Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters nor am I making any profit from them! But
you all know that….!
**And I apologize if the paragraphs seems hard to distinguish…when I load it onto the website they always seem to mess up! Anyways enjoy and please R&R!!

NOTE:( ~*~) means the beginning/end of a memory
Legolas stood upon the shore of the crashing ocean. Not to far away a stalwart grey ship sat
anchored, rising and falling with each new swell of the sea. His future lay upon that ship, he knew.
His good friend, Gimli the dwarf, was already aboard, waiting anxiously to set sail so he could once
again look upon the beauty of the lady Galadriel. Legolas, on the other hand, was not as eager as his
stout friend. His heart, though it longed for Valinor, still lingered on the shores of Middle-earth. A
gust of wind sent a wave of spray into the face of the passive elf. He did not seem to notice as his
long blonde hair was whipped about his head and the salty spray coated his face in glistening drops.
He did not even blink but rather his eyes were glazed, not seeing the things around him. Above a
white gull pierced the air with its mournful cry, and for the first time in long time the sound did not
seem to reach him and clench at his heart. He hardly heard it. Instead he stood there, remembering a
time now lost.

I had a dream – of the wide open prairie
I had a dream – of the pale morning sky
I had a dream – that we flew on golden wings
And we were the same -just the same – you and I
~*~The waters of the Anduin glistened in the light of day, but no one noticed. Instead the dwarf, elf
and ranger stood together, mourning the departure of more than one dear friend. Aragorn looked at
his two remaining comrades. “We can not leave Marry and Pippin to torment and death.” He placed
his hands on their shoulders and looked into their eyes. “Not while we have strength left.” Glancing
up at him then, Legolas saw the nobility in his dearest friend, a nobility that had remained hidden for
many, many years. The elf offered a slight smile the rangers way, his eyes twinkling. “Let’s hunt
some orc!” the ranger cried, leaping into the woods. Legolas cast a knowing glance at Gimli before
quickly taking off after the human.
“Like old times, my friend.” Legolas said as he ran beside the man. Aragorn reached over and
squeezed Legolas’ shoulder. “How is it that we always get ourselves into these messes?” The
Dúnedain asked with a chuckle. The elf responded with a shake of the head. “I know not, gwador
nín (my brother) yet we always seem to prevail, as we will this time.”
“Let us hope.” he said grimly. Suddenly his face brightened, “And let us hope you do not end up in
the state you usually do on such excursions!”
The Elf huffed, “If I am correct, human, you are always the one getting hurt and then dragging me
into it!”
“Oh I think not, my dear Elf.”
“What are you do two going on about?” Gimli huffed from behind, which only caused the elf and
ranger to laugh all the harder, gaining support and comfort from one another on the treacherous path
to rescue Merry and Pippin.~*~
“Legolas! What are you doing? Should we not go while the tide is high?” Legolas was startled from
his reminiscing by Gimli’s loud shout from the deck of the ship. Without a work Legolas headed out
into the water, wading towards the ship and then climbing nimbly onto the deck.
“Very well, mellon nin (my friend)” Legolas said, clapping the aging dwarf on the shoulder. “Let us
be off.” He quickly began darting around the small ship, raising sails and tying off ropes as Gimli
raised the small anchor. Soon the wind had filled the white canvas sails and they began to swiftly
leave the bay of Belfalas behind. Ahead of them stretched a vast and open horizon of blue and
white, a portal into another place and seemingly another time. Legolas felt his heart leap at the sight,
and yet he still felt the urge to look back, so he did. He saw quickly fading forests and cliffs, and in
the far distance the grey mountains known as Ered Nimrais, began to disappear into the sky. And as
the sun shone upon the shore he thought he saw a glimmer of white on the far off horizon, like the
glimmer from a white tower. The elf felt sorrow well up within him and he quickly turned to face
the open sea again.
The day passed swiftly and night soon found the ship, gently cutting through the water as if it were
nothing more than a soft cloud. Gimli had gone to sleep in the warmer quarters below deck, but
Legolas knew sleep would not find him so easily. Instead he had retreated to the main mast of the
ship, high above the deck, where he could sit and gaze at the stars. They shone so brightly tonight
that Legolas almost felt as if he could reach up and capture them in his hand, as he had done with
fireflies when he was not more than a century old. His eyes searched the heaven’s until they rested
upon a familiar star, Earendil, a star of hope. Hope. Something he was now without, for Estel,
Aragorn was no longer by his side. And in the quiet murmur of the gentle waves Legolas again
found himself sailing back through the ages to a time not so unlike this.

Follow your heart – little child of the west wind
Follow the voice – that ‘s calling you home
Follow your dreams – but always, remember me
I am your brother – under the sun

~*~ A prow of the ship sliced slowly through the Anduin, Northwards to Gondor. The sails were
slack and the oarsmen put in double efforts.
“Peace, my friend” Legolas said to Aragorn who paced nervously around the deck. “All will turn out
well.”
“We need to reach the Harlond by tomorrow. I fear Minas Tirith is already burning.” he mused,
stopping by the rail of the newly captured corsair. “I fear we will not get there in time. There is no
wind and we row against the flow of the river.”
“Fear not, again and again you live up to your namesake. That fortune will not fail you now. There is
hope, Aragorn.” The distressed man merely shook his head and turned his back to the river ahead.
That night found Legolas perched a top the main mast, leaning against the center pole, singing an
Elven song softly into the dusk. Suddenly a distressed cry from below caught his attention. He
glanced down to see Aragorn, face stricken, peering ahead to the darkening horizon. Legolas
followed his gaze and clearly saw the red glow of flames. He swiftly climbed down and stood by the
man’s side. Aragorn clutched the rail tightly so that his knuckles showed white. “I have failed!” He
whispered. “Did I not tell you Minas Tirith would already be burning?”
Legolas was about to respond when a man from the back of the ship shouted forward, “A wind from
the South my lord, there comes a wind from the south!” Aragorn glanced up as the sails suddenly
billowed, filled with the wind from the sea. He gave a relieved sigh and sagged against the railing.
“And did I not tell you, mellon-nin, that you always live up to your namesake?” the elf beside him
smiled. “There is still hope. We will reach Harlond by…” The elf’s voice trailed off and Aragorn
glanced up to see Legolas transfixed, a look of awe on his face: awe that swiftly turned to a deep
sorrow. He quickly turned to see what held his friend so and his heart dropped. Trailing the ship, its
wings spread wide to ride the strong winds, was a white gull. Its yellow beak opened and a clean,
mournful cry came from it. Legolas closed his eyes as he felt that cry tear through his heart and his
mind, and he knew he would never again find peace on the shores of Middle-earth.
“Legolas?” Aragorn asked quietly, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
Legolas slowly opened his eyes as if being called from some place far away. His gaze slowly fixed
on Aragorn and they held a lament there that the man had never seen before in the eyes of his friend.
“I saw them,” the Eldar said quietly. “I saw them when we came to Pelagir. I saw them but I had not
heard them. Not until now. The sound that spells the doom for all the firstborn.”
Aragorn did not say anything. He did not clearly understand the sea longing in the Elves, but even
with is limited comprehension he knew that the cry of that gull had broken something within the elf,
something that could not be mended. The man placed his hands on either side of Legolas’ face and
leaned forward so their foreheads touched. “Do not heed their calls, Legolas. Not yet my friend. I
would not lose you yet.”
Legolas gently shook his head. “Not yet.” He agreed quietly. ~*~

Legolas was brought back to the present by the same creature that held spelled his doom. A gull
flew along side the ship, eye-level with the elf. He smiled sadly as he gazed at it. In his mind he
cursed the elegant creature and yet his deep love for it was undeniable. Sighing he turned elsewhere
as it veered away, content on inspecting the strange creature on the water. He leaned against the
center mast, trying to find sleep, yet it would not come. After sitting for a few minutes longer on the
mast he climbed down and moved to the prow instead. He gracefully climbed over the railing and
sat a top the figure head- an elven maiden holding a loft a fallen star- and let his legs dangle over the
rushing water. The spray from the prow flew up and coated him in a fine sheen, but he relished in
the refreshing mists and did not back away. As he gazed ahead, trying to distinguish where the sea
ended and the sky began, he noticed a strange thing. In the distance there appeared to be a wall of
white. Standing up and straining his eyes in the gloom he recognized it as water, a wall of foamy
waves, rising into the sky. The ship began to pick up speed and the water drew closer. However,
Legolas was not alarmed. They had reached the end, the end of their stay in Middle-earth. Rushing
to the door of the cabin he flung it open and roughly shook awake the snoring dwarf. “We are here
Gimli!”
“Where?” he grumbled, trying to roll over.
“Trust me my good dwarf, you will not want to miss this.” Grumbling still, the tired dwarf followed
the elf onto the deck. All signs of weariness left him as he say the wall of water, now closer than
ever.
“What in the name of Illuvitar?” He gasped, stumbling back a step.
Legolas put a reassuring hand on the stout dwarf’s shoulder. “We are officially leaving Middle-earth.
Here is where the bent world ends. We will be born towards the heavens, and to the flat expanse of
sea that surrounds The Undying Lands.” Suddenly a panic gripped his heart. This was it. He was
leaving behind Middle-earth and all those he loved in it, and he could never come back. He had the
sudden urge to run to the back of the ship and leap off, swim back to the shores he knew and to the
memories he so strongly held on to. Instead his hand groped within his tunic until his fingers closed
around a reassuring object.

We are like birds of a feather
We are two hearts joined together
We will be forever as one
My brother under the sun

~*~ The fields of the Pelennor stretched out below as far as the eye could see until they were
hindered by the looming mountains of shadow. Their bulking forms did not hold the terror they had
held those many years ago. Instead they appeared almost beautiful under the morning sunlight.
However they would never lose the feeling of darkness that gave them their namesake. Elessar,
Aragorn, King of all men stood in the courtyard of Minas Tirith, overlooking his prosperous
kingdom. As the years had passed age had began to catch up with him, yet his eyes remained young,
belaying his many wearying years. Suddenly his ears caught the faint sounds of footsteps and he
whirled around. A wide smile spread across his face and he rushed to embrace the in comer.
“Estel my old friend, I believe you may the only man in Middle-Earth who can boast to the fact of
being able to hear the footfalls of an elf!” Legolas exclaimed, returning the embrace. The many
years did not show on the elf and he appeared as he always had.
Aragorn laughed, “Do not forget I was a ranger at one point.”
“How could I forget that, Strider,” Legolas teased. They both laughed and walked back to the edge
of the courtyard and the view beyond.
“How fares things in Ithilien?”
“Everything is going well, nothing to report really.” Legolas replied, leaning forward to rest his arms
on the white wall that served at a guardrail. “I merely came because I had not seen you in some
time.” He turned and faced the man and again was reminded on the mortality of humans. A lump
formed in his throat and he faced the countryside again. Aragorn did not seem to notice as he
clapped his life-long friend on the shoulder.
“I am glad of the visit. It has been to long.” They stood for awhile in comfortable silence, not needed
to speak but just content to be beside each other once more. Finally, Aragorn turned to Legolas, a
serious expression on his face. “So does it still call you?” He asked bluntly.
Legolas sighed, “Estel, I came not to dwell of that, I came to see you again, so we can remember
past times together and speak as we once did, as brothers.”
“Then speak to me now, brother, do you still hear it’s call? I will not forget the look on your face on
the ships.”
Again the elf sighed. “You know the answer. I always do and I always will, until at last I follow it’s
call to Eressa.” He turned to Aragorn and gave him a sad smile. “But not yet, my friend, not yet.
There is more work to be done.”
“I saw it in my father, Legolas. The longer he waited the worse it became. And I begin to see it in
you. Do not think I haven’t noticed; the slump in your shoulders, the far away look you get in your
eyes. You are not as happy as you were before. My Father could not escape it, what makes you think
you could do the same? I do not wish that upon you. If your heart yearns for the sea than follow it.”
“Just like that? Just pick up and leave. Leave Ithilien? Leave Gimli and you?” He gave a laugh but it
was dry of humor. “I visit the shores every night in my dreams, that is good enough for me, for the
time. I will not sail from these lands while you still dwell here.”
“Yes, but when I am gone-”
Legolas suddenly spun angrily on the man, and Aragorn was surprised to see unshed tears in the elf’s
eyes. “Do you wish to remind me, Estel? Do you wish to stir up the pain of the knowledge that you
will pass from here and I will have to linger? That one day I will have to leave these shores, my
home, with nothing left but my own sorrow? I did not come here to be reminded of that! I came for
your company! Why can not things just be as they were?” Without another word the elf spun on his
heel and strode towards the citadel, leaving a shaken Aragorn behind him. ~*~

Legolas drew his hand from his tunic. By now the wall of foam was so close that the wind off of it
buffeted the ship, and yet it still moved forward, against the driving winds. Turning away from the
sight he glanced down at his hand, where he cradled one of his most special possessions. Within his
hand sat a silver brooch that was wrought in the likeness of an eagle with outspread wings. In its
center sat a shining stone of clear green. “Elassar,” he whispered to the wind. “Elfstone.” He glanced
up as he felt the ship lift. Gimli gave a shout beside him but he did not really hear it. He closed his
eyes as memories danced in him mind.

Wherever you hear – the wind in the canyon
Wherever you see – the buffalo run
Wherever you go – I ‘ll be there beside you
Cuz you are my brother – my brother under the sun

~*~ Legolas walked swiftly down the corridor, so quickly that he nearly broke into a run. He had
just arrived from Ithilien, haven ridden hard for a day. He stopped outside an ornamented door and
tried to gather himself together. He was about to knock when the door opened slowly and Arwen
stepped out. Her face was drawn and she looked more tired than Legolas had ever seen her. She
smiled gently at the Elven prince and gently wrapped her arms around him, pulling into a hug. “He
waits for you.” She whispered into his ear as she pulled away. She motioned for the door than
swiftly walked away, head down. Legolas took another deep breath and pushing into the room.
It was dimly lit, with only a few candles burning. All around the room stood tall statues, carved in
the likeness of former kings of men. They seemed to frown down upon him as he entered. In the
center of the room a large bed sat, covered in silken sheets. Legolas hardly noticed any of this as his
gaze was drawn to the occupant of the bed. Aragorn lay very still, his eyes closed, his breathing
shallow. His white hair was arrayed about him and upon his brow say a bright Elf-stone. Legolas
swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. He took a hesitant step toward the bed, then
paused as the king’s eyes slowly opened and his gaze fell on the Elf.
“Legolas,” he breathed and a smile spread across his face. “As you can see my hearing has not gotten
any worse. You still step as loudly as an oliphant.”
Legolas swiftly made his way to the bedside and knelt beside it, gathering one of Aragorn’s hands
into his own. He smiled at his dear friend yet said nothing. He did not trust himself to speak.
“Smile, gwador nín, for soon you can follow the longing of your heart.” He sighed. “As I am soon
going to follow mine.”
Legolas shook his head and squeezed the man’s hand in his. “I would rather live forever with the
longing than parting with you, Estel.”
“Yet part we must, it is the way of Illuvitar.”
“Curse Illuvitar then. What God would bring two together as brothers and then tear them from one
another?” He said angrily as tears formed in his eyes.
Aragorn laughed lightly but it soon turned to a cough. After a moment he regained his breath. “You
should not say such things, my friend. I do not believe this is a goodbye forever,” he paused to take a
breath, “but rather it is a goodbye for the time. We will meet again.”
The elf shook his head again. “I can not part with you.”
“You are strong and you will heal. It is time for change now, my friend. I will leave this earth as you
will. Follow your heart, hên e-ndûn (child of the West).” The king slowly brought his hand up to his
forehead where he clasped the Elfstone. With effort he removed it from his small crown and placed
it in the Elf’s hands. “Take this, mellon-nin. As a reminder. I wish you to have it.”
“Estel, you think I should need a reminder of our time? It shall forever be in my memory!”
“Then take it as a gift, from one brother to another.” Legolas carefully placed it in his tunic. Aragorn
smiled at him before closing his eyes wearily. “I am so tired, mellon-nin. So tired.” and suddenly his
breathing slowed and for a moment time seemed to stand still. “It has been good.” he whispered,
turning to face the elf. Legolas leaned his forehead against the kings, unashamed of the tears that
streamed down his face.
“Namarie, gwador nín” He said quietly as Aragorn breathed out softly. He did not draw breath
again.~*~

They were flying. Nay, they were sailing, but through an ocean of stars rather than a sea of water.
Legolas opened his eyes and looked about. Gimli stood near the railing, mouth agape in wonder. He
slowly turned to the elf and his expression turned from amazement to concern.
“Are you alright, Legolas?” he asked, coming to stand beside his companion. It was then that
Legolas realized that he had tears on his cheeks. Instead of answering he turned to look ahead.
He saw an ocean, a bright, clear ocean that sparkled in the starlight. And on the horizon he could see
them; white shores and beyond a far green country. And then he deemed that he heard singing, the
songs of Elves, songs of happiness and rejoicing, as the last Elven ship sailed into the waters of the
undying lands. And mixed with the singing was the laughter of the gulls as they swooped around the
ship. And the Elf smiled then, a genuine smile. “Yes, Gimli. I am alright.” And as he said it he
replaced the stone in his tunic and turned to face the growing shoreline. I followed my heart,
brother, and now I will wait for you, and we will meet again. And as the ship pulled into the harbor
full of Elves awaiting the arrival of one of their own he felt a sudden relief, as if a weight was taken
from his shoulders. And glancing up he found Earendil, and that night it seemed that it shone
brighter than it ever had before.

We are like birds of a feather
We are two hearts joined together
We will be forever as one
My brother under the sun
Written by: Bryan Adams