Hope - A Lord Of The Rings Chronicle

The Feast

I pulled away from the mirror, a little disturbed.

'Why is it showing me this?' I ask Galadriel 'Does it mean to torment me?'

'Oh Raina,' Galadriel replied 'The mirror is only a guide to those who seek its knowledge. It does not mean to hurt, but to teach. Keep looking.'

I caught my breath, sighed a little and turned around. I could see the reflection of the imposing Mellorn trees and clouded sky ahead, but the image began to fade and a new one appeared on screen. I saw Aragorn, Legolas and Pippin, their backs toward me, staring at something by a tree. Pippin stepped out of the way, and I saw myself, barely conscious. It was late in the image, and the sky around us was pitch black. This must have been on the way to Lorien.

The image faded, and I began to watch what was almost a small clip of various scenes of lord of the rings playing out. I saw Pippin and Merry, strapped to the backs of Uruk-Hai, and Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli in later pursuit. I watched as Gandalf released Théoden from his spell, Gollum lead Frodo and Sam through through the marshes, The Battle of Helm's Deep, Sam saving Frodo from the clutches of a Nazgul, and so much more. A scene of an Oliphant being killed by the Army of the Dead shifted into the march to the black Gates of Mordor. I sighed, pleased all would come to pass. With my fingers gripping the stone basin, I waited patiently for Aragorn's coronation, but was greeted with something entirely different, and which partly made me wish I had never looked into the mirror in the first place.

It was of Legolas...

Crying.

At first I was too shocked to do anything. I had never seen Legolas shed a single tear, at least not visually. And I never dreamed of ever seeing that. Even amidst my heartache at the thought of never allowing myself to be with him, and him probably wedding another as a result, all I craved was his peace of mind. His happiness.

But it looked like a feeling as such had been wrenched out of his heart by a cruel hand. I watched him as he perched on a grand staircase beneath the railing, gripping it for support. His head was hung in grief, but for a moment, he looked up, and I caught a glimpse of his eyes. If crying perfectly was a thing, the elves for sure knew how to do it. There wasn't even a blemish of red, and his eyelids weren't even swollen. But I saw his eyes, and how dull and lifeless they look. I saw that they had no spark and it haunted me. 

He hung his head back down, just as I turned away. 

For a moment, I stood in silence, just thinking. I could not remember such an event ever  being recorded in Tolkien's works, or his draft.

It didn't make any sense. Why was Legolas weeping so? Was it for Haldir? He probably knew him...but if I was correct the vision was set after the Ring was destroyed in Mordor. Haldir would have been dead for at least a month, why would Legolas only be crying then? Who else was close to him?

I gasped as realisation struck me.

Aragorn.

Aragorn was going to die. That's why his coronation wasn't shown, because there is no coronation!

How could this be? 

I wanted to sit down and ponder this more, but Galadriel called me from my thoughts.

"Raina?"

I looked at her, my eyes frantic.
"What I have seen...it troubles me-" I caught myself mid-sentence, wondering if I should reveal anymore 

"Fear not," Galadriel replies, "I have heard all about you, from Aragorn. What you have seen, and Frodo before you, I have also. But you seem to be particularly disturbed."
I nod