No clouds covered the azure blue sky, nor did they conceal the radiant warmth which the sun’s fiery rays spread over all soil, vegetation, and water. An occasional breeze disturbed the crystal blue waters, creating small, temperate ripples. As the mild wind moved through the deep, green colored foliage of the forest trees, the soft harmony formed by the rustling of the leaves mingled with the melodious singing of the birds. It was a simply glorious day.
There was one, almost as fair as the weather itself, who was not finding pleasure from the scenery. His slender, graceful form was not absorbing the warmth from the sun, nor were his pointed ears drawing comfort from the sweet, delicate songs of the birds. His golden hair cascaded down upon his shoulders, and it framed a face that bore the signs of heavy grief, for the blue eyes lacked their natural sparkle and the thin, elegantly shaped lips were bereft of a smile.
He was an Elf, for no other creature on Middle Earth possessed the natural grace and beauty that was characteristic of all Elves. His name was Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood, and he was preparing to sail to the Valinor. A ship, still unfinished, rested upon the shore, waiting to take him away from the darkened place of Middle Earth. There was nothing left for him here anymore.
“Is that ship not done yet, Master Elf?”
The sharp, slightly impatient voice cut through his thoughts, and the Elf turned to face a being that could be described as his exact opposite. The figure was slightly stout and half his size. He possessed a thick, mahogany, red beard that reached down to his arms, which were crossed over his chest, reflecting the slight annoyance that tainted his gruff voice. He was a Dwarf who went by the name of Gimli, and he was a longtime friend of Legolas. He was sailing with him to the Valinor also.
He managed a small smile, although it did not reach his eyes. “Peace, Gimli. It shall be done shortly.”
There was an interlude of silence as Gimli studied his friend. He noticed the dull eyes, and could sense that something was troubling his friend. The Dwarf felt confident that he knew what was occupying the Elf’s mind. “You are not yourself.”
Legolas lifted one of his slender eyebrows in surprise at his friend’s blunt statement. “Pray tell what has prompted that conclusion, Gimli?” he asked, already having a slight sense of how his friend would respond.
The Dwarf snorted. “You act as if you have no notion of what I am speaking, and your Elven stubbornness is, in all likelihood, preventing you from releasing your true emotions and feelings to me. That is fine, for I know what troubles you. You have not been your true self ever since Aragorn passed away from Middle Earth.”
For a brief moment, Legolas felt a red hot anger rush through him that he was unable to quell. “I do not need you informing me of how I should grieve, Master Gimli.”
The Dwarf sighed heavily and let his gaze wander out to the placid sea. Legolas closed his eyes and cursed slightly as he felt himself losing control over his emotions. Gimli glanced back up at his friend as the Elf’s hand gripped his shoulder tightly.
“Forgive me, my friend,” Legolas told him, and the apology threw the Dwarf slightly off guard. “I spoke out of turn.”
“So, an Elf can apologize, eh?” Gimli asked, grinning widely. “I thought I would never live to see the day…”
Legolas found himself chuckling at his friend’s humor, and he was glad that he still had some company. Not all the light had faded yet. Still smiling, Legolas asked, “Why do you not go make some farewells to your kin, Gimli? I promise you that by the time you decide to grace me with your presence once more, the craft will stand completed.”
This elicited another laugh from the Dwarf. “Well, we shall see if you keep your promise, Master Elf.”
Legolas smiled fondly at his friend. “I suppose I should also promise that I shall not leave these shores without you.”
Gimli chuckled as he turned to march somewhat huffily into the woods that bordered the shore. “Until next we meet, my friend.”
Legolas sighed heavily as he watched his friend disappear into the depths of the woods. Now that he was alone, the emptiness returned with a vengeance and it felt as though it was consuming him, taking over his entire being. His vision blurred, but he refused to let the tears fall. You asked him to leave.
The Elf knew this was so, and as he gained control over himself once more, he realized that he was glad for the quiet and the last amount of time he would have to himself. He reconsidered this thought. He was not truly alone, he decided, for memories chose this time to gradually drift back to him. He was slightly startled to find this, and to also realize that his previous grief had been somewhat quenched.
There will never be a time when he will not be there. His image will always be close to your heart.
Legolas smiled slightly at this. The feeling was not intended for Gimli, but for his dear friend, Aragorn, known to the Elves as Estel and to Men as King Elessar. As he thought of his friend, he remembered once more the scene of their last meeting, and he closed his eyes as the images returned.

He had stayed behind the door to Aragorn’s bedroom chamber for a long time before deciding to knock and announce his presence to his friend, for he was afraid of what he would hear and see. When he finally did draw up enough courage to tap the wooden door tentatively with his hand, he found himself wince at the faint sounding “Come in” which came from within. He braced himself for what he would find before he pushed the door open. It was hard to think of the human as anything but the strong, lithe, mischievous being he had been in his youth, and to see him as anything else filled Legolas with a deep feeling of grief. Somehow, though, he managed to push those thoughts aside as he opened the door. He did not want his friend to see how much this pained him.
He was just able to choke down a gasp as his blue eyes found his friend. He had been anticipating the worst, and although this was not as bad as he had imagined, it was a state he had never wanted to see Aragorn in. Never before had the human’s face been so pale, nor his hair so white or his figure so thin. His eyes were closed as if in sleep, but Legolas sensed that he was only resting for he had responded to his knock only seconds before. A cold fear crept up the Elf’s spine. Aragorn had never appeared so old to him before…or maybe this was because he had never wanted to accept it…
“Mellonamin…”
Legolas started at the weak voice. So lost he had been in his thoughts that he had not noticed his friend’s eyes open, nor his mouth move to form the words.
“How it gladdens me to see you here.”
Legolas wondered how the human found the strength to smile, but the effort it took was painstakingly obvious. The Elf winced inwardly as he saw how his friend was suffering, but he managed to give a smile back. If Aragorn had the will to do it, then so did he.
“Come, pull up a chair, and sit down beside me. It has been too long since last we met.”
The Elf nodded mechanically and found his feet carrying him across the floor to one of the deep, plush chairs that rested in the corner. As he dragged it over to his friend’s bedside, Aragorn managed, still smiling, “Remember how aggravated we made father when we would put our dirty shoes on his nice chairs after we would arrive home total disasters from one of our escapades?”
Legolas stared. He could make jokes at a time such as this? Aragorn started to chuckle at his friend’s expression, and opened his mouth to speak, stopping as his words were choked down by coughs. Legolas winced at the rattling sound that it made in his chest, and the way the white sheet on top of him moved slightly as the cough shook his weakened frame. He could not bear to watch this. As he moved down into the chair, he forced his eyes to look elsewhere, and as Aragorn continued to cough, he moved his eyes around the king’s room, focusing on memorizing every detail.
Nothing much of the room had changed, and Legolas wished desperately that everything could stay that way. He pushed the thoughts aside and began his intense study of the room, running his gaze over every minute detail. The first thing his eyes alighted on was the big window on the right wall which overlooked the White City. On either side hung deeply green colored curtains, and they matched the dark green rug which adorned the floor. A mahogany desk sat beneath the window, and the papers that were neatly stacked upon it showed the presence of a woman’s touch. Legolas smiled slightly as his thoughts turned to Arwen, the Evenstar of her people, and the woman who had captured the heart of his best friend on their very first meeting.
“Legolas…”
Aragorn’s faint, raspy voice called Legolas back, and he willed his eyes to focus on his friend’s face.
“I do not want you to grieve, mellonamin.”
Legolas sighed heavily and closed his eyes. “How can I not grieve? You are my best friend…”
“Not all will be lost.”
Legolas opened his eyes as he felt Aragorn’s cold hand beneath his chin, lifting his head up slightly. He moved his gaze to his friend’s form, and as he saw Aragorn’s arm now released from the confines of the sheet, he choked down a shaky breath as he saw how frail the bone was, how much that his dark red shirt sleeve hung down…
“Many wondrous moments have we shared together, you and I,” Aragorn told him, his voice now a mere whisper. “I would wish that you remember them, and keep them close to your heart. That way I will never be far from your memory.”
“It shall not be the same,” Legolas murmured, striving with all his might to keep the burning pain out of his voice, and to keep the tears at bay.
“Close your eyes when the memories play before you, and block everything else from your mind. It shall feel as though you really are experiencing them again. I want you to remember…”
Legolas drew in a breath. “How I want to be in your place. I think of immorality as a curse if that means I have to watch all the ones I love pass before me.”
Aragorn tried to smile and let his hand slide away from his chin so that it rested upon his bed sheet. “Do not despair, mellonamin.” The human drew in a shaky breath. He could feel himself fading, his soul slipping from his body. It was now time for him to leave Middle Earth. “There is still hope.”
Legolas found himself smiling despite the tears that were now beginning to blur his vision. “Estel,” he whispered, drawing the name out as long as possible, treasuring the comfort that it brought.
“Aye,” the man breathed, his voice barely audible now. “I want you to keep it.”
The Elf grasped his friend’s hand tightly within his own, not finding the will to speak. Instead, he gazed into the human’s deep eyes, full of understanding, confidence, and faith, despite the pain that was buried beneath their depths. As the Elf looked longer into the dark brown eyes, he saw Estel as a youth, and their first meeting; the time he had given Estel his first real archery lesson, and the time he had taught him to climb a tree. He saw the adventures they had shared, and the dangerous, at times despairing journey with the Fellowship. It was all there, he realized.
“Legolas…”
The Elf focused clearly on the man’s entire face, and he used a smile to cover up the pain that enveloped him. Trying to ignore the short, shaky breaths eliciting from the human, Legolas responded, “Yes, mellonamin?”
“Tell me…of the time of our first meeting.”
A startled expression adorned Legolas’ fair face. “I…”
“Please,” Aragorn managed, between another round of coughs. “I would wish to hear of it again.”
Legolas brushed a hand hastily over his eyes to wipe away the tears. He could sense his friend fading, but he was ready to do anything he asked for. “I am not sure if you would want to remember that,” he began, forcing a smile, “your brothers never let you live that one down.”
Aragorn’s eyes sparkled faintly. “No…nor did father, for that matter. It was wonderful ammunition for all of them, whenever I wanted to do something, and would insist that I could take care of myself. They did have a wicked sense of humor.”
Legolas chuckled. “That is true, although they did have good reason for it. It was your own recklessness and stubbornness that got you into that situation if I recall.”
The human managed a laugh and let his eyes slide closed. Legolas gripped the edges of his chair tightly with his hands until his knuckles were white, and he straightened as he stared at his friend intently. “Aragorn?”
“Legolas…I am here,” the human murmured, not opening his eyes.
“Do not leave me…”
“I will never leave you. Remember…”
Legolas bowed his head, his golden hair cascading like gently rolling waves into his face. He squeezed his eyes shut again to block the tears, but even then, he could feel them pricking the backs of his eyelids defiantly.
“Legolas,” Aragorn implored softly, still not opening his eyes. The Elf pushed his lids open and chanced to look up, the form of his friend slightly blurred before him due to the obstinate tears that still lingered in his eyes.
“Yes, mellonamin?” the Elf inquired, hoping his friend had not heard his voice crack with the waterfall of grief that threatened to flood his very being.
“Will you stay with me…while I sleep a little?” the Human asked, and Legolas found himself smiling.
“Of course, my friend. I would do anything for you,” the prince answered sincerely.
“Hannon le (thank you).”
Aragorn stilled then and became silent, the rise and fall of his chest become slower and slower. Legolas sat watching his friend gradually fading away before his eyes, and he felt despair wash over him once more, knowing that he was never going to see his best friend again; but he had been with the Human in his last moment of need, and this thought was strangely comforting to the Elf.
He heard the door open softly and sensed Arwen’s presence in the room, but did not look up. He knew she must be grieving too, but for the moment he could not deal with anyone else’s pain or else he might just be fully engulfed by the black hands of despair.
He could feel that the tears were at last going to win, and as he leaned closer to the human’s body, they began to stream down his cheeks. Disregarding their presence, he bent to place a light kiss on his friend’s forehead, not caring at this point that Arwen was watching.
“Peace be with you, mellonamin…”

As Legolas opened his eyes, the blurred vision before him told him that more tears had been mounting behind his closed lids. He lifted a shaky hand to brush them away as he looked out at the vast expanse of the sea. He moved his gaze then to the still unfinished vessel, and with a sigh he walked towards it, knowing that he would have to work with haste if he wanted it ready by the time Gimli returned.
While Legolas walked over to the ship, a slight breeze disturbed his hair, and he thought he had heard Aragorn’s voice on the wind. The Elf managed a smile as he stored it in his heart.
Remember…

**************************************

We played king of the mountain out in the end
The world come chargin’ up the hill, and we
Were best of friends
Now there’s so much that time, time and
Memory fade away
We got our own roads to ride and chances
We gotta take
We stood side by side each one fightin’ for
The other
We said until we died we’d always be
Blood brothers

Now the hardness of this world slowly grinds
Your dreams away
Makin’ a fool’s joke out of the promises
We make
And what once seemed black and white
Turns to so many shades of gray
We lose ourselves in work to do and bills to pay
And it’s a ride, ride, ride, and there ain’t
Much cover
With no one runnin’ by your side my
Blood brother

On through the houses of the dead past
Those fallen in their tracks
Always movin’ ahead and never lookin’ back
Now I don’t know how I feel, I don’t know how I feel tonight
If I’ve fallen ‘neath the wheel, if I’ve lost or
I’ve gained sight
I don’t even know why, I don’t know why I
Made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all

But the stars are burnin’ bright like some
Mystery uncovered
I’ll keep movin’ through the dark with you in
My heart
My blood brother

Bruce Springsteen, “Blood Brothers”

FIN