Frostbound love

Epilogue

What has become of us. . .

"Oh prince legolas!" The voice of a hobbit shouted over the loud happiness that echoed through gondor after the wars end. The two small brave beings skidded to a halt before him smiling widely. " Merry and I have heard of a legend from your kingdom. Well since everyone is excited for the arrival of your father and the like. We have heard something's. "

"What is it that I may confirm or lay to rest ?"

" that long ago there was a terrible beast haunting the woods and that your father tamed the beast" merry said

"Did he take the beast!" Pippin asked excitedly.

"Legolas your father has arrived " Aragon came to inform his friend unintentionally interrupting the conversation.

"Come perhaps you can ask my father he is much more apt at telling the story. "
So the entourage made their way to the hall where in all his glory stood Thranduil the great king of Mirkwood. He stood like ice upon the mountain only upon seeing his son did his face break into a smile.

"My son" he said opening his arms and pulling him close a rare show of affection in public but welcomed.

"You see love I told you he would be fine" a feminine voice echoed behind the king.

From behind the king stepped a lady dressed As an elf. She however was no such thing. A certain wildness about her made others question of she was a lady at all.

"Navea how long has it been?" Legolas cried pulling her into an embrace.

"Too long my cub" she whispered.

"So when can we hear about the terrible beast being tamed?" Pippin asked breaking the quite moment between family. Merry gave pippin a questioning look.

"Oh perhaps over second breakfast" Navea said winking having received her cubs letters on hobbits.

"You my lady are in the right crowd for that" merry said.

So once the party was settled around second breakfast and every other topic had been discussed Thranduil finally appeased the hobbits curiosity.

"Twas not easy taming the beast but tamed she was. My kingdom was better for it. " the humorous glint in thranduil s eyes was lost to the hobbits. As was the wry look Navea gave him.

"Come my son let us walk together too long have you been away. I wish to see this place. I haven't been here in an age " with that the father and son left as Navea finished eating with the hobbits.

"So what did you think of the story. " merry asked the lady.

"I think perhaps instead of taming the she beast. Perhaps the beast tamed the king. " she winked letting her eyes shift to that of a leopards and back again before rising to meet her daughter and son.

Merry and pippin was so shocked that they forgot completely he unfinished food before them.

"You know that right there pip is something I can say I haven't seen before"

"Oh yes indeed and we on this adventure have seen quite a bit. Nothing like that though. "

"Nope. "

Silence fell between the friends for a moment.

"So the lady Navea was the she beast ...- "

"Oh pip ! You weren't paying attention" merry groaned.

"I was paying attention actually. And she and king Thranduil are married and- "

"Yes pip she tamed the king from his wild ways"

"But he said he tamed her!" Pippin said.

"I'm not talking about this anymore with you. It never ends with you does it. "

"It does actually. Just once all confusion is gone"

The hobbits were arguing something fierce before the tinkling voice interrupted them.

"Our worst traits make us all beasts. Love can make us be better or strive for it. I think they simply tamed each other. " they turned to find the girl that Navea had gone to speak to before leaving the dining hall.

" good day my lords" she said curtsying.

The hobbits dumbstruck look hardly left their face as they watched the beautiful lady go. She was beyond any that they had seen. She could be as beautiful as galadriel.

"What a nice second breakfast" pippin said.
"Perfect really" merry replied.

They watched the family just through the doors of the dining hall. The two younger twins sitting conversing over a scroll. Legolas nearby gazing fondly at them. Thranduil and Navea gazing at their children with the sense of peace only parents with their children near had. But once their eyes met and locked upon each other the flame and intensity of their love burned brightly. As intensely hot as it had been an age before. Time had not weakened it only made it blaze even higher.

"Do Navea was the she beast right?" Pip asked into his tea.

"Oh pip!" Merrrys head fell to land with a thud upon the table.