AN: And here is where I make free (r) and loose (r) with the canon. Sorry, it was just too good to pass up. And I am a sucker for happy endings.
I have to thank my beta editors, who tolerated my many, many words and passive sentences. Thank you Marta and Turelie Alasselle. And I also have to thank Marigold. Everything you've ever heard about how amazing she is, is completely true.
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~Epilogue~
The gray ship had a unique design. Its builder had never beheld Cirdan's havens, nor had he ever seen an Elven ship. But even though the basic design was reminiscent of that of Men, and there were some aspects of the ship that were quite alien indeed, there an inherent Elvish feeling to it. The builder was, after all, an elf himself, and some traits run deep.
Its moorings made fast, those on board disembarked and went to greet long lost kin. Four lingered on the deck facing eastward until the crowd had dissipated. Three were tall and fair, and the fourth was one whose likeness had never before been seen in Valinor. At last, they too left the ship that had so faithfully borne them across the sea, and stepped on to the quay.
They were not unexpected. The party that stood to greet them was widely varied. Two were tall and fair, one was tall and dark, one was clad all in white, two were quite short with merry faces, and two were Elvish maidens, so alike in appearance that it was as though those who beheld them saw double.
"Welcome, Gimli, son of Gloín, friend of Elf-kind," Galadriel's tone was musical, as always, but there was more joy in it now.
Gimli, bereft of speech as he beheld again that which he held most fair, bowed deeply to the lady, and then to Gandalf the White as well.
"Come, walk with us," said Gandalf, and he led the dwarf and the High Elf from the quay.
The two small ones approached the traveler clad all in green. He smiled down at them.
"They have passed then?" asked Frodo quietly.
"Yes, all in peace and happiness," Legolas of Ithilien replied.
Sam reached up and took the Elf's hand in his own. Frodo took the other, and they too left the quay.
"My sons," said Lord Elrond at last. "These are Arómenë and Andúnë. I thought none of our children could ever be more alike than you two, but as you can see, I judged too soon."
There was much embracing and tears then, and so it was not until the family made it to the end of the quay that Elrond noticed that his sons bore no arms.
"My sons," he said. "I cannot remember the last time I saw you walk unarmed. It suits you well. But tell me, what became of them?"
"The knives we gave to Lord Faramir and Lady Éowyn for their wedding." Elladan said. "They are now heirlooms in the House of the Steward and the Prince of Ithilien."
"The bows we kept for many years," Elrohir continued. "But we cast them overboard ere we made port."
"My sons," said Lady Celebrían with a song in her voice. "The bows are made of wood, and even here it is the nature of wood to float."
No one was ever certain who laughed first, but it was the first time of many.
~finis~
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AN: You didn't think I'd leave you out of your own birthday present, did you mellon nin?
I put the twins on the ship with Leggy, because they had to get there somehow. Also, I wanted to try my hand at hobbits before taking the plunge, so having Sam and Frodo greet Legolas was a good way to get my feet wet. And then I remembered Gandalf and Gimli and Galadriel, and the party on the wharf got bigger and bigger. I fabricated like no tomorrow for this chapter, and I loved ever minute of it. My spell checker, not so much.