Legolas' POV
He's watching me again. I feel his eyes on me. He doesn't know I can sense him from the other side of the camp looking at me with those stormy, unreadable eyes. Before the council we had not seen each other in just over two decades, he has grown into a man, no longer the naïve young boy I one knew, he has changed physically but his eyes have stayed the same, still grey and stormy but I cannot read them as well as I once could, it saddens me slightly. I, however have not changed much, such is the gift, or as I now see it, the curse of my kin.
He is still watching me. I look up from mending an arrow and catch his eyes with mine as he quickly looks away, embarrassed at being caught he gets up and heads into the forest saying something about gathering firewood. I look to the others. The hobbits barely look up from their food, Boromir is lying on his bedroll resting, Gimli is sharpening his beloved axe and Gandalf is sitting on a tree root smoking his pipe, deep in thought. I place the arrow back in my quiver and the small knife I was using back in my boot and get up to follow him. Gimli nods and gives me a look as I walk out the camp but I pay no attention, I must find out what has been troubling Aragorn since we set off on this quest. Know one else notices my departure as I leave the small clearing.
Despite being raised by the Elves of Rivendell, Aragorn still left a small trail barely visible to even an Elf by which I follow.
I can see him now not too far ahead of me. He is sitting on a rock on the bank of a small stream, his back to me. His head is lowered as he watches the waters rush past him on its journey through the forest. I silently walk up next to him and sit down.
"What troubles you so Aragorn?"
He jumps, surprised at my 'sudden' presence. I cannot help but laugh a little at this; it is not very often a ranger as good as Aragorn is surprised.
He does not look at me when he answers, still watching the waters flow by. "My thoughts trouble me Legolas, they are eating at me inside."
His answer confuses me slightly.
"Is it the ring?" I ask.
Now he looks at me, a warning flashing in his eyes, seemingly offended I would even think that. "No, it is not the ring...I do not desire its power, I will not be consumed by it like others before me."
He looks back down at the water again, the distant look returning to his face.
"Aragorn tell me what is wrong so that I may help you. It pains me to see you like this my friend."
He laughs bitterly. "You would not be able to help with this problem Legolas."
He makes to stand up but I reach for his arm to stop him from leaving. I feel him tense at my touch. What is wrong with him?
"Aragorn I've known you all your life, we always talked to each other before about everything, why do you feel you cannot anymore? What has changed?"
He looks down at me, there is something in his eyes that I cannot read. Something about him has truly changed since I last saw him but I cannot quite figure out what it is. I silently curse all the things that kept me away from Rivendell the past years that caused me to lose touch with my dear friend for so long.
"Please Aragorn, tell me what troubles you."
Something in his eyes changes once more and he falls to his knees beside me his hair falls over his face, preventing me from seeing it as he finally speaks.
"Arwen is going to give up her immortality for me." He looks up for a moment and the grief is so obvious in his eyes even Gimli would be able to read it.
I take my hand off his arm. For the second time this night I am confused. "For her to make such a sacrifice, that is truly a sign of her love for you , but why are you so upset about it?"
"I do not want her to forsake herself for me...I am not worthy of it."
He then turns back to the water, his knees pulled up to his chest.
"You are the most noble man I know Aragorn, you are loyal and fair, I could not think of another being in Middle Earth that would be more worthy and make Arwen happy."
I follow his gaze to the spot in the clear water where he is looking, the water reflects the moon and stars, and I try not to lose myself in the beauty of it all.
"That is just the point Legolas, I am not any of those things, despite what others may think of me, how can I be worthy when my heart truly belongs to another?"
My eyes widen and I turn to look at him. He is watching me again. I still cannot read the emotion in his eyes.
"Now do you see my torment?" he cocks his head slightly.
I finally find my tongue. "When?...who?...how?" The questions flow from my mouth before I can stop them to form a sentence.
He looks up at the moon above us.
"I don't know how long I have felt this way for the other but these feelings have only recently surfaced, it feels so right to me, like it was always meant to be but I don't think that the one I feel for returns my feelings." He sighed.
"You still have not told me who she is Aragorn." I quickly make a list of all the possible maidens who could have stolen my friend's heart away from the beautiful Arwen. I cannot recall seeing anyone who Aragorn might find more attractive than her at Rivendell so she must be someone he met on his travels as a ranger.
Aragorn is still looking up at the sky. I study his face. He seems to be debating with something in his mind.
"Aragorn, you can tell me who it is, I will not judge you." I say gently.
He looks at me, the debate in his head seems to have ended. I watch him, awaiting his answer.
He seems nervous as he turns to face me. I cannot see any reason why he should be nervous about telling me something, he had never had any problems confiding in me before. Maybe we have drifted so far apart that he no longer sees me as the friend I once was, twenty years is such a long time for a Man, even one with Elfin blood such as he.
"Legolas? Are you listening?" He is nervous, I can hear it in his voice and his ands are shaking slightly.
"Yes Aragorn, I am listening."
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds. The forest is silent as if holding its breath with him, awaiting his answer. I find myself also holding my breath with the rest. The only sound I hear in those few seconds is the steady flow of the water in the stream.
Then suddenly the silence is finally broken.
"It's you Legolas."
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