Parker wandered through Prince, now King, Charmont's castle. Ever since the battle against Sir Edgar was won, Parker, like Slannen, Terrence, and Marjorie, was allowed to explore the castle to his leisure.

The first act King Char did for his kingdom was change the law for the elves and the hobbits, so they wouldn't have entertainment as their only occupation, but could now explore other options.

The second act King Char performed was to help the giants regain their farmlands. It was a wonder, and it made Parker ready to go back to the Land of Dragons. There wasn't a monarchy in the Land of Dragons, since all the dragons and dragonoids in the realm declared everyone as their equals. It didn't mean there weren't leaders in the Land of Dragons, but everyone loved their equal share of the land.

In time, Parker found Terrence on a balcony, overlooking the vast green landscape, with its hills and its forest. It was odd Terrence was alone. Parker suspected Marjorie would come around and speak to Terrence, since the two hobbits were inseparable.

"You're not with your fiancée?" Parker asked his great-grandson, curious.

"Marjorie's asleep. I thought I'd wander around the castle for an hour," Terrence said with a warm-hearted smile. "I've been meaning to ask you: you know how to shapeshift. I doubt my father would have forgotten to shapeshift. I'm eager to learn about shapeshifting. Maybe our bloodline will always have shapeshifting in it."

"Only if they will unlock it," Aslan, the Great Lion, interrupting their meeting. He smirked, admitting freely, "That's all you need to do, Terrence." He blew on Terrence and Parker, waited until the mist blew away, before addressing them both again. "There. It is finished. Now, your bloodline will always have shapeshifters in it."

Terrence nodded. "Thank you, Aslan." He turned to Parker, asking, "Teach me. Teach me how to shapeshift. Please?"

"Close your eyes," Parker said, waiting until Terrence did this before continuing. "Now, clear your mind. Think of the creature you want to transform into. Focus on that creature." Terrence winced in pain. He was transforming. He could feel his body transform, as well as his clothes. Parker insisted, "It will hurt, but this is your first transformation. After a while, it won't hurt. That's it. Now, open your eyes."

Terrence did. The transformation was over. He looked at his hands, finding he had light blue scales, as well as black, fingernail-like claws on his hands and feet. He couldn't believe it, even as he looked at himself in a mirror Aslan made appear on the balcony. Terrence was a light blue dragonoid with black claws and black spikes. It was so easy.

Okay, he could transform. He closed his eyes, allowing his mind to think of himself as a hobbit. By the time he opened his eyes again and looked in the mirror, he was his old hobbit self. Terrence smiled, embracing Parker.

"I did it. I can transform. I thought it skipped a generation. Now, I know I can do it. I know I can shapeshift. Thank you, Parker, Aslan. Thank you both," Terrence said with a warm smile. He'd come a long way since meeting Parker and Aslan. It wasn't that scary. They had been the best creatures he ever met, and now he could shapeshift! That was a plus!

"Now, I'd better find Marjorie and show her what you taught me," Terrence said to Parker, leaving the balcony, even as Aslan blew on the mirror to make it disappear.

"He'll be all right. You'll see he will," Aslan said, as Parker looked out the balcony again.

"You led us here, so Terrence could find his one true love," Parker said, curtly.

"It was meant to be. If you hadn't left the Chesapeake Manor, your line couldn't continue. And now, you have the chance to watch your descendants grow," Aslan said, cheerily.

Parker nodded, facing the golden-brown Lion. "Let's hope you're right."

"It's what Frodo would've wanted. He's in your bloodline," Aslan said. "Without Terrence, I doubt Frodo would be born."

"Then it's just as well that we came here. Thank you, Aslan, for showing me that my bloodline will continue," Parker said.

"You're welcome," Aslan said, as Parker smirked.

~o~

In time, Marjorie adjusted to Terrence's new abilities. They were married on the same day as Char and Ella, and what a glorious wedding it was at the palace. Parker was, of course, invited to Terrence and Marjorie's wedding. Parker was grateful his great-grandson and new great-granddaughter-in-law got to spend their wedding amongst their new and old friends.

And yet, Parker's heart was desperate for his own love, Eliza. Would he ever see her again? He jumped upon seeing a pale-skinned, brunette-haired woman looking back at him. He recognized her elegant features and the way her dark green dress flowed as she looked at him with a smile.

It was Eliza, sitting on his lap and gazing into his eyes, so tenderly. "Did you miss me, Parker?"

"Eliza, you have no idea," Parker said, teary-eyed. He hugged his wife, grateful she was here. However, she felt cold. "How? You're still a… a spirit."

"I will be for a long time," Eliza said, also teary-eyed. "One day, I will be reincarnated. You may not recognize me, but I will be watching over you, making sure you're safe." She paused. "Tobias sends his wishes. He's coming for you, so you can continue your journey. He wants to see you're safe."

Tobias was a hobbit who looked just like Parker and Frodo in Parker's human-hobbit form. Tobias was also Terrence Dooley's great-grandfather. Boy, did they look alike! Now, Tobias served as Parker's guide, since he was the one who led Parker back to Eliza in the Portal Realm and told Parker that he would meet their lookalikes throughout time.

"Well," Parker said as an afterthought, "then we wouldn't want to disappoint him."

"Don't think too harshly of Tobias. He means well," Eliza said, curtly.

"I know he does," Parker said, eyeing the room suspiciously. "Is he here?"

"No, but he'll meet up with you." Eliza moved off his lap, gazing into his eyes, and kissing him on the lips. Their kiss was so tender, so sweet. Parker didn't want it to end. He whimpered the moment they released.

"I'll never forget you," Parker said, sad that Eliza was leaving him.

"I'll never forget you either. Good luck, Parker. May we meet again, someday soon," Eliza said, blowing him a kiss, before vanishing on the spot.

Parker stared at the spot where Eliza disappeared. He missed her. He hoped she knew what she was doing. Tobias, too, but Parker wasn't sure how he would take to the hobbit spirit interrupting his day again. Parker just hoped his meeting with Tobias would go well, but then who knew.

*.*.*

References:

Aslan is the Great Lion from C.S. Lewis' book series, The Chronicles of Narnia.