Disclaimer: Do not own anything recognized from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien or from the movies directed by Peter Jackson.

Chapter Nine: Death

Elena

I watched his approach from inside my home. It was not odd, he usually rode ahead to speak of my husbands return. Though I was surprised it would be so soon I was ready for it. It was when I saw him hesitate in entering my home that the first signs of nervousness took. As I walked to the door, my nervousness grew, I was shaking a little. When the door did not open I opened it myself and was startled by what I saw.

Legolas stood before me still in his battle attire and not cleaned. That was highly unusual, and my anxiety mounted. The shaking of my hands were noticeable to anyone near enough. Slowly I turned my gaze to his eyes for the first time noticing the tears on my cheek. There in his eyes I saw unshed tears of his own. When he spoke his voice was broken.

"Elena I am sorry I.." he stuttered to me. I stopped him.

"You promised me, speak!" I whispered trying to reign in my emotions. I already knew.

"He has fallen…" Legolas said barley above a whisper. Out of a reaction I had no control over I slapped him.

"Legolas! You promised me" I yelled and fell in a heap where I stood. I finally gave into the grief. I felt strong arms around me and as I struggled to pull away he only held me tighter.

"Elena there is nothing I can say to comfort you in this. I tried Elena, know I tried!" he said to me through tears of his own. I relented then in the tone of his voice and allowed him to hold me. I was not aware of a single thing going on around me. I was not aware of my maid looking to the scene in a loss for what she should do. My awareness of everything faded and all I saw was my own grief and the small comfort the arms around me gave, not knowing that the grief in the person holding me was near as great as my own.

We were there for sometime and when my sobs subsided to something of a whimper I heard Legolas tell me he was taking me to my room. He carried me there and laid me gently upon the bed. He sat bedside me then and comfortingly caressed my hair. Sometime latter I looked to his eyes and we stared at each other. My tears were all spent.

"Forgive me." I whispered to him and saw a slight frown crease his brow, "I know you tried Legolas. Forgive me." I told him and grabbed his other hand.

"There is naught to forgive Elena." He whimpered and gave my hand a squeeze.

"What happened Legolas?" I asked now wanting to know my late husband fate since I could put coherent thoughts together.

"We were taken by surprise and separated. We were all too comfortable in our recent victory. There were many losses but we battled them back. When I could not get to Galuon, Aragorn tried but arrived to late. I am sorry Elena, I failed you." Legolas said looking off to distance out the window.

"You did your best Legolas and that is all I ever asked, you have never failed me nor did you in this. I do not blame you but blame myself." I told him. I was angry at myself if it not been for me Galuon may have never been on that field. Legolas looked quickly back at me.

"Do not say such you had no control of that Elena." He said a little harshly and I shook my head.

"I did Legolas. I did." I told him and he looked at me quizzically. I could not refrain from a sigh, "Legolas, he had a choice long ago. To do Elessar's biding in the north or in the south. The sole reason he stayed in the south was me." It was then my tears started to flow again and Legolas pulled me into his embrace.

"Elena he loved you, his last word were such. Do not blame yourself." He whispered in my ear. I was a little shocked his last words were of me.

"Legolas, it was my fault and mine alone. I wed him for the wrong reasons Legolas!" I half yelled at him through my sobs.

"You were both happy, I saw it with my own eyes." Legolas said with a raised voice much like my own was.

"Legolas it was what we wanted people to see. We loved each other very much, but that did not mean that other things were missing. The first years were marvelous with him and I will always treasure them. Something was always missing and it was something I could never give him. He wanted a family Legolas! At first I held the hope that I could give him one and that faded with time. Soon we became more like friends then acquaintances. It was all my fault Legolas! I wed him thinking I would be more suited with a life among the race of man and now I believe that there is no place for me." I was surprised with myself for the confession I just gave and noticed that Legolas was holding me much tighter.

It was then that we both fell to a silence. He only held me and I let him hold me. He could always comfort me in a way that nothing else could. I do not know how long we remained so because I drifted of to sleep having exhausted myself. When I woke the room was completely dark as night had fallen. I was still encased within Legolas' arms with my back to his chest laying in complete comfort. I turned to face him.

"Legolas why are you so good to me when I cause so many problems for you?" I asked when I saw that he was indeed awake. He was quite for a few moments searching the depths of my soul with his eyes.

"Because Elena, you are dear to me and I would do anything for you. Know that." He said a gently kissed my forehead. Then he smiled down at me, "Should I send for our daughters? Perhaps they would like to know and could help you." He said and I smiled at the thought of my beautiful daughters. I had not seen them in close to five years though our letters never stopped.

"No, I think I shall send them a letter and if they wish to come they will. I do not dare deprive them of the other set of twins they spend every moment with." I told him waiting for his response. I was happy when it was a small laugh. "What no objections?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Nay, they must make their own way now, and nothing I could do will sway their path. It could be worse, I am proud of them, you did well raising them Elena." He told me. I smiled at him.

"It was not just me Legolas. Indeed I think your letters to them were better than my presence." I told him with a smile. I snuggled in closer to the comfort of his arms. Closing my eyes thinking of my daughters I fell once again to sleep. Only this time it was more pleasant.

Legolas

Sadness was taking me over. Not only me, Gimli and Aragorn shared in this grief. Merry and Pippin have now passed on. Leaving only the three of us to remain. I knew though soon Aragorn would fallow as well as Gimli. The only comfort I took was in that Gandalf shall remain and I would see him in Valinor. Immorality was a curse. This sadness has been taking more of me for nearly the past fifty years. It was taking all of us. Especially now that Aragorn's time was fast approaching.

There was one other though that shared in my grief though it was not as great. Elena and I now had a very strong friendship, and one that I felt only needed a confession from either of us to be more. Neither of us would confess such however, for fear of rejection from the other. We would take comfort in each others arms when needed, but it never went further. I was interrupted from my ponderings by Gimli.

"What are you pondering Master Elf?" he asked and with my sigh he knew exactly what I was thinking of, "You have faced every orc in Mordor and you can not confess your love to a women. Do us both a favor and get it over with already. It has been over a century you dull witted…" He kept rambling and abruptly stopped when I spoke.

"I shall this night." I said. Gimli looked completely befuddled for not hearing an argument from me. I smiled at him and clapped him on the back as I passed. I could not help looking back at him still befuddled. A small laugh escaped me as I made my way to Elena's humble home.

Upon my arrival I inquired of Elena's whereabouts from her maid. She smiled and told me that she had just retired to her room for a bath. I nodded her dismissal and approached her chambers. I stopped just outside the door to slow my heart and pull myself together.

I could smell spring flowers from inside the room. It was the bath oils I had given her and continued to give her through the years. I loved that scent mingled with her. I remembered every moment I held her. It all started when her husband passed. Her soul was weak from the ordeal and it took all I had to convince her that perhaps her place was more suited among the Eldar. I could understand why she felt out of place in the world. However I knew that I could never get her to not blame herself for her husbands death. Only time would do that.

I stood outside the door remembering all the times I had spent with her in that very room. She would seek comfort from the darkness of night in my arms and I in hers. Countless innocent nights we spent together until dawn never surpassing anything but a chaste kiss. Soon I became aware of anytime she was sad and soon she knew when I was as well. We were always there to comfort each other.

I was about to knock and thought better of it. I never knocked before and I would not start now. I slowly opened the door and walked inside. I could see her silhouette behind the screen to the bath. She was removing her clothes to enter the water. I watched her movements and could not help but notice the grace she had developed over the years. Not as graceful as the Eldar, yet at the same time nothing like man. It was her, she was more unique than any. I still watched as she entered the tub and relaxed.

Slowly I walked to the screen and peered around it. Her eyes were closed and her hair spilling over the edge of the tub. She was humming to herself as I studied her. My gaze traveled every inch of her body to her left knee that was above the water line. I slowly traveled back up memorizing every curve of her body. When I glanced at her face I noticed then that she had stopped humming and her eyes were open.

"Enjoying the view?" she said with amusement thick in her voice.

I tried to hide the shock from mine as I spoke, "Who would not my lady?"

"Well then mayhap you will make yourself useful and wash my hair so I do not have to call on an already overworked maid?" I noticed the amusement was still there and something else I could not identify.

"If it is the lady's wish." I said and approached behind her. I gazed now at her body quickly as not to offend her and curse my good fortune. She had sank in the water to wet her hair and I disguised the desire that was flowing through me upon seeing more of her body.

I knelt down directly behind her still sneaking glances at her curves. As I lathered up her hair I spoke, "When did you know I was here?"

She laughed, "I felt your gaze upon me before I even entered the tub, you should now you can not sneak up on me by now."

"Indeed I should, but one must never give up." I said as I began massaging her scalp. I could not suppress the shiver that ran through me at her moan of delight.

"Be careful Legolas, or you shall be doing this duty for all eternity." she said and then moved to rinse her hair. I waited until she was settled again before I spoke.

"It would be a duty I would look forward to everyday my lady." I told her and she laughed. It was a glorious sound that always brought a smile to my face.

"Why are you here anyway?" she asked then. There had only been a few times that I had come for no apparent reason over the years. The only reason I would go was to confess my love for her but never did. Today would be different.

"I came to tell you something Elena." I said while massaging soap into her shoulders that were now above the water.

"Oh and what would you be here to tell me. Judging by your mood it must not be bad." she said with what sounded like hope in her voice but I could not be sure.

I calmed myself again and her, perhaps sensing my nervousness, grabbed my hands in her own and squeezed them comfortingly.

"Elena I have known you for many years now, and for many years I have wanted to tell you something and could never bring myself to for fear of what would happen to our friendship if I did." I trailed off for a moment as she turned to look me in the eyes. I saw something of anticipation in her eyes along with a glimpse of fear.

"Out with it Legolas." she said and I smiled at her impatience.

I smiled at her, "I love you Elena, and more than a friend should."