This story is the first completed chapter of my writing 'career.' I've never finished a writing piece of novel length, I've started several yet I never finished any. Until now. Completing this means so much to me. Doing this proved that, hey! I can actually write something.

I couldn't have done it without all of you, even all you ghost readers. I know my writing, the plot, and character arcs may not be the best, but thanks anyways for sticking through it all. (and if you have tips I'd love to know them).

It didn't actually occut to me that'd I'd finish this until sometime around when Lum and Legs were journeying towards Mirkwood and by that time I was so clos to the ending I just knew I could do it.

And if I didn't have all voting, commenting, and simply adding to the 'reads' then I couldn't have done it. I would've simply have given up. Yet, with all of your help, I've learned I can write a full story. And I'm only going to get better from here.

There are many people I would like to thank and I'm going to start off with the person who inadvertantly got me into Lord of the Rings. That person would be one of my best friends; lalaandtokki

One day I was bored and wanted a movie to watch so I took several quizzes and every single one said either Pirates of the Carribean or Lord of the Rings. And... I didn't really want to watch either.

So, I texted her, asking her vaguely 'what movie should I watch?' And eerily, she said Pirates of the Carribean. I said no. Then she said LotR and I realized if I had to pick between the two I'd go with LotR.

And.... That was when I had watched LotR for the first time in probably six or seven years? And then I got sucked in and couldn't stop from drowning.

Now, in the same year, another one of my GREAT friends started a club called 'Creative Writing Club' which was later renamed 'Nerd Herd.' This friend,KatiePitts, later became our Queen (Literally. We coronated her and everything).

It was in this club that I received my first support on this fanfic. Every member took their time to sit silently at the end of each meeting and listen to me talk about this fanfic (even though many of them had no knowledge on LotR). Some even answered my questions on what I should do and gave me some ideas. Just, they're support and silent listening gave me more of a push to continue writing--especially when the teacher who looked over our craziness showed interest.

Thank you thank you thank you to all you members of Nerd Herd:
MicahelC
Cryptic_Asura
The_Life_Of_Phill
Kasai_no_pen
GraphicMinnis
Totally_Not_Griffin
IwantCHOCOLATE321

lwerckenthien —thank you so much for being the teacher who oversaw the whole ideal. Nerd Herd wouldn't have became a reality without you.

WizardOfWaffles —Thank you for being I think the only other LotR fan in the club and then actually reading my fanfiction and enduring the cringey beginning.

KatiePitts —Thank you again for being our Queen and founder. Without you, the support I needed to write wouldn't have been possible.

no_jams_club —Oh you. You have had to listen to me gush over my characters and scenes. You've probably been bored out of your mind while listening to me trying not to ramble on about this fanfic.

This also goes out to no_jams_club and
Living_k-pop and another friend who is not on Wattpad for putting up with a friend who is obsessed with Tolkien. I so wish I could call all of you 'mellon' to your face but you'd just be so confused.

I owe all of my success to all of my friends, which includes all of the friends I've already mentioned and as well as abbyinbookland . I, more than anyone I know, know that blood doesn't mean family. And I know without a doubt that you guys are my family. Without all of your support and happiness in my life, without all of your joy and laughter that inspires me to keep on going, none of this would be possible. You all are my sunshine, all of you are truly a blessing in my life and a gift from God. I love you all. Oh great, I'm actually tearing up now *blinks it away*

I'd also like to thank my intermediate family. My mom and her husband, as well as my birth dad and the dad who raised me, have all been supportive of my writing. Even though they've never read anything of mine (except a few poems) because I refuse to let them read anything else. I'd also like to thank my little sister, and even though she lives in another state, she never fails to shine her love out for me and is almost always interested in my writing. And thanks to the sister I grew up with for helping me realize I'm weird (even though at first I'd 'tackle' her leg and state that I'm not weird).

Also, I haven't met a lot of people who share the same religion as me: Messianic Judaism (which means that I follow Jewish tradition but I believe in Jesus as my Christ and Savior. I also follow both old and new testament.) Well, at my church, I met a certain set of sisters...
wanderwithpen . Not only did we meet eye to eye on religion but... WE ALL LOVE LOTR. They were the first (and kind of only, with the exception of
WizardOfWaffles ) around my age to actually like Tolkien and understand all the references. Oh man, you guys, you're great. It was such a relief to find friends who I could talk too about Tolkien. And not only do you guys like Tolkien, one of you is interested in writing as well!!! Anyways, thanks for tolkien with me (hehe that pun tho).

Alrighty, whose next *rubs hands together* *glances at the notes I already wrote out for this so I wouldn't forget anyone*

So, we all have them. Wattpad writers we look up to. Mine happened to be
MonsterCupcake61176. I don't really remember how we started talking, but we did. Through our conversations she helped me out TONS. She helped with ideas, she helped with characters, she even came up with the backstory for Legolas and wrote that chapter/memory. I feel like I asked way too much of you, mellon, and I'm deeply sorry. Goheno nin. And thank you so, so much for being as much help as you were. Believe me, you were what kept me from being reduced into tears and screams of frustration. You helped me out with kinks in the story and with so much more. Thank you thank you thank you!!! (But I'm not thanking you for all the torture you did to my heart in your own stories XD ).

PilindielTheElf. I think you were the first person to comment regularly and on nearly every chapter. I found myself excited every time I uploaded because that meant I got to read all your comments and use those comments as a way to judge my writing. Like, if you got happy on a certain moment or expressed your feelings on a cliff-hanger, I knew I had done my job right. Thank you, mellon.

LeeannMor4 thanks for all your comments and votes!! You gave me what I wanted through your comments: and that was telling me your emotions. Kind of. Well, anytime someone says something about what they're feeling when they read my words it helps. It lets me know I'm doing something right.

Another wattpadder became one I started to look forward to in seeing in my notifications:.
herwriteness I'd always get so excited when I got a notification from one of your comments. There was a chapter that was left off on a cliffhanger and your reaction to that was "curse us and splash us" I've searched for it and couldn't find the comment, but I'm pretty sure that's what you said and still to this day it's one of my favorite comments on this fanfic.

thefangirlofhp thanks for inspiring me with you're stories. And giving me the tears through them. Oh man. *pushes all those sorrows away* Anyways, thanks for helping me figure out whether or not describing wind in rohan would be "rohanian," "rohanic," or "rohirric." And then for helping me out on the topic of ellyth in Mirkwood's military.

rh27writer You commented A LOT on a few chapters and thank you very much for that. I loved every single one. And also thank you for your own contribution to the LotR fandom for bringing forth your own fantastic story: Veiled Stars. I have yet to read the second one, but I promise when I can I WILL read it.

ellenellethlinnor She contacted later in my journey of writing this fanfic. And completely broadsided me. SHE SENT ME FANART. When I got her message about that I think a grin almost split my face in two and my heart almost stopped. I was so frickin honored and happy and ahfuisvfdjajabiad THANK YOU. Never have I ever thought I'd get fanart. My dream is to write a book that turns into a fandom with plenty of fanart and here I am, not having actually had anything published (yet) and have already received my first fanart. thank you thank you.

BKincsi became another person I looked forward to seeing comments from. Especially after some of the people who became regulars became... gone. I found myself checking my phone more after I've published a chapter, hoping to see your username there. Oh, also thank you for sharing my love of the mythical bird; phoenix. Okay, plural--would it be phoenixes or... okay yeah phoenixes. Man, I wish my name was still legally Phoenix. How 'bout here, we say it is. There. XD

And yes, thranduilelflover , you have a spot in here too!! Thank you for becoming a friend and for comparing my story to drugs. omg. And thank you SO MUCH for going over the later chapters and helping me figure out what I need to change to make more sense. PEOPLE, this wattpadder is making your reading experience better. Y'all should thank her as well. Thank you again for being such a big help (even if you don't feel like you were much of a big help). There were parts in my chapter that I wasn't sure would make sense to the reader and you going over those chapters really helped.

soulsiisters Thank you for all your votes on later chapters as they came out. I soon began to anticipate seeing your name in my notifications. Ha, bet you weren't expecting that, were ya? XD

Alrighty... time to thank all you ghost readers... THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME TO 20K!!!!! AND FOR MOTIVATING ME!!

And all of your votes and comments kept me so motivated and made me want to give you all my best. All of you had a part in this story. These words exist because of you. Thank you—again.

Now I gotta thank people who don't know me and won't even read this.

First of all, you all saw this coming (especially those who read 'Tag's and... More?')

bRANDON SANDERSON... yeah. Thanks for unknowingly helping my writing, for your afidahvjadjk books. And your podcasts and lectures on YouTube for writing. Just... ahh. You've inspired me.

The Black Piper: for creating the album Kaladin--the original book soundtrack for The Way of Kings. For all of these chapters (the chapters I wrote after reading The Way of Kings) were written listening to their album.

Epic Score: for creating really epic instrumental music. I could fall easier into the story, into the feet of the character and into the swing of a sword and emotions while listening to their epicness.

Peter Jackson: for making Tolkien's words come to life. And without the movies I would have never have joined the fandom.

And... we've all expected it...

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Thank you so much for being a wonderful storyteller. For creating stories so amazing others just have to write about. For inspiring people and motivating them, for words that keep people living, that keep people going. Thank you, for without your creative mind, I might have left writing in the dust a long time ago. Thank you for helping realize my dream.

And thank you God, for without you in my life, there would be no joy.

And thank you to all of you, even those who are reading after I've completed this. For your votes, comments, and reads. I never thought, when I started writing, that I'd finished anything. But look at me now! All because of you all (and my own determination but *shrugs* that determination was given fuel by you)!

Thank you for supporting the beginning of my dream.

Never give up, mellyn. Follow your dreams, no matter how high and impossible they seem. For there are always those who support you, whether or not you know it.