Where does your journey end?
When will you find peace?
Your heart has been broken.
It cannot be healed.
How will your journey end?
Will it end in peace?
Can your heart be mended?
Or will it remain in pieces?

()()()

When they arrived at Valinor Gandalf was waiting for them.

His heart fell when he saw Legolas.
He could tell that he was grieving and in pain.

They had brought him to a place where he could rest, meanwhile, Elrohir greeted his mother, and Haldir was reunited with his mother and brother.

Gandalf stayed with Legolas.
The elf was staying in a small house with Elrohir and his mother.

Legolas spent all of his time in bed, always on his side with his arms wrapped around himself.

Trying desperately to fight off the pain that consumed him.

Sometimes he lay in silence, and other times he would cry and groan in pain.

Gandalf had been told everything that had happened by Haldir and Elrohir.

The wizard had been shocked to hear about Alatar.

"Did you ever know him?"
Elrohir asked.
"I knew him many years ago. He was one of the five wizards who was sent to Middle Earth."

Haldir and Elrohir couldn't believe it.
"I had often wondered what had become of him, he had been one of the blue wizards."
Gandalf furrowed his brow.

"I wonder what became of the fifth wizard...."

They continued to talk during the night, they were so immersed in their conversation that they didn't notice Legolas quietly slip out.

He walked alone under the stars.
They shined brighter in Valinor then in Middle Earth.

Legolas still walked with his arms wrapped around him.

He knew where he was going.
He entered a small wooded area and approached a large stone.

But there was something written on it, and Legolas knew exactly what it said.

Frodo Baggins

The Ringbearer

Legolas had known that Frodo would die.
Unless you were an elf, or like Gandalf, you would not live forever.

Even in the Undying Lands.

The pain returned to Legolas; harder and more painful than before.

He fell to his knees, crying.
The pain was unbearable.

At that moment Elrohir had realized that Legolas was gone.

The three ran outside and searched for him until they heard cries of pain coming from the forest.

They followed the cries and found Legolas, curled up on the ground with tears running down his face.

Haldir and Elrohir helped him to his feet, they brought Legolas back to the house and laid him on the bed.

His cries had reduced to small groans of discomfort.

"What were you thinking?"
Haldir shouted.
"Wandering off by yourself? What if we hadn't found you! You would still be lying in those woods!"

"Haldir."
Gandalf narrowed his eyes.
"That is enough, he is in pain."

"He has brought this pain upon himself! I tried to warn him, his father tried to warn him too but he never listened! And now look what has happened!"

Haldir pointed at Legolas, who was oblivious to their conversation.

"Legolas made his choice, and one that ended up saving Middle Earth."
Gandalf said calmly.
"If it hadn't been for the friendship and loyalty of the Fellowship, Middle Earth would have fallen. Is that what you would have wanted Haldir?"

Haldir didn't reply as he looked at Legolas. He had become silent again.

His eyes looked straight ahead, pained and filled with tears.

Haldir turned away and left.
Elrohir looked at Gandalf with sadness in his gaze.

"I thought he would be healed here Mithrandir."
He said quietly.
"His grief is too great, he is refusing to let himself heal."

Gandalf placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder.

The elf closed his eyes, Gandalf could feel him shaking.

"He will never see his friends again, or his family. Everyone he loved is gone. Death has taken them from him and there is nothing he or anyone else can do."

Gandalf removed his hand and sighed when he saw that Legolas had fallen asleep.

He motioned for Elrohir to leave the room.

Once the door was closed behind them Elrohir asked once again if there was anything they could do.

"This is a battle that Legolas must fight himself."
Gandalf replied.

And I fear that he does not have the strength to win it.

()()()

Things had gone from bad to worse.

Legolas was in constant pain.
Elrohir, Gandalf and Elrohir's mother took turns watching him.

There was little that they could do to ease his pain.
All they could do was be there for him.

Haldir hadn't returned since his argument with Gandalf.
He couldn't bare to see Legolas suffer, it was too much for him.

But one day, when no one had been with him, Legolas snuck out of the house.

He had disappeared for hours.
Elrohir, Gandalf, and Haldir had searched everywhere for him but had no luck in finding him.

Other elves had offered their assistance, but it wasn't until dark that he was found.

He was led back to the house, still holding himself tightly.

That wasn't the last time Legolas had wandered off.

He continued to do it, sometimes is happened every day, and other times he would stop for a while, and then continue it again.

Elrohir and Haldir never let him out of their sight.
They asked Legolas why he kept trying to leave but he never replied.

They couldn't remember the last time he had spoken.

One day, Legolas managed to slip away again.

Elrohir and Haldir searched desperately for him but had no luck.

Gandalf, meanwhile, was walking through the woods.

While he was there he was met with a surprise.

There was Legolas, walking in a daze with his arms around himself.

"Legolas!"
Gandalf called out.
The elf jumped and looked at him in fear.

Gandalf walked over to him, startled when Legolas backed away fearfully.

"Please! Please do not take me back! I cannot take this anymore!"
His voice broke Gandalf's heart.

It was strained with pain, grief, and fear.

Gandalf reached his arm out towards him but Legolas drew back.

His eyes wide with fear and filled with tears.

"I am not going to harm you Legolas or take you back. I just want to talk."

Gandalf approached him again.
This time Legolas didn't try to run.

Gandalf helped him sit on the ground.

He put his arm around Legolas' shoulder and held him close.

For Legolas, it reminded him of when he had been a child, and his mother or father had held him.

He had always felt safe in their arms as if nothing could ever harm him.

But now they were gone...
No one was there to protect him.

Another wave of pain overtook Legolas.

He cried out and held himself tighter.

Gandalf did what he could to comfort him, but there wasn't much he could do.

"Why do you keep running away Legolas?"
Gandalf asked gently.
"I cannot stay there Gandalf, with the others.... It brings too many memories-"

His words were cut off by another scream of pain.

"Do you truly think running away will ease your pain?"
Gandalf asked.

Legolas shook his head, he kept repeating, "I don't know."
Over and over again.

Gandalf was truly lost. He didn't know what to do.

"I feel trapped Gandalf. They are keeping me where I do not want to be."
"Where do you want to be Legolas?"

"With them."
Legolas screamed as more pain overtook him.
"I want to be with my family, and my friends.... I do not want to be here Gandalf! I-"

He never finished his sentence.
He lowered his head onto his knees and wept.

Gandalf held him and tried to console him.

"You cannot grieve forever Legolas. It will destroy you."
"I cannot stop. Every time I think about them-"

Gandalf sighed and looked at the elf in sorrow and helplessness.

Legolas suddenly looked up.
His eyes widened in fear.

"They are coming... Gandalf I cannot let them take me back!
Please don't let them take me back!"

Gandalf wanted them to take Legolas back.
If they kept him where they could keep an eye on him, he would heal in time.

Or would he?

In his heart, Gandalf knew that it was beyond any of them to help Legolas.

He had to find a way through this himself.

Gandalf stood and helped Legolas to his feet.

"Go Legolas. Go wherever your heart leads you."

Legolas looked at him with pained eyes.

"Goodbye Gandalf."
Legolas said sadly.
He turned around and ran, never looking back.

"Goodbye Legolas."
Gandalf said softly.
"May your heart find rest and healing, wherever you choose to go."

()()()

One more chapter and an Epilogue. I plan on finishing this today.