On the Road to Imladris

A/N:  this story was formerly known as “Chrysalis”.

         I have reworked it, renamed it and reduced  the number of chapters.

          To those of you who reviewed it as it was originally published, I thank you very      

          much for doing so.

1. The Adventure Begins

Legolas watched with delight as a brightly coloured butterfly emerged slowly from its cocoon and delicately spread its wings to dry in the warm afternoon sunshine. The transformation that he and his Elves had wrought on the forest of Ithilien was not unlike this rebirth, ugliness turning into beauty, but it also reminded him of the changes he had endured since the Ring War. As exciting as it had been to bring new life to the lands, to see the natural world resume its supremacy, he was not content. The siren song of the sea beckoned to him in his dreams, and lately even intruded into his waking hours as well. He felt as if his soul was being ripped into two parts, one unwilling to leave Middle earth, the other unwilling to stay.

The butterfly's wings dried quickly and he sighed with envy for the freedom of a simple life as the lovely creature flew away. On the periphery of his senses he felt someone's stealthy approach, and smiled to himself as he recognised the light footsteps of Aragorn's son, Eldarion. Now that he had reached young adulthood, Eldarion greatly resembled his father in appearance, but his nature was more akin to Arwen's and there was no mistaking his part Elven blood.

Legolas and Eldarion had become good friends, and the young man often spent time in Ithilien learning the skills of the Wood Elves. He fancied himself an excellent woodsman, and as a test of his skill often tried to catch Legolas unawares. He had never managed to succeed, but Legolas felt he was definitely improving. Without even turning around he hailed his young friend.

"Ai, Eldarion, come out from behind that tree, I know you are there." He laughed at the muffled curse from the Prince of Gondor, thinking it sounded like something Gimli might have taught him. "I doubt that Arwen would approve of such words being spoken by her son," he commented as he strode forward to clap his 'stalker' on the shoulder in greeting.

"I fear not," agreed Eldarion, frowning with frustration. "You are a most annoying Elf! I thought I had finally caught you off guard."

"I doubt you ever will," Legolas stated, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "However, you are welcome to continue trying." Eldarion did not miss the friendly challenge in the Elf's voice and simply nodded acceptance.

"What were you looking at with such intensity?" Eldarion asked, curious as to what would hold the attention of his friend. He had seen nothing of interest nearby.

"Just a butterfly," Legolas said casually. "What news do you bring from Minas Tirith?" he asked changing the subject.

"No news. Nothing exciting has happened since Gimli and his friends were 'asked' to leave the tavern last week." They both laughed at the memory of several slightly inebriated Dwarves trying to start a brawl with Aragorn's guards. Fortunately Legolas had been in the city that night and he and Eldarion had managed to placate the irate tavern owner and remove the Dwarves from the premises before any harm was done. 'It is likely that is where Eldarion heard that curse', mused Legolas, remembering Gimli's less than savoury words as they left the tavern.

"Then to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked, ushering Eldarion forward with a wave of his hand, indicating they should head in the direction of the village. Something was obviously troubling the youth because he did not reply immediately. Instead he walked in silence, his body language indicating his unhappiness. Finally, he took a deep breath and found the courage to speak his mind.

"I am afraid I have caused my parents to have a rather heated disagreement," he began, looking uncertainly at Legolas, wondering if he should continue.

"Go no further if it is a private matter," warned Legolas. "I have no desire to become involved in a family dispute that is none of my business."

"Well, you are involved, even if only indirectly," said Eldarion reluctantly.

"Very well, I will hear your grievance,” agreed Legolas.

"As you know, Father often speaks of the adventures he had as a young man growing up in Imladris. It sounds so exciting and I long to be able to have some of my own. I also wish to meet my kin who remain there still. I asked him for permission to journey there alone, and he agreed on the condition that my Mother also approved. She did not, and they had a very loud argument. Mother started to cry."

"Say no more," said Legolas raising his hand to prevent any further disclosure of personal matters. "I see your problem, but I fail to see how I am involved."

"Father suggested I ask you to come with me. Mother's main objection is that I have never travelled far from the city and have not the skills to survive such a journey. You do, and I am sure she would approve of you as my companion."

"Perhaps," agreed Legolas, surprised at Aragorn's suggestion and somewhat annoyed at being placed in this position. Safety was not Arwen's only objection. Surely her husband knew that whilst she recognised her son's affinity for the Elves in Ithilien, Arwen did not want him to think of himself as anything but fully mortal. Meeting her brothers and Lord Celeborn, his Elven kin, would only serve to confuse the young man. Or so Arwen believed.

"So will you accompany me on my adventure?" Eldarion asked eagerly, fully expecting a positive reply.

"For now I will only agree to accompany you to Minas Tirith," Legolas said. Noting the disappointment on Eldarion's face, he placed a sympathetic arm around the young man's shoulder. "I must discuss this matter with your Father before I give you my answer."

As Minas Tirith came into view, Eldarion challenged Legolas to a race to the gates. Both had swift, strong horses but on this occasion, it was the young man who won. Whether Legolas had simply chosen to let him was known only to the Elf, but he took Eldarion's cheerful victory with good grace.

"Even though I won, I will stay and tend to the horses," Eldarion said when they reached the stables. Legolas was not fooled by his friend's real motivation for taking on a chore he normally left to the stable hands.

"You certainly are eager for me to speak to your father, otherwise I know you would not have made such an offer," observed Legolas with amusement.

Not embarrassed in the least by his transparency, Eldarion smiled and pointed in the direction of the palace. "He is likely to be in his study at this time of day. I will wait here until you send for me." Laughing merrily, Legolas left the stables and walked slowly to his destination, giving himself time to collect his thoughts.

After the Ring War, he and Gimli had spent many pleasant months exploring the lands of Middle Earth. There had been no fear of orc attacks, no need to be ever on the alert for dangers lurking around the next bend. In that brief time, he had experienced a freedom he had never known before, and he longed to recapture that feeling, to have a brief respite from his inner turmoil. He agreed with Aragorn that such a journey would serve Eldarion well, and despite the fact that he had not yet spoken to the King in regards to his own reservations about visiting Imladris, he began subconsciously planning the most 'adventurous' route he and the young man could follow to Eryn Lasgalen, his preferred destination. Thranduil was waiting to hear how the restoration of Ithilien was progressing and Legolas, who also had other matters to discuss with his father, intended to deliver the report in person.

As he neared the passageway that lead to the royal apartments, his elvish hearing easily caught the sound of the slightly raised voices of Aragorn and Arwen. Apparently the issue between them remained unsolved and he turned away, not wishing to intrude.

"Legolas will accompany him!" Aragorn's angry words echoed down the hall causing the Elf to quickly retrace his steps to the partially open door of the King's study. A very upset Arwen stormed past him as he walked into the room with a curt,

"Hello, Legolas." He waited until she had disappeared from view before he broke the silence.

"I am quite capable of speaking for myself," he said, the fury in his voice surprising Aragorn.

"What have I done to anger you?" he asked, his brow creasing in a puzzled frown. Rarely did he find himself at odds with his lifelong friend and he dreaded the thought of having to deal with two angry Elves. Even though Arwen had chosen to live a mortal life, the deeply felt emotions of her elvish heritage remained.

"I do not appreciate being drawn into your disagreement with Arwen, especially without my knowledge," replied Legolas, not smiling, but no longer furious. Aragorn relaxed a little, grateful for the quicksilver mood change.

"Then accept my apology, for that was not my intention. I simply assumed you would agree to my request."

"You are forgiven, this time, and of course I agree to accompany Eldarion,” Legolas said with a hint of his usual humour. “However, there is also some merit in Arwen’s objections. I understand her reservations.”

"What do you mean?" asked Aragorn, very curious at the unexpected response.

"The last few decades have passed quickly for me, and I have seen many changes, both here and in my own world." Aragorn knew he was referring to the sea longing, of which he understood little except that it had changed Legolas, but he did not interrupt his friend's explanation.

"In the early years after the Ring War, the citizens of Minis Tirith would wave or stop to offer a greeting to one of the Nine Walkers. Now it is rarely so for the passage of time has faded and blurred the memories of those days. The Age of Man is upon us and there is a growing wariness of the Elves of Ithilien. Have you not wondered why we rarely visit the city anymore?"

"I thought your people simply preferred to stay in the forests and the open countryside," said Aragorn, saddened by his friend's words.

"No, it is because we are too different. We do not venture where we do not feel welcome." Legolas stated, knowing that it was in the nature of mankind to be suspicious and fearful of those they did not understand or who were different in some way.

The Dwarves had had no problem and Gimli had told him it was resentment, although in hindsight, of the fact that the Elves had not come to the aid of Gondor during the War. Judging from the whispered words of the old soldiers that he had heard in the taverns in recent times, Gimli had the right of it. Legolas found it difficult to understand how they could have expected assistance from their estranged Allies knowing that the Elves had been fighting for their own survival in Lorien and Mirkwood. They had done the most they could by helping in the destruction of the One Ring.

"Nothing can diminish the friendship we share, but the rift between Man and Elf still exists, to my way of thinking. Not that it matters now, for there are few Elves left in Middle Earth and those that remain are slowly fading. Before much longer there will be none."

"Legolas is right," agreed Arwen from the doorway. She had recovered from her anger with Aragorn and returned to apologise to Legolas for her earlier rudeness. "Our son will one day rule the world of Men, so he must remain as one of them in his own eyes as well as those of his subjects. I fear that visiting Imladris will only serve to confuse him."

"No, my love, it will give him the knowledge he will need to be a King of Men." Aragorn said gently. "Do not forget that much of the heritage of the Dunedain is still to be found there, and your brothers are well versed in the Lore of my forefathers. I would not deny him his right to learn of his past."

"Nor would I, it is simply that I worry about his future. The time will come when neither of us are here to guide him," said Arwen sadly. "Although I must admit that being fostered by my father did you no harm." Aragorn smiled and took her in his arms, and for a moment there was only the two of them in the world.

"Your point is well taken, Aragorn," conceded Legolas, accustomed as he was to ignoring such displays of affection from his friends. "However, there is something you are both overlooking. Eldarion is a young man, the Prince of Gondor and by your own reckoning he is of age. He must learn to make his own choices. I suggest you let him make this one."

                                                    *******

Although he was anxious to learn the outcome of the meeting, Eldarion took his task of grooming and watering the horses seriously, becoming so absorbed in his work that he did not notice how quickly the time had passed. Once he had finished with the horses, he made himself comfortable in the cool shade afforded by the afternoon shadow of the barn and waited for news from Legolas. He dozed lightly, only to be awakened by the voices of two of the older grooms, who were commenting on having their Prince as stableboy for the afternoon.

"I am surprised to see His Highness mucking in the stables… do him the world of good, if you ask me."

"You're right, he spends way too much time with those Elves, like as not he'll start thinking he's one of them."

"Aye, we don't want no Elf King looking down his nose on us."

So disturbed was he by the conversation that he was surprised, as well as relieved to see his father's messenger enter the stables, requesting the Prince attend the King in his study. Glaring angrily at the two grooms who did not look in the least embarrassed at being overheard by their Prince, he quickly splashed his face with water from the drinking trough, dusted off his clothes, and looking almost respectable, hurried to up to the palace.

Foregoing his usual decorum, a furious Eldarion stormed through the passageway and straight into Aragorn, who was standing in the open doorway looking at the map that he had just removed from its protective leather tube. Fortunately the King's reflexes were still excellent and he managed to prevent them both from falling to the floor in an undignified heap.

"Sorry, Father," apologised Eldarion, looking sheepishly at Legolas and Arwen who were not really trying not to hide their amusement.

"I trust there is a reason for your haste?" enquired Aragorn as he straightened his robes and moved away from his son to place the map safely on his desk.

"Yes, that is certainly the fastest you have ever responded to a summons from your Father," teased Arwen, patting the vacant spot next to her on the window seat. He took the hint and sat next to his mother, hoping that the happy mood indicated good news. Although Legolas was wearing what Eldarion liked to call his 'inscrutable Elf face’, there was a twinkle in his bright eyes, giving the young man further cause to hope.

"We have discussed your proposed journey to Imladris, and whilst our opinions still differ, we agree with Legolas that it is your choice to make. Before you do," Aragorn said, "know that although we hold opposing opinions on the need for this journey, your Mother and I will nevertheless respect your decision."

"Then I wish to go," Eldarion declared, feeling a little calmer. The bitter words he had heard earlier only reinforced his desire to learn more about himself and his forefathers. "I need to learn something of my heritage, and to meet my Elven kin who are in Imladris. Do not fear, Mother," he said turning to take Arwen's hand, "I will not forget who I am to become, nor that I am a mortal being."

"I am pleased to hear you say that," said Arwen, kissing him on the cheek and wondering how he knew of her fears, for she had not spoken to him about this matter. Neither had Aragorn, but he sensed there was a reason and did not let the statement pass.

"What makes you say that, Eldarion?" Aragorn asked sounding concerned.

"It was just something I overheard," he replied. "An accusation that I was becoming more Elf than man, and spending too much time in Ithilien." He looked apologetically at Legolas, for he did not wish to hurt the Elf's feelings. Legolas was not offended, for he cared little for what others thought of him. However when steel grey eyes shot an 'I told you so' look at Aragorn, the King was furious and ashamed that such an attitude existed towards any race, particularly one he held in such high esteem.

"It is nothing less than I would expect from some men," Legolas said sadly. "It has happened in the past and history often repeats itself. It is of no matter to me. I will gladly accompany Eldarion to visit his kin, if you still think it is wise to do so, Aragorn."

"Of course it is!" exclaimed Aragorn and Eldarion in unison.

"Hah! I knew you would want to come!" exclaimed the young Prince, smiling happily as he moved to embrace his friend. I am looking forward to meeting King Thranduil as well as my kin. When do we leave?" Eldarion asked, the excitement in his voice his words causing a fleeting grimace of envy on Aragorn's face. Since he had become King he rarely had time to visit even Legolas' new home, and the Ranger in him, who had long been buried under the weight of Kingship, also longed to be free.

"I am leaving for Eryn Lasgalen when I have conferred with your father about our route." Legolas replied, indicating the map on Aragorn's desk. "I will leave the other preparations for our journey in his care. I suggest you seek your father's expertise in this as well, for he can teach you much,” he suggested, offering Aragorn a chance to participate as much as possible. Aragorn caught the Elf's eye offering unspoken words of gratitude, both for Legolas' offer and for the silent promise to keep Eldarion safe.


"Meet me in Ithilien in… ?"

" ...a week," Aragorn answered already thinking of the supplies he would need to organise for a long trip.

"A week?" asked an impatient Eldarion. "I suppose it is not that long to wait."

                                                      ******

As was his custom when in the palace, Legolas joined Aragorn and his family for the evening meal. It came as no surprise that the conversation centred on the imminent trip, until Arwen declared the topic closed, allowing her daughters a chance to discuss matters more to their liking. Eldarion was far too excited to listen to the mundane events of their day, so after barely touching his meal, he excused himself and returned to his father's study where he had been set the task of copying a small map of the route they had decided to take to Imladris.

Legolas answered politely when spoken to, but he was only half-listening, most of his concentration was fixed on the object of his intense scrutiny: Aragorn. Looking closely at his friend, he was disturbed by what he saw. Tonight he noticed for the first time that Aragorn was beginning to show signs of age. To a mortal, a few grey hairs around the temple, or a few wrinkles around the eyes, were of no great import, especially to one of Aragorn's years. However, the realisation of his friend's mortality came as a shock to an immortal being who had learned more than he cared to know about death. The thought of Aragorn's inevitable demise sent a stab of cold fear through his heart, giving him his first taste of the grief of losing someone so close.

"I will be returning home this evening, Aragorn," said Legolas as they strolled out into the garden so that Aragorn could smoke his 'after dinner' pipe. A single raised eyebrow indicated the King's surprise, for Legolas usually stayed overnight.

"I hope this is not because of those ignorant grooms?" he asked in all seriousness, still very disturbed by the words his son had overheard. What upset him even more was the fact that he had not known of this attitude until now. It seemed ironic that one who had been brought up amongst a race other than his own could have failed to see that not all men accepted the Elves as friends, just as he had not been accepted by all Elves.

"No, they do not concern me," Legolas replied with a shake of his head. Aragorn saw a thin veil of sadness in his friend's eyes and wondered at the cause. He almost asked, but thought better of it, for he knew that Legolas would tell him in his own time.

"Shall I accompany you to the stables?" Aragorn asked, suddenly wondering just how safe a lone Elf would be should the men decide to act on their hatred.

"No, they are safe from my arrows," Legolas replied, deliberately misunderstanding Aragorn's fear. It was a poor attempt at humour and did not hide the pain in the Elf's voice. "Will I see you in Ithilien next week?"

"Yes, if I can contain Eldarion's impatience and keep him in Minas Tirith that long," he said with a smile.

"Then I bid you farewell."

Legolas walked swiftly to the stables, relieved that he encountered no one at this late hour for he was in such emotional turmoil that he was not certain how he would react. He wanted nothing more than to leave the confines of the city of men.

As the mithril and steel gates disappeared below the horizon, a light rain began falling, the fine mist caressing the delicate cheeks of the Elf, washing away his tears. For once he was glad the stars were hidden behind the clouds, for, in a cruel twist of Fate, they only served to remind him of the beauty he knew awaited him in the Undying Lands. Mentally chiding himself for despairing over a future that was beyond his control, he urged his horse to a gallop and sped towards the only comfort he had left in Middle Earth, his beloved trees.

                                                       *******

A week later, a very eager Eldarion, with a very relieved Aragorn as escort arrived in Ithilien to be warmly greeted by Legolas.

"Welcome. I hope you are well prepared for this trip?" he asked of Eldarion.

"I certainly am, thanks to Father's help," Eldarion replied, indicating a heavy looking but compact travel pack. "I even have my herb pouch, although I have not had much chance to practice my healing skills." Legolas thought that it was just as well that Elves did not usually take ill, for he did not fancy being 'practiced' on.

"Did you remember to bring the map?" teased Aragorn. Eldarion merely snorted and waved a battered looking piece of parchment in front of their faces.

"It seems he has studied the map so often that he has worn the ink off the page!" Aragorn whispered in an aside to Legolas.

"I memorised it, in case it was lost or damaged," Eldarion retorted, obviously hearing his father's remark.

"A wise move," said Legolas more to Aragorn than Eldarion, realising that Aragorn had neglected to tell his son that there was no chance of becoming lost whilst travelling with an Elf. The young man needed to learn to rely on his own skills, rather than Legolas' sense of direction. For the Elf it was instinctive, and no matter where he was, he would always be able to 'feel' his way to his destination.

"I see you are wearing the elven cloak that Galadriel gave your father in Lothlórien," he said smiling at the memory of their departure from the Golden Wood. "Another wise choice." He subconsciously ran his fingers over the leaf-shaped clasp at his own neck. Made of elven cloth, the cloaks were as new as the day they had been woven, but Legolas wondered how much Lothlórien itself had changed since it had been forsaken.

"Yes, father says we may need them as we head towards the cooler weather in the north." Eldarion said. "Speaking of travel, when do we leave?"

"As soon as I collect my bow, and the messages I am taking to Eryn Lasgalen for my friends," answered Legolas, who was also quite eager to begin the journey. Finally all was in readiness and the two travellers, with Eldarion in the lead, took their leave and disappeared into the forest.

Aragorn watched until they were out of sight, wondering what kind of reception his son would receive at Imladris. Knowing his foster brothers as well as he did, he was certain that the young man was in for some interesting times, and he wondered if Lord Celeborn would be as patient and tolerant as Elrond had been when mischief was in the air. Mounting his horse, and leading Eldarion's, he rode back to the seat of his Kingdom, smiling at the fond memories of his youth.