1. The Dreams are here (1/2)

Dreams Crawler 29970K 2021-07-31

dreams

okay, there is slash in this fic, and legolas in lots of pain, and angst, and not a happy ending per se.

just to warn you.

if i had lord of the rings, i would not be writing this. i would be hunting you all down and demanding that you pay me to use my characters. i do not have lord of the rings however, and am very glad that the people who do own it aren't chasing me around demanding me to pay up.

this is dedicated completely and entirely to trowacko, my tireless beta. may everyone be really nice to you tro, you deserve it.

this is a three part fic

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aragorn sat in a meadow, with legolas on his right. he turned his head slightly, taking in legolas' relaxed pose. the elf had his head tilted back as his sapphire eyes drank in the sky. with a laugh, he gracefully rose, a taunt spilling from the elf's lips.

"catch me if you can!"

aragorn stood and gave chase as the elf led him through the meadow. a forest appeared before them, but legolas wasn't stopped. he laughed as he ran into the woods, dancing gracefully through the weave of

anches. aragorn couldn't hold back his own gleeful laughter as he followed his friend.

'isengard' aragorn's mind supplied for him as he stopped near the lake in the middle of the forest. legolas stood, his back turned towards aragorn, not moving, but still laughing. aragorn set a hand upon the elf's shoulder before being knocked down as legolas spun around, his laughter turning into a painful croak.

aragorn was shocked at the sight of his friend. the once beautiful elven prince was now mangled and maimed, his fair skin covered with burns, gouges, and gashes. his once

ight eyes were dull now, cloudy and unfocused. legolas' long golden hair had been cut short, stained with blood and muck. he seemed to be just skin and bones, covered in filth and his own blood. one phrase echoed around the two, in a singsong voice.

...i'll never tell...

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aragorn's pov

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i bolted up, coated in a sheen of sweat and trying to regain control of my

eathing. beside me, arwen stirred, sitting up slowly as she woke.

"what is wrong, estel? was it that legolas dream again?"

i nodded, not quite trusting my voice at this moment. that legolas dream. i've been having it every night, without fail, for a long time now. each time it seemed to be just a little bit longer, although the "i'll never tell" phrase was always present. never before had i actually seen legolas when he turned, though. i always awoke feeling his pain. pain, hopelessness, fear, self-loathing...i felt it all. i didn't think anything could have been worse then those feelings - but i hadn't seen the destroyed shell of his body then.

with a tug on my arm, arwen pulled me back into the bed. her fair voice was laden with fatigue, for she woke when i did, every night in the wee hours of the morning.

"rest now, estel. it was naught but a dream. legolas is fine, he is in mirkwood with his people. his messenger should soon arrive with good tidings. now is the time for sleep."

she curled up against me and once again fell into slumber. how i longed to be able to join her, but my mind kept up a steady barrage of questions.

'what if the dream comes back tonight? what if it's not just a dream? what if legolas really needs help? what if his messenger doesn't return? what if my messenger never got to him? what if he never learns that i am plagued by these dreams? what if he finds me weak for allowing myself to become so distraught over them? what if he's hurt? what if he's dying? what if this is a prophecy of something yet to come?....'

my eyes fall closed as sleep finally comes.

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legolas' pov

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my eyes are open, but it makes no difference, not anymore. he comes back, he screams into my ear. pain sears through my body, but i no longer notice.

"where are they?!?!"

i couldn't respond, even if i wanted too, for my screams had worn my throat, but my heart still sings my answer.

...i'll never tell...

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