Epilogue
-Erin-
The best days in Ithilien came in August. That's something I'd come to learn in my time here. Late August, as the final days of summer began slowly dwindling and the earth grew quiet in anticipation of the new season - that was the best time to be in Ithilien. And the best place to be at that time, as far as I was convinced, was on the third floor of a white wooden home built up into the trees in the southern lands, standing before a window looking westward over the lush forest landscape. A window that stretched tall and wide, and placed just so to each day perfectly frame the sinking sun as it crept down low over the horizon, bathing the forest canopy in golden light as the skies burst in brilliant hues.
That was the best place to be in Ithilien, and was where I stood in that very moment, watching as the sun slowly started to fall. I stared out the window in silence, patiently awaiting whatever breathtaking view I might be given that day as had become routine. It was the part of each day I enjoyed most - the quiet, beautiful stillness of it all, and I let out a deep breath as my gaze swept over the forest below. One of the things I loved most about my home. For a moment, I paused, my mind racing back to a time where I'd sought nothing but adventure, running wild across Middle-Earth with no intent to ever settle anywhere. Back then, I'd been so convinced that was what I wanted my life to be forever. My lips curled ever so slightly in a smile as I remembered it. But it turns out a lot can change about a person in ten years.
Yes... ten years. Ten years had passed since Sauron's ultimate defeat and the end of the War of the Ring. It was strange to think of it now. Sometimes there were days when I looked back on my memories from the Fellowship and it felt like they'd happened a lifetime ago, and yet other days they were clear as crystal, as if they'd happened only yesterday. I looked down to the neatly folded parchment in my hand, smiling to myself as I read over it again. Kathryn was insisting I come to visit her and Míriel again in Edoras, and I was keen to oblige, for truthfully it'd been too long since I'd last seen her. Again, my gaze drifted out the window, attention drawn by the voices of a few men laughing and talking amongst themselves as they came back through the woods to our colony, and I felt a distant pang of guilt. It would likely do me some good to get out of here for awhile. For although I loved Ithilien, truly, and had been more than happy to make my dwelling there in the south, it... it still never felt entirely right. I had come a little over three years ago to find Faramir had taken up leadership there, working with both men and elves to build settlements and spend their days restoring the land once ravaged by warfare. He had offered me a home in his land, and I had taken it, doing all I could to aid their efforts. The men and their families there had been more than welcoming to me, for which I was grateful, and I enjoyed working alongside them. But many of the elves in the north still did not trust me, and although some were kind to me, and all of them at least civil, I... I still never felt at peace among them. Part of that stemmed from my still lingering guilt over Elladan's death, but the other part was from-
For half a second, his face flashed across my mind, and I closed my eyes as I felt a dull ache in my chest. I hated that the mere thought of him still stirred such a grief in my heart, but by now it had become so commonplace I had stopped fighting it. Ten years, and... nothing. Not a word from him. In the first few, I'd still clung to a shred of hope that he might come, and the deepest desires of my heart would come to pass, but... nothing. It had crushed me, and I had known nothing but grief from it for a long time. But I had accepted it now. Legolas was not coming back for me. And I had to be okay with that, because I promised him I would. My gaze shifted northward where I could see glimpses of the elven colony in the distance. It still hurt to be around them and reminded of him, though, no matter how hard I tried. I looked back to the letter from Kathryn in my hand, resolving to write back to her tomorrow and begin planning my next visit. It'll be good to go see her again and get my mind off things.
Just then I was torn from my thoughts by a knock from below, snapping back to the present as I turned at the noise with a slight frown. I set Kathryn's letter aside as I quickly made my way downstairs, remembering my friend Tolandiel had promised to return a set of shearing knives she'd borrowed from me not long ago. I hadn't expected her to finish with them so quickly, but apparently she had. I guess she finally convinced her brother to come help her after all, I supposed, reaching the bottom of the stairs and quickly crossing to the front door. Barely pausing in my stride, I lifted the latch and drew the door back, but the moment my eyes fell to who stood on the other side, I froze, every thought in my head suddenly turning to static. At first, I could do nothing but stand there in stunned silence, and not a sound passed between us as I stared forward, wide-eyed in disbelief. But then I blinked, remembering to breathe, and all of a sudden a joy unlike anything I'd ever known swept over me like a great wave, tears blurring my eyes in an instant as a familiar warmth that had long been dormant swelled in my chest. The warm glow of the sun highlighted every perfect curve of his face, bringing a warmth to bright blue eyes I knew all too well, and I smiled. "...Hello, Greenleaf."
–
End.
