‹ Prequel: A Burden
An Acceptance
An Ending
Raina changed into black riding clothes, to show her mourning, and set off. She rode first to Legolas, to tell him what had happened, and together they traveled all over Middle Earth. Anywhere, Raina would say, to put off having to go back to Minas Tirith. Not that she wasn’t looking forward to seeing Aragorn and Arwen, but she hated the confined feeling of the place. So she and her friend left Ithilien for good, and went all over. Legolas couldn’t help but notice that Raina was pretty much backtracking over the places the Fellowship had traveled, but he didn’t mind.
They took their time traveling, so that it had been several years since Faramir’s death when they arrived on the doorstep of Minas Tirith: weary, bedraggled vagabonds that were barely recognizable (not that anyone who was alive in the city would have seen them there before, save Aragorn and Arwen).
He welcomed them to his court, giving them the finest places to live and the best of everything. A few years after that, Gimli arrived, saying that Moria was completely restored and was soon to be running. But he had grown bored of the project, and handed off the responsibilities to another before coming to stay at the capitol.
Life there was boring to Raina, so she and the two other immortals would take long get-aways from the place, to make these years a bit more adventurous. Still, they could never compare to her year in the Fellowship. But she stayed about thirty years, until King Elessar passed on.
Raina stood next to his deathbed, Legolas and Gimli on either side of her.
“Goodbye, Strider,” she whispered sadly, gazing at his still figure.
“I’ve gone through three names since I met you,” he started, a wry smile on his face. “And you still call me Strider?”
Raina smiled through her tears at the dying king.
“You know how little Elvish girls can get confused with that,” she laughed softly, with all her friends laughing with her.
“Farewell, you three! The last remaining of our Fellowship…”
It was a sad day for them all, and by then, Raina had definitely had enough of Middle Earth. There were now only two other people that she knew well enough to call friends, and she decided it was time for her to leave.
“Legolas,” she started one day, watching out the window as he packed his things to leave. “I am now one hundred and forty years old. My Elvish part would have me continue on here, but my mortal side feels it is time to leave. I think it is time for me to go to Valinor.”
Legolas didn’t look up from his things, but nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing for my part. I have built a Grey Ship for myself, and you are very welcome aboard as well. I was thinking about inviting Gimli as well, for he spoke of wanting to see Galadriel again.”
Raina nodded happily, and so the three of them set off. The last journey of the Fellowship.
**
Raina leaned against the railings of the ship. It was a fine vessel, of course, since it had been built by Legolas. He and Gimli were readying it to leave, but she was just remembering. Remembering the first time she had come here, the last time she had seen Frodo.
She also thought back to when she sailed the Great River with Legolas.
“Lóestel. Anyways, do not be surprised when you are stuck with just me and Gimli, looking as if you were still twenty-one,” he had said. She hadn’t believed him, but here she was. Hadn’t aged a day, and stuck with him and Gimli. She laughed to herself, gazing at her reflection in the silver waters.
Legolas boarded the ship, Gimli following close behind him.
“Are we ready to go?” she asked, and they nodded happily. It seemed they were just as anxious to leave as Raina was. She no longer felt any connection to Middle Earth.
The ship started moving, faster and faster toward the setting sun.
“Do you think that we will find Frodo? And Sam and Gandalf?” she asked curiously.
“I hope so. It has been too long that we’ve seen someone else besides us three,” Legolas said, causing Raina and Gimli to laugh.
“We will. I can feel it.”
Raina sighed, looking out over the waters once more.
“You know, I’m perfectly happy to be here, but…” she sighed again. “You have no idea what I would give to be in the Fellowship again, on our adventures. They were the best times of my life.”
Legolas and Gimli nodded in agreement, and there was a silence between them. They were all looking back on their lives.
“Lay down, your sweet and weary head. Night is falling. You have come now, to journey’s end…”
Legolas and Gimli looked up as Raina sang.
“What song is that?” Legolas asked her.
Raina smiled and shrugged. “Just something I picked up from the Elves in my life.”
Legolas nodded uncertainly. Raina stood, and after taking one last glance at her homeland, turned to the front of the ship, looking onward.
I’m coming home, Frodo. I’m coming back.
And with that, she continued singing.
They took their time traveling, so that it had been several years since Faramir’s death when they arrived on the doorstep of Minas Tirith: weary, bedraggled vagabonds that were barely recognizable (not that anyone who was alive in the city would have seen them there before, save Aragorn and Arwen).
He welcomed them to his court, giving them the finest places to live and the best of everything. A few years after that, Gimli arrived, saying that Moria was completely restored and was soon to be running. But he had grown bored of the project, and handed off the responsibilities to another before coming to stay at the capitol.
Life there was boring to Raina, so she and the two other immortals would take long get-aways from the place, to make these years a bit more adventurous. Still, they could never compare to her year in the Fellowship. But she stayed about thirty years, until King Elessar passed on.
Raina stood next to his deathbed, Legolas and Gimli on either side of her.
“Goodbye, Strider,” she whispered sadly, gazing at his still figure.
“I’ve gone through three names since I met you,” he started, a wry smile on his face. “And you still call me Strider?”
Raina smiled through her tears at the dying king.
“You know how little Elvish girls can get confused with that,” she laughed softly, with all her friends laughing with her.
“Farewell, you three! The last remaining of our Fellowship…”
It was a sad day for them all, and by then, Raina had definitely had enough of Middle Earth. There were now only two other people that she knew well enough to call friends, and she decided it was time for her to leave.
“Legolas,” she started one day, watching out the window as he packed his things to leave. “I am now one hundred and forty years old. My Elvish part would have me continue on here, but my mortal side feels it is time to leave. I think it is time for me to go to Valinor.”
Legolas didn’t look up from his things, but nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing for my part. I have built a Grey Ship for myself, and you are very welcome aboard as well. I was thinking about inviting Gimli as well, for he spoke of wanting to see Galadriel again.”
Raina nodded happily, and so the three of them set off. The last journey of the Fellowship.
**
Raina leaned against the railings of the ship. It was a fine vessel, of course, since it had been built by Legolas. He and Gimli were readying it to leave, but she was just remembering. Remembering the first time she had come here, the last time she had seen Frodo.
She also thought back to when she sailed the Great River with Legolas.
“Lóestel. Anyways, do not be surprised when you are stuck with just me and Gimli, looking as if you were still twenty-one,” he had said. She hadn’t believed him, but here she was. Hadn’t aged a day, and stuck with him and Gimli. She laughed to herself, gazing at her reflection in the silver waters.
Legolas boarded the ship, Gimli following close behind him.
“Are we ready to go?” she asked, and they nodded happily. It seemed they were just as anxious to leave as Raina was. She no longer felt any connection to Middle Earth.
The ship started moving, faster and faster toward the setting sun.
“Do you think that we will find Frodo? And Sam and Gandalf?” she asked curiously.
“I hope so. It has been too long that we’ve seen someone else besides us three,” Legolas said, causing Raina and Gimli to laugh.
“We will. I can feel it.”
Raina sighed, looking out over the waters once more.
“You know, I’m perfectly happy to be here, but…” she sighed again. “You have no idea what I would give to be in the Fellowship again, on our adventures. They were the best times of my life.”
Legolas and Gimli nodded in agreement, and there was a silence between them. They were all looking back on their lives.
“Lay down, your sweet and weary head. Night is falling. You have come now, to journey’s end…”
Legolas and Gimli looked up as Raina sang.
“What song is that?” Legolas asked her.
Raina smiled and shrugged. “Just something I picked up from the Elves in my life.”
Legolas nodded uncertainly. Raina stood, and after taking one last glance at her homeland, turned to the front of the ship, looking onward.
I’m coming home, Frodo. I’m coming back.
And with that, she continued singing.
“Lay down,
Your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.
Sleep now,
Dream of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
From across the distant shore.
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see,
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
You’re only sleeping.
What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
A pale moon rises.
The ships have come, to carry you home.
And all will turn,
To silver glass.
A light on the water,
All souls pass.
Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.
Don’t say:
‘We have come now, to the end.’
White shores are calling,
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here,
In my arms.
Just sleeping.
What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
A pale moon rises.
The ships have come, to carry you home.
And all with turn,
To silver glass.
A light on the water,
Grey Ships pass,
Into the West.”
Your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.
Sleep now,
Dream of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
From across the distant shore.
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see,
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
You’re only sleeping.
What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
A pale moon rises.
The ships have come, to carry you home.
And all will turn,
To silver glass.
A light on the water,
All souls pass.
Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.
Don’t say:
‘We have come now, to the end.’
White shores are calling,
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here,
In my arms.
Just sleeping.
What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
A pale moon rises.
The ships have come, to carry you home.
And all with turn,
To silver glass.
A light on the water,
Grey Ships pass,
Into the West.”
♠ ♠ ♠
The end.A billion thanks to all my comenters: ElliotsLove, Loony.Marie, Dark...intuition, bloodravyn, Black_Cherry_Seas, Deltagrey, roonil.wazlib, kbrice89, LonerWolf, what's the story?, Ice Cat, ladykaulitz365, Celloohane Baby, Skeletorrr, and meanmrmustard(: