Feä Bond (Legolas x OC)

Of eldar and edain

Sparks emerged gently from the crackling fire, the orange glow illuminating the two restless walkers who shared legends of another time while the rest of the company slept. Legolas was keeping watch, his glow merging with those of the woods as he silently circled the area, leaving the two companions in relative peace. Strider's voice was lulling, bringing peace where her mind was full of doubts. So Frances drank his words.

- " ... and once their lives were all spend and all their tasks fully completed, the Lords of Númenor would finally lie down and close their eyes for eternity."

The young woman's eyebrows shot to the sky as she contemplated the meaning of Estel's words.

- "You mean that Númenoreans could decide to die once it suited them to leave the world?" she asked, dumbfounded by the implications of the news.

- "That was indeed the way it worked for millennia."

The notion had trouble registering in her brain.

- "This is incredible..."

- "Why would it be? The Kings of old were blessed with a long life."

- "How long are we talking about?"

- "Elros lived five hundred years, and the lifespan slowly diminished to two hundred. Long enough to settle a kingdom and enjoy one's relatives before downfall."

Thinking hard, the young woman stared into Estel's grey eyes. She saw him, beard and hair grey, the line of his face more pronounced, carved in stone with Arwen weeping by his side. Startled by the unexpected vision, Frances shook her head. Weird. Still, it was so incredible that men could gather enough strength and wisdom to realise when time was up, and not desperately cling to it like survivors to a safe boat. She had met people willing to kill to stay alive, no matter the conditions. Such wisdom seemed better suited coming from elves than men.

- "Were the Kings of Numenor close to the eldar?"

Aragorn nodded.

- "At first, they all were elf friends. Elros and Elrond were twin brothers. Then..."

A strange sadness washed over the ranger's features.

- "What happened?"

- "Sauron corrupted their hearts, and they banished the first born and their teachings."

Frances shivered by the fire; she didn't want the mood to crash, especially with the power of the ring attacking them at every turn. For she felt it still, trying to gnaw at her resolve, crushing her spirits. A small voice in her head sometimes; she banished it with merry tunes. How did Frodo manage to sustain it? He was so strong. So now wasn't the time to grant Sauron more power, and she steered clear from sad tales.

- "Are you not a descendant of the Kings of old?" she asked instead.

- "I am the last one of the line," answered Aragorn, curious to hear what were her conclusions after this moment of silence.

- "Therein in your blood lies great strength."

Estel winced at hearing this, and his eyes grew darker by the second as he mumbled:

- "In my blood lies great weakness too... I am Isildur's heir, who got tempted by the ring and did not destroy it when he could. I also am of the line of those corrupted kings who refused their condition of mortal and defied the Valar, resulting in the destruction of Numenor..."

Frances bit her lip; she didn't know if Aragorn was always si burdened by his line, but it could also be the weight of the ring speaking. And she didn't believe in predestined greatness or evil.