Little Legolas Stories

The End

~Two Thousand Years Later~

After the battle, Legolas took Tauriel's body home for a burial. She never feared death, because she would eventually be reunited with her parents. But for Legolas, she was just another one on his list.
Just some more salt in the wound.
Alëa.
Oropher.
Culthien.
Thranduil.
And now Tauriel.
They gave her the traditional goodbye for the bravest warriors and sent her down the Anduin. Her parents has received the same funeral style. The remainder of the Mirkwood guard attended and a few significant others watched and swayed in the warming breeze. He watched the boat bob up and down on the clear grey water until it passed out of his sight. He finally realised that she would be gone forever, just like everyone else.
A heavy weight set itself upon Legolas as the boat left. It rumbled around in his stomach and twisted his insides. Nothing had ever made him feel like this.
Trudging up the path to the clearing of trees, it began to drizzle. Not that nice comforting drizzle you feel in spring, but the heavy hearted slop of tears for the sky weighing down everything it lands on.
As he walked, Legolas muttered a song under his breath. His mother used to sing it to him when bad things happened, particularly after someone's death. When he was young, he never realised what the words actually meant as his mother sang it in the Common Tongue. It was the soothing tone of his mothers voice that was the comfort in the darkness.

'I saw the light fade from their eyes,
Like a sunset at dusk,
Slowly and beautifully,
As I said my last goodbyes.

As our road goes ever on,
Along the way we meet,
Though our journey we say farewell,
And keep the fallen in memory.

A star lays on the horizon,
Soon accompanied by its sister,
Their souls meet,
And an old bond is revived.

As we all journey,
We seek for others,
And the snow covers,
Our fallen brothers.

Let us not forget one another.'

For a day he continued on the forest path with all who attended until they reached the halls. Everyone but Legolas went straight inside to rest and replenish. He ignored those who called out to him and set his mind upon his destination, like a small weak fire was burning inside him.
He came to the clearing and was greeted by tangled, wet and twisted grass that seemed murky and slimed. His eyes were focused on the tall sagging oak tree in the centre of the field. There were two small worn mounds underneath it, and Legolas was magnetically pulled to one.
Stepping through the slopped grass made Legolas feel more stuck than ever, but he finally reached the mound. With cold dirty fingers, he brushed the mud off the small plaque on the dilapidated headstone to uncover the words.
Alëa - A playmate and soulmate, ripped away by orcs
Legolas felt tears well up in his eyes and he let them slowly trickle down his cheeks. There were empty spaces in his heart, too many of them. Memories swelled in his eyes and he watched her die, over and over again. Every time was slower and more painful than the last. It wouldn't stop, just because he didn't save her.
'I'm sorry Alëa... I'm sorry,' he whispered as he wept quietly. For hours, Legolas sat in the rain beside Alëa's grave with a terrible ache in his heart.
He couldn't help but think that it was all his fault she died. If he had have saved her, Narathlad wouldn't have lost both his wife and only child. If Alëa was still alive, Narathlad would still be too. He felt so alone and punished that he went searching for death, and found it in battle when he saved an injured guard.
They buried him right next to his wife, Aliel, and connected the mounds. It was a graveyard family.
When the rain had eased, the last of Legolas' sorrows seeped away and a figure stumbled in the distance.
'This cursed grassy, swampy muck!' It hissed as it stumbled towards Legolas.
Though the slight haze, he see that it was his father and groaned. As Thranduil approached, he flicked the mud off his robe and sat beside Legolas. His face was torn between anger, stress and complete despair.
There was a long silence only accompanied by the slight dripping of the rain on the oak leaves and a guard shouting in the distance. When Thranduil could no longer bear it, he looked away and sighed.
'I gave Thorin the Arkenstone,' he said quietly.
Legolas nodded silently with approval.
'I realised that...that I didn't need it. He needed it and I gave it to him shortly before he died. And I realised that I had let greed take a hold of me, take hold of my conscience and drive me mad,' Thranduil tightened his grip on his robe to keep his voice steady.
'I realised how...how selfish I really am...' Thranduil began. 'I realised that I had done everything only for myself since your mother died. And it ruined everything.'
'Ada, it's ok,' Legolas whispered, not looking at him.
'No, it's not,' he said sternly. 'I ruined everything. I let greed take a hold on me and I forgot to care for you. I lost you and you lost me...I forgot to love you.'
Legolas turned away from Thranduil, and both fell silent.
'It wasn't fair for me to do that to you. I disappeared for most of your life and you almost grew up without parents, for which I blame myself.'
'I'm sorry, Legolas. I really am. I know I can't give the rest of your childhood back, but...' Thranduil placed his arm over Legolas' shoulder. Legolas looked up into his eyes amd saw nothing but truth and remorse.
'I just want to start everything anew,' Thranduil whispered.
'Ada?' Legolas whispered, shifting his gaze to Thranduil. Their icy blue eyes met and for a moment, there was mutual peace.
'Yes?'
'It's ok,' a small smile edged it's way along Legolas' mouth. 'Remember that time when that time when I almost killed you with my first bow?'
With a smile plastered over his face, Thranduil replied. 'Very clearly. That was the day we knew you would always be a skilled archer.'
Legolas grinned, Thranduil was right about that part.
'Remember the time you thought you could fly? You jumped out of a tree and broke your arm!' Thranduil shouted merrily.
'I don't remember it like that,' Legolas retorted. 'I remember flying for a short time, then falling. But I swear, I was flying.'
'But you can remember almost killing me?' Thranduil shot back playfully. There was a silence, but it was a warm one. Many of the rain clouds had cleared and the sun had begun to set, casting fiery rays along the treetops. It was a different sunset than all those of the previous years. It was brighter, more vibrant and a sign of simple happiness. The war was over.
'It's nice to have you as you once were,' Legolas said softly, easing the silence. Legolas slouched and leaned against Thranduil's side as the sun slowly trickled away, just like their troubles and sorrows. The weight was eased and the sense of love, kindness and joy seeped into their skin,
'Gi melin, ada.' (I love you, father.)
There was a long pause before Thranduil replied as he took a deep breath and pulled Legolas closer, the stars unveiled themselves and the moon sat comfortably on the tree line.
'Gi melin ui.' (I love you also)

THE END