Elmindor heard Elemariel hit the ground and couldn't help thinking that this was just too perfect. He turned back to Legolas.
"So what do you plan to do now?" He asked the elf, who also looked shocked at Elemariel's actions. But Legolas recovered from the shock quickly.
"What I should have done years ago." Legolas responded. Aragorn came out the door at this moment and Elmindor turned, distracted. Legolas took this moment to his advantage and slammed his sword down into Elmindor's skull. Elmindor fell, a look of shock forever fixed in his eyes. As he fell he grabbed Aragorn's shoulder for support. Aragorn stared hard into the cold eyes before pulling his shoulder away. Elmindor fell dead, and Legolas dropped his weapon.
"Where's Elemariel?" Aragorn asked his best friend.
"She did something, shall I say, stupid. She jumped from the balcony and killed herself." Legolas choked the words out. It was painful to hear the truth out loud. Aragorn and Legolas looked over the side of the balcony, both wondering why she would have done such a thing.
"Maybe I should become an actress rather then a warrior." A voice said from behind them.
Legolas and Aragorn whirled around, both of them quickly trying to brush the tears away that had been forming in their eyes. Elemariel stood behind them. As Legolas thought about it, her body wasn't on the ground. He hadn't noticed that until now.
"I have two questions. Why and how?" Legolas asked her.
"Well, I figured if I faked suicide it would distract Elmindor, or make him stop to gloat. I also figured that you would recover more quickly from the shock then he would. I looked down before I did it and saw that my horse was five feet away from the landing. I whistled as I was falling and she came underneath me. I landed on her back. Pure and simple." Elemariel smiled.
"I'm having a serious case of déjà vu." Legolas turned to Aragorn. "Wasn't it you who did the exact same thing that one day in Mirkwood?"
"That was me, wasn't it?" Aragorn asked vaguely. He had forgotten all about that. "Actually, now that we're all here again, there's something you should know. Follow me."
Legolas and Elemariel exchanged looks. It didn't sound as if this was good news. As they returned to the room where Eldarion had been chained, they saw a still form lying on the ground. Elemariel drew her breath as she neared the body. It was Edarlir. Legolas and Elemariel dropped to their knees beside him.
"Legolas, I'm glad to see that you're alright." Edarlir greeted him. "Is Elmindor slain?"
"Yes. How are you?" He answered.
"Not good, I fear." Edarlir told him. Elemariel looked down at his stomach area and realized with a pang of horror that his shirt was soaked with blood. Legolas grasped his hand and tried to smile at him.
"You fought bravely, I'm sure. I owe you my thanks. Elemariel and I could have never been successful without you."
Edarlir gasped as a wave of pain washed over him. "Legolas," He began, "My time here is over. Would you be kind enough to tell my family that I died in Rohan's service?"
"Of course I will." Legolas smiled. Edarlir smiled back and closed his eyes. At that moment his spirit left his body. Elemariel took his forgotten sword and placed it in his hand. She stood up, wiping the tears out of her eyes. Edarlir couldn't have been more then eighteen.
"Where's Eldarion? How did he fare?" Elemariel asked suddenly. She had forgotten all about her younger brother.
"Well, as to that matter. He's just fine, but I think actually being caught in the heat of battle came as a bit of a shock to him. He fainted. He's over there in the corner." Boromir told her. Legolas made his way to the corner where the boy laid unconscious. He ruffled his hair and picked him up.
"We must be going. I don't feel much like dwelling in this area too much longer." Legolas told them as he strode out of the room. "Take Edarlir's body. I don't feel right leaving it here in the house of his enemies."
The battered group of friends left Aldoryth together. Aragorn and Legolas rode side by side, as they always did.
"Legolas, Gandalf rode ahead to take Edarlir's body back to his family." Aragorn told the elf. Legolas just nodded and made a small noise of agreement. Aragorn had the distinct feeling that the elf wasn't listening to a word he was saying.
"Legolas! You're not even listening to me. What's wrong?" Aragorn asked.
"Can't a person think without a lot of background noise?" Legolas replied. Aragorn just looked at him, until the elf backed down. Legolas sighed before he began. "I didn't want to kill him. I didn't meditate on that thought ever since he killed my mother. I don't know, I just finally feel like I've avenged my mother. You don't know what it feels like; you barely remember your mother and father. I can remember my mother as if it were just yesterday that I saw her. She was always laughing, and she always had a smile on her face. But at the same time, I feel like I've failed. I should have been able to save her."
"Legolas, you saved my daughter. You should at least be proud of that. Yes, your mother is gone. But these past couple of days you made her very proud. My father once told me when I was young and distressed about something, I don't even remember what, that if the sun shines, somebody in the heavens is unbelievably proud of you. So proud that their entire face is glowing." Aragorn told Legolas as he pointed up to the sky and rode ahead. Legolas looked up and smiled as he noticed that the sun was shining clearly and beautifully. He nudged his horse forward and started humming an old elvish lullaby, one that he hadn't heard for years. Not since his mother last hummed it to him as he fell asleep in her arms. The company moved on, and the sun shone down all the brighter.