NOTES: Legolas's POV

A Secret Revealed - Chapter 16

"...so you are not coming back?" Tatharan sounded surprised.

"Unfortunately...no," I replied. I hated these goodbyes.

"You will be greatly missed by many," my friend replied.

I sighed, "My father thinks that I will return one day; that the 'quest' Lord Elrond spoke of will stop me feeling the way I do. That when they do, I will return, come back and do as he wishes. It will not happen. I know my feelings are true, and cannot - will not - ignore them."

"May your love ever flourish and your life be full and happy," Tatharan said kindly.

"Thank you, Tatharan," I smiled at my friend, "I hope that one day you will find a love as strong as the love that I know...and now I shall bid you both good night and goodbye."

"Goodbye Legolas, Goodbye Aragorn," Tatharan said to us, "Travel safely."

With that we left him, and I fought the urge to look back at the old friend who I would never see again.

Aragorn stifled a yawn. He looked haggard, and had obviously not slept at all well recently.

"Aragorn, please go and rest...the time you spent in the dungeon cannot have been easy. I will be fine, there is only a few others I need to see before we leave, then I too shall retire for the night," I told him.

He looked as if he was about to protest, but bid me a good night and made his way back to the palace.

Alone, I walked over to the place where Cerilion lived. At this time of night, he would probably be asleep, but such a thing did not cross my mind at the time.

"Legolas? What brings you here so late?" he asked sleepily, letting me inside.

"I have come to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? Where are you going on your travels this time?"

"I am returning to Rivendell, with Aragorn. I...I shall not be returning." I went on to explain the 'settlement' we had come to with my father.

"So this is the last goodbye then," Cerilion stated a little sadly.

"Yes," I replied, "Mirkwood and my friends here shall be dearly missed; and shall forever hold a place in my heart. I hope that one day I may see you all again, but know that it is hopeless wishing to see Mirkwood once more."

"Never give up hope, Legolas," Cerilion told me.

Before I knew it, he had embraced me firmly, his arms tightly wrapped around me. He held on for long minutes, before drawing away.

"I shall miss you Legolas...I love you as I would a brother."

His words warmed my heart.

"Dear friend, you shall be missed too. I have known you so long, and it is hard to leave all what I have known since childhood."

We talked for a while longer, before I finally left. Cerilion, like Valrodiel and Tatharan, was one of my closest friends, it was difficult to say my final goodbyes to them all.

I finished saying my goodbyes only hours before sunrise, and fell into bed, sleeping soundly until it was time to rise again. Time to leave Mirkwood forever.

My heart felt heavy as we loaded our packs upon horses. My father did not come to say goodbye or wish us safe travels.

I was about to mount my horse when voices called my name. I turned to see Valrodiel, Cerilion and Tatharan walking towards us. One by one, they embraced me, wishing me a goodbye. I fought back the tears at having to leave them for good, though Valrodiel was crying openly, Tatharan and Cerilion placing reassuring hands on her shoulders as I walked away.

I mounted my horse, and Lord Elrond, Aragorn, and the rest of our travelling party began to ride away. Raising a hand to my friends, wishing them a final goodbye, I took one last look at Mirkwood palace, and rode down the pathway into the forest, never looking back at the place I had always known as home.