Chapter Two

Gimli layed back and looked up at the clouds, his eyes traveling on the pink and blue that slowly crept beyond his line of vision.

Legolas sat a little ways away, watching the sun rise, it's beautiful rays glittered upon the blue waters.

"It's so beautiful." The dwarf commented making the elf prince look up and cock his head to the side.

"Beautiful? I did not know a dwarf could say such things?"

Gimli snorted and raised himself slowly up, groaning as he did. It seemed, to Legolas, that told age had finally crept up on his friend.

"And you can?!" Gimli grunted pulling out a short pipe and stuffing some weed in the end, then lighting the pipe he stuck it in his mouth.

"Aye, I believe I can, dear Gimli. Luthien Tinuviel and Arwen Undomiel. The two most beautiful women that ever walked Arda." the elf smiled and leaned back sighing. "But alas, I never had the privilege to wed either. My lady awaits me in the undying lands, Lady Alede."

"Awww, so ye do know the meanin' 'O Beauty, do ye dear prince?"

"Yes I do. What beautiful dwarf maiden did you wish to wed?" Legolas almost snickered at the thought of the two being wed upon a magical kiss, their beards inter-twining. But he kept himself calm and awaited the dwarf's answer.

The dwarf set his pipe down upon a bench on the side of the boat and grinned gently.

"Well, there was this one lovely maiden. She was pretty and every dwarf knew it. But she never wanted to wed me. She always told me what a hopeless cause I was. That made my blood boil, so after I left her a parting gift, I left for Imladris to seek Elrond's wise council, for it was said he still gave us council gladly and did not tire easily in the company of dwarves."

Legolas listened kindly, he knew that Gimli needed someone to listen and so he was going to be the respectable friend and listen to the dwarf.

"And what was 'the parting gift'?" The elf prince asked, halfway laughing already.

Blushing crimson the elderly dwarf turned onto his hard back and grinned sheepishly. "I-uh" he wiped tears of mirth that were trailing down his worn cheeks. "I cut her beard."

The last part of the whisper was so soft that Legolas almost had to strain to hear it, but he heard it and instantly he was laughing harder than Gimli had ever heard. 'Oh Eru! Legolas must be goin' mad.' he mused as he watched the perfect being role upon his stomach as the choked laughs came from his lither frame.

Turning around, Gimli starred over the side of the grey ship, his eyes winkling as he saw the waters sparkle like mithril and a few silvery-blue dolphins leapt from the water; they frolicked with each other and made soft giggling noises. "Aule be praised! The beasts are laughin' at me too!" he cried watching them disappear into the silver water.

Legolas sat up and looked over the edge to wear the dwarf had pointed.

"No...no Gimli. That is how the silver water dweller speaks. It is called the dolphin. I have seen none before, but my father taught me about them." he said softly. "I had been hoping, when I first saw the sea during the war of the ring, I was hoping to see just one. But Alas, none came." he said watching as the dolphins leapt and chattered at the boat.

He chuckled. "I remember when Aragorn-" he stopped and turned away, silent tears caressing his pale cheeks.

Hearing his friend's abrupt halt in his words, Gimli turned just in time to see the elf turn his head away and begin to shake softly, his pale gold hair flittered in the breeze.

"Legolas?" he stopped and finally realized what was wrong. Careful not to hurt his own joints, he moved forward so he could better see Legolas. "Legolas? Come, tell me what troubles you?" he whispered, placing a friendly, weathered hand upon the prince's smooth one.

Bringing his head up so he could look into the dwarf's old eyes he smiled, the tears crept slowly down his cheeks, but he continued. "I miss him Gimli. I miss Estel." He would have said more, would have reminisced, but the pain was too great.

Clambering up upon the spot where the prince sat, Gimli layed his hands on the slumped shoulders.

"I know laddie. I know. I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."

Smiling thinly, Legolas looked up into the deep, brown eyes. "I have never heard that line before master dwarf? I knew not that those of your kind could speak so well that you could give council to an elf?"

Chuckling, Gimli leaned down and whispered: "Well I wish I could say that the line did come of my kin. But I would be lying. Gandalf told it to me, right after my mother died a long while back. Right before the fellowship." he patted the prince's back with a hefty hand. "I never heard bad advice from that old wizard." he sighed leaping hard off the platform which Legolas sat.

Gimli stood for a few moments and watched the sun rise over the hills that sat beyond the sea. They were steadily rising, green and gray and beautiful as one could imagine.

Stars sat above it, beginning to fade as the sun become brighter, the moon which sat far, far above was beginning to disappear along with the stars and the sky was changing to a lemony yellow, mixed in it was pink, purple, and blue that took both the elf and dwarf's breath away.

Far above, the gulls cried with full lungs as their boat crashed effortlessly against the glass waves, the rocking motion was beautiful, but it sent the dwarf backwards and he strained to rise once more, using his axe as a cane.

Legolas helped him up and closed his eyes, smelling the saltwater breeze, listening to the harsh cry of the white gulls as they flew overhead; their pale shadows shifting in the little sunlight.

"Can you hear it Gimli?" he asked, his eyes still closed and a smile upon his face. "Can you hear the white gulls cry?"

The stout dwarf cocked his head at a better angle and listened. "Yes, what has that got to do with anythin'? Why are they making such a fuss?"

Legolas smiled and opened his silver-blue eyes, sighing as the wind picked up and rustled the folds in his grey Lorien cloak, tears streaked down his face and all his memories filtered in, mostly of him and Aragorn on the plains together. One such incident came forth that he remembered clearly.

"You have NEVER seen the ocean, Legolas?!" the young man asked, chuckling at the thought of a prince that was over two-thousand years old, yet he had never seen the beauty of the ocean.

"No, I was taught that are kind should never go near the sea until it is time for the elves to pass over. We would desire it to much and never be happy again."

The memory drifted away and he heard the white gulls once more, their wings catching the pale pink and orange colors as the sun rose up.

"They are calling me home."

TBC~

Ok, so that is the next chapter! Chapter two is now finished and now we are onto chapter three, as soon as I post the thing, "All Souls Pass". Hope you liked it, please R&R, no flaming!!!!!!!!

I told you Linwen, it had to be short!!! Oh well, glad you liked it Mellon nin. Hope this chapter was long enough for you.

Here is the next chapter Leggylover03!!!!

WOW! Thanks Moismiley!!! I like your stories though. And I had to use it on them, otherwise my devious plot would not work. *cackles* Ok, enough of that. Anyway, well since they are the last ones I wanted to use it on them. :) Thanks for reviewing!!!!

Sorry took so long jinnder! Hope this was quick enough? Oh! And WIP, LOL, stand for "Work In Progress". Hehe, not "Western Independence Party".

Yes, I feel that way too MaidenofImladris!!! He is cute!!!! Here is the next part, one more to go.

OH! Then I am glad you liked it Rachel the Almighty! :) Thanks!!!!!!!! Here is more, hope you like this as well!!!

Ok, so the next chapter should be out VERY soon, like two days at the latest. Let's hope!!! Thanks everyone!!!!!!

Please R&R! NO FLAMING!!!!!!!!