Thanks to Nieriel Raina for previewing this chapter for me.
Gimli thought he knew all he needed about the elves. He saw them as a people of arrogance and pride, quick to anger and slow to forgiveness and too uptight to enjoy the things of life that only mortals understood. They held themselves too far above everyone else in a way that was not simply because of their physical advantage. He hated them with a force only dwarves could.
He was proven to be right. Legolas Thranduilion was a menace in his own right. He paraded his archery skills around like he was something special. Now, Gimli was never one to deny talent, but the elf was like a little child strutting about with a toy that he had and no other child had. His temper was decidedly short whenever the elf tossed his blonde head around the dwarf.
But something happened as grief threatened to overcome the Fellowship of nine. Some would later declare that they came to a standstill, but Gimli would forever deny this, and say the elf was finally beaten down and begged for a truce. Legolas, of course, would deny this and give his own account of the day. The beginnings of their friendship seemed rocky at best, and few could have the foresight to even predict that the prejudice and hatred would evolve into something so beautiful the light of Valinor could not compare. Battles were fought and won, battles were fought and lost, and losses were sustained with courage, and triumphs were carried with great pride. Throughout all, Gimli stood by Legolas with pride and his ax to lean on.
Gimli never expected to be civil to the elf, nor even like him. He would have laughed if asked if he thought he would come to love Legolas as a brother. But it didn't matter what he expected or thought or dreamt. The fact of the matter is that Gimli and Legolas threw away their pride and would have given up their lives for each other. Gimli didn't have to say what was on his mind; Legolas knew it already. He didn't have to voice his opinion; Legolas could recite what it was from the top of his head. Gimli would be there for the pointy-eared princeling and Legolas would be there for the short, bearded dwarf.