Gently blowing winds carried with them tidings of sorrow and woe. A discarded and crumpled envelope lay torn and tattered upon the golden sands, along with the ribbon which had held it's contents within. The contents however, were to be forever preserved.

The sweet smell of the sea filled the air, and the breeze bushed lightly upon his face. White foam waves lapped gracefully against the shore, the sky filled with the melodious call of the gulls.

Yet even all of these joys could not give him happiness, could not remove the cloud of despair which had settled itself deep within his Elven heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Into The West

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ ~ ~ Lay down
~ ~ ~ your sweet and weary head
~ ~ ~ Night is falling,
~ ~ ~ you have come to journey's end.
~ ~ ~ Sleep now,
~ ~ ~ and dream of the ones who came before.
~ ~ ~ They are calling
~ ~ ~ from across the distant shore.

Legolas watched the sea with a longing he had never felt before. It was on this day he had decided to first visit it's beauty. Now however, his joy at the sight was quickly dispelled as he carefully read the parchment which one of his messengers had delivered to him. Tears streaked the prince's face and the messenger quickly left him to be alone. Those same tears became chilled by the wind of the sea, feeling like tiny frozen pinpricks upon his cheeks.

After reading the letter, Legolas lifted it to his lips, gently kissing the parchment before hugging it close to his chest. The prince fell to his knees upon the ground, tears steaming from his closed eyes. He held the letter as if it were a very lifeline, feeling that to let it go, was to let go of everything.

~ ~ ~ Why do you weep?
~ ~ ~ What are these tears upon your face?
~ ~ ~ Soon you will see
~ ~ ~ all of your fears will pass away,
~ ~ ~ safe in my arms
~ ~ ~ you're only sleeping.

The Elven archer's broken sobs were heard to only one other being in that land. Quickly, Gimli rushed to his friend's aid, fearing what had befallen the Elf. The Dwarf had been hanging back, farther up on the beach, watching as his companion saw the vast sea for the first time in his immortal life.

"Legolas?" He asked, standing before the kneeling prince and trying to discern the reason for his torment.

Looking up at his friend, Legolas' eyes were blurry and a bit unfocused. It was as if he saw the Dwarf before him, yet his mind was trying to reach somewhere far away. The expression upon the Elf's face frightened him. Shock was what it appeared to be. He had never seen his friend so distressed or upset, never in all their long years of companionship.

"Gimli..." Legolas whispered, his eyes focusing on the letter in his own hands, "Ai! Ha u-pul no! Im u-innas ha nao! Im u-pul..." the prince's words were cut short as he cried once more.

~*[Ai! It cannot be! I will not let it be! I cannot...]*~

The Dwarf was at a loss for what to do. He grabbed the Elf by his shoulders, forcing Legolas to face him.

"You must tell me what troubles you, my friend." Gimli instructed.

He knew not the language of the Elves, though he had tried to understand their tongue on more than one occasion. Now, he wished he knew what his friend cried out. He wished he knew what was causing the Elf's tears.

Legolas locked eyes with Gimli. Those same eyes pleaded the Dwarf to help him to understand. They cried out for help, for guidance. They had read words which they could not fathom... though they knew them to be true.

"Aragorn..." the Elf steeled his jaw in hopes that he would be able to finish his sentence. "Aragorn... he... he is dead. He has passed... But... But it can not be!"

Gimli's eyes softened as his friend shed tears once more. The Dwarf knew Aragorn would die, as he knew Legolas was well aware of also. However, Gimli was mortal, just like the King of Gondor. He knew better the cruel fate of death. Legolas had seen death in battle many times, he had seen Boromir's demise and many others fade into an eternal sleep. Why could he not understand Aragorn's death?

"Legolas." The Dwarf stated before forcing the prince to look at him. "Legolas, you knew he would die. He is mortal."

"I know... I have always known..." Legolas whispered, looking out to the sea once more. "But I still wish not to believe it, dear Gimli. For with Estel's passing, so passes a large part of me. I had known him for so long, my friend, so very long. I cannot fathom life in this world, free of Sauron and his terrible darkness, without him. I cannot go back to my life before the War. I can hardly remember what it was like in those dark times of uncertainty and doubt."

~ ~ ~ What can you see
~ ~ ~ on the horizon?
~ ~ ~ Why do the white gulls call?
~ ~ ~ Across the sea
~ ~ ~ a pale moon rises --
~ ~ ~ The ships have come to carry you home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The soft playing of mournful flutes filled the streets of Minas Tirith. The banners upon it's vast towers and watches, were lowered to half mast. A solemn look crossed the faces of all the people within the mighty city. It was a mighty city that had seen much grief in the past, and now it was seeing it once again.

Arwen stood just within the entrance to the king's tomb, to the stone building which would house her love for all eternity. He had wished to pass, before old age corrupted his form, but Aragorn had left everyone whom had ever loved him behind with such a decision. The Queen of Gondor watched her son, Eldarion, place flowers upon the tomb.

Aragorn's coffin truly was an image of the splendor of kings, in glory and undimmed before the breaking of the world. Elrond's words had come to pass after all.

"My Lady." A soft voice spoke from behind.

Arwen turned, only to see the grave face of Legolas as he watched her with questioning eyes.

"I received your letter." The Elf's eyes never looked farther than the door to the tomb.

It was noticeable, not only to the Queen, but to the Dwarf who stood at the Elven prince's side. Legolas was refusing to look upon that which his heart feared. He refused to acknowledge Aragorn's death. It was as if some part of the prince retreated within himself, allowing him to focus on everything about him save for the truth.

~ ~ ~ Dawn will turn
~ ~ ~ to silver glass
~ ~ ~ A light on the water
~ ~ ~ All souls pass.

Arwen took Legolas' hand and retreated back into the walls of Minas Tirith's grand palace. As they walked, no one said a word. Soon, they arrived in, what had once been, Aragorn's study. The smells and sights within brought tears to the Queen's eyes.

"He is dead, Legolas." she stated simply.

Her mind knew his own. She saw that he refused to accept the truth, that at first he had been too shocked to understand. Now however, the Elf had simply fallen into denial. She herself had reconciled with her grief days before..

Legolas shook his head, "I will not believe it." he said, sitting in the chair offered to him by the Queen.

"But you must." Arwen replied, looking toward the grand desk which sat within a corner of the room. "You must believe it, for there is something Elessar wished me to give to you."

The prince was silent as Arwen gracefully moved to the desk and withdrew, from a small drawer, an equally small box.

"Elessar, a few days before he passed, told me to give this to you. He said you would understand. He said you would welcome it with open arms." she whispered, handing the box to the prince.

Legolas looked at it in disbelief and wonder. A tiny part of him still doubted the King of Gondor's death, and here this was, slapping him in the face for not realizing the truth before him. Opening the lid, the archer withdrew a small carved wooden boat. It was painted grey with beautiful white sails. Beneath the ship, were a few pieces of folded parchment. Legolas looked them over before a small smile crossed his face. He understood full well his companion's intent, for they were drawings of a similar ship and, at the bottom of the page, Aragorn had written two lines.

"Grey ships pass. Into the west."

~ ~ ~ Hope fades
~ ~ ~ into the world of night
~ ~ ~ through shadows falling
~ ~ ~ out of memory and time.
~ ~ ~ Don't say,
~ ~ ~ "We have come now to the end."
~ ~ ~ White shores are calling
~ ~ ~ you and I will meet again.

The smile however, faded from his features as that tiny bit of doubt was shattered. Dropping the box onto his lap, Legolas placed his head in his hands. His shoulders and back shook as realization finally dawned upon the Elf, and tears of grief, not shock, spilled over his cheeks.

Arwen knelt beside him, a hand on his shoulder. "He did not want you to grieve, Legolas."

Sitting up stiffly, the prince ran his fingers through his hair, un-braided for many years now. With great effort, Legolas managed to get his emotions under control. Now he knew. Now he could realize it. His friend was truly gone.

He sighed, "He wanted too much." the Elf stated simply, causing Arwen to smile.

"Aye, that he did. But what does this mean?" she asked, her hand holding up the folded parchment.

Legolas looked at it, "Estel built a ship. A ship bound for the Grey Havens."

~ ~ ~ And you'll be here in my arms
~ ~ ~ Just sleeping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Then the Lady Arwen stays?" Gimli asked as he and the Elven prince stood upon the sandy beaches once more.

Three weeks had passed, giving the two friends enough time to say their goodbyes and to set everything in order for their departure. Legolas had visited Aragorn's tomb and paid his respects. The shroud of grief was still fresh upon him, yet that would fade with time, or so Gimli said.

Legolas sighed, "Aye... she does. She stays for Eldarion, though..." he did not finish the statement.

"Though?"

"Though she shall be bound now to her grief." He replied, turning and walking toward the large grey ship standing just offshore.

Gimli realized the prince's meaning. He had learned long ago that Elves could die from their grief. Sometimes, he wondered if this was why Aragorn had built the ship. The King surely knew that his beloved would stay by their son's side, that she would fade amidst the trees and become but a memory. Which meant, the ship had been built for only one other person.

Legolas.

"Come, Gimli! We must depart!" The Elf's call came from the dock.

Looking back at the trees, the hills, Gimli felt regret at leaving Middle-earth. No, he was not leaving, not truly. He was simply continuing the journey.

"I feel it too." Legolas commented as Gimli climbed aboard the grey ship.

"Feel what?"

"I can hear the trees, my friend. They are saying goodbye. I am never to see them again, just as I am never to see..." but he stopped, sighing instead. "Come. It is time."

~ ~ ~ What can you see
~ ~ ~ on the horizon?
~ ~ ~ Why do the white gulls call?
~ ~ ~ Across the sea
~ ~ ~ a pale moon rises --
~ ~ ~ The ships have come to carry you home.

As the grey ship sailed into the West, Legolas looked up at the stars. Elbereth shined down beautifully from above. He wondered to himself if the stars would be different in Valinor. The Elf found his fears and doubts removed however, the farther they sailed. Gimli had fallen asleep, for now the sun's light had passed from the world and the sun's rise was fast approaching. However, the prince looked behind him, back toward the shores which had strayed from sight long ago.

"Navaer, mellon nin. Le innas dortha an-uir ned nin ind, Aragorn Arathornion, Edhelharn, Aran Elessar Gondor, Hir i Mbair Annui, Telcontar, Dunadan." he stopped, smiling in the darkness as their ship passed to the lands of the west. "Estel..."

~*[Farewell, my friend. You will live forever in my heart, Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elfstone, King Elessar of Gondor, Lord of the Westlands, Strider, Man of the West.]*~

~*[Hope...]*~

~ ~ ~ And all will turn
~ ~ ~ to silver glass
~ ~ ~ A light on the water
~ ~ ~ Grey ships pass
~ ~ ~ Into the west.

The sun crept over the horizon, showing the prince the full vista of Valinor's beauty. He was home... truly home. But with one last word, Legolas bid goodbye to the only life he had ever known before now...

"Navaer..."

~*[Farewell...]*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE END...

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Disclaimer: I do not own "The Lord of the Rings" and the song is on the "Return of the King" soundtrack. It is entitled, "Into the West". All here was purely of my own devise, built upon the Tolkien fact that Legolas and Gimli, after Aragorn's death, sailed into the west.