"Legolas," Ilmarë's voice called for him and it sounded like she had been in a hurry. Legolas turned around and smiled at her, wondering what was so urgent. "Your father just arrived."

"Oh," Legolas raised his eyebrows.

He had sent word to his father when he arrived in Minas Tirith because he wanted Thranduíl to know that he was alright. Even though Thranduíl had lied to Legolas for over eighty years by alienating him from the Elf he truly loved, Ilmarë had convinced him to forgive his father for she was certain that he only did so because he loved Legolas. After all, Thranduíl had lost his wife and he did not want the same fate for his son. As Legolas had gotten his memories back, though, he had remembered all the terrible things that Thranduíl had done to Ilmarë such as tricking her and pinning her against her own friends. However, if Ilmarë was ready to forgive him, so could Legolas. After all, he only had one father.

"Did you know he would come?" Ilmarë asked.

"No," Legolas answered and shook his head. He started walking out of the castle walls and out toward the entrance where Thranduíl surely would be. "I sent word to him that I had arrived here safely, but I did not know he would actually come here. I am sorry Ilmarë, I know you do not care for him much."

Legolas would have never expected Thranduíl to come all this way just for Legolas' sake, so he assumed Thranduíl wanted to attend Aragorn's coronation as well. Or perhaps, just perhaps, he had missed his son and had been worried for him.

"I won't say he's my favourite person," said Ilmarë and chuckled. "But I do care for him, it is just that he is a very complicated person. I am pretty sure that he dislikes me much more than I dislike him."

"He is indeed complicated," muttered Legolas in agreement.

He saw his father walking toward the gates with quite the company. There were many Elves there that Legolas recognised, and they bowed their heads in respect as Legolas neared his father. Ilmarë kept close to him, and Legolas realised that Thranduíl had no idea that they had married only a few days earlier. It had been without his direct consent, but Legolas would not have let it stop him if Thranduíl indeed had disapproved.

"Legolas," Thranduíl said, and a small smile was shown on his lips. Legolas placed his hand on his father's shoulder, and the King did the same to his son. They looked each other in the eye and bowed their head slightly before taking a step back. "A year has passed, my son. I am glad to see you alive, and well." Thranduíl turned his gaze toward Ilmarë and smiled toward her too, slightly bowed to her too. "Lady Míriel, it has been long. Perhaps I should say Lady Ilmarë instead? I heard everything about your fascinating story."

"Indeed, my Lord," Ilmarë said and bowed her head in respect.

They didn't stand to chat for much longer amongst all the other Elves there, so Thranduíl followed Legolas and Ilmarë around the courtyard so they could speak privately.

"We did not expect you to come," Legolas said to his father.

"As soon as I heard that you were here, I had to come," Thranduíl said simply and shrugged. "I also know that Aragorn of the Dunedaíns is going to be crowned King very soon, I would like to attend his coronation. Also, I would have liked to show my support at your wedding, my son and my daughter-in-law."

Legolas had stopped questioning how matters like these reached his father's ears, but he was glad to see that he seemed to approve of their marriage.

"I assume that the truth is out," Thranduíl spoke to the both of them.

"It is," Legolas said and nodded. "My memories have been restored by Ilmarë."

Thranduíl looked to her with wonder in his eyes, and perhaps he could tell that something had changed in her. When they had met for the first time, Thranduíl had wanted Ilmarë to pledge herself to Legolas but as time had proceeded he had come to realise that she was a powerful person that he could not control. No longer did he fear what she could do to his son, but felt rather proud over their journey.

"I would have blessed you myself," said Thranduíl after moments of silence. "But I do know that your people of Noldor have a special tradition, Ilmarë. I know that you are Maiar, but your heart surely still lies with your family here."

Ilmarë glanced up at the King and seemed confused. Legolas was not sure what his father was speaking of either, but he soon realised it when Thranduíl reached under his coat and revealed a beautiful necklace, one made of white small gems. Legolas had never seen the necklace before but he knew that it had to be of great value.

"The gems of Lasgalen," Ilmarë breathed and gasped. "But... they were in Rivendell how did you..?"

"They were delivered to me not long ago," Thranduíl said with a smile. "Courtesy of Lord Elrond."

"I was given them by the Dwarves of Erebor as a share of the treasure there not long after I cursed you," Ilmarë explained to Legolas. "King Thranduíl had them made long ago for your mother, but the King of Erebor kept them for himself for very long. I swore to give them back to you when the time came and-"

"And now they belong to you," Thranduíl said and helped to clasp the necklace around Ilmarë's neck. "It was to belong to the Queen of the Woodland Realm, but now it will grace who would have been her daughter-in-law if she had been alive."

Thranduíl had given Ilmarë the gems that he had been willing to go to war for and gave a closure to the long burden that he had carried throughout his life after losing his wife. For that, Legolas could not have been more grateful.

*

Thranduíl had come to forgive Ilmarë for her past mistakes and the two put all of their history behind them. Ilmarë had never enjoyed the King's company more than she did as she and Legolas spent time with him in Minas Tirith leading up to Aragorn's coronation. Seeing her father-in-law out in the open was refreshing and Ilmarë learned much about him. The three spent a couple of days together and eventually convinced even Gimli to greet the Elf King.

Just a day before Aragorn's coronation as King of Gondor and Arnor, Elves of Rivendell arrived at Minas Tirith as they were to attend. Aragorn would be renamed King Elessar and all would have to call him that. It would be hard to adjust calling him Elessar instead of Aragorn, but they would get used to it eventually. Now, Ilmarë had other matters to attend to such as the fact that she would finally reunite with Elrond and her dear cousin Arwen after a year apart.

"Arwen!" Ilmarë exclaimed when she finally saw the beautiful Elf-maiden, dressed in a simple blue dress and a cloak. Arwen turned around, her face cracking a large smile as she saw her cousin. Ilmarë hurried toward her and embraced her tightly, happy to see that Arwen was looking healthy and happy. "A year that has felt like a hundred as that is how long we have been a part in my heart."

"I am so happy to see you well, my dearest Ilmarë, my sister in heart and soul," Arwen said, smiling widely when they looked each other in the eye. Ilmarë did not care the slightest that they were not sisters, not even cousins anymore, but in her heart and soul - Arwen would always be the sister she never. "And not even a scratch, nothing if different... Except..." Arwen grabbed Ilmarë's right hand and glanced down at her index finger, seeing the golden ring still shining where Legolas had once placed it.

"I got married," said Ilmarë and chuckled, making Arwen laugh and nod. Ilmarë glanced behind her and saw Elrond, and he was looking at them both with pride and love in his eyes. Ilmarë walked toward her uncle and embraced him as well, feeling Elrond press a soft kiss to her forehead. "I did not think I would live to see any of you again."

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Arwen exclaimed and attacked Ilmarë with a tight embrace again. Ilmarë smiled and felt Elrond's hand patting her on the shoulder. "When?"

"Not two days ago," Ilmarë said and laughed. "Oh, how I wish that you could have been here, both of you. Even though we aren't really related anymore, are we?"

"I could not care less that you are the most powerful Maiar," Arwen said and chuckled. "You are my family. Míriel. I mean Ilmarë."

"It might take time to get used to it," Elrond said with a fond smile. He grabbed Ilmarë's hand affectionately. "You will always be my niece, even though you are even older than I. I have never been prouder of you, and so should you be."

Ilmarë didn't have time to be proud, though, because only a few hours later Aragorn's coronation would take place and she hadn't even started to get ready. She left Arwen and Elrond so that they could settle in, and hurried to get washed and dressed.

Two hours later, Ilmarë was as ready as she could be as she stood in her chamber. The whole city was invited to come to the coronation and the courtyard would be full of people, commoners and royals alike, and two Elf kins had even come to celebrate the Elessar. Ilmarë wore a silver dress, very simple for it was not her coronation, and her beautiful Elvish crown - her mother's crown that Elrond had brought with him when he came. It was made of pure starlight and was hundreds of thousands of years old, being Galadriel's crown once a very long time ago. It was very dear to Ilmarë.

That they had made it this far was a pure miracle. Their journey was over - it was the end of everything, except their strong and loving friendship. Ilmarë wished more than anything that Boromir could be there too, but through her talks with Faramir, she had gotten to know Boromir in a very different way than she had done before. Faramir had come to find his own happiness in Ilmarë's dear friend Éowyn and the two seemed deeply in love.

As Ilmarë stood in front of a mirror and adjusting the last strands of her hair, she could not help but close her eyes and remember the beginning of the journey and all the memories. The happy memories were the ones she thought of first, such as when they sat around the fire in Moria or when they had all reunited again in Meduseld after Helm's Deep. The first summoning of the Fellowship of the Ring and when they took off when Frodo did not know the way to Mordor. Gimli and Legolas' stupid games of killing Orcs and how Ilmarë had calmed Boromir in Lothlórien. Then, of course, the end of it all when Sauron was defeated and peace was restored in Middle-Earth.

"Are you ready my love?" Legolas asked, leaning against the door to her room. He smiled at the sight of her and extended his hand.

"Yes," Ilmarë said and smiled. "I am ready."

*

Ilmarë felt joy in her heart as Gandalf placed the king's crown on Aragorn's head. It was where it belonged - she knew he would be a great king that would be remembered for a very long time. He would be the king who took back the throne after the line of Men was broken - he would be the king who helped to defeat Sauron once and for all and more importantly, creating peace throughout Middle-Earth. His sons and grandsons would rule in Gondor for a long time after all the Elves were gone, and Ilmarë felt safe knowing that they would take care of the world she had grown to love very much.

During the coronation, Ilmarë had instinctively wanted to stand with the Elves of Rivendell as they had been her kin for so long. However, she was married to the Prince of the Woodland Realm and that was where she stood. A part of her would always belong in Rivendell and Lothlórien as well, but it did not matter which one of her homes she chose. She loved them equally.

"Now come the days of the King," Gandalf said loudly for everyone to hear him. "May they be blessed." Aragorn stood up, turned around to the people and cheering broke out for the new king. Everyone applauded, smiled and some even cried of the joy. Ilmarë smiled since she had never seen Aragorn's hair that clean before, it was really shining.

"This day does not belong to one man," Aragorn spoke, and he even managed to sound just like a great King would speak. "But to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we will share of days with peace."

Aragorn started walking toward the crowd, allowing everyone to see their King up close. He walked past Éowyn who had been standing close to Faramir, past Éomer who was now the new King of Rohan and of Gimli who was standing next to the man. Aragorn's song was a privilege to hear and Ilmarë almost teared up watching him greet the people.

Et Earello Endorenna

utulien

Sinome maruvan

ar Hildinyar

tenn' Anbar-metta

As Aragorn approached the Mirkwood Elves, Ilmarë placed her hand in Legolas' and he led all of his people towards the King. Thranduíl himself had taken a step back to allow his son and daughter-in-law to have the first word with the new King Elessar. Legolas stopped right in front of him, looking at his friend with a sense of happiness and pride. Aragorn looked firstly to Ilmarë and grabbed her hand affectionately before kissing her forehead as a thank you. Ilmarë smiled and squeezed his hand, thanking him for everything that he had done and for allowing her to share and enjoy such an adventure with him.

Next, Aragorn turned to Legolas and placed his hand on his shoulder, and Legolas returned to gesture. The two had known each other for very long, and after all this time Legolas was finally seeing his friend as he deserved to be seen - upon the throne of Gondor as the rightful King.

"Hannon le," Aragorn said and bowed his head slightly. "I wish you all the happiness in this world, for you and for your wife."

Legolas smiled and nodded his head back toward the people of Rivendell. He grabbed Ilmarë's hand and made them both step away so Aragorn could meet his bride after a whole year of being apart. The last time they met, Aragorn had almost broken Arwen's heart by asking her to forget him. The fact that she was there only showed how strong her love for the man who had once been a ranger was.

Legolas grabbed Ilmarë's hand again as they watched their friend meet his Arwen who was half covering her face with a banner. Aragorn looked at her for a few seconds before he started moving towards her with a shocked expression on his face as though he were in a dream. The two walked toward each other and met halfway. Aragorn moved Arwen's banner aside to look at her face, a face that was filled with tears of both joy and fright. With a concerned expression in his eyes, Aragorn carefully cupped her chin and lifted her face to his. They looked at each other and Arwen smiled softly, finally. One look in each other's eyes and Aragorn kissed her with so much love it was heart throbbing for all in the courtyard. Ilmarë smiled and glanced at Legolas. She saw a smile on Arwen's face - a smile she had not seen in what felt like hundreds of years.

Ilmarë glanced behind them and saw how heartbroken Elrond appeared to look like. He had finally given his only daughter away to the man she loved, and it seemed to break his heart even though he tried to smile for her sake. Ilmarë released Legolas hand and smiled faintly at him before walking toward her uncle. Elrond smiled toward Ilmarë, and she embraced him tightly, rested her head on his shoulder.

"You have another daughter, Elrond," Ilmarë whispered to him. "I am your daughter, even if we are not even related by blood."

"I know my dearest," Elrond said and embraced her tightly, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Ilmarë smiled up at him. "Both my daughters have left me behind, for they have found love. I could not be happier for both of you Ilmarë, but it saddens me nonetheless."

Ilmarë stood with Elrond as they saw how Arwen and Aragorn walked through the crowd hand in hand as the happy couple they now were and stopped in front of the Hobbits. Arwen who had not seen them in so long smiled widely. The four Hobbits all bowed their heads deeply toward the King and the future Queen of Gondor and Arnor.

"My friends," Aragorn said and frowned. "You bow to no one."

He got down on one knee and bowed for the four Hobbits - a King bowing for Hobbits, halflings was something that was unheard of. It was a great gesture, and a fair one too. Ilmarë did the same as the king and so did everyone else around the courtyard. One by one everyone sunk to their knees to pay their respects of the Hobbit - they were the true heroes of this tale, having no other right than to be honoured as what they were. The halflings had once again proven to every kin in Middle-Earth - Men, Dwarves and Elves that had all now learnt to never underestimate Hobbits as they would surely always surprise you.