This chapter is going to be a bit different from the rest. About the middle
of the story, we will stop following Legolas, and follow Lessien in her
quest to bring an army to Gondor. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
The sun will set on the night elves ch.4 One very important decision
Legolas sat as she told him that the wood elves were not the only group of elves that were leaving middle-earth. She was very sad to tell him, because she had known all along, and still she let him fall for her.
When she was done telling him, Legolas had no words. He was stunned. He had not the heart to tell her that he did not wish to leave now to Valinor, but knew that he was going to stay and make sure this war was won.
"I have not words of wisdom in this matter, dear Lessien. I do know, however, that i cannot go with you as you wish me to."
Legolas could see the tears well up in her eyes, but he did not reach to comfort her. He knew that if he were to take her in his arms, he would not leave her.
"Even though i cannot go with you, i do not wish you to stay. Your people have done everything they could. We do not wish to bring upon the extiction of the night elves because we were too selfish to let them leave to live with the Valar. The night elves are too special; you are too special."
Lessien sat in thought for what seemed to Legolas an eternity. He was in such suspense to hear her answer that he thought he would burst. Just when he thought this, she answered.
"Legolas. You make a excellent point. But i do not think i can leave you to whatever end shall become of you. I do not want you to be alone."
"I will not be alone, I have Aragorn and Gimli. They are the best friends that an elf could have. Besides, when this war is over, i will go to Valinor. I will meet you there."
Reluctantly she accepted his plea. She promised him that she would help lead the night elves to Valinor and to meet him somewhere in the future. That was what she promised him, though not what she would do. She knew that Legolas and his friends would need a lot of help before the end. She knew if she had to, she could muster another ten or twelve thousand night elf warriors. That would take some time though, so she promised him she would take them home. He did not know though that she planned to go Gondor with a new army.
*******************************************************************
Lessien told Aragorn and Theoden that she and her troops would stay and help gather the orc bodies. It took some time for them to all be gathered and burned. They did not want those foul beasts to have any chance of getting a proper burial, so they burned their carcasses.
When they were done Lessien headed over to Legolas to say her farewell. He was with Gimli, they were talking about something unknown to her. Gimli saw her approaching and turned to Legolas:
"Your lady approaches Legolas" he whispered.
Before he could reply she was beside them.
"Gimli, I do not know how to tell you how much of a blessed creature you are. May the Valar bless you for the rest of your days. I fear that we shall never meet again, though. Farewell spangaer. (Bearded one)" said Lessien.
"Do not be so distressed at our parting love. You have blessed me with your memory, and that i will take with me for the rest of my days. Good bye fair lady of the night."
As Gimli said this his eyes welled up with tears, and he knew that he could not contain the sorrow, so he excused himself to go compose.
Lessien smiled as two tears ran down her cheek and watched him walk away. Now, she stood and looked Legolas in the eyes.
"Legolas, I refuse to say good bye to you. I know that no matter where it is, be it on the other side, i will see you again. I - I - "
She had to stop to compose herself. Legolas could not help but start to well up with tears.
"I do not wish to leave you, but i will go. Namaarie A'maelamin. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'. Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle." ( Farewell my beloved. My heart shall weep until it sees thee again. May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back.)
Legolas wept openly now and could not bear the thought of saying good bye, but did.
"Vanya sulie, Mela en' coiamin. Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva. Elen sila lumenn omentilmo." (Fair winds, love of my life. Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet. A star shall shine on the hour of our meeting.) he said this with such love, that lessien thought she would not be able to turn away from him.
The only thing that kept her going was the fact that she knew she would see him again in the last battle: the battle to end all battles. She only hoped that she could gather enough warriors in time to make it to the battle before it had ended: for good or for bad. She knew that if the battle ended badly she would rather be there instead of having to live longer to see more suffering, and if they were to win, she wanted the night elves to be there and celebrate their victory.
As Legolas watched Lessien walk away, her long, shiny, black hair flowing each time she took a step, he was unaware that he would not have to wait long to see her again. Legolas was presently trying to compose himself as he saw Aragorn walking his way.
With a small simpathetic smile Aragorn said, "Do not worry my friend, you will see her again."
"In my heart i know this, because for some reason, i do not think she will go to Valinor. Even still, i can not help but feel anything but sorrow at this moment." replied Legolas.
"Come my friend, we are to ride with Theoden and Gandalf to Isengard." Said Aragorn.
"Isengard! Do we plan to attack now that he has emptied his power onto helm's deep?" exclaimed Legolas.
"No. Gandalf has informed me that the Ents have helped us quite a lot in this matter."
"Perhaps we will find Merry and Pippin there."
"Perhaps my friend. Now come, we must make haste."
*********************************************************************
Lessien Led her army through the field and back to the mountain pass. Presently she stopped, she only had about five hundred of the thousand she had brought with her; and as she looked at them her heart wept, for many of them were her friends.
"I am stopping because i must discuss something with you." she said.
They looked at her relieved that they could take a rest, and they all kneeled on the ground.
"I know not what most of you plan to do; whether you plan to go to Valinor or stay, it is your choice. I am planning on going to Gondor to help in the fight against Sauron. I would like to take and army with me, for they can use all the help we can give them. Who is with me?" she pleaded.
At first, most of them sat in thought. She noticed that most of them were calculating in their heads what their decision would be. Finally one stood. She looked very similar to Lessien, but was much younger. She had piercing green eyes, and her hair was black as night. She was one of the archers. She wore upon her back a black quiver with a silver and purple design on it and carried in her hand a bow. Her cloak was black and was clasped with a brooch in the shape of a cresent moon. Her name was Luthien daughter of Linwe. She spoke:
"I will go, my mother fought in the battle long ago, and i will follow in her footsteps."
She looked at the others' tired faces and was sad. She knew that none of them really wanted to go. Lessien looked at Luthien as if to ask her to help plead with the rest.
"Our mothers and grandmothers fought long ago. We cannot leave this battle all up to them to fight again. You are tired, we all are, but if you help fight, then this war will be over and we may never have to fight another war again. Some of us will lose our lives, yes, but that will only mean we can rest for all eternity with the rest of our fallen friends. Who will go?"
As Luthien said this the flash came back into the warriors' eyes, and they all stood and in one voice said I!
Lessien was overjoyed at their decision, but could not help but feel sorrow. She could not believe the bravery and selflessness that was in the she-elves before her.
"We make camp here! We will march in the morning. Rest now while you can, all of you. I cannot thank you enough, i dont know what kind of reward could ever reward your bravery. We march home and in 7 days from this day we will bring war to the foes of Gondor!"
They all cheered, and even though they knew it was likely they would go to their deaths, they were filled with happiness so great, they thought they burst.
The sun will set on the night elves ch.4 One very important decision
Legolas sat as she told him that the wood elves were not the only group of elves that were leaving middle-earth. She was very sad to tell him, because she had known all along, and still she let him fall for her.
When she was done telling him, Legolas had no words. He was stunned. He had not the heart to tell her that he did not wish to leave now to Valinor, but knew that he was going to stay and make sure this war was won.
"I have not words of wisdom in this matter, dear Lessien. I do know, however, that i cannot go with you as you wish me to."
Legolas could see the tears well up in her eyes, but he did not reach to comfort her. He knew that if he were to take her in his arms, he would not leave her.
"Even though i cannot go with you, i do not wish you to stay. Your people have done everything they could. We do not wish to bring upon the extiction of the night elves because we were too selfish to let them leave to live with the Valar. The night elves are too special; you are too special."
Lessien sat in thought for what seemed to Legolas an eternity. He was in such suspense to hear her answer that he thought he would burst. Just when he thought this, she answered.
"Legolas. You make a excellent point. But i do not think i can leave you to whatever end shall become of you. I do not want you to be alone."
"I will not be alone, I have Aragorn and Gimli. They are the best friends that an elf could have. Besides, when this war is over, i will go to Valinor. I will meet you there."
Reluctantly she accepted his plea. She promised him that she would help lead the night elves to Valinor and to meet him somewhere in the future. That was what she promised him, though not what she would do. She knew that Legolas and his friends would need a lot of help before the end. She knew if she had to, she could muster another ten or twelve thousand night elf warriors. That would take some time though, so she promised him she would take them home. He did not know though that she planned to go Gondor with a new army.
*******************************************************************
Lessien told Aragorn and Theoden that she and her troops would stay and help gather the orc bodies. It took some time for them to all be gathered and burned. They did not want those foul beasts to have any chance of getting a proper burial, so they burned their carcasses.
When they were done Lessien headed over to Legolas to say her farewell. He was with Gimli, they were talking about something unknown to her. Gimli saw her approaching and turned to Legolas:
"Your lady approaches Legolas" he whispered.
Before he could reply she was beside them.
"Gimli, I do not know how to tell you how much of a blessed creature you are. May the Valar bless you for the rest of your days. I fear that we shall never meet again, though. Farewell spangaer. (Bearded one)" said Lessien.
"Do not be so distressed at our parting love. You have blessed me with your memory, and that i will take with me for the rest of my days. Good bye fair lady of the night."
As Gimli said this his eyes welled up with tears, and he knew that he could not contain the sorrow, so he excused himself to go compose.
Lessien smiled as two tears ran down her cheek and watched him walk away. Now, she stood and looked Legolas in the eyes.
"Legolas, I refuse to say good bye to you. I know that no matter where it is, be it on the other side, i will see you again. I - I - "
She had to stop to compose herself. Legolas could not help but start to well up with tears.
"I do not wish to leave you, but i will go. Namaarie A'maelamin. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'. Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle." ( Farewell my beloved. My heart shall weep until it sees thee again. May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back.)
Legolas wept openly now and could not bear the thought of saying good bye, but did.
"Vanya sulie, Mela en' coiamin. Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva. Elen sila lumenn omentilmo." (Fair winds, love of my life. Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet. A star shall shine on the hour of our meeting.) he said this with such love, that lessien thought she would not be able to turn away from him.
The only thing that kept her going was the fact that she knew she would see him again in the last battle: the battle to end all battles. She only hoped that she could gather enough warriors in time to make it to the battle before it had ended: for good or for bad. She knew that if the battle ended badly she would rather be there instead of having to live longer to see more suffering, and if they were to win, she wanted the night elves to be there and celebrate their victory.
As Legolas watched Lessien walk away, her long, shiny, black hair flowing each time she took a step, he was unaware that he would not have to wait long to see her again. Legolas was presently trying to compose himself as he saw Aragorn walking his way.
With a small simpathetic smile Aragorn said, "Do not worry my friend, you will see her again."
"In my heart i know this, because for some reason, i do not think she will go to Valinor. Even still, i can not help but feel anything but sorrow at this moment." replied Legolas.
"Come my friend, we are to ride with Theoden and Gandalf to Isengard." Said Aragorn.
"Isengard! Do we plan to attack now that he has emptied his power onto helm's deep?" exclaimed Legolas.
"No. Gandalf has informed me that the Ents have helped us quite a lot in this matter."
"Perhaps we will find Merry and Pippin there."
"Perhaps my friend. Now come, we must make haste."
*********************************************************************
Lessien Led her army through the field and back to the mountain pass. Presently she stopped, she only had about five hundred of the thousand she had brought with her; and as she looked at them her heart wept, for many of them were her friends.
"I am stopping because i must discuss something with you." she said.
They looked at her relieved that they could take a rest, and they all kneeled on the ground.
"I know not what most of you plan to do; whether you plan to go to Valinor or stay, it is your choice. I am planning on going to Gondor to help in the fight against Sauron. I would like to take and army with me, for they can use all the help we can give them. Who is with me?" she pleaded.
At first, most of them sat in thought. She noticed that most of them were calculating in their heads what their decision would be. Finally one stood. She looked very similar to Lessien, but was much younger. She had piercing green eyes, and her hair was black as night. She was one of the archers. She wore upon her back a black quiver with a silver and purple design on it and carried in her hand a bow. Her cloak was black and was clasped with a brooch in the shape of a cresent moon. Her name was Luthien daughter of Linwe. She spoke:
"I will go, my mother fought in the battle long ago, and i will follow in her footsteps."
She looked at the others' tired faces and was sad. She knew that none of them really wanted to go. Lessien looked at Luthien as if to ask her to help plead with the rest.
"Our mothers and grandmothers fought long ago. We cannot leave this battle all up to them to fight again. You are tired, we all are, but if you help fight, then this war will be over and we may never have to fight another war again. Some of us will lose our lives, yes, but that will only mean we can rest for all eternity with the rest of our fallen friends. Who will go?"
As Luthien said this the flash came back into the warriors' eyes, and they all stood and in one voice said I!
Lessien was overjoyed at their decision, but could not help but feel sorrow. She could not believe the bravery and selflessness that was in the she-elves before her.
"We make camp here! We will march in the morning. Rest now while you can, all of you. I cannot thank you enough, i dont know what kind of reward could ever reward your bravery. We march home and in 7 days from this day we will bring war to the foes of Gondor!"
They all cheered, and even though they knew it was likely they would go to their deaths, they were filled with happiness so great, they thought they burst.