Chapter XX: Beating Hearts

Legolas stared out the window into the thick sheet of rain, his arms folded over his chest. A thin blanket cascaded down his back, hiding the hideous scars and brand. The moonlight that poured in splashed off his face and reflected off his eyes as though they were pools of water. He took a deep breath and felt the rain in his lungs, felt the light of the moon run through him and wash his soul. Gone were the screams and the pain, the loss and the sorrow. In the recent death of his father and brother, and the miraculous recovery of his wife, Legolas had been overwhelmed by a sense of peace. He felt immortality again. They couldn't take anything from him anymore. He was free.

Êlanna lay in the bed, pale sheets pulled up to her ribs. Her unbraided hair fanned around her face and fell over her shoulders. A smile from her dreams played on her lips. Slender fingers intertwined across her breast, rising and falling gently with her breath.

"I' Quel Elen… The North Star…"

"Legolas… Legolas…"

Legolas slowly opened his eyes and found himself standing on the balcony outside of his bedchamber in Mirkwood. The sun was golden and shone brightly on the autumn leaves of the forest, lit the marble balcony so it appeared to be made of gold. The warmth spread through his arms and legs and Legolas could feel his heart beating slowly in his chest. There were birds flying across the sky, singing to each other as they went. Below, there was laughter and music. Legolas turned around and started to cry.

There they stood: twelve of them and his mother and father.

"Tithen muindor," Taure said, smiling handsomely. He was not bruised or bloody or injured in any way. In a pale green tunic and dark leggings with his blonde hair in a braid, he looked just like he should have, as did the other brothers.

Ithil and Isilme stood side by side, identical in every way. Redome's face was rosy and healthy, no longer pallid with poison. Ilmen wore white and there was no blood to be seen. Anar stood the tallest with Mallorn, the shortest, at his side. Aranorn, Carad, Tiri, Menel, and Amonlasse smiled and held doves in their hands.

"Naneth…" the youngest prince breathed, unable to keep from crying. She was just as he remembered her—pink gown, light hair kept back with a silver tiara.

"My Legolas," she said, her voice coming from her as though she were singing. Opening her arms, a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"Naneth!" Legolas cried, running into her arms. "Ada!"

Thranduil embraced his youngest son and wife. Soon all the other princes were holding Legolas, too. They laughed and cried and only the Valar know how long they stood on the balcony embracing each other.

"Legolas, we are so proud of you," the king and queen said together. Her voice tinkled like a chime and his echoed like a bell. "We love you."

"I love you, too. All of you," Legolas said, stepping back and gazing at all of them through tears. "I miss you all so much."

Ithil and Isilme stepped forward with a silver box in their hands, opened it, and laid its contents around Legolas' neck. A silver pendant in the shape of a tree with every initial carved on it.

Legolas touched his fingers to it, but did not feel cool glass. It was warm with the beating of fourteen hearts.

"Hannon lle," Legolas said quietly. He looked up again and saw them all smiling and felt their presence in his own heart.

Aranorn, Carad, Tiri, Menel, and Amonlasse let the doves out of their hands and Legolas woke up.

"Legolas… Legolas…"

Before even opening his eyes, Legolas beamed and felt as though the weight of the world were taken off his chest. "Êlanna?"

"Yes."

Legolas opened his eyes and saw her lying in bed, her sapphire eyes smiling at him. "I was dreaming…" he started.

Êlanna suddenly looked concerned. He only ever dreamed of the year in Mordor. "Of what?"

"I saw them, my family. They were all happy," he said, still quieted as the feeling of relief and love passed from his dream into reality. Touching his chest, he felt the cord of the pendant. "Everything is better now."

Êlanna appeared as though she might cry. "Everything is better now."

Standing up from where he had fallen asleep in a chair, Legolas went to the bed and lifted Êlanna into his arms. "And you can dance." He placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I can dance," she repeated. "And you will sing again."

"I' alu na lann. Im avo tar vanwa… The water is wide. I cannot cross over…" he sang, pressing his forehead against hers.

Êlanna laughed happily. "Yuuyo aut, mela-nîn ar' im… Both shall row, my love and I…"

"They were all there. Ithil and Isilme were both in blue and Redome was healthy and Ilmen…" Legolas' voice trailed off. He was speaking as though he had just seen them all in a boat on the river and was fuelled by excitement to tell everyone that he had found them, they were never gone.

"It sounds like a beautiful dream," Aragorn said. Just like Legolas, he had been lacking in dreams that brought on peace and to hear Legolas describe one gave Aragorn a glimmer of hope, though Legolas seemed to be bursting with it.

"I wasn't a dream, Aragorn," Legolas said. He pulled the pendant out from under his tunic and carefully pulled it away from his neck, not wanting to take it off in case it turned into a puff of smoke. The Ranger sat up so he could see. He stared at it for a long moment, seeming lost in a dream himself. As he looked at the initials he could see the face of which it belonged to. "F… Queen Faeneth, Thranduil, Redome, Ithil, Isilme, Aranorn, Ilmen, Amonlasse, Taure, Carad, Menel, Anar, Mallorn, Tiri…"

Legolas smiled at the saying of their names out loud.

"But, what about...?"

"I know," Legolas said, almost laughing. "I know."

Aragorn embraced the Elf.

"Im nesta. I'm healed."

"I knew you would be," Aragorn murmured, releasing his companion. "It's done."

Legolas nodded and wiped away a tear. He hadn't been happy for so long that feeling it again was overwhelming. He wanted to shout it to the world, though there was almost no need as it radiated off of him so strongly it probably stretched for hours. The shackles fell from his wrists, the whip had turned into a ribbon, the scars were little more than marks. Time no longer existed to him like it did for the passing years, always reminding him of his impending feeling of doom. "Im lain! I'm free!"

Despite Legolas' happiness, Aragorn was worried. Legolas was broken the last time he had such a feeling taken away from him and if anything happened to threaten it again…

"Estel."

Aragorn jumped at the sound of the voice. He turned around and saw Galadriel standing above him, glowing in the pale light of the moon. Standing up, he asked, "Yes?"

The Lady shook her head. Raising her hand, she pressed it against Aragorn's chest, touching the Evenstar. "No. Estel."

The Man gazed at her quizzically. "Where is Calen?" he asked bluntly, but slightly too loudly. Thankfully he woke no one up.

"You will find him," she replied without opening her mouth. "But when you do, you will betray Legolas in a way that will show your care for him."

Knitting his eyebrows, Aragorn took a step forward and Galadriel's hand fell to her side. "I don't want to betray him."

"You must or you will die." She stared into his eyes for a moment then turned and went silently up the stairs.

"Aragorn."

The Man jumped again.

"You should get a good night's rest," Boromir said, barely awake. "We leave tomorrow."

Aragorn lay down, but slept fitfully the entire night.

"You promise you'll come back?" Êlanna asked, sobbing into her husband's shoulder.

"Of course I do," Legolas replied as he cried lightly. "Then we'll be together forever."

Êlanna nodded, but tried to continue holding on as Legolas pulled away. Her chin dropped to her throat as she continued to cry, even when Aragorn bid her farewell. "Take care of him, Aragorn."

"I will, Êlanna."

"I'll write to you, Ada," Eryn said, happy as could be. "Don't waste all your adventures without me."

Legolas laughed. "I won't. I'll be back before you know it, alright, honey?" He pulled Eryn into his chest, fighting back tears. "And don't be married when I get back."

Eryn grinned. "Promise."

Legolas let her go and went to the boats.

"Well, Eryn," Boromir said, kneeling in front of her. "I'll see you soon."

The young Elf girl held up her ringed thumb. "I'll see you everyday, but then I thought that you need something from me to see me everyday." She turned around and picked up a box then turned back and held it out to him.

"Eryn, you didn't have to," Boromir said as he manoeuvred the box open. "It's an emerald."

"I thought that because my eyes are green… it's a kiss."

"Thank you," Boromir said, hugging her tightly.

As the last hobbit boarded the canoe they pushed off and cut through the waters of the Anduin.

"Until tomorrow, Ada!" Eryn yelled, waving.