To Find A King (Legolas and Aragorn Friendship Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

A/N: This story picks up more or less exactly where Battle of the Five Armies left off, so if you haven't seen that, you certainly should! And yes, there will be spoilers for the third film. This is also uploaded on fanfiction.net and Archive Of Our Own. 

Comments and likes are very much appreciated. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the names of characters/places, etc. These belong to Tolkien/Peter Jackson/Warner Bros where applicable.

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Legolas rounded the corner of the narrow cliff path, giving him full view of a welcome sight. The winter daylight was quickly fading into night, and it had been long since the elven Prince had slept in a warm bed. Or quite any true bed, for that matter. Nearing the end of his journey, Legolas could feel the exhaustion he had long fought to keep at bay catching up with him. He had been merely surviving for too long, and his body was now screaming at him to rest, and the Prince could think of nowhere better than Rivendell, the Last Homely House.

The horse plodded carefully down the narrow path that led to Rivendell. The creature did not have the same excellent eyesight as the elf, and thus grew jittery and afraid in the dark. As the darkness encroached, lamps were lit around Rivendell, lighting it with a warm orange glow, making the small city all the more inviting. Not that Legolas came by invitation, but he knew he would ever be welcomed. He assumed that Lord Elrond had known of his approach for some hours now, ever since the Prince crossed into the lands surrounding Elrond's hidden halls. Lord Elrond may have known for days or weeks even that it was in this direction that the Prince made tracks, had word been sent, but somehow Legolas doubted that.

Finally, Legolas turned the horse onto the bridge which crossed the gorge, and passed into Rivendell itself. There he saw only two figures waiting, and was grateful for the small welcoming party, as he was far from being in the mood for chatter. Too often of late he had been felt too frustrated or angry or - Legolas knew not what, but they were not natural feelings for an elf. Tonight, however, he just felt tired.

"Lord Legolas, you are most welcome here," Lord Elrond smiled, his arms open.

Legolas halted the horse, and the groom who stood beside his Lord stepped forward and took the reins. The Prince dismounted somewhat awkwardly. The day had been bitterly cold and threatening snow, although that threat had never eventuated. All the same, Legolas's feet felt close to frozen. He gave Lord Elrond a small bow. "Well met, my Lord."

Lord Elrond nodded in reply. "Supper, bath and bed is in order, I suppose."

Legolas looked sheepish. Did he really look to be in that poor a state? Or did Lord Elrond know more than he was giving on? Now that he was here in front of the Lord of Imladris, the Prince assumed the latter.

The groom led the horse away, the poor animal now steaming in the cold, and Legolas gave the horse a small pat on the hindquarters as it was led past, before following Lord Elrond up the stone steps in an amiable silence to the warm and cozy halls of Rivendell.

"Here we are," Lord Elrond said at last, opening a door to one of the spare rooms in the Lord's own family quarters. The room was of a generous size and had a fire blazing in the hearth, heating the room to a perfectly pleasant level of warmth. Entering the warm bedroom after spending so long in the cold, Legolas felt a chill go through his body. He shuffled towards the fire and warmed his hands beside it's golden glow. His fingers tingled in a not entirely unpleasant way as the blood returned to them, and Legolas rubbed his hands together to speed up the process. A tray of food and a jug of wine were carried in to the room by a server, and placed on the small table where the room's occupant could take meals alone, or with just a favoured friend or two. "Come and eat," Lord Elrond encouraged, taking at a seat at the table, then preceding to pour two glass goblets of wine.