Art of Life

Title: Art of Life
Part: 1/?
Author: Indil (lily@stranger-inside.net)
Pairings: Aragorn/Legolas, Elrohir/Legolas
Warnings: None for now, really, unless angst counts ? There's a very, very light implication of a sexual scene near the end of this chapter. mpreg for later.
Rating: PG-13 to R
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters in this story, except for Nenwing, as
Tolkien never mentioned or gave a name to Legolas' mother. And there are also two other character that belong
to me, whom I haven't named yet, but they will appear later on. The title of the story comes from a song from the japanese X-Japan. Also, the random lyrics in each chapter come from them.
Summary: Legolas' has a long, hard path to walk to find the true love of his life.
Notes: Ok, *giggles* this is my very first mpreg fanfic, as well as my first LOTR multipart story. I'm still not sure how long it will be, but I hope you enjoy it. ^^ And currently I have
no beta, but if anyone would like to beta this story, please tell me. Also, I'm not sure of how often I'll update, due to school, and stuff, but I'll try to do it regularly. Oh and one last thing, English is not my native tongue, so if you find grammar/spelling mistakes, do tell me so I can correct them. ^^ Have fun.

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Wanna to live
Can't let my heart kill myself
Still I haven't found what I'm looking for


[ELROHIR]

Mother hugged Elladan and me thightly, before kissing our foreheads. She smiled her sweet, loving
smile at us, and I realized it would be a long time before I ever saw that beautiful, motherly
face and smile again. "My dearly beloved sons... Please, take care of your Father for me, and of
my Arwen... Be with them whenever then need you. I know I can count on you."

Elladan nodded and hugged Mother again. I simply swallowed past the lump in my throat and clung to her, not wanting to let go. "I promise we'll do our best, Mother. We won't disappoint you." my
twin told her.

She then let go off us and turned to Ada and Arwen, to say her farewells to them. I could see Ada's heart was broken, and I realized he would need us when Mother's ship finally sailed into the West. I saw them exchanging a last kiss, and then Mother and Arwen hugging.

I really wished Mother could stay with us, that we'd find a way to heal her spirit, to make her
again into the one she had been before her captivity at the Orcs' hands. But I knew in my heart,
that it was just a dream. Mother would never be the same again. Ada was the best Healer in Middle
Earth, and if he hadn't been able to do anything for her, then there was no way she could stay here. That would only mean she would fade, and I didn't want her to suffer more pain. No, she would find her happiness in the blessed realm, and maybe, someday, the rest of us would join her.

Seeiotheother climb into the ship, and wave at us, still wearing her smile, tinged with sorrow,
made my heart heavy, and I felt a few tears making their way down my face. I would miss her so much... Her love... her care... the way she forgave us after doing something completely stupid... her lectures... her songs... I felt Elladan reaching for one of my hands, and Arwen for the other, as we watched her ship sailing away, until passed beyond the horizon.

* - * - * - * - * - *

I sat under the protection of a willow tree, absently throwing stones into the pool below the
waterfall, as I watched the sky slowly turn to crimson with the sunset. I sighed deeply and
started singing a song that came from the bottom of heart.

Too enthralled in feelings, I hadn't realized there was someone watching me, until I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find a pair of deep eyes of the colour of the sky on a fine summer day, and a face with a concerned expression.

"That is a beautiful song, Elrohir, but it's filled with so much melancholy that it would break
even the heart of the strongest warrior." spoke the fair Prince of Greenwood the Great. Prince
Legolas and his family, King Thranduil and Queen Nenwing had come all the way from their realm
to say good bye to Mother, as well as our grandparents, Celeborn and Galadriel of Lothlórien.

Queen Nenwing had been born in Lórien too, and had been a good friend of Mother, even after both
of them moved after their respective marriages. King Thranduil, Father, and Grandfather had been
the ones who had tried to rebuild the peace of the Elven Realms after the War of the Last Alliance. And Legolas, while a couple of centuries younger than us, had been a good friend of Elladan and I since he had come to visit Imladris.

I sighed and looked at my friend's worried face. "I'm sorry, Legolas, I didn't mean to burden you h myh my sadness. It's just that I still can't face the fact that it will be a long time before I
see Mother again, if ever. I would have gone with her to Valinor, if I knew I wasn't needed here.
But with so few Elves in Middle Earth, Father needs all the help he can get to preserve the peace
he and your Father had worked so hard to build." I said, looking away from Legolas, and to the
sky, which was starting to change from crimson to violet and deep blue, the colours of the twilight.

Legolas didn't remove his hand from my shoulder. "I can't even imagine your grief, mellon-nîn,
but I hope you can take some comfort from my friendship. Anyway, your Father and Brother have been looking for you, dinner is about to be served."

Shaking my head I stood up. "I'm not hungry, my friend. But I think Ada will want me to be there
anyway. And probably force me to eat something to. I'll do as he, and I assume you too, wish."

The Prince smiled sweetly at me, and then gently took my hand to lead me back inside my own house, which seemed too empty without the gleaming, cheerful presence of Mother illuminating it.


* - * - * - * - * - *

I walked into the dining room behind Legolas, only to find we weren't the last to arrive. Legolas' parents weren't there yet, but Father, Elladan, and Arwen were already sitting down, and not looking exactly cheerful, when we walked in. I sat down in my usual place, between Elladan and Arwen, and the Prince excused himself for a moment while he went to look for his parents.

Elladan, my ever observative brother nudged me on the side weakly, in an attempt to be his usual self. Then he leaned and whispered. "Legolas is really cute, isn't he ?"

I felt myself turning scarlet at my twin brother implications. Apparently, he had said it loud enough for our sister to hear, because she giggled a little and nodded. "Yes, I would agree with Elladan, don't you think so, Elrohir ?"

"Ai! Brother, Sister, we're friends, that's all. Legolas was just worried about me, like he is worried for you both. I j-just... He just... He found me while I was brooding by the waterfall." I said, trying to explain my arrival with the sweet Prince, which was actually true. He HAD found me brooding and being sorrowful this evening, and it me feel a little warm inside to know I had such a good friend who worried about me.

Obviously, my twin wouldn't have any of that. "Right, Elrohir. But you didn't exactly answer my question, my dear brother. I didn't ask where he found you. I asked if you think our beloved friend Legolas is cute. I do think he is." he repeated.

Again, I blushed but I acquiesced to answer. "Alright, alright. He IS cute! Happy now, Elladan?"

My timing couldn't have been worse, because at that moment, Legolas re-entered roomroom, with his parents following close behind. But it was clear he had no idea we were talking about him, because the first words out of his lips were. "Who's cute, Elrohir?"

Arwen and Elladan looked at each other with knowing smiles, before the latter decided to open his big mouth to embarrass me even more. "Oh, actually, we were talking about you, mellon-nîn. Elrohir seems to think you're really cute." he said nonchalantly, as if he was discussing the weather, instead of seeking to make a fool of me in the presence of our friends from" Greenwood.

"Oh..." was his reponse, while he turned into an interesting shade of red, but probably not as interesting mine. I felt my face on fire. Stupid Elladan for forcing me to say that, and for repeating it in front of the subject of our conversation. I would get even with him later.

Dinner went on without much conversation, as neither Father, Elladan, Arwen, nor I were too keen on making it, and Legolas and his family respected our grief enough as not to start a pointless conversation just for the sake of talking. That's one reason I liked Legolas. He was kind and insightful, and he seemed to know just the proper thing to say at the proper time. Unlike myself, as I was about to prove at that very moment.

I hadn't noticed I had been picking at my food for several minutes until Queen Nenwing spoke. "Elrohir, dear, you look tired. Maybe you'd feel better if you go to bed early tonight." she suggested kindly. Unfortunately, for her and for me, I wasn't feeling like accepting anyone's concern or pity at that moment.

"I'm fine, my Lady, don't worry too much about me." I said flatly and kept looking at my food, until I finally pushed my plate away.

"Oh, young one, you let us take care of you. I'm really sure some rest would do you good..." she insisted, which made my thin patience completely disappear. I stood up abruptly and slammed my palm onto the table, knocking down my wine glass.

"I said, I'm fine, my Lady. I don't need your pity, nor your concern! I can take care of myself, very well, thank you, and you forget I'm no longer a child. I reached my majority centuries ago. So if you would excuse me!" I yelled, before turning away from the table, and walking out of the dinning room.

In some dim corner of my mind, I heard Father calling me back and telling me to apologize, bueasieasily ignored him, too lost in my own memories about Mother. Flashes ran through my mind, of Mother wiping my face after a mud fight with Elladan, Mother singing to Elladan and me, Mother showing us our new baby sister, the way Elladan and I found Mother among the dead bodies of the group of Orcs who kidnapped her...

Somehow, I had made it back to my bedroom, and I leaned against the door, as tears fell down my face. My mind knew Mother's departure had been for the best, but my heart refused to admit it, it was too full of pain. Maybe because of the circumstances that had forced her to forsake her home and her family. Had she left in a happier situation, or together with Father and us after a long, happy life in Middle Earth, it would have been different. Even if I had been left behind. Or maybe it was because I didn't know if Mother would really be happy in the lands of Aman, as beautiful as I've heard they are.

Had I not been leaning against the doorway, I wouldn't have heard the knocks at my door. I opened it to find a very angry Legolas on it. Right, I had yelled at his mother, he must be furious for such a disrespectful act. I probably deserved anything he had come to tell me.

"I'm sorry for what I said to your Mother, Legolas." I apologized in flat, emotionless tone, quickly wiping my eyes, so as Legolas wouldn't see my tears. He had already glimpsed a little too much of my pain when he had walked in on me singing in the gardens. No, I wasn't ready to share my feelings with anyone, not even him.

He frowned slightly. "I know you didn't really mean that apology, Elrohir, but I understand you're going through a very hard moment in your life." he answered, stepping into my chambers. "I wish you would open yourself to me and let me bear a part of your burden of sorrow. You, Elladan, and Arwen are my best friends, and I wish to help you. Will you let me, Elrohir ?" he asked, his face wearing a look of pure kindness and selflessness.

How could I ignore such a beautiful offer ? I nodded mutely and Legolas walked to me, closing the door behind him, and gently wrapping his arms around me, before making me rest my head on his shoulder. And finally, I was able to destroy the barriers I had built around myself, and let myself cry on his shoulder, while he stroked my hair and back softly andtly.tly.

I don't know how long he held me like that, but when my tears finally subsided, I realized that he was singing. It was a song full of hope, so different from the one I had been singing in the gardens just a few hours earlier. Legolas was really a radiant presence in my life", and I was grateful for having there at that moment.

"W-Will you stay with me tonight ? I-I don't want to be alone... Please..." I asked him in a soft whisper, desperately reaching for his hand. He just squeezed my hand reassuringly and nodded.

"Thank you, mellon-nîn..." I said, and led him to the sleeping area of my chambers. "I-I can lend you some night clothes, if you wish. They might be a little big on you, but they'll be nice enough to sleep in..." I suggested. I feared that if he left to get his own nightshirt and pants on his bedroom, he wouldn't come back.

He smiled his beautiful smile and nodded. "Yes, mellon-nîn, I would thank you very much if you did that." he said, probably guessing my thoughts. I tried to smile back a little, but failed miserably, before going to look for something for him to sleep in.

"You don't have to feel like you have to smile back at me. Cry if you need to, lean on me if you need to, and smile when you feel like smiling, not when you think you have to." he said. Legolas was so wise for his age, even if he was almost two centuries younger than me.

I went back to him and handed him some clothes and took some for myself. You can change in the bathroom. I can do it here. Knock or inform me when you're done." I said. He nodded and went to as I suggested, while I started tiredly shedding my clothes, and replacing them for some more comfortable ones. After a few minutes I head the knock, and told him he could inside.

Having spent some time at Mirkwood when I was younger, I had seen Legolas in sleeping clothes already, but I had to admit he looked particularly adorable in mine. I had lent him a shirt which was slightly too big for him, and pants that were maybe one inch too long, which he had rolled up as not to trip on them.

"Y-You look fine, Legolas..." I said as he, rather shyly, walked into my bedroom.

"Thank you, Elrohir, but it's just your sleeping clothes..." he answered, fidgeting a little near the bed, where I was sitting.

Lying down, I pulled away the covers and made some space for my friend. "Come on, mellon-nîn, I don't bite. And there's more than enough space for the both of us on my bed." I suggested. He nodded and slipped under the warmth under the covers.

For some reason, I suddenly felt different while lying next to him. Why was I so nervous ? When I had been at Mirkwood visiting or he in Imladris, we had often shared the same bed. But this time wasn't like those others, at all. And I didn't know why.

"Um Legolas... C-Could you hold me ?" I asked, wondering if he would reject me of feel offended at such a proposal.

I was about to apologize until I felt a pair of arms wrapping around my waist. I slowly turned in his arms until I was facing. He blushed slightly, and I could feel myself doing it too. "Do you think you can sleep now, my friend ?" he asked me. I nodded. It felt so safe to be in Legolas' arms like that, so right. I felt my heart beating faster when I realized his face was so close to mine.

"L-Legolas..."

"Hmmm ?" He already dozing off, leaving conciousness to enter the realm of Elven dreaming.

I forgot what I was going to ask, seeing the sweet, dreamy expression on his face, and his lips smiling slightly at me. I couldn't help myself and I leaned close to kiss him. That brought him out of his reverie.

"E-Elrohir..." he breathed, as my lips softly touched his. "Shhh..." I whispered, before kissing again, this time more firmly, and I felt him slowly respond, his lips moving against mine. Sooner than I would have liked, we broke up.

"I-I'm sorry, Legolas... I-I didn't meant to..." I started, but Legolas placed his finger against my lips. "Don't... I-I understand what you need, mellon-nîn... You need to feel loved, to know someone cares for you, to have someone who can listen you, and help you bear your pain. I can do that for you, because you're important for me..." he said.

It was at that moment, that I realized I was in love with the Prince of Mirkwood. I had probably fallen in love with him long ago, but those feelings had been buried in deep corner of my heart. But now, seeing Legolas being so kind to me, my heart overflowed with love for him. I also wrapped my arms around him and kissed him again.

Soon, our kisses stopped being sweet and tender, and became full of a passion and desperation I didin't know I had. Before we knew it, we had removed all our clothes, and I was lying over the Prince, looking at him and breathing fast, our bodies so close together, it was maddening.

"Have you ever done this before, Legolas ?" I asked. I hadn't ever made love with anyone before, but I had read somewhere that the first time always hurt, for both, males and females alike. And I didn't want to hurt my beloved, not after all he was doing for me.

He shook his head. "Me neither..." I admitted. "But I don't want to hurt you..." I added. He looked at me and stroked my face softly. "Do not worry, Elrohir... If you need this, then go ahead. I will be fine, I know you'll try not to hurt me too much..." he said.

Maybe he would regret this next morning. Maybe I would regret it. Or maybe we both would, but for now, I would take what he offered me, and try to repay it by making sure my sweet Prince recieved as much pleasure as I could give, and of course, the love I had for him.

* - * - * - * - * - *

Mellon-nîn: My friend
Ada: Father/Dad/Daddy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Errrrrr, I do hope I didn't overdo on anything. Dunno, the drama or angst or anything. ^^;; Feedback would be pretty much appreciated. I hope you liked this. XD