Aragorn had been shown to his chambers and slept well that night. Once Legolas was sure his guest was content and settled, he walked immediately to his chambers. Upon opening the door, he saw that the room was dark – the sun had already gone down by now – and all he could hear was a heart-breaking sound, like a child, weeping alone in the dark.
In fact it was not a child, but Anié, curled up in a corner on the bed, crying incessantly, her body shaking. It broke Legolas' heart to see her like this. He shut the door quietly behind him and uttered not a word as he walked up to her, sat down beside her and held her close to him in his arms.
He kissed her hair, he rocked her gently, he comfortingly 'shhed' her and he spoke to her calmly and lovingly in their own tongue. When Legolas lay in the Healing Houses of Minas Tirith all those months ago with Anié at his side, her heart came so close to collapsing, for she knew not to what fate her and her beloved would be surrendered. She never once lost faith in Legolas, but the nightmares she had (sometimes still has) of losing Legolas were unbearable and tore her fragile hope apart, piece by piece, terrifying her night after night after night. As Legolas had said to Aragorn, she had been traumatised to such an extent that Legolas felt she was beyond repair.
After some time, she stopped crying so heavily and relaxed into Legolas' warm embrace. Then, almost silently, as if she were whispering, she began to sing a song that Legolas knew all too well:
Na 'Aear, na 'aear! Myl 'lain nallol
I sud ribiel a I falt 'loss reviel
Na annun nae, ias Anor dannol
Cair vith, cair vith, lastel hain canel
Lamath in-gwaithen I gwennin no nin?
Gwannathon, gwannathon taur I onnat nin;
an midui orath vin a dennin inath vin.
Trevidithon 'aear land erui ciriel.
Falvath enainn bo Mathedfalas dannol,
Lamath vilui vi tol gwannen tannen
Vi Tol Ereb, ned Bar-in-Edhi I Edain u-gennir,
Ias lais u-dhanner: dor en-gwaith nin an-uir!
(To Sea, to Sea! Gulls white are crying,
the wind is blowing and the foam white is flying
To West far, in which Sun is falling.
Ship grey, ship grey. Do you hear them calling?
I will leave, I will leave forest that bore me;
for last days ours and falling years ours.
I will traverse Sea wide lonely sailing.
Waves are long on Last shore falling
Voices are sweet in Isle Lost calling
In Lonely Island, in Elvenhome that Men do not see,
in which leaves fall not:
land of people mine forever!)
Silence fell upon them, neither of them moved; Anié remained lying against the broad chest of Legolas, Legolas with his face buried in Anié's heart, his heart cracking within him and tears welling up in his eyes as he shut his eyes and listened to her sweet, sorrowful voice.
"Goheno-nîn, veleth nin" Legolas whispered in her ear.
(Forgive me, my love)
"I will not keep you here" he promised. "I will not allow you to suffer".
'So fair…' he thought. 'So fair and beautiful … my jewel … too special and beautiful to suffer so…'
He truly loved her and she loved him deeply and eternally in return. Both would have gladly sacrificed their lives for each other in the terrible war that had passed, but no great action comes without a sacrifice, no act without consequence. By saving one man's life, others were destroyed; by not saving Aragorn, he had have lost a dear friend, great warrior and loyal comrade … that is the cost of a friend's life.
Anié did not sing this song again, save once, as she stood on the bow of the last Elven ship to leave Middle Earth with Legolas at her side.
Fin