Title: And So the Leaf Falls. Pt. 18/?

Author: Deathangelgw

Author email: deathangelgw@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Tolkien, not me. Though I wouldn’t mind them! ~_^

Warnings: AU, slight OOC, sap, angst, dark, lemon/lime, slash.

Pairings: Elrond/Legolas, hinted Erestor/Glorfindel, Ereinion/Celebrían, Elladan/Haldir, and Elrohir/Rumil

Rating: PG-13

Summary: A time to explore finds new things for a certain Mirkwood prince

Notes: After a long hiatus...*now* they talk. Thanks for the reviews and to MA thanks for the beta! Love ya! Enjoy! Feedback is much loved and appreciated!

‘thoughts’

[Ithilien, Hrivë 30, Year 75 Fourth Age]

Snow covered the forested land of Ithilien as Legolas looked out from his rooms in Minas Ithil. He tugged his fur cloak tighter around him, chilled as usual since Elrond had left him. For decades he had focused on building Ithilien and helping Elessar, drowning himself in work for his people’s welfare and in an effort to forget the cold mask that had been on Elrond’s face as he had turned away, not even acknowledging Legolas’ declaration. As crisp as that day had been was the memory of watching the ship carrying his beloved to Aman disappear on the horizon with the knowledge that he might never see Elrond again.

His relationship with the twins had also fallen flat, though more so with the youngest, Elrohir. Elladan had at least kept up correspondence though it was no longer as warm as it had once been so long ago. All in all, if Gimli and Elessar hadn’t been there, Legolas was quite sure he would have faded long ago. A fact he was rather ashamed to admit.

His lonely contemplations were interrupted when he heard a knock on his door. Turning, he looked over and smiled a bit when Faramir came into the room. “Faramir...what can I do for you?” he asked softly as he turned fully towards his friend and fellow ruler of Ithilien.

“We have guests, my friend,” Faramir answered with a smile before turning and gesturing towards the door.

Legolas’ breath caught as first Elladan then Elrohir entered the room, followed by their mates Haldir and Rumil. “Elladan...Elrohir...” he whispered faintly in shock, almost wavering on the spot as he gazed upon them and was struck with how much they resembled Elrond.

“It has been a long time, Legolas,” Elladan replied as he went forward with his arms out held.

Legolas clasped forearms with him lightly as he gazed at the Peredhel’s smiling face, not sure how to respond to the warmth. It had been decades, almost a century since they had last seen each other. It almost hurt to think of how they had parted, but he really couldn’t feel too much. He smiled a little and nodded. “Welcome to Ithilien. I did not know you were to visit us else I would have had preparations made,” he said quietly while glancing at Faramir, who shrugged.

“We were visiting in Gondor and decided to come and see this fabled Ithilien that we have heard tell about,” Haldir explained as he went over along with Rumil and clasped forearms with their friend before Legolas stepped back. Their correspondence had been more frequent and much warmer than the twins, of which Legolas had been thankful.

“I see...I am sure that Faramir has already shown you to rooms and planned a quiet feast for tonight,” Legolas joked lightly as he winked at his fellow ruler, who grinned back.

“We were hoping you would grace us with a tour,” Elladan said quietly as they shifted a bit.

Legolas noted then that Elrohir had said nothing and in fact had avoided eye contact with him the entire time. Though his face didn’t show it, his spirit broke just a bit more, but he forced a smile on his face. “Nay, I will take care of the preparations since I am better at it. Faramir I am sure will enjoy showing you around Ithilien,” he replied softly and was amazed that his voice remained steady. He bowed deliberately, avoiding seeing any disappointment that may or may not have shown as they murmured their agreement. Faramir led the visitors out of his rooms and he went to the kitchens to see that a feast was indeed being prepared. He then went to the dining hall and informed their steward of their visitors and it was to be a private dinner that night.

Once done, he went to the gardens and picked some of the flowers and it was there that Gimli found him. He glanced over and smiled a bit as he saw his friend. Gimli sat down on the bench nearest to the Elf and eyed his friend. “So, I ran into Elrond’s sons and their mates while Faramir led them on a tour,” he commented lightly and tilted an eyebrow as Legolas rearranged his bouquet. “It amazes me how much they look like Elr-”

“Gimli, do you have a point?” Legolas snapped out suddenly, then sighed as he felt his friend’s stare on his back. Turning, he bowed his head. “Forgive my snapping. It was uncalled for,” he murmured apologetically.

“No offense taken, laddie...but one must wonder how much it hurts to see your beloved in his children. Especially when those children are still angry with you,” Gimli replied gruffly as he watched his friend.

Legolas felt despair and his pain flare up at this, but he hid it with a shrug. “It is not easy, that is certain. But I am their host,” he answered with only a little tremble in his voice. He reached for the crystal vase that he was going to use but was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked up into Gimli’s kind gaze and felt himself wavering. “I will be fine, Gimli...” he whispered faintly.

“Nay lad...you won’t be and that’s the problem. You’ve not been fine since the day your Elrond left these shores. Nay...before that even. What happened? Tell me lad,” Gimli said gently before urging Legolas to sit next to him.

Looking down at his hands, Legolas drew in a shaky breath. “You know that I made a vow to Estel that I would stay by his side until he passed into the afterlife. However, I did not know that my beloved planned to leave so soon after the war had ended. When I told Elrond of my vow, we parted with our bond shattered because I had indeed been faithless,” he explained quietly and didn’t stop the single tear that rolled down his face.

“Nay lad...you were never faithless to Elrond. I think ye both need a good sit down and talkin’ too,” Gimli said firmly as he patted Legolas’ arm. He stood up and grunted as he cracked in a couple of places. “Lad, whatever happens, yeh have ta believe that ye were meant ta be with Elrond. Don’t be losing hope there, laddie...or else yeh really will lose him. His sons can have their own opinion. What matters is that ye believe in each other,” he added with a smile at his friend before leaving the gardens.

Legolas watched his friend leave, feeling warmer than he had in a long time. Gimli was right that he had to believe in him and Elrond. With a nod, he stood and went back to gathering flowers for his bouquets.

*~~**~~*

The clink of silverware on porcelain dishes were the only sounds trying to break up the uncomfortable silence that seemed to enshroud the group of Elves, Man, and Dwarf as they ate dinner. The conversation before dinner had been stilted at best and only between the two former March wardens and Elladan and Faramir and Gimli. Legolas had thought that he could say something, speak to them as if things hadn’t happened as they had, but the coldness in Elrohir’s eyes and Elladan’s uncomfortable stance had closed his throat on anything he may have wanted to say. Even at that moment he could only glance at them before looking back down at where he was pushing his asparagus into the stuffed chicken before moving it into a collision course with the wild rice that was sprawled out next to the abused chicken.

“The dinner is excellent, Legolas...Faramir. Our compliments to your chefs,” Elladan said suddenly, breaking the brittle air cleanly and Legolas looked up and smiled a bit.

“We shall send your compliments along,” Faramir answered warmly with a smile and then silence fell once more over them. It continued some more, just as uncomfortable as before the brief break and Legolas despaired that the chasm between him and the other Elves was too wide to cross.

He was wrong. “I am surprised at the beauty of this place. Given the founder’s history for destroying such things,” Elrohir suddenly commented and turned his cold gaze onto Legolas.

“Elrohir!” Elladan hissed in warning as silence fell over them, but the damage had been done.

“What, pray tell, do you mean by that, Princeling?” Gimli asked gruffly, though it was light enough to be taken as joking.

“Nothing...he means nothing on it and he apologizes for it do you not, Elrohir?” Elladan replied tightly as he glared at his twin.

“Nay, I do not, tôren. No one has even addressed this oath breaker for what he did and he dares to fade?” (my brother) Elrohir demanded as he glared at Legolas, standing when Legolas did.

“What would you know of what I feel?” Legolas hissed out angrily as he glared at Elrohir. “I am no oath breaker for Elrond and I never made an oath to leave for the White Shores immediately after the War! We did not even know how it was going to be!” he snarled as he finally gave into his anger for how he was being treated.

“And yet, you make an oath with Estel and forsake our father...” Elrohir remarked lightly as he leaned in. “Tell me, were you faithless in body as well as spirit?” he asked lowly.

With an enraged cry, Legolas swung out and knocked Elrohir to the ground before grabbing him as the others shouted in concern while leaping to their feet. The two Elven Lords rolled around the ground, wrestling angrily and throwing punches here and there before Legolas finally pinned Elrohir. But instead of punching the other Elf, he curled in and rested his head on Elrohir’s shoulder as soft sounds of weeping floated out into silence that once more filled the room. Elrohir slowly wrapped his arms around Legolas as he caught his breath and held the gentle Elf.

“It was so dark on the Quest...the Ring taunted all of us, tempting us with such things that were both desirable and so filled with evil that it would break you if you did not remain strong. Aragorn was despairing and I was filled with as much bleakness. I vowed to him that I would stay by his side until he left this world, to give him strength,” Legolas whispered between sobs as he trembled. “He fought me, saying that I should speak with Elrond. I thought I knew my love...I thought I knew him and he trusted me...” He sobbed even harder as Elladan went over to his twin’s side and placed a hand on Legolas’ back.

“It is we that did not trust you or understand, Legolas...for that we are sorry,” Elrohir whispered shakily in an obvious struggle to control his tears. “All we could see was our father’s pain, not your own as well.”

“We give you our word that we shall help you reunite with Ada, Legolas,” (Father) Elladan said softly as he rubbed the shaking blond’s back. He smiled as Legolas looked up at him, tears streaking his face. He gripped Legolas’ shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Do not lose hope, meldiren,” (my dear friend) he added softly and Legolas’ face crumbled a bit before hugging Elladan tightly, who returned the hug.

“Now that that is settled...mind moving off of me, Legolas? You might be fading, but you are still heavier than a brick wall,” Elrohir groaned out and everyone gathered laughed while Legolas moved off of Elrohir and helped the other twin to stand. They returned to the dinner table and this time it was much more comfortable. Legolas felt that he might actually be able to find some hope after all. And with that hope, he knew that he would be able to find Elrond and win him back.

TBC