I really wanted the last story to be continued, and you continued it right up untill Gimli and Legolas sail. That's very thorough - I couldn't have asked for more. Yay!

I like the way Gimli talks Legolas into sailing, though I'm saddened that the Dwarves only respect Gimli from afar, and he has few true dwarven friends.

Silvan elves - do they have legends about the valar? Or do they just worship Illuvatar, the lands of Middle earth and leave it at that? I don't know, I'm querying it only because they never made it to Yavanna's home in Valinor, so she might not have been able to tell them tales of how the plants first came about.

I was in TEARS. Great story!

Always thought that Gimli and Legolas had one of the most intriguing relationships in books, and this story was a great tribute to it! Loved it!

This was so cute! Sad, but cute. I always love Gimli/Legolas friendship stories because they remind me so much of ym friend and I

I want to thank you for writing this. I have been reading fanfiction for nearly 10 years and never before has a story made me cry nor moved me like this one did. I have read many stories and very few get me to tear up but NEVER has a story actually made me cry before.

When a story moves you so much, you find it very hard to criticize anything about it and ultimately that is how I view this story. I write this very rarely, but your story is perfect. This is one of the greatest stories of friendship I have ever read in my entire life, fanfiction or otherwise.

I think Tolkien would be very proud of the work that you did. You managed to shape out Gimli and Legolas more vividly in a single oneshot than the many stories on here with multiple chapters. I love the themes that you write about: Friendship, love, brotherhood, the passage of time (which was nicely woven with the rowan tree metaphor btw), loss, grief, death etc. I am also glad for the mention of the friendship between Faramir and Legolas. So few have realized it in fanfiction but it really strikes a chord especially with the way Legolas is trying to come to terms with mortality. I also loved the subtle politics that you threw in and that you mention that their friendship couldn't have been favorable for their respective clans given the history of the elves and dwarves and their fading races.

There are so many things I wish to commend you on but I fear that this review and too long already nor do I have the time to commend about everything I like. I might as well copy your entire story in my review. If there is one more thing I must mention, I must mention the ending.

"If I am the reason you tarry, then I can also be the reason you leave!"

"Gimli—"

"And I say to you that you must leave! I will not have your blood on my hands! You cannot ask that of me!"...But they were a failing people, and in defiance of this, they were stepping away from the world around them. And in so doing, they were also stepping away from Gimli, for he could not follow. In a sense, both he and Legolas had become things of the past, clinging to a friendship that had outlived its time."

Simply wonderful. And I love the open endedness of this. If I recall, Tolkien only mentions that the two friends sailed to Valinor. He never actually mentions if they reached it. But in my heart, and I think Tolkien would have wanted it too; I will always think that they did indeed reach the Undying Lands together. Thank you again for such a wonderful piece! Now excuse me while I go dry my tears.

This is a beautiful story of a great friendship. I love the characters, the rowan, and how you deal with the sea-longing and the distrust of their separate peoples.

It is the deep understand those two have for each other that makes their friendship so beautiful.

I love the deep understanding that Gimli has of Legolas. I also love that you told it from his perspective it was nice to read it written like that. And I like the way that you have little tidbits of Gimli slowly becoming a stranger to his family and his race. And all of the little political things in there to him. I love the depth of friendship that you put in there :)

Absolutely amazing. It has been some time since I first read this, but I still consider it one of the best stories on this site.

There are too many things I loved to list them all, but I think the passage of time element is what really stood out for me. I also like the inclusion of so many characters - it made the story feel more authentic, more like a chronicle of their lives. I wish I could find better words to describe how much I enjoyed this.

Again, spectacular job. Thank you for sharing with us.

This is absolutely beautiful and masterfully written. I was quite upset when it was over! :j

What an awesome story! I laughed, I cried, and I didn't even have to kiss three bucks good-bye (Hardware Wars).

Seriously, though. It was an awesome friendship story, and bringing in the rowan tree to symbolize that friendship in a changing world is wonderful.

The characters are well-drawn, motivations are there, and it is pulled together so nicely.

Beautiful.

Wow! Superb.

I teared up a little. This was wonderful! The relationship between Legolas and Gimli doesn't get nearly enough attention in this fandom. Thank you for writing this.