Acknowledgements and Special Thanks:
Samuel Myint and Oliver Gordon, for helping me step out of my comfort zone and exploring myself.
Briana Birchmore, for being my first best friend.
Amy Morrison and Ruby Cadwell, for their great friendship and continuous ideas and encouragement.
Wherever they may be, I will always remember them through this story and everything they meant to me.
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Authors Note,
Thank you for checking out my story, and I'd just like to let you know a few things before you get started reading.
This story takes place after the events of Lord Of the Rings, Return Of The King. I am not a total expert on Lord Of The Rings, so I deeply apologise if I get any details wrong. I am also not very good at keeping the characters have the same characteristics as in the movies/books, but I hope you will like my version of what happened after the events of Lord Of the Rings, Return Of The King.
Have fun reading!
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The sun shined down on Gondor, the heat intense. It was rare for it to become so hot in such a place, but, whaddaya know, today was supposedly an exception. Legolas didn't mind the heat, but he preferred the coolness of the woods, the trees hiding him from the glare of the sun. Here, standing at the top of Minas Tirith, he was for once in his life, boiling. But he wouldn't dare admit it to anyone. Elves were used to the shelter of trees, but everyone else such as Aragorn and the people of Gondor were used to such harsh heat. At least, he was pretty sure they were. True, he did travel a lot, and an elf must be used to all temperatures, but this? This blasting heat? He thought he'd never get used to it. Though he refused to show this to anyone. Gimli'd tease him about it to the ends of Gondor. And even though Gimli himself was boiling, for he was splashing his face with water from the fountain a few metres away from Legolas, letting out grunts and moans of satisfaction as it dripped down his beard. Legolas shook his head and turned his gaze to the view overlooking the entire city.
The land stretched out before him, away from the city, and people bustled around the city, going about their daily jobs. Legolas turned his gaze to the plains, his mind going straight to the terrible battle that had occured there only recently. Theoden, the former king of Rohan, had died on these very plains in an effort to defeat the witch-king of the nine ringwraiths. It had been a truly terrible battle, and it would be remembered for years to come. The land bore the scars of it, making the plains look less beautiful than they should have been. Legolas preferred not to think about it, but it was hard not to when the literal scene was playing over and over in your head in the battleground before you. So, yeah, this was something he didn't like to remember in his long list of things he'd rather not remember. The only good memory he had of that battle was bonding with Gimli, and even that was not an extremely pleasant memory with Gimli constantly jeering at him about him being an elf.
But still, nothing could take the contentment of watching the mountains in the far distance glimmer from the reflection of the sun on its tips. Or so Legolas thought.
"Legolas!"
Legolas sighed and tore his gaze from the view to where Gimli was lumbering lazily over to him. "Yes, Gimli?"
"I fear the weather has gotten to me today!" Gimli announced. "But alas, Aragorn has requested a hunting patrol to be sent out for a great feast tonight. He advises us to go out now."
"'We'?" Legolas repeated, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Gimli gave him a playful glare. "Is the grand elf too hot to hunt for his king with the greatest dwarf in Gondor?"
"I am merely worried you might fall behind and we wouldn't have your great presence at the dinner table," Legolas said, a smile breaking out on his face as he walked toward the great doors of the throne room.
Shade...
Gimli let out a loud huff of annoyance and offence, then followed Legolas into the throne room. Legolas pushed the doors open and strode down the hall, then turned down a narrow white passage that led to his room. Gimli followed him, for his room was down there also, and continued to ramble on about rude and careless elves about how they would get themselves killed one day.
"It is touching you care about my safety," Legolas said. , turning to face him as he reached the door to his room. "But I can take care of myself."
Gimli glared at him under his bushy eyebrows. "Aye, that's what they all say," Gimli grumbled. He then playfully slapped Legolas' arm then pushed past him to go to his own room. "I'll see you at the gates long before you get there!"
"We'll see about that," Legolas called after him.
Gimli started to quicken his pace, then Legolas smirked.
The race was on.
He quickly darted into his room and instantly went to his neatly folded elvish clothing. His hunting clothing, which was mainly a dark shade of green with a few sheaths and a leather belt. He grabbed it and quickly changed into it; he was used to changing quickly for he had had loads of practice in his former home with the woodland elves in emergencies. He buckled his belt in one fluent motion, then grabbed his quiver of arrows, then his bow that had been given to him from the Lady Galadriel herself, and slung both on his back. He grabbed a couple daggers and stashed them in his sheaths, then another long white one and did the same. He looked around his room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, then sprinted out of it, closing the door behind him quickly. He was halfway down the hallway when he heard a loud crash from Gimli's room. He shot a glance over his shoulder to see Gimli staggering out of his room, axe in hand and a small helmet fitted on his head. Legolas stuck to a jog, knowing that Gimli could not run fast. Gimli came crashing down the hall, yelling insults at him.
"You stupid elf! How did you get dressed so quickly?" Gimli said between mighty pants.
"I've had practice!" Legolas called behind him. He burst into the throne room, only realising then that he'd taken a different route on the way back outside. Aragorn and Arwen were currently in the throne room, discussing something, but as soon as Legolas burst through they turned to him, surprise written all over their faces.
"What in Middle-Earth is going on?" Arwen questioned, seeming to expect a whole horde of beasts coming charging after Legolas. But seeing that Legolas seemed completely calm, she seemed to calm down.
"Ah, Legolas," Aragorn acknowledged him. "Did Gimli mention going–"
"Yes he did!" Legolas interrupted, hearing Gimli coming closer behind him. He picked up his pace and flew down the other hall that led him outside. Gimli burst into the throne room, yelling threats and insults at him still.
"Come back you elf!" Gimli huffed. "Too afraid to face the mighty wraith of a dwarf, eh?" Gimli stumbled then regained his footing, mumbling, "Stupid little lads, always running off."
Legolas, with his much longer stride, reached the palace doors and burst through, the doors swinging wide. Legolas sped down the steps and spooked the guards. They jumped, aiming spears. Legolas turned to them, casting a quick glance over his shoulder.
"A dwarf is coming and you must delay him," Legolas informed them.
The guards looked completely confused, but took a step back from Legolas. Legolas set off at a run toward the palace stables where his horse, Arod, was kept. He flew past more startled guards, hearing the continuous howling of the annoyed Gimli. Legolas knew he could outrun him any day, but he decided to keep his pace at a slow jog to tease Gimli so he could think he had a possible chance of winning. Besides, it was all just a bit of fun.
He entered through the stable doors somewhat silently, then slowed his run to a walk so as not to disturb the horses. He walked over to Arod, the horse shaking his majestic light grey mane in welcome. He stretched his long neck over to Legolas and nuzzled his shoulder. Legolas reached up a hand and patted Arod's tough neck.
"Ready for a hunt?" Legolas murmured. "We're going to have to be quick." Arod swished his head side to side again, letting out a snort. "Good steed."
Legolas rushed over to the riding supplies that were hung neatly on the wall on countless hooks, and he took down Arod's saddle and reins, along with a sack to put their prey in once they had finished their hunt. He entered Arod's stable and put the equipment on him. He was tightening the strap when he heard a loud yell from outside.
Oh no Gimli...
He quickly hid behind Arod, and Arod simply nibbled at the straw that covered the floor of his stall. Legolas heard Gimli storm through the stable, huffing and puffing.
"I know you're here, elf!" Gimli yelled. "Come out and let's finish this race fairly!"
Gimli stormed past Arod's stall to his own, since he had only just recently gotten his own horse. Or, more accurately, a pony like his ancestors had. Legolas kept his breath steady, knowing that Gimli did not have the senses of a Woodland Elf. As soon as he passed, Legolas leapt onto Arod's back in one fluid motion. He patted the horse's neck again and the horse let out a mighty whinny, rearing in the small stable. Arod burst through his stable's gate and skidded to face the exit. Legolas pulled the reins to stop, then threw a smirk over at Gimli's shocked expression.
"I told you you'd get left behind," Legolas called. He tapped Arod, and the horse sped forward, bursting out of the stable into the intense sun. Sun. Great. He'd forgotten about the heat even though he'd literally just been running in it. They galloped past the still confused guards and took a sharp turn to start to make their way down the city of Minas Tirith to the gates. They galloped past stalls and surprised eyes, and many gave little outbursts of excitement, mainly the young people for it was rare for them to see an elf come galloping on a majestic steed.
Legolas revelled in the feeling of a slight breeze blowing through his hair, the coolness of it sending satisfaction throughout him. He couldn't help but let out a loud, free laugh as Arod took them through the busy streets. The yellow-white stone walls of Minas Tirith shone in the sun, giving the city a lively feeling. The sun shone down mercilessly on the city, though people still went about their daily jobs. Even though the sun was boiling Legolas, he still couldn't help but enjoy it a bit for it was a change from all the cold travels he'd had to go through when he had been travelling with the Fellowship Of The Ring.
His calm thoughts were cut short when a loud yell sounded behind him.
"Elf!" It was Gimli. "When I'm through with you I will..."
Legolas blocked out the rest of what he said and focused on the busy streets ahead of him. A small wagon appeared ahead of him, blocking the path. Legolas gave a small smile. He tapped Arod's thighs a tad bit harder than he had before, and the white steed charged forward. The people around the wagon started to panic, scattering. The horses strapped to the small wagon didn't seem to take any notice of the upcoming elf and horse; they kept at their slow, steady pace. Legolas leaned over, nearly hugging the horse, tugging on the rains ever so slightly. Arod gave a snort and took a mighty leap over the small wagon, clearing it easily and landing on the other side smoothly. Not skipping a beat, Arod continued his gallop down the streets at a speed Legolas bet that Gimli's pony would never reach. And his pony would never be able to jump the wagon, so that might cause some problems...Oh well, he couldn't do anything about it.
Arod continued to dodge the people and stalls with Legolas' guidance, and before they knew it, they were at the gate. Legolas pulled on the reins with a quick tug and Arod came to a sudden halt, rearing and letting out a majestic whinny. The guards positioned at the big gate gave a sudden start, letting out murmurs of surprise.
A man strode forward, and Legolas recognised it as Eomer, a former knight of Rohan, but now he had become the King of Rohan, and he had decided to pay a visit to Minas Tirith for a short while. Eomer stopped before Arod and Legolas and padded Arod's neck. He smiled up at Legolas.
"What has got the King's most valuable elf on a mad dash to the front gates of Minas Tirith?" he asked, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes.
Legolas smiled back. "The King's most valuable dwarf challenged the King's most valuable and skilled elf to a race to these very gates," he responded.
"Is that so?" Eomer said, peering behind Arod to where they had just come galloping from. Legolas followed his gaze, and, with his enhanced vision that an elf has, saw Gimli charging down the hill on his small pony. He looked completely unsettled; he was bouncing in his saddle, and he went on wild angles as his pony, Noldorin (meaning 'Brave' in the Elvish language), took sharp turns and skidded to abrupt stops to avoid colliding with people or stalls. Both elf and Man watched the wild pony and unstable dwarf come galloping unceremoniously down the streets. Noldorin came to a stumbling halt and Gimli nearly fell off, clutching the reins tight. He shifted and pulled himself into a more sitting position, letting out grunts of annoyance the whole time. He looked up to see Legolas and Eomer staring at him, and he spluttered for a moment, unable to find words necessary and appropriate for an embarrassing moment such as this.
Eventually he just settled on, "What're you all looking at? I thought we were to go huntin'."
Legolas turned to Eomer, a smile still lighting his face. "Would you care to open the gates for us, King Eomer?"
"My honour, Legolas," Eomer responded, shooting a laugh-filled gaze at Gimli. He walked over to the gate, calling to the other guards that stood there and pulled the gates. It opened, revealing large, damaged flat plains.
Legolas beckoned for Gimli with a tilt of his head for him to go first, and he did so with much grumbling. Legolas followed Gimli with a polite dip of the head to Eomer then set off at a slow gallop to keep a level speed with Gimli's pony. After a while they came to the edge of the woods that bordered the damaged plains on one side and they came to a halt. Legolas dismounted his horse and let his horse graze. Legolas started towards the woods, then stopped and turned as he heard another grumble. Gimli sat on his pony still, looking extremely unsure how to get off.
"Gimli!" Legolas called. Gimli looked up, then let out a number of dwarvish inappropriate words.
"Don't you even think about helping this dwarf!" Gimli threatened. He shifted in his seat, looking down at the ground, unhooking his feet from the stirrups. "I can very well get off a–" His claim was cut short as he suddenly took a tumble to his right and fell off his pony. He hit the ground in a mess, writhing to get in a sitting position. He grumbled some more and got to his feet. He saw Legolas still staring at him with an amused expression.
"What are ye looking at?" Gimli snapped. He stormed past him and into the woods. Legolas followed him, shaking his head. They entered the woods and made their way through the dense bush, Gimli tripping a couple times while Legolas glided through the terrain swiftly and gracefully. Legolas was now way ahead of Gimli and he stopped to allow him to catch up. Gimli came crashing through the undergrowth, muttering to himself. He came to a halt beside Legolas, brushing himself off.
"This cursed woodland is going to be the end of me!" Gimli exclaimed. "I don't know how elves could live here willingly when they could be in the mountains where the dwarves roam."
"Elves are built for such terrain," Legolas said, gesturing around him. "I have lived in lands such as these for as long as I remember. To me, it is home."
Gimli was silent for a moment, seeming to understand Legolas' opinion of the woodland. After a few seconds he said, "Aye, but has the elf had too much time away from the woods that he cannot hunt? Let us hunt, and we will see who is better in such terrain," he added with a grin.
Legolas smirked back. "We meet back here when finished," he said. "And we must return with at least a deer."
"Doesn't seem too much trouble," Gimli said, puffing out his chest. Without further word he set off to the left at a run, crashing through the undergrowth. Legolas sighed then set off at a run straight forward. Gimli was going to scare the whole prey away from here to the Lonely Mountain. He leapt onto a tree, grabbing a branch and swinging himself up onto it. He ran along its branches, leaping from tree to tree. These were not the same trees in Mirkwood, but it did not take away the thrill that surged through him as he grabbed at a limp vine that hung from a branch, swinging to another tree. He landed silently, but he still did not stop running. This is what he missed in Mirkwood; the woods, just being able to go out and hunt freely with others of his kind. He couldn't do that now; Aragorn and Gimli were no elves, and he doubted there were any former woodland elves in Minas Tirith. So he was alone, but right now he couldn't care less. He revelled in the feeling of the occasional bird song, the rustling of the leaves, and the wildlife of insects croaking. He wouldn't wish to be anywhere else. And besides, he had a competition to win.
Legolas came to a halt on a tall tree, the branch beneath him not even bouncing as he landed silently on it. He'd heard something, and now he could see something. It was a wild boar, sniffing the ground in signs of food. It was small, but it would feed the people tonight. He drew his bow, drawing back an arrow silently. He took aim, completely still. He was about to release his arrow when he heard another sound, this one much different from the boar. The boar's eyes perked up, and it trotted away. Legolas didn't bother shooting it; it seemed there was bigger prey coming his way. Sure enough, an Elk strode into view, nibbling at the grass. A small smile crossed Legolas' lips, and he shifted ever so slightly to get a better view of the large deer. He twitched his bow, aiming at the neck for a quick death. Confident, he let the string go with a quick flick. The arrow slammed into the Elk's neck, and it fell to the ground without a sound. Legolas hung his bow on his back, then leaped off the branch he had been perched on and grabbed a lower one, lowering himself to the ground silently. He landed with a soft thud that even the birds couldn't have heard, and crept over to the dead deer. He grabbed the arrow and wrenched it out quickly. He wiped it clean on the grass then put it back into his quiver. He then grabbed the deer and holstered it over his shoulders, settling it comfortably. He started his walk back to the meeting place, enjoying the comforting shade of the trees.
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About ten minutes later he arrived at the meeting place, and he set down his prey. He looked around, his gaze searching the forest. Still no sign of Gimli. Well, he did challenge one of the most skilled hunters in Middle-Earth, so he shouldn't worry. He'd probably be back in the next ten minutes or so. Legolas sat down on a fallen log and looked into the forest, the greenery bringing him calm. It was beautiful, really. There were so many shades of the leaves and grass, and the bird song changed nearly every note. There was a slight warm breeze in the air coming from the plains, but the shade of the woods kept him cool. He'd had little moments in his travels with the Fellowship to actually enjoy the woods because most of the time they'd been being chased by the Uruk Hai. But now, just sitting here, listening to the quiet sounds of the woods, he realised how much he'd missed it. The Woodland Elves belonged in the woods, but he'd chosen differently after the battle at the Lonely Mountain all those years ago. It seemed a lifetime ago, but right now it felt like yesterday. He remembered every word he'd said to his father that day, every emotion that had passed on his face, and everything that he'd said about his mother.
He had little memory of his mother, and the memory of what he did have of her seemed dark, shrouded, and when he tried to catch it it'd fade again. He missed his mother even though he'd barely known her, but he just wished he'd grown up with her. Just had a chance to know her. Legolas shook his head, clearing it. That was over now and he couldn't go back, no matter how much he tried.
A sudden crash and crackling of the undergrowth drew Legolas out of his thoughts and he looked up to see Gimli blundering through the bushes, a large boar on his shoulders. It was much larger than the one Legolas had spotted earlier, and he was suddenly very grateful that he hadn't shot it. Gimli wouldn't have let him hear the end of it if he found out that his boar had been bigger than his. Gimli dropped the boar to the ground unceremoniously, sitting on the other end of the log that Legolas was seated on, breathing heavily. A moment of silence passed between them, then Gimli spoke.
"My catch is more filling than yours, smaller or not."
Legolas huffed a laugh. "Of course."
They stood up and grabbed their prey, carrying it over their shoulders towards their horses.
Side note:
I update more frequently on Quotev, and I've currently got more chapters uploaded on their if you wanna check it out, as that is the main website I work on.
https://www.quotev.com/story/15921535/The-Events-After-Lord-Of-The-Rings-Legolas-X-Reader