Disclaimer: It is not mine, it is not yours, it's Tolkien's.

 Friendship

"You'll bury your sorrow

Deep in the sea.

But sea tides aren't tamed

That easily-

There will come a tomorrow

When you weep for me.

The breaking of waves on a long shore,

In the grey mountain the slow fall of rain,

Oh love remember, remember me."

And so the end had come. The king was dead, passing away leaving his family and subjects behind. Leaving his friends to go where we cannot follow.

My friend is dead.

Even though we knew this day was coming, even though he has lived longer then the average man, even though he waited to say goodbye one last time, doesn't soften the blow to my heart.

My friend is dead.

So, as his time has ended here, so has mine. I cannot, no, will not linger here longer.tomorrow I shall sail with him, and we shall leave forest, mountain and plain behind us for fairer shores. We leave behind death and sorrow and go to where it is ever-green and despair shall not touch us.

Or at least not me.

I am mortal as well. I cannot live forever, save for in songs and tales in which I now have place. I told Legolas once, that he need not worry because his friends, the fellowship, will live on in these. He smiled and looked hard at me for a moment and started a song of his own:

"There once was a dwarf from Erebor..."

I, of course, cut him off. No one insults a dwarf. But behind the grin, in his eyes, I could see the sadness. He knew that I wasn't immortal. I know that for him there will be sadness once we reach the end of our road. I will age, slowly passing away. It may be a long process but I can accept that, If do not die in battle, then old age will have to do. My only regret is that he is going to have to witness this. In his mind he thinks that by bringing me with him, he can have me for as long as the great ones allow. It is for this reason I almost rejected him, to save him from being witness to my passing, but who am I to shatter this? Instead I say how happy I am to go, for indeed it is a true honor.

For our friendship I will leave behind my land and my kindred. I will go where I will always be alone, the only dwarf. So farewell my dear Erebor I will not look on you again. Farewell to you, my kindred. We too are diminishing, do not let men forget about us. Let them know which is the superior race.

It is time to draw anchor and be off, to sail into the sunset. Time for us to leave these lands that once were home for us, the people who shall forever be our friends. It is time to have or end, even though it be both bitter and glad

I shall once more look upon that which is fairest.

It is time to go indeed.

Reviews are welcomed with open arms!

If this seems familiar it's because I posted it a while ago and just got tired of the original concept of theis story, I came across it and am using this chapter from the original to start a new friendship piece