And here it is folks, this is it, the final chapter! It all ends here. As I've said many a time, its my first ever fanfic and now its over! I was so sad writing this chapter, I didn't even know this would be the last one until I started writing it. Strange how these things write themselves...

Anyway, Enjoy the last ever Chapter sniffles

Chapter 22

It had been many days now since the catastrophe of the Tower of Orthanc and many wounds were beginning to heal. The mental ones along with the physical scars. However, many people bore wounds that would never fully heal. Loss was one of the worst of these. It tore at the heart like a vulture and left you alone with nothing else to cling to but memories. It was a time of rememberance for all and everyone was ready to say goodbye. There was nothing else to do, save to move on, but some found this difficult and they tried so hard to let go, but within clung onto the hurt because it semeed to them like the only way to ensure that the lost ones were never forgotten

Nienna was one of those deeply affected by this. Her physical wounds caused by the explosion had healed fast, but inside, the sadness in her heart was like an ache. She had lost her best friend, and many more friends besides. Enelya had died, crushed by that terrible explosion that the Orcs had unleashed under Sarumans command. She wished she could return and show the Wizard what she thought of him. But it was too late now, he was gone. Death seemed to sweet for him. She sighed to herself. Anger would not heal the hurt. Nor would crying every tear she had within her and more. Only time could help.

The Elf sat alone on a bench under the tree's, listening to the sounds of the birds and the little rivers. She was so lost in her thoughts that she never even turned her head when Eowyn appeared beside her on the bench.

"It still pains you doesn't it?" said Eowyn softly, leaving the Elf beside her the opportunity to say nothing

Nienna turned "It does, sometimes I wander if the sorrow will ever leave me. Enelya was my best friend for many years, since we were Elfings in fact. And now, she is gone."

"It will fade with time. It never leaves, but you will learn to live with it. I should know. I lost so many in the War of the Ring"

Nienna nodded slowly "I know, its just so hard to know that I will never see her again. Never is a long time. I will never see her in the havens..." her eyes were filled with tears and she turned her head so that Eowyn would not see "I will sail without her." That loosed the Elf's sadness and finally the tears poured forth.

Eowyn hugged Nienna hard and the two of them sat there for a long time. Sometimes it helped to cry.

Aragorn walked briskly through the forest. It had not been very long since Legolas had been allowed to leave his bed, with strict instructions "Not to Tire Himself" instructions which Aragorn was well aware that the stubborn Elf would break as soon as he was unwatched by others. It came as no surprise to him that he had been unable to find his friend for the better part of two hours and was wandering around a forest hoping to simply find the Elf by accident. Inwardly he cursed Legolas being a Wood Elf

He was also absolutely certain what the Elf was doing. He would be making sure that he still had his old ability with his weapons. Aragorn would murder him however if he discovered Legolas attempting to use his bow with his hand in the state it was in. It could cause more damage to the fingers.

Yet, he could not truly blame Legolas for doing it as he was well aware that he himself would do precisely the same in similar circumstances, indeed, he had been known to. But, he was not going to sit ny while Legolas injured himself further through sheer obstinateness. He continued along his chosen path (if it could truly be called a path) hoping to catch a glimpse of Legolas.

Half an hour later when Aragorn had just been about to give up, he found Legolas. The Elf stood inside a small clearing that would have been virtually invisible from the outside to any not trained in tracking. He was holding onto his bow and was just beginning to draw an arrow. Aragorn nearly dived in to stop him, but checked himself when he saw several more arrows already embedded in a tree trunk not too far from where Legolas was standing. The tree had a large knot in it that Legolas was supposedly aiming for, but although all the arrows were very close to the centre, none had actually hit it.

Aragorn was pleased to see that Legolas was at least using his good hand to draw the bowstring, thus relieving some of the tension on his hand. He was hopeful to see that his friend had at leat that much sense.

Legolas drew back the arrow and concentrated hard. He needed to hit it! He could not be an archer if he could not hit a simple target. He focused his attention and pulled the bow string. Suddenly he loosed the arrow. It hit the slim tree once more, but slightly above the target. Legolas groaned and leant back on a tree, pain stood out clearly on his face and he allowed the bow to fall to the ground fixing it with an expression of disgust as though it had conspired against him so that he would miss. Aragorn deemed this a moment where he should reveal himself. He stepped out from behind the tree he had watched behind.

"You cannot expect to be able to go back to your old skill imediately, mellon nin. You are still healing!"

Legolas turned round startled "Aragorn! How did you find me?"

Aragorn grimaced "Which much difficulty, do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Wood Elf in a forest?"

"I can imagine." Legolas looked irritated at having been interrupted, but Aragorn was not to be put off so easily

"You know when they said "Do not exert yourself" I do not think that they meant "Go and push your newly healed injuries by firing arrows at an inocent tree!"

Legolas sighed "It is not so easy to wait Aragorn. My hand must heal! I am an archer! I need to be able to shoot." He stalked up to the trees and began to pull out the arrows embedded within it with his good hand. "I can only pray that what Saruman did to me in his tower is reversible. Without the use of my hand I cannot fight and I cannot shoot. That is what I have been trained for Aragorn! Without it I am nothing!"

Concern for his friend flitted over Aragorns face, this was the first time Legolas had spoken openly about their period of captivity. It would be so hard for the Elf to accept that he might loose his ability to shoot, even Gimli could see that.

"It is not your fault Legolas. Like I said, you must give it time or your injuries will never heal themselves.if you want to get yourself into trouble like that and live then this is an effect that you must accept."

A smile flickered on the edges of Legolas mouth for a moment at Aragorns words, but then determination filled them "Spar with me Aragorn!"

"No!" Aragorn was shocked not only by the request, but by the desperation that had entered his friends words and eyes "I cannot endanger you like that! Legolas, stop being a fool. I do not wish to loose you up again!"

The man had allowed some anger to enter his tone now. The anguish that had peirced his heart when he had seen Legolas lying on the ground in Orthanc had been to much for him and feared that any harm should come to his friend now that he was finally safe and at least walking around again. But the healing could be so easily reversed in one moment of carelessness. It was hard for both he and the Elf to accept, but it had to be done.

At Aragorns words, Legolas felt saddened. He knew the pain he had put his friend through already and was determined not to cause him any more. "I am sorry Aragorn." He said, his fair voice full of distress "I did not mean it so!"

Aragorn was at his friends side in an instant. He smiled at the Elf warmly, a gesture which the other returned (clearly glad that Aragorn was not going to give him any further trouble about trying to practice) and the two of them left the clearing together to return to the others for the evening meal. The rest of the Fellowship were waiting for them to join them and doubtless, the Hobbits were having trouble concealing their wish to eat everything before the last members arrived.

The members of the Fellowship sat around a beautifully carved wooden table eating and drinking with old and new friends. The celebratory banquet had been delicious and everyone had eaten much. There was much to celebrate, for a great evil had been vanquished from Middle Earth and soon all would return to their homes, far away from terror and fighting. The Elves would continue to root out the remaining Orcs, but this posed little problems for them as they were expert trackers and the Orcs were divided and leaderless. They were probably only concentration upon finding the deepest darkest hole possible.

However, there was much to mourn as well. Many Elves had fallen, Elves who should have had many ages to live and scars had ben left on souls that would be there forever. The Elves would be mourned and remembered and their names would never be forgotten. This was one of the curses of immortality.

Not wanting to add anything to these Elves suffering, everyone had kept silent over the things that Saruman had told them deep in his dungeons. Very few of them even believed what the old Wizard had told them about immortality, but it was in the past and they would likely never know. They had only to decide.

The Fellowship were to travel home in a few days. All would go with Aragorn, Faramir and Eowyn and stop at Gondor for a short while before going their seperate ways. Legolas would return to Mirkwood and explain to his Father exactly what he had done this time, Gimli to his Father and his people, and Gandalf would do as he always did. He would disappear to involve himself in great deeds, but always he would return at need for his friends.

The Hobbits in particular felt their love of the Shire calling them home. It had been too long since they had seen their little Hobbit holes and their families. Sam missed his wife and baby. Well almost all the Hobbits felt the need to return. Frodo had been silent throughout most of the meal. Sam turned to him and spoke

"What do you reckon we shall do next Mr Frodo? Do you think our time of making it into the great tales has passed?"

"I think I shall sail for the havens Sam" repled Frodo softly and sadly "I feel the longing in my heart to leave as I must. I was granted the gift to sale for a reason and I think I will soon obey the call of the sea."

At this Sam was deeply moved and set about trying to convince Frodo to stay, but Frodo smiled at him, a smile that was markedly different from the smile of all those years ago when they had first set out of Bag-End with no knowledge of what lay before them and said

"Do not fear, my dear Sam. Everything will come out alright."

All over now! On behalf of myself, my writing demon, my plot bunny, several random Orcs and Elves that I created and all my friends that I forced to help me no matter if they wanted to or not- Thankyou for reading this!

I enjoyed writing this immensly and I hope to see you all again on my future fanfics (check back in December!)

For the last time: R and R!!! Cya around!!!