Final epilogue! I think I might cry.

Here's the link to the sequel: (it's probably going to censor the FanFiction site link, so just copy/paste.) s/9618745/1/Reawakening

Approximately 80-some years in the future, just outside the Druids' tree in Stormwind.

A tiny, jovial laugh made Norivana's own lips twitch at a smile of her own, and she glanced over at the source of the sound. A good-sized swallowtail butterfly had fluttered over and landed on the forehead of the pink-haired toddler sitting in the flowers and was fanning its wings lazily while the tiny elfling giggled uncontrollably.

"Looks like you've made a friend, Nyela," Norivana smiled, and she walked over and sat in front of her eighteen-month-old daughter in the patch of soft flowers.

Nyela squealed happily, craning her eyes up to try to clearly see the giant butterfly on her forehead but not actually grabbing it. The insect fluttered its wings and flitted away after a moment, off to a new patch of flowers, and Nyela watched it go with wonder on her face.

"That's a butterfly," Norivana said, "Do you like butterflies, Nyela?" Nyela's glowing eyes flicked to Norivana, watching her intently. Norivana wondered how much she could actually understand and how much went right over the little elf's head. Nyela was surprisingly smart, but she tended to just listen rather than engage in conversation, so Norivana was never sure if the girl could tell what she was saying.

Nyela looked back over at the butterfly and pointed at it, making a word that sounded almost like, "Dat!".

Norivana smiled. "Butterfly," she repeated, and Nyela turned her head to regard her mother again, her eyes wide and ready to take in all they could. This was a game Norivana was developing for the girl in which Nyela would point at something, and Norivana would say its name.

Nyela let a little smile grace her tiny lips, and she looked around for something else. "Dat!" she pointed at a tuft of seeds on the stem of a tall blade of grass.

"Grass," Norivana said. Right now, her toddler was being surprisingly well-behaved and Norivana was finally getting a much-needed break as she sat in the flowers and relaxed with the girl, enjoying the peaceful springtime evening.

Nyela stared at the blade of grass, studying it for a moment, before looking up at the tall tree nearby. She pointed at it. "Dat!"

Norivana glanced back at the tree. "Tree," she said smiling at her daughter, "You know the word tree, don't you?"

"Tee," Nyela replied back, but then scrunched up her face and pointed back at the tree and shook her head. "Dat!"

Norivana cocked her head, following the girl's direction.

"Oh," Norivana laughed when she finally realized what Nyela was pointing at. "That's Sarion," Norivana said.

Nyela stared at her wide-eyed, so Norivana began to speak.

"Sarion is sleeping there. He was Mommy's and Daddy's friend a long, long time ago," Norivana said almost wistfully as she looked at the wooden form of the elf. She looked back at Nyela, who was listening intently, looking at her mother while she spoke.

Norivana continued, "He is happy. He's with his brother, and they're getting into all kinds of trouble together."

Nyela blinked a few times and looked over at the outline of the man in the tree. She sat there, studying it for a while, scrunching her face adorably as she focused on it. But then, her eyes flicked to something beyond the tree and she let out a loud squeal of excitement and laughed, tumbling forward as she got to her feet and began running.

Norivana stood, ready to grab the toddler lest she do something dangerous, but she then saw why Nyela was so excited and relented. Lucian was approaching from the other end of the forest, loaded down with packs over his shoulders. He'd been gone for two weeks on a mission with Edoril, off in Kalimdor, where they'd held a meeting with some Horde emissaries to discuss trade routes and to update certain policies.

Norivana had missed him far too much, and apparently, so had Nyela.

The tiny toddler ran to her father, who, when he saw her, began laughing and set down his packs at his side. He held out his arms to her.

"Dada!" she exclaimed shortly when she reached him.

"There she is!" he greeted her, sweeping her up into his arms. "Goodness, I'm gone two weeks and you're twice the size you were when I left," he exclaimed.

She laughed happily, giving him a big hug around the neck and a kiss on his stubbly cheek. Norivana smiled and approached him, standing up onto her tiptoes to steal a kiss as well.

"Hey there," he smiled at her affectionately, "I take it the world didn't explode while I was gone?"

"Well, not yet," Norivana smiled, "But the day's not over."

Lucian laughed, and he picked up his packs again, carrying his daughter in one arm and his packs in the other.

"Ah, I missed my girls," he smiled.

Norivana smiled, too, happy to have him back, and happy that her family was now complete.

She took his bags from his hand, relieving him of some of the weight, and the three of them walked back toward their tree, off to spend the evening together as a family.

Just a big, final thank-you to everyone who followed me this far in this story. I'm getting all cheesy and emotional here, but let me at least say, you're all awesome! I can't believe it's over, but I certainly feel accomplished now!

Now off to click the "complete" box in the story manager. *sniff*