Epilogue

I sat on the black, Mindolluin marble floor next to the Throne. I had never in all my long years climbed to the dais. My King had motioned; I obeyed.

Elessar put down his arm and with one of those rough, scarred huge hands, he scooped me up. I held my breath in surprise; a cold fragment of pride ran down my spine, but I quelled it, as always.

He took me upon his lap. I gingerly sat. He put his hand on my head and tears fell from my one good eye. The touch, the feel, the tenderness, all echoed those of my Lord Denethor. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine the Steward gently stroking my back. I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. For the last four years, I had served my King with love and joy and honor. I felt his regard and my heart swelled once again.

“You have been a gift to me, Alqualondë, the likes of which I have never known. I know full well how treasured your mother was. Ecthelion had told me, many times, of his regard for her. She would be most proud of you, my little Swan. Most proud.”

I felt my King’s tears fall. I tried to lick his face, but the pain from my reumatismi held me firmly in its grasp. ‘I wish Pippin were here,’ I sighed. I looked up at him one more time. The face that so resembled my beloved Denethor smiled back at me. ‘I love you, my King. I have only served you in love.’

Elessar whispered words in the old tongue, the tongue of my mother’s mothers. Peace flooded my being. The hard steel chord that had wrapped itself around my heart at Denethor's death, eased and finally slipped away. I had loved the Steward for more than eighteen years, but my love for Elessar King was as night to day, gold to mithril, sorrow to joy.

Licking his hand once, I closed my eyes and he released me.

~*~

A/N – 1) “Pippin saw his (Denethor’s) carven face with its proud bones and skin like ivory, and the long curved nose between the dark deep eyes; and he was reminded not so much of Boromir as of Aragorn.” ROTK: Ch. 1: Minas Tirith.  2) Rheumatism is a non-specific disease that affects joints and such, usually in older people and probably Cats! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheumatism  3) The Cat’s rheumatism is spelt as the Finnish word - reumatismi  - I thought it would be fun to use Finnish as Tolkien seemed to like the language. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rheumatism

Final Notes: For some reason, it is not because the scribe became bored with this tale, or uncomfortable at the length of it (giggles), or just NEEDED it to be done, but it felt, once the battle was over, to both Alqualondë and myself, that the rest of the tale need not be told at this time. I had hoped to write more of Pip and Merry and the Cat, but his duties were many and he had not much time to spend with the Hobbits, though he wanted desperately to. I am heartily sorry if some feel pain at what they might consider a brusque ending. It is not brusque in the Cat’s mind, nor in the scribes. Be that as it may, I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people.

By the way, I had to giggle. I found a reply at Chapter Two that stated this was going to be just a couple more chapters! So, you see, you really can’t be too disappointed!

Writing, at least for this scribe, is a two-way street. I know I could not have finished it in what I consider record time, if not for the support of those readers and reviewers at Stories of Arda. Never have I come across such a wealth of wondrous writers/readers. Your support and comments and reviews kept me going. I cannot thank you enough. Nor can I thank EDlyn, whose one comment took me off on a totally different path, Neilia for her hugs, Episcopal Witch (best reviewer ever!), and eiluj, without whose input to the Denethor discussion I wonder where on earth I’d be with this tale!

Baggins Babe, Cathleen, Claudia, daw the Minstrel, Dreamflower, elanor winterflowers, Elea24, Esquire_of_Rohan, Fiondil, Golden, Grey Wonderer, Halrohir, Inkling, irene (my deepest sympathies for the Cat gravitating to Aragorn instead of Faramir, but that would only meet with Faramir’s hearty approbation!), Larner, Linda Hoyland, Lynda (aka 6336), meckinock, Pearl Took, Raksha, Rhyselle, Sarasrati, shirebound, Soledad, Surgical Steel, Stefania, Szepilona10, Tari and Tigger.

Ten thousand thanks from Alqualondë and his dutiful scribe, Agape.

Psst – you might see us again. Who knows? Cats do have nine lives! :-)