In the years that came to follow, Estel thought seldom of the elf prince. He lived a happy life in Rivendell, still unaware of his true identity and still being looked out for by his adoptive father, Elrond.
He grew quickly and soon he was no longer a child, but a young adult. He had reached the age of fifteen and Elrond was beginning to realize that he couldn't hide Estel's true name from him much longer.
It was in this year that Legolas returned to Rivendell.
He rode up alone, and sat on his horse for a long time, just staring at the city of Rivendell. Elrond saw him sitting there and rushed outside to greet him. Legolas's eyes light up at the sight of Elrond and he dismounted his horse and walked to greet the elder elf.
"Legolas!" Elrond exclaimed, "You have grown a great deal since I last saw you!"
Legolas smiled and gave a slight bow. "Indeed I have. It is good to see you again, Lord Elrond."
"It is good to see you too. What brings you to Rivendell?" Elrond asked.
Legolas smiled and replied, "I thought I'd visit, since I haven't been here for a couple years. And I was anxious to get out of Mirkwood for a while."
"Indeed, it has been too long since your last visit! Look how much you have changed! You have truly grown up, Prince Greenleaf," Elrond stated. "Come, come with me! We shall have a feast tonight, in honor of your return."
Legolas smiled and replied, "Very well. I am looking forward to seeing Estel again."
And the two slowly walked up to the glimmering jewel that was the city of Rivendell.
Estel was in his room reading, when someone knocked on the door. "Come in," Estel said, thinking it was Elrond.
But when the door opened, it was not Elrond standing there, but a beautiful elf he did not recognize. The elf had pure blue eyes, a fair, if not perfect face, and long golden hair that fell down to the middle of his back. He was tall and slender, but extremely lithe at the same time.
Estel nearly dropped his book at the beauty of this elf and was even more alarmed by the fact that the elf seemed slightly familiar. "Do I know you?" Estel whispered quietly.
The elf gave a friendly chuckle and asked, "Have I changed that much that you no longer recognize me, Estel?"
Estel looked at the elf closely and then whispered, "Legolas?"
The elf grinned and answered, "Yes, indeed it is me."
Estel shook his head and blinked his eyes, "But you can't be Legolas! Legolas was just a child! And he was also filthy!"
His blonde companion laughed again and said, "All though elves are immortal, we grow up just as quickly as humans do. And yes, I was often incredibly dirty as a child. But I have changed, just as you have."
"Legolas, I can't believe it is really you!" Estel said, reaching out to hug him.
Legolas smiled and stepped away, chuckling, "That's no way to treat your worst enemy!" he said, with an enormous grin on his face.
Estel smiled and laughed too. "Are we still worst enemies?" he laughed.
Legolas grinned, "I don't know. Are we?"
Estel shook his head. "You have changed a great deal. And I don't think I can...well...hate you, like I once did."
Legolas beamed. "Good, because I would have had trouble hating you now too, Estel. You have also changed a great deal more than I ever imagined you would."
Estel smiled back and asked, "Are you still as excellent at archery as you once were?"
Legolas blushed, "I suppose so, though I don't believe I was very good as a child."
Estel grinned, "How very modest you are. Come, you must show me how much you have improved over the past six years."
At the feast, Legolas and Estel insisted on sitting right next to each other. Elrond was very surprised at this, for he had a feeling that they would get along now, but they were getting along better than he could have possibly imagined.
"Legolas is an excellent archer," Estel told Elrond at the feast, "He never missed the target once!"
Legolas flushed and said, "I am not as good as he claims."
"No, you are better!" Estel teased, and touched Legolas lightly on the arm.
Legolas smiled like he hadn't for many years. He was enjoying himself more than he had a long time. The food was delicious and he and Estel hadn't had a single argument since he had arrived in Rivendell. He leaned back in his chair and breathed in deeply, knowing he knew he would enjoy his stay in Imaldris.
Estel and Legolas's friendship grew stronger by the day. They spent every waking hour together and even in sleep they weren't far apart, for the room Legolas stayed in was right next to Estel's.
In the hours they spent together, they rode horses, practiced sword-fighting and archery, and sometimes they just spent hours talking together about people they had seen and places they had been.
They became closer than brothers and practically inseparable, and time flew by faster than they thought possible. Before either one knew it, Legolas had been in Rivendell a year.
One sunny afternoon, Legolas and Estel were sitting on the ground, in an open field a little ways from the city. They sat side by side, staring blankly out across the sea of trees, not speaking a single word.
Finally, Legolas spoke. "I should be returning home to Mirkwood sometime soon," he practically whispered.
Estel frowned, "Do you have to?"
Legolas smiled and looked Estel in the eye. "I wish I could stay, but I have been away long enough."
"A year is not long for an elf," Estel replied.
"Indeed, it is not, and the time has flown by, but my father only expected me to be away for a couple weeks," Legolas turned his head and looked out in front of him once more.
Estel sighed and fought back his anger. He didn't want Legolas to go! He and the elf were very close friends and they always enjoyed each other's company...but there was something more than that.
Even though Estel wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, he had always been in awe with Legolas's beauty. Even when he first saw him, a year ago, he had been enchanted with the elf's blue eyes and he lusted after Legolas's small but muscular figure.
But he could never tell Legolas this. He was positive Legolas thought of him only as a friend. And that was okay with him, most of the time, for he enjoyed being Legolas's friend. But other times, it nagged him in the very depths of his mind. It latched on, clinging and haunting him until his very sanity was challenged.
Every once in a while, Estel really began to desire Legolas and the fact that they were only friends truly bothered him. He dreamed about the elf and what he wished to do with him, and he desperately longed for these dreams to come true. (He was, after all, a fifteen year old male, and we all know how much most fifteen year old males think about their sexual desires.)
Never in his wildest dreams would Estel imagine that Legolas would ever feel the same way about him. He was certain that the elf prince was above him and it was a rare thing indeed that Legolas would even consider friendship with a common human.
But at that very same moment, Legolas was thinking similar thoughts about Estel. Legolas too, felt something more than just companionship towards his friend. It bothered him day and night and he was beginning to feel he could no longer resist the lust that was overpowering him. (He was after all, the equivalent of a fifteen year old male in elf years.)
Every night, Legolas dreamed of touching Estel with a touch deeper and more meaning full than a friendly pat on the arm. He dreamed of many things that are not appropriate to list here if I want to keep a PG-13 rating. He had many fantasies about the man, but he never realized that Estel had many of the same fantasies about him.
He always thought, just as Estel did, that they were just friends and it would always remain that way. But Legolas was in emotional pain, because he could not deny his longing for Estel and he knew he could not keep it a secret much longer.
So Legolas knew he must leave Rivendell. He knew that the temptation of Estel would be less if he left, so he knew that was what he must do.
"I'm afraid I must leave soon," Legolas suddenly announced.
"How soon is that?" Estel asked curiously.
"Before the end of the week," was Legolas's answer.
Estel only nodded, but inside, he felt his heart fall from his chest and land on the floor. He would give anything to have Legolas stay! But he knew there was nothing he could do to change the elf's mind.
Three days later, Legolas had gathered all his belongings and he was sitting on his horse, ready to ride back to Mirkwood. Just as they had last time, Estel, Elrond and some of the other elves had gathered outside to bid him farewell.
"Farewell, Prince Legolas," said Elrond, "Feel free to come and visit Rivendell anytime,"
"Namaarie, Legolas. Visit soon, for I shall miss your company," confessed Estel.
"Goodbye, Estel. I shall look forward to seeing you again. Goodbye, Lord Elrond. Thank you for letting me stay in Rivendell for so long," replied Legolas.
With that, he nudged the sides of his horse with his feet and his horse turned and galloped away from Rivendell. As he rode off, Legolas never looked back once, afraid that if he did, someone might notice the tears that had started streaming down his face.
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