Title: Firelight and Shadow
Author: Kate W   katewebber_@hotmail.com
Rating : R
Pairing: A/L
Summary: Legolas considers his future with Aragorn
Disclaimer: This is fiction, the characters were not created by me, no
offence is meant and no profit is made
A/N: This story is completly unbeta'd any mistakes are mine.
Thank you to everyone that has sent feedback and to anyone that is
still wiht me at this point...do not fear, the end is in
sight...eventually :)

Firelight and Shadow

chapter 5

Legolas watched the Man sleep, idly stroking damp strands of dark hair
from his forehead.  His eyes drifted from the face of his dearest
friend to the star spattered sky above their heads.  A cloud scudded
across the moon shadowing its light. Legolas sighed, perhaps it was a
sign.  In the deeper darkness a small light rose from the ground near
where they lay.  The Evenstar.  Aragorn must have removed it before
they had… Legolas lifted it by the delicately wrought chain and lay
the jewel in Aragorn’s sleeping hand watching his strong fingers curl
protectively around it.  The small pang of jealousy was quickly
squashed, it was right that he thought of her, it was as it should be.

“My love…”  The softly whispered endearment was breathed over his
neck.  This time however Legolas knew it was not for him, he could not
deny how his heart had faltered at the sound of those two words, even
spoken in passion and not truly meant.  Legolas sighed again, his
heart was going to cause him nothing but sorrow if he was not careful. 
This man was not his to love, Arwen, long a friend of his own, came
first and most likely only in Aragorn’s heart.  A whispered endearment
or two did not change what had happened between them, comfort and
release, that was all it had meant.

But even as the thought formed in his head Legolas knew it was more
lie than truth.  At least for himself.  But could he allow this one
night to change everything?  The feelings he had for this man, their
bond of friendship was more important than even the quest to destroy
the Ring and to risk that for…Could he allow himself to love this man? 
It seemed as though it would take very little convincing for him to
surrender his heart, a few sweet nothings already had his heart
fluttering like an Elfling with his first crush.  The more important
question was how could he allow his happiness to come from the
heartbreak of another?  One of his own kind, he knew what would happen
to Arwen, could he sentence her to that fate?  And surely the people
of Middle Earth would never accept a ruler that took another male to
his bed.  The race of Men were not as…enlightened as the Eldar and
even among Legolas’ people there were those that thought it should
remain hidden. 

Is that what he would become, a dirty secret, hidden from the eyes of
the world?  He could never live like that nor could he ask Aragorn to
give up his destiny, his birthright.  So much stood between them, it
would be easier to stop it now, smarter to end it before it could
truly begin.  Legolas watched the Man sleep a while longer, if he gave
Aragorn his heart it would end up broken.  Not perhaps by word or deed
but by the very circumstances by which they would be forced to live.

But was it already too late for such thoughts?  Legolas closed his
eyes briefly, the coming dawn would need a decision.