LadyJadePerendhil: Her bad dreams served a purpose: getting her to remember what had happened to her. She hasn't had them since she remembered. She is healed, if still a bit tentative around those she doesn't know... and Legolas is coming.

Farflung: You were just a little ahead of me there. Oh well. Mirimir's father will show up very soon (along with the end of this story), but I have no plans to bring the others in. They're happy with Mandos, content to rest at peace. As for summer updating... I'm not sure yet. If I get the internships I'm hoping for, then I will have internet access, but if I don't, I won't. I'll know for sure on Thursday. It looks hopeful, though. I'm very glad--I am so addicted to the internet I just about go batty if I have to wait two and a half months for it.

StarAngel Caelum SunSoar, Mountain Lass, Lalaith, Animir, and agaxris: Thanks for reading/reviewing!

All right, guys, we're getting down to the end, here! Only a few more chapters... which means as long as I can get on school computers long enough, I should be able to finish it before school's out.



Chapter 35

The instant Legolas stepped upon the shore he sent out a feeler, brushing two minds. Once that was done, he pulled the boat farther ashore and helped Gimli out, laughing to himself as the dwarf immediately wandered off to find the Lady Galadriel.

As for him, he wanted to see Leherim, and his father, and Mirimir. Only a few years had passed since Mirimir and his father left, but it had seemed nearly an eternity, since for the first time he was able to clearly remember, he had been without the connection he shared with the two she-elves.

Legolas?

He closed his eyes in pleasure. I am on the shore, he answered softly, dear sister.

She laughed gaily, and he could feel her coming forward. He opened his eyes to see her break through the trees, and the next thing he was aware of he was holding her once more. He laughed with her, then sighed softly, lowering his forehead to her shoulder as she did the same.

For the next hours they shared everything that had happened since their link had been broken, laughing together about some things, listening in silent sympathy for others. He stumbled over the sharing of things he had learned from Mirimir of her past, and she shook her head at him.

She has told me many things herself. What she keeps silent, shall remain so.

Slowly he nodded. Where is she? And Father? And Elrohir, for that matter.

She laughed and pulled back, leading him into the woods. They await my return, and yours, eagerly.

She wasn't entirely correct. It seemed Mirimir had been waylaid by someone at some point, which rather surprised him, though he told himself it shouldn't have. After spending a short while with their father, he and Leherim took to walking through some of the paths, speaking for the sake of hearing the words.

"Have you any idea where she is?"

"You're the one linked to her, brother dear."

"Funny, Leherim."

"Orc," she laughed. She smiled up at him for a long moment, her eyes shifted as she thought of something.

"What is it?"

"Mirimir," she answered softly. "She had changed so much since I saw her last, I didn't recognize her."

"Good or bad?" he asked with a frown.

"Good, I would say good." She tilted her head and thought about it. "She has a confidence she hadn't before, a sense of who she is that gives her strength, power."

"So she's an elf?" he teased softly.

Slowly she nodded. "I… I think that was it. She had truly become an elf, embracing her heritage and personal history, along with that of the elves themselves."

He smiled, shaking his head at her. "She was always an elf, little sister."

"Troll," she accused fondly. "You know what I mean."

"Yes. The change had already begun when I removed to Fangorn. Still, you should have recognized her."

"You knew her better than I did, Legolas. Perhaps you always did."

Legolas shrugged, not really interested in pursuing the issue as the stars glittered overhead. He closed his eyes, letting the peace and joy of the undying lands fill him, easing his heart about leaving Arwen to die. He hadn't any choice, but watching her eyes as she gave in, ignoring her pride and the wisdom of her years to ask to be taken along… it had been quite difficult. Especially knowing he would have to tell her father and brothers that the last time he had seen her she had been a sobbing shell of her previous glory.

"Legolas!"

The deep booming voice was decidedly out of place, and it jerked Legolas rudely back to reality. "Gimli?" he asked. A sudden rustling in the leaves indicated the dwarf was blundering ever closer.

Leherim winced as they heard a sudden thud, followed by a few choice expletives, all in the tongue of dwarves. "You brought a dwarf?" she hissed.

"Yes," he agreed. "If you would rather spend the time with your husband—" he got no farther, for she was already heading away. He snorted softly and turned to wait for Gimli to finish thundering his way onto the path. "Yes, Gimli?"

"I found her!"

"Found who?"

"The," Gimli paused to pant for a moment, "the she-elf in your vision."

Legolas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "Gimli," he began in a reasonable tone, intending to point out there were a lot of elves with dark hair and pale skin.

"Oh shut up and follow me," Gimli grunted, pausing again. "I asked her to wait. I think she thought I was as crazy as you obviously do, but she's waiting." He waved down the 'path' he had created.

Giving up, Legolas chuckled and followed his short friend. "I suppose you asked her name, as well?"

"Of course," Gimli huffed. "Morwinyon."

Laughing aloud, Legolas shook his head. "Then I was right. She is but a dream."

"What?"

"Morwinyon is the name of a star, Gimli."

"And no elf could ever have the name?" Gimli snapped back, scowling up at him. His distraction resulted in a thin welt across his face as he blustered through a young sapling. "Has it no other meaning?" He growled, pushing the branches away.

"Mmm," Legolas agreed faintly. "Glinting in the dark, or some such," he shrugged. "And I'm Greenleaf from the Greenwood."

"What?"

Legolas rolled his eyes and shook his head. "It is highly unlikely…" he trailed off as they stepped into a small clearing. With a quick glance up at him, Gimli let out a soft chuckle and marched off again, humming under his breath as Legolas remained frozen, utterly transfixed as he soaked up the sight before him.

It was her. The she-elf he had seen… or dreamed… in the garden the night of his return to Greenwood. Her hair was unbound this time, the flowers mostly replaced by silver ribbon which was running through the two small braids which held her hair back from her temple, coming together at the back of her head to form a semi-circlet of black and silver. She looked lost in her own thoughts, her head tilted slightly to the side, her dark hair slowly sliding over her shoulder before it fell nearly to the hand which propped her upright, her other one reaching out, the slender fingers trailing lightly along a silver bloom on the tree she was partially sheltered by. In the true light of the stars she glowed as if she were one of them, the light tangling in her hair and from the tips of her lashes.

Unable to help himself, he stepped forward, afraid to take his eyes from her for fear she would vanish again. She turned and looked at him, her eyes the same silver as the lights tangling in her hair and the folds of her gown. After a moment of watching him, she smiled, and rose, standing before him, her eyes on level with his own.

She reached up and touched his cheek, closing her eyes with a faint smile as the jolt ran through him.

Mirimir?

She opened her eyes, tilting her head to the side before she stepped forward, lifting her arms to wrap around his waist as she let her head fall to his shoulder.

With a faint sigh he held her close, one hand buried in her hair, and found he was stuck between being overjoyed to see her, to hold her, and stunned that she was the beautiful elf he now held. Leherim was right, she had grown stronger in her own confidence, in her self-assurance.