Ellie spurred her horse forward. Her heart jumped erratically in her chest. They had entered The Golden Wood, through the Northern Fences. Haldir insisted that they circle Lorien and enter from the North, the direction closest to Khazad Dum, so that they make take it all in. He had ridden ahead when they reached walking distance, and she made no attempt to follow. She knew where she would find him, and besides she wished not to rush this experience.

It had been a week since the Golden Wood had emptied and her heart clenched in her chest as she neared the entrance. As she entered, she slowed her horse completely so that hobbits could have outrun it. She looked around breathing everything in, and taking it all in with her keen eyes. She stopped where the Fellowship had been stopped, and closed her eyes. Images of arrows pointed in their faces flashed through her mind. She pushed her horse forward and stopped at the tree Haldir had carried her up into. Flashes of hysterical tears came to her. She looked up and saw the talan. –We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Ages- she smiled as she recognized the familiar voices.

The Golden Wood had changed. Her eyes misted over. She remembered when she was last here everything had a golden glow to it. Trees shone with inner lights, the air was sweet and everything shimmered. She looked around her now as tears fell from her eyes. The majestic blue ting in the background had faded to grey. The trees had less of a golden tint to them then they should have. The air was mournful, and in the air she could hear whispers of songs. The air, rent with these songs, choked her up, and tears fell more frequently.

She spurred her horse on, until she came to the ledge where Haldir had thrown ropes for the Fellowship to cross into Caras Galadhon. –Ah, Caras Galadhon, the heart of Elvendom on Earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel-

She spurred her horse onto the horse path that lay hidden under water. When she re-emerged on the other side, she stopped. She turned to face the water. Her eyes mourning as she noticed the water had changed from a turquoise blue to a murky color. She let out a sob and turned as her attuned ears caught the lament of the elves in the air.

When she finally reached the city, she was crying mournfully, but silently as not to disturb the song of the trees. Her eyes were swollen as her mind raced. As she entered the city she rode around on the dirt paths crying as she noted the leaves of the great Mellyrn on the ground, and the grace of Lorien, faded from golden to grey. To a human, the beauty of Lorien would have looked and felt the same, but as an elf, you could see, smell, and hear the difference. Her shoulders rocked in grief. She led her horse down the natural formation of stairs to the Lady's Mirror. The water fountain that she filled her mirror with had stopped running water. She rode to the Mirror and watched the clouded water. –What will I see? The Mirror shows many things, things that were, things that are, and some things that may come to pass? Will you look?-

Ellie's tears clouded her vision she squinted to clear her vision. She leaned over the Mirror at it. The water momentarily cleared but returned to a dull gray. Ellie sat up and put her arms around her shoulders and gut wrenching sobs ripped threw her. She remained silent as the tears came, but rocked in grief. She spurred her horse to the stables. She dismounted and passed by the archery ranges. The grass that was once a lush green turned an ugly green. The once clean targets showed wear. She turned towards the central platform and walked to it. The lament continued in the background. Her shoulders convulsed with her tears, as she walked gazed. As she climbed up the winding stairs she noted that the lights that had once graced the stairs were dim and a faint grey glow hovered over everything. She cried harder as fear welled in her heart as she recalled her first meeting with the Lady. The Talan had a bright, bright whitish glow, and behind the stair where the Lady had stood, sat two regal thrones that shimmered almost blindly in gold.

She closed her eyes for the nest few steps until she came to the middle of the talan and opened her eyes. She paled as she found Haldir on his knees dressed in his uniform, with his head to the ground is tears. He beat the ground with his fists as silent sobs convulsed his body.

She thought better of going to his side and looking around her, crying doubled to see the ghost of a grey glow enveloping the talan. She looked up at the thrones and fell to her knees as the golden shine had long since left. She pushed herself up again and turning around herself to look over all the land she felt as though she had returned after decades of her last visit. Her husband was weeping bitterly as he hoisted himself and crawled on his knees to the thrones and broke into tears.

Pain seared through her as her mind raced.

-All the grace of our kin has been lost. We came here to see the remains of what was. The beauty and grace of the elves is gone, gone forever from middle earth. Never shall a mortal see the shine of the lady. Never will a child hear the song of the elves. Gone and forgotten will be our deeds. And what of the Land? If will be abused and mutilated by anger humans. Darkness has fallen over these homes-

Ellie walked over to her husband and gathered him in her arms. Tears of grief washed over her as she held his shaking body. She had never seen him like this and was worried. They put their heads together and cried mournful for hours.

Soon Ellie's tears had subsided and she gently rocked her husband in her arms, as final tears dropped from her eyes. She turned her head up as he pushed his head deeper into her chest and pulled his knees to his chest as a new wave of tears washed over him. She lifted her eyes to the tree tops surrounding her. –He has spent 6,000 years here. He grieves for everything. For the little leaves falling, for the trees by the dock, for every drop of water that has ever fallen. He has lived here all his life to see the majestic wonders of all of Lorien. The beauty of the Lady, the grace of the Elves of Lorien, he weeps for his home.-She rocked him and held him tighter.

She tilted her head as the lament became louder in her mind. She smiled. She knew this one. Her head swayed as the trees and air sang. She bent her head and kissed her husband.

"When the cold of winter comes, starless night will cover day…. In the veiling of the sun, we will walk in bitter rain…" she looked down at Haldir whose ears twitched as the song soothed him. His tears softened, as he let his wife gently rock him.

"But in dreams, I can hear your name… And in dreams I we will be together…." Haldir let silent tears wash over him. He had heard his wife sing before, but the beauty he felt now was undeniable.

"When the seas and mountains fall, and we come to end of days… in the dark I hear your call, calling me there, I will go there, and back again….." She hummed into his ears until he was taken by dreamless sleep. She huddled his cloak about him and kissed the delicate points of his ears, new tears forming in her eyes at the sight of her stricken lover.

She held her lover in her arms and kissed him every few moments. She looked down at him, his chest falling and rising. He shifted his weight and pushed closer to her. She nipped at his ear again, and finally gave into sleep.

Haldir started. He found himself tightly wrapped in his wife's arms. His cloak was tucked in around him. He pulled it out from under him and turned his head up just as his wife woke. He sat up facing her and took her hands in his. She put her hands over his cheeks and pulled him into a deep kiss. After she broke it she looked deep into his eyes, as tears began to cascade down his face again. Silent tears fell from her face as she drew him to her again and gently kissed his ears, his forehead, the bridge of his nose is cheeks and his lips. Their eyes locked as she licked the salt off her lips and pulled him to his feet.

In the distance two elves could be seen there heads bowed low, as they leaned against each other from exhaust. When they finally reached the garden that beheld the Lady's Mirror Haldir collapsed. His eyes shone with grief as he sat against a tree and leaned his head back. Ellie kissed him again, and after a silent exchange of words, she walked of towards the docks.

Her pace slowed as she watched the never ending light fall of leaves. As she reached the dock she stood on the platform leading by the water. Flash backs of three identical elves toppled over each other flooded her mind. The day she got Lothamin flashed in her mind. She subconsciously fingered the sword at her side.

Tears clouded her vision as she recalled her final kiss with Haldir, her heart torn as she breathed in his scent, and dove back into the water with Legolas. Her eyes turned to the Anduin. Above her head loud screeches interrupted the steady lament of the Golden Woods. She looked up in frustration to the sky, and her breath caught in her stomach as she saw the sea gulls circling over the water. One landed in front of her, as she took a step back. The gull screeched at her and followed her footsteps, advancing quickly at it. She unsheathed her sword, just as the gull flew away. Tears fell from her eyes as she finally felt the call she had been fighting.

She turned her head to the Anduin and cried. She had heard the call of the Undying Lands. She smiled as she went in search of her husband. It was time, time to sail into the west.

Haldir led his wife to his talan. She held his head, for a while as they laid on the bed.

"Haldir," she said.

"Yes?"

"When are we going to build the ship so we can sail away from here?"

"Do you now want to leave? Has Lorien changed your mind love?"

She looked out from the window her eyes glazed over, "The call is strong. But my love for you, husband, is stronger. To know that you endeared this call for so long, just for me. I love you."

He put his head in her lap and smiled. "Tomorrow we will go to Osgiliath and build our ship."

A/N: This chapter was meant to show you what elves really meant to Arda.