first part
Summary: Legolas' has a long, hard path to walk to find the true love of his life.
Notes: Thanks to Theresa foe betaing !!! And thanks to the people who said they enjoyed the story.

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I'm making the wall inside my heart
I don't wanna let my emotions get out
It scares me to look at the world
Don't want to find myself lost in your eyes
[Art of Life by X-Japan]

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[ELROHIR]

I keep asking myself why I love Legolas, but one look at his deep, smiling, blue eyes, and I find my answer. Estel has no idea how much I envy him. To be loved by such a noble Elf, he’s truly lucky. But even if part of me burns with jealousy every time I see them together, most of me wants them to be happy. Estel didn’t “steal” Legolas from me, because he was never mine.

Though all these thoughts went through my head as I rode with Elladan in the front of the patrol sent to scout the land, I let none of it show on my face. Only my Twin noticed the brief, but longing glances I gave to Legolas, and smiled sadly at me. I smiled back each time, as if trying to tell him I’d be fine.

We made camp that night, which would be the first and only where Estel, Legolas, and I would be together. None of us talked very much. For one thing, it wasn’t safe to talk about the Ring outside Imladris, and for another, no one wanted to start pointless chatter. Legolas and Aragorn obviously were contented merely being in each other’s presence and holding each other’s hand.

I sighed, but Elladan quickly covered for me. “You should all get some rest. I’ll take the first watch,” he suggested, patting my shoulder.

“I think you’re right, Brother. Wake me up in time to take the next one, ok?” I replied, and went to lie inside my bedroll.

Aragorn and Legolas both nodded, and went to their respective bedrolls, while Elladan sat near the fire, looking out into the darkness. I slowly fell asleep, and when Elladan’s turn was over, he did not wake me to take mine, and let me sleep until the next morning.

[ARAGORN]

I thought Elrohir was acting strangely for some reason, but he had always been very close, even among the family. So I didn’t ask him anything. If he felt the need to talk to me about whatever bothered him, he would do it. Maybe the whole situation made him feel helpless. I knew I felt that way. And Elrohir had always been the most sensitive of the Twins. Sometimes I wondered if he hadn't inherited Ada’s foresight.

However, I didn’t get to study his behavior more intently, as after a few hours of riding together the next days we divided in two groups. Elladan and Elrohir would ride East of the Misty Mountains and scout the lands between Mirkwood and Lórien. Also, they carried a message to the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood, no doubt concerning the Quest. And Legolas and I would go West to contact the Dúnedain. That way, we would cover more ground much faster.

It took us nearly a month to scour all the land between Imladris and the Shire. Fortunately or unfortunately, we met no sign of the Black Riders. They seemed to have vanished. And yet, we knew they couldn’t have been destroyed so easily. No, they must have been on their way East, to their city of Minas Morgul.

Some of my people went north, and some others west of the Shire. They would meet us in Imladris to deliver their news. As for our part, Legolas and I returned to the House of Elrond, to give the reports of our findings to Father and Gandalf.

We found out that Glorfindel and his patrol were back already, and they had discovered only some of the bodies of the drowned horses. We told our news, but no one felt really comforted. It would have been better to have all nine riders accounted for. I wondered what decision Ada would finally make, but Mithrandir trusted me and told me a little of it.

“Your Father will send me to aid Frodo and Sam on the Quest. And with us, he will send six more, representing all the peoples of Middle-Earth. I have the feeling he might send you for Men. I don’t know about Boromir, as he seems to be in a great haste to return to his land. For the Dwarves, he misendsend Gimli, Glóin’s son, for he is still young and strong. And for the Elves, well, I really have no idea who he would send. Maybe Glorfindel. Or Legolas,” he said.

Gandalf said these were mere guesses, but his “guesses” often proved to be true. Still, that only accounted for half the other members of the Company, not including the two Hobbits and Gandalf. Maybe Ada would send both Legolas and Glorfindel. Or the Twins. Or maybe they had been sent to bring help from Lórien or Mirkwood.

I told Legolas everything our wizard friend had told me, but he came up with no better answers than mine. I wished the rest scouts would hurry up, so Father would finally make up his mind about this.

A fortnight later, the last scouts, namely the Twins, arrived home, alone, oddly enough. So Lórien didn’t send any help. But they wouldn’t say a word about their findings, except to Ada.
The next day, he called us all to a meeting where the fate of the Quest was to be decided. I volunteered to go with Frodo, as well as Legolas and Gimli, who for some reason, couldn’t stop glaring at each other. Boromir also expressed his wish to go, at least as far as Minas Tirith. Anyhow, the greatest surprise came when young Merry and Pippin, Frodo’s cousins, stubbornly declared they would follow Frodo unless they were sent home tied in a sack.

And thus was formed the Fellowship of the Ring. We would depart in two days.


[LEGOLAS]

“Aragorn, you’re SURE there aren’t any more spare arrows? I’ll need all I can get,” I asked for the fifth time since we started to pack our things for the journey.

He sighed deeply and looked at me. “Yes, Legolas, I’m sure. But maybe if you go to the weaponry you’ll find some, though the ability of Imladris warriors lie in the blades.”

I looked at my quiver, which was practically full. It probably would hold no more arrows than it held at the moment. “No, I guess that won’t be necessary. My quiver is already full.” I pointed out.

Aragorn smiled tenderly at me, and kissed my forehead gently. “You’re such a stubborn Elf, my beloved. Besides, you’re also good with your knives, I’m sure they’ll serve you well in case you lose all of your arrows.”

I smiled back and gave him a small hug. “Diola lle, melamin.” I answered, and continued packing. We would need warm clothing. Or at least Aragorn would. Men do feel the cold, unlike us Elves.

As I finished packing a spare cloak, tunic, and pair of breeches, I looked at Aragorn’s sword. The Sword of Elendil, Narsil, had been re-forged by the Elves and renamed by Aragorn. Andúril, was its new name: Flame of the West. I ran my finger along the edge of the blade and felt my skin shallowly cut. It was sharp, indeed, and surely a deadly weapon in the hands of such a skilled swordsman as my Aragorn.

But Frodo was not the only one who needed Aragorn'ss protection during these dark times. He was the Heir of Elendil, and as such, it was his duty to protect his people. He had not decided yet, but might only go with the Company as far as Minas Tirith. But whichever path he chose, I would be there for him, to lend him my strength when he needed it.

We finished packing, and went over the mental list of supplies we would need. The only thing we were missing was food, and Lord Elrond had ordered the cook to pack as much food as possible for a Company of nine people. It had to be a supply that could last for many months, as we did not know when we would find more. The same went for the water.

That night, there was supposed to be a formal dinner, including all the members of the Council of Elrond. However, knowing this would be the last night Aragorn and I would have for just the two of us, we had told the Lord of Imladris that we would not attend. He simply smiled and told us to have a good time. He even took the liberty of sending a servant to prepare a bath for us as well as to send us our share of dinner.

My dearly beloved Aragorn and I shared a most wonderful, luxurious bath. By the Valar, if there were one commodity I would miss, it would surely be the warm, lush baths we had in Mirkwood and Imladris alike. Not only had they kept me clean, but they helped me to truly relax. Plus, I loved bathing with Aragorn. And, of course, I would miss sleeping in a nice, warm, soft bed.

After the bath, during which, by some miracle, we had kept ourselves from losing control and completely ravishing each other right then and there, we had a most wonderful dinner. We kept feeding each other, like two youngsters in love. I also realized I wouldn’t miss the food served at Father’s halls or here as much as other things. But that was hardly surprising. Though I do enjoy a good meal, as long as I have enough food to keep me up for a few days’ march at a time, I’m fine. And I was not new to journeys, though I had never been on one as long or perilous as this one was going to be.

We went to bed rather early, but not precisely to sleep. We both knew any intimacy during the quest would be terribly out of place, not to mention disrespectful to our companions, so we had to make the most of this night. We spent many hours making love, and fell asleep when it was already past midnight.

The next morning, Lord Elrond himself woke us up, an hour before dawn. We quickly cleaned ourselves, gathered our things, and joined the others by the Gates, where Elrond, Erestor, Lord Glorfindel, the Twins and Arwen, had gathered to saw their farewells to us. Also, Gimli’s father was there, as well as the warriors who had come with me from Mirkwood.

We all found it hard to depart, but at the break of dawn, Gandalf started leading the way. And we followed him. To freedom from the Darkness, or to death, we did not know.

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I hope you keep enjoying the story. I promise the plot will thicken soon. Maybe in a chapter or two. The mpreg part should come around that time. Thanks to people who have reviewed!!! It might be a while before I have time to write another chapter, but I’ll try to catch up during weekends. Blast those evil exams, I went back to school today, and I’ll be having exams this week and the next. But really, I try to at least write something during the weekend. Love ya, guys! Oh, and if you like depressing, angsty, songs, I really recommend you download Art of Life, it’s a great song, and though it’s from a Japanese group, it’s in English.