The Return

Aftermath

     {}«Legolas' POV»{}

With the last of my blood family buried, I turn on my heel, heading back the way I had originally come.

Each step slowly starts to become harder and harder as the gorge seems to never end. I have been walking for hours now and the light is beginning to fade once more. I still cannot hear the fighting that must be going on right now. I only hope Aragorn and Thaladir are still alive.

With a defeated sigh, I find another somewhat flat rock and settle down in it. The lack of trees --or any plant life for that matter-- is beginning to unnerve me, making sleep impossible. I have to get out of here.

Standing, I continue walking, though it is more difficult without light and I stumble over loose rocks multiple times but I continue on through the night regardless.

The darkness seems never ending though it can't be far from dawn. At least I hope. It's difficult to tell the time from down here.

Something moves silently up ahead and I stop in my tracks, loading my bow which thankfully didn't break in the fall. 

A moment passes and I creep forward, moving without a sound. There is once again movement but now I can see it's a person, be it friend or foe. Keeping silent, I aim my arrow at them.

"Legolas?"

I recognize the voice at once and lower my bow, "Thaladir? What are you doing down here?!"

Thaladir steps out of the shadows and walks towards me. "Looking for you!" he says, embracing me.

I return the embrace before pulling away, "What of the battle? How does Aragorn fare?"

"Aragorn was well the last I saw him," he reassures me, "The battle ended yesterday, most of the Orcs are dead save a few which are currently hunted. We have been looking for you ever it ended, I was afraid..." he trails off and steps back, looking over me, but I stop him,

"I'm alright, nothing more than a few scraps and scratches."

He nods with a smile, "That is good. Some didn't believe we would ever see again much less uninjured. But what of Calithilon?"

"He is dead," I answer, keeping my tone even.

Thaladir smiles, "That is good." 

I look away with a nod, not wanting to explain all that had happened and we start in the direction Thaladir had come. 

"What happened after I fell?" I ask him, determined to keep the subject away from Calithilon and his death.

He shakes his head and utters a sigh, "Not much more than you may expect to be honest. Dolenel--"

I stop dead in my tracks, "Dolenel?"

"Yes..." he says slowly, "he shot Calithilon... Did you hit your head in the fall? Do you not remember?"

I replay the events in my mind before answering, "No, I'm alright, I remember. I just didn't realize it was him. Do you know why he shot him?"

Thaladir shook his head, "Not entirely, but from what he said after the two of you fell, it would seem that after you "escaped", Calithilon did not see a use for him."

I nod in understanding, not really wanting him to go into the details just yet. "Where is he now?"

"Dead. After you fell, the Orcs attacked and in trying to get to me, they killed him."

I nod, not knowing what to say and silence falls between us, but it turns into a good silence, that of camaraderie with a sense of security. And after all that has happened, I would rather have that anyway. 

But as the morning dawns, the past events play clearer in my mind and I decide to break the silence, "How did you recover after your adar's death?"

He looks up from his path with a sad smile, "I haven't. You don't ever get over it Legolas. You just have to lean on those who care about you and after a while, it will get easier. Don't push them away, it does no good, trust me, I know."

I nod. He has told me over the years that he had pushed his loved ones away when his adar was killed and it nearly cost him dearly. "Thank you," I tell him, "for everything."

He smiles and places his hand on my shoulder, "Consider it nothing mellon nin."

The morning grows into midday before we make it out of the gorge. I have never been so glad to be out in the open. 

But that happiness quickly fades at the sight of the battlefield. Smoke from the piles of burning Orcs immediately floods my nostrils, making me fight the urge to scrunch my nose in disgust. Most of the men and elven warriors' bodies have been removed and buried, but a few still lay in the dirt and rocks, unseeing eyes gazing upon a cloudless sky.

As I near the camp, a joyous shout goes up and I wonder for its cause. Then I realize what they are shouting and my heart races a little with adrenalin, "He is alive! The King has returned!"

My ellyn gather around me as I walk into camp, but quickly part when Aragorn makes his way to me. I let out a breath of relief at seeing him alive.

"Idiot elf," he murmurs as we embrace. "Don't do that again! Your ellyn are near impossible to work with without you."

I smile for though his words sound lighthearted, I can see by the look in his eyes that he is as relieved as I am that we both made it through this alive. Alive and well. 

A/N: Just an epilog to go and then that's it! Can you believe it?! I can't. It's actually already written and I am on the verge of tears just thinking about this being over. It has been such a part of my everyday life for so long and leaving it... Dang. 

Anyway, thank you to everyone who has made it this far! Y'all are awesome and I love ya. I wouldn't have made it this far without you. So, once again, thank you.