AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the second to last chapter! However it's the last chapter of which follows the Lord of the Rings happenings, o.o I can't believe I made it this far. XD Hehehehe, I hope you like it!

Enjoy my lovlies! <3

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~Chapter Twenty-Five~

 The Coronation of the New King

Atop of the newly restored Minas Tirith, a massive crowd fills the white courtyard as all eyes watch intently to the Citadel. Finally after nine hundred and sixty-nine years, the great realm of Gondor had their rightful king and that king knelled before Gandalf on the glistening white marble steps. Aragorn, who was clad with brilliantly regal silver armor, knelled silently before the great wizard.

Gandalf, with a warm smile, lifts a silver crown above Aragorn's head before placing it on the new king's cranium. The dwarf, Gimli whom was dressed in fancy clothing for the occasion, watched with eyes full of awe as he spotted the elegant crown now lowering to the head of his dear friend. The wizard's grey blue eyes scan the sea of people witnessing the crowning of Aragorn with a dignified beam, "Now come the days of the king." Gandalf then inclined his eyes to the man knelled before him, "May they be blessed."

Before facing the crowd, Aragorn pauses to catch his breath before facing the destiny he had dreaded so long ago back in Rivendell. He had been afraid to take on this duty with his ancestor being once so weak to crumble before the Ring. Although this journey, through the lands and meetings of new faces including the old faces brought new hope and courage in his once unsettled heart. Now that the Ring held a non-existent threat, Aragorn summoned the strength to take his duty to lead his people. Deep in his heart a single voice nourished his spirit above all others. His Arwen. She was the one who told him to never turn from his destiny from being the King of Men and right in this moment he was full-filling her wish. For that was all he could do for her, now that she was gone to the Undying Lands. A life no longer tied with his where she could be safe. 

With a heavy heart with a expression clean of emotion, Aragorn slowly rose to his feet before turning towards his people. The crowd applauded and cheered in joy at the sight of their new king. The joy echoed of the rocky cliffs as it rang of a new joyous happening after a long extension of time through wick darkness.

As quickly as it came, the applauds ceased to hear their king's speech. Aragorn's blue eyes examined the horde of people gathered to see his crowning, "This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world… that we may share in the days of peace."

The crowd applauds at the words of Aragorn's speech, as a blizzard of white flower petals of the Great Tree flutter down above the scene at the steps of the Great Hall. Among the crowd stood Gwiliweth and Faramir who gaze towards the other lovingly as they applaud the new king.

Standing proudly, King Elessar sings in an ancient languauge's tongue of the song from long years before his forefather Elendil had sung when he place a step on the lands of Middle-earth. As he began to sing the crowd grew silent to listen to the mystical words falling from their King's lips,

"Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta."

Out of the Great Sea to Middle-Earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.

Aragorn walks down the aisle as he silently inclined his head to the people who stood to the two sides smiling and cheering at him. He walks past Faramir and Gwiliweth who both smiled and bowed to the new king. Eomer and his now healed sister Eowyn came next also smile and showed their respect with a bow. Along the King's stroll along the aisle a group of Elves comes up to Aragorn who were led by two of his dear elf friends. Legolas smiled at the man before him as did Medlinya. The two elves were dressed in white robes, emphasizing the purity of happiness and joy of this occasion. As the two men stood a step away from each other, they clapped a hand on the other’s shoulder.

The once Ranger smiled at his old friend, "Hannon le." [Thank you.]

The Elf spoke no words as he stared at the King. Instead, Legolas holds back a small smile as he steps aside with a similarly grinning Medlinya at his arm. In the long throng of elves stood Elrond who smiled knowingly  at Aragorn. A white banner with The White Tree of Gondor is seen a little off the front of Elrond. Slowly the banner moves slightly to the side, as a familiar face was revealed. A pair of periwinkle eyes set their sight on the King of Gondor with her signature gentle smile, revealing it was his soul mate. His Arwen who now stood there.

Holding the banner, she slowly walks up towards Aragorn just as he does the same. Once they stood of reach of the other, Arwen bowed her head to the new king. Aragorn, from the moment he first spotted her, stared at the woman in disbelief and deep love. Gently he lifts Arwen's chin for their eyes to meet. They both stared at each other, soaking the presence of the other as Aragorn caresses her smooth face. A smile graced itself upon Arwen's face as seconds past as she stared at the new King with tears gathered in her beautiful eyes. With a gasp of air, Aragorn takes Arwen into his embrace and kisses her, lifting her up and turning around with her as he does so. The crowd again applauds in joy of their king in his intimate moment with his loved one. The King sets Arwen down onto her feet before kissing again. The elf maiden laughs joyfully as utter happiness consumed her being at the side of her Faenod. Her father, Lord Elrond, looks on smiling at his gleeful daughter in the arms of Aragorn.

Aragorn and Arwen walk hand in hand through the crowd with the two elves of the Fellowship and the group of elves following after them. At last the king comes to the four hobbits, who bow to him awkwardly.

The King shook his head seriously, "My friends!" The hobbits slowly glanced up to Aragorn's sincere face, "You bow to no one."

Aragorn kneels down in front of them and everyone in the courtyard kneels along with their King. The Hobbits glance around at the scene, embarrassed and speechless. Such a scene is unheard of especially for a group of half-lings who would never receive such an ovation of praise and respect.

The crowning of King Elessar soon turned into a magnificent celebration like none ever before. Barrels of mead were stacked along the great courtyard of the King and a bounteous feast filled the massive oak tables. Numerous banters echoed throughout the winding streets of Minas Tirith.

Among the great crowd, the Fellowship were gathered in their own corner conversing in their own discussions. Their smiles were not their true feelings in their hearts. Deep down, they all knew that this would be the last time they would ever be together. From this moment on, the Fellowship has broken and tomorrow was the day they must go their separate ways to go back to their regular lives. Medlinya studied each face and saw this. Although a real smile crept onto her face as she realize this was her wish back in Rohan:

Her wish to see the Fellowship together again. Aragorn and Arwen stood closely to the other making sure they were always touching the other as they spoke to Gandalf. Gimli sipped his mug of beer vigorously at the side of Legolas as to repeat the competition back in Rohan. Instead of joining in with the dwarf, Legolas shook his head at his friend before sipping a glass of wine elegantly. Faramir and Gwiliweth shared exchanges of looks of love as they sipped their mugs of ale. Medlinya was ecstatic that Gwiliweth had found her Faenod, but she had to scrunch her nose at the thought of the taste of ale as she watched Gwiliweth gulp down the morbid liquid. Her sapphire eyes then glanced down to the four hobbits clinking their mugs of ale together before downing the ale down their throats. Frodo was more timid drinking just as Sam was although Merry and Pippin had no problem to swish the ale back into their stomachs. The she-elf stifled a laugh at the sight of the humorous hobbits. With her eyes shimmering with laughter and joy, her smile grew as she crossed her arms across her chest.

Without her recollection, Legolas saw the light dancing in her eyes and his heart guided him over to her side. The Elf wrapped an arm around her waist causing her to jump out of her bones before blinking up at him. At the sight of him, Medlinya regained her beautiful smile before leaning against his chest in content.

The night progressed into a time of laughter and friendship. It only ceased when the celebration took the energy out of the people. The silence of the rest of the night was peaceful as families and lovers took in their happiness with each other. All of whom were mystified at the realization that they are alive and free from the grips of the dark shadow of Sauron.

Although when dawn approached the Fellowship's hearts grew heavy. Before the sun rose from behind the Mountains of Shadow that once shielded Gondor from Mordor, the band of friends stood near the Great Tree basking in the silence of sorrow. Their eyes were hooded as they could not stand to stare at the solemn faces of their friends who stood nearby. The friends silently waited for horses to be brought up from the stables for departure.

A group of guardsmen lead four small ponies up for the hobbits. The hobbits were to be gone first. The hobbits' eyes shed so many more tears than ever at the sight of the horses approaching. Each hobbit took their turn saying goodbye. Medlinya was Sam's first choice for she was the one who had traveled with him from the beginning before separating from the Fellowship. Her sapphire eyes welled up in tears as the cornflower blue gazed up at her sorrowfully. Immediately the she-elf lowered to her knees and embraced the hobbit with all her might. Sam's shoulders shuttered as he began to sob endlessly into Medlinya as his arms shakily hugged her. Her eyes spotted Gwiliweth and Pippin hugging each other not too far from where she was kneeling, immediately her heart broke at the sight. Although Sam's sobs broke her thoughts and Medlinya was quick to comfort the hobbit in her arms.

"Sam, everything is going to be alright. You are going back to where you belong. Where it is safe for you. You have been a brave little hobbit to venture not only away from your home but into Mount Doom. Your life has only begun... make the most of it." Medlinya gently whispered to soothe the despairing hobbit.

Through her gentle coaxing, Sam's sobs slowly were ceasing until he just had the sniffles. His eyes flickered up to hers, puffy and red before stepping away from her.

A gentle formed on her face as she stared at the hobbit, "I'm going to miss you, Master Sam Gamgee." Medlinya inclined her head slightly and softly pecked the hobbit's forehead. 

A slight red blush crept on Sam's face at the sudden contact of Medlinya's lips against his forehead, but slowly a broken smile manifested on his face. "I'm going to miss you too, Lady Medlinya."

 The moment Sam walked away to say his farewells to another, Medlinya was attacked by sobbing Merry and Pippin. "Merry... Pippin... shhh..." Her hands rubbed their backs gently like a mother would do to soothe her children.

Merry's teary eyes sought out the sadden sapphires of Medlinya, "My Lady... W-w-we are ne-never going to s-s-see you again... I-I-It's not fair."

"It is what it has to be, my dear Merry." Medlinya softly answered, "Life is not fair. We all did what we set out to do in Rivendell and it is truly a miracle we are here in this moment alive."

It was Pippin's time to glance at her with his watery eyes, "B-b-but you wouldn't have been he-here if it weren't for that wo-wo-woman."

Medlinya immediately grew silent at his words. Pippin was right. The rest would have lived to see this moment and not her if her mother had not appeared to save Medlinya. "Tis true... but it was also a phenomena in itself that I am."

Merry and Pippin gently bobbed their sad little heads at her words, when Medlinya squeezed them into a great hug before letting the hobbits out of her embrace. The two hobbits tearfully went to the next person when Frodo silently approached the she-elf.

Medlinya and Frodo were never as close as her and the other three, but they did care for each other as deep. The she-elf smiled at the small hobbit before placing a hand on his shoulder. "I owe you and Sam more than I can ever imagine as does the entire world. Even the smallest person can change the course of history, you will inspire countless of admirers throughout the future. You are truly the one of the most amazing hobbits I have ever encountered."

Frodo slightly smiled at the complements given by the beautiful she-elf. The two exchanged a bow of heads before the small hobbit turned towards the ponies. The smaller Fellowship watched all solemnly as the hobbits mounted onto their own ponies.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle echoed in the courtyard when Shadowfax came charging up the slope towards the group. Gandalf sadly glanced towards the stupefied Fellowship.

The white wizard frowned seriously, "I will be traveling with the hobbits till my destination."

Gandalf slowly made his way through the group for his goodbyes. Medlinya could only watch with tearful eyes as the wizard inched his way towards her after speaking to the others. As the wizard approached her Medlinya threw her arms around the wizard before crying into his white robes. The wizard quickly returned the hug, "Medlinya... I know our time together was short but to see you again brings joy in an old man's heart. You are... above all else like my daughter by heart. I will miss you dearly."

Medlinya's sob strengthened at his words, enabling her to form words from her trembling lips. Gandalf gently placed a kiss on the she-elf's forehead before letting her small figure go. All that Medlinya could do was watch the wizard mount Shadowfax among the hobbits already on their ponies. The two groups stared at each other sadly before the hobbits and Gandalf made their departure.

The remaining Fellowship solemnly watch the figures disappear down into the streets of Minas Tirith... and out of their lives forever.

As soon as the figures disappeared, another guard guided a single horse towards the company. All eyes sought out the dwarf silently as he took a step forward knowing it is his time. Gimli would have been traveling with the two elves since his home was the Grey Mountains of which was just north from Mirkwood. But Gimli was just recently given lordship of the Glittering Caves of Helm's Deep. His people would be meeting him there to start anew and rebuild the once great fortification of Rohan. He slowly made his way through the remaining before he came face to face with Legolas. Medlinya had already said her goodbyes with the dwarf just seconds before with a gentle kiss on his forehead and words of endearment of Gimli as a great friend of hers. Although as Medlinya witnessed this interaction, this farewell was going to be a heart-wrenching one. Legolas knelled down to the dwarf before clapping a hand on the dwarf's shoulder as his ceruleans watered. Gimli's blue eyes also became unnaturally teary.

"You are not so bad, Dwarf." Legolas friendly admitted with a sly but sad grin.

Gimli mirrored the same grin as he too clapped a hand on the Elf's shoulder, "Not so bad yerself, elven princeling."

The two friends erupted in laughter as their grips on each other tightened. Meaningful looks were shared between the two when Gimli turned towards the horse he was given. Legolas followed the dwarf and helped his friend onto the saddle of the horse. Again the two shared smiles but these were more sorrowful ones unlike the previous. "Farewell, friend." Legolas muttered, trying desperately to contain the tears in his eyes.

The dwarf bowed his head, "So long, good friend."

The even smaller Fellowship watched the dwarf steered his horse away from the company and than disappear into the streets of Minas Tirith just as the hobbits and Gandalf had.

Immediately, a guard led Arod towards the two elves. Medlinya's heart fell as she glanced to Aragorn and Gwiliweth who stood with their soul mates to support them through this sad occasion. Medlinya approached Aragorn with a gentle hug. "Thank you for everything that you have done through our journey, King Elessar."

The man shook his head, puzzling the she-elf. "I am Aragorn to you, my friend." Aragorn smiled at the she-elf as she came out of her bewilderment.

Medlinya stepped back from Aragorn, "You are going to be a great King. One that never will be surpassed."

The two smiled at each other before Medlinya turned towards the tear-stained face of Gwiliweth. The she-elf stepped closer to the red headed elf with new tears forming in her sapphire eyes. These two had always been together since the day Gwili stumbled her way into Old Forest. Their beginning was rough but as time progressed it became a smoother course until their jounry they have of recently accomplished. Looking into those silver eyes, the spark of life was dimmed by her tears and overwhelming feelings of sorrow.

The two women clasped onto each other into a great teary embrace. The silence was compelling between the two as only their sobs echoed in their ears. "Med-Medlinya..." Gwiliweth sputtered through her fits of tears. "I never...got to s-s-say this be-before... b-b-but... you wer-were always li-like a-a fam-family to m-me."

Medlinya sniffled as more tears washed over her face at Gwiliweth's words. "I-I. fe-felt the sa-same way... too. I... I l-l-love y-y-you, Gwiliweth... just l-like a sis-ter."

Gwiliweth's cried quaked at the she-elf's words, "I lo-ove you too.."

"I'm... so.. hap-py th-that you f-f-found your Fae-Faenod. For I do not ha-ve to wor-rry a-about y-you.. any-more. For... y-you to be hap-py..."

Gwiliweth's face pulled away from Medlinya's shoulder to look at the sapphire eyed elf's face. The red headed elf was forcing a challenging grin, "You had no re-reason to wor-ry about m-me."

Medlinya smiled at those words, "I always wo-rry."

The red head's grin soon turned to a frown, "I'm going to miss you..."

The corners of Medlinya's lips curved down, as her heart broke in two. She knew all too well that Gwiliweth was an half-elf therefore she now can only live a human shortened life if she stayed with Faramir on Middle-earth.  "I'm going to miss you too..." The two women stared silently at each other soaking all the seconds they had left with each other. Medlinya decided that she did not want to leave with a heartbroken words, instead she wanted something they could both look back on and smile. The she-elf broke out in a gentle smile, before nudging the red head by the arm. "Don't be throwing daggers at anyone because they didn't respond to you, hear?"

From those words, a laugh erupted from Gwiliweth's throat as her silver eyes regained that spark, that vest for life. "I cannot keep that promise, but I will attempt to refrain from doing such a thing."

Laughter bubbled from the two friends when Legolas stood beside Arod, looking at the back of his Faenod's head with sadden eyes. "Medlinya... it's time." he softly called out to her.

Their laughter dropped as the sorrow again came into their hearts. The air that once was light with laughter, now was heavy with sadness. With one final embrace, Medlinya stepped away to her Legolas waiting for her on Arod. His cerulean eyes captured her red puffy ones before lifting the she-elf by the waist onto the white horse. The Elf mounted the horse after his Faenod taking the front to steer Arod. Medlinya took one last look at the barely composed Aragorn and crying Gwiliweth.

The she-elf silently wrapped her arms around Legolas' torso, resting her head against his back as if to soak any ounce of comfort his touch could give her. Arod softly trotted towards the incline into the city, walking away from the last remnants of what was the Fellowship. Slowly the figures of her friends faded in the distance, her eyes were clouded with unshakable tears making the figures more blurry than they were already. As they silently made their way through the confusing ally ways, Medlinya took the time to soak in the sights of Minas Tirith, the beautiful white city, as Arod carried them through each tier of the city. The two were quiet although the sounds of people kept the silence tolerable.

It was when they finally found themselves out of the Great City when their silence was finally unbearable. Her face was still pressed against Legolas' back as his hands found hers to comfort her in a quiet manner.

"Legolas..." Medlinya unattractively croaked from her crying, although Legolas did not find anything impusive about her voice as she did. Even though her voice was broken, she sound very much beautiful to him.

"Yes, Melamin?" [My love.]

Her sapphires found cerulean orbs staring back at her curiously, "Will we ever see them again?"

Legolas pondered on the question, not knowing to let her down easily and say no that time would never be perfect for the now broken Fellowship to see each other again or like how his lovely Faenod was revived from death's grip that their friendship bring them all back. He again stared into her loving eyes and felt an emotion stir in his heart that create a smile. "I believe someday we will, Melamin."

Her eyes sparkled at his words as a beautiful smile graced itself upon her pink lips. "Do you swear on your word that we will?"

The Elf chuckled at her childish request but the glimmer in her eyes convinced him to speak these next words, "Someday beyond our greatest hopes and wishes, the Fellowship will be together again. On this day, it is not the final goodbye of our grand company. No, we will meet each other again..." Certainty gleamed from his ceruleans as they gaze into his beloved Faenod's eyes, "This I promise you."

Promises are fickle and that is what one must always know... is that promises are not always kept. Many promises are forgotten as time goes on and others were just a spur of the moment. It is the hope of a promise that carries an illusion of happiness or security. A real and true promise is made to very special persons of one's life. May it be a best friend, a family member, a lover, or etc. Those promises always stick. As Medlinya had discovered through her experiences through life and her fated death. 

This promise made by Legolas was one that stuck... and through time will the two elves did finally discover that Legolas' hopeless promise became true.

When against all odds, the Fellowship found each other back into their lives...

(End of Chapter Twenty-Five)

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Last chapter is coming up next!! D: IM GETTING THE FEELS!!