AUTHOR'S NOTE Elboron is a canon character only mentioned briefly in one of the appendices of Return of the King as the child of Faramir and Éowyn. It's not specified whether he's male or female or what happens to him in the future. I obviously chose to make him male and worked him in with my original characters. Enjoy!

Also, this chapter follows my theory that Legolas was a character in The Hobbit, just not one mentioned by name.

DISCLAIMER I don't own the characters that Tolkien created, obviously.

June 14, Year 41 of the Fourth Age

Aara's long dark blonde hair curled gracefully down her back. She stood quietly, inspecting her appearance in a long mirror. Her wedding gown was laced with silver and she was like a star that had fallen from the heavens. She turned to me. "Do I look all right, Mama?"

I smiled. "Only one thing is missing." Opening the door, I let Legolas enter and he carried a small box.

"I did not know when to give this to you, elen nîn, but today feels right."

She looked curiously at us. "What is it, Ada?"

He opened the box and removed a delicate chain. From it hung a silver and green pendant in the form of a sleeping dragon. "Long ago," he began. "Before the War of the Ring and before your Mama was even born, there was a great battle. It was known as the Battle of Five Armies, as legions of Dwarves, Elves, and Men together fought hoards of Goblins and Wargs.

"My father and your grandfather, King Thranduil of Mirkwood, led myself and other Elves into battle. We fought on the slopes of the Lonely Mountain against the foul enemies."

Aara listened intently. Even as an adult, she listened eagerly to the tales of battle. "What became of the battle?"

"Before the fighting, the last of the great dragons, known as Smaug, was slain. When the battle was won, Bard, old King of Dale, gave great gifts to my father in thanks for the Elves' valor in battle. This jewel my father gave to me, for in that battle, I proved to him my skill as a warrior. He foretold it to be an heirloom of the Royal House of ancient Greenwood the Great."

As he spoke, Legolas gave the chain to me. I fastened the necklace around the throat of my daughter. The dark green jewel sparked against her fair skin.

"Aara, daughter of my blood, you would have been the rightful heir of Eryn Lasgalen, had the course of the world been different." His eyes looked sad. "But the Wood Elves of my home have left this land and that peaceful Kingdom of my memory has faded away."

"You have Ithilien now, Ada," Aara sad softly, putting a hand on his arm.

He smiled at her. "Yes daughter. I do. And by your marriage, the Northern and Southern lands of Ithilien shall be united forever. But I give you this necklace as a reminder of who you are."

Aara cocked her head. "But I know who I am, Ada."

I took my daughter's hands in mine. "You are a daughter of Elves, Aara." I paused, unsure of how to continue. "But there will come a day when we must leave you here." Gently I touched the necklace. "May this always remind you of us. May you never forget that you are the daughter of two who will love you forever, even if we are no longer with you."

Aara's eyes filled with tears and she hugged me. "I love you, Mama. Don't leave me!"

"Not yet, little one," I said softly.

She turned and hugged Legolas as well. "And I love you, Ada."

He smiled fondly. "And I you, elen nîn." He looked at me and I nodded. Aara stood between us, her necklace sparkling at her throat. Legolas sighed. "It is time."

I had never been more proud of my daughter than as she knelt before the King of Gondor. Legolas and Faramir had been granted the highest honor when Aragorn had agreed to preside over the ceremony.

"Citizens of Gondor!" King Elessar began. "Here we have come to bear witness to a blessed union. Aara Quendelien, maiden of Ithilien and borne of the Firstborn, kneels before me. Beside her is Elboron, son of Faramir Prince of Ithilien and Steward to the King. They wish to be joined by the grace of the Valar and under the laws of he who rules the Kingdom of Gondor. Here in the elven lands of Ithilien will they be joined."

Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. I remembered when Mithrandir spoke nearly the same words before Legolas and me so many years ago. Now my baby girl was finally marrying the man she loved. Éowyn and I couldn't believe it when we discovered that our children had fallen in love.

Aara and Elboron stood and faced each other. Aragorn continued the ceremony. "You each must promise to each other your love, devotion, and friendship for as long as you both shall live."

I could see how much Aara and Elboron loved each other as they repeated the vows Aragorn gave them. The Quenya vows that Legolas and I exchanged were only used in Elvish ceremonies, but the vows in the Common Tongue were just as beautiful.

Legolas held me close as we watched our daughter's wedding. She didn't need us anymore. She was an adult and independent and I knew it.

I was surprised at the number of guests. Legolas and I and Faramir and Éowyn were in attendance of course. Aragorn had married the two and Arwen and Prince Eldarion had also come. The Queen was also pregnant again. Many Elves of the colony had come, including Calíme, Emeriel, and Colindor. Emeriel had Melion with her as well. He was 42 years old, still an infant by Elvish growth.

The reception flew by far too quickly. I dreaded the end of the night, for Aara was to move to a home in Faramir's land in North Ithilien with her husband. She was leaving her home. I knew that such was the way of children growing up, but it didn't make it less painful.

Towards the end of the night, it was time to saw goodbye. Aara clung to me. I knew she was nervous about leaving and being married. "Do not worry, little one. You are strong," I whispered. "Gerich veleth nîn."

"Gerich veleth nîn, Mama," she whispered back.

Legolas hugged her tight. "I will miss you, elen nîn."

She started tearing up. "I will miss you too, Ada. I love you both."

And then she was gone. The guests returned home or retired to their chambers. King Elessar and the Queen were in our most comfortable chambers in the palace. Eldarion had been given a separate room of his own, much to the eleven-year-old Prince's delight.

Éowyn and Faramir were the last two to retire. Éowyn and I clung to each other. Our babies were gone. We cried on each other's shoulders, mourning the little ones who had grown up too soon.

Eventually, even Legolas and I returned to our chamber. After we'd changed and settled for the night, I stood at the balcony door sadly. "Are you all right?" Legolas asked softly. He came up behind me, arms encircling my waist.

I sighed. "Yes. But I never thought that I'd miss her this much."

"Such is the burden of parents," my husband said. He was quiet for a minute, then whispered in my ear, "We could always have another one."

I laughed. "Go through all this again? Sure."

"I was serious." His voice sounded hurt.

I turned to face him. "I'm sorry," I said. He pouted playfully and I kissed him. "If you would like to be the one to carry and deliver this child, then I'll be happy for another."

Sighing, he agreed. "All right. You're the one who gets the worst of it, I guess." His embrace tightened and he pulled me back from the balcony. "But let's pretend," he purred.

I raised an eyebrow and let him pull me into the chamber. Giggling, we fell into bed.

Elen nîn – My star (Sindarin)

Ada – Father (Sindarin)

Gerich veleth nîn – You have my love (Sindarin)