I Aear Cân Ven Na Mar
Chapter Thirteen – I Gwannad O Elessar
It was a clear, cool night in northern Ithilien. The stars and moon were bright in the sky as music drifted through the elf colony on the banks of the Anduin, just south of Cair Andros. Legolas was found that night standing on the sandy shore of the river, dressed in his finest silver robes, watching the star Eärendil make his nightly journey through the sky.
Many years had passed since his return to Eryn Lasgalen after the War of the Ring. Through reconciliation with his father, Legolas obtained the Elvenking's permission to settle with some of the Wood Elves in Ithilien with the purpose of restoring the Kingdom of Gondor to its former glory. Many of the elves who journeyed with Legolas had lost loved ones in the war and desired to begin anew. They traveled first to Minas Tirith, meeting with Gimli's folk, and helped replenish the gardens of the city. After some years of work there, Legolas led them across the river into Osgiliath and then north, finally settling where the stream from Henneth Annun met the Anduin.
The forest in that location had been thin at first, but under the care of the Wood Elves, it flourished all the way to the river's bank. The colony was now entirely ensconced by the woods. Some of the settlement was in open-air buildings on the ground like those in Imladris, others built their homes in the trees as was done in Lothlórien. For himself, Legolas had designed a home mixed of both, for Gimli was a frequent visitor and could not be convinced of the merits of living high above the ground. The prince picked a spot near to the river's edge to build his home. It was a simple dwelling that ran parallel to the Anduin. The ground level had several guest quarters, his study, a dining hall, and a small open-air ballroom for entertaining, and his personal quarters were in a flet made accessible by a spiral stair that rounded a tree. His home had seen many visitors over the years, from hobbits and dwarves to kings of men and elves. On that night in particular, his home played host to Legolas' entire family, nearly all of whom had traveled from Eryn Lasgalen for the wedding of Legolas' youngest niece, Alassiel.
Legolas smiled to himself as he thought over the many additions with which his family had been blessed over the years. Arthion and his wife added a daughter to their family a year to the day of the war's end, but now all of his children were grown and were beginning to be granted children of their own. An elleth named Indilwen had finally managed to tame Hérion, and they married in the second year of the Fourth Age. Subsequently, they had three sons and one daughter. Though each of his nieces and nephews had been raised in the Woodland Realm, Hérion's youngest children, Feredir and Alassiel, had made their home in Ithilen for the last five years or so. Alassiel, who's wedding was that very night, met her husband, Erundil, in Legolas' dining hall only three years ago.
"You would have planned the evening better," Legolas said to the stars, thinking of Anariel. No words in the tongues of the Eldar, Men, or others could adequately describe the chasm in his heart he felt by their long separation.
"Uncle Legolas?"
Legolas turned to see his niece, Alassiel, standing just above him where the ground tipped towards the shore. She was the picture of beauty that night; there were tiny white flowers woven into her midnight hair and she wore a rich, green gown with silver details. Her deep brown eyes looked at him in concern, and Legolas was reminded of how starkly Alassiel resembled her departed grandmother.
"You cannot have grown weary of your husband so soon, little one," said Legolas, smiling at her.
Alassiel tipped her head at him and arched an eyebrow. "I am not so little now," she replied with playful indignation, walking towards him, "for as you say, I am married now."
"You will have to forgive me, for I am afraid that to me you shall always be little Lassie," the proud uncle replied, still smiling at her as she came to a stop by his side.
"So long as you do not treat me like a child, as Adar is prone to do," she quipped. Legolas chuckled. Much though Hérion would vehemently deny it, he erred on the over-protective side when it came to his only daughter. She and Legolas had grown close over their shared burden of being the youngest.
"I think my brother has shown great restraint this night," he said.
"Yes, well, Erundil and I have not yet attempted to leave so we may consummate our bond."
Legolas, startled by that thought, was sudden taken by a fit of coughing. Alassiel threw her head back in laughter as she looped one arms through her uncle's and with the other patted him on the shoulder.
"Forgive me, I meant not to disturb you," she apologized, still laughing.
The prince arched an eyebrow at her. "Indeed," he managed. "Speaking of, where is your husband?"
"Attempting to talk Prince Eldarion out of a drinking contest with my brothers, last I saw him,"
Legolas laughed and shook his head. He meant to say more, but a gull cried out in the distance and he could not help his near-instinctual response. He breathed in sharply and closed his eyes, trying to will the wave of despair and longing that followed away. Alassiel stepped closer to him and held his arm in hers firmly. Several minutes of silence passed as Legolas regained control of his faculties.
"Uncle," Alassiel's soft voice called his attention back. He looked down into her brown eyes, which were again watching him in worry. He smiled at her and kissed her brow.
"Worry not," he said, "I am well."
His niece's expression betrayed her disbelief. "It has gotten worse," she said. It was not a question.
Much though he wished to deny it, Alassiel was right. The intervening one-hundred-twenty years had robbed Legolas of much that used to bring joy to his life. Mithrandir, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam had long ago sailed across the Sea. Folk he had met during the waning years of the Third Age had grown old and died; Prince Imharil and King Éomer were among the first, followed shortly after by Lady Éowyn, Prince Faramir, and the hobbits Merry and Pippin. Legolas could count amongst his mortal friends now only two: Aragorn and Gimli, both of whose holds on life were now frail at best. Each death had faded Legolas' Eldarin light and made it harder for him to resist the Call of the Sea. It was obvious to many how weary he'd grown. It was remarked by some that it even appeared as though he had aged.
"It has," he finally admitted, smiling at Alassiel still, "but take heart, dear one. I know it grieves you to think there will be a day when I may sail, but one of the things I wished to see before taking a ship was all of my nieces and nephews settled. You have given me that."
He could see a brief flicker of sadness in her eyes before Alassiel smiled and nodded at him. She leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek.
"I should return, Uncle, but please do not tarry long," she said. Legolas nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to give her an affectionate squeeze.
"Go," he replied, giving her a last, reassuring smile. He watched her as she left up the hill and disappeared past the arched doorway of his home into where song and dance continued on in the open-air ballroom.
Legolas turned back to face the Anduin and continued his moonlit vigil. He could not help but return to thinking of Anariel, and how much he needed her. He had never really understood just how much she had supported him through the years they were together until he was no longer able to be with her. With each friend who passed beyond the circles of the world, Legolas felt less and less as though he was whole or home.
The falling of horse's hooves in the distance pulled Legolas out of his melancholy and back to the present. He looked to the south, from whence the noise came, and he could see a man off in the distance – a dispatch rider from Minas Tirith, by the look of him – riding with all haste towards where Legolas stood. The keenness of the elf's vision and hearing had not waned since the days of the Fellowship, so the prince had much time to himself to wonder what would bring a dispatch from the White City, barely a day's ride from his colony, so late at night. The rider would have set out around mid-afternoon to be arriving when he was.
When the man could make out Legolas' form standing near the bank of the river, he held up his hand in greeting and cried out:
"Hail! I bring tidings from the Queen of Gondor!"
Legolas raised his hand to acknowledge the rider, but, perplexed, did not call back. Legolas and Arwen frequently corresponded with one another, but never had the Queen sent an urgent message. Usually such news came from Aragorn.
Soon the rider was upon him and pulled his steed to a halt. The horse whinnied and tossed its head as its rider removed himself from the saddle and landed on the ground. The man bowed low before Legolas.
"Hail, Prince Legolas," he said, apparently recognizing the Elvenking's son.
"Well met," Legolas replied, nodding his head and placing his right hand over his breast in greeting. "What news from Gondor?"
"An urgent message from the Queen," said the dispatch rider, taking an envelope with Arwen's wax seal from a leather bag attached to his belt. He handed it to the prince, who took it and hastily pulled the paper apart, frowning. Legolas quickly read over the words Queen Arwen had no doubt hurriedly written only hours before and felt his heart sink.
"I shall inform Prince Eldarion at once, and we shall set out at first light," said Legolas, "come, I will see to it that you have a place to rest."
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As promised, Legolas set out the moment the darkness of night began to fade. The sun had not yet peeked out from behind the mountains when he and Eldarion began their ride south with all haste. They arrived in the White City as the morning waned into afternoon, windswept and weary, but did not stop for rest. The two traveled up the tiers of the city until they came to the Citadel and went straight to the Court of the Fountain, where they found Arwen waiting for them under the White Tree.
To any mortal, Arwen would have seemed unchanged. But when Legolas saw her he was taken aback by how her grief had diminished her light. Arwen looked up and met Legolas' eyes, saw a weariness that resembled her own, and silently the two elves of Gondor shared a moment of understanding.
"Mother," Eldarion called as they approached, "how is he?"
"Weary, but well for now," the Queen replied quietly. "Come, he is in the House of Kings. Many of our family and friends are with him there."
Legolas' heart gave a lurch at her words, for the House of Kings was where the honored dead of Gondor slept.
Arwen turned and led them back through the Citadel gate and to the rear of the sixth circle of the city, to Fen Hollen, Rath Dínen, and the Silent Street. Legolas remembered with a shudder Pippin once telling him how the Steward, Denethor, met his end in the House of the Stewards many years past during the Seige of Gondor. The youngest of the Fellowship's Halflings always held an aversion to that place, but when Merry died and was laid to rest in Rath Dínen, Pippin overcame, and asked that when he passed away he be laid beside his friend.
And so they came to the House of Kings. The polished metal door stood open, and Legolas could see down the passageway, lit by torches, the room that would be Aragorn's final resting place. So consumed by dread was he, that Legolas almost missed that Gimli stood beside the door, amongst some of Eldarion's many sisters. The dwarf had changed much in the intervening years. His once auburn hair and beard were now completely white, and his face cragged with lines. The stocky body that once cleaved orcs upon the walls of the Hornburg was stiff and thin.
"My Queen," he said, addressing Arwen, "your brothers and Lord Celeborn are with him now. They will be out soon, I think."
"Thank you, Gimli," Arwen replied with a smile. She turned to her son and Legolas. "I shall go in. I know he wishes to see each of you, and I will call when he is ready." And with that, she turned and walked down the passageway, her steps heavy with grief. Legolas watched after her with pain in his heart.
Eldarion turned to his sisters and embraced the youngest who was weeping, and began quietly asking questions of the others.
"I am glad you came with such haste," said Gimli, drawing Legolas' attention back to the dwarf, "I arrived last week only to visit for a few days. He asked me to stay…"
The way Gimli's voice trailed off told Legolas all he needed to know; that Aragorn had appointed the time of his doom himself.
Legolas closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he drew near to Gimli and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. Slowly, Gimli reached across his chest and patted Legolas' hand. "I have been in to see him," the dwarf said in a quiet, crackly voice, "and it is time."
The prince found he could not reply. He had always known this moment would come, but it was bitter to face.
After a few minutes, Lord Celeborn, Elladan, and Elrohir appeared in the doorway. The twins went immediately to speak with Eldarion, but Lord Celeborn came to where Gimli and Legolas stood. His eyes were full of sorrow.
"He is asking for you, Legolas," Celeborn said without preface.
The Wood Elf felt Gimli squeeze the hand that rested on his shoulder and Legolas took a few breaths, building up the strength to face what he was sure to be one of the most difficult partings of his life. He swallowed, and then swiftly stepped away from Gimli and Lord Celeborn to enter beyond the door to the House of Kings.
Legolas' steps echoed on the marble of the floor, and his journey down the hall seemed to occur in slowing time. When he finally reached the rounded inner-room, he found Aragorn laying on a long bed. Arwen was nearby, keeping silent vigil from a comfortable chair that had apparently been brought in for her. The tokens of Elessar's house, the Sceptre of Arnor and the Winged Crown, were on a table nearby the Queen. The King of Gondor was dressed in fine, comfortable clothes as he lay. His eyes were closed but Legolas could see the slow rise and fall of his chest. Aragorn was much as much changed as Gimli before the elf's eyes. The once tall and muscled body was thin and bent. His hair was now white, his tan skin marked by lines and sunspots. But in some odd twist of irony, the senses that had made him a good tracker in the wild had not faded. When Legolas stepped into the room, the king awakened.
"Legolas," he said with a smile, "I am glad you have come, my friend."
A smile twitched on the corners of the elf's mouth as he approached. "I will always come," he replied in a quiet, but steady voice. As he came to Aragorn's bedside, he placed a hand on the king's shoulder.
"Yes, well, I am the king," Aragorn joked tiredly.
"And you are always in need of my assistance escaping from trouble," Legolas quipped.
"Then I am happy to report that there is not much trouble to be had here anymore," replied the king. Legolas drew back, semi-horrified, but Aragorn's countenance did not change. His tired, grey eyes stared evenly at his friend, hoping that the elf may understand.
"Aragorn,"
"Of the Dúnedain and long lived I may be, Legolas," Aragorn cut him off, "but I am mortal nonetheless."
"Would you leave before your time is done?" Asked the prince, hardly able to disguise the pain and confusion in his voice. The king chuckled with a sigh.
"My beloved wife asked me that question hardly one day ago," he remarked, "and I give you the answer I gave her: I will depart, whether I chose or no, and I wish not to fade into dotage. My son is ready to come into his reign, and though it pains me to give you grief, my time has come to an end."
Legolas said nothing, but gazed at his mortal friend sadly. As an elf, he could only barely comprehend choosing death. To the Eldar, choosing such a doom was something of battle and strife, not age or weariness. Though, in a way that not many other elves could understand, for they were unfamiliar with Men, Legolas could understand Aragorn's choice. It was hard enough to see Aragorn so aged; he did not want to know what it would be to see Aragorn old, frail, and weak-minded.
At length, Aragorn spoke again. "Will you sail?" He asked. Legolas broke eye contact with the king.
"I must. And soon, I fear," Legolas answered.
"Do not tarry long, my friend," Elessar said softly. Legolas met his eyes again, frowning. "Your light has faded. I can see it," the Man explained.
"My task is not yet done," replied Legolas with a shrug.
"I know you stay for us – for Gimli and me – but it is folly. You will fade, Legolas, and your wife awaits you across the sea."
"You should not concern yourself with me, Aragorn. I have chosen my doom, just as you have chosen yours," said Legolas in a stern, but loving voice. He smiled and then took Aragorn's hand in his. The king was silent for a few moments, apparently trying to decide whether he should press the matter or let it go. But then, Aragorn's grey eyes lost their focus and slipped closed. His breathing became erratic. Across the room, Arwen sat up straighter in alarm as she sensed a change in her husband.
"Aragorn," Legolas said urgently, leaning over to gently shake his friend's shoulder with his unoccupied hand. The king's eyes fluttered open and he smiled.
"Time grows short, I fear," he said with an effort, "and I must pass on the tokens of my house to my son."
Swallowing the uprising of grief that swelled within him, Legolas nodded. "I will go and fetch Eldarion," he replied.
"You have ever been a friend and brother to me, Legolas," Elessar said, "and you have sacrificed much for my sake. I fear I can never repay you."
"A friend and brother has no need of repayment, dear one. Your friendship has been a blessing in my life," Legolas replied quietly, his voice thick.
"As has your friendship been to me. Thank you, Legolas," Aragorn said.
Legolas smiled and leaned forward to kiss the brow of the king. Aragorn reassuringly squeezed his hand, and with an effort, Legolas stepped back.
"Farewell, my friend," said Aragorn.
Blinking back tears, Legolas managed to maintain his smile as he replied, "Farewell, Aragorn. Be at peace."
Legolas Thranduilion looked his last upon Aragorn Elessar, King of Gondor, and turned down the passageway, feeling the fragile threads of his heart fraying as he walked away.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"There [Aragorn]said farewell to Eldarion, and gave into his hands the winged crown of Gondor and the sceptre of Arnor; and then all left him save Arwen, and she stood alone by his bed…
'…let us not be overthrown at the final test, who of old renounced the Shadow and the Ring. In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! We are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory. Farewell!' [said Aragorn.]
'Estel, Estel!' [Arwen] cried, and with that even as he took her hand and kissed it, he fell into sleep. Then a great beauty was revealed in him, so that all who after came there looked on him in wonder; for they saw that grace of his youth, and the valour of his manhood, and the wisdom and majesty of his age were blended together. And long there he lay, an image of the splendour of the Kings of Men in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world."
– The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen, Appendix A, The Return of the King.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"… It is said that the beds of Meriadoc and Peregrin were set beside the bed of the great king. Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down the Anduin and so over the Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring."
– Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring, Appendix C, The Return of the King.
NOTES
1. "I gwannad o Elessar" means "the passing (literally, departing) of Elessar" in Sindarin. Again, I am by no means an expert, and any suggestions or advice would be helpful.
2. Regarding Legolas' nieces and nephews: Elves come of age at 50 years, and according to The Laws and Customs of the Eldar (in Morgoth's Ring), typically marry around that time, with exceptions (generally; war, strife, etc, which is what delayed Legolas' generation in marriage). Since the Fourth Age was regarded as a time of peace, it seems likely that young elves so inclined to remain in Middle Earth would continue to make their families there. In FA 120, Erynion would be approximately 130, and Titheniel would be about 125. The youngest of Arthion's children, Sidhiel (whose name means "peace"), is 120.
Because I like to know everything as an author, I mapped out Hérion's family. His children with Indilwen are: Eleyond (aged 115), Aradan (110), Feredir (80), and Alassiel (55).
3. I scoured everything to try and figure out if Tolkien ever says precisely where Legolas settles in Ithilien, but came up with not much. We know from The Return of the King, The Field of Cormallen, before Legolas sings his Song of the Sea, he says:
"In days to come, if my Elven-lord allows, some of our folk shall remove hither; and when we come it shall be blessed, for a while."
Cormallen is in Northern Ithilien, near the island of Cair Andros, but it's not marked on any map I could find. The place I describe seemed as good a place as any – but I would like to make clear that I wrote on the assumption that Legolas did not settle exactly at Cormallen, because it may have been to the wood elves' trade advantage to settle nearer to Minas Tirith and Osgiliath (whereas I think it's likely that Cormallen was a bit more to the north, closer to Morannon and the Black Gate).
4. As I've cited, the passages in italics was written by J.R.R. Tolkien, and may be found in Appendix A and C of The Return of the King. I found that no other words but his were appropriate enough for the moment. To be clear, where there are ellipses, I've skipped paragraphs, and where names appear in brackets I added them in lieu of pronouns.
On a personal note, I do want to mention that I wrote this chapter with my two cousins, Dylan and Hughes, very much on my mind.
They were brothers, both of whom died recently and well before their time. They are dearly missed.
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Final chapter goes up tomorrow, friends!