Epilogue

Icy blue eyes gazed upon the tombstone before him, a gentle smile playing upon his lips and a flower twirling around in his fingers.

"They are all doing well, my friend," he said gently. "Maliel has just become a grandmother, Naruvir has a daughter now and Caladel is finally beginning to settle down at last. My father and Kirion joined us last summer and they settled down beside Hithel and Gwaur, my father adoring his knew grandson and soon to be granddaughter. Aewon has just started sword training, although it's mostly for sport and nothing else.

"Gandalf still misses your companionship when smoking his pipe, but he's enjoying himself pestering Galadriel and Celeborn so you don't have to feel sorry for him. I think Gruinor is the one who misses you the most apart from me, there was no doubt that you were kindred spirits… He's still an old bachelor and I don't think that will ever change. Pengon and Roben are living together, though, unable to find anyone who could understand what they had been through except each other."

He blushed and looked down as he scratched his head, a stupid grin on his lips. "You're probably laughing up there, wherever you are, but… Faneth is pregnant with a baby girl. We are going to call her Emelin, just like we had planned to so many years ago… before everything happened." Legolas huffed, a brief look of pain appearing in his eyes before he took a deep breath and smiled wryly.

"No doubt, they are all wondering where I am right now," he continued. "Faneth should know, though, she always knows where I am." Warmth blossomed in his chest. "I just wanted to come and tell you that everything is going all right here… I just wish that you could be here to see it old friend… The fellowship ended so long ago…"

He reached out and traced Gimli's name upon the headstone before looking down the line, gazing at the names of Sam, Frodo and Bilbo. There were all gathered here in the glade, flowers of athelas growing upon their graves and vines climbing up their gravestones.

"Legolas?"

He looked up to see Faneth entering the glade, one hand on her slightly rounded stomach as she smiled to him. She came up to him where he was sitting in front of Gimli's grave and placed a hand on his shoulder, his spirit immediately latching onto his and filling him with warmth.

"Hey there you old rascal," she said with a smile upon her lips as she gazed at Gimli's tombstone. "I'm sorry, but I will have to borrow my husband for a little while."

Legolas stood up in response and placed the flower he had been twirling around behind her ear, giving her a loving smile. He drew her closer for a moment and kissed her softly before placing his hand upon her stomach and feeling the baby within latch onto his energy and draw strength from him.

"Come, they are all waiting for us," she told him gently, reaching down to place her hand in his.

They walked together out of the glade, Legolas glancing back once but otherwise following her with peace in his heart and they walked through the forest. It wasn't long before they came through an opening in the trees, leading into a large clearing by a waterfall. Everyone had gathered there and waved at them when they saw them. A large blanket was spread out upon the grass along with baskets of food and wine. Naruvir and his wife were by the pool under the waterfall, monitoring the children as they splashed around in the water.

Legolas felt a smile spread out on his lips.

He was home.

And the audience sits in complete silence as the final notes of the story slowly fade in the wind. Lord, it has been a long journey this one and I couldn't have made it through it without all of you on the sidelines, urging me on and encouraging me, wherever you may come from, whoever you may be.

So far it is unknown if this will be the last story in the series, we'll have to see what the future brings us, but for now I would like to say farewell and it has been a pleasure.

Thank you, all of you, for everything,

HelloDenmark