Legolas remembers the first time he saw Gimli again after they had parted to return to their respective homes. His beard was unkempt, matted—even, dared he say, thinner. When he tried to ask Gimli about it Gimli brushed the whole matter off, and Legolas did not bother again—he knew that dwarves held some secrets so closely that no one, not even a Dwarf-friend, would ever learn of them. And he was not the fool he had been earlier to try and learn.

Now Gimli’s beard is almost all white, and has grown to a most prodigious length. And Legolas follows him from the funeral because he has not been told to leave. Gimli knows he will follow and will tell him not to if he does not wish it. But when at last they reach a quiet alcove Gimli stops abruptly, takes the beads and clips from his beard, and pulls at it, letting out a strange, unearthly wail. Legolas cannot move.

When at last all is over Gimli turns around, and the grief in his eyes is so great that Legolas cannot help but weep for himself. If Gimli acted thus at Gandalf’s passing he never noticed it.

Legolas knows that dwarves do not take well to embraces, so he does all that can. He drops to one knee, and clasps his friend’s arm in his own, then deliberately plucks one of his hairs by the root and lets it fall by the wayside. Gimli nods once and together they leave.