𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖆𝖑𝖋𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖉

Chapter 45: Happy Endings

“Oropher get down here please,” I yelled up to the blonde-haired boy who was wandering along a pathway in Erebor that was above me he paid me no mind and continued on his way. I flicked my long black hair still with the vibrant red ends over my shoulder and dashed up the stairs to my left. More often than not Orpherion saw everything as some sort of challenge or competition. I was being as quiet as possible and crept up behind him but his hearing was one of the best around and he heard the extremely soft patters of my boots on the smooth stone floor. 

He turned slowly and gave me challenging grin his purple eyes catching the light before he ran. I gave chase quickly laughing as I did so. He ran across the bridge and ran down the stairs getting ahead of me but not for long. Deciding to take a shortcut I threw myself off of the ledge and grabbed a ledge above and swing myself off doing a flip before
landing on the passage below with some amount of grace. Oropher seemed surprised to see me in front of him.
“How did you do that Amad?” He asked.
“I’ve still got a few tricks that you don’t know Ion (son). Now come on the others will be arriving soon,” I smiled widely at my 15-year-old son.
"Race you to the gate!" He called taking off again.
"Oh, you're on!" 

We ran and ran through the halls heading for the gate. I suddenly found myself between my son and husband who seemed to have caught onto our little race.

"I win!" I cheered reaching the gate first only to find Thorin and Astra looking at me weirdly. 
"Aren't you supposed to let your son with those sorts of things?" Astra questioned with a laugh.
"Nope. If Oropher is going to win something he's going to do so because of his own strengths, " I replied as Legolas and Oropher joined us. 
"Agreed, " Legolas said putting an arm around my waist as the five of us stood at the gate. 
"Where are the others?" Oropher asked his grandfather.
"I believe your uncles were doing some sparing and your aunts are making sure they're hurting each other too badly, " Thorin laughed.

"Don't you mean Fee, Kee and Gimli were fighting then Rîn and Raven joined in to 'show them how it's done' and then Saphire went off to go get some things to take care of their wounds, " I corrected with a smirk. 
"And we did definitely show them how it's done, " Raven piped up walking beside Rîndis who had a proud smirk on her face as they bumped wrist guards. 
"It was really cool Annie, " Bronamin cheered. She was the oldest of Kili and Rîndis' three children. The other two were twin boys named Daion and Rúthidor. I had always felt differently towards Bronamin than the others. I guess I still felt guilty. When Dark me had taken over I had sent an arrow into Rîndis' stomach whilst she was pregnant. Rîndis and Kili have always insisted everything was okay and that there was nothing for me to be sorry for. They even made me Bronamin's godmother. 
"I still don't understand why we can't join in yet, " Theron complained. He had Thorin's dark curly hair and Astra's light green eyes.
"Agreed, " The twins chorussed.
"I mean it's not like we don't learn how to fight, " Siraye reasons putting a hand on the dagger Fili had given her for her fifteenth birthday. Siraye had Fili's messy blonde hair but Saphire's bright blue eyes but her younger sister, Eletha, was the opposite way round. 

This still almost felt like a dream. We were grown up now and had kids. Well some of us were grown up others decidedly not so myself included. 

"Well, I think Fili, Gimli and I did very well in showing the kids how to fight, " 
"Whatever you need to tell yourself oh tiny one, " Rîn teased.
"You can believe whatever you want to believe oh lanky one, " Kili replied.

Attention fell on the path leading up to the gate and four teens came running up it.  Eldarion, Fíriel, Lothíriel and Elboron.
Midnight, who typically spent most of his time with Oropher now wanting him to be safe, ran out after them as well making me laugh.

The kids ran out to meet their friends who they hadn't seen for a while now. The sun was high in the sky and flower bloomed all over the plains. It was a beautifully bright and warm spring but even so, it had just got a whole lot brighter. Aragorn, Arwen, Lorelei, Éomer, Éowym and Faramir soon followed after their children.

I was the first to quite literally run out and meet them. Aragorn, still with his thick brown beard, was the first to greet me with open arms.
"You know I would've thought after fifteen years you would have grown up a little more, " He chuckled. 
"I know it's like I have to take care of two children, " Legolas commented as I stepped out of the way for Legolas to greet his best friend.
"Well, I think you love me just as I am Erarod, "
"Of course Erestent, " He smiled bending down slightly to kiss me.
"Ada!" Oropher whined.

Legolas and I laughed to ourselves before saying hello to everyone else.

After a while, we went back inside. The others had been here several times by now. We seemed to have got into a routine quite by accident of us going down to visit in Gondor or Rohan and them coming up to Erebor to see us. 
Later on in the day Araniel and Thranduil also surprised us with a visit which everyone was happy about even Thorin just a little bit although he would never admit it. He and Thranduil got on quite well now but neither would ever say it.

I smiled as I saw all the kids talking together seemingly comparing weaponry which I found almost an odd sight. I remember when they were all so young. The clearest memories though are of when I first told Legolas and the rest of my family. I told Legolas first and he was ecstatic, to say the least, and it didn't take long for the others to find out that I was pregnant. Now here we were fifteen years later. The same age I was when I lost my parents. But I was secure in the knowledge that I nor Legolas would ever leave him. 

"Annie, have you seen what Dad got me?" Fíriel asked drawing the small silver sword from the nicely decorated leather sheath strapped to the belt she wore. I took the sword from the young blonde haired girl and examined.
"It is certainly a fine blade, " I remarked with a smile handing it back to her.
"You're very lucky Éomer gave it to you, " I smiled.
"Can we see your sword again?" Eldarion asked. 

All of them had always had an interest in the strange sword from Mordor that I still possessed. I still kept it strapped to my back as I had always felt strange not having it after having it there for so many years. I drew the sword from its sheath and it still had a faint red glow to the edges of it. As much as I hated the place it had come from I had to admit it was a pretty cool sword. 

"I wish I had a sword like that, " Oropher muttered to himself. 
"Who said you have to wish for one, " I smiled. 
He looked up at me with hope glowing in his bright purple eyes. 
"Really?" 
"Once you prove to me that you are skilled enough to wield it. This sword is yours, " 
"Thank you, Amad!" He cheered and hugged me. Which was something I had missed of late.
The rest of the day was spent with most of us just messing around with each other and just enjoying each others company. 

Almost everyone I cared about was here in this room and the ones that weren't I knew were happy and safe in the shire where I would be able to visit them for years to come. 

When I was younger I would have never thought that my life would turn out this way. But I am so grateful it did.

Hiya Calima here
Thank you so much for reading this book! I have worked on it for about a year now and I am very sad and happy to see it finished. But although Anastasia's story finished here her sons does not. I am currently planning on doing a next-generation story for all the children mentioned in this story. Please let me know what you thought of this book and I hope enjoyed it!
Also if you liked this story there is a story up for Lorelei's POV and I am currently working on a story for Saphire's POV too