Abbi Cat : I like your theory. I wish I were an elf too so that I could meet Legolas in Mandos!

Alkvingiel : It's your 16th birthday? So, HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!! My birthday is still a month away on the 1st of October.

Yeen : Aw, thank you.

Just to let you all know, tomorrow (31st August) is going to be my nation's, Malaysia's 46th Independence Day!!! MERDEKA!!!!!!!!!!!! (That means 'independence' in Malay).  So, to DiamondD and the rest of the Malaysians out there, selamat menyambut Hari Merdeka.

And now, the last and final chapter!!!!

*********************************

Legolas woke up to find himself lying on a sleeping pallet in one of the Deep's chambers. Commander Jaden was bending over him, in the process of undoing the catches of his bloodstained tunic. The prince irritably slapped at the elder elf's hands. "What are you doing?"

Jaden smiled in relief. "Thank the Valar you're awake! I'm taking your clothes off you so that I can treat your wound."

Legolas immediately sat up. "I can do it myself…Oww!!!" he cried out as his agitated movements jarred his injury.

Someone nearby gave out a low chuckle. The prince looked around and saw Eomer lying down on the next pallet beside him. Lady Eowyn was tying the final knot of the bandage around her brother's head.

Legolas frowned when he saw the man's huge smile. "Now what are you so happy about?"

"Nothing, except that we both have such stern guardian angels watching over us!"

Eowyn shook her head, smiled, and then leaned down to kiss Eomer's forehead. "And this 'guardian angel' tells you to get some rest. So be a good man and do as I say!"

He rolled his eyes at that. "Whatever you say, sis."

She laughed softly and turned to the prince. "That goes for you too, Legolas. Let Jaden take care of your wound. I'll be back to check on you both later after I look on the rest of the wounded." Then she left.

Jaden turned back to his charge. "Now, where were we?" He reached over and helped Legolas peeled the tunics off his body. Legolas was not so happy to be treated like an invalid though. "Look, I'm fine! Leave me be!"

"Yeah, right! You're bleeding like an orc!"

 "Blast it, Jaden! Did father send you here to baby sit me or just simply to make my life miserable?"

Jaden sighed in exasperation. "Cut that tantrum, my prince! Or I'll tie you down and gag you! I swear I will!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Care to find out?! I know how spoil and stubborn you can be so don't force me to take the extreme measures! I don't care whether you're my highly crown prince or not!!"

Silence ensued as Legolas glared at the elven commander. Eomer on the next pallet had to smother his laughter behind his hand. Then, without a word, Legolas settled himself on his good side, his lips in a pout, sulking.

Shaking his head, Jaden reached down and began to tend to Legolas' wound, grumbling under his breath about the hardheadedness of a certain elven prince. His face was still a cold mask and despite his harsh words just now, Jaden's hands were extremely gentle as he cleaned the blood off the wound and put some healing salve on it.

When he finished bandaging the injury, Jaden saw to his relief that Legolas had fallen into a deep sleep. He pulled a blanket over the sleeping prince, covering him up to his chin. He then gently took off the prince's silver crown and placed it on a folded blanket beside him. Stroking Legolas' golden head, Jaden whispered, "Have good dreams, my prince."

Eomer smiled. "He's quite a spoiled brat, isn't he?"

Jaden grinned. "You have seen nothing yet." He straightened up. "You also need to get some rest, Lord Eomer. And keep an eye on him for me, will you?"

Eomer nodded. "That I will."

Lying on his right side that way, Eomer was directly facing Legolas. So it was the elf's serene face that the man saw last before he, too, succumbed to exhausted sleep.

***********************

Aragorn tossed the dead body of the orc into the flame, joining it with the rest of the burning corpses. The fire crackled and hot embers flew into the air. The ranger turned as Gimli approached. The dwarf was grunting and breathing heavily as he dragged a corpse towards the big pile.

"Bah! I detest this!" Gimli complained. "I like killing these vile creatures, but I hate cleaning up the mess!"

Aragorn chuckled as he reached down and helped the dwarf. "So do I, Gimli. But it has to be done."

They looked around him. The Rohirrims and the elves were working together cleaning the Deep, gathering the dead bodies of the orcs and their own fallen comrades. A big grave was also being dug to bury the dead elves and men alike, while another big fire was built to burn the enemy's remains. The wounded had been steered into the caves and chambers of the Deep for treatment.

The beautiful early morning was a stark contrast to what had been transpired last night, but the trace from the gruesome battle was still fresh in the air. The stench of blood and sweat still lingered, and the fort destruction was clear for all to see; there was the big gap in the stone solid wall, the broken door at the gateway and the burnt outer courtyard. But worst of all was the great loss of lives that could never be rebuilt and restored. They could only be remembered as the courageous heroes that had died defending Helm's Deep.

Aragorn caught sight of Commander Jaden talking to Gandalf and King Theoden near the great door into the Deep. With them was also Lord Erkebrand, looking quite grim. "How I wish that we had arrived sooner," the Marshal was heard saying. "We would not be losing so much lives."

"But you have come, Erkenbrand. That is miracle enough," Aragorn interjected as he came near them.

The other man gazed warmly at the ranger. "We have not been properly introduced. Lord Aragorn, I presumed?"

The two men shook hands. "So the prophecy is true," Erkenbrand said. "Isildur's heir will rise to defeat the Darkness."

Aragorn glanced at Gandalf knowingly. "Yes. With the help of everything good in this Middle Earth."

The wizard smiled. "Indeed."

Gimli turned to Jaden and asked him directly, "Legolas and Eomer. How are the two stupid fools doing?"

"They are resting," Jaden replied. "But the prince is acting like his old pigheaded self, claiming that he is completely fine, which he is not!"

Aragorn laughed. "Well, no surprises there." He then grew sober. "Jaden, how many casualties did your company suffer?"

Jaden shook his head in sorrow. "Around two hundred at least. Prince Legolas will be so devastated."

King Theoden clasped the elf's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss. But if not for your aid, we might have lost the fort much early to Saruman's army."

Jaden smiled sadly. "We are glad to be of help to your people, Lord Theoden. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together. We've come here to honor that allegiance."

The elven commander and the Rohan king stood gazing at each other in total understanding and full respect. Their hearts were still heavy with their own losses, yet they had found something else to rejoice.

The alliance was going to make them stronger. The alliance was going to fight the Darkness.

The alliance will win over the Darkness.

*********************

Great thirst stirred Legolas from his deep sleep. He couldn't stop himself from moaning in agony as he slowly rose to a sitting position, wincing with his every move.

"Not feeling so great, are you?" came Eomer's sudden voice from behind him.

Legolas' jerked around and yelped instantly. The pulling on his wound was so agonizing that he silently cursed himself for moving abruptly so. The flaxen-haired man chuckled at Legolas' discomfort. He moved away from the side table after pouring a glass of water.

"Here." Eomer gave the glass to the elf. "My sister ordered me to tell you to drink this when you wake up."

Legolas raised his eyebrows as he took the glass. "Ordered?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Yes! And she ordered me not to leave this room, can you believe it?! I'm not that badly hurt…just slightly dizzy. But that woman wouldn't listen! She said that I'm not to lift any sword until she says so! As if I would run and chase after the orcs right this minute! Whatever for? They are all dead anyway!"

The elf grinned at the man's tirade. "Don't tell me you're afraid of your sister, Eomer!"

Eomer glared. "Who says I'm afraid of her? It's just that she could be so…intimidating sometimes, you know what I mean?"

"Heck, I don't know what you mean, Eomer. She looks so sweet and nice to me!" Still smiling, Legolas gulped the water down. It felt heavenly to his parched throat.

"Sweet?" Eomer was perplexed. "Oh, she's beautiful and kind, that's for sure but sweet?" The man stared hard at the elf. "Tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for my sister?"

Legolas choked on his drink and broke into a spasm of coughing. He hunched over his upraised knees as his injured side screamed intensely with pain. Eomer was alarmed. He reached over to rub down Legolas' back. "Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you like that."

Legolas groaned as he put the glass aside. "Be merciful and just shoot me next time!" he cried out after his coughing subsided, glaring at the man. Eomer grinned back, "My pleasure."

Try as he might, Legolas could not stop the twitch in his lips. He broke into laughter but it was cut short when he winced in pain. "Unhhh…remind me not to laugh for a week. Lord, this is awful!"

Eomer got to his feet and walked back towards the side table. "Eowyn also left this." He showed Legolas a plate of sliced fruit. "Want to eat some?"

Legolas shook his head, waving the plate away. "I don't think my stomach can hold any food right now. I will only get sick."

"Just as well." Eomer shrugged, than he plopped all the fruit into his mouth.

Legolas couldn't help it. He laughed again. "You're something, Eomer!"

"I hope that's a compliment," the man said around his full mouth.

"You know what? You remind me a lot of my brother."

Eomer's head tilted to one side. "Oh? Is that good or bad?"

Legolas smiled. "Both."

The man also smiled. "Then I'm pleased and honored."

They gazed at each other warmly, elated that an invisible barrier between them had crumbled completely. Legolas tried to find the discomfort or fear that he used to have towards men, but it was not there anymore. Somehow, during the days in the company of the Rohirrims, during the long journey from Edoras and in the recent battle, he began to recover all the broken pieces of his soul. He had rediscovered his worth, dignity, strength…and the love for himself. The men of Rohan had helped give those things back to him. They trusted and respected him. So why shouldn't he?

He had faced his own demon…and won. He was finally found. Complete. Free!

Eomer stared in amazed wonder as the elf seemed to glow brighter right in front of his very eyes. If the elf was beautiful before, he was even more so now. Legolas' ethereal face was so mesmerizing that it rendered the man speechless.

Unaware of the man's gape, Legolas snapped out of his reverie and began to search all around him.

Eomer finally found his voice. "Wh…what are you looking for?"

"My tunics. Where are they?"

"Eowyn had taken them to be washed and mended." Eomer was even more puzzled to see the elf wrapping the blanket around his bare shoulders and gingerly stood up. "What the…?! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit my people," Legolas stated, already walking towards the door. "I want to see how the wounded ones are doing."

"Wait!" Eomer cried out. "Eowyn would not like to see you wandering around in your condition!"

"Stay here if you wish, Eomer. But your sister doesn't scare me!"

Eomer frowned at that mild insult. "Fine! But I'm coming with you. And you are forgetting something."

Legolas looked in confusion as the man turned around and picked something from a folded blanket beside the sleeping pallet. The elf groaned out loud when he saw what it was. "Aw, come on! I'm not going to wear that!!"

Eomer grinned as he placed the silver circlet on top of Legolas' head. "Ah...You look…what was the word? Splendid! Aye, that's the word!"

Legolas wanted to snatch the coronet off his head and hurl it across the room but he had no such energy to do so. Besides, he didn't dare explain to his father what had happened to the millennia-old Mirkwood legacy crown if he did.

"How I love to hurt you right now, Eomer!" Legolas fumed. "But not today. I'm hurting too much as it is!"

Eomer laughed as he helped Legolas out the door. "I'll be waiting with bated breath, my friend!"

***************************

Legolas and Eomer ventured into the large hall that had been turned into a healing house. Wounded men and elves were lying about on blankets and makeshift sleeping pallets, caringly tended by the women.

"Y…your highness…" an ailing elf warrior tried to rise to show his respect when he saw Legolas approached.

The prince hastily knelt down by the warrior's side. "No. Don't move too much. Lie still." Legolas gripped the other's hand comfortingly. "How do you fare?"

"Not so good for the time being, your highness," the warrior rasped. "They nearly severed my leg off."

Legolas had already seen the elf's heavily bandaged thigh. The white cloth was spotted with blood. His face was incredibly pale and there was a trace of fever on his skin, but the warrior's grip on Legolas's hand was firm. "Commander Jaden had tend to it with the healing herbs he brought along from Mirkwood," the elf continued.

"Good, then. I'm sure you are not going to lose that leg." Legolas smiled reassuringly. "Rest now. I'm proud to have you in my command. You did well."

"Thank you, your highness. I'm also proud to serve under you."

"No more talking. Get some rest. That's an order."

The warrior smiled weakly. He then drifted off to sleep.

Legolas slowly rose and walked to the next wounded elf, then the next, and the next, until he had met and talked to every one of them. He gave them solace and offered them words of assurance as a healer, words of pride as a leader, and words of concern as a prince.

These were his people. They had left the peace of Mirkwood to come here to be with him. He cherished and respected these warriors. He had asked where his kin was right before the battle, so here they were. They had died and bled for him, willingly giving their support for the good cause of Middle Earth. Legolas could never ask for more.

Across the hall, Eomer was also visiting his own men. The future king of Rohan was doing the exact same thing that Legolas had done. In the aftermath of the battle, deep grief for the losses and the pain coming from tired and battered bodies were so palpable. The two royalties knew that their mere presence among the wounded warriors had at least taken the shadow off their people worn out spirit.

When Aragorn, Gimli and Jaden stepped into the hall behind Gandalf after burying all the dead, they were astounded to see their two friends sitting among the invalids.

Jaden stared attentively at the prince, incredibly surprised when he saw the high glow on Legolas' face. "He looks…different. He has changed," the commander said quietly.

Gandalf exchanged a knowing look with Aragorn who also stared in wonder. "Not actually change, Jaden. Your prince has returned. Completely."

Aragorn smiled, a little misty eyed. He didn't know how such thing happened but he knew what this mean. Legolas had healed.

Gimli glanced behind him when he heard the sound of swishing skirt…then he did a double take. "Err…Jaden, didn't you say that those two are under Eowyn's strict orders NOT to leave their resting chamber?"

Jaden frowned at the dwarf. "Yes. Why?"

"Because here she comes! And Lord, look at her face!" Gimli was already laughing. "Those two stupid fools are going to be in a very deep trouble!!"

They all watched with full interest as Eowyn rushed pass them towards her brother and the elven prince. From their place they could hear her saying, "WHAT are the two of you doing here?"

Eomer glanced nervously at Legolas before answering, "Why not?"

"Why not?" Eowyn's eyebrows rose. "You asked me that after I told you to stay in that room and get rest?" She didn't even raise her voice but her stern face was enough to make the two mighty warriors squirm.

"Eowyn, we are fine," Legolas said, his head slightly bowed. He couldn't look at her straight in the eye.

"Fine?" She glared at him. "Who says you're fine? Look at you. You're pale and trembling. And you can't even stand straight." Eowyn then whirled to face her brother. "And you. I know your head is pounding so don't tell me differently. Now off with you two. Get back to that room and lie down."

"No way! You can't make us go there and be confined in that empty boring room!" Legolas snapped, his stubborn streak came to the surface once more.

Eowyn faced the prince with equal defiance, her hands on her hips. She was not backing down. "Oh, yes I can, brother elf." The woman turned and looked at the direction of Aragorn and his companions at the doorway. "Lord Aragorn, Commander Jaden and Master Gimli, would you kindly assist me in herding these two out of this hall and into their chamber?"

The three looked at one another and grinned widely. "That will be our pleasure, my lady!" they claimed with full excitement. Legolas and Eomer cursed as their friends advanced towards them. 

"Eowyn, this is not fair!" Eomer loudly complained as Aragorn and Gimli grabbed each of his arms and dragged him away.

Legolas glared at Jaden as the elven commander wrapped a supporting arm around the prince's waist and led him after the other three. "Eomer, I was wrong," Legolas grumbled through gritted teeth.

"What?" the man inquired from up front.

"Your sister! She's not sweet! Not even a little bit!"

Gandalf who stood looking at the whole thing couldn't help it. He laughed. Smiling benignly at the retreating figures of the five companions, the wizard thought of the coming future.

The battle in Helm's Deep had ended. But the quest to destroy that One Ring was far from over.

Many leagues away, two hobbits were struggling by themselves with their great burden. The wizard knew that their paths would cross once more. The broken fellowship will reform and together, they will defeat Sauron, the Lord of Darkness.

THE END.

There goes another fic under wrap! I hope you enjoy that one. I got brain scrambled once while doing it! It would not have completed if not for your reviews and words of support. For that, I thank you.

As the tradition with the end of my every fic, here are the faithful reviewers in alphabetical order : AbbiCat14; abi-j; Ailsa; Alivyan; Alkvingiel; angelbird12241; aragorn4legolas; Aranel of Mirkwood aka Sara Fletcher; Ayva Trance; caz baz; Crys Ritter; DiamondD; Ebony Falcon; Elven Soul; Etriel; Fairylady; Fantasia3; feanen; Fire Breathing Ferret; Galadrielf; HalandLeg4ever; Kayo; Kirsten; Kitten; Kourin Lucrece; Lady Lenna; Laebeth; Lisseyelen aka Lady V; LOTRFaith; Lucy; Menthol; MoroTheWolfGod; namarie2legolas; Nikki1; Pirate chica; Pixie Stix; PokethePenguin; purplesmackers; Randomramblings; Rebecca; Roper; Rosie; Sailor Elf; sirithiliel; szhismine; tamara; Tapetum Lucidum; Tinnuial; tbiris; Tica; white wolf1; yeen (I hope no one is left out!)  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My coming story will be another prequel, 'Taken'. No, it's not a story about aliens from outer space kidnapping Legolas and experimenting on him! Not like the mini series on TV! This one will be about Keldarion. Yes, everyone, Kel. It's about Legolas' brother being possessed by a demon. Does it prick your interest? Of course, Legolas will be in it too!

In the mean time, I am also in the process of writing another LOTR story. And this is going to be my BIGGEST challenge yet. I wanted to include the Battle of Pellenor Field and Aragorn's success over his throne at Minas Tirith. You'll be seeing Faramir with Eowyn, that's for sure. Maybe, you might even see Eomer with Lothiriel! Yikes!! I have lots on my hands and my brain now!!!!!!

All right, everyone! Keep breathing! Keep smiling! I'll see you in 'Taken' in another two or three weeks!

See ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!