A/N: Hello, my dear reader. This part of the story was long but connected. So I decided to split it into two chapters with the same names. I love these two parts. I wish you like them too. Please vote and leave a comment.
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Aragorn held a ceremony for the return of the Elves. At lunch, they all sat at a large table which had been put under beech trees, talking about what had happened in the last fourteen days.
"So it is not bad to be the guard of a citadel after all." Asked Niphredil from Pippin who had just finished his tale about how much he had honor among the guards. He and Merry had sat on each side of Niphredil and Frodo and Sam had sat on the chairs in front of her.
"Well, I think every army needs an intelligent, brave leader among them." Said Pippin proudly.
Merry peeked at Pippin from the other side of Niphredil. "Yes, two exact attributes you don't have, Pip." He said and everyone laughed.
Niphredil kissed Pippin's humpy face. "he is just kidding. The four of you showed that you have courage more than all of us. If it was not because of you four brave hobbits we would have lost so long ago." She said and looked at Pippin. "If you had not gone after Gandalf to help Faramir he would have died that night and that required a lot of courage, Pip." Said Niphredil and Pippin wiggled his eyebrows triumphantly for Merry.
"My lady, you should hear the song that the minstrel of Gondor had sung for Master Peregrin. The people of Gondor love him so much because of saving their beloved captain." Said Sam.
"Well, I have only heard the one about you and Frodo, Sam, and let me say that the writer had not described your bravely deeds enough." said Niphredil. Sam blushed.
"thank you, my lady." He said shyly. Niphredil chuckled.
"I should make that minstrel to sing a song about the idiocy of you two pointy ears in this war. Talking with that cruel. Huh. Very silly thing to do." Groaned Gimli who was drinking a mug of ale and pointed to Niphredil and Legolas.
All of the Elves other than Finrod, Elladan, and Elrohir who knew about their friendship coughed hard as Gimli mentioned their king and their lady like that, but Legolas and Niphredil laughed alongside the others.
Sam peered at Legolas intently. "Legolas has changed a lot." He said.
"Me? really? I think it's just because of the clothes. You had not seen me with my formal clothes." Said Legolas and Niphredil tried to hide her smile.
Frodo shook his head. "No. Sam is right. you have become a little bit scary. you look like the ancient kings that we have read about them in the legendary books. And all of you act oddly toward him. you look like someone more than a Prince of Mirkwood." said Frodo questioningly and pointed to the Elves.
"yes, he looks like someone more than a prince of Mirkwood. He looked so powerful when he was talking with Sauron in the last battle." Said Merry. Niphredil shivered at the mention of Sauron's name, but she collected herself soon.
"He is the high king of all of the elves of Middle Earth." Said Tauriel and looked proudly at Gimli, happy to finally announce the title of her king.
The four hobbits were looking at Tauriel with wide eyes and then turned to Legolas who laughed at their funny faces. "yes that is why." Said Niphredil and laughed with the others.
"But how is it possible? I thought that the last king was Gil-Galad who died in the battle." said Frodo surprised.
"Gil- Galad had a daughter who was Legolas' mother. His genealogy is connected to Fingon, the high king of Noldor and Elves of Middle Earth." explained Gandalf.
Sam who had become red to his ears, bowed his head. "Please forgive me to call you with your first name, my Lord" he said shyly.
"That was exactly why I didn't want you to know. I'm still Legolas, Sam. No need for such formal words." Said Legolas kindly.
"Well, my dear Sam. Do you remember when we were still in the Shire? That time you wished to see the Elves even from afar. Now you are sitting with their king on the same table and eating launch." Said Gandalf and that caused Sam to blush even more and everyone laughed.
Niphredil looked around her. Eomer had sat not far from her. he smiled at her. He was so happy to see her fine but still seeing her was painful for him as well. Niphredil knew this and it was the only thing that made her sad. But she knew that it passes soon. She smiled back at him and then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Yes. Now that the shadow of the evil had passed everything would be fine.
***
After a launch Niphredil went and sat on a bench that had a view of the river and woods. The sun which had taken the road to the west had put a golden cover on the woods and the river was glittering like a line of silver. Frodo and Sam had sat there with her.
"By sitting here and watching this beautiful scenery It's so hard to believe that just 20 days ago we were scrambling to reach the dark threshold of the Sammath Naur." Said Sam. "long road it was. and we are lucky that the end of the road led us here. To the good ending."
Niphredil looked at him. he had become mature. The lines of wisdom had appeared on his brow. Niphredil patted his back. "yes, we are lucky indeed."
"Niphredil, you never told us how you defeat Sauron." Said Frodo after a moment of silence.
A shadow fell on Niphredil's eyes. She gulped. "No, I never said and will never say. I don't want to make this world dark with the news of darkness." She said hardly. "don't be worry, Frodo. he can't harm you or anyone else. He can't threat this world anymore." Said Niphredil and Frodo nodded.
Someone cleared their throat. The three of them turned. Tauriel had stood there. "My Lady. It's time to leave." She said.
"you are leaving?" said Frodo sadly and took Niphredil's hand. When he was with her, the pain and the memory of the Ring didn't bother him. Her aura was soothing for him.
Niphredil smiled warmly at him and kissed his head. "your Elvish is so good. I'm sorry but I should go. I wish I could stay more." She said.
"Lord Celeborn has ordered to bring back Lady Niphredil soon." Said Tauriel and smiled warmly to the hobbits. She could still remember Bilbo Baggins and Frodo reminded her of him a lot.
Frodo dropped his head. "If you and Sam want, you can come with us. We will go to Lorien. There you can stay as long as you want." Offered Niphredil.
Frodo thought for a second and then looked at Sam. He could see the answer in Sam's eyes. "No, thanks. We will stay with Merry and Pippin. We will go with Aragorn to Minas Tirith." He said finally.
Niphredil nodded and stood and offered her hands to Frodo and Sam who took them. They went to the road they had come from in the morning. The guards of Gondor had brought their horses and Legolas' deer. Shadowfax was there, standing next to Lótë.
All of their friends were there alongside the captains of Gondor and Rohan. Pippin and Merry were standing there with sad eyes. Niphredil knelt in front of them and hugged them.
"you've just arrived this morning. this is not fair. You must stay." Complained Merry.
"Please, Legolas. Can't you stay at least for one more day?" asked Pippin pleadingly.
"I'm sorry Pippin, but I have promised to take back Niphredil soon. Her people are waiting for her to return and go back to Lothlorien with them. It's her grandfather's order. Besides, there are many other things I should manage back in our realms." Said Legolas.
"We don't know even if we can see each other again or not." Said Merry.
Niphredil smiled. "I assure you that we will see each other again and so soon. For now, we should leave. You can come with us if you want." Said Niprhedil.
Merry and Pippin looked at each other and then to Frodo and Sam.
"just promise we will see each other soon." Said Pippin.
Niphredil put her hand on her heart. "I promise." She said and stood. Just then Gimli came with his cloak on and his backpack in his hand.
"Gimli!" cried the hobbits.
"Sorry lads. I should go back to my homeland for a while. But I will come back soon with my people to help to repair Minas Tirith. I have promised." He said and winked at Aragorn.
Niphredil turned to one of the Elven guards. He bowed and picked up a wooden box from the ground and brought it for Niphredil and put it near her. The ebony box had a Niphredil flower carved on its lid.
"Before we go, I want to give you, my dear friends, my gifts." Said Niphredil. Tauriel opened the box lid and pulled out a small copy of the first box and gave it to Niphredil. Niphredil walked to Prince Imrahil. "This is my gift for the Prince and Earl of Dol Amroth." She said and gave the box to the Prince. Imrahil opened the lid and his eyes widened. There, laid on blue velvet was a silver harp. Its head has been carved like the head of a swan, crowned with stars.
"This is the harp of Amroth, our old king, for the brave and kind people of Amroth harbors who still keep alive the memory of king Amroth." Said Niphredil.
Imrahil was silent for a second, marveling the beautiful harp. "My tongue is short to thank the Lady of Lorien whose beauty is more than description." He said quietly and looked at Niphredil with bright eyes. "It was a great honor for me to see you, my Lady." Niphredil smiled and then walked to the next one.
The Next one was Eomer. He looked at Niphredil sadly. Tauriel picked another wooden box, another ebony box with Niphredil flower on it. she opened the lid and hold it for Niphredil. inside of this box, between green velvet had been laid a beautiful golden circlet, designed with golden horses in a state of galloping. In the middle, a green Emerald was shining brightly, like the sunlight passing through young beechen leaves.
Niphredil took the circlet. "My gift for the kind and brave king of Rohan is this crown to be the sign of his kingship and may it be a sign of friendship between the men of Rohan and the woodland realm." She said and put the circlet gently on Eomer's head who bowed his head.
Niphredil put her finger under his chin and raised his head. "I'm sorry that I couldn't answer your emotions, Eomer," she said softly and Legolas who heard these words became rigid, but he didn't say anything. "for my heart belongs to someone else forever. But do not let your heart to grief. I'm sure that soon you will find true love which will fill your heart with joy and happiness that you deserve a lot. My blessing is always with you and your people." Said Niphredil and kissed his forehead.
As she did so, Eomer felt that a great burden had been pulled away from his shoulders. When he opened his eyes and looked at Niphredil again he saw that she was right. although he loved her so much, it was not that kind of love. He took her hand and kissed the back of it.
"That's enough for me that I saw the Lady of stars and had heard her wise words and had her favor. I will always keep your memory in my heart, my lady. This crown will be the great sign of our kingdom and a sign for the friendship between Ridermark and the woodland realm." He said. Niphredil's happiness was completed at hearing his words. She smiled and moved to the next ones who were Merry and Pippin.
They were crying freely. Niphredil knelt and wiped their tears. Turiel gave her two delicate silver chains with a light blue prism as the pendant. She clasped the chains around their necks.
"These are my prisms filled with the light of my favorite star, Helluin the blue." Said Niphredil and touched the prisms. They began to glow under her touch. "Helluin means 'Ice-blue' in Elvish. It was made by our Lady, Varda in preparation for the Awakening of the Elves from the silver dews of our beloved tree, Telperion, stored in the Wells of Varda. It shines very bright in the sky above Arda. Lady Galadriel always says that my hair has taken its light from Helluin. Whenever you missed me, just look at these prisms." Said Niphredil and her eyes welled up. "My dear Merry and Pippin. I want you two to know that I love you so much. I will miss you a lot. This journey had made you deeper and wiser. Use this to help others as you have done till now. I love you." she said and the two young hobbits threw themselves in her arms and hugged her tight.
"we love you too, Niphredil. don't be worry. Even if you don't come to see us, we will cross the plains and mountains and will come to see you." Said Merry.
Niprhedil then kissed both of them. Merry's last words gave her very good feelings. These two young hobbits were so precious for her.
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A/N: Read the rest of this chapter on the next chapter :)