Niphredil Elentary (Legolas love story/ third book)

Chapter 30: The end of the third age

So it was that the third age of the Middle-earth ended with happiness and joy. After the days of happiness, the Elves left Minas Tirith with the people of Rohan, the hobbits, Gandalf and Gimli, Aragorn and Arwen, Faramir, Imrahil and his people, and a few guards and maids of Minas Tirith.

They went to Edoras and there, after the memorial ceremony for King Theoden, Éomer wore the crown that Niphredil had given to him and everyone hailed him as the new king of Rohan. Then he gave his consent over Eowyn and Faramir's wedding and so they wedded on that beautiful and memorable day.

When the feast was over, those who were to go took leave of King Éomer. Aragorn and his knights, and the Elves, made ready to ride, but Faramir and Imrahil remained at Edoras, and Arwen Evenstar remained also, and she said farewell to her brethren. None saw her last meeting with Elrond her father, for they went up into the hills and there spoke long together, and bitter was their parting that should endure beyond the ends of the world.

Leaving was hard for Merry as well. When he returned from a talk with Eomer and Eowyn, his eyes were teary and he cried in Niphredil's embrace for a while.

Now the guests were ready, and they drank the stirrup-cup, and with great praise and friendship they departed and came at length to Helm's Deep, and there they rested two days. Then Legolas repaid his promise to Gimli and went with him to the Glittering Caves, and when they returned he was silent and would say only that Gimli alone could find fit words to speak of them. "And never before has a Dwarf claimed a victory over an Elf in a contest of words," he said. "Now, therefore, let us go to Fangorn and set the score right!"

From Deeping-coomb they rode to Isengard and saw how the Ents had busied themselves. All the stone-circle had been thrown down and removed, and the land within was made into a garden filled with orchards and trees, and a stream ran through it, but in the midst of all there was a lake of clear water, and out of it the Tower of Orthanc rose still, tall and impregnable, and its black rock was mirrored in the pool.

For a while the travelers sat where once the old gates of Isengard had stood, and there were now two tall trees like sentinels at the beginning of a green-bordered path that ran towards Orthanc, and they looked in wonder at the work that had been done, but no living thing could they see far or near. But presently they heard a voice calling hoom-hom, hoom-hom, and there came Treebeard striding down the path to greet them with Quickbeam at his side.

"Welcome to the Treegarth of Orthanc!" he said. "I knew that you were coming, but I was at work up the valley. There is much still to be done. But you have not been idle either away in the south and the east, I hear, and all that I hear is good, very good." Then Treebeard praised all their deeds, of which he seemed to have full knowledge, and at last he stopped and looked long at Gandalf.

"Well, come now!" he said. "You have proved mightiest, and all your labors have gone well. Where now would you be going? And why do you come here?"

"To see how your work goes, my friend," said Gandalf, "and to thank you for your aid in all that has been achieved."

"Let me add that you have done a great job, Treebeard." Said Niphredil while picked a little bird who had sat on her hair and kissed it fondly.

"Hoom, well, that is fair enough," said Treebeard. "for to be sure Ents have played their part. And not only in dealing with that, hoom, that accursed tree-slayer that dwelt here. For there was a great inrush of those, burárum, those evileyed-black-handed-bowlegged-flinthearted-clawfingered-foulbellied-blood-thirsty, morimaite-sincahonda, hoom, well, since you are hasty folk and their full name is as long as years of torment, those vermin of orcs. And they came over the River and down from the North and all round the wood of Laurelindórenan, which they could not get into, thanks to the Great ones who are here." He bowed to the Lord and Lady of Lórien.

"And these same foul creatures were more than surprised to meet us out on the Wold, for they had not heard of us before. Though that might be said also of better folk. And not many will remember us, for not many escaped us alive, and the River had most of those. But it was well for you, for if they had not met us, then the king of the grassland would not have ridden far, and if he had there would have been no home to return to."

"We know it well," said Aragorn, "and never shall it be forgotten in Minas Tirith or in Edoras."

"Never is too long a word even for me," said Treebeard. "Not while your kingdoms last, you mean, but they will have to last long indeed to seem long to Ents."

"The New Age begins," said Gandalf, "and in this age it may well prove that the kingdoms of Men shall outlast you, Fangorn my friend."

Niphredil looked at Legolas and Gimli who were standing next to her. "Well, I think it's time for someone to repay his promise." She said with a smile and looked at Gimli who rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Come, Gimli!" said Legolas. "Now by Fangorn's leave I will visit the deep places of the Entwood and see such trees as are nowhere else to be found in Middle-earth. You shall come with me and keep your word, and thus we will journey on together to our own lands in Mirkwood and beyond." To this Gimli agreed, though with no great delight, it seemed.

"It will be a great journey, my friend. I will come with you as well." Said Niphredil and patted Gimli's back.

"Oh that is quiet a relief, for I trust you more than this pointy ear king." Said Gimli and everyone laughed.

"Here then at last, comes the ending of the Fellowship of the Ring," said Aragorn.

"Well, farewell, my hobbits!" Said Gimli. "You should come safe to your own homes now, and I shall not be kept awake for fear of your peril. We will send word when we may, and some of us may yet meet at times, but I fear that we shall not all be gathered together ever again."

"But my heart tells me that we will see them again, Gimli. Although it will be years later." Said Niphredil and smiled at the hobbits who seemed so sad. "Come here now, for this is going to be our last meeting before some years." Said Niprhedil and knelt on the ground and opened her arms.

Four hobbits came and hugged her tight. Niphredil kissed them each in turn.

"call me whenever you need help, my dear Frodo." he whispered to him and hugged him tightly. She then looked at them again.

"If I call you, will you come for my wedding?" asked Sam shyly.

Niphredil smiled. "I'm sorry, my brave hero. As much as I wish to come but our lands are so far and I don't think I can come." She said. Sam nodded sadly.

Niphredil said farewell to her family and kissed Gandalf. "farewell, my friend. Stay in Lorien, please. I want you to be at my wedding." Said Niphredil.

"No way I will miss this important event." Said Gandalf with a smile.

So Niphredil, Legolas and Gimli went to Fangorn forest and they had a great time there and even Gimli admitted later, that it was a great trip.

When they returned to Lorien, they saw all of the Elves had gathered there and everything is ready for the wedding. So Niphredil and Legolas wedded on a beautiful summer night and their great love become complete. The love that saved Niphedil's life and had given Legolas a great reason to live. Niphredil couldn't be more happy when Lord Celeborn put their hands in each other and declared them wife and husband. The Elves held a great party for the wedding of their king and queen.

After a week, Niphredil farewelled her family and went to Greenwood and started her life with Legolas as a queen of the Elves, a life started from pure and great love.

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A/N: So. We come so far to this point. But I have some news that I wish you like. This is not the end. The story will continue and another page of Niphredil's life will be told. I decided to not put the rest of the chapters in another book. So you can read the rest of the story here on this book. very exciting events are going to happen, things that are new and have never been told. Niphredil and Legolas will encounter their last and final problem. can they survive this together? find out in the next chapters.

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Love you:)

Ela.