Disclaimer: Um… Like yeah! I hope you enjoyed my last chapter. I'm expecting this one to be the last, but not quite sure. sniff I'll miss you guys! Just a head's up, I might write a sequel if I get around to it. I have an idea that I don't think will ruin this one (most sequels usually ruin the original) and I think I'm gonna go for it! But either way I'll write another fanfic. Not sure if it'll be Dragonlance or Final Fantasy of what, but I will write another!

Thanx for reading and reviewing!

Rusty

Ps- Oh, and for those of you who care, I've posted the poem that Legolas sings to Aliana in my messed up version of elvish in chapter two or something. So, enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen: The Shortest Chapter Ever

It had been two weeks since Aliana had left. On his first day back home in Mirkwood Legolas sat on the branch of a tall tree, watching people come and go.

He thought back to all the time he'd spent with her. He remembered how stubborn she'd been and how she refused to call him by his name. He recalled the Spring Festival and how her whole outlook towards him changed.

It was like one of those sad scenes in the movies where you're going, "No! You can't just leave! Go after her! Get her back!" and all the sad music is playing and you see the guy and the girl all by themselves doing the most boring things known to mankind that nobody even does like playing scrabble with old people and looking mournfully out the window and hoping their special someone will show up and, just when you're beginning to lose all hope for this movie, the guy comes up and says he's sorry for hurting her.

But in this case, Legolas saw no hope of Aliana ever coming back. At this point the audience would be getting up and leaving and yelling at the director, saying what a terribly crappy movie this was and Aliana couldn't be gone. And at this point the director would appear out of nowhere and scream at them to sit down and be patient because the movie isn't over yet!

As he thought about Aliana, a voice in his head began shouting his name. But it wasn't just any voice. It was her voice. The voice he longed to hear more than anything in the world. It cried out his voice over and over again, louder each time.

Finally he shook his head, trying to escape the screaming as the voice was getting extremely loud and intolerable. His thoughts vanished and he was left alone in the forest. Alone with no one around screaming his name. Alone, or so he thought.

"Damn it, Legolas! Are you deaf or something!"

He looked down from the tree and there she stood, beautiful as ever. He opened his mouth but all that came out was incoherent babble. Aliana stood with her hands on her hips impatiently.

"Are you planning on getting down or do I really have to climb up there?"

Shaking himself out of his shocked state, he jumped swiftly and easily from the tree, landing softly in front of her.

"What are you doing here! Where's Rina!" he asked in amazement.

"She went home, you dumbass! Where did you think she went, the moon!"

"Well, ya, but…what about you? Why didn't you go with her?"

"I wasn't planning on it. After seeing you walk up those stairs, something inside me said that this was where I was supposed to be. But you left before I could tell you. And I had to wait for Rina to be off and figure out where to burry Ben."

It startled him how she spoke of her friend leaving and of Ben dying without the slightest hint of sadness in her voice. She seemed just as happy as she was at the festival. It also startled him that the cut across her eye had not healed and there was still a large gash across her eye.

Seeing him stare, she smiled. "I thought it looked kinda cool. I mean, Auron's got one and he's one of the best FF-X characters ever! Besides Wakka and Rikku that is."

Legolas was completely lost. "What are you talking about?"

"Never mind… Just something back home."

"OK."

(AN: In case you don't know FF-X is short for Final Fantasy 10, one of the coolest RPG's ever! It's on the PS2 and I highly recommend it!)

"So, can I stay?" Aliana asked anxiously.

"What are you talking about! Of course you can stay here! I'm sure Father will be most pleased. He seemed to like you a lot when I introduced you before."

"Well let's go then! I'm starved!"

Legolas smiled. Same old Aliana.

Legolas led the way to the throne room where his father resided. The guards standing before the large doors nodded in acknowledgment and opened the doors. Legolas and Aliana walked towards the throne where Lord Thranduil sat.

He smiled at the two as they bowed before him. Aliana was not as clean and elegant as she'd been the last time he saw her, but she was still quite beautiful. And she still had the strange purple streak in her hair.

"Father, I wish Aliana to stay here in the palace."

Again he smiled at his son, but this time it was different. It was a knowing, fatherly smile. It seemed to say I understand completely. It seemed to say I've been there before. But it also showed his approval towards this girl.

"Oh, I'm sure we can find a nice room in the palace for this fair lady to stay in."

Aliana seemed ecstatic. She jumped up and down, clapping her arms together. Then she flung her arms around Legolas and practically jumped into his arms. Legolas shocked at this sudden burst of happiness, but even more shocked when Aliana kissed him on the cheek.

His face went totally red and his lips curved into a large grin.

"Thank you, My Lord," Aliana said happily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an old friend that I would dearly wish to see."

She skipped out the door, leaving Legolas and Thranduil in utter shock and amazement. The happiness in Legolas's eyes told Thranduil that his son truly cared for this girl and he was happy that his son finally found the perfect girl.

"Aliana! You're back!" Layanna hugged Aliana motioned her into her room. "Did you find out what you were looking for?"

"Yes, I did," Aliana said. "I found out that this is where I truly belong and that I cannot survive one day without Leg… Er, my legs! I mean, where would we be if we didn't have legs to walk! We'd probably be swimming in the sea! But then again we couldn't breathe underwater, so I suppose we'd be dead without our legs!"

Layanna eyed Aliana suspiciously. "Is that really what you meant to say?"

"Of course! Nearly having your legs chopped off by Ivellios will do that to a person!"

"Ivellios! Oh, you can't be serious! He'd never do a thing like that!"

"Apparently he would being as he tried to kill me about five times and followed me everywhere I went! Finally we just had to kill him!"

"Kill him!"

"Yup! It was me who did it actually," she began, her ego taking over, "After saving Legolas's life and offering to be the Spring Goddess in order to save Lady Galadriel's Festival!"

"Wow! You've really been busy!" Layanna said, completely believing every word.

A grinning figure stood in the doorway listening as Aliana told Layanna all about her exploits and adventures. He didn't say a word, even when he knew she was completely lying about something or when she exaggerated a bit during one of the battles.

When she'd finished, he stepped forward and spoke. "Might I have a word alone with Aliana?"

Layanna nodded and smiled secretly to Legolas. Aliana said goodbye to Layanna and followed Legolas out of her room and outside to a small patio with many bright and colorful flowers. After watching Aliana stop to smell a few of them, he took her hand and led her over to a small bench.

"Why do you choose to stay here?" he asked her.

"Well, er… It's really pretty here! And I don't fancy spending all of my life up in a tree like they do in Lothlorien!"

"No, why did you really come back here?"

For a moment Legolas thought she was angry with him again. She crossed her arms and glared at him. Oh great! What did I say this time!

"You can't seriously be that stupid, Legolas Greenleaf!" But her angry appearance soon diminished and she smiled at him. "It's because I love you."

Legolas held her hands up to his chest. "I love you too, and that's why I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Aliana, it would make me the happiest man alive if you would be my bride. Will you marry me?"

Aliana was shocked. "Legolas, I-"

"Look, I know it's kinda soon, but I think we're ready. I mean, if you were willing to give up everything you have and come stay in Mirkwood with me, that's got to mean something! Right?"

She smiled. "If you would have let me finish!"

"Oh… sorry."

"Legolas, I will marry you-"

Legolas flung his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Under one condition," Aliana began, pushing him off her. "I'm not even thinking about kids for at least two years!"

Legolas laughed. "If that's what it takes, I won't even mention the world children."

"Good," she said softly. "Now, where were we?"

Aliana leaned over and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer to him and caressed her face. This was the first true kiss they had shared. Before both of them were afraid of falling in love with the other, knowing it would just end up in ruin. But today was different. Legolas knew Aliana was here to stay and she knew that she had made the right choice in not leaving.

Well folks, that's all I have. I know the ending sucked, but I had to leave it kind of open for the rare occasion that I choose to right this sequel. Thank you so much for keeping up with my story and I hope you've enjoyed it! Did I have ya worried back there? Thought that was the last chapter and Aliana just left, didn't ya! Ha! Well, stay tuned for whatever my next story should be! Thanks so much! I love ya all for all your input and corrections you've given me! I couldn't have gotten this far without all your support in my story! sniff Now I'm all emotional! KIT!

Rusty