A/N: Due to the site upgrades and other bugs, I was unable to load this before I went out of town. We've come to the end of the journey and I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review!

Jebb – Yes, it would be difficult for a parent to let a child go into known danger. I'd bet Thranduil felt the same way about Legolas.

Iwishchan – It gets even mushier here at the end! ;-)

Spidergirl130 – This is it! Now time for the "happily ever after" or something like it!

Deka ran outside the healing house and looked toward Mordor as the ground began to shake violently. She had been reluctant to let Annowe run off again but understood that she wanted to be near Legolas if this were to be the final battle for middle earth. Now she feared that all of them and the dwarf would never return.

"What is it, Deka?" Her sister cried, grabbing the wall to steady her self.

"I don't know," Deka breathed. "I've never felt anything like it before. It is as if a great dragon is rolling over under the hills."

Several more of the dryads and the patients who were able to walk came outside to see what was happening. Many were frightened nearly to their wits' end and their faces were drawn and pinched.

"Look!" Someone cried and pointed toward Mordor.

The entire black land seemed to be on fire and Deka watched in amazement as the flaming eye slowly tumbled from the sky.

Several people screamed in terror, others ran back inside and still others ran to fetch their weapons, fearing such a sign. But many more remained on the wall watching in fascination as Mount Doom exploded in a ball of flame.

Deka clutched her nearest sister. "What does it mean?" She wondered. "Is it the end?"

The stunned dryad shook her head but had no voice to answer.

They stood there in dumfounded silence watching the fire rain down on the black land.

"We will need more water," Deka murmured and left her post at the wall to begin gathering the buckets.

Stunned by their sudden and unexpected victory, the rag-tag army trudged back to Minas Tirith. Some of the Rohirrim chose to return to Edoras while others wanted to march back to the White City to celebrate. With the war over and the safety of their world ensured, many who had fought in the last great battle wanted nothing more than to return home to their loved ones to enjoy the peace they had fought for.

Aragorn still refused to enter Minas Tirith as King. He was anxious for the fate of the two hobbits even though Gandalf had assured him they were both well and recovering in Rivendell. With the Dark Lord finally overthrown, he had all the time in the world to prepare to take up the crown of Gondor.

And prepare the city did. Word had quickly spread that the king would soon be crowned and his elven queen as well. The entire city was abuzz and preparing for the arrival of Arwen and the subsequent cornation and royal wedding.

It was difficult not to get caught up in the excitement and even Deka was enjoying herself at all the celebrations when Annowe could pry her away from the healing house by taking her place. Most of the wounded were quickly recovering and Annowe suspected that the fall of Mordor had more to do with it than anything else. The world seemed to have taken on a whole new feeling of hope and it showed on their faces.

One evening after leaving the healing house in Annowe's hands, Deka slipped into the great hall to enjoy the perpetual feast and spied Legolas standing off in the shadows. Biting back a grin, she approached him, free at least to have a few well-chosen words with her prince.

"Legolas," Deka said as she slid up next to him.

"Deka," Legolas answered warily.

"Where is your friend?" She asked casually.

"Gimli? I think he went to speak to Annowe," Legolas answered, wondering what she was up to.

Deka sighed in mock disapproval. "I know about you and Annowe," she said.

Legolas grinned. "She told me you knew. Are you going to scold me? I AM a grown elf, Deka. I'm old enough to make my own decisions," he reminded her.

"I wasn't going to scold. It would be pointless. Trying to keep the two of you apart is like trying to keep the sun from rising in the morning," she admitted ruefully. "No, I wanted to congratulate you and see when the two of you were planning on returning to Mirkwood for a proper ceremony."

Legolas lowered his eyes guiltily. "I hadn't actually thought of that," he confessed. "We have been so busy with other matters . . ." His voice trailed off.

"I would suggest you consider it. Your father and my sisters – not to mention Annowe's father and sisters – will want a proper ceremony if only to have an excuse to open the best wine!" Deka reminded him.

Legolas laughed in admission. "Yes, that is true. I will speak to her about it," he smiled.

"I never did get the opportunity to properly thank you for saving me, master dwarf," Annowe said as Gimli sat down next to her on the wooden bench.

"There is no need, lass," Gimli waved her off. "And you have repaid me in kind."

Annowe smiled. "It seemed the least I could do considering the circumstances," she said.

Gimli shifted nervously next to her and Annowe could sense that there was something bothering him. She wondered if it had to do with Legolas.

"What is bothering you, Gimli?" She asked when he had not spoken for several moments.

The dwarf fidgeted and murmured an unintelligible reply and Annowe looked at him curiously, wondering what could make him so jittery and out of sorts.

"Is something amiss?" She questioned anxiously. "Is Legolas?"

"No," Gimli finally muttered, cutting her off. "It's nothing to do with Legolas. Or Aragorn. Or the hobbits. Or you. It's about that cousin of yours . . ." He lowered his eyes.

"Deka? What did she do! Oh, Gimli, if she's done something," Annowe threatened and stood up from the bench ready to give her nosy cousin an earful.

Gimli grabbed her wrist firmly. "No, it's not that," he said gruffly, wishing she would understand so he did not have to tell her what was on his mind.

"Then what has she done?" Annowe demanded.

The dwarf did not answer her but Annowe could swear she saw a faint blush creeping over his hairy cheeks. Gently she tipped his chin up so she could look in his eyes and then smiled in understanding as the realization dawned on her.

"Ah," she said knowingly and nodded. "I see."