So . . . It's been something like eleven years since I posted the last chapter of this. I owe my readers many apologies, I know. I've been a very bad writer. I am sorry.

I'd pretty much quit writing fan-fic for several years and was focused either on schoolwork or original writing projects, but I did feel that I owed you a final chapter. It's very different from what I usually write these days, so it was something of a challenge. I don't do third person much anymore, much less anime fanfiction. Anyway, here it is. Finally.

Elven Rites: The Rite of Lovers

"The final rite is private, human, and I expect even you know what's supposed to happen in it. Or are you really that naïve?"

Parn waited for Deedlit in the quiet forest glade. She had gone to change clothes, though he thought that it was a little odd that she wanted privacy for it. They were married now, after all. Surely, he was allowed to see her without clothes now?

Then she stepped into the clearing, dressed in a long, thin translucent dress. It shimmered in the moonlight, so that it almost seemed that the stars were reflected in it. Beneath her slender form was plainly visible. Over the years, Parn had seen Deedlit naked or mostly naked on several occasions, but somehow this was different. Before it had always been a case where other matters of importance had been too urgent to fully appreciate what he saw, or she had been injured, which was an even greater distraction from her loveliness, or his own courtesy had forced him to avert his eyes.

Tonight, she wanted him to look and appreciate, and he knew it. It made all the difference in the world, so he stared at her with open admiration, taking in the beautiful woman that he was now married to. It felt like a miracle.

It was, he also realized, the first time that they had been truly alone together since the evening he had proposed to her. There had been a few brief moments inside the maze of fire, but he had known that there were others nearby, watching them as they traced their path through. After that, there had been the beautiful chaos of the celebration, and there had been no time to steal a quiet moment like this one.

Parn had always liked the quiet moments best, and there had been many of them over the years while they were traveling together. "Why did this take us so long?" he asked her.

Deedlit laughed. "I don't know. I guess, we were too afraid." She shrugged, then spun lightly on her toes, so that he could see her from all angles. Her feet were bare on the carpet of moss. The thin material of her dress flared out around her as she spun. "Well, how do I look?" She giggled playfully.

"You're always beautiful, Deed," he told her honestly.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, sir knight." She took a light step forward. "Well, what now?"

Parn blinked at her in surprise. "You don't know? I mean, I thought I was the one who was supposed to be too pure for this world, but I do know what happens when you're alone on your wedding night."

Deedlit shook her head. "That's not what I meant. I just . . . I wondered if you wanted to go somewhere specific or if you were ready or . . . ." A hint of blush came to her fair cheeks. "Or I may have just wanted you to take the lead."

Parn's mouth formed a silent "oh." Then he smiled. "I can do that." He stepped towards her, a little awkwardly at first, then with increasing confidence. As soon as he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing the High Elf closer to him. She felt cool in his arms, and she was trembling slightly. This was new to both of them. "Let me know if I do something wrong," he whispered in her ear, before lowering his lips to hers.

It was typical of Parn, Deedlit mused, to think that he could do anything wrong at this point. In the end, whatever happened would be perfect in her mind, because she was here with him. She gazed into his eyes, staring into their blue depths. When his lips left hers ever so briefly, she whispered, "I love you."

Parn tried to respond, even as he kissed her again, so his words were somewhat muffled, but she could definitely make out that he loved her too.

Deedlit pressed herself against him, enjoying how warm and strong he felt. No, there was no way that he could do anything wrong tonight.

Parn deepened the kiss, and Deedlit felt as if her entire body melted, like butter on a warm day. All hint of anxiety was gone, there was only love and joy at what finally lay before them. She allowed him to lower them down to the mossy ground and closed her eyes.

The moments that followed were simultaneously awkward, frenzied, relaxed, painful, and beautiful. They were the most wonderful moments of her life, and afterward, Deedlit rested her head on Parn's chest, very aware that this was only the beginning of a very short and very sweet part of her life.

She did not intend to miss a minute of it. There were many hours left in the night, and they were even sweeter than the ones that had preceded them.

When the sun rose, they picked sticks out of their hair and wandered back to the village. The bonfires of the previous night's celebration were still burning, and many of the elves were asleep around them. Others were still clustered around the fires, talking quietly. It was impossible to know if they had been up all night or if they had slept and woken again.

As Parn and Deedlit approached, a woman rose from the fire and walked over to greet them. It was Ellismar.

"Good morning," Parn said in a subdued tone. In truth, he felt like had not slept at all, though he could not bring himself to care.

"Good morning," Ellismar echoed in a pleasant tone. She seemed fresh as a newly spring flower. "So tell me, Deedlit, how many stars fell last night?"

Deedlit blushed brilliantly red. "Ellismar!"

"It's traditional to ask," Ellismar replied in a smug tone. "And traditional to answer. How many stars, Deedlit?"

"Three," Deedlit said in a tight voice, and Parn was suddenly able to guess what the Elven euphemism referred to. "And it's also traditional to feed the bride and groom, so I want fresh fruit, pastries, and tea."

Ellismar laughed, but she and the other elves at the fire became a frenzy of movement, and the next thing Parn knew, he and Deedlit were sitting at the fire with an array of food before them. Until he took his first bite, he had not realized how hungry he was. He had eaten little during the days of the Rite of Winds, and during the previous night's celebration, he had eaten only lightly, too distracted by Deedlit and the significance of the ceremony.

"So, what comes next for you, Deedlit?" Ellismar asked, as the other elf stuffed food into her mouth. Deedlit was clearly just as hungry as Parn felt.

Deedlit paused between bites. "I'm not sure. I assumed, we'd leave again soon. I can't really imagine staying in one place for very long anymore. Can you, Parn?"

Parn thought about it around a mouthful of honey-drenched pastry. "Maybe someday." He thought about the comfortable house he had once lived in, before their adventures started. "It can be nice to have a home. But not yet, I think." He frowned. "I don't really feel like we're done, you know? I think Lodoss still needs us."

Deedlit met his eyes. "That's exactly how I feel," she said softly.

"That's because it is the truth," a cool voice stated from behind them.

The newly married pair turned to find Deirolya standing behind them. She was an ominous presence there, and a chill ran down Parn's spine. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Deirolya moved almost imperceptibly beneath her hooded cloak. "I am not omniscient, but I can see the movings of fate in the events that surround you. There is a power waking in Lodoss that has long slept, and you will be at the center of it, as you have always been."

Parn took Deedlit's hand in his own, the bliss of the previous night already beginning to dissipate. "Can we beat it?" he demanded in a quiet, yet intense tone.

"I can sense the workings of fate, but I cannot see the future." Deirolya paused, then added, "Still, I can say that there is always hope."

They spent the rest of the day catching up on lost sleep and blushing when various elves asked Deedlit intimate questions, thinly veiled in metaphor. Parn had gotten very tired of hearing her assure them that, yes, the moon had been full last night. The whole thing was rather embarrassing.

Deedlit's family at least left them be. Melinar, especially, was no where to be seen. Parn had expected the young elf to be foremost among their tormenters, but neither he nor Deedlit's father appeared at all that day. Seralin ate lunch with them and asked Deedlit how much longer she intended to stay. Deedlit had not had an answer for her, but had promised to tell her at dinner the next day.

They spent that night much as they had the night before, though afterward, as they lay in each others' arms, they had the time to talk.

"How long do you want to stay?" Deedlit asked him, her head lying on his chest.

"We can stay as long as you want to," Parn told her. "I know it was a very long time since you came home last."

Deedlit sighed. "It was nice to come home, but I think I may be ready to leave again. I've been thinking about what Deirolya said, and I think we should go soon. If there's something coming, then we should be ready for it. I don't think we can hide here in the forest for long."

She was right, Parn thought. He had a horrible feeling that something awful was looming just out of sight. He was a little relieved that she was ready to leave. "Then when?"

Deedlit mused for a moment, then said, "I think tomorrow should be the last day. That will give me enough time to say my goodbyes, but we can still be on our way soon."

Parn nodded. "Whatever you want, Deed."

The following day flew by, and Deedlit said her goodbyes to her family and friends. They slept one final night on the moss beneath the trees, and then they rose, prepared to return to the life of travelling and heroics.

They left at sunrise, not wanting to drag it out. It was time, and they both knew it.

"You know," Deedlit mused as she hopped up behind Parn on his horse. "Etoh and Slayn will be angry that they weren't here."

Parn looked over his shoulder to smile at her. "I don't think they will. I think they'll just be glad that it finally happened." He paused. "But it might be better to let them know first thing."

"It's been a long time since we've visited Slayn," she agreed softly.

They said no more, because no more needed to be said. They were long-time companions, after all, friends long before they were wed. Deedlit sighed quietly to herself. She hoped that the next years would be long and good, though she knew that time would fly past her. There was no way of knowing what would happen, but for however long they had together, she was determined to revel in it.

And the finally ends the story. The more epic story hinted at in the final chapter? I don't know if I'll ever write it, but it was how this story was intended to end, so it remains. Beyond that, there is no knowing what the future may hold, though it is far from the priority on my list of things to write. So, if this is the end, I hope you have enjoyed it. If it is not, we'll meet upon another journey some day, but this one has finally led us home.