Please see the bottom for the author note~

Disclaimer: Tolkien belongs to Tolkien, and you, my friend, belong to Thorin.

The time finally comes for the fellowship to part ways one last time. You're very emotional as you bid Aragorn and Boromir farewell. It's only the first in a line of goodbyes that leave you a mess. You and Thorin travel with the fellowship until the hobbits veer off for the Shire. Legolas and Gimli stay with you the longest, but even they eventually depart for Mirkwood, leaving just you and Thorin and a lot of silence.

"I'm sorry you're upset, dearest," Thorin says gently. "They're always welcome to visit."

"I know. I guess I'm being silly. It's just that I've been with them for so long - but I really am glad to go back home. So, so glad."

It's only two more days from Mirkwood until you're on the homeward path. The Mountain rises strongly on the horizon. Filled with a sudden wild joy, you urge your horse into a run and whoop as the wind whips your face. Thorin laughs as he tries to keep pace with you. The two of you thunder over the plains in front of Erebor. From the Mountain you hear deep horns blowing, announcing your return. Dwarves pour out of the front gate to greet you. You're hardly able to act regal with all the ecstacy in your blood - you hug everyone within reach and cheer just as loud.

There's a celebration set for the next night that you are all about. You party so hard that you probably break some sort of record. Thorin is in just as bright a mood. The great hall is superheated from all the dancing and laughing and merriment and love; it's like being on the surface of the sun and you could not be more content.

The joy does not end there. A few short months later, Tauriel has her baby. A short labor produces a beautiful baby girl with a head full of Kili's hair and Tauriel's emerald eyes. Her tiny ears are more rounded than her mother's, but they still end in a distinctive point. They name her Nitha, and she captivates everyone lucky enough to hold her.

It's around her first birthday when anything but bliss enters your mind.

It takes only a simple letter from Frodo to remind you of Lady Galadriel's promise. The only thing you'd asked of her upon leaving Lorien was to let you and Thorin come to the Undying Lands when the last ship leaves. You had of course been victorious, and you know she would never go back on her word. But there was still the matter of bringing it up to Thorin, let alone convincing him.

You make up your mind to drop the bomb one balmy evening when you and he are relaxing alone on the secret porch. After taking a fortifying gulp of wine, you begin hesitantly, "Thorin, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Thorin immediately shifts his attention from the stars to you. "Anything, my love."

"I, um...I need to...I want to tell you about my past."

"Are you sure? I know you do not like to speak of it. You needn't make yourself uncomfortable."

"No, I want to." You take a moment to organize your thoughts. You obviously can't tell him the full truth; you tweak it just enough to be understandable but still true. "I'm from a land far from here. I had a home and parents and friends there, and I was happy. Honestly, I never dreamed I would get to come here. It was, you could say, a surprise. But I guess I was chosen, and I was sent here with the knowledge to try to make things right."

Thorin is listening intently, his brow slightly furrowed.

You can't help a small smile. "I knew of you before I came here, and I loved you then."

"Yes, I remember you told me that once. How is that possible?"

"I knew enough about you to love you. You turned out to be even better than I ever hoped. That you came to love me in return is still the greatest thing that will ever happen to me. I want to be with you forever. But the thing is...only I have a forever in my future."

Thorin's expression clouds. "I was hoping we would not have to think of that for a while," he murmurs.

"Well, the thing about war is that it makes you confront mortality a bit more harshly than you'd like. So I made arrangements a while ago to possibly prevent that final separation."

"To prevent death? Aniel, you have worked many miracles, but even you cannot grant immortality."

"Alone, no." You hesitate again. "I want you to keep an open mind and hear me out."

"I am listening."

"Before we left Lorien, Lady Galadriel presented each of us with a gift. She did not know what to give me, so she asked what I wanted. I told her that I wanted a place on the last ship out of Middle Earth to the Undying Lands...so you and I would never have to be parted. She gave me her word."

Thorin's eyes are wide as he stares at you. You hold his gaze uncertainly. He finally whispers, "You...want to leave? Leave all of our family and friends, our home, forever?"

"No. I don't want to leave them. I'll miss them every day. But I'm selfish: I want you more. Still, I told Galadriel that if you would not come, neither would I. I don't ever want to be without you, but I would rather spend every one of your days together than live forever alone."

"I have heard that Elves are immortal, save for lethal wounds and the agony of heartbreak," he says very quietly.

You nod.

"This is...a heavy matter. Do I have time to consider it?"

"Of course! The ship does not leave for years. I just wanted to tell you so you'd have enough time to think it through fully. And Thorin, I want you to make your decision based on what you truly want. I'll stay with you always, no matter what you choose."

He kisses you gently. "Thank you, love. I will give it all necessary consideration."

You bite your lip. "Are you mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be? You have only spoken out of the truest love, a love that I share for you. Put it out of your mind. It's a beautiful night, and you look ravishing."

You squint at him. "Are you trying to flirt me happier?"

"Is it working?"

"Yeah, weirdly enough, it is."

The months turn into years, and you forget the conversation in the flow of ups and downs of life. Nitha grows into a bright, eager child. Fili marries. Aragorn and Arwen have their son. Many beautiful things happen, and all of them in an age of peace. It's rather shattering, then, when a letter in impeccable script arrives for you.

Dear Lady Aniel,

The time has come for me to fulfill my promise to you. We will be at the Grey Havens in one month's time. If you and Thorin will be accompanying us, please meet us there. If you have chosen not to come, I wish you happiness and peace for the rest of your days.

Galadriel

Anxiety fills your chest. Only a month? Had Thorin even made a decision, or had he pushed it out of his mind? What would he say if you bring it up? You don't exactly have time to put it off, so you unwillingly seek him. He's coming up from the kitchen and seems to be in a particularly good mood. He greets you with a kiss. You hate to rain on his parade, but you pull him into a side room.

"What is it?" he asks, realizing your expression.

You simply hand him the letter. He grows more serious with each word. Finally he sighs and looks up at you.

"I don't know if you've thought about it at all," you begin hesitantly.

"I have. I've had plenty of time to think, after all."

"And?"

"It was a difficult decision, I'll admit. But in the end I realized that your love changed me to the soul. I never want to be parted from you for any reason, especially death. I told them long ago that there would come a day when we would have to leave. I suppose that day has come."

"You mean - you want to go?"

"Yes. I will follow you to the ends of the earth and beyond."

"Are you sure? You must be absolutely sure, Thorin - if we go, we cannot come back."

Thorin takes you in his arms. "I made my decision long ago, perhaps even longer than I thought. But my decision is final."

You can only rest your head on his shoulder. You're stunned that he would choose to leave everything - friends, family, home, the only land he ever knew - to be with you forever. Your heart thuds in your chest. You've never been this full of love for Thorin. It won't be easy to leave, you know that, but in the end you'll be together.

The parting is quiet and terribly emotional. It's almost painful enough to beg Thorin to stay. You want to stay and watch Nitha grow up, to see Fili's children, to grow old with all of your friends. But the price of that would mean one day losing Thorin forever, then wasting away until you die as well. So you sob your heart out but do not change plans.

The journey to the Grey Havens is uneventful and quiet. Due to the lack of conversation, you wonder if Thorin resents you for making him choose between you and his entire life. You voice this to him one evening. He spends the rest of the night thoroughly reassuring you that that's not the case at all. You arrive at Bag End to spend the last few weeks with Frodo and Bilbo, who had returned to the Shire several years ago. You complete the last leg of the trip with them.

"There's no going back," you murmur to Thorin as the two of you stand on the dock, staring out over the sunset-kissed ocean. "Once we board, that's it. You can still change your mind."

Thorin looks at you with that half-smile you've seen a thousand times before but are still dazzled by. "There is no choice, Aniel. Not for me."

"Alright."

You slowly walk onto the boat. Thorin follows you with utter surety and takes your hands. He kisses you and then whispers in your ear, "Be it in Middle Earth or some distant land, in this life or the next, I will always love you, Aniel."

You look into his eyes and think back so many years ago to the night your entire life was once nothing more than a dream, where you could only wish to be where you are now. The sun slips lower as the boat glides soundlessly across the water, taking with it the rainbow of colors and leaving an inky expanse in its wake. You can just make out the pale twinkling of stars preparing for another night. They're the ones truly responsible for you being able to stand in front of the man you love, and you know in your overflowing heart that you will be grateful to them for as long as you'll love Thorin, which coincidentally is forever.

I cannot believe that this three-month spectacle is over. Forty chapters, almost 100k words, and more joy than I've ever experienced writing something. It has been an absolute honor to go on this journey with you all. Thank each and every one of you for all the support you've given me.

I'm totally going to take this time to say that we have not seen the last of this beautiful couple! One wonderful follower requested a spinoff that takes place during the 60 post-hobbit pre-lotr years. It'll be a series of somewhat connected glimpses into your and Thorin's life. Also be on the lookout for my Pirates of the Caribbean reader insert saga, The Will of Tides. I hope to see all of you again for more adventures! 3