Here it is, the final installment of I Keep Looking For Something More! Please go to the last page after you're done for some housekeeping notes and a note about prequels/sequels. Enjoy!
"Breigel! Where are you?! It's not funny anymore!"
The young elf scowled darkly as he searched the gardens one more time as his stomach rumbled loudly. It was getting dark, and they were already late for dinner. He was supposed to keep an on eye on Breigel, but it was an impossible task. Fed up, he stopped, crossing his arms.
"Fine! You stay here. I'm going to get dinner." He made to turn around, but ended up bumping into someone instead.
"Saelhir, did you lose my daughter again?" Saelhir looked down guiltily, shuffling his feet.
"I'm sorry, my Lady. She wanted to play hide-and-seek. I've looked everywhere for her! I don't know where she's gone."
"It isn't your fault," Lady Tinwe said, a small smile gracing her features as she saw a tree move ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye. "Her father trained her a little too well, I think. Breigel, would you please come down. It is time for dinner."
"Coming nana," a quiet voice called back. Saelhir looked around and glared at the little elleth as she climbed down out of a tree a few paces away.
"I told you climbing trees was cheating!" Saelhir said, his face screwed up in a pout as Briegel came skipping over to them, her emerald eyes twinkling and her blond hair dancing behind her.
"But I like climbing," Breigel said, a mischievous smile on her face as she looked up at the older boy. "Just because you're afraid doesn't mean I am."
"I'm not afraid!" Saelhir countered. "Gelfaer and I climb trees all the time."
"Not tall ones like me," Breigel said as Tinwe ushered the arguing elflings towards the dining hall. "You only climb the little easy ones."
"I do not!"
"Do too!"
"That's enough, you too," Tinwe said patiently as they entered the hall. "You can argue about this again later. Saelhir, your father was looking for you, so you best go find him. If you want to sit with us after you speak with him you may."
"Okay," Saelhir said, giving Breigel one more nasty look before disappearing into the throng of elves, searching for his parents. Breigel ran off in the opposite direction. As she approached one of the tables, she leapt up gleefully, wrapping her arms around the neck of one of the seated elves.
"Ada! Guess what I did today?!"
"What did you do today my little cherub?" Legolas said with a smile, prying the little elleth off of him and setting her down on the bench.
"I climbed the highest tree in the garden and beat Saelhir at hide-and-seek!"
"The highest tree, hmm? Did you go all the way to the top?"
"All the way up! Saelhir's too scared to find me up there!"
"Just you wait. Soon Saelhir is going to be racing you up those trees. Where is he, anyway?"
"Thorontur wanted to see him," Tinwe explained, sitting on the other side of Breigel. "He may turn up here shortly."
Sure enough, Saelhir soon appeared at Tinwe's elbow, so the elleth was obliged to slide over so he could squeeze in between Breigel and herself.
"Did you get in trouble?" Breigel asked, sounding genuinely concerned for her friend, all thoughts of the early argument gone.
"No, ada just wanted to tell me that we are going to Minas Tirith in the morning. So I can't go fishing with you tomorrow."
"Aww, why do you have to go to Minas Tirith?"
"Ada volunteered to help with the coronation, and Gelfaer was going anyway to help Lord Eldarion. We are staying in Minas Tirith until the coronation."
"That's over a week away!" Breigel exclaimed, distressed to hear that her friend was going to be gone for so long. "What am I going to do while you're gone?"
"Don't worry," Legolas said, running his fingers through his daughter's hair. "We will be in Minas Tirith soon enough. We just have to wait until your grandfather gets here."
"When will he be here?"
"In three days if all goes well," Legolas said with a smile, kissing the little elleth's forehead.
Legolas and Tinwe were woken abruptly three days later as Breigel launched herself at them shortly after dawn.
"They're here! They're here!" she cried, shaking Legolas's arm roughly. "Wake up!"
"Alright, we're up, you little monster," Tinwe said, sitting up with a yawn. "Go get dressed so we can greet them."
Breigel raced off into the other room, leaving Tinwe and Legolas to dress as quickly as possible before they were attacked once more and dragged out to see the new arrivals.
Several minutes later, Legolas and Tinwe descended the steps after Breigel, who raced down them towards the parade of horses entering the village.
"Grandpapa! Grandpapa!" she called gleefully, weaving in between the horses. The riders carefully avoided her as she made for the tall white horse right in the middle.
"Breigel! Sellnin! Look how big you are!" King Thranduil dismounted as his granddaughter rushed towards him, enormous smiles on both their faces. She laughed as she flung herself into his arms, letting him pick her up and spin her around before putting her back on solid ground. "How old are you now? Twenty?"
"Grandpapa! I am only six and a half!" Briegel replied, exasperated.
"No, that's not right. You must be older than that. Just look how big you are next to Nimlu." Thranduil picked up Breigel again, this time putting her in the saddle. "I bet you can ride him all by yourself. Especially if you take after your mother."
"Nana doesn't let me ride by myself yet. She's afraid I will be really good at riding and she will never be able to find me."
"Is that so?" Thranduil said with a laugh, leading Nimlu forward as the rest of the riders disbanded. "Are you sure it isn't just to keep you nice and safe?"
"No, she is right," Tinwe said as Thranduil and Breigel drew closer. "I think she has far too much talent for her own good. She would be galloping all the way to the Glittering Caves by herself if I let her ride."
"Is Gimli coming soon, Ada?" Breigel asked, distracted by the mention of caves she loved. "He hasn't visited in ages."
"He is very old, melamin. It isn't as easy for him to travel as it used to be. But he will be here soon, don't worry."
"How are you both?" Thranduil asked, hugging both Tinwe and Legolas. "I know Arwen's death was hard on both of you."
"We were well prepared for both her death and Aragorn's," Tinwe said with a sad smile. "They will be missed, but they spent many happy years together and that is what matters. And Eldarion is more than ready to take the throne. I believe he will make an excellent king."
"That is good. I'm glad that there will be a worthy steward to watch over Middle Earth once we are gone. I never meant to stay as long as I did."
"I know naneth will be extremely happy to see us once more," Legolas said with a smile. "She has been alone in the West for far too long."
"Indeed she has," Thranduil said pensively. "But let us focus on the now first. There is still plenty to prepare before we depart."
"Grandpapa! Look at me!" Thranduil smiled up at his granddaughter as she sat on a tree branch thirty feet in the air, swinging her bare feet back and forth happily as they dangled below her.
"Aren't you the little squirrel, climbing so high like that? You better be careful or your mother will have to climb up there and get you."
"Nana doesn't climb trees, silly," Breigel said as if the idea was absurd. "She's a lady."
"That sounds almost like a challenge," Thranduil said, his eyes shifting to Tinwe with a mischievous sparkle in them. "I think Breigel needs a climbing lesson."
"Hmm, I think so," Tinwe said, crossing her arms as she looked up at the little elleth in the tree. "I can't have my daughter thinking I can't do things just because I'm 'a lady' as she put it."
Tinwe had once again adopted her domestic personality after having Breigel, but that didn't mean she had lost her strength and agility. After the loss of her son, she made sure to train several times a week. She just made sure that Breigel wasn't around so the precocious child wouldn't take it upon herself to try and learn sword fighting. Despite this, Tinwe could not let this challenge go unmet. She deftly leapt up and grabbed the lowest branch, swinging herself up onto it and proceeding gracefully up to where her daughter sat, reaching the branch parallel to the one Breigel occupied in a matter of moments. The little elfling's eyes grew wide as she stared at her mother.
"How'd you do that?"
"Years of practice," Tinwe replied with a smile. "Once you are older I'll tell you all the stories of my adventures, but right now we need to be getting down. I can see the dwarves are entering the village."
"Gimli's here!" Breigel said happily, starting down the tree. Tinwe gave the girl a head start, before descending just as gracefully as she had ascended, landing lightly on the ground as she watched Breigel climb down the last few meters.
"I warned you," Thranduil said, grinning as his granddaughter jumped down next to him. "You can't escape your mother."
"I know, I know," Breigel said with a sigh. "But we have to go see Gimli now!"
"Ah yes, the dwarf," Thranduil said, his mind drifting back to years ago. "Well, let us not keep him waiting. I'm sure he will want to see you, my dear."
Tinwe and Thranduil watched as Breigel disappeared ahead of them, off to find her father's best friend.
"She is growing more like you every day," Thranduil said with a smile, offering his arm to Tinwe. She returned his smile and took his proffered arm as they walked slowly towards the village center.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Tinwe said with a sigh. "Thankfully, she will be safe in the Undying Lands. She won't be able to wander off recklessly like I did."
"I find it amusing how your opinions on the subject have changed since her birth. Just a few decades ago I recall you telling me you wished to go back East again."
"I would have liked to see Wealdul one more time," she replied, referring to the grandson of her first friend in the East. "He reminded me so much of his grandfather. It is one thing to risk my own life. It is altogether unthinkable to risk another child's life."
"You still think of it often?" Thranduil asked softly, putting his free hand over the one Tinwe had on his arm.
"Every day. I look at Breigel and wonder what it would be like if she had a brother to play with. I am glad she has Saelhir, and he is basically family, but he is not blood."
"I don't expect those scars will every truly heal," Thranduil said as the pair came closer to the village center. "But you don't know how grateful I am that you have Breigel. Not just because I wanted grandchildren, but because I can see how much happier you have become since she entered your life."
"She is truly a blessing, though I frequently forget that when I have to deal with her wild antics."
"I can only imagine," Thranduil said, smiling as he caught sight of Breigel trying to help as several dwarves propped up Gimli as the ancient dwarf climbed out of a wagon.
"Is that Breigel?" Gimli wheezed, squinting at the elleth and stroking his gray beard as he leaned heavily on a thick wooden cane. "Goodness, you are almost as tall as me."
"I have grown two inches since we last visited the Glittering Caves," Breigel said gleefully. "Did you bring me anything?"
"Breigel! Leave Gimli alone," Legolas said, appearing from the direction of the Anduin. He approached the old dwarf with a smile on his face. "How are you my friend?"
"I feel like every bone in my body is aching, but it feels good to be back here. And to see my favorite elfling again. Come here, my dear." Breigel eagerly drew closer to him as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. She peered closely at it as he unfolded the cloth square, revealing a tiny white stone box decorated with precious gems.
"My hands haven't lost all their skill yet," Gimli said, holding out the box for Breigel. "Consider this an early birthday present. It's carved from stone found in the Caves."
"Wow, thank you Gimli!" Breigel said taking it from him and examining it closely. "Look at the details, Nana!"
"It is beautiful," Tinwe said, bending down to look at it. The sides had delicately carved images of dwarves and elves working together in harmony.
"And how have you been, my lady?" Gimli asked, looking up at her. "Busy keeping this one in line?"
"Both her and her father," Tinwe laughed, resting her hand lightly on top of Gimli's wrinkled one as it gripped the cane tightly. "I rarely get a moment's peace between the two of them."
"As it should be," Gimli said, allowing himself to be led towards the cottage he and his kin occupied whenever they came to visit. It had last been used one year ago, when Gimli had come to Gondor for Aragorn's funeral.
"We will be gone for a few days, my friend," Legolas said, walking beside Gimli as he hobbled forward on his own, refusing offers of assistance. "We will be going to Minas Tirith for Eldarion's coronation. Everything is ready, so we should be able to sail as soon as we return."
"I look forward to it. It will be worth all that blasted sea travel to see Lady Galadriel one last time before my death."
"I do hope that is a long way off," Legolas replied with a smile. "But I am sure Lady Galadriel will be pleased to see you as well." Gimli grunted, his fingers reaching for the locket around his neck, which still held the three hairs Galadriel had given him all those years ago.
"I think I am going to take a nap after all that travel. Wake me up when you get back from Minas Tirith."
"Very well," Legolas said, amused. "We will be back soon."
The elves returned from Minas Tirith three days later following the crowning of King Eldarion. There were not many elves left in the Ithilien, as most had already left for the West, but three ships had been built to ferry those that remained into the Undying Lands.
"Saelhir, wait up!" Breigel called as she ran after her friend as he made for his brother Gelfaer, who was busy helping his father with last minute preparations.
"I can't believe we are all together again," Tinwe said with a smile, looking around at all her friends who were gathered on the docks as she held her husband's arm. Elladan was there with his wife and their young daughter, Merilwen, as was Elohir, along Tinwe's parents. King Thranduil was talking with Thorontur and Icaria, smiling as Gelfaer tried to get Saelhir and Briegel to stop arguing. Gimli sat comfortably on a bench, talking with his kin as he waiting to board the ship. Balamaethor, Raina, and Erynion greeted Tinwe and Legolas as they approached.
"Your father is hiding his excitement well, Legolas," Balamaethor said with a smile. "He has waited far too long to join your mother in the West."
"I am glad they will finally be together again. I too miss her, but I know it was particularly hard on my father when she left."
"Did you ever meet the Queen, Tinwe?" Raina asked, eyes shifting to the other elleth.
"Once, when I was very young, though I doubt she would remember me."
"Queen Ellissiel doesn't forget people. She will remember you, no matter how long ago it was," Raina said as Balamaethor nodded. "I too will be glad to see her again."
Their conversation was interrupted by a high pitched scream. The elves looked around to see Breigel running towards the most recent arrival, launching herself at him happily.
"Faelon! You've been gone for ages! I missed you!"
"I am sorry, El. I had a lot to do before leaving," he said with a broad grin on his face as he picked her up in an enormous hug. "Have you been behaving yourself in my absence?"
"I have been practicing climbing," she said, ignoring the question. "You should see me climb to the top of the tallest tree in the garden."
"You're just going to have to show me by climbing up to the crow's-nest once we are out at sea," he said smile still on his face as he carried Breigel towards their parents. "Since you ignored my question, I guess I'll have to ask your mother how you have been behaving."
"Dreadfully," Tinwe said seriously, though her eyes were full of mischief. "Impossible child she is. More than once I had to lock her in her room to keep her from getting into trouble while you were gone."
"Not true!" Breigel said, a look of horror on her face that her mother would fib about this. "I was good! Honest!"
"Well I hope you were, or I won't be able to give you your present."
"A present?! What present?"
"I don't know, do you think she deserves a present, Tinwe? Legolas?"
"She's been fairly good the last week, so I guess she can have a gift," Legolas said, smiling at his daughter, who grinned broadly as she wrapped her arms tighter around Faelon's neck in excitement.
"I think if she gets any more gifts she's going to turn into a spoiled rotten child," Tinwe said with thinly-veiled humor. "She already got a gift from Gimli a few days ago, and Eldarion gave her a knife yesterday, though she won't be getting that for a couple more years. I'd like her to make it at least a decade before she loses a finger."
"Well I didn't get you a knife, but I think you'll like this," Faelon said to Breigel as he started carrying her away. "Your mother might not be so thrilled though."
"It is easy to see who her favorite is," Tinwe said with a smile as the little elleth began chattering excitedly in Faelon's ear.
"She is his favorite too," Balamaethor said, watching his son put down his companion before letting her climb onto his back as they continued away from the group. "I was talking to him the other day and he was wondering if you would let him give her sword fighting lessons. He thought perhaps you would rather do it, Tinwe."
"I think she would be more willing to learn from Faelon, but we have a few years before we need to worry about that. I have no doubt someday soon she will come begging to have a sword."
"She is too much like Tinwe sometimes," Legolas said, kissing his wife's fingers. "In a few years she will be beating Saelhir senseless with a wooden practice sword."
"Poor Saelhir," Raina said, watching the young elf quizzing his older brother about the ship.
"He'll be alright," Tinwe said, her eyes also on him. "I'm giving him a head start so he's ready for when Breigel starts her lessons." This made Raina and Balamaethor laugh.
"I think it is time we left," Thranduil said, appearing next to Legolas and putting a hand on his son's shoulder.
"Eager to leave, are you?" Balamaethor asked, smiling at the King.
"Is it that obvious?" Thranduil asked cheerfully. "Come, Legolas, I will help you with your dwarf friend. He looks too comfortable to leave."
"Don't let it fool you; he is as eager to leave as you. Probably more so, considering he has only a little time left in which to see Lady Galadriel before he dies."
"Fair enough," Thranduil said, walking with his son towards Gimli, who looked half asleep.
"Nana! Look what Faelon got me!" Tinwe stopped and watched her daughter skipping towards her.
"Oh no, Faelon, you didn't."
"I couldn't help myself, Tinwe. Legolas said you might not approve."
"You knew about this?" she asked, turning to glare at her husband as he was helping Gimli up the ramp.
"Well it isn't a sword," Legolas said in response, smiling back at Tinwe. The elleth sighed, looking around at her daughter, who was now standing at her feet with a bow that was bigger than she was, and a quiver of arrows on her back.
"You must be the tiniest archer I have ever seen," Tinwe said, unable to hold back a smile at the look of delight on Breigel's face. "Alright, you can keep it, but you are not allowed to use it on the ship. Wait until we get to Aman."
"Aww," Breigel said dejectedly, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. Faelon knelt down beside her and whispered something in the elleth's ear, making her perk up excitedly, before racing up the ramp, squeezing past Thranduil as he helped Gimli onto the ship.
"What did you tell her?" Tinwe asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," Faelon said innocently. "I just may have pointed out that she can use the time on the ship to practice climbing instead."
"She's going to fall into the sea, isn't she?" Tinwe said heavily, shaking her head. "You're the instigator, Faelon, so you better keep an eye on her."
"I will Tinwe," he said with a laugh, hugging her shoulders before heading up the ramp.
Tinwe sighed again, looking behind her at the Ithilien. She'd seen all the corners of Middle Earth in the 2000 plus years she had spent here. Once again, she wished she could have gone south one more time, to see the great forests there. And to go back into the East. But as she turned to go up the ramp, she saw her daughter halfway to the crow's-nest, and her husband directing traffic as they prepared to depart. She had seen a lot over the years, but nothing brought her as much happiness as being with Legolas and Breigel. Tinwe stepped onto the ramp and climbed up onto the ship, ready for her next adventure.
Thanks everyone for sticking it out with me! I hope you enjoyed this story, which took me 4 years to write (!). As I said, I have a note at the end about my other stories, including a prequel that is essentially done so I will begin posting it shortly. I would love to hear from you all, so please send your final reviews!