Chapter 45 The call of the Gulls
Legolas ran the pad of his thumb over the image of his beloved. The small picture of her on the card from her wallet that read "New York State Driver License" had faded from the years of him touching it. In this portrait, his Kaitlyn never aged.
The paper portrait of her and her parents that had been given to him, had long ago disintegrated. But this image, her sketchbook and the braid she had given him survived. He reached to touch his chest comforted to feel her braid of hair under the fabric and against his skin just above his heart.
Not a day went by that he did not think of her. It had been over one hundred years since she had been taken from him. One hundred and twenty to be exact. He still loved her as much as the day he told her of his love.
Life had gone on, much to his dismay. It had taken him many long weeks to start living again. He had felt many emotions; heartbreak, sadness and anger. The crowning of Aragorn forced him to make an appearance instead of hiding in his room overlooking the city. The marriage of Aragorn and Arwen was difficult for him to attend. While he was happy for his friends, attending the ceremony of their marriage reminded him what he had lost and would never have.
Gimli constantly pestered him about his promise to visit the Glittering Caves and Fangorn Forest.
The dwarf admitted that he made a promise to Kaitlyn before they had ridden away from Dunharrow. It was the promise that Legolas would be looked after no matter what happened. His friend took that promise quite seriously.
After Aragorn's coronation and marriage the two unlikely friends went on an adventure.
First, they had traveled to Edoras with the remaining members of the Fellowship for the funeral of King Theoden and the crowning of Eomer. It had been difficult for the blond Elf. The land of the Horse Lords held many memories.
It was in Rohan at Helm's Deep that Kaitlyn had saved Aragorn's life and nearly ended her own. In the rooms before one entered the mighty glittering caverns, Legolas had realized his love for the mortal woman. In Edoras, he had told her of his love and she had told him she loved him in return. There in the capital city, they both dreamt of a happy life together that would never be.
He was reunited with Ammora and he met the boy Ramma whom Kaitlyn had saved. The Elf was proud to hear about his beloved and how she taught herself to ride and hunt. It was hard to hear from Ramma's lips about the attack. He was proud to hear how Kaitlyn had defended herself. His mortal woman, who once was afraid to fight, had killed seven orcs on her own. Even when one of them thrust his sword into her back, she continued to fight and killed him.
Many years later Ramma wrote to him. The young boy became a man. He was the stable master at Edoras and he and his wife had a baby girl. They named her Kaitlyn. He also told Legolas that he had taken care of Hasufel for Kaitlyn until the stallion died of old age.
As promised, Legolas and Gimli explored the Glittering Caves and then traveled to Fangorn Forest.
The ancient trees of Fangorn had soothed him and helped to mend his weary soul. He stayed there for several months until he finally took pity on Gimli, who had his fill of the ancient trees.
Life went on. Though it was different. Falling in love and losing the love of his life had changed him. He was quieter. He sang much less. He did not jest with Gimli as much. He understood his Father quite a bit more. Yet unlike his father, he did not turn bitter and arrogant. It was not his nature to take his pain out on others.
Aragorn called on him and Gimli to help rebuild and improve the defenses of Gondor, Osgiliath and Ithilien. They brought with them dwarves and elves that used their skills to rebuild Aragorn's Kingdom. Each became a leader for their people. They worked together to accomplish their goals.
He lived a quiet life in the forest in Ithilien, leading the elves in a peaceful time co-existing with mankind. More and more of the Elves around him sailed west and their numbers dwindled. It became the Age of Men.
He often traveled to visit Gimli and his dwarves in the Glittering Caves. King Eomer had granted permission for them to live there many years before his death in the year 63 of the Fourth Age. There were very few dwarves left. Not many of the dwarf women survived any of the wars over the years and it was only a matter of time before dwarfkind faded from memory.
Today was a particularly hard day for Legolas and Gimli. They had been called to the White City days ago by Queen Arwen. Legolas' heart broke for her, as Aragorn was dying.
The aged King admitted to his Elven friend that he once promised Kaitlyn that he would look after Legolas. He had kept that promise by keeping Legolas busy in Gondor and Ithlien rebuilding the world for the future. He admitted his sadness that Kaitlyn had been lost to them all but especially to Legolas.
Today, Aragorn had decided it was time. At the age of two hundred and ten and on the very day of his birth the Great King laid down and gave up his life. Legolas and Gimli had been there with the Queen and their son Eldarion as Aragorn took his last breath. Eldarion had been crowned King two days prior.
Now Legolas and Gimli were all that was left of the Fellowship. Frodo and Sam had sailed west many years ago and Merry and Pippin had died and been buried in Gondor some fifty years past.
The Mirkwood Elf felt himself growing tired of life when all those around him were dead or dying.
While Legolas was surrounded by some of his kin from Mirkwood, he did not have the same relationships with them, as he did with mortals.
Yet, he would change nothing. He would choose his mortal friendships again and again if he had the choice. He would still choose to love Kaitlyn even if he knew she would die soon after their admittance of love.
Gimli had aged considerably. He was over two hundred and sixty years old now. He could not travel as much as he once did. Soon, his old friend would die as mortals did and Legolas would truly be alone.
Their friendship had kept Legolas from fading to the pain of losing Kaitlyn. It had opened up peace between other elves and dwarves. Many had worked side by side rebuilding and improving Gondor.
Now he lay down in the bed in his room overlooking Gondor and closed his eyes. His thumb continued to move over the picture of Kaitlyn.
He saw white sands, heard the roar of blue-green water as waves crashed onto the shore.
A woman stood on the beach in a gown of lavender. Her long dark hair was loose and blowing about her. The dress had long bell sleeves and the hem went to her ankles. Her feet were bare as she gazed out at the sea.
Although her back was turned to him, he knew her instantly.
"Kaitlyn!" he called desperately. She did not hear him over the crash of the waves.
She raised her hands and arms toward the sky and sun.
Seagulls flew from the sand and cried loudly as they soared high into the sky circling above.
Legolas awakened with a jolt, the echo of screaming gulls still rang in his ears.
It was time…
He had heard the call of the gulls.
He would build a boat and sail west along the Straight Road… and he would bring Gimli with him.