“Never thought I’d die side by side with an elf”

“How about side by side with a friend?”

“Yes, I can live with that..hmff…”

Gimli. Wonders never ceased, as even in the thickest of despairs that had befallen Middle Earth, I found an unlikely friend and ally. A dwarf even, despite the voices in my mind echoing my Ada’s strong opinions against them.

When I mused on the reason of Gimli’s hostility against me, Gloin’s son has strong reasons indeed to say what he did during the Council of Elrond. Feuds run long and deep within their hearts, while suspicion and distrust long held sway in our immortal hides. One may find ironic humour in it, that enemies of old so bitter could possess similarities we’d sooner serve Morgoth than admit.

The stiff necks of the dwarves, and the unbending trunk of the elves’ will. Our strength, and our downfall.

They may say as they wish, I have never found a stouter friend as I found in Gimli.

That day, on that last day when the might of men fought against impossible odds, and I, Legolas Thrandullion represented my people, the elves, while Gimli son of Gloin represented the stone-carvers of our old world, we fought The Last Stand. We fought for the freedom of all the peoples in Middle Earth.

And shattered forever the walls that held us back before.

Thus ends the Third Age.

The dawn broke with reddened hues, giving the leaves sinister taint before eventually softening to a comforting golden yellow…sunrise.

“Have you not any rest, lad?” Gimli broke me off from my reminisce. I smiled at him a forlorn smile, feeling a sadness I rarely have need to express. He had changed in many ways, aged as mortals do, gained more and lost some in the course of his life. Care-worn wrinkles increased in number, though the gruff, reliable though cranky dwarf is still as robust as he was when I first met him.

“Elves need little rest, as you well know, mellonamin,” Gimli snorted at my reply.

“Composing new songs again, no doubt!” I laughed, hiding my growing sadness. “What’s for breakfast?”

“And when it is that the men of stone relied on the tree-folk for tasty cooking?” Gimli gave me a look that would’ve turned normal man into stone.

“Definitely lembas,” he mumbled, groaning admirably. There had been no game we could hunt for weeks, and we’d been rationing our supply of lembas. Just the night before, he swore off the elvish laybread, but ate it for sustenance, nontheless.

“Meat, and beer. Strong beer that warms yer,” muttered Gimli. I know he desires civilization thus, but I had felt the need to travel to this part of middle earth, and Gimli being Gimli, argued with me all the way here, walking into it because he wished to follow me to the ends of the Earth, and making sure I “won’t end up in trouble again, that pointy-eared pest!”.

I sometimes wonder why he needed to cover his emotions thus, we are friends. No difference in height, expected lifespan, or choice of languages and idiosyncrasies would change that. Then again, it was the animosity of our borne races that our thick-as-thieves friendship flowered upon. Quite frankly, he enjoys it, and I would oblige him simply because it is.

And that I enjoy our banter at times helps as well.

Tomorrow, as I follow my travel-lust, he would trudge along, complaining and commenting on every single thing that provokes his ire. He would swear on the fallacies of elves, elevating the virtues of dwarves in his gruff manner. I would engage back in a jovial manner that he finds as an ache to his backside.

Yet, regardless of that, he would be by my side, always, every single step of the way.

The night waned away for the day to yet again renew life. Gimli expectantly looked on my still sunrise-entranced form.

“Well, lad?” followed by several comments on my elven personage and heritage.

“Let’s go, Gimli,” I smiled to him.

Yes, I see it in his eyes that he will follow me, nay, ‘keep an eye on that pointy-eared elf, he might get in trouble, he will”.

On this journey, he will follow me. On our last, who can say what the Valar have in mind for us? I will take the ship to Valinor, but not without Gimli. Then again, the way is barred from mortal realm.

He will understand, the calling of the sea is ever so strong.

But for now, we live side by side. Friends despite all, brothers at heart.

Gimli.