The Odyssey of the daughter of the forest

Chapter 31 : Isildur's Heir

Screams of joy echoed in the next room as Tauriel, Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn were in the throne hall, already planning the reconstruction of the city and the distribution of the goods left for the most affected inhabitants. Isildurs heir looked up, and a relieved smile lighted up his tired face.

Several days had passed since Saurons defeat. Their longtime enemy overcome once and for all, the ring of power destroyed by the flames that created it. Sauron the Great was no longer.

The world of men could finally take back its life of once, without blacks clouds over their heads hiding the stars in the dark sky of the night.

Faces were more relieved, more smiling than before. Something very heavy seemed to have been taken off the mens shoulders. Tauriel too was feeling more light.

Especially because the big explosion of Mount Doom did not touch the hobbits : Gandalf had immediately flown away with the eagles, and, a few minutes later, they had appeared, carrying Frodo and Sam in their talons. The two little men seemed very tired, but they were alive. The wizard, with the help of his winged friends, had taken them back to Minas Tirith, where he had installed them in a room without loosing more time. In a few hours, Sam was on his feet. Frodo was still sleeping.

Until now, apparently. The voices seemed to be those of Pippin and Merry, without a doubt very happy to see that their cousin was alright.

Gimli rose from the throne he was sitting on – soon the king of Gondor would take his place – and went after the voices with enthusiasm. Tauriel threw an amused look to Legolas and Aragorn before following him, more calm than the dwarf was. Her long red hair swinged in her back at her steps rhythm, totally free. Their length had always given her a feeling of security, of confidence, and have them free reinforced this sensation.

In front of her, Gimli stopped at the door, opened his arms, laughing, letting his natural joy appear in the day light. In the room, a voice answered :

Gimli !

Frodo too seemed happy to see him. The dwarf rushed into the room, applauding fervently with his hands, laughing deeply, as always. The hobbits answered him, and Tauriel smiled, imagining them finally together, after all this time, and after all the ordeals they had been through. Who could have think that four hobbits, beings of calm nature, who just want to live simply and peacefully, would find themselves in this quest, even more dangerous than the former ones, to save Middle Earth ? And who could have think they would succeed ?

In turn, Tauriel crossed the gate, and finally saw what she was hearing from the throne hall. Frodo had indeed woken up, and was sitting in the big bed in the center of the room, encircled by his two cousins, who were already telling him their adventures, laughing, smiling, and miming some scenes of their journey. Gimli was standing in front of them, laughing too, as Gandalf was sitting in a chair next the bed.

Frodo looked up, and his lips curved into a smile, that Tauriel felt relieved, but also nostalgic. Perhaps was he thinking about the council in Rivendell, many months before, where the quest for the destruction of the ring had been decided, and where he had bravely stood up, among all these tall persons of high importance, as he was a simple hobbit from the Shire. The halfling he was had now almost completely disappeared. Tauriel could see it. His innocence had been thrown to the ground, trampled by horrors he could not had imagined himself.

The red-hair elf thought too about this day, when Middle Earths fate had been sealed. The soft voice of the hobbit made her come back to reality.

Lady Tauriel

She came closer, giving him back his smile, and stood next Gimli, as Pippin and Merry kept laughing, throwing themselves in every way on their cousins bed. Gandalf was sharing their happiness, his laugh joining the hobbits one, and he stood up to be next to the members of the fellowship of the ring in attendance.