Come What May

Chapter 1 - The Road Goes On


Legolas slumped down on the mud-covered ground and wrapped his arms around Boromir's dead body. He could not believe that his beloved was dead even as he held the still body of the Gondorian close to him. How did everything go so wrong? Things were not supposed to end the way they did. If only he had arrived sooner, Boromir might still be alive.


"They will pay for what they did to you," Legolas vowed, tears escaping from his eyes to fall freely down his cheeks.


"We must leave," said Aragorn, his own grief showing clearly in his voice.


"I won't let him go yet," Legolas said stubbornly.


Aragorn sighed, and knelt down before his friend, knowing how hard it was for the Elf to lose his lover. "I don't want to believe he is dead either, Legolas, but he is gone now and there's nothing we can do but let him go."


"No! I am not ready to let go!"


Gimli rested his foot against the edge of his axe and watched the interaction between Aragorn and Legolas. He almost could not believe it himself; Boromir was dead, and yet the man lay still and unmoving before him; the light was gone from his eyes.


"Legolas, please..." Gimli spoke finally. "I know this is hard for you to accept, but you must let go of him."


"You don't know how I feel because you never had to go through this," he yelled at his friends. "I cannot let go! It is too soon!"


"The sooner you let go the better, Legolas," whispered Aragorn. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be."


Legolas ignored Aragorn and pulled Boromir's body closer to him. Aragorn sighed and glanced at Gimli, who seemed just as worried as he was. They did not know how to help Legolas. Most importantly they did not know how to cope with their own grief.


"Legolas, please, I beg you to listen to me," Aragorn said, moving closer to the frantic elf. "You have to let go of Boromir, my friend, so that he can be given a proper burial. We cannot leave him lying here amongst these foul creatures."


Legolas sniffed and looked up to meet Aragorn's sorrow-filled eyes. He nodded his head and reluctantly let go of the Gondorian's still body, stepping back to some extent.


He watched in slow motion as his friends placed Boromir's dead body in one of the boats and sent it off down the river. Aragorn and Gimli had paid their respects to the son of Gondor, but Legolas could not bring himself to say good-bye; at least not yet he couldn't. In his heart, he felt as though Boromir was still with him and he would hold on to that hope in order to carry on.


It was decided they would not follow the Ring-bearer, but instead pursue the Uruk-hai to save Merry and Pippin. Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli followed the trail of the Orcs, picking up their foul scent as they traveled speedily in hopes of reaching them in time. Legolas kept a distance, between himself and the other two, choosing instead to focus simply on the task of rescuing the little ones whom Boromir gave his life to save. He would not let the Man's death be for nothing.


Later in the evening they made camp, in the heart of the forest of Amon Hen, lighting a small fire with the few pieces of wood that could be found. Legolas had not spoken at all and refused to eat the food that Aragorn offered him. After a while he stood and wandered off on his own, disappearing through the trees in search of a river. His face was covered with dried mud and he was in need of a bath.


Aragorn and Gimli let him be and when it was finally time for them to retire, Aragorn offered to take the first watch and Gimli decided to take the next. It was then that the Dwarf noticed it had been too long and Legolas had not yet returned.


"Aragorn, I know that he's a grown Elf, but shouldn't have he returned by now?" Gimli asked with concern, although, if asked, he would deny such an emotion towards an Elf.


"You're right, my friend. I will go search for him," Aragorn said quietly.


"That would be a wise thing to do," Gimli agreed. He watched Aragorn disappear into the clearing and went about fixing his bed for the night, all the while grumbling and cursing underneath his breath. That damn Elf and his grieving, he thought briefly, and stared into the fire trying to stay awake.


Aragorn walked down the same path Legolas had followed, tracing the light footsteps the Elf had left behind, pondering about Legolas' mental state to leave such an obvious trail. Elves were known for their ability to lose any trackers and hunters. Reaching a small clearing, Aragorn spotted Legolas' clothing but no sign of the Elf. A sudden feeling of terror welled up in the pit of his belly. If something had happened to Legolas, he would never be able to forgive himself.


Then he heard it...a soft moan coming from behind a large tree. He approached it and nearly fell to his knees at the sight of the elf before him. Legolas lay on his side against the tree trunk with his back facing Aragorn, naked as the day he was born. He was clutching his side and whimpering as if he were in pain.


"Legolas..." Aragorn called out softly, hoping to draw Legolas' attention and not startle him. He received no answer from the elf and decided to approach him instead; kneeling, he put his hand on the elf's shoulder out of compassion.


"Legolas, can you hear me? Please say something...anything."


Legolas could hear the Dúnedain quite clearly, but he chose to ignore him despite the fact that Aragorn was his best friend. His only wish at the moment was to remain by himself and grieve in peace for the loss of his lover.


"Legolas please..." Aragorn continued to plead with him.


"Go away." Legolas finally spoke. Why couldn't Aragorn just let him be?


Aragorn had to strain his ears to hear what Legolas had whispered. He cringed at the Elf's harsh words. It was obvious that his friend was in pain; he could detect it in his voice. However, leaving at this time was not an option.


"You are not well, Legolas. Let me help you."


"No!" Legolas shrieked. " I don't need you to take care of me, Aragorn, I am not a child to be coddled. I am very well capable of taking care of myself."


"Legolas, I know that you are not a child," Aragorn said, brushing a strand of the Elf's golden hair behind a pointed ear. "But that is beside the point. You are not well and your skin looks too pale for my liking. I just want to make sure that you are all right. Let me take a look at you."


"No, you can't!" Legolas said, drawing a suspicious look from Aragorn. The elf curled into a ball and wrapped his arms tighter around himself. He could not let Aragorn see him like this.


"You're hiding something from me." Aragorn realized Legolas was frantic over the thought of being examined. "Tell me. What is it?"


Legolas refused to look at his friend for fear of him finding out the truth. It was too soon to tell Aragorn, especially when he wasn't sure how his friend would react.


Aragorn forced Legolas to turn around and face him. But the elf still kept his arms wrapped tightly around him as he struggled not to make eye contact with the man.


"Will you look at me?" Aragorn pleaded with him. "Legolas, why won't you tell me what's bothering you?"


Overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, Legolas finally gave in and looked up to meet Aragorn's steady gaze. He unwrapped his arms to let him see, fearing his reaction. The soft gasp that left Aragorn's lips told Legolas that Aragorn knew what he had tried so hard to hide from them for the past five months.


"It cannot be," Aragorn shook his head and sat back on his heels. Legolas could not be with child. It was not possible, but he was not denying it.


"How is this possible?" he asked when he found his voice once again. "You are no maiden."


"My kinfolk are one of the many that are blessed in this matter. A male is able to conceive just as a maiden would, with the exception of a different method and procedures to follow during the birthing process."


"I have heard the tales, but I had not believed them to be true." Aragorn looked back up at Legolas in astonishment. "Why did you not tell me? I would not have exhausted you so." He felt guilty for rushing them for the past couple of months.


"I'm sorry, Estel, I know that I should have told you sooner. It's just that I was afraid that you might think less of me." Legolas closed his eyes and let the tears fall freely.


Aragorn pulled him into a hug and whispered soothingly into his ear. "I could never think any less of you, Legolas. You are my friend and I care very much about you."


"I'm so glad to have you as a friend," Legolas said with a smile.


"And I you," Aragorn replied. "But tell me how far along are you?"


"I'm in my fifth month, now," Legolas said, rubbing his belly gently. "I believe it will be seven more months 'till I give birth." Suddenly the elf gasped and Aragorn looked up at him with concern in his eyes.


"Legolas?" Aragorn asked worriedly, "What is wrong?"


"Nothing is wrong." Legolas said, putting the Dúnedain's mind at ease. "It's just that I felt the baby move for the first time and it took me by surprise," and before Aragorn could ask him any more questions, Legolas grabbed his hand and placed it on top of his swollen belly.


"Do you feel it?" Legolas asked him all of a sudden.


"Yes." Aragorn answered. "It's incredible. I've never felt anything like it." Legolas smiled and allowed his hand to linger on his belly.


There were a few moments of silence before Aragorn broke it. "Did Boromir know?"


"Yes," Legolas answered in a small voice. " He was so happy, Aragorn, you should have seen him." Legolas paused and wiped his tears. "At first, I was skeptical about telling him."


"What made you change your mind?" Aragorn asked curiously and gently removed his hands from Legolas' belly.


"Gandalf." Legolas choked out. "He advised me that the sooner I told him the better. He reminded me that I would start showing soon and that I could not hide my condition after a while. But I was still hesitant. It was not until after Gandalf's death that I decided to tell him in Lothlórien."


"Legolas, I'm so sorry for your loss," Aragorn said earnestly. "If there was anything I could do to bring him back, I would." Aragorn bowed his head in anguish.


Legolas answered by burying his face in Aragorn's chest as the man patted his back in a comforting way. The two stayed like that for a long time until Aragorn told the Elf that Gimli was worried about him earlier and that the Dwarf would probably still be waiting up for them.


Aragorn retrieved Legolas' clothing from where it lay by the river and allowed the Elf some privacy to get dressed. When he was finished, the two walked back beside each other. "You won't tell Gimli, will you?" Legolas asked worriedly.


"It's not my place to tell him Legolas. That is up to you."


"When I'm ready," he answered. "For the time being, I want to focus on our task ahead. We must continue swiftly on our search for Merry and Pippin. We cannot tarry any longer." Aragorn nodded his head and kept quiet until they reached the camp. They found Gimli sitting beside the fire and smoking his pipe.


"There you are, Elf! I was beginning to think you were snatched by Orcs."


"No, my friend. I only sought solitude amongst the trees. I'm sorry if I worried you," Legolas said apologetically. He rolled out his blanket and lay in it. He needed to rest, for the baby's sake if not for his own. He closed his eyes and imagined that Boromir was with him, until he finally succumbed to a peaceful sleep.


Gimli smiled fondly at the sleeping Elf whose eyes closed in a deep, healing sleep. The Dwarf could see the childlike side that Legolas had tried to hide during their journey come out at that very moment. He finished smoking his pipe and retired to his bedroll.


Aragorn stood watch until it was Gimli's time to take over. He told the Dwarf he would take Legolas' turn in order for the Elf to get a little more rest. He knew Legolas did not like favors, but the man did not care. Legolas had an unborn child to think of.


TBC
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