An Acceptance

From there, the Hobbits split up from the others, taking the East-West Road back to the Shire.

“Come and visit soon!” Raina called to Merry and Pippin, after telling them that they could keep going on the East-West Road through Rivendell, past Lorien, through Fangorn Forest (where they could visit Treebeard again) and down the Great River to where she and Faramir would be living.

The group of one Man, one Dwarf, and two Elves continued their travels together until Gimli broke away at the Gladuin where he was going to travel to Moria, to rebuild the great mines.

From there, the three traveled for another week together until Aragorn stopped at Minas Tirith, and Legolas and Raina continued on the North-South Road to the Great River, and from there, South Ithilien, which only took a few hours from Minas Tirith. It would only take a matter of minutes to ride from where they were to live to the capitol if need be.

Legolas was going to be creating an Elvish colony very, very close to the castle that Raina and Faramir would be living in, as well as all Faramir’s men. Raina was grateful that she wouldn’t be so alone there. Not that she would be completely alone, but after her year with friends constantly there, and then living in the close quarters of Minas Tirith, it was going to be very different in the middle of a waste-land being rebuilt.

It was beautiful, that all her friends were all putting their world back together, somehow. But Raina wished she could help more. Now that there was no fighting to be done, which is what she had always focused to strive with, all that was left was politics and construction. But maybe it was for the best. She had a family to raise, and if there was a war going on, she would never be able to settle down enough to do that.

Legolas guided her horse all the way to the ancient castle that Aragorn had set aside for her and Faramir. It was Emyn Arnen, the castle where the Kings of old used to dwell. Faramir had sent a great work force ahead of them to rebuild the parts that were destroyed and ‘make it suitable for the princess,’ which had made Raina blush.

“Your palace, my Lady,” Legolas said with a dramatic bow and he helped Raina step down.

She turned and smacked him upside the head.

“Oh, do not even go there, Legolas!” she cried lightheartedly as the Elf rubbed the back of his head with a grin.

But as Raina looked up, she immediately fell in love with the place. It was ancient, just as Faramir had said, and surrounded by a small wood. But over the pine trees you could see the tip of Minas Tirith, probably right where Aragorn’s court was. The sound of rushing water was around them constantly, for the Great River was right outside their doorstep. And you could actually smell the grass, for what felt like the first time in four years.

Raina sighed happily, carrying herself inside, where she was greeted by the nanny carrying her nine month old daughter. Legolas immediately took her in his arms with the happiest smile in the world, with a cry of delight from Lani, who had taken quite well to her namesake. Faramir was right behind them, who spun her around, kissing her gently on the lips, as if he were still worried about her safety.

Raina smiled at everything around her. “Well, I’m here.”