Eldarion's Little Adventure

CO-Written with Aranel Laerien, I recommend her stories.

Summary: It was all Legolas's fault; who knew an elf could be so careless? But then, it just kept getting better...

Warning: AU, OC's, angst, humor, violence, family/friendship.

Disclaimer: The Tolkien estate owns the characters. Unfortunately, we can't. Well, we get to own the plot bunny.

Authors Note: Written for Teitho theme - Mountains.

1.

"Aragorn, are you really sure he's your son?"

Legolas did not look like he was joking and Aragorn sobered up at once. Eldarion was certainly his son, there could be no doubt about that. But there was his best friend before him, his hair somewhat tussled, his brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed as though in anxiety…

Aragorn leaned forward in the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. Legolas had come by his room, and he had knocked, which was very unusual indeed. Whenever that happened, he knew that it meant some delicate matter. But he was certainly not expecting such a question.

"Legolas, my friend," he gestured for the elf to sit, "what exactly happened?"

Legolas collapsed into the chair, seemingly unable to talk. Now, Aragorn was beginning to worry.

"Legolas?"

Legolas bit his lip. Another bad sign. Aragorn could do nothing but wait.

"Look, Aragorn," the elf began, "we went out towards the mountains like you suggested…" Legolas was pausing far too often. "And I thought we should stop for a rest before starting the climb, and Eldarion said that the ground was too dirty to sit on."

"Ah." Aragorn was not too sure where this was going.

Legolas carried on as hesitantly, "That was understandable, but as we carried on, he asked why we haven't found the main road yet."

Aragorn shrugged, "He's a child, he has his imagination." You could not blame the boy, could you? Surely it was possible to build roads in the mountains.

"And then, there was this slope, and Eldarion refused categorically to descend."

"His reason being?" Aragorn prompted.

"That it was a slope, that it was steep and that there were loose pebbles?" Legolas replied, his eyebrow raised skeptically.

"That sounds like a wise thing to do." Aragorn could have beamed with pride.

"No, you don't see it," Legolas cut in. "The slope was as long as…" he looked around trying to find something appropriate, "…the door, and it was not at all steep, it was just about this…" he slanted his arm slightly to the ground. "Look, Aragorn, something's wrong here, hence my question!"

By this time, Aragorn was laughing so hard that he had choked. "Legolas, Legolas," he chortled, "What does this have to do with Eldarion not being my son?"

"Don't you see it?" Legolas was pressing his point. "He's not like you at all. He's so…" Legolas gave up trying to explain himself.

"You must understand, Legolas," Aragorn tried to explain, "Eldarion grew up in a city. He has never seen anything exactly wild. Of course, he would be apprehensive."

"Aragorn, even so he shouldn't be like this!" Legolas seemed lost in disbelief. "He's supposed to be your son, he's supposed to want to go into the outdoors, to see the world, to try new things and be brave… He's got to be king one day and if he lacks the courage even to descend a slope, he will not be at all fit for anything!"

Aragorn drew a breath, about to defend his son. There was a soft bump against the wall. Aragorn flung open the door at once and looked out. A small figure was running to the end of the corridor.

"Eldarion!" Aragorn called.

The boy did not stop.

Aragorn turned. Legolas was right beside him. They sighed together.

Eldarion continued running, not caring where he was going as long as there was a path for him to follow. This was ridiculous. He was already seven years old. He was grown up now. There was no way whatever Uncle Legolas said would affect him. That elf was in his own world; that was another world, another reality. This was where he belonged, in the city. That elf could say all he wanted. It didn't matter.

But it did.

Eldarion looked around him. He was in one of the city gardens. This was a proper place to be, where every flower and every leaf was in the right place, and knew what it was supposed to do. He sat down on a bench, drew his feet up, wrapping his arms around his legs. He dropped his head down, hiding his face in his knees. And then he cried.

Arwen looked up sharply from her book, sensing something amiss. Her maternal instincts could hear her son's cries, but it might take a while to search for him – after all, her baby boy had his share of hiding places.

She hurried down the hallway, certain that her husband and Legolas were talking in the study. She flung open the door. "Have you seen Eldarion?" she asked.

"He was heading outside," Legolas replied before Aragorn could.

Arwen nodded in thanks. That narrowed options somewhat. She turned out the door, searching for the boy.

"Eldarion, where are you, my son?" What could have ailed her precious child so?

She was nearing the gardens and she could sense that the boy was close by. She heard soft sobs and followed. The sobs continued, growing louder, and she knew that she had found him.

"Shh… my son, do not cry, nana is here…" Arwen sat beside him on the wooden bench and wrapped the child in her embrace. She pat his back soothingly, trying to comfort him.

"What angered you, my son?" Arwen asked gently as the sobs subsided.

Eldarion shook his head.

"My child..." Arwen caressed his face, a frown of worry on her own.

"Legolas…" Eldarion choked, crying afresh. "He spoke… to adar…"

"What did they speak of?" Arwen held the boy close, waiting for him to calm himself.

"He asked adar if I am truly his son…" Eldarion managed to finish his sentence before dissolving into tears.

"What audacity!" Arwen exclaimed in disbelief. "You are my son, you are your ada's son, nothing's going to change that. Do you hear me?"

The boy nodded timidly.

"Come, my son, rest in our room while I do some talking, all right?"

Eldarion nodded again. Arwen held his hand as they returned, brushing away his tears as they entered the hallways. It was a little early for the boy's bedtime but he seemed to need the rest. He crawled onto the bed and she wrapped the covers around him, patting him to sleep.

Arwen watched her son closed his eyes, his breathing relaxed and she left the room quietly.

There was something that needed taking care of.

She knew that her husband and Legolas enjoyed their evening conversations. Surely they were still in the same room. She burst in this time, not caring to conceal her anger.

"Legolas, I believe that it is time for us to talk, alone." Arwen's steely expression left no room for discussion.

"Arwen, what is this all about?" Aragorn asked.

"You should be with your son, Aragorn, he is resting in our room," Arwen notified her husband. Aragorn must have understood as he left quickly, closing the door after him.

"Legolas, melloneg, agoreg thrugar annin, nin gweriannech!" Arwen glared at him. "I would have expected better from you, but in one moment you broke my trust and that of Eldarion!"

"What did I do wrong?" Legolas asked, seemingly taken aback at being called her friend, then immediately accused of doing her wrong and betraying her.

Arwen looked at him incredulously. "How could you ask my husband if Eldarion is indeed our son? How dare you?" she raged on.

Legolas seemed too stupefied for words, his expression still maintaining his innocence.

"And don't you give me that look!" Arwen was not finished yet. "Eldarion told me what he heard, and I trust my boy. No one should ever say that sort of thing to a child!"

"Look," Legolas cut in to defend himself. "I was only teasing your husband. I was reminding him of what needed to be done. I did not know that your son was listening." Arwen's expression told him that it was useless to say anything. He added quickly, "I shall ask for his forgiveness. I did not mean to hurt him."

Arwen let out a deep sigh, finally calming down. "I believe you, my friend, but you will have to wait till the morning for that."

Legolas nodded and left the room, hoping to seek some advice from nature in the dwindling light of the setting sun.

Legolas did not return in the morning.

End of Chapter 1.