For the last two days, they had been accompanied by gulls and the passengers knew that the end of their voyage was near. Finally, Legolas' sharp elf eyes caught sight of something other than water. 'Look, Gimli, we are almost there.'

Strain as he might, Gimli could not see anything at first, but within the hour even his eyes could see a patch of green growing on the horizon. His nervousness returned, but he did his best to hide it. 'It won't be long now will it?'

They watched as the tiny strip of land grew slowly into a country of rolling green hills and forest. When at last the ship approached the dock, Gimli was surprised to see a large crowd waiting. 'Do they always greet the ships like this?' he asked Cirdan who stood beside him at the railing.

'Oh, I am sure there are always at least a few to greet any arrivals, but since this is supposed to be the last ship, I imagine there are more than usual.'

His excitement growing, Gimli eagerly scanned the crowd. He caught his breath as he saw what appeared to be a familiar figure. No one else had hair like that! 'Legolas, look over there. Do my eyes deceive me or is that the Lady Galadriel?'

Following the dwarf's finger, Legolas said, 'Yes, you are right, Gimli! It is Galadriel!'

As they walked down the gangplank, the crowd below clapped and cheered the new arrivals. Their progress was slow as everyone wished to bow and offer greetings. All of Gimli's fears melted away when he saw the genuine smiles and heard the warm greetings offered not only to Legolas and Cirdan but also to himself.

At last they stood before Galadriel. Gimli bowed low and said, 'It has long been a dream to meet you again before I died, my lady.'

'You honor me, sir, by your loyalty. It was I who extended the invitation for you to join us. I am happy to see that you were able to accept it.'

'It was more than this humble dwarf could expect, my lady. However, it is yet another example of your generosity,' Gimli replied with yet another bow.

Galadriel smiled at his gallantry. 'And my gift, Lord Gimli? Whatever became of it?' she said referring to the three hairs she had given him so long ago in Lothlorien.

Gimli smiled at the memory. 'Two remain behind in the Aglarond, my lady, just as I promised; encased in the finest crystal I could find.'

'And the third?'

The dwarf laid a hand over his heart. 'Here, my lady. It lies here. I have kept it with me since the day you bestowed it upon me.'

'If ever anyone disparages the nobility of dwarves, Lord Gimli, I have but to tell them of your actions to prove them wrong,' Galadriel proclaimed.

'Thank you, my lady. I am honored by you once more.'

More elves pressed in to say hello to Legolas and bow to Gimli. Before he got distracted, Gimli asked, 'My lady, I hesitate with my next question for I fear the answer, but by any chance are Sam or Frodo still alive?'

Galdriel smiled and said, 'Do not fear the answer, Lord Gimli. Both Sam and Frodo live not far from here. They are older and a little frailer than before so they decided not to join in today's festivities. However, they eagerly await a visit from two friends as soon as you get a chance!'

Gimli and Legolas, excited by this unexpected news, turned back to the throng of welcoming elves.

After meeting what seemed like a thousand elves, Galadriel introduced them to Glorien who would be their guide. 'Enjoy yourselves and don't hesitate to ask for anything you need,' she said as they departed.

Glorien led the pair away from the pier. After only a short distance, they entered a forest of trees taller and mightier than any in Middle-earth, even those of Fangorn. The branches closed in over their heads cutting off most of the sunlight. Gimli noticed flets and ramps much like those in Lothlorien.

'Does everyone here live in trees?' he asked warily.

'Oh no,' Glorien replied. 'Some also live in houses such as those in Rivendell or the halls of the Greenwood. And of course your friends insisted on holes in the ground,' she said with a smile. 'You may live however and wherever you wish.'

Even as she said this, they halted at the base of an enormous tree. 'Here you will stay the night. Tomorrow you can visit your friends.'

Gimli entered a pleasant room with furnishings much like Lorien. He dropped his pack and immediately took a seat in a comfortable chair.

Glorien said, 'There is a celebratory feast tonight, and I can give you a tour if you wish.'

Gimli realized that he was more tired than he had thought. It was still only late afternoon but he was ready to quit for the day. 'I think I will sit for awhile if you don't mind. Legolas, why don't you go and then you can tell me all about it later?'

Legolas smiled and teased his friend, 'Alright, Grandpa. I will see you later. Have a nice nap!'

Too tired to throw something at the rude elf, Gimli settled instead for a rather crude gesture. 'Begone, elf, begone.'

In the dim light of a new day, Gimli realized that he had slept all the way to the next morning. He vaguely recalled finding a comfortable bed and falling into it. Now his stomach growled and he went in search of food. Fortunately, some kind person had left a generous tray of food on a table in the front room.

He was just finishing his breakfast when Legolas appeared. 'Good morning, Sleepy Head!' the elf cried. 'I see you finally managed to get out of bed. We were beginning to wonder if we would have to drag you out.'

Once again, Gimli had the desire to throw something. He hated how elves always seemed so perky and, well, so young. 'I suppose you have been up all night?' he asked grumpily.

'For the most part. There were so many people to meet. Don't be grouchy, Gimli. In a few hours we will see Frodo and Sam!'

Reminded of this happy event, Gimli's mood brightened. 'Are they coming here?'

'No, Glorien will show us the way as soon as you are finished.'

Gimli pushed his plate away and stood. 'I'm done, let's go!

Glorien was waiting outside the door and she led them through the forest. Gimli was glad they had a guide. Although the road was wide, there were many turnoffs that added confusion to the route. Once they were clear of the trees, Glorien pointed further down the wide paved road that wound up into the rolling hills. 'Continue on the main road; you can't get lost. In a few leagues you will see a sign for The Hill. Follow the path and at the end you will find your friends.'

Legolas and Gimli bowed their thanks for her assistance and did as directed. After an hour or so, they found the turn off. It didn't take long for them to reach their destination. Coming up over a gentle rise, they saw a landscape reminiscent of the Shire. The path wound its way through lovely beds of flowers and graceful trees and climbed halfway up yet another hill where it ended at a familiar round door.

Before they reached the door, they noticed a pair of hobbits lounging on a bench near the base of the hill. Frodo and Sam stood as the pair approached. 'At last! We have been waiting forever for your arrival!' Sam exclaimed. After exchanging greetings all around, the four settled again on two comfortable benches.

Legolas noted that while both hobbits were quite elderly, Sam appeared to be the elder now even though Frodo was really several years older. It was most likely due to Frodo having arrived in the Undying Lands at a younger age. He was also pleased to see that the haunted look was gone from the Ring-bearer's eyes.

'If you wanted to see us sooner, you should have met our ship,' Gimli said when seated.

'We didn't want to have to face a crowd of towering elves,' Frodo explained. 'As the only hobbits here, they have a tendency to be a little too attentive.'

'And besides,' Sam added, 'we wanted to show off our home. It is the only hobbit-hole this side of Middle-earth. We had a terrible time convincing the elves that it was the ideal place for us.'

After chatting about housing and elves for a bit, Gimli asked cautiously, 'What about Bilbo, Frodo? We know he has passed, but…' He let the question trail off.

Frodo smiled gently. 'Ah, Bilbo. He made the crossing like a champion and within a short time of landing, he rallied quite nicely. He lived for several more years. It is very hard to measure time here. It was long enough to start a history of the Elves and Morgoth. Rest assured, he never had any regrets and was quite content with the time he was given.'

'That does my heart good to know,' Legolas said as Gimli nodded. 'I often wondered if he would even survive the journey.'

'He did that and more,' Sam replied. 'He helped us design the new Bag End and the surrounding gardens. Part of him will live on here forever.' He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small bag and a pipe.

Gimli watched in astonishment as the hobbit contentedly filled the pipe with aromatic pipe-weed and lit it. 'You have pipe-weed here? I didn't think elves ever smoked.'

'They don't,' said Sam, 'but Gandalf does and he saw to it that some seed made its way over the water. You can see our patch growing down yonder.' He motioned toward the far end of garden at the base of the hill. 'Not as good as Longbottom Leaf, mind you, but it will do.' He took in a deep breath and blew out a rather nice smoke ring.

'Gandalf! Do you see him often?' Legolas asked.

'Oh, occasionally he stops by. Not as often as we would like, but when the harvest is due in, he is certain to make an appearance,' Frodo said. 'You won't recognize old Gandalf or Olorin to use his true name.'

'Olorin? Who is Olorin?' Gimli asked puzzled.

'Olorin is Gandalf's real name,' Sam chuckled. 'All those years we thought he was 'just a wizard' and it turns out he was a right powerful Maia! Could have whipped Sauron with one hand tied behind his back if he hadn't followed the rules. The beard is gone but you will recognize him by his eyes and his laugh.'

'Come, let us go and get lunch,' Frodo invited. They all trooped up the hill and entered the green door.

'Why, it truly is just like Bag End,' Gimli said, 'only the ceilings are higher!'

'We knew that all our visitors would be taller than ourselves, so we made everything just a bit larger than before. The elves still have to duck a little, but they no longer have to crouch,' Frodo explained.

'Very thoughtful of you,' Legolas laughed. 'You get a lot of visitors then?'

'Not so many anymore,' Sam complained. 'Once the novelty wore off, the company slowed to a trickle. Of course, Gandalf still drops by and a few of the Rivendell elves, but not as often as we would like. That is why we have so looked forward to your arrival!'

They spent the rest of the afternoon in happy recollections of times past. As the day waned, Legolas at last stood. 'This has been very pleasant, but Gimli and I should go if we are to make our trip in daylight. I promise I shall come again!'

'And I too,' Gimli added. He disliked the thought of the long hike back.

'You could always stay awhile,' Frodo invited. 'We have plenty of room.'

Before Gimli had a chance to accept, Legolas said, 'No, no, I have several events that I have promised to attend over the next few days. We really must go.'

'What about you, Gimli? Are you going to the same things?' Frodo asked.

'No, no, I have not met anyone as yet nor been invited to anything. But then again, I spent a good part of yesterday sleeping!'

'Then you should stay with us for awhile!' Sam crowed excitedly. 'We can show you around here and maybe even head over to some of the other enclaves. If we go slowly, it won't be too tiring.'

'But I have no extra clothing or necessities,' Gimli hesitated.

'We have plenty of everything except for the clothes,' Frodo stated.

'And I can have your things sent out, my friend,' Legolas promised. He could sense the old dwarf's desire to stay in familiar surroundings. 'I may even manage to bring them out myself!'

Not needing any more encouragement, Gimli took a seat in the chair he had only recently vacated and sighed. 'In that case, it looks like you have a guest!'

Gimli waited in vain for his clothes. First one day passed and then another. 'Legolas must have lost track of time,' he excused his friend. 'I suspect it is easy to do. That forest was so dense that the lanterns were lit even during the day. And since elves don't really need much sleep, I imagine he is busy getting to know everyone.' He had also noticed the timelessness of this place. There was a magical quality to the very air that lent itself to forgetfulness. Not always a bad thing.

However, by the fourth day, he really wanted a change of clothes. 'It isn't like I haven't spent weeks without clean clothes before, but I have plenty available! If Legolas does not come today, I will go and pick them up myself.'

In the end, it wasn't necessary because late in the afternoon, a guilty Legolas appeared over the crest of the distant hill mounted on a horse and leading three laden ponies. 'Please forgive me,' he cried as he saw Gimli. 'I truly meant to send your things out but one thing led to another…' his voice trailed off.

The hobbits were busy examining the ponies' burdens. 'There is enough food here for an army!'

'The Lady Galadriel sent extra once she learned that you had taken on a guest,' the elf explained. 'And I thought I would atone for my error by escorting you three around to the other enclaves. I have a route all mapped out. The ponies will help Frodo and Sam from getting too tired.' He diplomatically did not infer that Gimli might appreciate one also.

'That was most kind of you, Legolas. It was good to see Lord Elrond once again,' Frodo told the elf. They had returned from the promised tour in good if tired spirits.

Sam added, 'I can now also admit that I am much too old for such antics! My joints ache. As soon as I can manage it, I am taking a very hot bath. No more journeying for me.'

'And you Gimli? Did you enjoy it? Have you decided where you would like to make your home?' Legolas asked.

'It was good to see a bit of the country and yes, I enjoyed it. And yes, I know where I will call home, if Frodo and Sam don't mind.'

The hobbits listened hopefully as he continued. 'If it is alright with you two, I would like to build a home in one of the nearby hills. It isn't stone, but it is close enough. I really can't see myself living amongst elves, no matter how kind. They are even more lofty here than in Middle-earth. No offense, my friend,' he said with a nod to Legolas.

'None taken, Gimli. I see your point. I think you have made a good choice.'

'There is no way we will allow you to build nearby,' Frodo surprised Gimli with his answer.

'I thought you might like a little company,' a puzzled Gimli asked. 'You sounded a bit sad about the lack of visitors.'

'And we are,' Sam added. 'And that is why Frodo and I want you to stay with us permanently unless you really want your own hole.' His eyes were bright with hope as he waited for the answer.

'Well, I don't want to impose. A visit is one thing, but are you certain you want me always? You know what they say about guests and fish. Both get old after a few days.' Gimli laughed.

'You are not a guest, Gimli. You are a dear friend and a member of our Fellowship. And besides, you are right. We are a bit lonely. We do this as much for ourselves as for you. Please come and live with us!' Frodo exclaimed.

'Very well, I shall!' Gimli answered. He had not really wanted a hole of his own, but he felt that it was necessary to be invited to join the hobbits rather than make them feel obligated to allow him to stay.

After dinner, they settled down before the fire. Frodo appeared with a manuscript in his hands. 'As long as you are here, Legolas, I wonder if you will listen to some of this. Bilbo started it long ago, but he left it unfinished. I think I may have finally made sense of his notes.'

'What is it?' the elf asked curiously.

'The story of the Elves in exile and the Enemy. It has taken me forever to sort out all the characters. Everyone seemed to have several names and all the places did too! It was all very confusing at first.'

Legolas leaned back on some pillows on the floor, Sam curled up in rocking chair and Gimli nestled back into the sofa. 'Let's hear what you have.'

'I will skip the first part. It is a retelling of the War of the Rings and I am fairly certain we are all up on that!' Groans of remembrance emanated from his listeners. 'I call it 'The Silmarillion'. In a pleasant hobbit voice, he began to read: In the beginning Eru, the One, who in the Elvish tongue is named Iluvatar, made the Ainur of his thought; and they made a great Music before him.'

The words flowed over Gimli. Taking a long pull on his pipe, he sighed, content to be in front of a warm fire, in a new home, with old friends.

The End