AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the last chapter D: I'm getting the tears ... I gotz the feels ^n^.... I'm sorry I didn't get the chapter out yesterday... I just did not know how much I was going to put into this chapter until I started typing... then I was like CRAP!... But hey... more words = more awesomeness. xD.. I will be adding a Thank you note because without you guys I wouldn't have been posting the chapters to finally complete my story. Additionally more information will be in the note about new stories and other neato-rific stuff... :D Hope you enjoy the last bit, lovelies! <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Epilogue~

Seconds changed into minutes as minutes became hours. Time is a silly thing that Medlinya dreaded over since for every speck of sand was that much closer to the time that death would take her from the side of her soulmate, Legolas. As those dreaded hours disappeared, the hours transformed into loving, carefree ones as the long years warmed the she-elf's beautiful heart. 

In the eve of spring, two years after their departure from Minas Tirith, Legolas and Medlinya joined in eternal matrimony. The trees budded for beginning of a brand new life of happiness and peace as flowers sprouted from the grounds to open their petals to the golden radiance of the sun above. Music faintly echoed in the sunlit grove as a few hundred people sat on white birch benches awaiting the ceremony. There was some hushed conversations among the family and friends gathered under the tall trees of Mirkwood.

After thousands of years of being renamed Mirkwood from a dreaded time under Sauron's shadow, Mirkwood was changed back to it's formor name Greenwood. Legolas made this happen for sure, since his grandfather established this kingdom for the wood-elves long years ago. The elf in question stood under a heighten elegant canopy as leaves silently floating down to the surface. He stood on a natural platform of the soft incline of a hill before a great tree. The tree was bigger in height and width than all of the thousands upon thousands of trees within the forest. It has been told down through centuries that this very tree could have been the first tree to make up the great forest of the Wood-Elf Realm.

His cerulean eyes twinkled at the sight of the amount of people present for this special day. His eyes locked onto the group sitting patiently in the bench just in front of him. Familiar faces smile joyously at the Elf as he beamed back to them. It was this day, as Legolas promised his bride-to-be, when the Fellowship traveled from all corners of the world to witness the union between the two elves.

The ceremony played out like a well-rehearsed melody of eternal nature. The most memorable part of the symphony was the moment the beautiful bride gracefully strolled down the aisle in her breath-taking white dress. The only voices that sounded through the comfortable silence was the gentle whimsical songs of nature voicing their content since the shadow of Sauron was no longer present. At  the arm of the bride to give her away was Gandalf who was also adorned in white.

Gwiliweth standing on the side of the aisle near the front silently gasped at the beauty of the dress worn on her closest friend. The dress was made in silk dupion or lightweight duchesse satin with organza sleeves and layers over the skirt. So elegant that it just had to be crafted by divine fingers and cloth. The boned bodice was detailed with unique and unusual shaping of points and scoops on the neckline and waistline. It has a lace up feature on the front, a lace up back and is intricately decorated with hand painted and beaded flowers and leaves.

This gave the bride spotlighted her bond with nature in heart and soul as nature in question swirled around her in embrace.

Gwiliweth's eyes glanced down to the full skirt that gathers into a net petticoat and swathes of organza to create a full and indulgent look and feel. For the red head from such a distance away from the bride, the gown was soft by sight and this made Gwiliweth itch in excitement to feel the fabric for herself but refrained and contained her eagerness. As Medlinya walked by where the red head stood, her silver eyes spotted the organza and examined the silk dress closely with her sharp elven eyes. The satin, upon a closer look, was detailed with hand painted, beaded and structured flowers. Her veil covered her face, hiding the beautiful face of Medlinya. Gwiliweth's mouth curved into one of admiration as the three foot train of the white dress trailed behind as the bride elegantly halted in front of the platform.

Faramir inclined his head to the awe-strucken woman at his side and admired her beauty as she stared at her old friend awaiting by the hill platform to be given away. The young man did not recall Gwiliweth this beautiful, not that she was not beautiful all the time, but this was one of the two times when he found himself unable to stop staring at her.

A thread of a flashback seemed to pull him back into memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In an instant, Faramir found himself back in the Healing House of Minas Tirith. White gauze bandages were freshly applied to his wounds as he laid on his back on a white bed in a seemingly empty room. Groggily, he slowly opened his eyes to the cool air of the peacefully quiet night. He had just woken up from a long nap after Gwiliweth had tended his wounds for the second time. That was because the now deceased steward had almost deprived his own son from life-saving treatment by carrying his son to the mausoleum to burn him alive. A unsettling feeling settled at the back of the man's throat as he thought of that close call before he swallowed it down.

The young man laid there in the white, sweet scented bed before he heard a gentle feminine hum. Slowly he turned his head towards the direction of the sweet musings when he saw a figure of a woman standing on the balcony. Her red hair cascaded down her back, softly tousling in the gentle breaths of wind. Her elongated ears became prominent as her hair whipped away to reveal them.

Gwiliweth.

His blue eyes could not and would not move from the woman standing there as she hums a foreign but lovely song of her culture. He was mesmerized by the beauty of her song, that his heart yearned for her to continue with the beautiful melody.

In the next moment he did not know what caused Gwiliweth to look back, may it be his stare or the rapid beats of his heart. He was not one hundred percent sure. However it did not matter, because those silvery orbs glanced back with care and up most love in them towards his helpless form. Sadly along with this eye-contact, her song stop abruptly. To take the sweet song's place, a smile formed on her lips as she locked eyes with him and quickly the she-elf walked to his side.

Gwiliweth knelled beside his bed, her eyes shining, "How are your wounds feeling?"

Faramir blinked silently before his lips parted to speak to the beautiful woman, "Fine." his voice croaked at the lack of moisture in his throat.

Her ears picked up on this and quickly rose to her feet to a trinkling fountain. The young solider watched carefully as Gwiliweth lifted a silver pitcher that rested just at the foot of the structure. She lifted the pitcher and ducked the pitcher into the water.

The she-elf came back to his bedside and carefully filled a goblet that was set on a stand beside his head. The young soldier tried to sit up right when he quickly fell back down onto the bed in pain. Gwiliweth quickly set down the pitcher and tenderly checked his wounds before glancing up to his pain contorted face.

"Are you alright?" she inquired concernedly, examining closely to his facial expression.

Faramir weakly nodded his head at her question and again tried to lift himself upright. This time Gwiliweth wrapped her arm carefully around his torso and helped the man to sit in his bed. With clenched teeth to contain grunts of pain, Faramir, with help from the she-elf, sat upright to drink his water. As Gwiliweth checked the young soldier's gauze for any signs of bleeding through, Faramir's fingers carefully wrapped themselves around the goblet and lifted the cup to his lips. With big greedy gulps, the cold water rushed down his dry throat. Gwiliweth was swift to fill up the goblet again with the last remnants of the water from the pitcher.

The she-elf watched silently as Faramir guzzled down another cup of water. Although the sight was rather animal-like but it also showed that had not tasted water since the day he went to battle for Osgiliath. That was almost three days ago. Also to put on top of that, the air has been dry since Minas Tirith was under siege and many fires brewed in the streets. She could not blame him for acting this way with his ferocious devouring of the water given to him. Although she tried not imagine him eating food for the first time in three days.

When he placed the goblet down on the stand, his blue eyes wordlessly locked with hers. Faramir became curious as to the origin to this beautiful woman beside him, looking at him calmly after he acted like a brute than a gentleman that he truly was. Boromir had secretly sent a letter to him, before his brother left Rivendell with descriptions of each person of the Fellowship. His brother had written that Gwiliweth and another she-elf had lived in Old Forest where the alleged half-lings lived. It was only until now when he was curious to why she and this other she-elf found a forest secluded from all other elves.

"Why..." Faramir cleared his throat from the sudden wetness, "Why did you live in Old Forest and not in a safe wood of your people?"

His question caused shock in the she-elf, since Gwiliweth did not expect him to ask such a question. "Well... I had too. It was not safe where I was raised."

Faramir's eyes narrowed, "Who threatened your safety?"

"My Lord, that was a good deal of time ago... Long before you were even born, mind I remind you."

"Sure, but it does not mean I cannot be vengeful of who ever threatens you."

Gwiliweth stared at him before a small graced her face when a frown replaced the beauty. "Why do you want to know my past?"

 "You are an enigma to me, Lady Gwiliweth and since I'm bedridden for a good amount of time I want to learn all that I can about you."

A blush crept on the pale cheeks of the she-elf as her silver eyes twinge with emotion. The very thought of this man asking for her story rattled against her normally hard wall of sentiments. Never would she have dare to show her weakness to another or be thrown off her guard, but Faramir was different. He was her Faenod and therefore she concluded that for the rest of her life would be her being sensitive like a precious tiny bunny. Not that she minded. Gwiliweth decided that it was worth her last days to be sensitive rather than her hardened exterior that has been building since that moment in her life. 

The she-elf sucked in a deep breath before a wavering smile appeared on her pale-blushing face. Her eyes flickered away from those curious, sincere blues before her lips slowly parted, "I was born in a cabin set in the mountains that lay just beside the woods of Lorien and a barbarian tribe of Hill-men. Unlike the other two elves of the Fellowship, I am a half-elf. My mother was one of the noble's daughters of Lorien while my father was the heir to chieftain over the Hill-men tribe. Of course neither sides knew of this love affair. My parents were very cautious and particular on times of their meetings, which prolonged their relationship. They were above all else in utterly and completely love with the other. Everything was okay their world, until my mother got pregnant with me. It became harder and harder for my mother to keep her love and lover safe from her father's and clan's wrath.

"When the time came when she was nearly showing her pregnancy, my mother fled the woods of Lorien leaving no note or trace behind for her father or my father. She had no other choice but to desert all of whom she loved to protect her father's honor and her lover's place in his tribe. My mother fled to the Grey Mountains along the ridge of Fangorn Forest. My mother lived in solitude on the cold mountains when she gave birth to me, all by herself. Meanwhile, my father was on a mad search for his lover over the past months of her disappearance. He had just became the leader of his tribe and was about to take my mother's hand in marriage after a month of persuading his tribe to his love for an elf. Remarkably for a such a barbaric tribe, they accepted their leader's love interest and itched in excitement to meet the woman that had captured his heart. More and more fury against the elves rose against the Lorien people, thinking they were hiding the woman from them an torturing my mother from never seeing their leader again. As his people's anger grew so did my father's. He knew of my mother's strict father and always detested him, but now more so than ever.

"The day I was born was the day where everything went wrong. My mother had been holding me as she was exploring the side of the mountain for food. As she walked along the path to a meadow of fruit trees, her eyes saw a horrific sight. War was ravaging in the meadow. The same meadow where my mother and father meet and fell in love. She ran down the path, holding me to her chest as she hurried towards the brutal war. Elven arrows and Hill-men javelins rained down on their opponents. For my mother to see this war, it shattered her heart in fragments. My father and her father were dueling in the midst of the war with hate brewing in their hearts. As my mother sprinted her way towards the war, elven eyes spotted her and immediately ceased their fighting to stare. The Hill-men stopped as well to see the woman running head-first into the storm of war. Unconsciously the warriors gave her a path to the center of the raging battle. My mother's legs carried her quickly through the lines of shocked and awe-strucken warriors, never did my mother stop staring at the two men in the middle of the battle.

"Her red hair whipped behind her as she finally entered the empty space where her two loved ones fought ruthlessly for her. My mother screamed for them to stop as she hastily approached them. Although neither could hear her, because their anger was too much to bear that it blinded their senses. It was only when my mother grabbed one of her daggers in her free hand and threw it at their connected blades. The two men's eyes immediately flickered over to the interference when they widened at the sight of the 'stolen' she-elf. As she approached, the men could hear the baby cooing in her arms. Her father was furious at this revelation and instinctively thrust his sword to my father who was distracted with a mix of shock and unbearable happiness. My mother saw this attack and stood in the way of the blade to protect her love. Her father's eyes widened in ultimate sadness and shock when his sword sunk into his beloved daughters stomach, barely missing me by mere inches. My father screamed in horror, quickly cradling my mother in his arms as she weakly kept a hold of me. Her father merely stepped back in horror and guilt of what he had done. My mother's silver eyes blinked in tears as she stared up at my father's face. She told him that she left to protect him and her father and partly that she was afraid of what will happen. My mother cried and repeatedly apologized to my father for her ignorance. He hushed her with a gentle, loving kiss and told her that it was not her fault. My mother's last action was her handing over me to my father and her last words were to protect me, before she feel limp in his arms. My father cried over my mother's body before he finally stood from his knelling he held the baby dearly in his arms. His strong brown eyes glanced to the baby cooing in his arms. A sad smile stretched across his face as he examined me. I lived for many years alongside my father's tribe as I took on the name of my mother, Gwiliweth."

The red head she-elf smiled at her memories as Faramir continued to listen intently to her life-story, "Life was wonderful for me. My father was the kindest man and that was deceiving to his appearance. He was handsome in a intimidating way." Gwiliweth giggled at herself before continuing although her smile faded slowly as she did, "However good things must come to an end. My father past away when I was forty in years although I looked not a day before nineteen. He was an honorable chieftain who never took a wife. Not after my mother for he loved her with all of his heart. I stayed safe in the tribe for another three generations before I was exiled because I was an elf. I was not like them and therefore I was unwanted. I wandered the lands for a safe place to hide. Lorien and my mother's father would never take me, yet again I was too afraid to even try. Long months brought me to the edge of Old Forest where I found Medlinya."

Gwiliweth's eyes cautiously met Faramir's blues, not sure what he would think about her life-story. The young soldier was smiling at her and suddenly the distance was cut short with a kiss pressed against her lips. The silver orbs broadened so wide that her eyes could almost pop out of the socket. The kiss was short and sweet as the young soldier pulled away to look in her wide silver eyes with a sparkle of love played in his blue orbs.

"You are an amazing woman just like your mother." Faramir whispered into the night to the she-elf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The young soldier grinned at the memory, mostly at his unexpected burst of confidence to kiss the beautiful woman. After learning such a story and learning of her mother, he could not help but see the resemblance in their actions to protect the ones they love without a thought of their own safety. Faramir beamed even more as he cradled his arm around Gwiliweth's waist catching her off guard.

Gimli stood at the other side of the soldier and closely standing at the dwarf's side was his own lovely maiden. She was a dwarf woman by the name of Astrid "Pure-Rock" Sigridsdottir. As Gimli had said before, dwarf women are hard to distinguish among dwarf men. Although Astrid was the most beautiful of them all, not that he was looking for beauty. Gimli loved her personalty above all else. She could push him around without a hassle with a smirk on her light skinned face and chuckle at all of his crummy jokes. Her hair was wiry dark brown and her eyes were purple as amethyst just like the ones he found in the Glittering Caves. Life was good for Gimli, since he was Lord of the Caves just as his father was once Lord of Dwarves once.

Pippin and Merry were the same old hobbits as they were when they left. They were spending some years in bachelorhood before they would marry. The two had matured a whole lot since the beginning and were still in that process of settling down. However beside them stood Sam Gamgee who had recently been married to Rosie Cotton, a girl who he had his eyes on long before he stepped a foot outside the Shire. She was not at the ceremony, however and that was because Sam did not want her to know the horrors of what happened. Nor did Rosie ever imagined the life beyond the comfort of Hobbiton. The person who did stand at Sam's side was Frodo. The small hobbit had reoccurring sickness from what the Ring had done to his body and mind, causing Frodo to look feeble and pale. 

This weak looking hobbit worried King Aragorn as he glimpsed down to the hobbit. It struck fear in him, never had the Man seen his friend so ill. However, Aragorn kept his composure and smiled up at the ceremony with Arwen at his arm, smiling dignified as a Queen would be. The King took his attention to his dear elven friend who stared at the hidden Medlinya in unwavering awe.

Legolas' cerulean eyes soaked all that he could from what he was able to see of his Faenod. Her beauty shone brightly to him, as if he was staring directly at a goddess. Her white dress flowed gently in the breaths of wind that circulated from the blue heavens. The fiery love of his heart was written clear as day across his loving face as he became increasingly impatient.

Gandalf, the White Wizard, stood still beside the beautiful bride holding onto his arm for dear life. She was so nervous that she would mess up or fall flat on her face since her legs were wobbling underneath her. To everyone she was graceful as a doe, but in realty she was as nimble as a fawn learning how to walk.

The wizard leaned his head to the trembling she-elf's ear, "Be at ease, dear Medlinya. You are going to be fine."

Medlinya's eyes darted over to the grey blue eyes of Gandalf and bowed her head towards him, as a smile crept on her gentle face. "Thank you, Gandalf, for everything." she whispered sweetly.

A beam spread across the wizard's face, as his attention went to the Elf who stood upon the slight incline hill still staring at his bride in awe.

In that moment, time slowed down to fractals of a millisecond, Legolas' hand lowered down at a snail's pace, awaiting Medlinya to take his hand. Gandalf bowed his head to the Elf, before slipping away from the nervous bride. The she-elf could not take her eyes from Legolas just as he could not take his off her. A hidden loving smile graced itself upon her lips as she placed her hand in his.

A ribbon was tied around their joined hands, symbolizing their forever bond between a husband and wife.

Later after the great ceremony was finished, a party celebrated the union of the two lovely couple. A plentiful feast laid out before the guests as lights of the stars gave light to the celebration. Toasts and offerings were given to the couple in great joy of their marriage.

Life was never the same ever again, in the best sense possible. For all of the Fellowship great happiness followed leaving darkness to shrivel up and die along with Sauron ages ago.

~~~~

Long years trailed after, the marriage of Legolas and Medlinya. The two elves built themselves their own house away from the realm of the wood-elves with the help of Medlinya's powers. The grounds surrounding the house, lilies bloomed in lush green grass reminding the she-elf of her mother's eternal presence.

More years flew by, leaving the elves in a whirlwind of happiness. More joy never was at its full maximum till the sounds of little feet filled the residence.

The beautiful she-elf stood in the woodland forest with a bundle in her arms as her eyes twinkled at the sight before her. Time flies like an arrow, Medlinya thought as she chuckled to herself at the irony of it as her eternal sapphire blue eyes watched two forms.

One of the forms was her Legolas, tall and handsome with his dignified smile to the smaller form at his side.

The young blond haired boy glanced up to Legolas with his sapphire blue eyes, wearing an uneasy smile, "I can't do this, Ada." [Father.]

Legolas' beam grew stronger at the boy's words, "Lle ume quel, Erynion." [You did well.] The Elf lowered himself to the boy's eye-level, smiling as brilliantly as ever. "It takes many years of practice to where you wish to be."

The boy huffed in agitation at the words. Medlinya knew her Erynion had always wished to be just like his father: to be Middle-Earth's best archer. A graceful smile brushed upon her lips as she approached the two, "Erynion, your father is right. He did not became the Wood-elves' renown archer in a day, sweetheart." 

Erynion's sapphires gazed up to the she-elf, bashfully. "Nana..." the boy slightly whined at the nickname she gave him.

Legolas slowly stood to his feet at the sight of his wife at the archery practice. The two shared a loving smile before turning their attention back to their embarrassed son, "Let's have another go." Legolas patted his son on the shoulder with a sincere smile and nod.

The boy sucked in a heavy breath before raises his wooden bow to the practice bulls eye on a distant tree. Her husband lowered himself to the ground beside his son, whispering in his ear and gave him encouraging sentiments. Erynion was not at all unnerved by his father doing so, instead he welcomed his dad to give him pointers. Her young son as he assumed archer stance, Medlinya marveled at the fact of her son reminding her so much of his father. His blonde hair, his facial structure, the shape of his eyes, and his smile. All of those were inherited by Legolas. One day, she knew, that Erynion would be as handsome as her husband.

 Erynion aimed his wooden bow right at the bulls eye. With a deep breath, he pulled back the string to his pointy elf ear, never taking his eyes off the center. His eyes were peeled on that center. He wanted the arrow to hit the center so badly. His heart yearned for it. He wanted to so desperately to be an archer like his father.

Medlinya noticed this yearn in her son's heart and also knelt down to his side, "Clear your thoughts and only think of your arrow head flying through the air to that bulls eye. Do not force it. Let the bow do the work." 

Slowly the boy's head nodded at his mother's advice before taking in another cleansing breath. Erynion refocused his eyes on the center with a cool attitude. His trust started to crept toward his bow as his eyes became sharper from being fogged by need.

Swish.

The boy let go of the string and the arrow sliced through the air, spiraling towards the bulls eye.

Erynion held his breath as he remained in his stance, staring at the arrow with hopeful eyes.

THUNK.

The sound echoed throughout the forest,causing some birds to fly startled away into the sky.

The arrow had pierced through the air and struck the very middle of the bulls eye. Erynion's face lit up in joy at this sight, "Ada! Nana! Did you see that?! I did it!" he hollered as the boy hopped up and down in pure triumph.

Legolas' face was indescribable for the she-elf to even began to illustrate. The only way to even begin to describe his expression was a single word: proud. He was a proud father in a moment of pure joy of teaching his son how to shot an arrow. Medlinya watched as her husband gathered up his son into his arms and lift him to the sky. The she-elf's eyes glistened with tears of pure joy as she watched the scene played out before her.

Soft coos sounded from the bundle she held dearly in her arms, causing her to snap her attention to the little person wrapped in the blanket. Big cerulean eyes with full lashes stared up with a gummy, guileless smile. This was her precious daughter, Verismara, she had given birth to two months ago. She had her father's eyes, but for now looked just like Medlinya. She was beautiful and everything the she-elf had ever dreamed of.

Little did Medlinya know, Legolas stood just inches from her side admiring his wives' loving expression. With a swift peck on the she-elf cheek did Medlinya finally glanced up to her husband.

The two spouses beamed at the other before placing a kiss on each other's lips.

"Eww! Nana! Ada!" Erynion complained to the intimacy his parents shared.

The two laughed at their son before stealing another kiss, earning another protest. Their foreheads brushed up against the others as they smile adoringly. "I love you, Aier." Legolas softly whispered to his wife. [Short one]

Medlinya flickered her sapphire eyes to Faenod's cerulean with a smile that he always loved to see, "I love you too, Hallaer." [Tall one]

~~~~~~~~~~

It would never be the end for all of the Fellowship, because life cannot accept simple 'happily ever after'. Although in this case, it did. It was only through their love and their children that they could make this become reality. They worked hard to build a life with each other and sometimes that is all you need.

Someone who will take the fight of life at your side.

(End of Epilogue)

~The End of This I Promise You~