By morning, Nimrodel was having second thoughts about leaving. With the sound of the first birds, Legolas went to find her. She sat exactly where he had found her the night before, staring into the expanse of the forest. He moved closer. Did she hear the horse hooves pounding in the distance? Did she know that it was imperative that they leave now?
"It is time, my lady. If we are going, we must leave now." He took her hand, and walked her back to the camp, where Gimli was waiting. She was silent, and seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Legolas looked at her uneasily. She seemed so empty. When they moved to leave, she took a step and then stopped. She looked at Legolas sadly. Almost apologetically. Shaking her head, she stepped back. Legolas looked at her questioningly.
"By Nienna, Legolas, I cannot go on without Amroth!" She cried. Once again, the tears streamed freely from her eyes, and Gimli felt much pity for her.
"But my lady," cried Legolas, "He would have wanted--" she silenced him by putting a finger to his lips. He looked at her, confused and frustrated.
"Would he have? I do not think so." She said, turning away. "Amroth did not go on without me, little one, and I feel I must do the same." Pure determination glinted in her eyes. She exuded the true strength and will of an elven queen. It swirled in the air around them.
"Do you think you will find him, my lady?" Gimli blurted, before he could think better of it. She turned and looked at him sharply.
"What?" She said, more than a little irritated with both of them. The air became oppressively still.
"I mean no offence, Lady-Star," he said, suddenly unable to find the words that had been so clear a moment ago. "But even if he was alive still, do you think you will ever find him? He was not able to find you; do you not think you will fare the same way?" He felt her looking at him, searching him, it seemed; and then she smiled. And when she did, the earth returned to normal. The breeze moved softly through the trees again, and her will no longer reached out to overpower them.
"Such strange reasoning from a dwarf. One of the most stubborn creatures on middle-earth, telling me my wishes are hopeless?" Her voice was full of surprise, and then she sighed heavily.
"I do not know if they are hopeless, my lady, and nor do I claim to." He bowed before her, "but being an elf-friend, it would pain me to know that they had lost such a wonderful treasure again." Legolas smiled at his friend, and stood beside him in front of Nimrodel.
"My lady, those who have just passed into the west have long waited for your return. They grieve, my lady, they grieve for your loss, as well as Amroth's. And nothing would please them more, than for you to return safely to them." Legolas said, offering his hand to her.
And with that, Nimrodel, the lost lady of Lorien, started her journey home.