Disclaimer: Yeah, I wish it was mine.
A/N: Ok, I couldn't figure out when Thranduil sailed, but this story is taking place in the early years of the Fourth Age, so for the purposes of my little fic, Thranduil sailed a few months before this story takes place.
Legolas didn't say anything. He looked at the ground, ignoring the question. Finally, he answered. "He sailed a few months ago." He whispered. "With the elves from the forest." Everyone was silent, knowing that his father and friends sailing at once must have hurt him a lot.
"How long have you known?" Aragorn asked.
"Not too long." Legolas said, frowning. "I visited my home for a month before coming here and I was told when I arrived there. I had one month to say goodbye to everybody and everything."
"Everything?" Elladan asked, a puzzled look on his face.
Legolas nodded. "I'm not going to return there again." He said. "I... I stayed for a few days after everyone left. It was... empty. There's nothing there for me anymore, only painful memories. I'm not going to return there."
"Ah." Elladan said quietly, but didn't say anything else.
Legolas continued talking. "That was probably one of the worst visits there." He smiled a bit. "I had just entered my father's study when he told me the news. It was... a shock, to say the least. It was at that point that I started saying my goodbyes. It was depressing, having to say goodbye to everything I knew and loved. The month went by too fast. In no time, they were all leaving."
"Did you ride with them for part of the way?" Elrohir asked. "Or did you stay?"
"I stayed." Legolas said. "I had already said my goodbyes to them. I felt like I needed to be in the forest, at least for a little bit. But it was empty. Everything was abnormally quiet, the palace was empty, there was no one left. I was starting to drive me crazy being there. That's when I rode here, knowing that you would still be here." He laughed softly. "You know, talking has helped me." He looked at his friends. "Thank you for listening."
Aragorn shrugged. "That's what friends are for."
XXXXX
Elrond and Celebrian were deep in discussion about their children, remembering fond times and talking about the goodbyes they both had to say, when they heard familiar voices approaching.
"You shouldn't have sprung it on him like that!" Galedlothia chided. "Valar knows how he reacted to it!"
Thranduil looked slightly guilty. "Well he didn't seem terribly surprised or upset by it!" He shot back.
Galedlothia rolled her eyes. "Since when could we tell what he was thinking?" She asked. "He hides his feelings from the world."
"Sounds like a familiar conversation." Elrond whispered to his wife. Celebrian smiled, remembering similar arguments they had in the past.
Galedlothia jumped at the sound of Elrond's voice and spun around. "Oh, it's just you Elrond." She smiled. "Hello Celebrian, I didn't see you two there."
Celebrian laughed. "Hello Galedlothia." She said. "My husband was just commenting about how familiar your conversation seemed to be. We too have had the same arguments, many times in fact."
Thranduil smiled. "Really?" He asked. "Care to tell us about it...?"
Elrond laughed and the four of them walked off, trading stories about past arguments, painful goodbyes, and fond times. They walked along the shore, remembering their lives in Middle Earth, their children that would join them, and those who wouldn't come at all. As they walked, they remembered.
And they were glad.
THE END
-sob- Yes, it's over now. Well, except for an epilogue... :'(
