I feel the lifeblood draining from my body, and I welcome it. Now that I know that it is almost upon me, it seems a relief. I never thought that I should want death to take me, but I am tired and pain winds through me almost daily. I am not ready, but I shall not fight this. I can see nothing but your face in front of mine. There are no tears, for I am beyond them. I have precious few moments left, and I choose to spend them in thought of you. I always thought that you would be by my side as I drew my last breaths, holding my hand, easing my way with the love reflected on your beautiful, ageless face.

Do you know that I love you still? I have never stopped. I could not, and would not even if I could. I can never forget our last day together, the day you turned from me in disgust as if I were a dead orc, flesh rotting on the bone. I killed Sauron. Fate, luck and destiny perhaps, conspiring so that I found the strength to pick up my father's broken sword, and cleave the Dark Lord's finger from his body. I did that for you as well as for all Middle Earth. I would rather have died myself rather than see you dead at his hand, and see all of Middle Earth under his dark rule. I took possession of the Ring, still in disbelief that Sauron was no more.

I looked for you immediately, wanting to share my triumph with you. You were at my side in an instant, and we shared a too-brief moment, simply staring in each others' eyes. Turning to look at the body of my father, you laid a hand on my shoulder, offering your comfort silently as we both grieved. Men quickly came to take his body back to our camp, and you immediately led me into Mount Doom. We did not speak, both of us lost in our thoughts. I held the Ring tight in my grasp as I followed you. Exhausted, we kept marching, although I wanted nothing more than to stop and rest. You insisted that we continue. I knew that you wanted to destroy the Ring immediately, but I had begun to have doubts.

We had suffered greatly at Sauron's hands, and now, because of my hand, we had the greatest source of power imaginable at our disposal. We could cleanse the darkness from our lands, rebuild our countries, and protect our people. The Ring answers only to Sauron, many claimed. It would take over any other who tried to wield it. Perhaps, but who had tried? Were they the son of Elendil, King of Gondor? Had they singlehandedly sliced the finger off the Dark Lord and rendered him impotent and powerless? They were weak, and I was not. I was strong, and at that moment, flush with the bittersweet victory of the fields, and with you, flashing and bright in your battle garb at my side, I felt the strongest I ever had.

We could master the Ring. Together, we could bend it to our wills, and rule together over all of Middle Earth, seeing to it that the darkness never again darkened our valleys, hills and dales. Our power, and our love, together could do anything.

"It is a gift to us, my precious one." I whispered to you, drawing your hand to my mouth for a kiss.

You misunderstood, thinking that I was referring to our obtaining the Ring to destroy. I knew that you would soon understand. We reached the fires, and you went on ahead, telling me to cast it into the flames. I could do nothing at that moment but stare at you, your hair reflecting the fires, your eyes wide and full of passion. I felt my own eyes narrow as lust stirred within me. I wanted nothing more than to crush you to me as I told you of my plans. I wanted us to fall to the ground, and shout out our release there with the fires lighting our skin, the gold of the Ring on my finger glinting as I tangled my hands in your hair. Yelling at me to cast the Ring into the fire, your voice shook me free from my thoughts.

No, I did not want to cast the Ring away. Not when so much could be gained by using it for our own ends. Images came to me of us side by side, hands entwined, sitting on mithril and jewel encrusted thrones, ruling together, the worlds of Elves and Men forever bound with our love. I could join you in your immortality thanks to the Ring, and we would never have to experience the loss of one another.

I smiled, and turned away, simply saying "No." I knew that you would follow me, asking me why, demanding that I throw the Ring away, and badgering me in general. I would have swept you into my arms, put the Ring on, and whispered in your ear all that I had thought. We would have returned to the camp, and made arrangements together before retiring to spend the night in each others' arms.

Yet you did not follow me. I was halfway down the path before I realized you were not behind me. Finally, you came to me back at the camp. Your eyes were beyond sadness -- I had never seen such grief in them. What had happened?

"Isildur, I ask you once again, come with me, and cast the Ring into the flames." Your voice was heavy with sorrow.

Ah, I saw. You were still concerned because you knew not of the great plans I had for us. You were unaware of how the Ring could have changed our lives for the better. I hurried to explain all, but the look did not leave your face. You only shook your head silently and sighed. You insisted I would not be able to master the Ring, and that it was already controlling me. I was in disbelief. How could you lack faith in me? Did I not strike the Ring from the hand of Sauron? Did I not rid us all of his presence? I did this for us, and I claimed the Ring for us, and I did not understand how you could not want this. Our wills were strong, and we could have achieved anything with the Ring in our service.

I moved to you, reaching out my hand to caress your shoulder and reassure you. Yet you moved away from me, looking at me with fear and disgust. Why did you recoil from my touch? Had you no faith in me? Did you think that even my flesh was tainted by this piece of metal? It was a precious gift, and I wished only for you to see that. We would have been able to banish the darkness forever. Why did you not see this? Why did you walk away from me, your shoulders bowed by some invisible weight? Why did you not heed my calls?

I never saw you from that day forward. You broke camp, and left immediately with no further word to me. How could you have cast our love aside so easily? How could you leave me so that I die here, alone, stabbed through by orc arrows? The Ring is gone from my hand, I know not where it has gone. You are gone from my life, and now that very life slips away from me. I see your face in my mind. You are smiling at me, and you manage to look strong and beautiful all at once. I will hold that image as all fades away. It comforts me as the darkness comes. I know that I am not alone, for I love you.