I Have My Reasons: Epilogue
By Maikafuiniel

Sam sat quietly, smoking his pipe and smiling serenely into the slowly darkening sky. He was sitting atop the hill his home resided in, a mug of ale beside him, and a apple in his lap.

At least, there had been an apple in his lap one moment, but the next it was gone, swiped away by a graceful hand and stuffed quickly into a mouth.

"Really now Legolas," Sam laughed, "I should think that being in the Shire less then two days you would have managed to keep your eating manners in tact."

"Manners are for halls and dinners with royalty," Legolas laughed after swallowing, waving a hand as if to banish the thought of niceties and manners, "But in a hobbit ceremony, and one of such proportions as this? I think I would rather spend my time enjoying myself. Your foods, I must admit, are quite good. And, I might add, filling. I would hope I don't lose it later, as I'm sure it won't taste quite so good then."

"I'll be sure to tell that to Pippin's mum for you then," Sam replied, snatching his apple back and taking a bite out of it, "She was the one who cooked the roast I saw you try to swallow whole earlier."

"I would thank her for myself, if I knew how to find her in this mess of people. And as for the roast, it was rather on the dare of one of the younger children. They wanted to see, if you can believe, if a stomach as large as my own would be able to hold as much as one of theirs."

Sam and Legolas both turned, looking into the lower field, just off to the right where the party was still taking place. "If you stayed," Sam said slowly, "You would get used to it, I'm sure."

"If I stayed," Legolas replied, "I would more likely get used to small people, my knee and less, staring at me with wide eyes. Sadly, it's not quite the feeling I would like to press into my memory of your home. It's quite extraordinary."

"It is," Sam said simply, "It really is. And I missed every bit of it. It's my home."

"It's simple," Legolas continued in a muse, "It is everything I would think a Hobbit home to be. Full of running children, brimming with food, and the smell of fresh baking simply at every turn."

"And this is extraordinary to you?" Sam laughed, "I should think you would be used to it, being around Pip, Merry, Frodo and I for so long."

"Being around you as only made me wonder how lovely a home could be, that it could produce such fine people as yourselves. People who don't worry so much… as care. Simply for the sake of caring."

"I am reminded," Sam said, "Of a conversation, not thirteen months ago."

"As am I."

The two sat silently for a moment, listening to the rising sounds of music and singing coming from the field. After a moment, Sam spoke again. "I'm glad you could make it for the ceremony Legolas, truly. I didn't even realize how important it was until I saw you standing in the crowds with Aragorn and Gandalf."

"It was a fine wedding," Legolas smiled.

"Not nearly so fine as Aragorn's. A king now! If anything is extraordinary to you, perhaps it should be that."

"Kings come," Legolas nodded, "And it is special… for a time. But the king will fall, as all do, and another would take his place. The position means little to me; nothing so much as my friends do. Their wedding was fine, of course, but it was so stiff that I could have choked! Leaders, knights, and mayors and the what not, all coming to offer their congratulations to him… and not a soul had met him before the day.

"This is more a wedding that I prefer. Friends and families, dancing on table tops and spilling your drink- but not caring a mite. Yes, the Hobbit life… it is one to be treasured."

"I've not a doubt you're right." Sam replied, taking his pipe out of his mouth and blowing a small smoke ring, "But I shall treasure the memory, and strive it make it more; though it seems impossible to think at the time. Rosy lass and I are married now, so much is changing… but I wouldn't stop it for a moment."

"That is how true advancement should come," Legolas intoned wisely, "Destroy nothing of the past, destroy no hopes, and make life only better. Live for the sake of living in today, and you will never have lost a moment."

"Always with a wise comment and phrase," Sam smiled, "Do you have any more knowledge to impart upon me, before you take your leave? For I think Rosy is done talking to her family, and she's headed back up the hill. I would ask you to join us, but I don't think what we're going to be doing should include one so fine as yourself."

Legolas laughed, nearly choking on the piece of apple in his throat, and tossed what was left to Sam. "My advice?" Legolas said, "My advice would to take the advice of no man but yourself. Though only as tall as my knee, you've proven to be one of the most loyal, stubborn, and knowledgeable uneducated beings I have ever come to meet."

Legolas stood, ready to leave, and stopped when a voice called back to him.

"Legolas," Sam said, as Rosy stood by his side, smiling, "I should not know quite when you're to visit next, or when we're to visit you. That would ruin half the fun of the visit. But I must ask, if I may, about thirteen months ago."

"And what would that be?" Legolas replied, a smile gracing his face as the dim light continued to dwindle, "For you were there, as much as I, and I should think you would know already what it would be to ask."

"I don't think I would ever quite understand the going-on's of the mind of an Elf, nor should you understand my own. And I think that I quite like it that way. But perhaps you could tell me… that night I woke, you could have turned away. Walked away. You could have been silent, as you had all times before, to all of us. And yet you struck a friendship with me; why? Why then, when we knew nothing of each other, would you do that?"

"Do I need a reason?" Legolas asked, a smile still playing on his face.

"No," Sam replied with a smile just as wide, "But if you have one, I should like to hear it."

"You won't," Legolas replied, as he began to walk away, "Because I don't think I understand it quite yet myself. But be sure Master Samwise; I do have my reasons."

Fin
...For real this time. -sob-

I've finished some,
Left others undone,
But none are like this,
Nor have quite a finish.

I'm proud of this story,
Of all glitz and glory.
So I thank you dear fans,
For leaving the plot in my hands…

I could never have done it without the incredible reception I got. Thank you all. Truly.
Blessed be.
Maikafuiniel