Chapter 16: Return Journey

They watched as with the eagles help the tide turn in their favor. When all was over the Dwarves, Elves and Men tended to their dead.

Dawn walked amongst them letting out a long sigh. Then suddenly a man ran up to her. "Ariel, daughter of Elrond?" he asked.

"Yes," Dawn said.

"You are needed," he said.

The man led Dawn to a tent in the Dale where Gandalf stood, with his arm in a sling.

When Gandalf saw Dawn he smiled." Dawn." He then led her into the tent.

"Hail! Thorin," Gandalf said as he entered. "I have brought her."

There indeed lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds, and his rent armor and notched axe were cast upon the floor. He looked up as Dawn came beside him.

"Farewell, Dawn," he said. "I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate."

Dawn looked at Gandalf who seemed to know her thoughts. He shook his head indicating that there was not enough time to take Thorin to Elrond to be healed, even with Dawn's amulet. She turned back to Thorin and smiled sadly. "You have never ceased to be my friend, Thorin Oakenshield. I will tell my children and they shall tell theirs till the end of time of the King under the Mountain."

"That is likely more than I deserve," Thorin said. "Farewell, my friend."

Then Dawn turned away, and she went by herself, and sat alone wrapped in a blanket, and wept until her eyes were red and her voice was hoarse.

"How are you my dear?" Gandalf asked as he sat next to her some time later.

"I lost a good friend," Dawn said. "I heard this in a movie once. I think it's fitting to say it now. It is a far far better thing I do than I have ever done before... a far better resting place I go to than I have ever known..."

"Yes," Gandalf said. "That does sound fitting at this moment. When you are ready we will return to Rivendell. And then I will proceed to find a way to return you home."

"After the funeral," Dawn said as Gandalf nodded in understanding.

They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Legolas laid the Arkenstone upon his breast.

"There let it lie till the Mountain falls!" Legolas said. "May it bring good fortune to all his folk that dwell hereafter!"

Upon his tomb Thranduil then laid Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin when he had held Thorin captive.

Of the twelve dwarf companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with shield and body, for he was their mother's elder brother. The others remained with Dain; for Dain dealt his treasure well.

There was, of course, no longer any question of dividing the hoard in such shares as had been planned, to Balin and Dwalin, and Dori and Nori and Ori, and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur—or to Dawn herself. Yet a fourteenth share of all the silver and gold, wrought and unwrought, was given up to Bard as well as the return of the gems that Smaug had stolen to Thranduil; for Dain said: "We will honor the agreement of the dead, and he has now the Arkenstone in his keeping."

Despite the fact that she had told Thorin she could not use the money. She was given a chest of gold to take with her anyways. Of course once she returned to Sunnydale she would have to have it melted down so as to be unrecognizable and to come up with a good cover story of where it had come from.

At last the time came for Dawn to say good-bye to her friends. "Farewell, Balin!" she said; "and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur! May your beards never grow thin!" And turning towards the Mountain she added: "Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your memory never fade!"

Then the dwarves bowed low before their Gate, but words stuck in their throats. "Good-bye and good luck, wherever you fare!" said Balin at last. "If ever you visit us again, when our halls are made fair once more, then the feast shall indeed be splendid!"

Dawn smiled sadly for if she could return home the likelihood of her returning to Erebor or anywhere else on Middle Earth was very small indeed. Still she appreciated the sentiment. "Should any of you ever have need, seek out my father and mention to him that you are friends of Ariel. None of you will ever be turned away."

Gandalf and Dawn rode behind Thranduil and Legolas. Once they read the borders of Mirkwood they stopped.

"Farewell! O Elvenking!" said Gandalf. "Merry be the greenwood, while the world is yet young! And merry be all your folk!"

"Farewell! O Gandalf!" said the king. "May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected! The oftener you appear in my halls the better shall I be pleased!"

"Goodbye, Legolas," Dawn said. "I will miss you the most. In the short time we have known each other. I have come to love you. And I will carry that love all the days of my life."

"Do you have to go?" Legolas asked. "Can't you stay?"

"I wish I could," Dawn said. "But I have to return to my sister/mother. She is probably worried about me."

"Then goodbye. Ariel, daughter of Elrond, daughter of Buffy," Legolas said as he kissed her.

As Gandalf and Dawn turned north Thranduil and Legolas watched them.

"You may yet see her again," Thranduil whispered to his son. "But if you do, it will be out here in the world of men. I have a feeling she will not be back this way again."

Legolas looked to his father and nodded in understanding. His father was giving him leave to wait for Dawn out in the world. He bowed his head and then he too turned his horse away from Mirkwood and rode off.

A month later Gandalf and Dawn arrived in Rivendell. As they rode down the steep path, Dawn heard the elves singing in the trees and smiled.

The elves of the valley came out and greeted them and led them across the water to the house of Elrond. There a warm welcome was made them, and there were many eager ears that evening to hear the tale of their adventures.

That night Dawn woke to find herself in a white bed, and the moon shining through an open window. She smiled as she looked around. She had been here a week and all that while Gandalf and Elrond had been talking and discussing her return home. Suddenly their came a knock.

Dawn got out of bed and grabbed a dressing gown. "Come in," she said as she cinched it around her waist as Elrond and Gandalf entered the room.

"My daughter," Elrond said. "We think we have found a way to return you home."

Dawn smiled and two days later she stood in front of a portal opened utilizing her own blood. She after all still housed the Key. She had been taught a ritual that would allow her to travel between Middle Earth and Earth via the Key. She bid Gandalf and Elrond goodbye, made sure her sword was securely strapped to her waist and the chest of gold firmly clutched in her arms and she stepped through the portal and home.

Author's Note: The first chapter of the sequel Middle Earth 2: Return to Middle Earth is up now.