The Traveler: Chapter Nineteen

Legolas sat holding Ariana for a very long time. Aragorn couldn't bring himself to pull him away. Gimli stood in the hall, his head lowered. Aragorn thought he heard the dwarf's quiet crying. Gandalf, on the other hand, seemed to be pondering something. He kept looking out the window at the mounting moon, then back to Legolas and Ariana. Aragorn knew the old wizard was up to something, but wasn't sure what.

Aragorn stepped up to Legolas slowly, who had finally laid Ariana back on the ground. The elf now sat silently on the ground, staring absently at the dagger, which now lay harmless on the floor.

The small dagger looked to be of Elvish craft to Aragorn. He wouldn't be surprised to find out if Legolas or another elf had given it to Ariana for protection.

"Legolas," Aragorn said as soft as he could. At first, he thought the elf hadn't even heard him. He continued to stare at the dagger, which was still covered in a thin layer of blood. "Legolas, I'm sorry," Aragorn said as he laid his hand on the elf's shoulder.

Legolas just continued to sit there, staring at nothing, saying nothing, thinking nothing.

Aragorn crouched down and looked at Legolas' face. "Legolas, we must leave here. Those Orcs outside, they will not wait. We will take Ariana back with us." Aragorn waited for Legolas' reaction, but it looked like the elf hadn't even heard him.

But Gandalf had. The wizard stepped forward into the room and cleared his throat. "I would not worry about the Orcs, Aragorn. They know it is pointless now that Sauron's power has been destroyed. I would not be surprised if they have already all vanished."

Gandalf looked back out the window again and Aragorn followed his gaze. He'd forgot that night was falling. A large bright moon rose high about the trees. It's light streamed into the room and gave everything a soft glow. Gandalf looked back and caught Aragorn's eye. "Now, I believe it's time the rest of Nahron's prediction of the Traveler's arrival come to light," Gandalf said as he approached Legolas and Ariana.

Legolas looked up at the wizard. "The rest…" he trailed off as Gandalf smiled down at him.

"There is a part that only a few know, of Nahron's prediction. In giving up her life, Ariana has saved all of Middle Earth. In doing so, by her own free will, she's gained an understanding of the important of life."

Legolas kept looking back between Gandalf and Ariana. She looked almost as though she was asleep. Her hair was pooled around her head and the moonlight washed over it, making the hair glow a pale gold. It reminded Legolas of another elf.

"Now," Gandalf began, "for her sacrifice, Ariana has been given the chance for immortality." Aragorn's head snapped up to look at the wizard. He had been watching Legolas up until then.

Aragorn wasn't the only one now watching Gandalf. Gimli, though silent since he arrived in the room, now seemed overjoyed with the news Gandalf brought. The whole room actually seemed to lighten. The moonlight seemed to intensify with the wizard's words.

"How do we wake her up, Gandalf?" Aragorn asked the wizard.

Gandalf motioned to Ariana. "Her necklace, Legolas. Take the necklace from her neck."

Legolas did what he was told. He held back his tears as he moved over Ariana's still body. He could feel her skin against his. He wanted nothing more then to have her back.

Legolas stood up and looked at Gandalf, the necklace in hand.

"Now, break it."

Legolas looked at the necklace in his hand. The small green orb in the middle seemed to sparkle with a life of it's own. He let it drop to the floor and heard the glass shatter. After that, a heavy silence filled the room. Along with it came even more moonlight. It filled the room. Everything around the four seemed to glow brighter and brighter. It grew so bright that they had to shield their eyes.

As soon as it had began, it was over. The moonlight faded out to what it had been before and Legolas could see Gandalf standing before him.

"Look!" Gimli spoke for the first time since entering the room.

Legolas turned back to Ariana. She still lay on the floor, the dagger beside her, but the blood that had stained her dress was gone. All that remained was the small tear in the dress. As Legolas starred at the spot, he noticed the gentle rise and fall of Ariana's chest. She was breathing.

Legolas fell to his knees beside her body and quietly called Ariana's name. He watched her eyelids flicker, become still, then flicker again. Eventually, after a few tense moments, Ariana's eyes opened again to the world.

A small groan past her lips as she tried to sit up. Legolas gently pushed her back to the ground. "No, Ariana. Please, stay down."

"Legolas…" Ariana's voice came out barely above a whisper. She felt chilled throughout her body, like all the heat had drained out of her. A dull pain throbbed in her chest and head. Besides those small ailments, she felt fine.

Legolas' face was covered in a huge smile. He could hardly believe his eyes. Ariana was alive and well, though a little hoarse. He watched her close her eyes for a few minutes, then open them again. "Legolas, what's going on?" she asked in her whisper.

Legolas leaned close to her. "You saved us all," he said simply. Then he gently kissed her lips.

* * *

Soon, the newly acquired five were heading back to Rivendall. Their pace was slow, though they were in no hurry now. Ariana sat cradled against Legolas' body, listening quietly to the elf's story. He told her about the attack of the Orcs, then their mad dash to follow them to Isengard. He also began to tell her about what he found in the room atop the tower, but she stopped him before he could get to far. She didn't want to be reminded of her brush with death again.

Then he told her about the final part of Nahron's prophecy. That if the traveler gave up their life by their own free will, they would be rewarded with the gift of immortality. Ariana gasped at that and looked up into the elf's eyes. "I'm immortal now?" she asked him quietly.

Legolas nodded his head and kissed her brow. "Yes, melamin. We now will be together forever."

Ariana wrapped her hand around Legolas' neck and pulled him down for a long kiss. When she released him, he smiled down at her. "Forever is good," she said with a smile.

The end.

****Notes****

::sits back and grins:: Well, that was fun. I hope you all enjoyed it. I was really tempted just to let Ariana be dead. I mean, not all stories have happy endings, but a few weeks ago when I was writing this trying to finish up this story, my sister said something to me that changed my mind. She said that people read stories to get away from the terrors of real life. If they wanted grief and hardships, they'd stick with the real world and stay away from the fairy tales and happy endings that are associated with them. ::smiles:: So I saved Ariana. Besides, I've got requests for a sequel, and that would be harder to do with my leading lady deceased. ::shrugs:: Who knows? [Ya know, if you don't know where the disclaimer is by now, I pity you.]