FINAL NOTE-Thank you very much to all that have read this story. This is the final chapter you hopefully have all been waiting for. This was mostly the rough copy of this story unrevised, so my apologies for the typos or research errors, they are being fixed as we speak in the final copy. I feel the ending is slightly abrupt, but it feels appropriate. I hope you all have enjoyed it, and please pass on the word of the story to your friends to read, for we still have at least a week before we have to present, possibly more.

Calo anor na ven, Belain na le. Namárië.

(May the sun shine on your road, the Valar be with you. Farewell.)

Jnían stirred in her bed, and then slowly opened her eyes. She looked around her, slowly taking in the beautiful flowers surrounding her soft bed of white sheets, and the balcony before her open to a stunning view across Gondor. She blinked a few times, searching her mind for a memory of the last thing she remembered.

Suddenly the door flung open, revealing a bustling Hwesta, his arms full of more flowers which were adequately blocking his view. "Hwesta!" Jnían exclaimed, unable to believe her eyes. The last thing she knew about him was that he was still with the delegates.

Hwesta instantly dropped the flowers to the floor in surprise. "Lady Jnían, you're awake!" he yelled, racing across the floor and leaping onto her bed. "We weren't sure if you were ever going to awake."

"How long have I been asleep?" Jnían questioned.

"At least a fortnight," he answered. "The Dáe staff must have been terribly powerful to do that to an Elf."

"A fortnight?" Jnían repeated, massaging her temples. Memories of the battle and the staff were surging back into her mind.

"Yes, Lady Andúin has been very worried," Hwesta continued.

"Andúin? I have not seen her in so long. She is alright then?"

"Better then alright, mi'lady. She is to be made Queen of Gondor! But she wished to wait for you to be well enough to attend the coronation."

Jnían instantly pushed back the covers on her bed, sliding to the floor. "Well, I am feeling better," she said, taking a deep breath. She did feel surprisingly better, considering she had only just awoken, but then, she had her Elven blood to thank for her hardiness. She walked towards the door with Hwesta trailing behind her, skirting the dropped flowers. "Who were those from?" she asked, nodding towards the petals scattered about the flower.

"Why, Faroth, as are most of the ones in the room," Hwesta said shyly.

Andúin sat comfortably on the base of her father's throne, and Faroth was lying on his stomach on the floor in front of her. For the first time since they had met, they were able to be truly lighthearted, with nothing in the world to worry about.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Jnían charged in, running straight for Andúin. Andúin jumped up in return, catching the Elf in a tight embrace. "I didn't think you were going to make it," Andúin said.

"Don't underestimate an Elf," Jnían teased back. "I was just trying to make you nervous to make it all the better when I recovered." They laughed together, and the sound echoed lightly off the marble.

Faroth rose, a grin on his face as he watched the two girls. "We were worried about you, Jnían," he added a bit more seriously. "The healers told Andúin she was a fool to wait for you to recover."

"I knew better than that," Andúin inserted. "I know you better than those healers ever could."

The trio laughed again, together at last and in harmony. "Andúin, you can't put off your coronation much longer," Jnían suddenly exclaimed. "The people of Gondor do need a leader."

"How did you even know?" Andúin asked her, her brow creased in confusion. "I wanted to be the one to tell you."

Hwesta stepped forward, his face flushed a deep scarlet. "I'm sorry, mi'lady, I could not wait to tell her. It is rather exciting news, after all," he said, his voice small.

"Do not fret so over something so insignificant," Andúin assured him. "This is a time of joy and celebration, and as Jnían said, this coronation cannot be put off forever."

Captain Thalion slowly lowered the crown onto Andúin's bowed head. She looked up, meeting his eyes and smiling. He smiled back, and then stepped away from her as she rose to her full height. There was a silence as she looked across the white courtyard at all the people of Gondor gathered, covering the ground, and she knew that even more stood on the levels below her.

"Queen Andúin," Thalion said recognition of her, motioning a hand at her.

Andúin quickly held up a silencing hand before anyone could say anything else, then spoke, her voice soft and smooth, "Et Earello Endorenna utulien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!" The people of Gondor erupted into applause, for these were the words of her grandfather Aragorn, the same words he had spoken at his own coronation marking the beginning of the Fourth Age. No one needed the translation, for they all knew in their hearts the meaning of 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle Earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.'

Everyone then bowed to their knees before her, and she had to wipe away a single tear from her eye. She finally felt complete, felt that she had done her father proud.

Again she spoke, "Please, do not let this celebration focus only on the crowning of an heir. We would not be standing here at all if it wasn't for a few others." She walked forward a few paces to the edge of the crowds, to the familiar faces in the front. "Arise, Lady Jnían, Lord Faroth, Sir Hwesta," she ordered.

They stood, and soon all eyes were upon the four of them. "I thank the three of you for saving Gondor, and in doing so, saving all of Middle-earth. We are eternally grateful to you and your people." She paused, turning to Jnían and Faroth. "You have my blessings on your love, Lady Jnían and Lord Faroth. May you go forth and prosper in matrimony." She paused again, and then turned to Hwesta. "And for you, Sir Hwesta, I give you the word of a queen to take back to your own people that you are more than worthy of a spot on the council." She stepped back a few steps, noticing the tears of joy shining in Jnían's face, and knew she had them herself.

"Let us enjoy another age of peace," Andúin said to all the people. "A peace that shall last until the end of all the ages of Middle-earth."

And so they passed into the Fifth Age of Middle-earth on that brisk summer day where the blossoms of the white tree rained down upon all gathered for the spectacle, and they were at peace.