Chapter Forty Four: The Day�s Saved, So Let�s Get Pizza
(It is now the day after the events that took place in the Gondorian Houses of Healing and after the Battle for Middle-earth was won. We now find that everyone has returned to the White City, including two certain Hero-Hobbits who go by the names Frodo and Sam. Now, we are not the only ones to just have discovered this, for as we speak, Stevie and Harper have awoken and our headed from their rooms to the Houses of Healing. Upon arriving, the two find a crowd of familiar faces and are escorted inside the building.)
Stevie: You think they�re here?
Harper: Of course they�re here! Come on!
(The two squeeze into one of the rooms to find all four Hobbits piled on the bed laughing and talking about the silliest of things. Upon seeing the girls, they all brighten up and beckon them to come and join them on the bed, which they do.)
Sam: Well, Miss Stevie and Miss Harper! I told you I�d take good care of Frodo while we were gone, and I did!
Stevie: Yes you did. We never doubted you for a moment, but Sam�
Harper: You�re officially a hero now, so we won�t tolerate this �miss� stuff any longer.
Sam: Well, I suppose we could settle for that for a little while. After all, we�re all grown-ups here!
Aragorn: No, we are all grown-ups, Sam. These lovely girls are still exactly that; girls.
Stevie: Girls, eh? Technically I�m an adult. Also taking into consideration that we�re going to�
Aragorn: (interrupts her) Now is not the time to tell people that, Stevie.
Frodo: You�re going to do what?
Aragorn: Nothing�
Harper: (interrupts) They�re getting hitched. Don�t fib to the guy who saved all our bums, aight?
Aragorn: Oh, well then I don�t suppose you�d mind me telling everyone (raises voice) that Harper and Boromir are getting married!
Pippin: Is that what you told me had to wait?
Boromir: (strolls in) Harper, did Aragorn just announce our engagement to nearly all of Gondor or did you suddenly develop a very deep manly voice?
Pippin: It was Aragorn. (pouts) At least he said something.
Boromir: What? We were going to tell but at that time it had to wait!
Frodo: (smirks) Well, look at all the wonderful things that happen while I�m off saving the world!
Harper: Yeah, all sorts of stuff. Now everyone out! The heroes need sleep!
(So everyone is shooed out of the Houses of Healing, with the exception of Stevie, who Frodo asks to stay behind. She does so and they have a brief chat.)
Frodo: Where is Kit?
Stevie: She�s in Lorien.
Frodo: Will I be able to see her?
Stevie: Aye. We�re expecting them to be here in two days. It�s a rush, but that�s when everyone wanted Aragorn�s coronation to be, so they�ll skootch on over.
Frodo: Alright, thank you Stevie.
Stevie: You need to talk to her about something very important, don�t you?
Frodo: You know, right?
Stevie: I have a vague idea, so does Harper, but no one else.
Frodo: Do you think she�ll hate me for what I am going to do?
Stevie: She�ll understand, and she�ll be alright. You okay?
(At the same time everything else is going on, the dudes back in Lorien are preparing to skootch on over to Gondor in time for Aragorn�s coronation. By preparing we mean that Haldir and Arcane are doing all the work while Kit, Van, Rumil, and Orophin run around like maniacs poking each other.)
Kit: (pokes Haldir) Want to play with us?
Haldir: Not particularly, no. Come on and knock it off. If you want to get to Gondor in time to see everyone and not miss Aragorn�s coronation you need to hurry up.
Van: Aragorn�s corny-what-what?
Haldir: Aragorn�s coronation. It�s where they officially make him the king.
Kit: Yeah, Van. He becomes an official His Royal Highnessness.
Van: As opposed to an unofficial His Royal Highnessness?
Arcane: Sure why not. Come on. Load up the horses and we�ll be on our way.
Haldir: (in elvish) Orophin, Rumil, hurry it up or we�re leaving you here with the uber wench and Figwit!
Orophin: No! Not that! We�re coming! We�re coming!
Rumil: Don�t leave! Ah!
Haldir: (smirking to himself) I knew that would work!
(Meanwhile, back in Minas Tirith, Aragorn is pacing in the Steward�s Hall with Stevie looking at him with an amused expression on her face. He stops and stares at her for a moment.)
Aragorn: You think this is hilarious, don�t you?
Stevie: Aragorn, dearest, you�ve fought in what will soon be some of the biggest battles in history! You�ve saved the world, and now you�ve got the jitters about your coronation in two days!
Aragorn: (chuckles) It is silly, isn�t it? I�m just afraid I�ll do something wrong as king�..that the people don�t want me and will hate me.
Stevie: They already love you. Long have they awaited the return of their king, and now it is happening! I don�t think they�ve been this happy in an age!
Aragorn: True. I needn�t worry. You�ll be there, right?
Stevie: Of course I will be. All our friends will be there, and your subjects.
Aragorn: For so long I have dreaded the idea of this and now I find myself doing as I said I never would.
Stevie: You�re doing the right thing, Aragorn. You�re mother would be proud.
Aragorn: (perks up at the mention of his mother) You think so?
Stevie: She didn�t give Hope to the Dunedain for nothing!
Aragorn: How did you know about that?
Stevie: I know all sorts of good stuff. But don�t thin about it now. Let�s go for a walk through the city. It�ll calm your nerves and it�ll do the people some good to see that their will-be king hasn�t run away on them quite yet.
Aragorn: Fine, but as long as I�m not covered in food this time.
