A/N: Sorry I'm a little late posting this. There are still a couple chapters, so don't quit yet!
Chapter 19: Postlude
Legolas stayed in Middle Earth, living in Ithilien, but also traveling a lot, until after Elessar died. He kept an eye on Christa while she was alive, but even had he not, Éowyn and Faramir would have taken care of the healer.
When word came that Elessar had died, Legolas and Gimli went to Minas Tirith for his funeral. For Arwen, it was a bitter parting, but there was little Legolas could do to ease her grief. For Legolas, it was time to leave. He had often wondered what would happen when this time came, and when it did he wasn't willing to leave Gimli behind. They had been friends for far too long to abandon each other now. Together, the two friends built a ship and left Middle Earth for Valinor.
The voyage was an easy one, and the two friends arrived in Valinor in what seemed like little time at all. When they arrived, it was to a waiting crowd. Elewen was standing next to a young, white haired man wearing a red ring, and Legolas quickly realized that it was Gandalf, just in another form. With the two stood a young Elf woman with hair nearly as dark as Elewen's. Elrond, Celebrían, and Galadriel were also there. Legolas was glad to see Elewen, but not terribly surprised. Gimli, on the other hand, was quite confused. Gimli had never before realized that not all Elves who die remain in the Halls of Mandos. Legolas didn't bother to explain. There would be time later.
Elewen was the first forward when they disembarked. She wrapped Legolas in a big hug the moment he was off the ship. "It's good to see you again, Legolas."
"And you, too, Elewen." Elewen released him to say hello to Gimli.
"And you, as well, Master Gimli." Elewen pulled him forward to where the others were waiting. Gimli looked at her oddly, but he didn't have time to ask the question obviously brewing in his mind—how was she there and alive?
"Welcome to Valinor, Legolas of Mirkwood and Gimli son of Glóin," Galadriel said. Galadriel caught Gimli's eye and something obviously passed between them, because Gimli's expression became a little less confused and he stopped giving Elewen strange glances. Elewen gave her a grateful smile, silently thanking her for explaining.
"It is good to see you both here, my friends," Olórin said. "You are welcome here—both of you." The Valar had approved when Sam had come to Valinor, but Sam had been a ringbearer, if only for a short time. Despite all the odds, they approved of this, too. Gimli the Dwarf was as welcome in Valinor as any of the Elves. "Master Gimli, you have not met Lady Celebrían, and I would like to introduce both of you to my daughter, Sérina*." Legolas raised an eyebrow at the introduction, but no one elaborated, so he left the questions for later.
Sérina was a young woman, almost still a girl. She had her mother's dark hair and bright eyes. The young woman smiled at the new arrivals. "I am honored to meet you, my lords," she said, a bit shyly.
"Please, come. We have prepared a feast for your arrival," Elewen said, and the party walked away from the bay. As they walked, Legolas and Gimli had a few minutes to try to sort out everything they'd just been told, but no one was in any hurry to explain, so the two companions let the questions wait for later.
The Elves led the new arrivals to Olórin and Elewen's home, near her parent's home. They enjoyed a wonderful meal in relative silence, the Valinorean Elves giving them time to eat without pestering them with questions.
After dinner, they retired to a sitting room over cups of wine and tea to tell their stories. Someone even found beer for Gimli. Elewen started the conversation. "Tell us about your life after the war. Did you go to Ithilien as you had hoped?"
Legolas nodded. "Yes. Gimli and I traveled for a while, then I brought some of my people south from Mirkwood, and we settled there for a while. We stayed there, for the most part, until Elessar died." Legolas told about Aragorn and Arwen's rule, and their children, and also Arwen's fate after Aragorn had died. The story was difficult for Elrond, Celebrían and Galadriel to hear, but it was an expected grief. News of Eldarion* and their daughters eased the grief a little. Celebrían hugged her infant daughter close. The baby had been born only months earlier.
Finally, Legolas fell silent. "Tell me about Christa and Elena," Elewen prompted.
Legolas smiled. He'd been waiting for her to ask. "Elena stayed in Rohan. She never married, but she was happy. She became good friends with Lothíriel, Éomer's wife. She trained several other healers before she died of old age.
"Christa followed Éowyn and Faramir to Ithilien. She had plenty to keep her busy, especially when they first moved there. She was overwhelmed for a while, but she had plenty of help, especially from Éowyn and young Bergil."
"Bergil?" Elewen didn't remember the name.
"Beregond's son. Beregond was a soldier of Gondor in Minas Tirith during the Battle of the Pelennor. He is the one who stopped Denethor from burning Faramir as well as himself. I don't think you ever met him. Beregond was banished from Minas Tirith because he killed men in the Hallows in order to stop Denethor, but Aragorn made him Captain of the Guard for Faramir in Ithilien. Bergil was about ten at the time, and he and Pippin were friends.
"Bergil and Christa quickly became friends, probably because Christa didn't intimidate him like other 'adults' did. There weren't many children in Ithilien at the time, so he had no other playmates. He helped Christa as she set up her healing practice there. He helped in the garden and gathered herbs and firewood in the woods, and even helped with her work at times.
"About eight years after they both moved to Ithilien, Bergil started to notice that Christa was not only an excellent healer, but also a rather attractive woman. He didn't understand why no men had ever tried to court her. He had grown up with her, so he didn't understand why her work would deter suitors. A year later, he married her."
Elewen burst out in a broad smile. It was good news. Legolas continued, "They had four children, and like Elena, Christa also taught several other students. Bergil served in the guard like his father, and one day about twenty years after they were married, he didn't come home. Christa continued with her work as a widow, but she missed him. She passed away in her sleep after seeing six grandchildren born."
When Legolas had finished his story, Elewen and the others told the new arrivals about what had happened for them in Valinor—Elewen's return and her marriage to Olórin, Sérina's birth, Celebrían's new baby, and other little details.
Legolas and the other Elves chatted for most of the night, but Gimli retired early. He was showing his age, and preferred sleep to listening to the Elves' endless talk.
The next day, Gimli slept late, and Legolas wandered the house early in the morning. There was a small garden behind the house, and he made his way back to it. A little stream ran through the garden, and there was a bench near the stream. Legolas walked over to the bench to sit down, but heard a gasp above him.
Sérina dropped out of a tree. "Lord Legolas!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It isn't your fault. I was daydreaming."
"Why were you in a tree? Were you hiding from something?"
"No. I just like to sit up there. I can see further than from down here."
"You said you were daydreaming. May I ask what you were thinking about?"
"I was just thinking about Middle Earth. My parents have told me about it, and I've even looked into their memories, but there are a lot of parts that they don't care to discuss—Galadriel and Elrond, too. I know I shouldn't be so curious, but sometimes I wonder about it. They've told me enough about the War of the Ring to know what it was, but sometimes I wonder about the details. I know they both died at some point, so I'm not surprised they don't want to talk about it. I suppose I'm just too curious for my own good."
Legolas smiled down at the girl. "There are a lot of memories I don't care to recall either. War is very nasty business."
"I know. Melian showed me a few of her memories of the wars of Beleriand, so I do know something about it. I don't want to know all the gory details—just a little more than Frodo destroyed the Ring while Aragorn and his companions fought off the forces of Mordor."
Legolas sat down on the bench. "Sit with me, and I'll tell you a few of my own experiences." He told her a little about the war, but soon the conversation drifted to other topics, and before either realized it, it was noon.
Legolas met Gimli for lunch and had to apologize for his lateness to the Dwarf. He and Gimli spent the rest of the day exploring, but Legolas found his mind wandering to Sérina. That evening, after Gimli had retired, he found Sérina with her parents. Galadriel, Elrond, and Celebrían were also there, and they all chatted for a few hours. Eventually, Legolas made an excuse and slipped away. He wandered back to the garden and sat by the stream. It was a quiet, peaceful place. He enjoyed catching up with the others and telling his story, but it was also nice to sit quietly.
A few hours later, someone abruptly sat down beside Legolas. He jumped a little, then realized it was Sérina. She was sitting with her back to the stream, facing the opposite way he was. The bench had no back, so she didn't have to go around to the front to sit down, which was part of the reason she'd been able to sneak up on him.
"I think we're even," Sérina smiled.
Legolas nodded. "Yes, we are. What brings you out here, lady?"
"I like the quiet. You?"
"The same. I enjoy telling my story, but at times, it is pleasant to just sit without talking."
Sérina nodded. "Could I join you?"
"Haven't you done so already?" Legolas chuckled.
Sérina swung around to face the stream, but then her eyes wandered to the sky. After a few minutes, she asked quietly, "Are the stars the same here as they are in Middle Earth?"
"They are brighter here," Legolas told her, "but they are the same stars."
"You said that you're from Greenwood. Would you tell me about it?"
"Would you rather see it?" Sérina nodded, and he let her look into her memories of his home. After a while, he finished his tour in his memories. They spent another hour in companionable silence before going their own ways to rest.
* Eldarion: Aragorn and Arwen's son and heir.