Disclaimer: Tolkien owns these characters. He creative, me hack!

The Turning of the Tides

The trees were thick, one on top of the next, but they would not slow his journey.  He ran with all the power his legs would allow, for he had to make it.  If he were too late, he would never forgive himself. There was still some light left, fading in the sky, so there was still some hope.

            How could he have been so stupid? He simply let him walk out that day, without a word of what he was truly feeling. How much this friend meant to him, and how like a soul mate he was.  The man loved his wife very much, but sometimes love between friends can tie one just as strong.  

            Foliage continued to block his progress, almost as if they were trying to stop him, almost as if they were trying to tell him something, but he would not be deterred.

            Finally, his path cleared as his object lay in front of him. 

            The beach in the sitting sun lay out before him.

            There, stood a beautiful ship of gray preparing to depart from those shores, the sails not yet unfolded into the strong breeze that blew on the man's back.

            "No!" The man rushed out onto the sand, his feet sinking, leaving the only prints even though many beings walked there. "Please! Wait!"

            There was one who had yet to board the ship that stopped, his long flowing hair flowing back behind him in the wind as he turned.

            The man stopped, panting hard, unable to speak.

            "Aragorn?"

            "Legolas, I have not lost you."

            The setting sun in the west, the beautiful colors of red and gold shining off of the blonde hair framed the Elf.

            "Why have you come? We have already made our goodbyes." Legolas stared in almost disbelief as Aragorn fought to catch his breath.

            "Stay. Please, stay with me."

            The Elf was taken aback, glancing behind his own shoulder to see all the others had boarded the ship and were waiting for him.

            "You know I cannot."

            "Legolas, I love you as a brother."

            "Aragorn,"

            "You have been by my side since the beginning. I cannot rule alone, without your wisdom. Please, stay."

            Legolas smiled, a shallow smile that spoke of sadness and the wisdom of having seen centuries of anguish, "You will rule by yourself, and you will rise to become a great king."

            "My friend," Legolas stepped forward, interrupting Aragorn's words with one small step.

            "Summer is just beginning my friend. The summer of the world of men.  I am honored to say I was there for the spring, but that season is done, and it is the end for my kind.  We have done all we can, this world must be in your hands."

            Aragorn finally stood silent, the stress of the run there and the rejection feeling like great weights on his soul.

            "You know I cannot stay." Legolas continued, "If I don't leave with my people, I may never be able to and I would fade.  I do not know what awaits me on distant shores, but I know it is my only hope. For myself and my people, I must go with them."

            An Elf leaned over the edge of the ship and called to Legolas.

            "The tide is turning, Legolas!"

            The tide was turning, in many ways.

            "Without the Elves, what is this land?"

            "A new world, a new place, it will need a new name and you must think of one."

            Aragorn looked away, the streaks of red were becoming brighter as the sun crept ever lower. High clouds seemed to be almost on fire with gold.  Below him the water was beginning to touch his feet that had sunk deep into the sand with the weight upon the man.

            "I do love you, Aragorn. You have been my friend and my closest confidant and I do not choose my friends lightly. I will think of you often."

            "Please, you cannot leave me like this."

            Legolas smiled. "I will be in your heart, Aragorn. When you feel troubled, when the world is pressing down upon you, call out to me and if you listen very closely, you will hear me whisper back to you."

            "You have been by me as long as I can remember." Tears finally flowed, for love between friends could be more powerful than love between lovers.

            Looking down, the Elf took off his necklace, a beautiful pendant on a strand of silver.  The pendant bore the symbol of the Royal house of Mirkwood in fine entangled strands.

            "Take this, for it has hung close to my heart for many, many ages. Let it hang close to yours and bring you comfort." Legolas drew the shaking man into his arms.

            "I shall miss you more than you can imagine." Aragorn held the Elf close, fearing to let go.

            "I know, and I shall miss everything about this beautiful world, but most of all, I shall miss your company."

            Aragorn drew himself back standing to the height of the king he was.

            "Safe journey, may the stars shine down upon you." Aragorn smiled feeling the cool silver around his neck. None of what was happening seemed real; he had always thought his dearest friend would be there for him, whenever he was needed.

            "Namarie, Estel." His name given by the Elves, it was the first time he was ever called that by Legolas, but the last time that name would ever be spoken by an immortal Elf.

            Legolas turned and headed onto the ship, disappearing from view as the sails were lifted into the winds and they departed from the shores, leaving faint marks upon the sand, which were quickly washed away by the rising ocean.  All that was ever left from their departure were the footprints of one man.

            That one man stood there until the final rays of the setting sun departed and the stars came out, brighter than ever.  That one man stayed as the moon rose behind him, shining down upon him with a light more gently and comforting then the sun could ever offer.

            That one man stayed until the moon began to sink, lighting the path that the ships had taken.  The path that leads to places unknown.

            It was that night that Middle-Earth faded into the west and the Earth was born to man.

Fin

Author's Note: After a marathon piece, I decided a nice little one-chapter work was called for. This was AU, and about as far away from slash as possible and I hope those points are very clear.

I am glad my muse has returned, it just required some excellent music to inspire it, which has been true with every piece from I've written, they each have their own music they were created by.

Also, thanks to Wen for reading through this and also for coming up with the summary!

I'm hoping to have something longer coming soon, for now, I hope you enjoyed this smaller piece, my first offering after the holiday!

Blessed Be!

Elvensong