The escort of Arwen did indeed reach their destination on 1 Lithe. The sun was low in the sky as they arrived at the watchtower of Amon Dîn. There they paused and reorganized themselves. Apparently their entrance into Minas Tirith was going to be accompanied by the proper pomp and circumstance, and Katie joined gleefully into the plans.

The twins were to ride first, Elladan carrying a silver banner which had been brought all the way from Rivendell. Then were Glorfindel and Erestor, and all the household of Rivendell came behind them. Katie walked in this group. Next came Galadriel and Celeborn, riding on their white horses, and with them the Galadhrim that had accompanied them from Lothlórien. All of them came cloaked in their customary grey. Last of all rode Elrond and beside him Arwen, upon her grey palfrey.

Messengers from Amon Dîn rode to the city with the message that they were approaching, and the riding began to move again, heading for Minas Tirith.

There were white stars shining forth in the blue of the eastern sky when Katie caught her first glimpse of the White City. Seven walls of white stone with the Tower of Ecthelion at the top, the City of the King shone like a pearl as the last golden lights of sunset fell upon its face. Flying from the Tower was the black standard Arwen had spent so long toiling over, its white gems flashing, visible even at this distance. White banners flew from all the battlements, and as they drew near, the clear tone of a silver trumpet could be heard. Katie caught her breath in wonder at the beauty of it all, at the pageantry and the simple providential elegance she was herself participating in. It was as if God and all of heaven were looking down on them and setting up this perfect moment, just for the pure joy of it.

The people of the city crowded around them as they entered through the great iron gates. The city had been made ready for their arrival. There were hushed and reverent voices on the evening breeze all around them, and Katie saw many wondering, joyful, and expectant faces.

But now the crowd parted and made way for the King. Katie almost didn't recognize him for a moment, and then she saw with a strange sort of pride that it was indeed Estel, and though he wore a crown, the smiling eyes were the very same she had known when he was but twenty years old. She smiled and tears sprang into her eyes. She blinked them away hurriedly, not wanting to miss seeing a single thing.

"Welcome to Minas Tirith," he said courteously, and though his voice was steady, there was a joy in his face that could not be denied. "The White City greets you all with joy!"

Elrond greeted him warmly, and all dismounted. Then it was seen that Elrond carried a silver rod—the Sceptre of Annúminas, the sign of the Kings of Arnor.

"This the Sceptre of Annúminas I present you, Aragorn son of Arathorn, the true King of the North. May you rule well and long." He handed it to Aragorn, who took it reverently, and both bowed to one another. "And now," Elrond said with a smile, "I place in your hand another treasure of great worth, and one you have waited to receive for almost as long." He drew Arwen forward, smiling and beautiful, and placed her hand in the hand of the King.

000

They all climbed up to the top of the city in the starlight, the elves glowing faintly. The Tower of Ecthelion was a large place, and had plenty of room for the escort to stay.

When Katie reached the top level, with people spread out and mingling all around her, she suddenly spotted another familiar face in the crowd, which she had so far missed.

"Legolas!"

He barely had time to react as she darted over and gave him a hug, but he laughed and hugged her back. Drawing back to arm's length away, he examined her, a smile lurking in his eyes.

"Have you grown?"

Katie laughed and gave him a little shove. "No I haven't grown, harebrain!" she said in amused indignation. "I'm too old to grow."

"That was what Merry and Pippin thought," said a deep voice beside them, and Katie looked down to see Gimli right beside Legolas, just like the twins had said.

"Merry and Pippin?"

"They drank Ent-draughts," Legolas explained. When Katie looked confused, he laughed and said, "Never mind. Suffice it to say, they are rather taller than they used to be. But how have you been?"

"Wonderful," Katie answered honestly. "What about you?"

"I am happy and whole," Legolas answered with a smile. "But come, they are all going into the palace. Come, friend Gimli!" he added to the Dwarf beside him. "There will be reveling tonight!"

As soon as Gimli was out of earshot, Katie turned to Legolas and said quietly, "I never expected to see the two of you chumming around!"

Legolas grinned. "I told you before, I only persecute you!"

Katie laughed and Legolas tilted his head, watching her through curious eyes.

"What?"

He shook his head, unable to put his thoughts into words for a moment. "You are… older," he said. "Physically, not so much older than when I left you in Rivendell," he added immediately. "But… older. You have learned something more, I deem—seen more of the workings of Ilúvatar."

Katie smiled quietly. "Yes," she said steadily, "I have. I have learned some very important things while I was in Rivendell."

"Are you planning on standing there for the rest of the night?" Gimli asked from nearby, having returned to see what was keeping them.

"Patience, my good Dwarf!" Legolas answered with a laugh. "But let us go in and join the festivities!"

000

Aragorn and Arwen were wed upon Mid-year's Day. The wedding was held much in the Elven fashion, with a fantastic feast. The entire city celebrated it with them and the sounds of festivity could be heard throughout the seven levels of the White City.

At the end of the meal (and a very long meal it was), Aragorn and Arwen stood forth before the white sapling in the center of the city. Elrond and Galadriel went and stood with them, standing in the places of the father of the bridegroom and the mother of the bride. Aragorn wore with pride the green stone Galadriel had given him as a bridal gift, the very stone for which he had been given the name Elessar, and he appeared tall and young again.

There before the friends that had gathered around them, Elrond and Galadriel joined the hands of Aragorn and Arwen and blessed them, speaking in the high tongue of Quenya, so that Katie couldn't understand what they said. She realized this was a great moment for her, for she had heard it said that no mortal had heard the solemn form of these sacred blessings. Spontaneously she scanned the crowd, and she found the twins. They stood close by their father, both of them smiling with shining eyes.

Elrond and Galadriel ceased speaking, and Aragorn and Arwen removed the silver rings that each wore on their forefinger and gave them back. Then they gave one another gold rings to take their place. And finally, they kissed.

A great cheer went up. Katie glanced over at the twins again and saw Elladan, smiling, wipe away a tear. She laughed, and as she did so, Elrohir's eyes found her in the crowd.

Their gaze met and held, and he smiled at her warmly—very warmly. Katie blushed and dropped her eyes for a moment, but raised them again almost instantly, unable to look away from him for long.

His black hair moved in the summer breeze and shone in the sunlight, and his grey eyes were so kind and so beautiful…

And she loved him so much.

She had known it ever since she had read the Athrabeth, ever since she had read of the woman Andreth's love for the ellon Aegnor.

Their eyes still held, and Katie sought an answer in his. It was not hard to find. He loved her too, and not just as a sister.

But it was time to go. Katie knew it, and Elrohir did as well. She could not hear his soft goodbye from such a distance, but she knew what he had said: "Farewell, Estel-oneth."

An irrepressible smile on her face, she turned and slipped through the crowd, moving away from the scene over to a far corner of the courtyard, where she would not be seen. She knew Elrohir would let the others know where she had gone. She turned back just once more to catch a final glimpse of the some of the people she would never see again in Middle-earth—Elrond and Galadriel and Erestor. But she remembered and believed something her grandmother had once said: "Now that you are Remade, you never have to say Goodbye."

Katie turned away resolutely and slipped out of sight of the festivities. The sun shone warm on her face, there was a sound like bells…

…And the bitter January wind was blowing in her face. She realized with a smile that she was still wearing an Elven dress, and her hair was much longer than it had been more than a year ago, when she had last been standing here. And of course, she wasn't wearing her backpack.

Oh, shoot! she thought. I've left my psychology textbook in Middle-earth! Then she found herself giggling at the absurdity of it. What was a seventy dollar textbook compared to the adventure she had found—and the love? Ilúvatar had indeed sent her to Middle-earth for a purpose, perhaps for more purposes than she could see at the moment.

Shrugging, Katie moved her foot forward and kicked something. She looked down. It was her backpack! She unzipped it, and inside was… her psych book.

She began to laugh delightedly. Hoisting her backpack onto her shoulders, she looked up into the sky. "Thank you!" she shouted into the wind. Still chuckling, she walked toward her dorm, and the mug of hot chocolate awaiting her there.

The End

(Almost)

AN: One more sequel to go!

Random trivia fact: The silver betrothal ring that Aragorn gave Arwen was the famous ring of Barahir. Aragorn wears it in the movie, but Arwen would actually have been wearing it at the time.

The line about never having to say goodbye is something C. S. Lewis says in A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken.

Fk306: Well, she's seen him again, but unfortunately, there wasn't much to say, as I wanted to get her out of there ASAP! This thing dragged on long enough already!

Laer4572: "A ditz who is giggling and wiggling her way around Middle-earth". I like that. I must remember it. Lol And as for your final comment: Well… —smiles amusedly, but remains infuriatingly silent—

Madd Hatter: No, just the end of this sequel. One more of those to go!

The Reviewing Llama (who has nothing to be ashamed about): The books don't exist for her, or at least, the movies don't and she's never heard of the books. I don't intend for her ever to find out about them, but I may put a "deleted scene" in with her finding them. Perhaps. :)

Princess Siara: Now you know that your GLANCE theory was indeed correct! Good job! Lossefalme sailed, and Sadron went with her.

ElvenRyder: Well, she's in love with Elrohir, but whether or not she ends up with him… You'll just have to wait and see!

Alaterial567: Agreed. And he's already made other mistakes, like using the names Glorfindel and Legolas for two different elves, even though elves don't reuse names. What's this about giving up acting?

Hiro No Tsuki: Do you smell it now? lol

Megara: She was staying to insure some things happened, the latest of which is that she and Elrohir both know they love each other. Others are mentioned earlier in the story, and it's 11 PM and I'm tired, so I can't enumerate them for you at the moment. :) Mm, partially right on the theme. It's a rather complex theme, and I'm not even sure I could express it myself at the moment. Who says she's not returning to Middle-earth? —smiles mysteriously—

Thalion: Yes, I wanted to get it right. Thank Tolkien for putting a timeline in the appendices! The appendices are our friend. Have you figured it out yet?

Thanks also to IwishChan and Almenel. Without my lovely reviewers, I would never have had the gumption to keep going like this. Thank you all! Hugs all around!

See you in the next sequel (I don't know yet what it'll be titled)! Please review! Replies will be at the end of the first chapter of Part VI!