𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖆𝖑𝖋𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖉

Chapter 40: The King of Gondor

I stood beside Adad and Fili as the ceremony went on. The white walls of Gondor almost seemed to glow in the light of the sun on this day. The helmets of the guards glinted in the light; they stood in a row either side of a small aisle that led up to where Gandalf and Gimli stood bedside the man we were all there to see. I beamed up at my friend as he was finally given the title he truly deserved. There was no man in the whole of middle earth more fit and worthy to be the King of Gondor than Aragorn.

Gandalf placed the shining crown upon his Aragorn's head but before any celebration could occur he said, "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 erupted in cheers and applause for their new King that I'm certain could be heard for miles and miles around floating over the plains that surrounded us.

I smiled up at Aragorn as he walked down. Raven kicked me in the leg pulling me away from the scene.

"What?" I questioned jerking my head around. Raven only smirked and pointed in the direction of the elves. Legolas was now among them standing next to Araniel and smiling over at me. I smiled back and waved lightly before being drawn by the light chuckle of Fili.

"You really love him don't you."
"I do. If only someone else would see that and give their blessing for us to marry, " I quipped loud enough to make sure Adad would hear it as well.

"If only, "
"So Fee. When exactly are you going to start courting my sister?" I teased.
Fili opened his mouth to answer but no words could be uttered for Aragorn now stood in front of us.
He opened his arms and I hugged him tightly.
"I am honoured to have fought beside you, " I said stepping back.

"And I you. Know you are always welcome here. Now and for the many years to come as is the rest of your family, " he smiled gesturing to my father, brothers and sisters that stood behind me.

"Thank you, my friend, " I smiled. He bowed to me and then to my father before walking onwards down the line of people.
"He will be a great King, "
I looked down slightly and noticed Gimli stood beside me looking proudly at Aragorn who was now with Legolas.

"Yes he will, " Thorin and I said at the same time. We glanced at each other and both laughed.

Aragorn continued down the line but he soon faded into the great sea of people crowded here today.

I left my fathers side before he could object to where or rather who I was going to. Legolas smiled once he noticed my approach. I locked my arm with his and we followed behind Aragorn who was now walking happily with Arwen. He stopped before the four hobbits and Legolas and I stopped a little ways away from him and Arwen.
I smiled at the hobbits as they began to bow but Aragorn stopped them.
"My friends, you bow to no one, "

It all started with Aragorn who knelt in front of the hobbits everyone else followed and soon every single person there that day was knelt before to the four bravest hobbits ever to walk middle earth with only perhaps exception of dear Bilbo.

I looked up at them and had to hold in a chuckled when I noticed the fact that unlike the others, who had similar expressions which held a decent amount of confusion, Pippin was smirking and rather enjoying the moment which I couldn't expect much less from the hobbit.

***

The coronation wasn't the only thing important event to go on in Gondor that week. The moment Aragorn was reunited with Arwen he was determined to marry her or so he had told me.

There was no better time seeing as all those he would want to attend were already here. I also found out that the Ellesar siblings had had a bet for many years on who would marry first. Aragorn had always said it would be him and Lorelei had always said it would be her. Turns out neither was correct for once Éomer had found out of his soon to be brother in law's wedding he proposed to Lorelei deciding if she couldn't win the next best thing is to draw.

So here I was with Lorelei, Arwen, Saphire, Raven and Éowyn getting ready for a wedding.
The others were still getting ready but I noticed Lorelei was missing. I wandered out of the small beautifully decorated room we were in in search of her and thankfully I did not have to walk far to find the brunette.

She was facing away from me leaning against the pale rail of a balcony staring over the lands below. The streets in Gondor were bustling with people. Some were preparing for the festivities and others were still trying to repair the damage from the battle.

"You know you shouldn't really get married in a shirt and trousers. Even I'm in a dress again, " I joked coming to stand beside her.

She laughed lightly before she said, "Did you ever think you would end up here? When you were younger?"

"Never. When I was very young I always wanted to join the Rohirrim. I loved seeing them all ride out sometimes to go deal with the monsters that came too close to our lands. My Amad had always disapproved of the idea but I always insisted, "
I smiled remembering how it always went.

She would tell me that I wasn't allowed and I would continue to declare that I would be one of them someday. Eventually, Adad would enter the conversation and joke that woman shouldn't be allowed to fight. At which point he would be proved wrong by the four other women in the house. He never believed what he said but he knew it was the way to stop us arguing.

"So you were always this stubborn, " Lorelei laughed.
"Of course. Then when I was older, " I continued, " when my parents died. I didn't even know if I would ever get a chance to be anything else but a prisoner. That belief only free after what happened to my sisters. I was nothing even after I escaped, "

"I think I understand that, " Lorelei looking to me. "I was once part of a group we were all great friends and rangers. I felt like I belonged there and I was happy. I used to meet up with my brother on occasions as well of course. We never really like being apart for too long. But then everything changed my friends were killed because one of us decided there was more worth in betraying us than being a part of us. After that, I became The Lone Wolf and resigned myself to no friends save for Gandalf and my brother and I wandered middle earth hunting down orcs and goblins never staying anywhere for more than a few days. I was completely unattached because I thought that was better than risking myself feeling the utter sadness and betrayal I had already been subjected to."

"But you found people in the end, didn't you? Like I did. Only the people I first found were a hobbit and thirteen rowdy dwarves. I became a friend, a sister and a daughter again, "
Lorelei smiled.

"The first person I found was Éomer. He frustrated me to no end!" She exclaimed and I chuckled.
"And why is that?" I questioned.
"He was... Nice, "
"Oh, how dare he be nice to you! What a horrible man, " I joked.

"Yes you may laugh but he was almost annoyingly nice. It's quite easy to keep yourself once you find the best ways to push people away. Being rude or just extremely uncooperative usually does the trick. I acted the same as I always did with Éomer but it seemed with him the ruder I was the nicer he became. He was so persistent and kind that I ended up allowing myself to like him although I still hated how nice he was being, "
"He did quite well to put up with you, " I teased.
"I know. How he didn't just kick me out I will never know and now here I am going to marry him, "
"Life is strange, "
"Agreed,"