Time travel is so messy.

Chapter 35... The last chapter of Nel Muinthil. I hope you all enjoyed this little story, my first ever fan-fiction... I can't believe it's over. Thank you all so very much for reading Nel Muinthil! I've loved writing for Mae, Elle, and Ann so, so much! I'm gonna miss them.

Three hooded figures wandered discreetly through the mass of people congregated before the Hall of Kings atop Minas Tirith. It was a beautiful day. A glorious day to crown the King of Men. At the foot of the stairs before the grand door of the Hall stood Gimli, son on Gloin, with the gleaming crown of gold and silver in his hands, waiting. He watched quietly as Gandalf the White stepped forward to grip the powerful diadem in his hands carefully.

Aragorn had been both good and bad for the past few weeks of grueling pain. His memories plagued him, reminded him of a beautiful love that he had once held and lost, not once, but three times. Maethien's face haunted his dreams, her voice danced in the invisible breeze, the memory of her touch warmed his cool skin. He missed her so. Every day and every night, most especially when he lifted his gaze and looked at the shimmering stars that adorned the midnight sky. She was up there. Decorating the skies with her beauty.

It had been utter hell for the King of Men… but still, he lived. He lived for his people, his friends, his city. Even as pain and longing and anger pulsed through him, he met the gazes of the people of Minas Tirith with calmness and serenity. He was no longer Aragorn the Ranger. He was Aragorn, King of Men. And that title, held a great responsibility. One that he had finally accepted… One that he world strive to cherish. Maethien had seen in him the King that he had never allowed himself to even consider. Seen in him so much that he still did not see himself. Lord Elrond had once told him that she had placed her hope, her belief entirely on him before she had even met him.

Aragorn was determined.

He would not betray her belief in him. He would fight to be the man that she believed he could be, even if the pain gnawed at him each and every day for the rest of his reign. He would stand tall and strong, for every single man and woman that stood with him there, surrounding him as he lowered himself to his knees and welcomed the weight of the crown on his head.

"Now come the days of the King." Gandalf announced proudly to the crowds before him. Then he smiled down at Aragorn gently. "May they be blessed." He murmured to him, and only him before stepping back and taking his place to the King's right. Aragorn smiled softly, and drew in a long steadying breath as he rose from his knees and stepped up to the door. There, he paused and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Brilliant, wild green eyes resurfaced in his memories.

"Never leave me." He whispered to the ghost of those wild eyes, before opening his own and turning to face the mass of people atop Minas Tirith. Ecstatic applause erupted all around him, cheering for him, welcoming him.

"This day does not belong to one man, but to all." King Aragorn said aloud, his crystal eyes gentle with kingly grace. "Let us, together, rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace." Applause erupted once again, louder, stronger, happier.

As the King began to sing his gentle song, a familiar form hidden beneath a white hooded cloak stepped through the masses of awed folk. Wild green eyes rose softly to admire the new King of Men with pride and intense love. With the flick of a finger, petals of pure white began to fall from above like soft rain over the King and his people. None but the three hidden beneath their cloaks payed much attention the miraculous display.

King Aragorn descended from the stair slowly, acknowledging each and every familiar and unfamiliar face that met his gaze. Faramir, Lady Eowyn, Eomer, and finally Legolas. All of his friends. There to share with him the joy and honor of his coronation. As the King reached out to set his hand over his dear elf friend, Saeleth and Anoreth reached out as well to grip the hand of their big sister.

Maethien had decided to come to the coronation. She wouldn't have missed it. She was so happy, so proud of the man she loved, and as she watched him share a smile with Legolas, she couldn't help but love him all the more. An eternity had passed with only her memories to remind her of that warm smile, those crystal blue eyes. She had just barely contained her urge to run to him and hug him and never let him go. She had changed so much with the ages, growing in wisdom and strength, but at the same time she had not changed at all. She was still Maethien, the temperamental, over-confident, troublesome warrior of the Valar that loved the King of Men with all of her being.

"Mae?" Ann breathed quietly. "What are you waiting for?"

Maethien breathed slowly as she stepped back with the crowd. Aragorn had continued to move, walking through the masses and heading right to where Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry stood. They were the most honored guests of all and the King of Men wanted to let everyone know.

"He's doing so well." Mae whispered as she lowered her hood farther down to hide her gleaming features. "I just don't… I don't know if I should approach him now. This is his coronation, Ann. There's a time and place for everything. Maybe this is not the time and place for this."

Saeleth nearly laughed aloud. She too had grown, but her tendency to guffaw in the most unlikeliest of moments had never changed. Neither had Maethein's tendency to grow incredibly… nervous and uncertain in the presence of Aragorn.

"For this?" Elle asked. "Mae… Don't you see it?"

"See what?"

"The pain he's in." Maethien stiffened. "Look at him Mae. He misses you. He loves you. Will you deny him the one thing, the one being that he wishes to see more than anything and anyone in this realm?"

Maethien said nothing as the prickles of pain waved through her. Elle was right. She could see it, the pain deep in his blue eyes.

"Shh." Anoreth suddenly whispered, squeezing her big sister's hand and drawing her attention toward where Aragorn had reached the four mighty hobbits of Middle-Earth. "Stress later. Look now." She said. Maethien smiled and did as she was told.

Together, everyone watched closely as the Hobbit's lowered themselves into a respectful bow before the King of Men. Aragorn would have none of it. With a breath of disbelief, Aragorn stepped closer to the four hesitant Hobbits.

"My friends." He said quietly, smiling ever so proudly at his little friends when they raised their heads. "You bow to no one." King Aragorn declared, then slowly lowered himself to his knee and bowed his crowned head before the four heroic Hobbits that had saved Middle-Earth.

Maethien could have burst from the joy as she, and her sisters and every single last being in Minas Tirith, lowered themselves to their knees to show their respect and honor the Hobbits in their presence. Maethien squeezed her sisters hands strongly as she struggled to contain her immense delight.

All waited for the King to rise before they too rose from their bows.

Stepping back, Maethien released her sisters hands.

Let's go. She said to them through their telepathic bond.

Mae- Ann objected.

I know, I know. We're not going far. Aragorn is giving the Hobbits and all of his friends a great honor. I don't want to interfere with that.

Aragorn would want you too. Maethien chuckled softly.

I would want him to too if our roles were reversed.

Then why-

She's afraid. Elle suddenly said, prompting Mae to squirm delicately beneath her cloak. It's been an eternity Ann. Aragorn still hurts, still grieves. She's afraid of how he might react to seeing her again after having watching her disappear in stars and shadows. He thinks she's dead. This is… a delicate situation to say the least.

One of which might be better handled or accepted in privacy rather than in the middle of thousand and thousands of people.

Ann sighed unhappily. Alright. Personally I'd rather let my heart and emotions do the acting rather than second guessing every little thing.

Yes, Ann, we know. Elle said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. I seem to recall a time in which you let your emotions take control. You ended up setting fire to a castle. With us still in it!

Hey, that pompous ninny was asking for it!

And lets not forget when you made the Ent-

Oh, don't you dare bring that up!

Enough, you two. Maethien interrupted, laughing quietly as she shook her head and turned around to guide her sisters out of the coronation before they could burst into a full out argument. Powerful Maiar they were, but they still scrapped like the sisters they had always been.

The hooded figures turned and attempted to melt into the crowd slowly, but they did not get far. They were unaware that the King of Men had quite suddenly turned his head in their direction. Though the mass of people were far from quiet in the eagerness to celebrate their King, a single sound had somehow risen above the noise and found Aragorn where he stood. A beautiful sound that he would have never been able to forget, a sound that haunted his dreams still. A laugh. But not just any laugh… Maethien's laugh.

Eyes wide, heart hammering, breath hastening, King Aragorn moved toward where he'd heard the laughter, his sharp eyes searching through the crowds wildly.

"Aragorn?" Gimli asked gruffly.

"I heard her laugh." The King said simply as he stepped through a throng of puzzled people and searched around wildly.

"Heard who's laugh?" The dwarf asked, baffled by his friends sudden change in demeanor. He looked... hopeful. Gimli chased after the King as he stepped through more people, then more and a few more until finally his keen eyes spotted something odd. Three figures draped in white… heading in the opposite direction of the coronation. His heart screeched to a sudden halt, then picked up at the pace of hummingbirds flapping wings. Could it be true? Was it really her?

"Maethien." Aragorn breathed. Though he had not spoken the words louder than a whisper, the green eyed sister heard the call of her own name nonetheless. She stopped, freezing in place as her own heart hammered violently against her chest. She knew that voice.

"Maethien." Aragorn called out again, this time loud enough to catch the attention of just about every being with ears. Gimli's eyes widened as he burst through people and searched, his other friends not far behind.

You've been caught fleeing the scene, big sister. Anoreth said pleasantly, but Maethien payed her no mind. There had been… hope in Aragorn's call. Such hope. It had torn right through her fear and anxiety.

Turning slowly, Maethien kept her head bowed as she listed to the sound of Aragorn's footsteps approach her slowly, hesitantly, almost fearfully. He stopped then, merely feet in front of her, and waited with his breath caught in his throat. Maethien would not leave now. She had been foolish to believe that she ever could have left again. She had waited to embrace Aragorn again for four ages… she was not going to wait a minute longer.

Lifting her gleaming hands slowly, Maethien gripped her white hood and lowered it abruptly. She had not changed a bit. Hair the color of rich honey still framed a beautiful face of strength and confidence, golden markings still adorned smooth cream skin at almost every corner, and wild green eyes still gleamed brilliantly.

Aragorn did not move an inch as he gazed into the face of the woman he loved. Maethien felt her insides clench at his stillness.

"Maethien?" He breathed, his voice quivering ever so slightly. "Is it really…?" Maethien's lips curled softly into a hesitant smile, taking the air right out of Aragorn. He never thought he'd see that smile again.

"Yes." She said, her eyes only on the man standing before her. The fact that they were standing in the middle of a coronation slipping right past her mind as she gazed at Aragorns hesitant, almost doubtful gaze.

"I saw you fade." Aragorn argued breathlessly. Mae swallowed the stinging lump in her throat.

"They let us come back." Mae said softly. "Let me come back… To you." A flash of pain filled Aragorn's crystal eyes, and that tore right through Maethien. Flinching delicately, Mae's eyes drifted to the ground for a moment as she tried to fight away her tears before rising to meet Aragorn's again. Sadness in her green eyes. "I… I don't expect you to understand or to believe me, Aragorn. You've gone through so much, too much, too many times. But… I am real. I am here. I am alive. I promise you."

Aragorn still did not move and Maethien felt the brutal pain and fear of loss. Had she hurt him one too many times? Was he truly not ready to see her again? Was she far too late? The mere thought of such questions brought a film of tears to her eyes, which she fought back with all her might as she raised her head once more to look into the eyes of the man she would always love. There was one thing she had not said. One thing she owed him.

"Aragorn," Mae breathed, her fingers clenched so tight that her nails dug into her palms painfully. "I am so, so sorry." She breathed. Holding back her tear all the while. She would not cry. She would not use her tears as a- albeit an unintentional- weapon against Aragorn. He deserved better.

There was a long moment of silence as Aragorn gazed at the gleaming woman before him. No one spoke again, no one moved, no one even breathed heavily. Then, finally, Aragorn took a step, then another, and another, and one more until he has was standing right in front of Maethien. So close that she could feel his warm breath tousle the hair on her head. She met his searching gaze and did not look away, letting him probe and think and decide entirely on his own. She would not sway his decision nor his beliefs to her advantage.

Quiet, Aragorn slowly lifted his hand and caressed her face gently as he gazed into her glistening green eyes. They said nothing as they shared a world of emotions through each others eyes. Aragorn's fingers stroked her cheek gently, and brushed her hair slowly behind her ear, prompting a shiver to course through the woman's body.

"I cannot go on like this." Aragorn breathed. Maethien felt her heart crack in a million pieces, pain surged through her as the pieces threatened to crumble into dust. "I must do this at least once before I go mad."

For a moment, complete and utter confusion filled Maethien's expression. Then, she remembered a night long ago... when she had stood in the glow of a full moon with the sounds of music and laughter surging within a celebrating palace. Love had filled her heart as she had gazed into the moon with the arms of the man she loved wrapped around her, both of them breathless from having danced so much.

As realization began to fill her green eyes, Aragorn abruptly lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all of the love and passion he felt within, and would always feel. Applause erupted all around, but the two lovers could not hear them as they shared a deep and loving kiss that would change… everything.

Long ago, when the sisters had been about to step into the Age of Light in Arda, Maethien had stopped the Valar and asked them for something impossible. Or so she had thought. The Masters of Spirits and the Elder King had taken into consideration what Maethien, and her sisters, had asked of them.

Four lifetimes. As Maiar, as mortals, as Vanyar, and again as Maiar. The sisters had lived four lifetimes, both mortal and immortal. Maethien had but one request of them before she set out to live her fourth lifetime in Arda: No more lifetimes to live over and over again. She yearned for mortality. Maethien had tired of all of her pasts and futures, she wished only to age, to live and die her last life with Aragorn, the love of all of her lives. Impossible? Not at all.

With a kiss, her fate were sealed; and as Maethien's lifted her arms to wrap them around Aragorn's neck, the Valar honored their promise. Those who looked closely could see the spiraling markings on her skin begin to fade, could see the ethereal glow the hugged her every feature begin to dim. Standing feet behind their sister, Saeleth and Anoreth smiled with sad happiness, watching silently as immortality faded from their big sister's form.

"Well," Ann whispered quietly. "I guess that's it then." She murmured, lifting her gaze to smile at Saeleth pleasantly before turning to giggle as Maethien gripped onto the King's arms tightly. It seemed like hours had passed before they gently pulled apart, faces remaining close, foreheads resting against each other as they breathed deeply and smiled knowingly at each other.

"Now," Aragorn breathed. "I am content." He whispered with smile, but this time, he did not draw away. Maethien's laughter broke free, piercing the peaceful air with joy and love. Oh she could kill him for scaring her so badly, but she would have to kill him later. At that moment? All she wanted to do was kiss him again, and Maethien rarely ever did not do what she wanted.

"Oh now you don't." She growled, then burst into peals of overwhelmingly happy laughter as she threw her arms around Aragorn and hugged him close.

"Oi!" Gimli suddenly shouted gruffly, his eyes suspiciously damp as he stalked up behind the woman and the King of Men. "You troublesome elf!" Mae didn't bother to correct the dwarf as he fumed up at her. "Disappearing in lights and leaving us with this mess! Troublesome is what you are. Troublesome!"

Aragorn and Maethien laughed as she lowered herself just enough so that she wrap her arms around the stunned, tough dwarf.

"I missed you too, Gimli." She said, silencing whatever else he was about to shout at her.

Saeleth laughed, shaking her head as she smiled and lowered her hood, listening intently as a tomato faced Gimli patted Mae's back and harrumphed, muttering something about how he had his hands full trying to console Aragorn and get that disheartening look of his face. Oh how she'd missed him.

"SAELETH!" A familiar booming voice suddenly bellowed, her laughter immediately faded and her eyes widened. Stunned, she turned to face a seething Eomer as he stalked right to her and towered over her intimidatingly. He looked angry. Very angry. Angrier than she had ever seen him but, with Elle being Elle, she did the exact opposite of what one might do when faced with a very angry, tall, armed warrior. She shouted back.

"What are you screeching at me for?!" She retorted, her own anger igniting with the figurative flip of a switch. She glared up at him and cursed him mentally for being so damn tall. It was as if the four ages she'd lived hadn't happened at all. She still hated having to look up at him when she was angry at him.

"Where in blazes did you run off to?" He roared. Saeleth sputtered in indignation.

"Run-run off?!" She shouted back, her fists finding their way to her hips as she craned her neck up to fix Eomer with a vicious glare. "I did not run off anywhere, you pompous imbecile! In case it was not obvious, I died! I died and then came back!" She roared, for the moment ignoring the fact that that may sound just a tad… well, crazy. Eomer didn't seem to notice or mind though, for he continued to shout at her, his deep brown eyes blazing with fire.

"I trusted you!" He shouted, ignoring the fact that he was causing a bit of a scene as he towered over the golden eyed elleth fuming right back at him. He could swear that if she got angry enough, she'd likely kick him in the shin in hopes of lowering him to her level. Was it insane that he loved that about her?

"Trust- Wha-Eo-" Utter confusion rose in Saeleth as she sputtered unfinished words angrily, her hands flailing and gesturing wildly as she tried to contain her rage and inner turmoil. Of all the things he could have possibly done upon seeing her again, he chose to shout at her?! What the hell?! "What are you talking about?!" She asked loudly, angrily. "Trusted me to what?!"

What Eomer shouted next stunned more than just Saeleth. It stunned him. Stunned him to his core.

"To stay alive!" He roared.

Saeleth's eyes widened, her jaw dropping as she drew in a stunned gasp. Her temper vanished as instantly as it had sparked. She wasn't sure why his words shocked her so much… wasn't sure why she suddenly felt as if she'd let him down. Wasn't sure why she suddenly found herself so utterly overwhelmed with emotion that she couldn't even speak.

Eomer breathed out heavily. Realizing that he had stunned her silent, he closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose. His rage, his hurt still ached within… but he set those emotions aside for just a moment, calming them just long enough so that he could open his eyes and step up to the quiet woman before him. He intended to set his hands on her shoulders, but for whatever reason, he suddenly found himself wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. He said nothing for a long moment as he settled his chin atop her head and breathed deeply in and out over and over until Saeleth's breathing matched his own. Then, and only then, did he step back to grip her shoulders and look into her eyes.

"I trusted you to stay alive." He repeated. "To keep yourself alive. And you failed me… You left me."

Saeleth felt… she just felt. Eomer could always just make her feel. Everything all at once. Even after all of this time. This time though, she felt as if she'd truly let him down. By dying. By… leaving him. She left him. She hadn't realized, until that moment, that she hadn't wanted to. Leave him that is. And that he hadn't want her to. What did that mean? Why did she feel so conflicted? So emotional?! She didn't even know what to say, how to respond as she stared up into his warm brown eyes. She could still feel his warmth around her from where he had wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. She had liked that. She wanted him to do it again.

You would think that she would have figured it out after four full ages of life… but no such thing. Emotional constipation and all that.

"I…" Saeleth whispered brokenly, her eyes fluttering with emotions. "I didn't mean to." She said, honestly, earnestly.

Eomer gazed down at the woman, watching as her eyes conveyed to him the varying amount of emotions that warred within her. Could she not see? Could she not even consider the possibility? Eomer was rarely ever unsure of anything, and in that moment, he was most definitely sure of what he wanted. Of what he felt. What he was not sure of at all though, was what she wanted, what she felt. It appeared that it was up to him to take that leap of faith to find out.

Looking her over, he noticed how her skin was almost entirely adorned in golden markings, how her skin seemed to glow with ethereal light.

"What happened to your marks?" He asked suddenly, stunning Saeleth yet again. Just when had the subject changed from her letting him down to her now gone markings?

"My… Oh. Uh, I gained more... over time." She said simply, not sure if she should explain the whole story behind them to him.

"Over time?" He asked then, calmly, almost casually. Which only further confused the woman before him.

"Y-Yes. Ages of it." She answered simply, again.

"Your powers?"

"What about them?" Elle asked, this time with a little more fervor. Why was he asking her all of this?

"Do you still have your powers?" Eomer asked calmly.

"Yes." Elle snapped. "Why do you ask?" The sigh he released only confused and irked her further.

"I suppose I will just have to risk it. There is a good chance that you will smite me for this." Eomer explained nonchalantly, as if that would make any more sense to her. Which it definitely did not.

"Risk what?" Elle asked, resisting the urge to start shouting again. Why did he have to confuse her so?

What he did next both confused her further, and answered her every question. Eomer gave Elle no opportunity to ask any more questions as he reached out to grip her waist with hand and the back of her neck with the other. With one sharp pull, the woman stepped into his arms, and Eomer lowered his mouth to hers.

Saeleth wished there were words to describe how she felt, but she feared she would simply make a fool of herself trying to explain the intense feeling that surged through her. Warmth, joy, confusion, song, certainty, happiness, longing, understanding… Everything. She soared as her hands curled around the mantle he wore, creating a vise-like grip as she pulled the man closer to her. She wasn't sure when her hands had decided to reach for Eomer, but she was glad they had. That she had. It was a gentle yet forceful kiss, Eomer wanted to leave no doubt as to what he felt, what he wanted, what he desired. He held her to him, almost possessively so, fearing that if he left her room to escape that she would leave and never return. He needn't have worried. For Saeleth had no intention of leaving him.

Saeleth realized in that moment what she had quite practically refused to understand or admit for years. She was in love with this infuriatingly overprotective warrior. And finally, FINALLY, she welcomed it. And she decided. Just as her big sister had decided... she decided then as well.

Slowly, Eomer's hold on the woman softened, though he did not release her, and he gently pulled back far enough that he could look into her eyes again. What he saw in them filled him with hope, hope that she loved him too. There were no longer markings adorning her skin, no longer an immortal glow to her form... He wanted to tell her, to ask her to tell him… but he would not push her to admit it to him. Not yet at least. Instead, he contented himself with pressing a soft, quick kiss to her lips again. He did not miss the fact that her hands had not released their grip on his cloak, and that too gave him hope.

"You scared the life out of me." He whispered to her.

"I did?" Saeleth breathed, her world was still spinning. Was that normal? Was the world supposed to spin?

"Don't do it again." Eomer said, his tone soft but demanding. Now that brought a bit of a spark to Elle's eyes. The world stilled and she looked up at the warrior, a smile widening on her lips.

"Don't tell me what to do." She said. Eomer laughed joyously as he wrapped his arms around her, happy when she wrapped hers in turn around his neck, and lifted her off her feet in a joyous hug.

Anoreth watched her sister's happiness with a large smile, her arms crossed and hip cocked. All she could think... was wow. Just wow. Ages old and she could still be taken by complete surprise. Just when did all of this happen? She wondered to herself. Aragorn and Maethien's love was the stuff of dreams. Even she dreamed of a love so true and strong that it survived, well, everything. The way they held each other, and smiled at each other, and just glowed in each other's presence. It was the stuff of fiction and hopeless romance, and yet it was also so entirely real. Aragorn and Mae were living proof of it.

Then there was Elle and Eomer. Goodness, she'd been surprised, to say the least, when they had started snarling at each other. Roaring angrily at one another back and forth like some sort of tennis match. It was so funny and yet so heart warming at the same time to watch them scrap at each other. Ann hadn't been too surprised to see Saeleth have trouble with facing Eomer's feelings for her at the start. Even after four ages, her big sister had not changed in that aspect. Wisdom and stubbornness was an interesting duo of characteristics to have.

Anoreth breathed a happy sigh as she watched Eomer lift Elle into a hug, spinning her in a circle as they laughed joyously together. She smiled as she watched Aragorn and Mae walk together, her hand on his arm, as they made their way through the crowd toward where Gandalf waited greet the lovely couple. The happiness in the air was palpable. Anoreth could feel it all.

Lifting her gaze, Ann looked to the sky and smiled. "Thank you. For everything."

"Talking with yourself?" Ann lowered her gaze and smiled wide at the handsome blonde prince.

"To the Valar actually." She admitted, looking from the sky, to him, to where her sisters stood among the mass of celebrators. "It has been an… eventful few ages." She chuckled, her minds flying through the years and years of memories she had behind her.

"Ages?" Legolas asked curiously, his deep blue eyes bright with curiosity.

"Mm-hm." Anoreth nodded her head, her blue eyes twinkling as she turned to fix the elf prince with a mischievous, secretive smile. "I am four ages old, Legolas." She expected his eyes to widen in surprise, and she was not wrong. As an elf, Legolas understood what it was like to live a long, immortal life… but four ages of eternal life? That was the same as the Ainur!

"It seems that there is much more to you and your sisters than we had even imagined." Legolas said with a smile, his eyes searching Anoreth's pretty face. The woman laughed quietly.

"Indeed. Several lifetimes of more." She teased. She was happy to finally be having a decent conversation with Legolas. Oh how she remembered having plastered his face all over her devices and walls in her mortal life on Earth. She never would have imagined that the real Legolas would be so similar and yet so entirely different to what she had been shown to imagine. And now? She was standing in the coronation of the King of Men, with her sisters smiling with utter happiness before her, and Legolas standing beside her, speaking to her as if they had known each other their entire life- or in her case, lives.

"But now?" Legolas asked, looking pointedly at her sisters unmarked skin. Anoreth followed his gaze, understood, and smiled softly, kindly, sadly.

"But now… it's time for their last life time." Anoreth said, her eyes watching for the elf's reaction carefully. She was pleasantly surprised to find an understanding in his reaction to her news. "After four ages, I think it's time we settle down."

"We?" Legolas asked, his gaze going from her to where her sisters stood. Mae with Aragorn and Gandalf, and Elle with Eomer, Faramir, and Eowyn. Ann chuckled and shrugged softly.

"I love my sisters." She said simply. "I don't think I could go on living for another sum of lifetimes without them by my side." She admitted. She never had had to live without them for long, she wasn't she was capable of doing so for long at all. She just couldn't imagine living with them until the end of their mortal lives, then mourning them, then moving on to live the rest of eternity without them. Was that weird of her?

"So you would choose to sacrifice your immortal life to live a mortal life by your sisters' sides?" Legolas surmised, a small mischievous smile on his lips. Ann narrowed her eyes at him and smiled, knowing very well what he was insinuating.

"You think me foolish for doing so." She said. It was not a question.

"No." Legolas disagreed, shaking his head. "Not foolish at all. I simply wonder how you can include yourself in their mortality when you have clearly not accepted it for yourself." Confused, Ann followed Legolas pointed gaze... He was looking at her. Or rather, her marked skin. Anoreth blinked in surprise... she had expected them to fade! She had expected for her immortality to leave her. She had decided to stay with her sisters when she'd seen them decide to stay. So why were her markings, her immortality still with her?!

Because you do not decide Anoreth. That was not the oath.

"What are you talking about?" Ann asked aloud, prompting a slight bewilderment in Legolas' gaze.

Your sisters' have decided to stay, Anoreth, not with their minds, but with their hearts. You can fool yourself into believing you wish to stay... but you can never fool your heart.

"Bu- Wha- How- Oi." Anoreth heaved a sigh and slammed her palm against her forehead gently.

"Anoreth?" Legolas asked hesitantly, his brow raised curiously and smile pulling on his mouth as he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"It would seem that..." Anoreth sighed again and lowered her hand to look at Legolas. "I do not want to stay." She whispered, a world of conflicting emotions filling her blue eyes as she looked away from the elf to watch her sisters.

Legolas said nothing as he gazed into her clouded sky blue eyes, his mind wondering through an abundance of thoughts. Anoreth was not far behind him. She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't... enjoy the idea of immortality. Four ages had passed and Anoreth still learned something never every single day. There was still so much more for her to see, to learn, to experience! She was yet to return to Valinor. The place that she called home, the home that she had left long ago and wished to return to again.

"Your right." Anoreth whispered tot he ethereal beings that always seemed to watch over her. "I don't want to stay. I want go back to the lands I once called home." Anoreth sighed wearily and looked at Legolas, a film of tears in her eyes. "But what abut my sisters?" She asked.

Legolas smiled ever so gently and squeezed the woman's shoulder comfortingly. "They'll understand. They will. Just as you have accepted that they want to stay." The elf said. Anoreth nodded slowly. He was right, of course, they would understand. But... but..

"Ann!" Lifting her gaze, Ann looked to where her sisters stood with their friends, their family.

Ponder later, Anoreth. A familiar voice said in her head. There will be plenty of time to do so. Go to them.

Anoreth sighed. She was right.

"Come." She said suddenly, reaching out to take Legolas' hand and guide him to where their friends had reunited. "Let's mull over that another time, shall we? Right now, let's live this day to it's entirety." Legolas smiled and let the incredible woman pull him along.

The Fellowship of the Ring reunited, and no matter how far they strayed, no matter if lives faded while others lived on… The Fellowship would always be united. Their friendship, their love, and their devotion would always bond them to one another. No matter if they lived for one lifetime… or hundreds of them.

The End.

I'm kinda sad to see the girls go. I really enjoyed writing for them.

Thank you all so very much for reading my little story. For your honest words. For coming back to read my chapters even when I'd take forever, edit and re-edit constantly, and write utter madness sometimes.

Thanks so much!

Guess this will be the last one of these for Nel Muinthil as well...

Angel897

They got their happy endings... or close enough at least. :) Thank you so much for reading!

ForeverTeamEdward13

I hope you liked this happy ending :) Thank you so much for coming back to read Nel Muinthil.

Gginsc

Yes. All the way from the First Age. I think I mentioned I enjoy tormenting my characters. Besides, I'm not big on those incredible, amazing, almost flawless happy endings. I gave Mae hers, and I really liked it, but I very nearly didn't give Elle one, and Ann's is pretty vague. Well, I hope you liked the very last chapter of Nel Muinthil. Thanks for reading!