108 years later....

Elrohir waited outside the gates of Minas Tirith.
He watched as Legolas rode up on a white horse with Haldir by his side.

The King of Mirkwood dismounted and approached Elrohir.

"How is he?"
Legolas asked; Elrohir could tell that he was trying to hide his emotions.

"He is not in pain. But he will not live for much longer."
Elrohir replied.
He didn't bother to hide the grief in his voice.

Legolas and Haldir followed him into the city, they were given curious, and also grieved stares from the people as they passed.

They entered the throne room and walked down one of the long hallways.

They found Eldarion standing alone outside of a closed door.
He was no longer a boy.

Tears ran down his face when he saw the three elves approach.

"He wants to see you Legolas."
Eldarion told him.

Legolas nodded and entered the room, closing the door behind him.

Elrohir shook his head.
"How can this already be happening Haldir?"

"For us, this day has come far too quickly."
Haldir replied, hiding his feelings better than the others.

"What will Legolas do?"
Eldarion asked.
For the first time in a very long time, he felt like a young child again.

Scared and alone.

"I know not."
Elrohir told him.
"Estel has been his friend for many years... Losing him will be like losing a brother."

All of them watched the door in silence.

None of them believing that this day had actually come.

()()()

Legolas quietly closed the door behind him.

His heart sank as he walked to the side of his friend's bed and sat down in a chair beside him.

"Hello, mellon."
Legolas said, trying not to sound grieved.

Aragorn turned to him and smiled weakly.

"Hello, Legolas. You have not changed at all."
"The same cannot be said for you."
Legolas tried to laugh but it came out as a sob.

Aragorn's smile faded.

"Legolas, you knew that this day was coming."
"I know Aragorn."
"I told you that you didn't have to stay. You could have left for Valinor years ago."

Legolas took one of Aragorn's hands into his.

Aragorn was no longer the strong and young Ranger he had met all those years ago.

The light had left his eyes and only tiredness remained.
His hair was white and his breathing was slow.

"I could not leave you Aragorn, or Sam and Merry."

Legolas' heart ached at the mention of Sam and Merry.

Sam had died many winters ago. Merry had sent word to Aragorn and Legolas.

Not too many years later, Merry also died.
Legolas had witnessed his death, it had been the first time he had seen death like that.

He hadn't understood how someone could just stop living.

The only death he had seen had been caused by someone else.

Aragorn had been the one to console Legolas after Merry's death.

Legolas hadn't been able to take it.

That was when Aragorn had suggested that he sail west.

"You do not have to stay here any more Legolas."
Aragorn said as he gripped Legolas' shoulder.

"You have had the sea-longing in your heart for years now. You have ignored it for far too long."

"I cannot leave Aragorn."
Legolas replied staring off into the distance.

"Why? All of our other friends are dead. Eomer and Faramir have died, and soon I will as well."
Aragorn searched Legolas' face for any sign of emotion.

"I cannot ask you to go through this again. Please, for your sake and mine."

Legolas turned to him, his face emotionless.

"If I leave now I will regret it forever. I promised not to leave my friends, and I intend to keep that promise."

"Aragorn?"
"What is it Legolas?"
Aragorn replied snapping out of his thoughts.

"I thought that you were gone."
Legolas' voice shook.
Aragorn smiled.
"Not yet, I still have a lot to talk to you about."

Aragorn took a deep breath, he was so tired, he wanted to sleep, and never wake up.

Not yet.

"Legolas, I know that when we first met I wasn't the friendliest person in the world."

Legolas smiled.
"You threatened to tie my hands and feet together and leave me stranded in the woods."

Aragorn laughed at the memory, he started coughing and Legolas' face became frozen in fear.

"I'm alright Legolas."
He assured him once the coughing subsided.

Aragorn sighed and continued.
"You saved my life countless times, and I still cannot thank you enough."

Legolas said nothing and Aragorn tried to lighten the mood again.

"Of course, it was usually your fault that we got into those situations in the first place."

"My fault? How was it ever my fault? It was always you who got us into those messes!"

"Alright, that one time with the bandits was my fault."

Legolas laughed.
"What did you do to make them so angry?"
"It is a long story that I'm afraid I don't have time for."
Aragorn replied sadly.

Aragorn felt himself growing weaker by the second. He needed to hurry.

"Do you remember when we were in Rivendell, during the Council of Elrond?"

"How could I forget?"
"I never got a chance to tell you how much I appreciated it when you announced my true identity, which we had both been fighting to keep secret for years, to everyone in the room."

Aragorn narrowed his eyes while Legolas shrugged.
"They would have found out eventually."

"How do you know that?"
"If I had never said anything Gandalf probably would have."
"True."
Aragorn agreed.

He was running out of time.
He had to hurry before it was too late.

"My point is, that even though things did not always go well for us, in fact, I think that things got even more difficult for me after you showed up, I do not regret any of it. Not a single thing."

Aragorn tried to catch his breath as he finished.

"What I do regret is all the pain I caused you. When I turned my back and refused to forgive you, I never got a chance to
apologize."

Pausing, Aragorn looked at his friend and said, "I am truly sorry Legolas. For everything I ever did to hurt you. Please forgive me."

Legolas said nothing for a moment.

"I am the one who needs forgiveness."
Sadness filled his blue eyes.

"I hurt you as well, you asked for my forgiveness and I never forgave you. I am sorry."

Aragorn smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Of course I forgive you."
Legolas smiled.
"I forgive you as well."

Aragorn sighed and closed his eyes.
Legolas once again feared that he was dead.

"Could you please call the others in here?"
Aragorn asked, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

Legolas nodded, he released Aragorn's hand and walked over to the door.

Soon he returned to his friend's side.
Eldarion, Elrohir, and Haldir entered and stood beside his bed.

"My son."
Aragorn addressed Eldarion.
"You will be a great king Eldarion. I am proud of you."

Eldarion knelt beside his father's bed and held his hand.
"I love you Eldarion, your mother loved you too. She would have been proud of the man you have become."

Tears fell down Eldarion's face.
He didn't care who saw him cry.

Aragorn turned to Elrohir.
"You and Elladan were always there for me, you were both some of the only family I had."

Elrohir smiled.
"We were always there to get you out of trouble Estel. Ever since you were a boy."

Aragorn turned to Haldir.
"I know you don't really consider me as a friend Haldir, and I understand why. But I was glad to have fought by your side."

Haldir nodded.
"And I as well. You are a brave and noble man Aragorn."

Finally, Aragorn turned to Legolas.
"Do not grieve for me Legolas. I am tired and ready to leave. But I will miss you. No one could ask for a more loyal friend than you."

Legolas managed a small smile.
"If I could follow you down this path I would."

"I do not doubt it."
Aragorn smiled.
"But death is not your fate Legolas."

Aragorn looked at them all one last time.

"Goodbye, I will miss you all terribly, but I will never forget any of you."

Aragorn closed his eyes, and they did not open again.

()()()

Eldarion cried out and grasped his father's hand.

Elrohir and Haldir hung their heads, no tears fell from their eyes but the grief was there.

Legolas just stared blankly at Aragorn.
He was gone.
Without a sound, without pain.

His friend, who he had known for far more years than he could count, was gone.

The entire city mourned the loss of their king.

But Eldarion did not, he mourned for his father.
Elrohir mourned for his brother.
Haldir mourned for a friend.

Legolas didn't feel the same grief as his friends.
He felt something worse....
Like a part of him had been ripped out.

He had felt the same way after Pippin died, and then his father, Gimli, Sam, Merry, and now Aragorn.

They were gone.
Forever.
He would not see them again.

That night the laid Aragorn's body in a tomb.

The people gathered and wept.

Legolas stood silently beside Haldir.

Light from torches illuminated his face, and fire danced in his eyes.

He started to sing softly, the people listened in silence.

Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
But I won't regret
Nor will I forget
All who took that road with me.

Night has now fallen
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away
Over hill and under tree

To lands where never
Light has shone
By silver streams
That run down
To the sea

To these memories
I will hold
And with your blessing
I will go

To turn at last
To paths
That lead home

And though where the road
Then takes me
I cannot tell

We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

With tears falling from his eyes, and grief in his heart, he whispered the last part to himself.

I bid you all, a very fond farewell.

()()()

Legolas said his goodbyes to Eldarion, he had stayed for his coronation and was now returning home.

"Goodbye Legolas."
The new King of Gondor said sadly.
"I hope you find peace and healing, wherever your journey takes you."

As the three elves rode north together, Legolas finally made up his mind.

"I will sail west to Valinor."
He told them both.

Haldir turned to him in surprise.
"Are you sure Legolas?"

He nodded.
"The time of the elves is over. It is time for our people to depart Middle Earth."

Elrohir nodded.
"In that case, I will head to the Grey Havens and prepare the ships. I will not sail until you and your people have arrived Legolas."

Before Elrohir left them he turned to Legolas and asked,
"Are you alright Legolas?"

"I am still grieving. But I will be fine."
Satisfied with his answer Elrohir rode off.

Haldir and Legolas returned to Mirkwood and prepared to leave Middle Earth.

()()()

The Grey Havens appeared before them.
Legolas led his people towards the ships that would carry them away.

Legolas waited beside Haldir while the other elves boarded.

This would be the last of the elves to leave Middle Earth.

Soon they would fade from memory, and many would doubt that ever existed.

Once the last of the elves had boarded Elrohir approached Haldir and Legolas.

"It is time."
The three elves walked towards the ship Elrohir got on first, and Haldir followed.

He stopped when he realized that Legolas was not following.

"Legolas?"

The elf was staring at the same spot where Aragorn, Gimli, Sam, and Merry had stood when they had thought that Legolas would be leaving with Gandalf and Frodo.

But no one was there now.
No one wanted him to stay, and no one would mourn his leaving.

Suddenly a sharp pain pierced Legolas' heart.
He wrapped his arms around himself and doubled over.

Gasping in pain.
Haldir and Elrohir were immediately at his side.

"Legolas what is wrong?"
Haldir asked fearfully.

"It- it hurts."
Was all he could manage to say.
The pain did not leave him, it only got worse.

He cried out and wrapped his arms tighter around himself.

"It is your grief Legolas."
Elrohir said quietly.

"Why- why does- it hurt-"
Legolas couldn't finish, he cried out again and fell to his knees.

Haldir looked up at Elrohir desperately.
They had to get him on the ship.

They both helped him to his feet and on board.

"Don't worry Legolas."
Haldir gently laid him on the floor of the ship and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Once we reach Valinor it will heal. You will not feel any more pain."

Legolas closed his eyes, his face twisted in pain.
Haldir looked at Elrohir, they didn't know what to do for him until they arrived.

Legolas rolled onto his side, his arms still wrapped around himself and his eyes squeezed shut in pain.

The other elves looked on in pity.
This was the reason why the hadn't befriended mortals.

In their eyes, Legolas had brought this pain upon himself.

And Legolas was beginning to believe it as well.

()()()

No, it is not over yet.

Two more chapters to go.