A/N Just a short story I wrote yesterday and today while I was taking a leetle break from "Princes Of the Earth" (which will hopefully be up within the next couple of days…it's taken me a while to type the first chapter up. Thaaat's right. I write on that weird flat stuff called paper with that thingy called a pencil, THEN type 'em up on the computer. I don't know why, but the computer blocks my creativity.) There's only two chapters to this little story, and the second will be up as soon as I figure out how to do it. lol.

Disclaimer: don't own, don't wanna. Imagine all the people buggering you day and night!

Fading Light

Chapter One

"It is cold."

"I know." How well I know. I spread my cloak over him, as well as I can. "Better?"

He shivers slightly, but does not answer. He continues just lying there, staring up at the trees. A pair of small songbirds twitters and chases each other around. I think he is watching them.

"Have you ever seen a more beautiful day, Estel?" he asks me. It is as if he does not know…This thought makes me want to weep.

"No, Legolas, I have not." Earlier the sky had been a perfect blue with not a cloud in sight, and all was well. Now, as evening falls, the sky in the west is red. Gold dust filters through the trees, and all is bathed in gold.

Does he see the gold? Perhaps instead he sees the Gates. I would rather he stay with me and watch long after the stars have risen and fallen again.

"It is raining?"

I wipe my eyes. "The Earth weeps."

"Oh."

I am glad he does not ask me why. It seems he truly does not know. I never thought it would be like this.

He raises his hand, fingers stretched to the sky. Why does he do this? What can he see that I do not? I grab his hand in my own and hug it to my chest.

The songbirds chirp.

"Legolas? My friend?"

"It is already dark. How did it get dark so fast?"

He shivers again. I shift my arm so his head rests comfortably in the crook of my elbow. I wrap my other arm, still holding his hand, around his chest. "Time passes swiftly," I tell him simply. It is true. All too soon he will leave.

"Estel, look." His eyes widen slightly as he stares straight ahead.

"What do you see?" My voice cracks and I choke back the lump in my throat. There is nothing before him. Not here.

"You do not see it?" he whispers.

"No. Tell me." I know he will have to go soon, but perhaps if I can distract him long enough…

His fingers twitch and curl, as if grasping something. "I can touch the clouds. Do you hear the voices singing? They sound sad…and happy. They are happy to see someone."

He breathes in deeply. I clutch his hand tighter. "Do not go, Legolas. Stay with me for just a while longer. Look. Look at the sunset. It is golden. Is it not beautiful?"

His head lolls to the side so he can face the gold, but his eyes are distant. "They are calling a name," he says. "They say…they—they…want him to go to them."

They are calling his name. "You do not have to go."

He does not answer.

"You can stay here with me for awhile."

"I think…I would like that. It is quiet here." He sighs.

Silence reigns. "Legolas?" He does not answer. My eyes blur with tears and it seems there are moving figures in the gold dust.

His eyes close. The birds chirp and fly away. His hand eases open and the cloud escapes. The gold dust disappears as the sun sinks from sight.

I weep.