It has finally come to the last chapter and I feel a little sentimental. I hope you had enjoyed reading this story and if you didn't like it, I am sorry my writing and plot are not right for you. For those who have enjoyed and reviewed, thank you very much for your support! Before you start, I must warn you there will be explicit love scene in this chapter. You can skip the paragraph if it bothers you.

By the way, I have decided for Dennis Oh to portray adult Uireben.

11. The Choice

It was like in the state of drowsiness where her senses were partially aware of the surroundings but not quite awake to comprehend fully what was actually happening. Her eye lids felt heavy. Her body felt a dull ache in the back of her mind but other than that it was quiet in her mind. She heard a voice. A voice not coming from her mind, but her ears. A voice so familiar. A voice she had not heard for a very long time.

Vivienne…

"Mommy, I miss you. Why are you sleeping all the time? But dad said you can hear us."

Oh Vivienne…

"Do you know where Hisashi is? Obāchan said he is in a good place. She didn't tell me where. Can you find him? I don't want him to be alone."

She wanted to open her eyes but there was something stopping her. A force she did not understand. Her heart broke at her daughter's words. Her daughter would never see her son again. Suddenly, flashes of memory from the night before she woke up in Imladris plagued her. There were tremors of shaking that woke her up from her slumber. Her son had also woken up crying next to her. She heard the sound of cracking from the ceiling and jumped up from the bed. She was only halfway through the room and the ceiling collapsed on her back, thus knocking her son off from her arms and her flat on her face. She felt excruciating pain, so much that her vision darkened. The sight before she fell unconscious haunted her. Her son was lying across from her grasp, unconscious and lifeless. She cried at the memory like it had just happened yesterday.

"Don't cry, mommy. I will always love you."

Vivienne's voice was a balm to her invisible wound. She wished she could have seen her one last time. There was a flash of light in the darkness of her mind. Vivienne's face appeared for a moment before it disappeared into the darkness again.

I will always love you too, baby…

She received the closure she needed when she heard the response from her daughter.

"I know, mommy."

In the darkness, she felt alone. She reminisced the memories in Middle Earth. It wasn't long before she was returned to the state of drowsiness again and this time she heard her mother's voice.

"I know you can hear me, Min. I need to tell you something important before you go."

Okaasan…

"I asked the witch to save Hisashi's soul."

The witch?

"Remember I used to tell you bedtime stories of a God who was banished from Heaven? We are his descendants, descendants of Susanoo. The body of water calls to us. Just like how you were always fascinated by the waterfalls, I am bound to the sea."

What? The God of Sea and Storm?

"Unfortunately, we are also banished from Heaven. We… we are immortals. Some of our ancestors have lived for decades. We never really age after thirty. We use illusions to mask our immortality. I was going to tell you about it. But I was too late. If we die of tragedy, our souls are trapped here. We become spirits that watch the Earth. Hisashi… he is too young… too young to be trapped in a soul on Earth. That was why I have asked the witch to save his soul. The witch has the ability to send his soul to another world where he can live. But because he is only an infant… I have to make sure he is taken care of. I had them send your incomplete soul to where he is as well. I- I am so sorry, Min. It is better this way. You have no future here. You will be trapped in a body that cannot move even if you live. You have been in coma for a month and your mind has been unconscious. It is only today I felt the presence of your conscious mind that I knew I had to tell you all these. You should let go when the time comes. I- I will take care of Vivienne. I will tell her the truth when she is old enough and not wait as long as I have waited for you. I love you, Min. Go… go back to Hisashi!"

She had no words for her mother's revelation. She was confused with how she felt. She was feeling all sorts of emotions ranging from anger to sadness. Her mind felt tired and she let herself slipped into unconsciousness.

No, no… please just send me back to where I was before I am in this darkness… I can't take it anymore. What other secrets are you revealing to me?

She had accustomed to the transition of her mind to the state of drowsiness. It no longer came as a surprise when she heard another voice.

Gabriel…

"Josh… I- I don't know where to start. It was the worst day of my life when the firemen dig out Hisashi and your body. I thought I have lost both of you. You survived… but I might as well have lost you… Your mother told us of the curse in your family. When your bloodline dies, their souls are trapped in this world. I did not believe her but my mother did. It turns out my family has secrets too. My mother is a witch."

It was then she connected the dot. Her mother had gone to Gabriel's mother to ask for help.

"When I was a boy, she once told me that we are the descendants of magic. She never brought up after that and I never took it seriously. My mother went to my grandfather and asked for help. Both of them have done a ritual and sent Hisashi's soul to another world. They never told me where. They also sent part of your soul there. Because you are still alive here, they could not completely send your soul over. But grandfather said the time will come when you will be presented a choice. A choice to stay here or the other world. I hope you choose the other world so Hisashi will have you with him. I know things have been difficult between us that we have drifted apart. But I want you to know, there was a time I truly loved you. My mother always knew we were not meant to be. That's why she wasn't happy when we were together. When you got pregnant with Vivienne, she knew it was fate and that we could not outrun the fault of my grandfather. Our love was cursed. I hope wherever you are you will find love where you didn't with me."

Oh Gabriel… I'm so sorry… I loved you once too…

She felt brightness behind her closed lids and decided to open her eyes, surprised that it wasn't being forced shut like other times. Her vision took a moment to clear from the haziness. Everything was white when she looked around. There was nothing but an empty space. Suddenly, she felt a presence before she saw him. It was Eru Ilúvatar. She recognized because Thranduil had shown her a picture from a book in his library.

"Are you ready to choose?" asked Eru.

"Is it even a choice? Either choice has a huge sacrifice," she said gravely.

"It is fate. Hisashi had to pay for Pallando's mistake. A mistake he now knows as grave," said Eru.

"Pay for Pallando's mistake? He's just a child!" she yelled, angry that her son had to pay for a mistake not of his own.

"I am sorry, my child. One day, you will understand the balance and cycle of the universe. Now I must ask for your choice," said Eru.

In her mind, there was never really a choice to begin with. The moment she found Uireben in Mirkwood, the choice had been decided long ago.

"It is no choice. It is fate," she said bitterly.

"I believe your heart has chosen."

She fell into darkness again and in the darkness she heard a voice she had missed since the darkness had be fallen on her from the beginning.

Come back to me, meleth nín. Come back to us.

There was no one else but one who called her meleth nín.

Thranduil…

~ *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** ~

She felt the familiar feeling similar to when she first woke up in Middle Earth. Her eyes fluttered and opened, it was hazy for a moment before they focused. She saw him sitting on the chair next to her bed sleeping with his eyes glazed over. Her throat was parched.

Thranduil…

And it was like he had heard her. She watched his eyes returned to life and focused on her.

"Meleth nín!"

She felt warmth from the endearment. He lifted her head slightly up and fed her water. Once she was done, he held her cheek and she automatically leaned into his hand. She closed her eyes for a moment to soak herself against the warmth of his hand before opening them again and smiled lovingly at him.

"You had scared us… especially me, meleth nín. You have been unconscious for a week," said Thranduil.

"Uire?" she whispered, voice rough from being unused.

"He's safe. Legolas and Vanya have been distracting him mostly. He's been asking for you," he replied.

She sighed in relief.

"My brave foolish woman, Morfind said you held against sixty to seventy orcs to let him escape with our son. He was sure you would not make it," he whispered brokenly.

She brought her hand up to caress the side of his face.

"You know I had to," she whispered.

"I know, meleth nín. If it wasn't for Legolas, I would have lost you," he said.

She looked at him confused because her last memory of Legolas was that he had stayed in Minas Tirith.

"He was the one who caught you when you fell. Lady Galadriel had sent him a letter before she departed to Valinor that he should go to the mountain near the Sea of Rhûn. She did not tell of the purpose but it is important that he was to be there," he explained.

It was then she remembered Lady Galadriel also told Thranduil to allow Uireben to follow her to Aragorn and Arwen's wedding. It was meant to happen so her soul could travel back to Earth to make a choice.

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he watched her staring into space for a moment.

"It was fate. She told you to let Uireben follow me. I was meant to fall so my soul could travel back to my world to make a choice," she explained.

His eyes widened at her revelation.

"Have you chosen then?" he asked worriedly.

"I am here. Guren min gaim lín," she said to assured him of her choice.

He smiled at her with joyful tears in his eyes.

"Le melin," he professed.

"I love you too, aran nín," she replied and smiled.

"Will you give me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked.

"Isn't the ceremony in October?" she asked confused.

"Let me rephrase that. Will you, Garthel, daughter of Lord Elrond, give me the honor of bounding yourself to me in the ways of my kin?" he asked again.

Her eyes widened at his implication.

"Are you taking advantage of my inability to run from you?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

He laughed.

"Glad you still have your sense of humor. Even if you did, I would chase you across the stars to get you back," he declared his devotion.

"Thranduil…" His declaration of love for her was so loud and clear.

"Say yes," he probed.

She smiled at him.

"Yes, meleth nín. I will be your wife," she said.

He captured her lips fervently, pleased with her response. She couldn't help herself, she moaned at his overwhelming passion. She had missed him.

"I have good news for you," she said when he released her lips.

"What is it?" he asked while kissing along her jaw.

"Apparently, I am not a mortal," she said and he stopped his kisses to stared at her with wide eyes.

"I will tell you more on it later. And a whole lot of family secrets I have discovered. Now, let me sleep for a while. I felt like I've been run over by a horse," she groaned exasperatedly.

He laughed at her dramatic expressions.

Her wound had healed faster than anticipated by the expectation of Lord Celeborn. She deduced it might be related to her immortality. Thranduil had been very pleased with the progress and had arranged to depart from Amon Lanc the next day to go back to Northern Mirkwood.

During the journey, she told him what had happened when she was unconscious here. Her soul had traveled back to her world where she heard the voices of her daughter, mother and husband. She watched him grimaced when she said husband. She chuckled at him.

"Estelio enni. Guren min gaim lín. Le uivelin."

She told him of her real heritage and also the heritage of her husband. She also told him Eru Ilúvatar had appeared before her to ask for her choice, and that Uireben had to pay for Pallando's mistake. They came to the conclusion that Gabriel's grandfather might be Pallando and that he had travelled to her world. It was further confirmed by Haldir when he returned from the East to inform them of Pallando's disappearance.

"I could not find Pallando but stumble upon Alatar. He said Pallando had been missing for decades. It is believed that he had traverse to another world," said Haldir.

Thranduil and Garthel discussed more of her immortality because they do not know the extent of it, whether she would be able to sail to Valinor when the time comes like the elves. She told him not to worry. The answer will come to them when it wants to. She told him about the phenomenal experience in Falls of Rauros where she had dived from the top with Legolas. Thranduil had been astounded by her action.

"I could not help it, Thranduil. You know I am not a reckless person but the falls called to me and I knew I had to do it. Now I know why they called to me. I am the descendant of Susanoo, the God of Sea and Storm in my world, each of his descendants is bound by the body of water. My mother had said she was bound to the sea. The man I saw when I hit the water in Falls of Rauros was Susanoo," she explained.

"I believe you, meleth nín," he said.

When they returned to the Halls of Thranduil, the Elven King had thrown a feast to celebrate the successful establishment of the southern border at Mountains of Mirkwood and the truce with the Beornings. During the feast, Garthel had given his first dance to Thranduil before Legolas asked for his turn. He teased her endlessly about becoming his nana. She had gasped at his jest and swore if he doesn't stop, she will set his father against him. They both laughed.

She returned to Thranduil on her last dance. Right as they finished, he had sneaked her away from the feast. She had run from him and made him chase her to his private garden. He caught her when she tripped on a root of the tree. He pulled her closer to her, their lips almost touching.

"Remember that night? I said I will catch you if you fall," said Thranduil.

She stared at him lovingly.

"Estelion allen," she replied.

His lips met hers and she got lost in their passion. She was only more aware when she felt his lips left hers and travelled down her jaw to her neck. When he sucked on her flesh, she moaned his name and his arms tightened around her back. They started stripping each other's clothes off. When they were both bare and standing under the tree, he said, "You're beautiful even covered with scars. You're mine, only mine."

He ravished her mouth as soon as he finished what he said. His hands travelled the contour of her body, memorizing them into his mind. Her hands were not idle as well. They were busy mapping each of his scars. When she reached his rear, she squeezed them which caused him to moan and release her mouth. She giggled at his reaction and jumped away when he tried to pull her closer.

They tumbled down onto the grass when he tried to catch her again. His long silver hair fell on the sides of their faces like a curtain. He captured her lips again, making it more swollen than they already were. She arched her body against him when she felt him caress her breasts. Her core brushed against his arousal causing both of them to grind further against each other for the friction gave them even more pleasure. She felt him stretched her when he entered her.

It had been very long since she had have sex. She didn't think they were having sex now. It felt more like love making. When he filled her to the hilt, she moaned his name. The dull ache in her chest slowly dissipated and replaced by the connection of their intertwined souls. She felt his pleasure that mirrored her own. It wasn't long before they got over the overwhelmed feeling and he started to move in her.

If she thought him filling her was intense, him moving against her caused her body to tremor with overloaded pleasure. Her body arched against him, her thighs tightened around his hips and her toes curled. She felt the familiar feeling of an impending orgasm. He knew it too for he had picked up the pace and thrusted deeper into her causing her to moan again and again. She felt her mind exploded and even with her eyes closed she felt the brightness behind her lids. She came with his name on her lips. Her body shivered every few seconds still feeling the aftermath of her orgasm. There was another hard thrust from him before he spilled into her moaning "bereth nín".

~ *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** . *** ~

They received news from Aragorn that the remaining forces of Sauron had been driven out from beyond the Sea of Rhûn. After the incident of Uireben being captured, Aragorn had Eomer joined him in ridding off any remaining camps available. Thranduil and Garthel remained vigilant in keeping Uireben safe in Northern Mirkwood. They had their wedding ceremony in October which many honored guests have attended. Lord Celeborn, her brothers and sister, the members of the fellowship except those that have sailed to Valinor, Faramir attended with Éowyn, Eomer brought the daughter of Prince Imrahil, Lothíriel, with him, Haldir had brought an elleth he met in the East. It was one of the largest celebrations after Aragorn and Arwen's wedding. Garthel was crowned Queen of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood after the wedding ceremony. It was a week after the joyous occasion that Legolas had left with a group of woodland elves to Ithilien to start the restoration.

When Uireben became the age of sixteen, Garthel made good of the promise to the hobbits. She went to visit Sam, Merry and Pippin with Legolas and Gimli. They stayed with the hobbits for two weeks before she was being taken to the Glittering Caves in Helm's Deep and Fangorn Forest which had been restored fully since the war of the ring. When she returned to Northern Mirkwood, Uireben told her that he was going with Radagast the Brown to follow the path of Istari. Much to Thranduil's surprise, she reluctantly let him go.

It was on the 120th year of Fourth Age that Aragorn passed away. Legolas started to build a ship on the death of Aragorn. Once the ship was built, he sailed to Valinor with Gimli who was a very old dwarf by then. Thranduil was sad to see his son go, but he had yet to feel the calling from the sea. Garthel had not taken Aragorn's passing and her best friends' departure to Valinor very well. She lost Aragorn who was like a brother to her and her two best friends, Legolas and Gimli. But she stayed strong for she had promised to care for Arwen. The following year Arwen followed Aragorn's footsteps. Garthel decided to go to Imladris to spend time with Lord Celeborn, Elladan and Elrohir. It was when she received the news of Uireben's return that she travelled back to Northern Mirkwood.

Thranduil had been feeling the calling from the sea to sail to Valinor after Garthel went to Imladris. He held on to wait for his wife to be ready and also to see Uireben return. It seemed it was true that "a wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to".

That winter on 150th year in Fourth Age, Uireben returned from his quest. Garthel had also returned from Imladris after receiving Thranduil's message. They spent a year with Uireben before deciding to sail to Valinor. Garthel knew she had been granted to Valinor through a vision from Eru before the Fourth Age begun. It was the best news Thranduil have had besides Garthel agreeing to bound herself to him.

Uireben did not claim the throne but ruled Northern Mirkwood as a prince. He was known as the wizard who ruled under the title Prince of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. When all the woodland elves either sailed to Valinor or stayed in Ithilien, he left to Gondor and chose the fate of men. He helped Aragorn's descendants to rule, becoming one of the advisors of the King of Gondor until his last days. He never married.

-The End-

Obāchan – Grandma

Okaasan – Mother

Guren min gaim lín – My heart is in your hands

Le melin – I love you

Estelio enni. Guren min gaim lín. Le uivelin. – Trust in me. My heart is in your hands. I will always love you.

Estelion allen – I believe in you.

Bereth nín – My Queen