Fallen Bride
Chapter 5: Saying Goodbye
Legolas ran as fast as he could to the Houses of Healing. He skidded to a stop in front of Arwen's room. "Aragorn, I need-" Again, Legolas was interrupted. Aragorn wasn't there. Just the coroner, removing Arwen's body to be prepared for her funeral.
"Quick!" Legolas demanded of the man, "Where is the King?"
"He said he had an errand to run at the castle before he joined me in the funeral preperations," the coroner replied.
Legolas sighed. Aragorn was making this more difficult than it already was. He turned around and headed straight towards the palace.
He had made it to the top floor with the directions given to him by various guards and servants Legolas had run into throughout the castle. The Elf had searched the entire floor, but not a trace of Aragorn was to be found.
Legolas was about to give up, when he caught sight of a rather plump maid waddling down the hall. "Excuse me!" he called, catching up to her, "have you seen King Aragorn come by here recently?"
"Oh yes," replied the maid, "he went right through here." She pointed at a trap door in the ceiling.
"Where does this lead?"
"Why, to the roof of course! The King and Queen used to always go up there to watch the stars in happier times. I hadn't seem him around here lately, and he didn't even stop to chat! Now, I know he's a king, but that's still being quite rude, don't you think? You know, that reminds me of something very peculiar that happened to me the other day..."
"As interesting as this all is," said Legolas, stopping the maid before she got any further, "I really must go now." This said, he turned to the trap door and pulled. Locked. Just as he had expected. Legolas tugged again, this time putting his full body weight behind it, but it was no use. The Elf was too light to open the door.
"Ummm... pardon me, sir?" came a voice from behind him. It was the talkative maid.
"What do you want?" Legolas sighed, turning around. His eyes grew wide when he saw that she was holding out a large gold key.
Legolas thanked the maid profusely as he took the key and opened the lock to the trap door. He pulled it down and climbed onto the roof.
The sight that met him was so horrifying that Legolas could neither move, nor speak for several moments.
Aragorn was standing on the edge of the roof. His toes were hanging over into the nothingness of the sky. His head was thrown back, his eyes were closed, and his lips were moving in silent prayer.
Legolas shuddered at the thought of what Aragorn was about to do. He just had to stop him! Legolas opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Aragorn was still unaware of his presence. He had to do something before it was too late!
The Elf tried a few more times, and he was finally able to speak. "Aragorn, you can't jump!"
Aragorn started, as if pulled out of a trance. When he turned around, Legolas was again struck speechless at what he saw. It was his eyes. They were cold and hollow. They no longer reflected his strong Ranger spirit, or showed just how much of a leader he could be anymore. They were just two grey pools, dark and murky. They were glazed over, as if Aragorn was looking, but not really "seeing."
"Why not, Legolas?" he asked. His voice was cold and emotionless as well. "I have nothing to live for anymore. Everyone I ever cared for is dead, I'm going to join them sooner or later. I'm just speeding up the process.
"No, Aragorn..."
"You don't know how it feels!" Aragorn's voice had risen to a yell, "You don't know what it's like to lose someone you've loved so much for so long! I'm never going to see her again, Legolas. Not in this life anyway. Goodbye, Legolas. You were always a good friend." Aragorn turned to face the city below him, and jumped.
"Aragorn, NO!" Legolas shouted, springing up and running towards the edge of the roof. His Elven legs were quick, but not quick enough. He reached the wall in time to see his best friend's body smash against the stone street.
He heard the screams of the townspeople who had just witnessed their king fall from the sky, but overpowering all was Aragorn's voice still ringing in his ears: "You don't know what it's like to lose someone you've loved so much for so long!"
"Now I do, Aragorn," Legolas whispered, "I loved you." The Elf stood up and headed towards the stables. There was nothing left for him in Gondor anymore. He could finally leave this prison of a city and return to his beloved Mirkwood. A single tear fell down his face as he mounted his horse and headed home.
A/N: Well, that's it for this story. I know, you're all heartbroken, but don't worry! I have a few more ideas on the back burner, and maybe even a sequel. Please R/R to tell me what you think. I would appriciate constuctive critizism instead of flames please!
Chapter 5: Saying Goodbye
Legolas ran as fast as he could to the Houses of Healing. He skidded to a stop in front of Arwen's room. "Aragorn, I need-" Again, Legolas was interrupted. Aragorn wasn't there. Just the coroner, removing Arwen's body to be prepared for her funeral.
"Quick!" Legolas demanded of the man, "Where is the King?"
"He said he had an errand to run at the castle before he joined me in the funeral preperations," the coroner replied.
Legolas sighed. Aragorn was making this more difficult than it already was. He turned around and headed straight towards the palace.
He had made it to the top floor with the directions given to him by various guards and servants Legolas had run into throughout the castle. The Elf had searched the entire floor, but not a trace of Aragorn was to be found.
Legolas was about to give up, when he caught sight of a rather plump maid waddling down the hall. "Excuse me!" he called, catching up to her, "have you seen King Aragorn come by here recently?"
"Oh yes," replied the maid, "he went right through here." She pointed at a trap door in the ceiling.
"Where does this lead?"
"Why, to the roof of course! The King and Queen used to always go up there to watch the stars in happier times. I hadn't seem him around here lately, and he didn't even stop to chat! Now, I know he's a king, but that's still being quite rude, don't you think? You know, that reminds me of something very peculiar that happened to me the other day..."
"As interesting as this all is," said Legolas, stopping the maid before she got any further, "I really must go now." This said, he turned to the trap door and pulled. Locked. Just as he had expected. Legolas tugged again, this time putting his full body weight behind it, but it was no use. The Elf was too light to open the door.
"Ummm... pardon me, sir?" came a voice from behind him. It was the talkative maid.
"What do you want?" Legolas sighed, turning around. His eyes grew wide when he saw that she was holding out a large gold key.
Legolas thanked the maid profusely as he took the key and opened the lock to the trap door. He pulled it down and climbed onto the roof.
The sight that met him was so horrifying that Legolas could neither move, nor speak for several moments.
Aragorn was standing on the edge of the roof. His toes were hanging over into the nothingness of the sky. His head was thrown back, his eyes were closed, and his lips were moving in silent prayer.
Legolas shuddered at the thought of what Aragorn was about to do. He just had to stop him! Legolas opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Aragorn was still unaware of his presence. He had to do something before it was too late!
The Elf tried a few more times, and he was finally able to speak. "Aragorn, you can't jump!"
Aragorn started, as if pulled out of a trance. When he turned around, Legolas was again struck speechless at what he saw. It was his eyes. They were cold and hollow. They no longer reflected his strong Ranger spirit, or showed just how much of a leader he could be anymore. They were just two grey pools, dark and murky. They were glazed over, as if Aragorn was looking, but not really "seeing."
"Why not, Legolas?" he asked. His voice was cold and emotionless as well. "I have nothing to live for anymore. Everyone I ever cared for is dead, I'm going to join them sooner or later. I'm just speeding up the process.
"No, Aragorn..."
"You don't know how it feels!" Aragorn's voice had risen to a yell, "You don't know what it's like to lose someone you've loved so much for so long! I'm never going to see her again, Legolas. Not in this life anyway. Goodbye, Legolas. You were always a good friend." Aragorn turned to face the city below him, and jumped.
"Aragorn, NO!" Legolas shouted, springing up and running towards the edge of the roof. His Elven legs were quick, but not quick enough. He reached the wall in time to see his best friend's body smash against the stone street.
He heard the screams of the townspeople who had just witnessed their king fall from the sky, but overpowering all was Aragorn's voice still ringing in his ears: "You don't know what it's like to lose someone you've loved so much for so long!"
"Now I do, Aragorn," Legolas whispered, "I loved you." The Elf stood up and headed towards the stables. There was nothing left for him in Gondor anymore. He could finally leave this prison of a city and return to his beloved Mirkwood. A single tear fell down his face as he mounted his horse and headed home.
A/N: Well, that's it for this story. I know, you're all heartbroken, but don't worry! I have a few more ideas on the back burner, and maybe even a sequel. Please R/R to tell me what you think. I would appriciate constuctive critizism instead of flames please!