Author's Note: Well, here it is. The last chapter. *sniffle* Actually not really. I still have an Epilogue left, but still........I'M GONNA MISS ALL YOU GUYS!!!! *sniffle* Okay hold on. *grabs tissue and blows nose* Okay, I'm good. I'm not really gonna say much here because I'm gonna have a big long thing in the epilogue, so I won't make you suffer through it twice. ;-) Love you all!!

T.H.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning brought an early start as Sam and Frodo readied themselves to depart. Frodo rode on the horse that he called Strider, while Sam rode on his beloved Bill. Aria rode beside them on her own horse and they talked of old times long gone past, of the journeys of the Fellowship and the Destruction of the Ring. They camped in the Green Hills as the night fell. Sam quickly fell asleep, but Aria and Frodo remained awake as in olden times, for they had much to say to each other, much to say of the ideas in their mind and the feelings in their hearts. The next day, on the twenty-second of September, they rode further into the trees. At nightfall, Aria lowered her head. She knew that the time was almost nigh. It was almost the time that she would lose those whom she loved, unable to follow. It pained her, and the gentle sound of Frodo's voice as he sang cut her heart in two, for she knew she would never hear it again in this world.

Still round the corner there may wait,

A new road or a secret gate;

And though I oft have passed them by,

A day will come at last when I,

Shall take the hidden paths that run,

West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

Her voice rose, singing with the gentle voices that seemingly answered in the vale below them. Sam, Frodo and Aria pulled their horses to a stop as the song broke out.

A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!

Silivren penna miriel,

O menel aglar elenath,

Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!

We still remember, we who dwell,

In this far land beneath the trees,

The starlight on the Western Seas.

Aria's heart throbbed as the Elven people rode to them, Elrond, Galadriel and the sleeping Bilbo. They greeted the hobbits with gentle words, but Aria did not move from her spot. Galadriel instead, after speaking a few words to Frodo and Sam approached her on her white horse. "There is much sorrow in your heart." She whispered. "That is not hard to see sister. You need only look at my face, rather than probe my heart to find that information." Aria said quietly. "Your time will come. Then you will join us." Galadriel said comfortingly. "But when will that be? I know not. Many years, and those that I love are being taken from me, away to a place where I cannot follow. You, Gandalf, Elrond, Frodo." Aria faltered as she said the names lovingly. Galadriel watched her for a time before placing her fair hand on Aria's. "We shall be gone, but you shall have your husband, and soon your children. You will not be entirely alone. Besides," Here Galadriel leaned closer to Aria and whispered gently in her ear, "My mantle is always around you." Aria's eyes met with the Lady of the Wood's and they were both silent as they proceeded to the Havens.

When the group arrived to the Havens where the great boat lay, Aria looked upon it and saw Gandalf standing there waiting for them. On his finger was the third ring, Narya the Great, its stone red as fire. Aria slipped from her horse and approached him and he greeted her with a smile. "So you have come to see us off. Very good. I was afraid that you would not." He said. "How could I let my friends go without bidding them good-bye?" Aria asked with a sad smile. "Oh you could have. Many have. History is full of it. But now is not the time for that. Don't worry for us. You will soon join us. Many years from now, but how fast time flies depends only on you. Only you can make time seem to fly by or go slow. But you know that already." Gandalf said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I shall miss you terribly Gandalf." Aria broke out. Gandalf's deep blue eyes seemed to mist slightly, but it could have been an illusion, for the great fog around them was deceptive. "And I you young lady. We have had many good times together haven't we? Well, no worries. When your time comes, we shall have many more in our homeland. But how I shall miss you, Aria of Nethrana." Gandalf said gently, planting a small kiss on her forehead. Aria did not say anything, simply received his parting kiss and gave him a final squeeze before he let her go.

She stepped from the boat and turned around at the sound of quick chattering. Frodo was surrounded by Sam, Merry and Pippin. Aria watched as Frodo said his good-byes to them with tears in his eyes and moved away towards the ship. He stopped in front of Aria and looked up at her, tears slipping down his cheeks. Aria knelt down before him and put her hands on his shoulders. "You are brave Frodo. You are brave." She whispered. Frodo winced as if in pain at the sound of her voice, knowing that he would never hear its soothing tone again in this world. "I know. But, I wish you and the others were coming. At first I thought the reason you had come was because you were going to accompany us on our journey. But now I know it isn't so." Frodo faltered, dropping his blue eyes to the ground. Aria shook her head sadly. "I must stay here with my husband until the King passes into shadow. I feel that then, and only then will we join you in the lands across the sea." Aria whispered gently.

Frodo turned away, his small hand wiping the tears that fell before he turned back to her. Aria's heart pressed so hard against her chest that she felt it would surely burst if she spoke even the smallest word, but she managed to speak. She had to speak. Speak for Frodo. For Frodo. Her mind whispered as she swallowed inevitable tears. But before she could speak, Frodo spoke first, and his tone held nothing but a pure love that can only exist in a pure heart, in one who goes about his journeys alone, alone in his life and in his thoughts. "I shall miss you, and I shall await our reunion. I will look for you, every day. No matter what. Come what may. For I can never forget you." He said, the tears welling in his eyes once more. Aria said nothing, but pressed him to her as her own tears began to spill to the dust. Frodo's hands went around her neck as a small child does to his mother, his fingers pressing her to him, the space of his missing finger becoming terribly apparent as he did so.

Aria's lips gently fell upon the hobbit's tear-streaked face as she began to rock slightly, not only for his comfort, but for hers as well. Finally the two drew apart and stared at each other, their faces becoming calm, though they were tear-streaked. Aria's fingers gently wiped a tear that streaked its way down the hobbits cheek and let it fall. She smiled gently as she said quietly, "I have learned much from you, Frodo Baggins. Go with that knowledge. And go with my blessings and my love." And as she smiled, she repeated what she had whispered that fateful day on the banks of the river as Sam and Frodo first made their way to Mordor, "Farewell then Ringbearer. Our paths will cross once more. I guarrantee it. For I shall not allow you to escape me that easily. Be safe and watch for the dangers Frodo Baggins. Namarie." Frodo smiled gently before placing his small hand upon her face, looking deeply into her eyes before whispering,

A lasta quettanya Aria, U-renianthach i amar galen. (Listen to my word Aria, no more will I wander in the green fields of this earth.)

Hlasta! Dartho guin berian, mellon. (Listen! Stay with the Hobbits, friend.)

Boi ammen veriad lîn. (They need your protection.)

Then Frodo smiled wistfully, his fingers tracing a line down her cheek tenderly.

Êl eria e môr. U ni mellon. (A star rose out of the darkness. You my friend.)

Nauthannem i ned ol reniannen lu i erui govannem. (I thought I had strayed into a dream when we first met.)

I ammeni veriad lîn et U-beriatha nin. (I needed your protection and you protected me.)

U-Caled veleg, caled mellon, melanelyies. I renech U. (You are a great light, a great friend, most beloved. I will remember you.)

Aria smiled and a small sad laugh escaped past her lips as she gazed into the hobbit's eyes.

Mana elyi etevanne norie i melanelye Frodo, mi berian? (What drives you to leave that which you love Frodo, my hobbit?)

She asked him sadly, knowing the answer, and knowing that he too knew it as well. Frodo did not respond, but simply kissed her gently on the cheek and whispered,

Renech i beth in penneni? (Will you remember what I tell you?)

Aria smiled sadly and nodded. A smile flitted across Frodo's face as he watched her. As he moved his hand from her face, Aria quickly kissed it, smiling gently as he turned from her and onto the boat.

Aria watched him, then turned to her sister as she approached. They stood still, each eyeing each other. Though it looked to the naked eye that the two were simply staring, in reality, they were actually speaking to each other in their own minds, for sisters' minds are more in tune with each other, and are more willing to speak and listen. What they spoke, was unheard by human ears, but it was bitter and sad indeed. Finally, Galadriel reached out and pressed Aria close to her heart, not letting her go for several minutes. When they pulled apart, Galadriel smiled wistfully and spoke, "Do not be troubled, for we shall meet again in paradise." She whispered. Aria held her head high and nodded firmly. Galadriel turned away, but before she stepped upon the boat, she turned once more and spoke the words that she and her sister had spoken to each other long ago, when they were children. It had become a password to them, a secret code that they knew and used when they bid farewell to each other, and they did it now, for the last time.

Auta i lómë! (The night is passing!)

Aria breathed deeply and answered her sister in noble tones.

Aurë entuluva! (The day shall come again!)

Then Galadriel and Elrond stepped upon the boat and the anchor was lifted. Aria took a step backwards to stand beside the remaining hobbits. She put on hand on the shoulder of Pippin, and the other she gently clasped the shoulder of Sam and pulled him to her as his silent tears fell down his face. Then they watched as the ship floated mystically into the fog and they saw it no more. As the ship disappeared and the tears began to fall once more, Aria began to sing a song, a song she had been taught long ago, in the land of her people. Never before was it sung so beautifully as it was that day on the shores of the ocean of that land, for her tone was filled with longing, heartache and love. Far away, deep in the fog, Frodo raised his head that had formerly been resting in his hands. It was the last thing that he heard as they disappeared in the fog as they traveled to the land beyond the sea.

Know my heart is always near,

When your soul is far from here.

Together we shall be,

One and always free.

My soul shall fly alongside you,

My words will be there to guide you.

Guide you, till once more we shall see,

One we shall always be,

In the lands across the sea.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

But in dreams,

I can hear your name.

And in dreams,

We will meet again.

~ "In Dreams"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*