This was definetely a nightmare, but Haldir just couldn't wake up. The land around him was desert, nothing but dust and silence, not a single life form seemed to be around.

Haldir cried. He yelled his pain out to the world, a world that did not exist anymore. In his mind, he had pictures of king Elessar leading a giant army through the land of Roahan, that had once been a place of friendship. The king looked old, his figure seemed frozen on the living creature beneath him, whose instincts had just one suggestion for each day on earth, "keep on living". With horror, Haldir realized, the horse was far more sensible than the human being riding it. Elessar wanted to kill.

Wanted to show …omer that it was him owing the power and that nobody could resist him. What was the reason for this war? The elf was dizzy, he could not tell. Aragorn claimed he fought for the security of his people. But something wasn't right there. So many were among them that did not want to fight and still they were forced to remain silent while the trumpets blew and sang of blood, pain and death, though they used the word "liberty" for it. The plants were surpressed under the immense weight of the army. Birds cried hysterically at the sight of it. But soon they were overtuned by the soldier's shouting as they saw …omer's men approach. The blond man seemed to be almost as earger to find as the dark king. But Why. WHY? Haldir tried to reach Elessar, shouted out the name the man was once known for. But no use. He was just sitting in the audience, then play was to be performed without his influence.

But there should be someone to stop this, someone to see the ruines of Edoras and to smell the fear and hatred that should blow free in Middleearth after this war. There had been someone, Gandalf, Faramir and Eowyn, Elrond, Galadriel, even the dwarfs and hobbits. But their words fell like stones into a lake. The Gondorians did not listen. They felt right to forget all the pain former battles had caused, the urgency of letting someone suffer for all they had to bear over the last years was to grat to resist.

Suddenly Haldir felt a warm liquid run down his belly and then he remembered reality. He had come to participate in the battle of Helms Deep. He had come to fight for the freedom of Middleearth. Apparently, he had come to die. The vision in his head still did not totally fade away, had he seen the future? Was it fixed or possible? Thousands of thoughts rushed through his head, but he did not have the strenght to structure them. Instead, he just fell back, down into the otstreched arm of Aragorn's, the last thing Haldir heard was the voice of the man calling his name. He managed to whisper some more words in elvish, they remained unheard. Then he found himself in a desert again.

---

Legolas had fallen asleep. Finally. It had taken him hours to rest after the horrible battle had been fought.

The elfs cheeks were wet from tears. The loss of Haldir hurt him deeply, how would eternity go on without the friend?

And then he was there again. A mere picture in a dream. But definetly Haldir, proud and beautiful as in life, but more radient and with an expression on his face Legolas had never seen before.

"Legolas, my friend, can you forgive me for having left you?"

"Can you forgive me for not having been there in time?"

"It's not your fault, my prince, I was killed so I could understand life."

"What do you mean?"

"Listen, this is important. If you love Aragorn, then show it to him. Do not hold back what you feel."

"Me, in love with... Aragorn?"

"Legolas. I'm dead. Don't think you can keep your little secrets from me. I've had the chance to see a possible future and it was terrifying. Sauron will be defeated, but not completely. A rest of his spirit will dwell in Middleearth and reach Aragorn, poisen him until he begins a war that will change this world for ever and laugh about all that is good and fair.

Legolas grew pale. He could not think of an appropriate response but just asked, " and if everything will turn out dark, why should I confess my love?"

Haldir softly toched his cheeks, a feeling like water on overheated skin. "Because your love, dearest heart, is the only thing that's stronger than the evil of Sauron. The love between Aragorn and Arwen is not as pure as the light in your eyes everytime you see him."

With that, Haldir started to fade away, leaving no further comment on those terrible things he had predicted.

---

Legolas awoke wet with sweat and thogh he knew, dreams can draw the strangest things, he got up immediately and ran to find Aragorn. The man was in his chamber, sleeping, having left the doors unclosed.

Legolas sat down beneath him, studying the noble face and wondering over and over again, how this man could ever do any harm. " Estel, Estel, wake up." Aragorn's eyes switched open, he sat up very straight and seemed to be on the edge of confsion.

"Legolas, what is it you want?"

"I saw you're troubled, desperate because of all that died tonight. I know, I'm late, but maybe you should share your burden-" Aragorn watched his friend sadly, with eyes shining in the dim light coming from a single burning candle in the room.

"It's too much, Legolas. Just too much. One man alone can impossibly make all those decisions." Legolas embraced his beloved, whispering words in elvish into his ear. The man gave in to him and continued sharing the reasons for his running tears. "I don't want all those fighting, I'm rid of the hatred, of the violence. I just want war to be over."

Legolas took Aragorn's face into his hands. For a moment, the two of them melted together in one glance.

The elf was the first to speak, he said the words that had been on Haldir's lips before dying.

"War is over, if you want it."

And then, he gently touched Aragorn's lips with his own.