Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Elisandra and the way some of the words in this chapter are put together. The words near the end that tell of Arwen and Legolas' fates were taken (and modified) from Appendix B of 'The Return of the King'.
Authors Note: Ugh, I almost made myself cry with this chapter...*sigh* Why must people die? Oh well...
To my 'Not Important' reviewer - thank you. I wish you'd left your email so I could thank you through email. It actually does mean a lot to me to have someone tell me that while they dislike the Mary-Sueish aspect of my story, they like my writing. So thank you.
To JB (why don't people leave e-mails?) - Aragorn and Haldir were the ones who gave Legolas a stern talking to about marriage to Elisandra in the first place...so naturally they'd just congratulate. As for the twins, they'd probably do the same. And maybe start teasing Elisandra and Legolas. Or throw a party. Ah, yes, to be Lords of Imladris...
------------------------------
-No Eyes Needed-
------------------------------
-Chapter XXX-
-The End-
------------------------------
-March 3rd, 119 of the Fourth Age-
The city was hung with banners of black, and all its citizens wore black, matching the grief that masked their faces. The message had been true, then, Elisandra realized as she rode slowly up through the streets of Minas Tirith. The thought nearly made her want to cry again, but she held off, instead spurring her horse into a gallop. The people watched her almost mistrustfully as she passed, as if wondering who would have the heart for speed at such a time.
Behind her, Elisandra could hear Legolas calling out to her to slow down, but she ignored him, heading full-tilt to the top of the city. The palace guards didn't even make a token effort to stop her - besides the fact that Elisandra's expression boded ill for any who delayed her, they knew her. She visited frequently, and their fathers had told them tales of playing with the Princess of Eryn Lasgalen when she was young and lived in the palace.
Dismounting from her horse with a flurry of her riding skirts, Elisandra barely paused long enough to hand the reigns of her horse to a panting stable boy before striding quickly to the House of Kings on the Silent Street. She paused, then, at the door, but only for a moment, to let her husband catch up with her. Then, together, they entered the House of Kings.
As the message had told, there, in the flickering light of a torch, lay the body of Aragorn II, son of Arathorn II, Ranger of the North, foster son (as well as son-in-law) of Lord Elrond Peredhil, and King of Gondor. Kneeling at his head was Arwen Undómiel, her head bowed in grief, all her tears long gone.
"Mother -" Elisandra stopped and swallowed, unable to say anymore as the grief that she had so far held back through disbelief hit her. With silent tears falling down her cheeks, Elisandra went to her foster mother and kneeled next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder to offer what comfort she might. Legolas, too, came to the King's body, standing at its feet and looking down on the Man he had called friend. Wrapped in their grief, none of the Elves took much notice when three others entered, except for when they felt their comforting presences.
"Come." Eldarion, son of Aragorn, and now King of Gondor, said finally, gently pulling his foster sister to her feet. Lúthanaur, Eldarion's eldest sister, pulled their mother to her feet, and together the two siblings, along with Gimli, led the three Elves from the tombs of the Kings of Gondor, and into the palace.
The three Elves sat down without being urged to when they arrived in a private sitting room, but none said anything for quite awhile. Eldarion, Lúthanaur and Gimli looked at each other with worry, for well they knew of the bond all three Elves had shared with the dead King, and of Elves ability to die from grief. Their worries were unfounded, however, for all but the Queen, for as the moon rose over Gondor, Legolas' eyes cleared of his grief, and taking Elisandra's hand, he brought her out of her grief, as well.
"It is time, then." the Prince of Eryn Lasgalen said, his voice tired. None needed to ask what he meant - there had been many discussions of late of Legolas and Elisandra's eventual journey to Valinor.
"You can come with us, Naneth [Mother]." Elisandra said quietly, but the Queen shook her head.
"I chose mortality. I am bound to Middle-Earth, and to the Doom of Men." Arwen said, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she added, almost thoughtfully, "I do believe I would like to see the Golden Woods again, though."
"We shall escort you there." Legolas said.
"There is little danger in the journey anymore." Arwen said, shaking her head. "It is time for you to leave." The other occupants of the room looked at each other uncertainly, but Arwen fixed them all with the stern, commanding look that could only come from someone both Queen and Mother, and reluctantly, Legolas nodded.
"Very well." he said.
And that is what Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of the Elves, did. She said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved,; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lórien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came.
There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring had not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the sea.
But Legolas and his wife built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down the Anduin and over the Sea, taking Gimli the Dwarf with them to the Undying Lands in the West. There they lived out their immortal lives in love and happiness...
\/---Since I messed around and deleted my Authors Note chapter, you're going to hafta go to the next chapter to review if you want to do a signed review! Sorry folks! (oh, poor readers, you will have to read the end of the story before you can review. *giggle*)---\/
Authors Note: Ugh, I almost made myself cry with this chapter...*sigh* Why must people die? Oh well...
To my 'Not Important' reviewer - thank you. I wish you'd left your email so I could thank you through email. It actually does mean a lot to me to have someone tell me that while they dislike the Mary-Sueish aspect of my story, they like my writing. So thank you.
To JB (why don't people leave e-mails?) - Aragorn and Haldir were the ones who gave Legolas a stern talking to about marriage to Elisandra in the first place...so naturally they'd just congratulate. As for the twins, they'd probably do the same. And maybe start teasing Elisandra and Legolas. Or throw a party. Ah, yes, to be Lords of Imladris...
------------------------------
-No Eyes Needed-
------------------------------
-Chapter XXX-
-The End-
------------------------------
-March 3rd, 119 of the Fourth Age-
The city was hung with banners of black, and all its citizens wore black, matching the grief that masked their faces. The message had been true, then, Elisandra realized as she rode slowly up through the streets of Minas Tirith. The thought nearly made her want to cry again, but she held off, instead spurring her horse into a gallop. The people watched her almost mistrustfully as she passed, as if wondering who would have the heart for speed at such a time.
Behind her, Elisandra could hear Legolas calling out to her to slow down, but she ignored him, heading full-tilt to the top of the city. The palace guards didn't even make a token effort to stop her - besides the fact that Elisandra's expression boded ill for any who delayed her, they knew her. She visited frequently, and their fathers had told them tales of playing with the Princess of Eryn Lasgalen when she was young and lived in the palace.
Dismounting from her horse with a flurry of her riding skirts, Elisandra barely paused long enough to hand the reigns of her horse to a panting stable boy before striding quickly to the House of Kings on the Silent Street. She paused, then, at the door, but only for a moment, to let her husband catch up with her. Then, together, they entered the House of Kings.
As the message had told, there, in the flickering light of a torch, lay the body of Aragorn II, son of Arathorn II, Ranger of the North, foster son (as well as son-in-law) of Lord Elrond Peredhil, and King of Gondor. Kneeling at his head was Arwen Undómiel, her head bowed in grief, all her tears long gone.
"Mother -" Elisandra stopped and swallowed, unable to say anymore as the grief that she had so far held back through disbelief hit her. With silent tears falling down her cheeks, Elisandra went to her foster mother and kneeled next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder to offer what comfort she might. Legolas, too, came to the King's body, standing at its feet and looking down on the Man he had called friend. Wrapped in their grief, none of the Elves took much notice when three others entered, except for when they felt their comforting presences.
"Come." Eldarion, son of Aragorn, and now King of Gondor, said finally, gently pulling his foster sister to her feet. Lúthanaur, Eldarion's eldest sister, pulled their mother to her feet, and together the two siblings, along with Gimli, led the three Elves from the tombs of the Kings of Gondor, and into the palace.
The three Elves sat down without being urged to when they arrived in a private sitting room, but none said anything for quite awhile. Eldarion, Lúthanaur and Gimli looked at each other with worry, for well they knew of the bond all three Elves had shared with the dead King, and of Elves ability to die from grief. Their worries were unfounded, however, for all but the Queen, for as the moon rose over Gondor, Legolas' eyes cleared of his grief, and taking Elisandra's hand, he brought her out of her grief, as well.
"It is time, then." the Prince of Eryn Lasgalen said, his voice tired. None needed to ask what he meant - there had been many discussions of late of Legolas and Elisandra's eventual journey to Valinor.
"You can come with us, Naneth [Mother]." Elisandra said quietly, but the Queen shook her head.
"I chose mortality. I am bound to Middle-Earth, and to the Doom of Men." Arwen said, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she added, almost thoughtfully, "I do believe I would like to see the Golden Woods again, though."
"We shall escort you there." Legolas said.
"There is little danger in the journey anymore." Arwen said, shaking her head. "It is time for you to leave." The other occupants of the room looked at each other uncertainly, but Arwen fixed them all with the stern, commanding look that could only come from someone both Queen and Mother, and reluctantly, Legolas nodded.
"Very well." he said.
And that is what Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of the Elves, did. She said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved,; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lórien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came.
There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring had not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the sea.
But Legolas and his wife built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down the Anduin and over the Sea, taking Gimli the Dwarf with them to the Undying Lands in the West. There they lived out their immortal lives in love and happiness...
\/---Since I messed around and deleted my Authors Note chapter, you're going to hafta go to the next chapter to review if you want to do a signed review! Sorry folks! (oh, poor readers, you will have to read the end of the story before you can review. *giggle*)---\/