-Date: 4 Mar 04
Title: Love Beyond Death
Summary: It is hard to let go of those who died leaving you behind and maybe sometimes its best not too.
A/N: Kind of weird but sorta touching as well. Sorry if confusing but in one of them I gotta write it or else it will drive me mad moods. And yep I wrote the odd ball poem at the beginning and boy its depressing lol.
Sorrows of Immortality
Do you hear the cry of the gulls?
The crashing waves
Or feel the sand at your feet?
Do you feel the tears spilling down your cheeks?
Of painful loss and memories?
Do you ever wish to forever let go
To surrender yourself to those that are lost?
And do you pray to the Valorian
To escape your torn and broken heart?
The waves crashed on the shore and the seagulls cried overhead. It was a land of rest and harmony. Singing could be heard in the forest not far away and it was joyful it is praise to the Valorian. But for one lone elf it neither brought happiness or contentment. Every year on this day he would stand on the shore and gaze sadly out to sea. His heart would yearn for those who had died and passed away. But in reality he mourned for the two he had loved the most and lost to morality. His blue eyes once shining with love and laughter were now dim with sadness and pain. Nothing in this world brought him joy or even interest anymore. The only reason he had journeyed to the Undying Lands was a promise he had made to the two he loved and also for his best friend’s sake.
~
Three beings stood on the sandy shore and gazed out to sea. Seagulls cried overhead and the elf took a few steps toward the water. He didn’t see his companions look at each other in sadness and then at the elf with love.
“Promise us something Legolas.”
The blond elf turned and gazed at his companion’s in curiousity. “What should I promise to you two? Arwen? Estel?”
“That when we die you will sail to the Undying Lands.” Estel said quietly.
The elf froze for a second and naked grief flashed in his blue eyes. Taking a few steps forward, he grasped there hands and looked frantically into there eyes.
“How can you ask me to do this?”
Arwen gripped his hands and smiled warmly at him. “Amin mela lle . We truly do love you and don’t want you to fade here on Arda. You should be free and happy with the rest of the elves, not languishing in Lord Mandos’s halls.”
“But I…”
A warm hand was placed on his lips and he paused. Estel was gazing at him earnestly and then cupped his chin.
“No Legolas you must promise us. Only then will we know you will be safe and when it is time we can die in peace.”
Anguish glimmered in Legolas’s blue eyes and he closed them. He didn’t want to promise this but what choice did he have? He never could deny them both when they ganged up on him. Opening his eyes once more he looked at them and nodded.
“I promise.”
~
It was only for those reasons he had even made it here and still lived. But now it mattered not for the friend had passed several years ago and only the promised remained. His family had tried so hard to help him but there was little they could do. Only those who had passed could bring him back to life but they couldn’t because they were dead. Bitterness built up in his soul and he laughed coldly. The water lapped at his feet and yet he did not feel it. Nothing seemed to touch his broken heart any longer and he wished to fade away. And yet he couldn’t because the promise damned him and he couldn’t break it. Throwing back his head, he wanted to scream his pain to the sky and yet didn’t. He felt the wind tease the blond strands and he threaded his hands into it with anguish. How much more would he have to suffer before he could finally be aloud to let go? And how much more could he take before he was damaged and nothing was left but an empty husk? A strange song caught his attention and he slowly opened his eyes. It was filled with such love and longing that it caused him much sorrow. Letting go of his hair, he gazed out to sea and noticed a strange mist forming. The longer he stared the more he could make out two shapes coming closer. A feeling of apprehension, made him take a few steps back and he looked at the mist in distrust.
“Are you that afraid of us meleth?”
Blue eyes opened wide in disbelief and wonder. It couldn’t be him but then again know one else called him that.
“Saes a'mael, do you fear us that much?”
Joy lit up the elf’s feature and with a cry he ran towards them. He didn’t notice that his feet did not sink into the water and not get wet. His only focus was the ones he had missed and the love he felt. The mist parted and two beings stepped out. One was a young man in his youth with silver eyes and the other was an elf maiden with grey eyes. Both held out there arms and caught the elf when he came to them. Arwen stepped back and smiled at them. Estel had his arms tightly wrapped around the elf’s waist and Legolas had his face buried into his neck. It was such a touching scene that it brought a tear to her eyes and she wiped it away.
“Oh Estel a'mael, I thought I would never see you again.” Legolas whispered tearfully. “I thought that the Valorian had forsaken me and would never answer my prayers.”
“As you can see your prayers have been answered and I am so sorry meleth nin that it took us so long to return.”
Estel drew back from the embrace and gazed into the tear filled blue eyes. The elf was valiantly trying not to cry and yet tears were sliding down his cheek. A pale hand wiped them away and the two looked at Arwen.
“And now it is our turn to promise you something meleth nin.”
“Promise what?” Legolas asked cautiously. He wasn’t to sure he wanted to know since the last promise had been brutal. If this one was worse then before then he knew he couldn’t accept it or go through those sorrowful years alone again.
Arwen placed a gentle hand on Legolas’s cheek and smiled reassuringly. “To fulfill this promise you must make a choice.”
“A choice?” Legolas blinked in confusion and looked at his two companions. They both had grave expressions and he wondered what was wrong.
Seeing his confusion, Estel grasped his hand and nodded slowly. “Yes either to stay here and live out your immortal life or to journey with us into the Halls of the Dead.”
Legolas could see the fear in there eyes as they awaited his answer. He thought about all those years alone spent in the Undying Lands and knew that he could stay here no longer. He would surely miss his friends and family here, but he needed the two who stood before him. They were the air he breathed, the harmony in his soul, and the love that made everything worth living. Without them his world was a dark and lonely place. Taking a few steps forward, he grabbed them both around the waist and pulled them closer.
“I choose to spend an eternity with you Arwen and Estel. I truly do love you both and would sacrifice everything to be with you.”
Legolas felt them both shudder and tightened his embrace. He could feel there tears soaking into his tunic and there arms holding him closer. Soon Estel and Arwen gently broke the embrace and each grasped the elf’s hands.
“It is time to go Legolas.” Arwen replied happily.
Estel grinned as well. “Yes it is time for us to go home.”
Legolas’s blue eyes glowed brightly and he smiled as well. The once unhappily and lonely elf was whole once more. Turning his head slightly, he gazed back at the Undying Lands and whispered a farewell. Gripping there hands tightly, he followed his beloveds into the mist and to Mandos Halls. The mist grew thicker and slowly faded away.
A few elves calling for Legolas soon appeared and he did not answer. One of the elves saw something glinting nearby in the water and walked over to it. Bending down he picked it up and looked at it. The greenleaf brooch etched with gold shown brilliantly in the light and it was Legolas’s. Not once had he taken it off since coming to the Undying Lands and that’s when the elf knew. A sad smile appeared on his face and he bowed his head.
“Namaarie ion nin, may you finally be at peace.”
The sun shown brilliantly down on him and for a moment he could feel his son’s presence as well.
“Namaarie ada.”
~
Elvish Notes
Amin mela lle - I love you
A'mael - beloved
meleth - love
Ada – dad
ion nin – my son
Namaarie - farewell