A/N: Sorry for making you again wait so long for this chapter. This is the last chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it! :) The end of the story actually turned out a little differently from what I planned at first, but stories tend to have a mind of their own I guess... I always find it very difficult to write the end of a story, I really hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited this story and special thanks to Aralas, gginsc and Fantasia Sedai for reviewing the previous chapter! :)

Legolas was wandering through a huge forest. It was very dark, but it was not nighttime. The trees were standing very close, preventing all daylight from coming in. Was he in Mirkwood? The trees seemed unfamiliar to him, but Mirkwood was a large forest and the elves remained mostly in their realm.

At first he had thought that it was a dream, like the ones he had before, but he had been wandering for so many hours that he had started to wonder whether maybe everything else been a dream and here was reality.

Nimrodel taking possession of his body – at his permission, but soon he had regretted it dearly, as he had to watch helplessly how she knocked his beloved out with his very own body and strength and spoke bitter words to him, blaming him for causing Legolas pain with his mortality – as if the man had chosen to be mortal on his own. Foolish maiden.

He had wanted to take control again then, to stop her from saying such things to Aragorn who had come and found him despite everything and even recognized that this was not Legolas who acted and spoke. But everything had become fainter and fainter with every minute, as if he was being carried away and then he had found himself lying on the forest floor.

He continued to wander, searching for a way out of the forest or a familiar path. But there seemed to be none. And the trees – and this was most mysterious – did not respond, as he asked them where he was. He had tried to climb a tree, to have a look over the treetops and find out where he might be, but it had been impossible. He had climbed and climbed and the treetop seemed to become higher with every inch he gained. Finally his strength had been exhausted and he had retreated resignedly.

He blinked. Had it become darker still? Maybe night had fallen? He continued to walk, but the darkness increased even more, until he felt almost blind. He started to feel frightened. He could usually see quite well at night and the blindness made him feel powerless. It also became colder.

He stopped, realizing that under his feet was no soft forest floor anymore, but rock. Tentatively he stretched out his hands. Again, he touched solid rock. How had he ended up in a cave?

He turned to make his way back, but once again came upon rock. Had he not walked were the rock was now mere minutes ago? What was happening?

He turned again and walked onwards as retreating seemed to be no option, trying very hard not to panic at being enclosed in a pitch black cave. Panic would take him nowhere.

The path seemed to lead him downwards in an endless seeming spiral and he wondered whether he might be doomed to wander here forever.

And then suddenly, finally, it became light again. He breathed out relieved. This had to be the exit to the cave. Eagerly he walked towards the light. Maybe if he reached it he would not only be released from this cave, but also from this strange place and could finally return to his beloved?

With every step he took the light became brighter, but suddenly he halted, standing as if frozen. Now that he was so close he could discern the great gate from which the light was coming. This was the entrance to the Halls of Mandos.

He took a step backwards and again came upon rock. In panic he turned, but the walls were closing in around him, driving him mercilessly towards the light.

He turned again, facing the light. How had he come here? Had his time really already come?

"Come inside, elven child. There is no escape for you," a powerful voice called, demanding, but not unkind.

He shook his head, stemming his back into the rock as if trying to hold the moving stone merely with his strength. Instinctively his hands went to his bow and arrows.

"You do not want to die, elven child? But die you must and indeed, death will not be hard on you. Soon I will release you into Valinor, just as if you sailed there by ship – you have done no evil, so there is no reason to keep you in here forever. There is no need to be afraid of death."

Legolas stared at the light, horrified. What was he to do? In the Halls of Waiting men and elves waited alike, but then their paths were parted. And an elf's death was no longer the death he wanted to die.

To have to go in there without knowing whether he had any chance of changing his fate, of sharing the fate of men seemed unbearable. Fair Luthien might have been able to move the Lord of Mandos to pity, singing to him before his throne with her beautiful voice, but he had little hope of doing so.

He stemmed himself against the wall with greater force and raised his voice. "Lord of Mandos, what you tell me must be solace to all of my kin. To me, however, Valinor seems like a wasteland, for all chance of ever meeting again the mortal man I love will be lost to me there and I will be doomed to eternal grief. Therefore I beg to grant me the grace of dying the death of mortal man. Then I will come inside."

There was no reply, but the wall behind kept pushing him towards the light. He refused to move, even though he felt that soon he would lose his balance. Finally, he fell over, landing on his hands and knees, but still refused to move forwards.

"Will you not answer to my plea, if you must take my life?" he whispered bitterly.

"Elven child, do you think me so unkind?" finally the voice whom he thought to be the Lord of Mandos replied. "It is not me who brought about your death. Indeed, I know that you have done a great service to me, bringing me a little soul that could not find this very way. Housing another soul, however, is a much too heavy burden to bear, be it man or elf. You lost the connection to your body, elven child and so you are driven towards death."

So that was it, Legolas thought. He had wanted to help Nimrodel, of course he had, but never had he thought that he might have to give his life doing so. He was prepared to die for his people, as he fought for them day by day, but he had always imagined dying in battle, protecting those he loved. Never had he imagined to die like this… The Lord of Mandos' voice startled him out his thoughts as he continued to speak.

"But because what you did was noble, elven child and your selflessness moves my heart, I will grant you the grace of changing your fate. However, after you made your decision, you will not be able to change your mind anymore. Will you truly forsake all your loved ones for one man?"

Legolas bowed his head, as sadness weighed him down. He would never be able to say his goodbye to his loved ones, both in Middle Earth and Valinor. And he would never meet them again or at least not until this world ended. He had never thought that he would have put his decision into action so soon. But still, there remained no doubt for him.

"I am certain," he said firmly and raised his head, looking into the light.

"Come then, elven child."

The light shone even brighter and he started to move. Even if he might not meet Aragorn where he was going, for no one knew what awaited men after death, at least there still remained a chance of meeting him again.

The afternoon sun bathed the room in the little inn in a warm light. However, for the man sitting there beside the bed it provided little comfort. Many, many hours had Aragorn been waiting at his beloved's bedside now, but still Legolas had not woken.

After the elven maiden's spirit had left the elf's body and finally found her way to the halls of Mandos, he had been relieved to find the heart of his beloved still beating, to find him still alive. He had carried him back to the little inn and settled down next to him, waiting for him to wake.

He had sent dead tired little Rose to bed, but she had insisted on waiting with him. Still, she had fallen asleep after a few minutes, kneeling next to the bed, her head resting on her arms folded neatly on the mattress. He had picked her up and laid her down next to Legolas where she still slept now, her face flushed in sleep in stark contrast to his beloved's deadly pale complexion.

Once again, he reached for Legolas' arm and checked his pulse – weak, but still there. How many times had he done so since dawn? He had lost count.

Had the elven spirit pushed his beloved's soul so far away that he could not find his way back? Or had he been aware of what had happened and decided not to return to this cruel world?

With every hour that passed his fear rose that Legolas might not return to the world of the living, but take the same path that Nimrodel had taken when she left his body.

But still, he knew Legolas well and it would be unlike the brave warrior to hide away and flee from trouble and sorrow like this. What if he truly could not find his way back? What if the elf was lost in the labyrinth of his own mind? What could he do?

If only Elrond was here, he thought despairingly. He had seen Elrond call back both men and elves from the brink of death whose minds were so deeply withdrawn that no one thought they might ever be reached again. He had taught Aragorn to use this gift that ran in the family, but never before had he dared to make use of this power.

Should he try now? Would Legolas want to return to him? A person who was called back to a world they did not want to return to might awake, but would still die shortly if they had no will to live – he had seen it happen, even to powerful Elrond. It was a cruel thing to watch.

Did Legolas' face look even paler now? Again, he reached for his beloved's wrist. His pulse was weaker than before, was it not? He could no longer wait for Legolas to wake. Despite all doubts he had to try to call him back.

He needed hot water, but dared not leave Legolas alone even a second. So he gently woke Rose, who was slumbering lightly now, after so many hours of sleep and she woke easily. When her eyes fell on Legolas, however, she paled.

Expertly, she reached for his wrist, searching for his pulse. This child had seen too many people ill and dying, he thought. Her face fell, as she felt how weak his pulse was. "Will he die, Estel?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes turning quite red.

He shook his head, trying to look convincing. "No, he will not die. I will bring him back. Can you help me once more, Rose? Can you go downstairs for me and bring some hot water? A small pot will suffice."

She nodded eagerly and hurried out of the room. Soon she returned, carrying the pot at a handle with both hands. Aragorn smiled at her gratefully and put some dry athelas leafs into the water which he had crushed before and the atmosphere in the room lightened up immediately. He put a bowl of the brew close to Legolas' face.

Rose was watching the procedure intently.

He leaned over Legolas, bringing their faces close together and called out for his beloved.

At first nothing happened. What was he doing wrong? He called again Legolas' name and closed his eyes, desperately wishing that he could venture into his beloved's mind and search for his consciousness. And suddenly, he felt it or saw it, he did not know whichever, but there was a faint light shining and he knew that it was Legolas. He reached out for him.

There were only a few more steps to take for Legolas until he would reach the entrance to the Halls of Waiting, when suddenly a voice called out for him. He stopped and looked around. It had sounded like Aragorn's voice, had it not?

Again, the voice called out, stronger this time. The walls stopped closing in. Confused, Legolas turned, still searching for his beloved. Was Aragorn here? Or was he in the halls already? He hoped so much that he was not.

And then, there was another light, a very small one in comparison to the one coming from Mandos. And somehow he knew that this was Aragorn, who had come for him.

Uncertainly Legolas took a few steps towards him. Would Mandos let him go? And if he did, was he still allowed to change his fate or would he have to follow the elves' path the next time he stood in front of this gate?

But the voice chuckled. "Have no fear, elven child. You made the same choice as fair Luthien and just like her I allow you to go back to Middle Earth. And when you come you will share the fate of men, be it now or in many years, whether you still want it or not." The way he said it, it sounded more like doom than blessing, but Legolas smiled gratefully. Aragorn called for him the third time.

"I thank you, Lord of Mandos," he said, bowed low and then went into the light.

Aragorn held onto the light that was Legolas and called for him once more. And this time, the elf came to him.

Finally Aragorn dared to open his eyes. Legolas' eyes were still shut, but colour had returned to his cheeks and he was breathing deeply and evenly. He sat up and smiled at Rose who was still watching him anxiously.

"Do not worry anymore, little one. It will be mere minutes till he wakes."

And so it was. He had barely finished speaking when Legolas' eyes fluttered open.

As he saw Aragorn and Rose sitting there before him, the elf closed his eyes and opened them again, slowly. This was a sight he had thought he would never see again. Were they real?

He realized that Aragorn was holding his hand and he tentatively closed his fingers around his beloved's. It felt very real.

Had it all been a cruel feverish dream? Or had Aragorn truly called him back from Mandos' doors?

Slowly Legolas made to sit up, but before he could move, he was caught in Aragorn's arms, who held him tight, burying his face in Legolas' long hair. He ran his hands over Aragorn's back, almost unable to believe that he was allowed to hold his beloved again in this world.

Finally the man released him and looked at him, smiling happily. Then, suddenly, he started and frowned, regarding Legolas worriedly. However, he did not speak, but made room to let exited little Rose embrace the elf as well.

Later at night, when Rose had gone to sleep in the next room, Aragorn sat down next to the elf after putting her to bed, looking at him gravely.

"What is it my love?" Legolas asked softly. Was his beloved angry at him for almost losing his life? He could not resent him if it was so.

"Legolas… do you not know? The elven light in your eyes is diminished…what happened to you?" the man asked worriedly.

To his astonishment, Legolas looked at him surprised for a second and then laughed softly, happily.

"So it was no dream after all. I was quite sure, but a little doubt remained...So I have truly been allowed to share the fate of the race of men."

Aragorn's eyes widened in surprise, but he waited for Legolas to continue.

"My love, I know that I never replied to what you told me a few days ago and I am very sorry, for almost I never got a chance to do so. Probing my heart I found that it had already chosen to follow you. Still, I still quarreled with myself, not about my choice, but about the consequences and did not feel able speak to you yet.

However, you must know that I stood before the entrance to Mandos' halls when you called me and facing death all doubt was erased. I begged the Lord of Mandos to allow me to change my fate and go the way mortal men take after death. He granted me my wish."

Aragorn made no reply, not trusting his voice. He simply held the elf very, very close.

The next day, they brought Rose to her school and said their farewells, Legolas promising to write to her and visit her quite soon. They embraced, the elf finding that he was quite reluctant to leave the little girl he had grown so fond of behind.

And so the elf and the man returned to Mirkwood, where they had to part their ways once more, Aragorn returning to his Ranger's life and Legolas to his duties in his father's realm. But this is, of course, not quite the end of the story.

Many years later – 13 to be exact – after evil was defeated and the one ring destroyed, a young woman with long curly brown hair undertook the long and strenuous journey from Esgaroth to Minas Tirith along with her husband and her two little children to watch her foster father marrying the newly crowned king of Gondor, known to her as Estel.

She had not met her foster father for more than two years for some duty unknown to her had called him far away and had been most surprised when a messenger with a wedding invitation appeared at her door, asking her and her family to accompany him to Minas Tirith – a city she had only heard about in her foster father's stories – to attend the wedding of Prince Legolas and King Elessar.

The End.