Gimli passed through the gates of the castle, returning from a day of celebration and remembrance with friends in the city. The guards let him in with little trouble - there weren't many dwarves around, and this one was well known as a friend of the king. His rooms were on the far end of the castle, so he decided to have a stroll across the grounds, enjoying the look of stone at dusk.
As he approached the garden, he could hear a soft noise. He removed his helmet so he could better understand the sound. His eyebrows widened when he realized it was a woman crying. Not wishing to embarrass whoever it was, he turned to make a quiet exit.
"I know someone's there. And I don't recognize the footfall." The voice cleared and became a bit firmer with an air of command. "Show yourself."
Gimli recognized the voice as Arwen and suspected the reason she had been crying. "Pardon, Lady. I did not wish to interrupt you." He stepped into the light, helmet held at his side.
"I am grateful for it, dear Gimli. Come, sit with me a while, if you're willing." She gestured to a stone bench opposite the one she herself sat upon.
"My thanks, Lady." He gave a Drawfly bow and sat, the helmet at his side. They sat in silence for a long moment. When he had been called, Legolas had spoken to Gimli of the reasons and possible outcomes. The dwarf would accompany his friend back to Gondor, in the event it did not go well. Given the current state of Aragorn's - former? - bride to be, things had gone all too well for the Elf male.
"I imagine," Arwen broke the silence. "Legolas told you why he was called her by my father."
Gimli nodded, knowing better than to lie to an Elf. "Aye. It seems to me things have not gone well this night."
"No. No, they have not. For anyone, I fear."
The dwarf nodded. "If I know those men, they're both upset over causing you any harm, Lady."
She nodded, gracefully wiping a tear from her face. "I know. I know they are. That's why I'm leaving."
"Leaving? You will be setting sail from the Havens?"
Arwen nodded, but Gimli caught a trace of doubt in her eyes. He tread forward very gently. "Is that what you wish, Lady?"
She turned her dark head towards him, the gaze reminding him painfully of Galadrial's. "You see much, Gimli. No, I don't wish to leave. Not yet. But it seems the best way. I've nowhere to be in this world any longer. I cannot stay here, obviously. Galadrial will indeed be sailing in a few weeks time, so Lorien holds no charm for me. Imladris will only remind me of what I've lost. The land across the sea is the only place that holds no memories."
Gimli nodded, his eyes thoughtful. Eventually he spoke. "There are many other places in Middle Earth, Lady. Places that are wondrous to behold, and can make a man weep for their beauty."
"You've seen these places?"
"I have. And there are many which I have not yet seen. I have lost, perhaps, my companion, but not my wish to travel."
It was then that Arwen realized Gimli had lost Legolas as firmly as she had lost Aragorn. "I'm sorry-"
Gimli guessed her thoughts and held up his hand to quiet her. "Apologize not, Lady. Our grief, I fear, is a mere shadow of their joy. I know I will miss the company of Legolas, but there are other things in life to bring me joy."
Arwen nodded. "Those places you spoke of?" When he nodded, she continued. "Would you see them again?"
The Dwarf's smile was hidden under his beard. "Aye, Lady. I would." Pausing, he considered his next move, not wishing to offend her. "Such sights are best seen in the company of another."
She raised an eyebrow, giving him a small, but genuine smile. "Would you object to traveling with a woman?"
Gimli shook his head. "No, Lady. You Elves all look the same to me anyhow."
The sound of Arwen's laughter filled the garden for the first time in days.
As he approached the garden, he could hear a soft noise. He removed his helmet so he could better understand the sound. His eyebrows widened when he realized it was a woman crying. Not wishing to embarrass whoever it was, he turned to make a quiet exit.
"I know someone's there. And I don't recognize the footfall." The voice cleared and became a bit firmer with an air of command. "Show yourself."
Gimli recognized the voice as Arwen and suspected the reason she had been crying. "Pardon, Lady. I did not wish to interrupt you." He stepped into the light, helmet held at his side.
"I am grateful for it, dear Gimli. Come, sit with me a while, if you're willing." She gestured to a stone bench opposite the one she herself sat upon.
"My thanks, Lady." He gave a Drawfly bow and sat, the helmet at his side. They sat in silence for a long moment. When he had been called, Legolas had spoken to Gimli of the reasons and possible outcomes. The dwarf would accompany his friend back to Gondor, in the event it did not go well. Given the current state of Aragorn's - former? - bride to be, things had gone all too well for the Elf male.
"I imagine," Arwen broke the silence. "Legolas told you why he was called her by my father."
Gimli nodded, knowing better than to lie to an Elf. "Aye. It seems to me things have not gone well this night."
"No. No, they have not. For anyone, I fear."
The dwarf nodded. "If I know those men, they're both upset over causing you any harm, Lady."
She nodded, gracefully wiping a tear from her face. "I know. I know they are. That's why I'm leaving."
"Leaving? You will be setting sail from the Havens?"
Arwen nodded, but Gimli caught a trace of doubt in her eyes. He tread forward very gently. "Is that what you wish, Lady?"
She turned her dark head towards him, the gaze reminding him painfully of Galadrial's. "You see much, Gimli. No, I don't wish to leave. Not yet. But it seems the best way. I've nowhere to be in this world any longer. I cannot stay here, obviously. Galadrial will indeed be sailing in a few weeks time, so Lorien holds no charm for me. Imladris will only remind me of what I've lost. The land across the sea is the only place that holds no memories."
Gimli nodded, his eyes thoughtful. Eventually he spoke. "There are many other places in Middle Earth, Lady. Places that are wondrous to behold, and can make a man weep for their beauty."
"You've seen these places?"
"I have. And there are many which I have not yet seen. I have lost, perhaps, my companion, but not my wish to travel."
It was then that Arwen realized Gimli had lost Legolas as firmly as she had lost Aragorn. "I'm sorry-"
Gimli guessed her thoughts and held up his hand to quiet her. "Apologize not, Lady. Our grief, I fear, is a mere shadow of their joy. I know I will miss the company of Legolas, but there are other things in life to bring me joy."
Arwen nodded. "Those places you spoke of?" When he nodded, she continued. "Would you see them again?"
The Dwarf's smile was hidden under his beard. "Aye, Lady. I would." Pausing, he considered his next move, not wishing to offend her. "Such sights are best seen in the company of another."
She raised an eyebrow, giving him a small, but genuine smile. "Would you object to traveling with a woman?"
Gimli shook his head. "No, Lady. You Elves all look the same to me anyhow."
The sound of Arwen's laughter filled the garden for the first time in days.