The Fellowship's Silvertongue: Part 3

Home.

The gate of Bree still stood tall. It wasn't raining for once. I pulled Dyauh along and knocked. The little window opened up, a new gatekeeper was there. 

"What's your name, and what business do you have in Bree?" He asked. 

"I live here, but it has been a while. My name is Rosa Riana." I said. 

"Hold on." The man closed the window and opened the gate. I walked in and waited as he looked through a book. "Ah, yes. Go on ahead. Welcome back."

I nodded and walked down the dirt road. Nothing had changed at all. The same shops were still here, the same buildings, all the same. The only difference, my house.

The garden had overgrown, some vines had grown up against the wall. I tied Dyauh to the fence on the inside, untacked him, got my bag, set the tack on the porch, got the key above the door frame, and walked inside. The place was dusty, but everything was still in its place.
I opened the window shutters, lit some candles, and set my things on the floor. I brushed the dust off an armchair and sat down.

"Home sweet home," I said to myself.

By the back door, a broom was set against the wall. Might as well. I got up and started sweeping the place. I opened the back door and swiped all the dust into the yard. I took one look at the garden and grabbed the shears.

This was going to take awhile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It had been three years since the War of The Ring. Rosa hadn't left Bree since. She never got the chance, she was the town's medicine woman. Anyone who was sick would come to her.
Also, she had her own apprentice, Willow. Each day she would come to Rosa's house and assist her in everyday chores and jobs. It was hard work but Willow didn't mind.

Today, the two were out in the garden, trimming weeds and harvesting herbs. Everything was quiet, and easy-going, nothing unusual happened, until Willow spoke up.

"Hey, look at that." 

"Look at what?" Rosa asked, not looking up from whatever she was doing. 

"Over there, there's an elf in a green cloak. He's talking to the blacksmith." Willow nudged Rosa.

 "And now the blacksmith is pointing at us. He's coming our way!" 

Rosa looked up this time, she stood up and wiped the dirt off her hands on the apron of her dress. The elf stopped at the fence and looked at Rosa.

"Hello, Legolas." Rosa sort of choked out. 

"Hello, Kayla." Legolas nodded. 

"Who's he?" Willow asked.
"My husband," Rosa replied.

Legolas smiled.

"Wait. You- he- married- when?" Willow looked at Legolas, then at Rosa, then back at Legolas.
"Three years ago," Rosa said, still looking at the elf. "Well, are you going to just stand there or are you going to come in?"

"May I?" Legolas gestured towards the gate.
"Oh my gosh-" Rosa began walking towards him. "Legolas, just-" she kissed him, their bodies separated by the fence.

They both pulled away and Rosa opened the gate letting Legolas in. He then pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed the top of her head. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked him. 

"I did what you told me," Legolas answered. "I went to Ithilien, restored the woodlands, and made a home for my people." He pulled back from the embrace and placed his hands on her shoulders. "But alas, my heart aches for something more." 

Rosa smiled and raised an eyebrow. "And that is?" 

"I need a queen to rule alongside me," Legolas said. "And once our job is fulfilled, I wish to travel to the Undying Lands with her and a specific Dwarf. Do you accept?" 

Rosa looked back at her bright apprentice, at her garden, and small wooden house. She turned to look back at her husband and smiled. 

"Of course I accept."