A/N: Thank you all to those who reviewed this story, it was very much appreciated! Please review this last chapter to let me know if you liked the ending of this story.I had so much fun writing this. Bye for now...

Chapter 29

Homeward Bound

The sun now gave way to the darkness as the night was upon them. Not even the moon or the stars shone this night and gave a feeling for foredooming to the two who walked from the stable to the gardens. Aragorn and Merry approached the hobbits and Legolas who now awaited them. Legolas spoke to them and told them of his plan.

When they all headed from the gardens, Merry asked Pippin to wait. He had something to tell him. Pippin lowered his head as he listened to Merry tell him of Hatty's death and what had happened on the start of his journey. Merry hugged Pippin as he knew this news hurt him greatly. They too walked to their own rooms to get ready for what Legolas had just told them.

~*~

Cunning eyes that stayed in the darken corner of the corridor, watched the king's advisor shut the door and walk away from the King's chamber. Approaching and turning the door handle quietly, Legolas entered to speak to his father one last time.

"Why are you doing this?" Legolas asked as his father slowly turned to face him.

"I told you dwarves are not to be trusted, my son. They are thieves at heart."

"So you are willing to kill Gimli just to prove a point to me. You and I both know that Gimli did not steel this stone." Legolas pointed out to his father.

"I know nothing of the sort. He was found with the stone red handed in his bag, you saw this yourself."

"Gimli had no reason to take this stone nor has he ever desired this stone."

King Thranduil slammed his book closed and faced his son, "The dwarves have killed many elves to get their hands on this stone, your Gimli is no exception to this!"

"You do not know him! He is not like the other dwarves." Legolas snarled back at his father.

"Legolas, I will not hear of this any more. Let the courts decide who is guilty or not."

"What chance does Gimli have in a court of elves, ruled under your opinions." Legolas argued back.

"How would you judge this my son?" King Thranduil asked him.

"Let who's hands that have labored to free the stone from the mountain own it. Taking the stone by force and then claiming ownership of it only serves your greed. Keeping it and spilling the blood of many to own it, only further corrupts your heart towards evil. The Hearth Stone should have never been in the possession of the elves. If it is your heart to enter into Grey Haven to serve Valor, then set Gimli free and give him back the stone!" Legolas encouraged his father for the last time to do the right thing.

"I will not give up the stone to the dwarves. It was our hands that skillfully crafted this stone." King Thranduil told him.

"Then split the stone in two equal parts."

"You can not split a perfect diamond!" King Thranduil's anger began mounting, as his voice shouted at his son.

"It is far better to split the stone, than it is to lose your immortal life! Valor sees into your heart, they know what is in your soul." Legolas looked deeply into his father's eyes in hopes that he could convince him to change his evil ways and perhaps save him from himself, but he saw no change in him. "I will not let an innocent life be taken only for the sake of your greed. Know in your heart that I will fight!"

Shouting King Thranduil yelled at his son, "This is treason, Legolas!"

"It is not treason to free an innocent life," Legolas knew in his heart that his father would not give the stone up willingly, but he knew his father's weakness and tried one more time. "Gimli wanted to trade the mithrill to Gloin in order for him to stop this war between the elves and allow the elves to possess the stone, but Gloin died before Gimli could tell him.

"Glion is dead?" King Thranduil paced a few steps as he began to consider what his son just told him. "How much mithrill?"

"Two bags that would have paid for the stone three times over, enough to make a kingly robe." Legolas added as he waited for his father to answer.

King Thranduil again turned away from Legolas and paced again, taking his time to think about this kingly robe of mithrill.

Legolas leaned up against the wall and he watched his father closely. He knew he just struck a nerve with him and he could see his greed once again taking over him. Legolas could now see his father in his true light. There was no hope left for him, he was too far-gone, lost forever in his greed for more treasure.

"Let's see this mithrill." King Thranduil walked to his door, opening it, shouted to the guards, "Bring the dwarf to me, now!"

When Gimli was brought to the king's chamber, King Thranduil ordered Gimli to show him the mithrill. Gimli looked up at Legolas, but trusted his friend to know what he was doing.

Leading the way to his room, Gimli asked for his ax, but the king refused.

"Give me my ax, or you will not get the mithrill as it is buried."

"Give him his ax!" King Thranduil ordering his guards because he could not wait to see the mithrill.

Gimli taking his ax began to loosen the floorboards and removed them to reveal the two bags that he hid. Opening them, the king's eyes widened as the mithrill glisten and sparkled. He had never seen so much mithrill before.

"Now father, give Gimli the stone and set him free!" Legolas placed his hand on his sword ready to fight if his father had a sudden change of heart.

Looking into his son's face, King Thranduil knew if he challenged him now, Legolas would fight. He could easily see his determination. Looking behind him he saw Aragorn with the hobbits standing behind them in the corridor.

King Thranduil looked down at Gimli and said, "You have bought your freedom and the stone, take it and never return!" He looked directly into Legolas's eyes as he turned with the bags of mithrill in his hands and walked away.

The guards soon appeared and handed Gimli the stone and escorted them from the halls of Mirkwood.

Merry gave a whistle and the stallion suddenly appeared. Saddling their horses in the darkness, they slowly left the Halls of Mirkwood.

Gimli now riding behind Legolas, turned the horse they were riding towards the Lonely Mountain and said, "Here is were we need to part, my friends. I have one last thing to do before this is all finished." Gimli looked towards his homelands with sadness in them that only Legolas could more than understand.

"Gimli, you and Legolas are more than welcome to live among us in Gondor. There is always room in my kingdom for two trusted friends at my side." Aragorn told them as the three looked upon each other and nodded.

Legolas let Gimli down from his horse and watched him begin his climb to the Lonely Mountain. He would wait for him at the camp.

Legolas lead the way to the camp to where the horses were kept as they all followed him.

~*~

Hours Gimli climbed the Lonely Mountain and entered its caves. The guards all greeted him. Heading for the main hall, Gimli looked upon the halls for the last time knowing he would never again return.

Gimli entered the great hall, seizing the rope on the bell. Gimli rang the bell to awaken the dwarves. The ringing echoed throughout the great halls as the dwarves rushed to answer it, thinking they were under an attack.

Gimli held is hands up to silence the crowd. Pulling the stone from his bag as they all marveled at seeing the stone again. They looked upon Gimli calling him the stone's victor.

"Dwarves, will you now stop the war with the elves?" Gimli asked them.

"No, Elves are not to be trusted! They have killed too many of the dwarves," the crowd shouted back.

"When will the killing end? How much more blood needs to spill until this is ended?" Gimli shouted to the crowd, "Here is your stone you all died for. Look upon it, is it worth what your loved ones died for?"

The dwarves became silent as all eyes looked upon something that seemed so meaningless compared with those they loved.

"Peace must come to the Lonely Mountain, we must rebuild our lives again, lay down your swords and your hatred. Look upon those that still live amongst us. If we are to live, then we must learn to live in peace." Gimli pleaded to the dwarves that stood before him.

Turning, Gimli raised the stone over his head and standing in front of the deepest mine in the Lonely Mountain, he cast the Hearth Stone into its depths, returning it to where it was found.

Walking away from the group of dwarves and his homelands forever, Gimli headed to the camp where Legolas waited for him as the sun just began to rise in the eastern sky.

~*~

Aragorn brought three horses over to the group of hobbits as they all gathered together with the rising of the first light of day. Stopping before Pippin, he handed him the bridle of his horse. Looking at Nibs, Aragorn asked him, "I need a strong sword at my side in Gondor, What say you, Nibs?"

Nibs bit his lower lip as he thought about what Aragorn asked of him, shuffling his feet in the dirt. Nibs took the reins of his horse as he said, "Yes, Aragorn, I would be honored to be at your side."

Nibs turned to his brothers and hugged them to say good-bye. Mounting his horse, he waited for Aragorn. "Merry, whenever you are ready, Gondor has a place for you also, remember that!" Aragorn kicked his horse and waved his good-byes to his friends.

"I'll be home shortly so keep a keg of ale for me, since we never did get to open one at your wedding." Pippin laughed as he turned his horse racing off after Aragorn.

Merry getting on his stallion with Estella riding her horse next to him, he guided his hobbits and his horses back home again to the Shire. Legolas waved to all his friends as they took their own paths home.

~*~

Merry began to relax as they passed the guards of Gondor who watched the boarders of the Shire. Merry reflected back to all the events that they had all been through in bringing these horses home again. He was proud of the hobbits who had fought beside him and he wondered how these events would shape their lives. Nibs, was impacted greatly from all that he had been through and Merry knew he would be happy living in Gondor. Perhaps someday, Nibs would come back to the Shire. He looked at Wilcome, Tom and Bowman; what stories they would be able to tell their father. Fredegar found new courage and hope. Merry knew he would be fine, he would pay for his debts and put him back on his feet again. Fredegar more than earned what it would take to pay his debts. It would not be long until every hobbit would be sitting around his tables wanting to hear more about Moria, Mirkwood, and the horses they brought to the Shire. That would keep him in business for along time to come.

Berilac sat quiet as he rode his horse by himself bringing up the back as Merry guided the horses home. Time would soon tell if Berilac would have his answers that perplexed his own heart.

The horses trotted over the lush hill of Buckland and Merry did not want to slow them down. He was now impatient to go home and his spirits lifted as the familiar smial came into sight.

Old Hobs and the others raised their voices when they saw the new herd of horses heading towards the corral. They opened the gates wide as the horses followed each other into them.

Merry jumped from the stallion as Hobs tried to approach him. "Hold back there Hobs! I will see to my own horse." Merry warned him not to come too close to this horse.

Taking off the saddle and bridle, Hobs was shocked to see the stallion suddenly run free away from Buckland. "It is alright, Hobs. He will come back whenever I need him." Looking at Hobs, Merry could see that he had changed also. Some how Hobs looked a little older and he moved a little slower. Merry's heart broke for him.

"Da, Da!" cried Berrac as Ester held on to her oldest son's hand. Breaking free from his mother's hand, Berrac raced to his father's side. Berilac turned and was almost knocked over by the boy as he bounded into his arms. Berrac wrapped his arms around his father's neck and held him tightly. "I missed you so much Da!" he said with laughter in his voice.

Berilac held his son so he could look at him in his eyes. Facing his own fears that he would see Erling in his eyes and be constantly reminded that Berrac was not his own son. Berilac's tears ran from his face as no signs of Erling were present in this child. He looked at his son as if seeing him for the first time. What he saw was the precious lovely face that resembled his mother. Knowing that Berrac was not his son did not make any difference in his heart, or changed how he felt about this lovely child. He loved his son with all of his heart and nothing had changed. Berilac now knew it took more than blood to be a father, it took love and all the time that they had spent together being father and son. "Da, why are you crying? Are you hurt?" Berrac asked his father.

"No, my son. I am just so happy to see you." Berilac wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly in his arms.

Merry strolled up the doors of Buckland and taking Estella in his arms, he carried her into the halls of Buckland. Standing her back down on her feet, he kissed her tenderly, "We are home, Mrs. Brandybuck."

The smell of fresh bread filled the halls of Buckland

"Don't be getting my floors dirty, I worked my fingers to the bones cleaning it this morning!"

Merry heart almost jumped out of his chest as for a moment he taught he heard Hatty yelling from the kitchen, but Hilda Bracegirdle walked to greet the Master of Buckland home.

"Welcome home Master Merry, I have a fine pot of stew that has been brewing all day long, it is the finest you have ever tasted." Old Hilda Bracegirdle smiled up at Merry.

Ester bounded into the kitchen and ran to meet Merry. "I have taken the privilege to hire Hilda as cook for Buckland. I hope you do not mind, Merry?"

Merry smiled, if there was anyone else other than Hatty, Hilda was a perfect choice.

THE END!!!!!