A great, great thank you to all of you who are reading this story and a special thanks
to those of you who took the time to review!

The last chapters were slow, without much action as some of you commented… well
we will see what going to happen…

A big thank you to Little My for beta reading!!!

On with the story… and let me know what you think!

Something grazed his face, tickling him, and without fully waking Gimli raised his
hand to brush it away. The sensation came again and, slightly annoyed, the dwarf
slapped at whatever caused it. Something crunched between his fingers and finally
his eyes opened to see another heap of dried leaves raining down on him. With a
growl he got to his feet.

'Legolas.'

The elf had quickly taken a few steps backwards as soon as he saw the dwarf
awaken. His face was alight with amusement, his eyes dancing with suppressed
laughter as he looked at Gimli. Indeed the dwarf was a strange sight as leaves had
caught in his long hair and beard.

'Have you slept well, my friend?' he asked innocently.

Seeing the expression of mirth on the elf's face was too great a relief to Gimli to
become truly angered, but nevertheless he glared at his friend while his hands tried
to brush away the offending leaves he had been covered in.

'I would have, but someone decided to disturb my rest,' he answered darkly.

'Only for your own good,' Legolas spoke without even trying to hide the grin on his
face. 'I would not wish to leave you here on your own when I go to join our friends in
a hearty meal.'

Gimli combed his beard with his fingers, trying to free it from the surprisingly clingy
leaves.

'How kind of you,' he spoke with a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice. 'I suppose
simply calling my name was not sufficient to wake me?'

The elf's eyes widened in amazement.

'Why did I not think of this?' he exclaimed. 'Of course, this would have been the
easiest way and it would have spared me from collecting all these leaves… but you
must admit that they are very becoming to you. It makes you look slightly… entish?'

With a squeal of laughter, the elf leaped out of Gimli's way when the dwarf lunged at
him. Still chuckling, he watched his friend for any sign of another attack but Gimli
straightened, taking on an air of seriousness. Without casting the elf another look, he
turned to walk away.

'After all the pains you have gone through to wake me, we should not make our
friends wait,' the dwarf spoke when he could not hear any indication that Legolas was
following.

'I agree with you completely. And it would help to maintain some quiet if you could
feed the wolf you obviously swallowed. His howling frightens even the birds,' a voice
answered from directly next to him, but Gimli succeeded in not jumping in surprise.

'I would like to see you after days of getting nothing to eat but soup and bread,' he
shot back. Elves could go without food much longer than mortals but it did not mean
they did not know how to enjoy it, and he knew well how much Legolas relished a
good meal.

'Well, but as we came to know, Ents live on their draught and naught else, so I
wonder why…'

This time the elf was too slow to escape, and the well-aimed kick at the hollow of his
knee made him stumble. A roar of dwarven laughter accompanied his attempt at
regaining his balance.

'Clumsy elf,' Gimli grinned, not hiding his slight disappointment that Legolas had
managed not to fall.

'Dirty dwarf,' Legolas hissed, but the sparkle in his eyes belied the harsh tone of his
voice.

Gimli chose to ignore him, for they had reached the street leading to the palace and
he became aware of the sight he presented. With an inward sigh, he decided not to
give Legolas the satisfaction of seeing him embarrassed, so he pretended not to
notice the stares he received.

He gave the elf walking next to him a short glance from the corner of his eye, noticing
the barely concealed grin on his face. But instead of feeling angry at being at the
receiving end of what Legolas considered humor, he felt more like laughing himself.
The sea longing was not to be taken lightly, and he had not expected it to pass so
quickly and without any lasting effect. He had seen it before, the dark mood Legolas
would slip into, that could last for days. He would appear aloof and lost until it passed
once more and the yearning of his heart would ease again. Not disappearing
completely, for the sea never lost its hold on Legolas. But he would be able to ignore
it, and once more be the light-hearted elf Gimli had come to know and love.

@@@


Try as he might, Aragorn could not hide his heartfelt relief as he watched them
making their last preparations to leave. It brought a grin to Legolas' face, as the elf
did not miss the emotions playing on the man's countenance.

'You are not really sorry to see us go,' he commented.

Casting a long look around, Aragorn refrained from answering. He loved them dearly,
both elf and dwarf, and especially Legolas had offered him great support during the
birth of his son, but right now he was more than glad that Gimli had recovered fully
and would not be held back any longer. The thought of these two rushing into
another adventure in hunting down those who had waylaid the dwarf filled him with
some concern, but knowing his friends well he could not help but feel sorry for those
who would come to face them. Alas, it had been a great mistake for them to dare rob
the dwarf of the one thing most precious to him.

'Just be careful,' he finally said. 'I feel no desire to once more admit one of you to our
House of Healing.'

The elf laughed at that and shook his head.

'Do not worry, Aragorn, for this time our dwarf has an elf by his side and I will take
care of him.'

Ere the man could remind him of times when it had been himself who needed the
care, another voice spoke up.

'And who will look after you? It seems to me that you are more prone to injury than
our dear dwarf. Nay, Legolas, I think it not wise to let the two of you go out there on
your own.'

In surprise, both looked at the speaker and Elladan grinned back, his brother
standing next to him. Both seemed ready to travel, with swords at their sides and
bows on their backs.

'It has been some time since we were on the hunt,' Elrohir explained, with a
dangerous gleam in his eyes. 'Orcs grow scarce in these lands.'

'Gimli did not object to our accompanying you, and you we will not ask,' Elladan
added.

'Who am I to disagree when Lord Gimli has spoken? I will bow to his wish and endure
your presence, as it is his will.' Legolas did his best to sound submissive and humble.

'That would be the first time, elf,' Gimli snorted. 'But as it seems to take three elves to
balance out the capability of one dwarf, you will need their assistance.'

'When it comes to snoring you are completely right, my friend. Although I doubt even
the three of us will be able to drown out the noise you are capable of producing,'
Legolas laughed as he mounted Arod. He was the last one to do so, and with a cry of
farewell the twins spurred their horses. Selena followed them, and Gimli's answer
directed at Legolas turned into a shout of surprise as he found himself quickly carried
away.

With a last wave to Aragorn and Arwen, Legolas rode after them.

Silence fell when they had disappeared, to be broken by a heartfelt sigh of relief.

Musical laughter filled the air as Arwen watched her husband with amusement.

'I have never seen you so happy to watch them leave when you have to stay behind,'
she gently commented.

'I love them dearly, but it seems to me I have never seen your brothers act so
childishly as during these last weeks. Legolas and Gimli I know to behave like this,
but Elladan and Elrohir?'

'It has been many days since an elven child was born to Middle Earth, and I doubt
there ever will be again,' she answered and there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
'It is a wonder to them to see our son, and it brings back memories of a time ere
darkness fell and the elves started to fade. '

He grabbed her hand, smiling at her.

'It was an amusing experience to see them act like children themselves, but I prefer
the quietness right now.' He looked around and seeing no one but the usual guards,
he pulled her closer.

'Maybe we should make the best of it while it lasts?' he suggested in a low voice, and
was rewarded with her escaping his arms without letting go of his hand. Without
another word she strode back into the palace, and he obediently followed the tug of
their joined hands, a slightly dreamy smile on his face.

The guards did their best not to look at them as they passed, hiding the grins
sprouting on their faces.

@@@

'Word has come. Four riders have left Minas Tirith and are on their way to Rohan. It
is said to be three elves and one dwarf.'

He had suspected this, as he had not been able to find the corpse of the one
assumed dead. But in the end it did not change anything but that he might get the
chance to kill him with his own hands after all. A feral grin formed on his face, as he
once more though of his carefully laid trap that would deliver those who had
destroyed his life into his hands.

And revenge would be sweet.