~* A/N (what else?) Um, yeah, Legolas' last line will be explained, I promise you. And I know it's sad, I was feeling really sad when I was writing it. And French 2 has made this chapter possible! *~

As Ardonelle lay on the sandy edge, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't dead after all; she still had a chance to live.

Legolas and Arwen sat in shock as they realized that Aragorn and Ardonelle had died within hours of each other.

"I won't leave until her body is found", Legolas announced.

"Then we maybe here for years", Arwen sighed; she was getting tired of always waiting for her sister. This was a common theme in her family.

"I'll have a search party at once, sire", a voice called from the background.

"Who is that?" Legolas demanded.

"It is only your son, Kalbeleg*", he replied.

"My son, your mother is gone. Your uncle is with her", Legolas said.

"Yes. I have heard of the King's death, but of Mama's untimely death, is sad", he said, an expression of sadness came to his face. Like his father, he did not cry, he always just looked sad.

"As is all elven deaths. Those of us who have possessed immortal spirits, it is always the saddest for us", Legolas said.

"Yes. Immortality and death do not coincide", his son said.

"I will take your mother's place in the Havens", Arwen said to her nephew.

"But my fair queen, you have chosen a mortal life", Kalbeleg replied.

"All elves are destined to go to the Undying Lands, it is what Ilúvatar wished us to do", Arwen retorted.

As this discussion went forth, Ardonelle stumbling and tripping her way towards the White City. She came across Aragorn's old Rohan horse, Brego. The horse recognized the wet and dirty figure. He brought himself over to her and she mounted him, much like Aragorn had done so many years before. Ardonelle, her mind always working, figured the trip would take her two days.

Back in the White City, Legolas went through Ardonelle's belongings. He came across her old sword, and her travel stained clothes. He found the attire she had worn for the entire Fellowship, and smiled a teary smile. He had remembered all the things she had done in the outfit.

"Mama was beautiful, wasn't she?", Kalbeleg asked.

"She was a different beautiful, a warrior beautiful", Legolas replied. Arwen came down from her own rooms, her dark riding cloak and habit suited the dismal expression on her face.

"I'm going on a ride, to clear my head", Arwen said.

"Stay close to the city walls", Legolas warned. Arwen took the elf prince's warning seriously. "Father, Mama will return, won't she?" Kalbeleg asked his father, still not believing that the woman who bore him was gone. "I have no doubt that she will", Legolas answered back.

"You have set a lot of faith in her", Kalbeleg spat.

"She bore you, and twelve children and survived the battle of Helm's Deep, she has sneered death in the face, many times", Legolas snapped.

"Nobody is alive to speak of the battle of the Helm", Kalbeleg's eyes blazed. "I survived", Legolas said quietly.

"You never spoke of it", Kalbeleg said. "I never had the need", Legolas said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Arwen felt good, the night air hitting her face, the cold air in her lungs, the rhythmic beat of her horse. She stared at the Evenstar; it slowly was dimming, as was her time in Middle Earth. She wondered if her sister had ever looked at it when she was lost, or frightened.
The thought crossed her mind a second time, she had no doubt. In the distance, she saw a figure on a horse. Arwen figured she shouldn't approach it, the horse made a familiar whinny and she surely knew it was Brego.
"My sister", Arwen whispered.
Brego rode faster, reaching Arwen.

"Maar rokko*", Arwen said in her native tongue to the horse. She was beyond shock; she knew that Legolas and her son would be terribly pleased.

"Arwen", the exasperated woman spoke to her sister.
"Silmanem, mae govenne*", Arwen said, and held the walking reins of Brego as she walked to the city.
The female elf walked her sister into the castle.
"Legolas! Legolas!" Arwen shouted through the castle.

The elf bounded down the flight of steps to see what was the matter.

"Yes? Oh, for the love of Ilúvatar, she has returned", Legolas, said.

Ardonelle smiled, but it was not a simple smile, it was the smile of two old friends reunited.

"Yes, I have returned", she said, dismounted aided by Legolas.

"Le-ab dollen*. You look terrible", Legolas chuckled, and the two had both known the origin of that line.

Ardonelle went into her rooms and changed into a clean velvet dress and petticoats.

"Mama, why did you do it?" Kalbeleg asked his mother.

"To live with Gil-galad for the rest of my days", she replied.

"Who's Gil-galad?" her son asked her.

"One of the greatest elves", she said, and turned to her husband, "Legolas?"

"Yes?" He acknowledged her presence.

"Would you have been sad if I had really died?" she asked him.

"Yes, I married you first, and I'll never leave you", he replied, the two elves locked for an embrace, and they knew that it was dawning on the time for them to finally leave Middle Earth.

"Ardonelle, we shall go to the remains of Lothlorien, my time is ending", Arwen said.

The optimism and confidence her once young sister possessed was fading, and fast.

~*A/N

Elvish Translations:

Maar rokko: Good Horse

Kalbeleg: means shine mighty, the strength to remain in battle when hope is lost

Silmanem, mae govenne: Faith, welcome, a nickname for Ardonelle that she acquired through Aragorn's nickname Estel.
Le-ab dollen: Anyone who's in love with Legolas should know this.if you don't, it's you're late. Comes from the Two Towers when Aragorn returns.

Other A/N's: I based Ardonelle's almost death with Aragorn's in the Two Towers; the overseeing force here is Aragorn, that's why Brego shows up. All my elvish comes from either The Silmarillion, written by the Master of all fantasy himself, and I'll get you the website where I got it from.

Ivy: Thanks, you're the best, and I have explained Legolas' last line as well as I could! And I'm sorry I killed off the god of hot! He's always in my heart.