I hope you've enjoyed the ride! Final chapter (unless I think of more) is up!

He should have allowed her to sleep uninterrupted. He certainly had enough work to do. But before he knew it, he found himself in their apartments, sitting on the bed beside her. He watched her stir slightly in her sleep, watching the regular rise and fall of her breathing interrupted momentarily. She turned her back to him as she found a more comfortable position , her dark hair settling on the bed and her shoulders, exposing her back. He stared for a long while, forgetting to breathe. They weren't there, he had told himself. The bruises. The cuts and scars. The whelps and ravaged skin and muscles. The unnatural bending of broken bones. They were healed. They were all gone. In fact, after the final trial, the rebirth, not even a small scar was left. He remembered again holding her, searching for the wounds and finding none. But despite his best efforts, at times he could still see them, even through the smooth skin. In spite of himself, he touched her back softly, as if to remind himself that the injuries were long-sense gone. That her damaged body would be found in no other place but his mind.

She jerked suddenly at his touch, goosebumps spreading over her skin. "That tickles," she laughed sleepily. She turned towards his touch, lying on her back, then reached out to him, touching his bearded face , toying with his hair. "Good morning, mume (husband)," she drawled in the tongue of her people, eyes still swollen with sleep.

"Good morning, cwen (wife)," he responded back in Rohirric, softly, kissing her cheek and nestling his head in her curls.

"And why have you chosen to interrupt our sleep at such an early hour?" she grinned, still too sleepy to even open her eyes.

The smile was infectious and he chucked at the sight of his sleepy wife and allowed his eyes to drift down to her swollen belly. "And how did you sleep?" he asked, leaving the comfort of her touch to press a warm kiss on her stomach. He felt a rumble and a flutter as his unseen son or daughter seemed to hearken at his touch. "Ashu-buhi n-gema," he spoke slowly to the child, kissing Enzi's belly again before leaning back up to her face, keeping a hand on her belly.

"Asubuhi njema (good morning)," Enzi corrected. Her eyes were open now, a small smile stretching over her lips "Very good, Majesty. And we slept very well, thank you," she said softly. "At least until someone woke us." His mind drifted again . He tried to stop himself but he couldn't help it. Enzi watched his face sour, his gaze there but not there. She caressed his face, smile mixing with confusion. "What's wrong?"

Eomer snapped back to the present, shaking his head. "Nothing," he reassured, placing a determined smile on his face.

Enzi watched him a long while, her hand finding his on her belly. She pursed her lips, knitted eyebrows softening. "Alright," she said finally, lips stretching into a soft smile. She leaned up to him, attempting to kiss him as well, but once she'd reached a certain height just as she had almost reached his face, she floundered back down on the pillows of the bed, her growing belly restricting her movements. She tried again, using her elbows to anchor her, with little more success, slipping on one of the sheets and falling again back on the pillows. They both looked at each other, laughing and chortling at her predicament. Eomer stood from his side of the bed, still snickering as even sitting up was proving a difficult task for her. "This isn't funny," Enzi growled, all the while laughing in spite of herself.

"No," Eomer said walking towards her side of the bed. "It's not. It's hilarious." He stretched both of his hands out to her. She took his hands begrudgingly, being lifted up to her feet.

"I will be absolutely useless after this child is born," Enzi said, rubbing her belly. She looked briefly over to a large wardrobe that housed her weapons and her husbands. Her armor and his.

Eomer's hands were back on her belly. "You know," he said, kissing her forehead, "to some, motherhood is ardious enough. "

She seemed to ignore that statement. Her face lit up as she spoke. "You know, my mother battled at Qarsag when she still carried my brother and I. It was months before her confinement as well." On this one issue Eomer had kept his foot down and held it there. It had certainly taken much to keep her from physical exertion, everything from hiding or locking her weapons away, to involving her in long meetings with council members, to threatening to call Thora for a visit. But the queen had acquiesced, actually pouting like a child. It was such an old argument that had long since been dropped but Enzi brought it up nonetheless, mirth showing in her eyes.

Eomer smiled then laughed, thinking about how their conversation had drifted back to normal joys from such horrible sadness. He kissed his wife's head again before leaving to finish preparing for the day. "You are not your mother."

Hours later, Enzi was escorted, full belly and all, to the Golden Hall. She wore the adornments of both homelands, the double horse heads and maisha, beaded necklace and golden circlet , her shoulders covered with a green velvet cloak. Eomer met her, sat her down on his throne as different parties entered, joined together in celebration. Heruthian and Ida were there, along with quiet and shy Beorin. Elessar entered with his Elvish wife and a young boy who was the mirror image of her. Eowyn and Faramir joined them, their son an image of his mother with golden curls and fair skin but with Faramir's eyes.. The boy bowed respectfully , as he had been taught then, bounced up to her immediately, trying to sit in her lap despite her belly. Eomer grabbed the boy instead, holding him in his lap instead as others greeted them. More entered, pressing into the hall like waves on the beach. The hobbits came, a bit older and more settled, but still childlike. Ida entered with her husband and young son, somehow still unable to accept her position as guest rather than servant. Even Legolas and Gimli returned for this moment, both seeming to have aged only a few moments despite the years separating their last comraderie. And then, all present stood back, bowing their heads in admonishment, and the Mfalme of Engoli entered.

Dingane took a moment to bow respectfully to those in the assemblage as he passed before walking up to the dias of Eomer's throne. Idyssa and Bakari a ways behind him, Khemik at his right, carrying the symbols of both Engoli and Variag, holding little Gyasi's hand in his. For the second time, a child that knew her, ran to her instantly, bounding for her lap despite the fact that there was no room. Eomer, reached for him, now holding both Gyasi and his nephew on his lap, to the amusement of the whole room. "Children run to you already, Ghadi?" Dingane teased.

Enzi looked up at him, beaming in spite of herself. "They are young," she said. "They don't truly know the danger they are putting themselves in yet." She shifted her gaze to the others in his party, nodding a greeting as her brother placed a hand on her enlarged abdomen. She placed her hand over his, finding the place where the child announced his or her presence and placing his hand there. She watched Dingane's eyes light up as he felt the babe move. "Strong," he said, smile stretching across his face. "Like his aunt. Like his grandfather." A moment passed between the siblings and Dingane continued, looking at Eomer, who had stood, allowing the children to go back to their parents and caregivers. "I am surprised that you were even able to get her to sit down, ndugu (brother)," the man said, the two clasping the other's hand.

"It was not easy, but getting her to sit is easier than getting her to stand up again," Eomer whispered a bit loudly to Dingane who snickered a bit at his sister's expense. In fact, most in attendance kindly at this, leaving only the queen to defend herself.

Enzi cleared her throat, looking to the room for any source of support. She traded a look with Eowyn before speaking again. "As I told His Majesty, our mother was full with both of us before joining the Battle of Quarsag -"

"And you are not our mother," Dingane said sternly as a partially smiling Eomer patted his back a bit happier than she would have liked.

"Ha!" Eomer cried, thinking of their previous argument. "It is good to have you here, brother!"

"The sun is the same," Dingane said in the quiet of the new morning the next day. Most were still celebrating in the hall when Enzi had found a relatively quiet place for them. It was just the two of them, sitting on the the eastern balcony watching the sun slowly rise. "I think I expected it to be different here. As if the colder temperature would make the sun smaller. But it's the same." His sister smiled at him, handing him a mug as the two drank quietly.

"More and more refugees from Rhun have come. Asana was right. Slowly, they are coming. It will take a while, but one day, Gyasi will be able to reclaim his birthright. In the meantime, Khemik speaks on his people's behalf."

"And the traders?"

"If they were Gondorian, the people would be more hostile. I cannot say that they are all completely trusting now. But they are trying. They are making agreements for goods and foodstuffs. Again it is slow. Old fears and mistrusts run deep. But in time….. Engoli will be free and a welcoming hand to those near and far. A symbol of what can happen when one does not submit to domination or fear."

"I wonder if its what mother and father would have wanted," Enzi said softly, introspectively. They were not the same children they had been when their father first confessed to them. When they had devised their simple plan to save his life. Neither seemed to comment on this, yet allowed themselves to drift, drinking both their broth and the sunshine.

"I brought you this," Dingane said after a bit. He held a section of wood wrapped in rough fabric. He helped her lay it down on the table near them. She had been surprised at its heaviness. She removed the fabric to find the inside had been carved painstakingly with images of what for the longest time, had only existed in her mind. It told a story, figures and scenes etched from left to right, of her grandfather , her parents, and her siblings. She followed them with her fingers, trying to take in every scene the artist tried to capture and reading the words etched below each scene. She saw her grandfather's handsome aged face, strong and sure. It showed him as a youth, and later as an old powerful Mfalme. Samir Kubwa (the Great).Then she saw her mother, armored and masked. Sumaayaa, the Hafu Kubwa. She then saw her mother's face unmasked, graceful with large eyes in a smooth sheath dress along with their father sitting with the children. Then she saw her father, sitting beside Sumaayaa, a quiet comfort and loving regent, holding what she assumed was one of them. The next scene showed him standing alone, strong despite the chains on his arms. Ghasaan. Inaweza roho yake kusamehe ujinga wetu (May his spirit forgive our ignorance). She stopped for a while on that image, feeling her brother stroke her back. She smiled in spite of the tears forming and continued, fingers now tracing his face, regret forcing the tears to escape. When she had finally calmed herself, she scanned the final three scenes.

She saw Asana as she always had - small, beautiful, but wise beyond her years. She was sitting on that large throne, looking down as a mother over the landscape with the image of the Engoli wall in the background. No sickness. No haggard body. But a powerful yet young Mfalme. Asana, Moto Kidogo kwamba tuhidi katika giza (the Little Flame that guided us in darkness). She lingered on this, unable to hold in the sobs as what was done as a tribute opened barly healed wounds. Dingane was quietly weaping beside her and they both sat there, tracing her face until the weeping subsided enough to continue. The next image was that of her brother. He stood commanding a regiment, strong, battle hardened. Then an image of him being crowned, eyes downcast. Dingane, Kubwa Mwana, ambaye kuletwa heshima kwa watu wake, nguvu ya Engoli (the Great Son, who brought honor to his people, the strength of Engoli). She looked up at Dingane, who seemeed a bit embarrased with the engraved script, looked down. It was now her turn and she patted his face pride beaming from her face as she looked to him. But it was the final set of engravements that took her breath away. She saw herself, leaving Engoli, long braids and all. She saw herself, chained down but looking up nobly as the large vat was poured over her body. Lines of steam and heat had even been carved. Then her face, smiling slightly, as if nothing but good things had come from the sacrifice. Enzi felt her breath catch as she read the engravement , noticing that Eomer was standing behind her at the doorway. How long had he been there? She wasn't sure but it seemed long enough to understand what Dingane had given her. He kneeled down, kissing her forehead and holding her form as she looked back down. For the first time, she sat wondering how powerful the Elf queen, the once she'd met so long ago, really had been. Perhaps the ancestors had guided her, guided them, all along and the elf had been the messenger of what was to come.

"What does it say?" Eomer asked softly as his fingers ghosted over the final bit of script.

She took a breath before speaking. "It says, Ghadelyna, beloved reborn sister, who became a traitor to become our hope."

Thanks to everyone for joining me on this ride. I never imagined that this story would develop in this manner for this long and I have had a blast. Don't know what's next but I do know that I'll have tons of friends taking it in with me!

As always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for reading!