Disclaimer: Alas, they are still not my characters.
The passing of Andariel was more of a loss than Legolas had ever before felt. She had requested to be laid to rest in Lothlorien, the place where she had been reborn and left in peace. He abided by her wishes and took her body to the Golden Wood, laying her in the fading field of golden flowers. The woman was as pure as when her spirit passed on, and where she was buried the ground flourished with flowers. The remaining Elves of Caras Galadon mourned her passing, as well as the grief that lay within the Prince of Mirkwood. Legolas and his family remained in Lothlorien for some months, though the fading wood was more of a reminder of the tragic loss he had suffered.
Legolas returned to his home in Mirkwood to visit his father. Thranduil was compassionate to his son's loss, and did not remind his son that this was meant to be. The prince forced himself into seclusion, ignoring the attempts of his father to comfort and distract him. The King organized a small ceremony to honor his son's deceased wife; after all, Legolas was a prince, and his wife had been a princess. Still, the elf found no comfort in these kind-hearted actions. All in the kingdom were sympathetic to the prince's grief. Some time later, Thranduil offered his son the opportunity to rule Mirkwood, the thing that Legolas had been prepared for since his birth. The elf quickly fled his home.
He found comfort in his children, who made every effort to console their father, even to taking him to visit King Elessar and the Lady Undomiel in Minas Tirith. It was Gisele that Legolas found his only comfort in, the first surviving child he had sired. Gisele seemed aware of how her father clung to her and the memory of her mother through her, and she embraced it. Altáriel often retreated from the others as well, plagued by visions of her father and his grief that was so deep it seemed to hover like a plague around him. Legolas often sat silently beside the king and queen, a haunting reminder of what was to come for Arwen herself.
In time, several of the other children married and settled with children of their own. Legolas remained secluded, finding little joy in the births of his grandchildren and the extension of his family. He had spent several years struggling to live as he once had, only to drown in the heartbreak he felt. Nárello had used his talents to sculpt statues of his mother, images so thoroughly realistic that oftentimes the household felt warm once again. The image of Andariel, the mortal woman, stared down at the slowly aging family, staring silently as Ithiel passed away after tending several grandchildren.
Time passed all too slowly for the Elf Prince, who had relinquished his title at last. Wearied of life, he made his own way back to Lothlorien, bidding his children farewell, and laid beside Andariel's grave, passing away from grief and heartbreak. The youngest daughter had known for some time that her father's time would not last, not after the death of his wife, yet she had not spoken a word. A shadow had consumed Legolas, tearing him away from life one day at a time. In the end, it was Gisele who effectively summed up the bond that Legolas and Andariel had shared in their lives, even unto his early death and her long life:
"It mattered not what else happened in the world, for it was their love that kept them together even through the darkest times of Middle Earth. Fate happens in such strange ways, stealing life from those who deserve to live and changing the path of life as each creature walks. It swept them out of their ordinary lives and into the eternal love they shared, through joy and sorrow, happiness and pain. My father often said how in all his life he had never found a kindred spirit, never imagined to find one in a mortal woman. He found her death to be the greatest loss he could imagine, and could never recover from it. Neither one ever regretted what was sacrificed, and never will. If only everyone could feel the intense passion that bound them. They were happy; that is all that matters. With the passing of the Age of the Ring, so passed on those who I am fortunate to call mother and father, Andariel and Legolas Greenleaf, the Mortal and the Elf."
THE END
Well, that's it. I hope everyone has enjoyed it. I will be writing more stories in time. Thank you everyone who has enjoyed it and read the whole thing.
The passing of Andariel was more of a loss than Legolas had ever before felt. She had requested to be laid to rest in Lothlorien, the place where she had been reborn and left in peace. He abided by her wishes and took her body to the Golden Wood, laying her in the fading field of golden flowers. The woman was as pure as when her spirit passed on, and where she was buried the ground flourished with flowers. The remaining Elves of Caras Galadon mourned her passing, as well as the grief that lay within the Prince of Mirkwood. Legolas and his family remained in Lothlorien for some months, though the fading wood was more of a reminder of the tragic loss he had suffered.
Legolas returned to his home in Mirkwood to visit his father. Thranduil was compassionate to his son's loss, and did not remind his son that this was meant to be. The prince forced himself into seclusion, ignoring the attempts of his father to comfort and distract him. The King organized a small ceremony to honor his son's deceased wife; after all, Legolas was a prince, and his wife had been a princess. Still, the elf found no comfort in these kind-hearted actions. All in the kingdom were sympathetic to the prince's grief. Some time later, Thranduil offered his son the opportunity to rule Mirkwood, the thing that Legolas had been prepared for since his birth. The elf quickly fled his home.
He found comfort in his children, who made every effort to console their father, even to taking him to visit King Elessar and the Lady Undomiel in Minas Tirith. It was Gisele that Legolas found his only comfort in, the first surviving child he had sired. Gisele seemed aware of how her father clung to her and the memory of her mother through her, and she embraced it. Altáriel often retreated from the others as well, plagued by visions of her father and his grief that was so deep it seemed to hover like a plague around him. Legolas often sat silently beside the king and queen, a haunting reminder of what was to come for Arwen herself.
In time, several of the other children married and settled with children of their own. Legolas remained secluded, finding little joy in the births of his grandchildren and the extension of his family. He had spent several years struggling to live as he once had, only to drown in the heartbreak he felt. Nárello had used his talents to sculpt statues of his mother, images so thoroughly realistic that oftentimes the household felt warm once again. The image of Andariel, the mortal woman, stared down at the slowly aging family, staring silently as Ithiel passed away after tending several grandchildren.
Time passed all too slowly for the Elf Prince, who had relinquished his title at last. Wearied of life, he made his own way back to Lothlorien, bidding his children farewell, and laid beside Andariel's grave, passing away from grief and heartbreak. The youngest daughter had known for some time that her father's time would not last, not after the death of his wife, yet she had not spoken a word. A shadow had consumed Legolas, tearing him away from life one day at a time. In the end, it was Gisele who effectively summed up the bond that Legolas and Andariel had shared in their lives, even unto his early death and her long life:
"It mattered not what else happened in the world, for it was their love that kept them together even through the darkest times of Middle Earth. Fate happens in such strange ways, stealing life from those who deserve to live and changing the path of life as each creature walks. It swept them out of their ordinary lives and into the eternal love they shared, through joy and sorrow, happiness and pain. My father often said how in all his life he had never found a kindred spirit, never imagined to find one in a mortal woman. He found her death to be the greatest loss he could imagine, and could never recover from it. Neither one ever regretted what was sacrificed, and never will. If only everyone could feel the intense passion that bound them. They were happy; that is all that matters. With the passing of the Age of the Ring, so passed on those who I am fortunate to call mother and father, Andariel and Legolas Greenleaf, the Mortal and the Elf."
THE END
Well, that's it. I hope everyone has enjoyed it. I will be writing more stories in time. Thank you everyone who has enjoyed it and read the whole thing.