This chapter is dedicated to Steve Irwin, who died tragically on Monday, September 4th.

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Chapter 48- Endless Days

The speed at which they traveled was incredible, though they would never notice it unless they kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. They had escalated so high that their breath began to come out as thin mist that would quickly zip behind them. Below them, the colors of the landscape had almost blended together and the whole land appeared to be more like a painting rather than what it really was. Streaks of blue wove and twisted among the golds and greens that were the meadows, and the brown and gray ridges of the mountains jetted up towards them, looming in the distance. They flew above even the birds and they passed through the clouds, the cool winds whooshing past their faces and blowing their clothing wildly about their bodies.

So fascinated, they were, that they did not notice the far mountains growing larger on the horizon and the time falling behind them. Night was beginning to set on them when they finally came to the mountains but Nórui had refused to rest there, still haunted by the memories that flooded forth by the very sight of those mountains. The Muruien respected his request and touched down a few miles from the feet of the peaks.

The Crown Prince would sleep very little that night, sitting up in his bedroll with his eyes turned towards the north. His mahogany hair blew softly about his face and his emerald eyes shimmered from the starlight above. He was so still, so stoic, that the company wondered if he had suddenly turned to stone. Only an occasional deep breath from him would assure them that this had not taken place.

They had taken flight before the sun even rose the next morning so that they would be able to rest longer in the middle of the day. The pace had slackened considerably, so much so that they had traveled only about ten miles in a few hours. They had not yet reached the Gap of Rohan when they landed again and set up camp.

"Tarmikos," Ricamros started as he plopped down on the ground and began to root through his pack, "You have not introduced the others to your lady friend, you know."

His twin glanced at him oddly for a moment, then turned his attention to the other members of the group, "Everyone, this is Jocikah. Jocikah, everyone." The woman rolled her eyes slightly and the company chuckled softly.

"I don't believe that was proper." The other Muru prince commented. Sighing in exasperation, Tarmikos tried again.

"Jocikah, this is Nórui, Legolas, Melyanna, and Lothron of the House of Thranduil, Jaimea of Mirkwood, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, and Estel of the House of Elrond." He sent his brother a smirk, "Nórui, Legolas, Melyanna, Lothron, Jaimea, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, and Estel," He took a deep breath, "This is Jocikah."

He smiled at Ricamros's annoyed expression.

"Now that that's over," Espenshade interrupted them once she had changed back into her true form, "A little something to eat would be nice. I'm starving."

"And you tell me this because…?" The silver haired prince drawled, looking up at her questioningly.

"You were the one who brought the food." She answered.

"Was I?"

"You better have brought it, Ricamros! Unless you wanted to know what it felt like for me to wring your neck!"

The Muru laughed with a large grin on his face, and then said, "Of course I brought food with me. But the food I brought was intended for me, not you." Espenshade glowered at his triumphant smile.

'What about me?" Iaurtondariel asked him suddenly, leaning over to him with an expectant look on her face. The prince's eyes widened slightly and his mouth opened and closed as he tried to think of an excuse.

"Well, uh…"

In this momentary lapse of attention, the elleth smirked and reached over, snatching his pack from his lap. She then proceeded to rummage through the bag while he sat with a scowl on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. A few moments later, she grinned and pulled out a thin piece of dried meat, then tossed the bag back to Ricamros.

"Thanks." She said teasingly, laughing slightly at the annoyed look he gave her.

They did not remain in that place long, only giving themselves enough time to eat and to determine where they were exactly. While the others ate and talked idly, Elladan and Elrohir had drawn out a rough map in the dirt, illustrating the area between them and Imladris. Ricamros studied it carefully, occasionally pointing something out and asking its purpose, before the map was brushed away and they readied themselves to leave again. The company found that they still watched in awe as the Muruien transformed into the magnificent creatures that served as their mounts.

Two more days would pass and they did not alter in their routine: fly until mid-day, rest, and then fly until night came upon them. A simple map would be drawn to find their location again, and then they would be off. They continued this way until only about twenty more miles separated them from their destination, and they rested for the night. They had decided that the next day, they would not rest until they reached the elven city of Rivendell. Once there, they would stay for a few days in order to regain their strength, and then make the last part of their journey to Mirkwood.

That night, the dark sky was littered with bright stars and the moon was a fullest. Crickets hidden in the thick grasses chirped happily, their love songs filling the silence of the darkness, and a small mouse would occasionally scamper out of the thickets and dart along the perimeter of their camp, then disappear once again. The fire they had built crackled and licked at the thin branches that they fed it, eating up everything with its greedy tongue, and the flames danced hauntingly, casting shadows upon their faces.

The group spoke little that night, too captivated by the fire before them. Wordlessly, they would lay down on their sleeping mats and drift off to sleep one by one. A unanimous decision had been made that the golden haired prince would be keeping watch, considering that he was the last one awake. He did not complain.

A few hours passed and Legolas did nothing but stare into the flames, though his ears were alert, searching for any sound of movement. Only one thing ever caught his attention, and that was the Komuned returning from a hunt. A dead mouse was clamped firmly in its mouth and it snorted softly at the elf before prowling over to Jaimea and plopping down on the ground.

"There is no need to stay awake, Legolas." A woman's voice said to him softly from the side, "My brothers are aware of everything, even if they appear lost to the world." The Muru chuckled as she glanced to the silver haired twins.

"I know. I'm just not tired." He answered as she came to sit beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his cheek, and then placed both hands in her lap.

"Do you look forward to returning home?" Espenshade asked.

"I suppose." The prince answered after a moment, "Though I will miss Banemera. I do not understand how you could not want to live in that place; it is so different from Mirkwood."

The Muru laughed softly and nodded, "It is, indeed. But you know my reasons for not wanting to remain there." She gave him a sidelong glance and he frowned.

"Will you never forgive your father?"

"How can I? If he had not banished the both of us, Daeron never would have been killed by that accursed elf." Bitterness seeped from her words as she said this but she quickly tried to sober herself. Legolas said nothing as she took a deep breath and continued, "Fate has odd ways of working, such that one can say it is actually Daeron's fault that he had been killed. Had he not tried to sneak into my room that night, he never would have been caught and thus never sent away."

"You say fate has odd ways of working, but death does so as well. It was decided that his time had come; if it was not that, it would be something else."

Espenshade chuckled without humor, "I suppose. Though I would have preferred a more peaceful death, if it was really necessary."

Legolas looked away from her and to the ground, tracing patterns into the ground with his toes. He said, "You know, he is in the Halls of Waiting with my Naneth."

"How do you know?" The princess rounded on him quickly, her eyes wide in shock, "I thought only elves went there."

"I thought so, too." He laughed, "But long before I realized who you truly were, I had a vision, I think it was. Either that, I had begun to fade. I had come to the Halls of Waiting and I saw my Naneth there, then she had shown me that Daeron was there as well."

The prince smiled at the flabbergasted look on her face and she began to ramble off, "Well, how is he? Is he all right? Is he happy? Does he still look the same?"

"He is fine and yes, he still looks the same." The ellon answered with amusement. The lady smiled slightly though it did not reach her eyes, and he gave her a thoughtful gaze, "It seems that you would know all of this though. Can you not see him?"

Espenshade shook her head sadly, "Nay, I cannot. Sometimes I will feel a glimmer of him in me, but that is all. The only way I can remind myself of him is knowing that wherever he may be, he is still watching me and protecting me. That, and the memories that we shared."

Legolas opened his mouth to speak but hesitated slightly. He simply wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her close to his side, resting his cheek on the top of her head. The elf heard her sigh in contentment, "Thank you." She whispered so quietly that he had to strain to hear her, and then she looked up at him with a small smile.

The ellon's brow shot up when she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. It lasted but a few moments and then she pulled away with the smile still on her mouth. Where had that come from?

"Uh…" He trailed off weakly, watching her questioningly and she laughed quietly at the confusion on his face.

"I am sorry, Legolas," She grinned, "I had forgotten you were not Muruien. In our culture, close friends and sometimes relatives will kiss if the moment is appropriate. So I thought it would be right to do so." The doubtful look on his face had still not disappeared and she rolled her eyes playfully, "It was not a romantic gesture, I promise."

"If you are certain."

"I am, now relax!" She laughed again, and then leaned back into his embrace. Quietly, she added, "Besides, I'm sure you are nothing compared to Daeron."

Legolas decided it would be wiser not to comment on that remark.

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"There it is!" Elrohir shouted excitedly as his eyes scanned the horizon. Elladan looked over his brother's shoulder and a grin flitted upon his face; the welcoming valley of Rivendell loomed in the distance.

"It is about time." He said, more calmly than the other elf had done, "I'm afraid my bottom is about to fall off."

A deep rumbling from the silver dragon beneath them caught their attention and they assumed it to be his laughter, "Your bottom, hmm?" The dragon's lips turned up into a grin, though it looked more like a snarl due to the gleaming white teeth that protruded from his mouth, "I can make much more than your bottom fall off, my lord."

Startled yelps came from both elves as the dragon twisted suddenly and they found themselves falling from its back, downwards to the ground. Their terrified screams met the ears of their companions and when they thought that life was over for them, they impacted with the soft underbelly of the creature that had just thrown them down. The rumbling returned and even a puff of smoke escaped his nostrils.

"That was not funny." The elder twin muttered angrily, glaring straight into the dragon's blue eyes. Elrohir said nothing, still shaken by the near-death experience.

Not two hours later, Imladris was no longer a speck on the horizon. The buildings of the elven city could be visibly seen and the elves could even pick out a few of the people roaming on the paths. Some of them had already noticed their approach and had stopped to look upon them. After all, how often was it that two silver dragons and a couple of giant eagles came to Rivendell?

"Perhaps we should stop and change back into our true forms?" Ricamros suggested as his dark eyes gazed over the elves in the city.

"No," Elladan answered, "They need a little excitement."

"Alright then. But if Tarmikos and I get shot at, we will blame you." The dragon accented this with a snort.

Much to their relief, they did not get shot at as they flew over Imladris. Though there was a lot of scrambling around and screaming, the company noticed. For some reason, Estel found much enjoyment in this.

The four Muruien, having nowhere else to go, landed upon the large balconies that protruded from the buildings. The elves gazed upon them in amazement and shock when the group clambered off their backs and stared around themselves in happiness- they had finally returned to familiar lands. The four had just begun to return to normal form when a dark haired ellon suddenly burst through the doors, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Ada!" Arwen exclaimed joyfully as she rushed towards him, followed by her brothers, and wrapped her arms around him, "It has been so long!"

Elrond said nothing in response, his eyes still transfixed on the four Muruien who gazed just as openly at him. Small smiles tugged at their lips as the elf seemed to measure them up, debating whether or not they were animals or people. Those who watched on could not help but chuckle softly in amusement.

"Will you give us no welcome?" Elladan asked, startling his father out of his stupor. The ellon looked over to him and managed a small smile.

"Of course, I will. I am just a bit surprised by your sudden return." He paused, then added, "And the manner of your return."

"There is no reason to worry." The elleth said, noticing the older elf's apprehension towards the Muruien, "They have been our friends for a long part of our journey. They will be gone as soon as the others return to Mirkwood, though I will not like to see them leave."

"Have no fear, my lady," Tarmikos spoke up, drawing Elrond's attention to him, "We have an odd habit of turning up at the most unexpected of times."

"You make yourself sound so mysterious." Ricamros said with a small grin, looking over to his brother.

"Perhaps that is because I have some creativity whereas you have none."

As this banter continued, the Peredhil sighed tiredly and shook his head, "Ai, Valar, more twins." Elladan and Elrohir grinned mischievously at their father who then placed small kisses on their foreheads, then turned and went back through the doors. He called over his shoulder, "Would you please find your friends some rooms? I need to inform everyone of your return." More like warn them, he thought dryly as the door shut behind him.

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As they traveled the halls throughout the day, the Muruien suddenly realized how the elves must have felt during their stay in Banemera. Everything seemed so foreign to them and they found themselves questioning almost everything they saw. The people of Rivendell were more than happy to answer anything they brought up, a few even explaining a little too thoroughly. But even so, they drank in all the information they could get. Even the rooms provided to them were so different from what they had themselves, so much so that they had to be forced from the chambers when the final meal was announced.

And that brought even more fascination from them as they watched the food being served around to the tables. Even if it didn't leave the best impression, they tried everything that had been offered to them. They were most shocked when the Lord of Imladris had called attention to them all, recognizing them as guests in the Hidden Valley and welcoming them with great exuberance. They smiled and gave their thanks to him, though were deeply surprised by it all. They noticed that Espenshade, having lived with the elves for countless years, was not in the least startled by it and even seemed to be enjoying their 'plight'.

After the meal had ended and the elves had retreated to their homes, Lord Elrond had called his children away to a private room so that they may catch up on all the happenings of late, leaving the others to themselves. Espenshade had taken to guiding the other Muruien around the winding corridors and streets of Rivendell while the four children of Mirkwood sat together in one room, talking softly amongst themselves of their home. They wondered at the fate of their father and of their people, and what sort of state the palace would be in at their return. This sort of talked continued well into the night and they slept where they were, not having the heart to leave each other after so long of not having time together.

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The next day would prove to be very interesting indeed. A few of them- Espenshade, Legolas, and Jaimea- had thought it would be a good idea to visit the library in order to do a little reading up on the creature that the elleth had brought back from the Muruien city. Upon entering, they all caught sight of a very familiar face, so diligently at work that he did not even notice their entrance.

Erestor.

A smirk flitted upon Espenshade's and, hiding behind a large bookshelf, quickly took the shape of the Peregrine falcon. Legolas smiled at the sight of her but as realization set in, his eyes widened.

"Don't do anything you will regret later." He whispered to her and she quirked her head, blue eyes gleaming.

"What do you mean?" Jaimea asked curiously but the ellon did not answer. Both elves watched as the bird leapt into the air and silently glided towards the other ellon.

Hunched down in a soft chair was the chief advisor to Lord Elrond, peacefully enjoying a book. He took little notice of the entry of the three people, too occupied in his read to bother greeting them, though he was faintly curious of the identity of the foreign lady that accompanied them. He had not attended the meal that past evening and so had not learned of her, though he would soon find out exactly who she was, unbeknownst to him. When she had disappeared behind a bookshelf, he lost all thought of her and returned his full attention to his book.

Suddenly, his sharp ears picked up on the soft beating of bird wings coming towards him and he glanced up slightly over the top of his book. A dark shadow passed over his face upon recognition of the golden falcon and he silently cursed his luck when she perched herself in his lap. He looked down his nose at her as she peered up at him with one beady eye.

A golden light then manifested around her small being and Erestor's eyes widened in surprise and shock. The light grew larger until it spread across both legs and over the sides of the chair, and his book slipped from his fingers. He shut his eyes against the blinding light and when he opened them, the woman who had entered with the two elves had taken the place of the falcon.

A mischievous smile grew upon the Muru's lips when she saw the flabbergasted look upon the elf's face, and a smug contentment welled up in her chest.

"Good morning, Lord Erestor." She shifted so that she was more comfortable, "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Uh…" Was all he could say. Espenshade's smile grew into a smirk.

"That's not a very polite way to greet old friends."

Attempting to regain his composed demeanor, Erestor straightened himself and cleared his throat softly, "I beg your pardon, my lady, but I don't believe we have met."

"Oh, but we have." She insisted as she slung an arm around his shoulders, "My name is Espenshade, a Muru of Banemera."

"The Espenshade I know is a falcon." He stated, then added bitterly, "And an aggravating one at that."

"You mean, this falcon?" The same golden light covered her form and when it disappeared, the bird had returned in his lap. Not a moment later, it had taken its previous form has a woman once again.

Judging by the look on his face, Erestor wasn't sure if he should be amused or terrified. Neither seemed to fit the situation, so he decided instead to look up from the lady spread across his lap and shout, "Legolas!"

There was a soft chuckling from around the corner and then the golden haired prince stuck his head out, a small smile teasing his lips, "Yes, my lord?"

"What exactly is wrong with your pet falcon?" He demanded sternly.

"What do you mean, wrong?"

Erestor indicated dramatically towards Espenshade, "She transformed into a woman!"

"Oh, yes. That is normal." Legolas answered casually, as if it were an everyday occurrence that animals changed shape into ladies, then perched themselves in the laps of unsuspecting advisors, "She is of the Muruien, a race of shape shifters."

"So you mean to say that it has been a person, not a bird, that has been wreaking havoc all these years?" One eyebrow shot up and the younger elf bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"Indeed."

"And you allowed her to continue?"

"No, my lord! I mean, I did not know of this either until recently." He amended quickly, then sent a glance towards the pleased Muru, "I admit, what she is doing now is quite… inappropriate, to put it frankly." He sent a disapproving look towards her but it went ignored.

The haughty expression remained on the advisor's face as he turned his attention back to the Muru, "My lady, I would appreciate it if you would remove yourself from me."

"So formal." Espenshade teased as she obeyed, hopping up from her 'seat' and bounding happily back to Legolas. She started towards the exit, then cast a smile towards the elf and said, "Farewell."

When she was out of sight, the Mirkwood prince shot an apologetic smile to the elder ellon, then bowed at the waist and followed after her, Jaimea in tow.

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"I wish that you did not have to leave so soon." Arwen said as she watched her companions prepare to leave on the large balcony. The Muru princes already waited in their dragon forms, eyeing the few elves that would be soon joining them. Norui smiled, humbled by her concern, and took her hands in his and placed a kiss to her knuckles.

"Farewell is not forever, my lady." He said, "Do not worry; I am sure we will see each other again soon."

"There is no use in delaying the inevitable." One of the dragons said with a snort. At the annoyed glances directed upon him, he puffed a ring of black smoke from his nostrils and continued, "I wish to stretch my wings, is all."

"He is right though." Iaurtondariel commented as she hopped upon the other dragon, who they all assumed was Ricamros. They found that in the dragon forms, there was nothing that signified which prince was which, "It would not surprise me if we stopped by for a brief visit after we leave Mirkwood. You would see us one last time, at least."

"I suppose." The dark haired elleth agreed with a small smile as her brothers gently wrapped their arms around her waist.

"Have a safe journey." Elladan said.

"I hope whatever awaits you in Mirkwood is pleasant." Elrohir added as they mounted and they smiled sadly, their thoughts instantly rushing back to their people in Mirkwood. But they did not dwell on it, only securing themselves on their mounts and saying their final farewells. The four Muruien then threw themselves into the air, their great wings spreading and carrying them quickly away from the valley of Rivendell.

Between Imladris and Mirkwood, there were very few events that are worth mentioning. They were able to reach the peak of the Misty Mountains that night, though it was late when they finally landed again, but no fire was built up. Two at a time stayed up to keep watch, for there were unfriendly creatures that roamed the peaks and no one wanted to be caught of guard. Especially so close to the end of their journey. Only one or two stray goblins wandered into their camp and, after being noticed by the watchers on duty, they did not wander out again.

The next morning brought a clear, blue sky and a bright sun. It was considerably warmer that day and it raised their spirits. They walked part of the way back down the mountain but as they drew nearer to the bottom, they took flight again. As they flew higher into the sky, the borders of the forest they called home loomed in the distance and their hearts leapt in their chest. What would they find there, they asked themselves over and over. Their senses told them that everything would be fine but their minds continued to conjure up absurd ideas that were very unlikely to happen. Idle talk was enough to chase away such notions.

By the time the sun had just begun to descend in the sky, the great palace of Mirkwood was within sight and it brought smiles upon the lips of the elves who resided there. Another hour passed and the Muruien touched down on the eastern border of the forest. From there, they hurried through the small expanse of forest that separated them from their home. The trees were not so thick on the eastern border, only a few miles wide, and so the Muruien took a new shape: horses to carry the elves the rest of their journey.

Half way through, they were stopped as two voices called down to them from the trees. The small group assumed they had not been recognized from under their hoods and so they cast them down, and cries of excitement and joy surrounded them. Immediately, the elven guards dropped from the trees and greeted their princes and princesses with warm welcome. They spoke for only a little while, talking mainly of the latest happenings in the realm. The tones of their voices gave away the sorrow that they felt, for they told them that many elves had been lost to the death-like sleep they had fallen under. Their spirits rose, though, when they learned that the cause of the problem had been taken care of.

They spent only half of an hour with them before continuing on with troubled hearts. The news they had received was not good, but they were pleased to hear no mention of their father being overtaken by the spell. And no mention of Glithiel, either, Norui commented to himself with relief. But before they had left, Legolas quietly asked the head guard if he recognized the elleth he had traveled with, Jaimea. Frowning slightly, the elf had studied her and then shook his head, saying, no.

Before long, the gates to the palace appeared and they halted before them, calling up to the guards on duty for entry. Only one elf greeted them, his raven colored hair dangling before his eyes, and he gave a surprised shout upon recognition. He immediately let them in and they dismounted, their gazes sweeping over their home. Elves rushed to them to take their mounts but they politely declined the offer, earning them a few odd looks. One of the white horses snorted in agitation.

The elves jumped back in shock when the horses suddenly illuminated with a gold light and were replaced with four beings that looked shockingly like them- excluding the odd colored hair. Muruien and Eldar watched and studied each other with curiosity and amusement.

Amidst all this, the Crown Prince smiled and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "At last, we are finally home." He said softly.

"Indeed, it is wonderful to be back again." Legolas agreed, gazing fondly at his people. He was vaguely aware of Jaimea approaching him from behind, the Komuned stuffed safely in her pack, and she linked her arm through his. The prince looked down at her and smiled warmly, "Welcome home, melleth-nín."

Norui glanced over to the two and smiled, then playfully ruffled the younger prince's hair and placed a kiss on Jaimea's forehead.

"I'm going to save them before someone attempts to kidnap them." He motioned towards the Muruien who had successfully stolen the attention of the elves. Casting the pair another smile, he mixed himself into the fray.

Glancing back at the gate, Legolas saw his two sisters already waiting for them with Iaurtondariel at their sides. The two joined them and a moment later, the Crown Prince appeared with the four Muruien in tow. With the chatter of their people still in their ears, they pushed through the doors and entered their home for the first time in what seemed like ages.

Nothing had changed about the long corridor that would eventually lead to the throne room, and then break off into separate chambers, but the feeling was different. The torches that illuminated the hall seemed to flicker against the walls hauntingly and sorrowfully, no longer the energetic and carefree flames that danced along the corridor, casting their shadows on those who passed by. The air felt colder than usual, despite the heat of the torches, and they wondered if this had to do with the mourning of the lost elves. Or perhaps that had grown unused to such conditions.

Word travels fast, they soon realized, for their people would suddenly appear out of nowhere and express how glad they were to see them again. When they came to the main hall, they found their old friends gathered there, waiting for them. As soon as they were noticed, they were bombarded with elated cries and warm embraces. A great feeling of pride welled up in their hearts at the feeling of being amongst their people.

As this progressed, Jaimea found herself watching from the side as the princes and princesses were welcomed back to the realm. She did not envy them, of course- she was perfectly happy to stay out of the way. After all, it was not her place.

But then she heard her name called over the din and she looked towards the noise, her eyes widening in shock as an elleth hurried over to her with a large grin.

"Wilyawing…?" She breathed as her own smile grew upon her lips.

"Jaimea!" The dark haired elf exclaimed as she bounded towards her, then wrapped her arms around her neck, "I've missed you so much!" The fair-haired elf said nothing, only holding onto her friend as if she would never be able to do so again.

When she finally pulled away, Wilyawing beamed and looked the elleth up and down, "You have changed, mellon-nín; you were never one to venture out like that. And you told us that you would be gone only for a little while." She teased and Jaimea laughed softly.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I honestly didn't have intentions of being away so long. I became… caught up in it all." Her eyes flickered momentarily towards the golden haired prince, and then returned to her friend. Wilyawing caught this and glanced back, then looked again at her with wide eyes.

"You mean the prince?" She whispered quickly, taking a step closer towards her. Smiling and blushing slightly, the fair haired elleth nodded, "Oh, I am so happy for you, Jaimea!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her again, "Does he plan to court you?"

"We've been courting for a month or two now. Not very long, but I d every moment of it." She answered.

The darker haired elleth could find nothing to say as she gazed fondly at the other elf before her, touching her cheek gently and brushing back a stray hair behind her pointed ear, "I am so happy for you. None of us ever imagined him and you together." She suddenly frowned worriedly, then asked, "Does he know that you…?"

Jaimea sighed heavily and averted her eyes, shaking her head, "I've tried to tell him so many times but there are always interruptions. Either that, or I wouldn't let myself tell him."

"You must eventually, you know. That will be important to him."

"It should not be though." The golden haired elleth retorted, "If his feelings for me are true, it won't change anything."

"I hope you are right, my friend."

Not liking this particular conversation, Jaimea quickly said, "Where are the others? All of our friends?" A dark look crossed over Wilyawing's face and she looked away, sighing sadly. The other elleth shut her eyes in pain and crossed her arms over her chest, "All of them?" She whispered breathily.

"Yes, I am the only one who did not become trapped in that beast's hold." She answered bitterly, "It is just you and I now."

There was a sudden loud shouting, heard even above the cheerful chattering of the elves, and there was silence immediately, "Where are they!" The voice yelled again and the people moved away from their princes and princesses to reveal them to the one who now stood in the largest doorway.

The four royals watched with wide eyes as their father gazed back at them, his fists clenched at his side and his face red with either joy or anger; which, they could not tell. It took them only a moment for them to notice the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes and after a long, tense moment, the king seemed to break down and he opened his arms to them, "Are you going to stand there or come greet me?"

All at once, the four cried out in excitement and hurried towards their father's outstretched arms, happy tears streaming down their cheeks. The Elvenking's strong arms wrapped around his children, holding them tight to himself and kissing each one repetitively on their cheeks and foreheads. As they clung to him, he whispered loving words in their ears.

"I am not sure if I should be happy or angry with you." He said mostly to himself, "I was going mad with worry."

"Forgive us for taking so long, for prolonging your suffering." Lothron apologized hurriedly and Thranduil hushed her, resting his chin on her head.

"Nonsense, my child," He replied, "I am proud of all of you." A familiar cackling then made its way towards them, and the elves glanced up to see the golden falcon soaring towards them and perching herself on the king's shoulder, then nibbling gently on the loose strands of his dark hair. Thranduil chuckled, saying, "And I see that blasted bird of yours survived."

Legolas smiled and nodded, "Indeed, she did."

The Elvenking gave his children one more kiss each, and then released them reluctantly. He looked over his people with a new warmth in his heart, and then stopped his gaze on the four newcomers standing a little ways away.

"Who are they, now?" He asked kindly, stepping away to study each one carefully.

"They are our companions who aided us on our journey." Norui answered, coming up beside his father and then motioned to each one as he named them, "That one there is Prince Tarmikos and his brother is Prince Ricamros. The one who stands beside Tarmikos is Lady Jocikah and the elleth is Iaurtondariel." He gave said elf a warm smile before looking back to gauge the older elf's reaction. He was pleased to see him bow his head slightly to each one.

"Thank you for guiding my children through their obstacles," He said, "You are welcome to stay in my halls as long as your hearts wish it." They said nothing; they smiled and bowed at their waists in respect.

Just as the groups were about to mingle again, the youngest prince stepped forward and said, "Ada, there is someone else that I would like you to meet as well."

Legolas did not bother to wait for the ellon to reply as he broke away from his siblings and towards the crowd of elves with a loving smile on his face. The elleth he sought looked away from him nervously as he approached and took her hand gently in his. He placed a kiss on her knuckles, and then pulled her forward gently.

"Come." He said warmly.

"Legolas…" She muttered hesitantly as she was being dragged towards the king. Not a one spoke as the prince led her towards the king, a proud smile on his face. He stopped before Thranduil and gently pushed her towards him.

"Adar, this is Jaimea." He said, "The elleth who has finally stolen my heart and swept the ground out from underneath my feet."

Fearing the king's judgment, Jaimea looked sheepishly down to the polished floor and waited for his words. She was surprised to feel him place his fingers under her chin and slowly raise her eyes to meet his gaze. He studied her for a long moment, smiling comfortingly at her, to reassure her that everything was all right.

"You have chosen a beautiful one." He said finally with a small laugh and the elleth felt a heat creep up her neck. Thranduil then said to her, "You have done the one thing that no one else has been able to do, my lady, and that is subduing my stubborn son and melting his frozen heart." He paused, chuckling, "All of Mirkwood can now live in peace."

There was a gentle laughter throughout the halls and Jaimea smiled faintly. Thranduil placed a kiss on her forehead, "Thank you very much, my lady Jaimea."

The people then came together again, chattering and laughing amongst each other as they continued to welcome their friends again. Greetings were exchanged between the Muruien and the king, and he was most surprised to find that they were of the same race that the one who held them under a spell was. They told him of all that had transpired and why it had happened in the first place. There was tension between them at first, but that would soon disappear and they would see each other as old friends would.

But throughout this whole event, the Crown Prince kept his eyes alert for the one whom he sought most, but found that she was no where to be found. A dark and foreboding emotion welled up in his heart and he feared the worst. He approached his father quickly, and then spoke in hushed tones:

"Why is Glithiel not here?" He asked, "Is she alright?"

Thranduil smiled gently and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "Yes, Norui, she fares well, though she could be better. She was one of the last to be free of the spell and so she is still weak. You are free to go to her whenever you wish." The young elf's first reaction was to storm from the room and find the one he loved, but his duty won the mental battle and he stayed where he was.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

The remainder of the day seemed to be a blur to them all. After everyone had cleared out, rooms had been arranged for the Muruien, as well as Iaurtondariel and Jaimea, and they had gone out to explore the palace with Espenshade as their guide. Thranduil and his children had then locked themselves in the king's private chamber and caught up on everything that they had missed. Countless tears, both happy and sorrowful, stained their faces and there seemed to be more hugging and kissing than anything. The four younger elves relayed everything that had happened in complete detail, leaving very little out.

The Elvenking was most shocked to hear that his son had lost his life along the way, but then was sent back. He looked upon Norui with frightened eyes and he held him close to his chest, unwilling to let go as if the young ellon would be taken away from him again. They did not say exactly how he had been brought back and Thranduil never asked.

Time passed quickly in the large room and their talk eventually turned to that of playful jesting. Their hearts finally at ease, the four siblings allowed their true nature to shine through, having had to keep it locked up for so long.

"So, Legolas," Thranduil started with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, "When did this lady catch your eye?"

"Ada," The golden haired prince muttered, rolling his eyes upwards, "Must we talk about that? Eru knows what will follow it."

"I am simply curious." The king retorted, "Am I not allowed to know what goes on in your love life?"

"No, you are not." Legolas answered smugly, looking away from his father.

"I knew it was bound to happen all along." Norui commented as he reclined back into a soft couch, "Especially after that certain night early on in our trip." He sent a mischievous smile towards his brother. The younger prince's eyes widened slightly and he glowed a bright red, reaching all the way up to the tips of his ears. Thranduil's brows shot up and the two princesses hid their grins behind their hands.

"What is this all about, hmm?" The king drawled out, "This has me interested."

"Indeed, Legolas. We never heard about this." Melyanna said.

"And you never will, for I have no intentions of explaining it." He replied crossly. Norui opened his mouth but quickly shut it at the warning glance his brother shot him.

"So, will I be able to call her 'daughter' any time soon?" Thranduil teased.

"Ada!" Legolas exclaimed in indignation, "I've known her for only a short while!"

"Merely asking, my son."

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

The reunited family never left the room that night, for they had not the heart to do so. They slept together in the king's oversized bed, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. All had waited so long to finally be together again and it had come at last.

But no matter how hard he tried, the Crown Prince could not bring himself to sleep. His mind ran rampant with thoughts of his beloved, wondering if she was as well as his father had told him. He did not doubt the king's word, but he felt that he needed to see it for himself. So, slipping carefully out of his father's arms, he crept from the room and down the hall towards the Healing Wing.

As he walked, he found himself in a state of awe at his surroundings. In all of his long years, he had never really appreciated the paintings that decorated the walls, or the smooth texture of the floor. Now that he had spent a time away from his home and had missed it, he realized how much he loved the forest and the palace. He did not even realize the distance that he had covered and soon found himself standing outside the doors to the healing chambers.

The same sort of apprehension he experienced before meeting his siblings again returned and he mentally berated himself. Was he really this weak, that he could not even bring himself to see the one whom he had thought about every waking moment of his life for the past few months? Why was it this difficult for him? He would not let his cowardice get in the way, and so he steeled his resolve and pushed into the room.

Most of the beds that were normally empty were now almost filled completely. Elves that had still not recovered from their sleep lay there, their eyes shut and their bodies completely still except for the slight rising of their chests as they breathed. One may think they were only sleeping, if they did not know any better.

Sparing these people only a passing glance, Norui hurried to where he knew she would be kept. Because of her relationship with the Crown Prince, she was allowed the privacy of the royal family's healing chamber. The ellon took no time in getting there, his mind on one thing only. He did not even hesitate to open the door.

When he peered into the room, it felt as if his breath had been stolen away from him. The lady was sitting up in the bed with a mountain of pillows supporting her and her eyes were fixed on the window. The moonlight cast shadows on her face and illuminated the strands of her dark hair, and she appeared a goddess to the elf. Her eyes shimmered and her skin was pale, but not unhealthily so. Had he not been so eager to see her and love her, he would have been content to just watch her the rest of the night.

He swallowed hard through his dry throat and then whispered ever so softly, "Glithiel?" The elleth looked towards the sound of the voice and her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened.

Norui smiled when her lips parted slightly as if to speak, but no words came out. He stepped quietly into the room and shut the door behind him. The lady's grey eyes never left his emerald ones as he approached and sat down at the edge of the bed. Neither spoke a word, for they were both transfixed on each other's eyes.

After a long moment, the Crown Prince broke the silence, saying, "Are you alright?"

She jumped slightly at his voice, and then nodded and answered, "Yes, I am fine. Still recovering though."

"Oh." He said dumbly and looked down at his trembling hands. He stilled them quickly, and then let silence take over again. At least she didn't reject him, he told himself, though there was almost no chance of that happening, "I've missed you." He said finally.

"Norui," She whispered, reaching out slowly to him and he took her hand in his, kissing each fingertip gently.

"I am here, my love." He placed a tender kiss in the center of her palm.

"How, Norui? How are you here?" She did not react to the confusion that spread across his features, and she continued, "I felt you die inside of me, even when I was in the unconscious state. What happened?"

The young ellon frowned and looked down to the white sheets of the bed, biting his bottom lip tentatively. Should he tell her what had happened, or would it better to wait until later? Either way, he knew that he would not be able to escape the discussion. He took both of her hands this time and drew himself closer to her.

"Glithiel," He started, "At one point, what you felt had been true- I had passed from the world of the living. Even now, I cannot explain exactly what happened, but know this: it is in the past and I will always be here for you. Nothing can sever the love that we share, not even death itself."

"I felt so cold, so lifeless. I thought that I, myself, would perish." Tears welled up in her eyes as she said this, so the prince reached up to delicately brush them away, and then he pulled her so that their chests nearly touched. His finger trailed absently down her cheek and underneath her chin, and he tilted her head upwards.

"It matters not now, Glithiel. I am here with you, you are here with me, and nothing can ever change that." He felt her bare skin prickle at the closeness of him and she trembled underneath his touch. Sighing softly, he rested his head on her shoulder and inhaled her scent, allowing himself to become completely engulfed in her presence. She still smelled the same, the familiar aroma of lavender and mint, and her dark tresses felt like silk under his fingers. She was intoxicating to him and he found himself whispering over and over again, "I love you, Glithiel, I love you so much…" and she would repeat these words back to him. Her breath hitched in her throat when his lips touched the side of her neck, then trailed up to finally claim her lips.

A fire seemed to rekindle itself at the contact that both had so craved, and yet the kiss was gentler than what they usually shared. But they both felt the same passion and longing that they had for each other, and it was stronger than any that had felt before. They never wanted to part from one another again, to end this contact, but they soon needed to pull away and when they did, Norui rested his forehead against hers and kissed the tip of her nose, his chest heaving.

The Crown Prince whispered her name over and over, his hands trailing up and down her arms and through her hair. She clung to him, her fingers gripping onto the soft fabric of his tunic. Her tears wetted his shoulder, but he paid no attention to it. Placing both hands on each of her cheeks, he looked into her hazy, grey eyes.

"Glithiel, my love," He started slowly, carefully, and he placed another kiss on her lips, "I wish to ask you a question, one that I have been meaning to ask you ever since the day I laid eyes upon you." She did not respond to him, though he knew that she was listening intently. He swallowed hard, then continued, "Glithiel, I… I want you to be my wife, and my queen if it ever comes to that. I want you to be the one that sleeps by my side at night, the one who will always be there for me. And I want you to be the mother of my children, so that they may inherit the beauty that you, yourself, possess. Marry me, Glithiel, and love me unto the ending of the World."

The elleth gazed into his eyes for the longest time, searching for any sort of deception or falseness, but she found none. His emerald orbs held uncertainty and hopefulness within them.

"I understand if it is too soon to be asking this of you." He stuttered nervously, unsure of how to decipher her silence. But then she smiled and, placing her fingers upon his lips, she said:

"You need not ask, my prince, for you already know my answer." She chuckled softly when his breathing quickened and he kissed her fingers again.

"Thank you so much, Glithiel." He breathed, moving closer to her. She moved her hand away and looked up at him with mischief in her eyes.

"Now, be quiet and kiss me."

And so he did.

FIN.

XX

Well, I never thought I'd be writing 'FIN' for this story. It's been a long, two year ride and I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did. But we still have the epilogue, so don't leave just yet. And to Pvyrebaal, I left something in there for you especially. Let me know if you guess what it was.

As you may have noticed, I dedicated this chapter to Steve Irwin who, as I'm sure everyone knows, was killed last week on Monday. I felt that this chapter is worthy of dedication to him because, just as he put everything he had into his own work, I put my heart, soul, and love into my writing. I drew connections in this sense, and so thought it would be a good idea.

I don't want to go on about this too much, as I'm sure everyone has heard their share, but I'd just like to say a few things about the issue. His death was a hard blow to me because, you must understand, I have never experienced death in my life, excluding my pets. Even if I did not know him personally, he had a huge impact on my life and to know that the man who had developed a sense of immortality is gone, it is hard for me to accept. Steve Irwin was the one who brought my family together, for we would always come together to watch his shows. Even when I was only five years old, I watched him wrestle crocodiles and make it look easy. I remember when Bindi was born and then Bob, and I remember when Sui died. He sparked my love for all animals and for that, he will always remain in my heart.

He was a humanitarian, and the last time I saw him, he was crying over the death of one of his crocodiles. I hate hearing the people in school saying that he 'deserved what he got' and that he 'had it coming to him'. These people obviously do not understand what he did for the animals and for people. His life should be honored and celebrated, not be laughed at. I cried for him, and I hope that his family and friends will recover soon from their loss. Just as our Peter Jackson is the spirit of New Zealand, Steve Irwin is the spirit of Australia. He should be remembered as such.

Until Next Time,

Manwathiel