Epilog:
It had been nearly a millennia since that day. Legolas sighed, looking out onto the now green plains of what used to be Mordor. It was his mission, his duty, to do this on this day. He had to. It was a matter of honor.
"Are you sure you wish to go back to the Blessed Realm, Master Frodo? After what happened last time?" Legolas smiled at the pleas of Samwise. Frodo would go; twas his destiny. Though, this time, Legolas knew his place.
"He must and will go, Samwise. King Elessar and Queen Arwen invited him. You are needed here, my little friend. You and the others." He looked fondly at the green lands ahead of him. "I am left with all the short ones, I'm afraid."
"I am not short, Legoly." Pippin stepped next to the elf, proving, at least to himself, that his four foot tall height was larger then normal hobbits. He caught the far away look in Legolas's face. "You missing Gimli?"
"No. He chose to follow Galadriel West. Twas only a matter of time before he left." The new Elf king sighed, glancing at the four hobbits that surrounded him. Off to the right, stood Gandalf and the Royal couple. They all looked so old… while he looked young as ever. His only scars were the gray patches that marred his chest, and only a physician and one female had seen them.
"Then why are you mourning?" Merry asked, his voice quaking with age. Legolas smiled fondly at him.
"I am mourning for the loss of Nazglas and Angelonus. I brought you all here to see why." He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned.
"You never said what happened to them." Aragorn stated gently. The elf avoided his gaze, choosing to look out among the grasses.
"They ended their own lives, Aragorn. But with those memories, who wouldn't?" He chuckled. "I certainly would have." A small motion of light caught his eye and he turned, his full attention to where the castle if Sauron had stood. The others looked as well, the gleaming lights catching their attention.
A sparkle, a laugh, and figures emerged. Old friends long gone, allies, innocents, they all appeared; they filled the valley with their light. All who watched were transfixed.
There were few figures Legolas expected, and they approached.
"Great job, bro. And may you rule long before you join us." Five of the shapes moved away from him.
"That's my boy." He felt the warm embrace of what he remembered his mother by. "That's my boy."
"yeah, yeah, yeah." A smile graced Legolas's lips as he saw the next. "I'm still watch in you. You hurt her…" It was ended in a smile as the figure moved away as well.
"Thank you." Those two words drifted to him as he finally saw her. Nazglas stood before him, and hugged him, a swift kiss capturing him in a moment of solidity. "I'll be here." She pointed to his heart, and, like all the others, disappeared as she had appeared. The others looked to him in amazement. HE looked to them.
"That was the farewell to Mandos' Halls. I trust you saw your loved ones?" There was a silent nod of yes.
"Well, the Havens are still a week's journey. Shall we leave?" Gandalf didn't wait for an answer, but started off, the hobbits waving to Legolas as they also left. Aragorn nudged Arwen ahead, and then turned to watch Legolas.
"I love you, Nazglas." He said, his voice softer then the wind. Aragorn smiled sadly. But, the wind picked up, and for a second he felt an embrace.
"I love you too." Aragorn looked to Legolas to see if he had heard it as well, but found the elf watching him.
"I am finally ready to Leave." He looked to the sky. "I finally have my ring leaf." Aragorn wondered at that statement throughout his journey to the undying lands, but no answers came.
And Legolas, the new King of Mirkwood, clutched a small ring in his hand. To any passersby it would seem a trivial thing, but…
"I love you too…"
"I still carry you, my love. And for my eternity, I will gladly bear the weight."
It had been nearly a millennia since that day. Legolas sighed, looking out onto the now green plains of what used to be Mordor. It was his mission, his duty, to do this on this day. He had to. It was a matter of honor.
"Are you sure you wish to go back to the Blessed Realm, Master Frodo? After what happened last time?" Legolas smiled at the pleas of Samwise. Frodo would go; twas his destiny. Though, this time, Legolas knew his place.
"He must and will go, Samwise. King Elessar and Queen Arwen invited him. You are needed here, my little friend. You and the others." He looked fondly at the green lands ahead of him. "I am left with all the short ones, I'm afraid."
"I am not short, Legoly." Pippin stepped next to the elf, proving, at least to himself, that his four foot tall height was larger then normal hobbits. He caught the far away look in Legolas's face. "You missing Gimli?"
"No. He chose to follow Galadriel West. Twas only a matter of time before he left." The new Elf king sighed, glancing at the four hobbits that surrounded him. Off to the right, stood Gandalf and the Royal couple. They all looked so old… while he looked young as ever. His only scars were the gray patches that marred his chest, and only a physician and one female had seen them.
"Then why are you mourning?" Merry asked, his voice quaking with age. Legolas smiled fondly at him.
"I am mourning for the loss of Nazglas and Angelonus. I brought you all here to see why." He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned.
"You never said what happened to them." Aragorn stated gently. The elf avoided his gaze, choosing to look out among the grasses.
"They ended their own lives, Aragorn. But with those memories, who wouldn't?" He chuckled. "I certainly would have." A small motion of light caught his eye and he turned, his full attention to where the castle if Sauron had stood. The others looked as well, the gleaming lights catching their attention.
A sparkle, a laugh, and figures emerged. Old friends long gone, allies, innocents, they all appeared; they filled the valley with their light. All who watched were transfixed.
There were few figures Legolas expected, and they approached.
"Great job, bro. And may you rule long before you join us." Five of the shapes moved away from him.
"That's my boy." He felt the warm embrace of what he remembered his mother by. "That's my boy."
"yeah, yeah, yeah." A smile graced Legolas's lips as he saw the next. "I'm still watch in you. You hurt her…" It was ended in a smile as the figure moved away as well.
"Thank you." Those two words drifted to him as he finally saw her. Nazglas stood before him, and hugged him, a swift kiss capturing him in a moment of solidity. "I'll be here." She pointed to his heart, and, like all the others, disappeared as she had appeared. The others looked to him in amazement. HE looked to them.
"That was the farewell to Mandos' Halls. I trust you saw your loved ones?" There was a silent nod of yes.
"Well, the Havens are still a week's journey. Shall we leave?" Gandalf didn't wait for an answer, but started off, the hobbits waving to Legolas as they also left. Aragorn nudged Arwen ahead, and then turned to watch Legolas.
"I love you, Nazglas." He said, his voice softer then the wind. Aragorn smiled sadly. But, the wind picked up, and for a second he felt an embrace.
"I love you too." Aragorn looked to Legolas to see if he had heard it as well, but found the elf watching him.
"I am finally ready to Leave." He looked to the sky. "I finally have my ring leaf." Aragorn wondered at that statement throughout his journey to the undying lands, but no answers came.
And Legolas, the new King of Mirkwood, clutched a small ring in his hand. To any passersby it would seem a trivial thing, but…
"I love you too…"
"I still carry you, my love. And for my eternity, I will gladly bear the weight."