Captain Anrion, the officer in charge of the Citadel's night guard, stood in the little guard-house and looked out across the Courtyard of the Fountain. He grinned as he watched a shadowy figure detach itself from the greater darkness of the doorway and lope down the steps. The man moved like a cat!Many a young soldier on his first night duty had challenged the supposed intruder, only to be patted on the shoulder and complimented on their watchfulness at the end of a long night. Had anyone ever challenged Lord Denethor they would have found themselves in a cell for a week to contemplate the error of their ways. No wonder the Guards of the Citadel and the Royal Bodyguards were willing to give their lives for him. The Captain often wondered why the King rose at such an early hour and privately thought that, were he King of the Reunited Kingdoms, married to Queen Arwen and celebrating his hundredth birthday, he would not rise until midday at the earliest.

       The King glanced towards the guard-house and beckoned the Captain to join him. Anrion strolled over and saluted.

       "Good morning, Captain. Care to join me?"

       "Thank you, my lord King. May I be the first this day to wish you a very happy birthday."

       Aragorn smiled. "Thank you. You are indeed the first. I expect you wonder why I do this - get up before dawn and come out here?"

       "I would be telling an untruth if I said I had never wondered, but it is none of my business, my lord."

       The King chuckled. They reached the Keel of the Rock and he gazed towards the Mountains of Shadow. The stars were beginning to fade and in the east, where once only foul darkness lowered, the sky was lightening, almost imperceptibly at first. A few vague twitterings in the trees on the city's upper levels announced that the birds were stirring.

       "I come here to watch the dawn because this to me is a miracle. I remember the Dawnless Day and the oppressive suffocating cloud of evil which hung over Sauron's land, and to see the sun rising above the Ephel Duath is the greatest sign that life has truly changed. And I also remind myself that everything I have - my kingdoms, my beloved wife and children, the safety of the Free Peoples - is due to two small hobbits who walked from their lush green land into that barren wasteland, willing to give their lives for Middle-earth. That is humbling indeed, and kings should remain humble."

       Anrion looked at the King with new respect. He also remembered, as a young soldier, standing on the walls and trying to repel the invaders. The memory of those human heads flying over, smashing on the rooftops and on the ground before them, still haunted his dreams sometimes, together with the cries of the Nazgul, the stench of orcs, the crackle of burning buildings, the screams of the wounded and dying and over everything that great evil darkness.

       They stood in companionable silence, watching as the eastern sky turned silvery-grey and then a soft peachy gold. Tiny high puffs of cloud stained pearly pink. It seemed as though the world was holding its breath in anticipation. An Ithilien blackbird opened its throat and launched a series of liquid bubbling notes into the air and was answered by a thrush in the White Tree behind the two Men.

       "Now comes the moment," murmured Aragorn softly.

       The highest peaks of the Mountains of Shadow were suddenly revealed, gilded with the light of Anor. Flat darkness gradually became angles and crevices, shadowed in soft blues, purples and browns as the light flowed down like pale honey. Anrion thought it the most beautiful sight he had ever witnessed and he knew he would never take this moment for granted again. Goats began to forage the foothills and on the higher slopes antelope bounced fearlessly from ledge to ledge. There was still a chill in the air but the sky was full of the promise of a fine day.

       "In southern Mordor there is a great salt lake where huge flocks of pink birds gather - millions of them. The salt is so strong that I'm amazed their legs don't burn away but they seem to manage and find food there. Have you ever seen them flying over?"

       Anrion nodded. "In Lebennin we call them flamingoes. They look very strange."

       "The creations of Yavanna are infinitely varied." The King smiled. "I said that kings should be humble and I think that applies to anyone who holds high office. Have you ever climbed a mountain, Captain?"

       "No, my lord King, I cannot say I have."

       "The air is very thin on the high peaks. It can be a struggle to breathe and sometimes one can become quite ill. It also makes it very difficult to think clearly, and high office is similar in that respect. The altitude has an effect. It can be disturbingly easy for some people to believe in all that fawning and bowing and scraping, and they forget to whom they owe their power. I never want people to say that of me."

       "I am quite sure no-one will ever say that of you, my lord."

       "I'm glad to hear it. My wife and children keep my feet on the ground and the hobbits most certainly do so. Mithrandir always said that everyone should have a hobbit or two in his care."

       "They do have a very solid and earthy approach to life, I must say." He peered down at the southern Pelennor, where sheep and cows were walking out to begin the day's grazing. "You have a busy day ahead, sire."

       "Oh yes. I shall have breakfast with my family and guests and I suppose there will be some official business, birthday or no birthday. Then I shall go down and pay my respects at the Memorial. I know we remember them on the anniversary of the Ring's destruction but I just feel that, today of all days. I need to do that. I need to remember all those who gave their lives in the struggle against Sauron. Then there is the banquet, of course, and I'm told there will be gift-giving, although my Steward refuses to tell me where those gifts are. I suspect there are hidden rooms in the depths of the Citadel which even I don't know about."

       A young page approached and bowed. He carried a tray with a glass decanter and two small glasses.

       "Join me. I know one is not supposed to drink spirits at this time of the day - and the sun is most definitely not over the yardarm, as they say in Dol Amroth - but I believe I am allowed to break the rules on such an auspicious day. Ths was my gift from Thain Paladin - a dozen bottles, a cut glass decanter and six glasses and a silver tray."

       "Thank you, sire." Anrion looked at the golden liquid in the decanter. "May I ask what it is?"

       "This is whiskey. It's a speciality of Tuckborough. They make it from malted barley apparently, and last year we tried the eighteen-year vintage. This is the Thain's Special Reserve - matured for twenty-five years in old brandy casks." Aragorn poured two glasses. "I have also asked for a barrel of ale to be placed in the guardhouse. Every man coming off duty is to have some. I have also arranged for their shifts to be shorter, to enable every man to spend some time with his family or enjoying the entertainment."

       "Thank you, my lord King. They will certainly appreciate that and will enjoy drinking your health. May you have many more birthdays." He sipped. He had been expecting firewater; he was surprised to discover that the liquid slipped down as gently as syrup, the taste a magical combination of subtle flavours, complimented by a smokey quality he had never encountered before. "This is so smooth. I was not expecting it to be of such superb quality."

       "Never underestimate hobbits, particularly in the matter of food and drink, my friend. They brew the finest ale, they perfected the art of smoking and growing pipeweed, they spend months developing recipes and yet, when they are forced into a corner they will risk all to defend what they love. They really are the most amazing creatures." The King sighed happily and savoured his whiskey. His only regret about the day was that Frodo, Sam and Rose were not there to share it with him but he was hoping to sneak away to the White Tower during the afternoon to look into the Master-Stone and see them enjoying the celebrations in the Shire.

       The new group of guards arrived to take over and the Night Guard were soon supplied with ale. They saluted their King and added their good wishes before departing. Aragorn thanked them with smiling good humour, bade farewell to Anrion and returned to the Royal Apartments for breakfast.

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       Breakfast was a cheerfully chaotic affair. The Royal Family were joined by the hobbits, Legolas and Gimli and the Steward and his family. The hobbits had been surprised to see the amount of Shire produce on the table; Rose obviously sent a great deal of honey, jam, home-made wine and pickles to Gondor, where they were much appreciated. Nibs shared the King's liking for black cherry jam and between them they made short work of the dish. Arwen poured more tea and gave her husband a nod and a meaningful look, at which he hurried into the next room and returned with some small boxes.

       "Well, my dear hobbits, in the best Shire tradition I have gifts for you."

       "We were not expecting you to do this, my lord Estel. It is your birthday and we don't expect you to follow hobbit traditions," Brand protested.

       "Ah! I have been told I'm an honorary hobbit so I should act like one. Besides, it will give me great pleasure to see you open these."

       The menfolk found beautifully crafted Gondorian straight-stemmed pipes of walnut, with ebony stems decorated with mumak ivory. The ladies were overwhelmed to find silver necklaces, each one different and with carefully chosen gemstones. For Phlox they were pink amethyst, delicate blue quartz for Araminta, deep purple amethyst for Marjy and yellow topaz for Blossom, who had never owned such a wonderful piece of jewellery. They embraced Aragorn joyfully.

       "When you go to your rooms you will see why we chose those colours for each of you.," said Arwen with one of her gentle smiles. "Why don't you have a look."

       The squeals and gasps from the hobbits' apartments were reward enough. Blossom could not believe her eyes when she saw the clothes laid out upon their bed. For Nibs there was a warm brown suit with a yellow waistcoat embroidered with gold thread, while for her there was a silk dress in a delicate primrose yellow with a deep gold sash. She could hear Marjy, in the room across the corridor, whooping with joy. They returned to the dining-room and tearfully hugged the royal couple. No words were necessary between friends.

                                                                        ************

       While all the ladies scurried off to put the finishing touches to the gifts and assemble The Cake, which they had managed to keep secret from the byrding, the men set off for the Pelennor and the Memorial. Aragorn, Faramir, Eomer, Legolas and Gimli, with the Rangers, the Twins and Glorfindel and the hobbits. Freddy and Torni begged to be allowed to join them, and people smiled at the sight of the two little faunts riding on the shoulders of the youngest Rangers. People were gathering to greet the King and offer flowers and little gifts but they were content to wait until the party returned, respecting his wish to remember those who died in the struggle against Sauron. The hobbits recognised several of the shopkeepers, many of whom had told their own stories of the darkest days of the Ring War - the man who lost his leg, the woman who lost her husband and had her home and shop smashed and burned. The hobbits now knew how much suffering other races and lands had endured, and on their return they would make sure the Shire-folk and Bree-landers realised that.

       Gloin and some of the Dwarves joined the group on the Fourth Level and King Thranduil and the other Elves were waiting outside the gates, close to where their bright pavillions stood. They made their way to the towering black marble obelisk and Aragorn stepped forward to lay a sheaf of lilies and white roses. The perfume rose and filled the air. He stood with head bowed, deep in thought for some minutes before encouraging the others to join him. Little Freddy and Torni bowed very politely, as they had observed others do. Erithain patted Freddy gently on the shoulder and crouched beside him, deeply moved at the sight of this tiny, usually fidgety, hobbit child respectfully silent and still.

       As they finally moved away, Freddy turned back and waved.

       "Are you waving to the Memorial, Freddy?" his father asked.

       "Uh-uh." The child shook his head. "To the Man."

       "What Man? I can't see..........."

       "I can," Legolas whispered to nods from the other Elves.

       "Freddy?" said Aragorn quietly, crouching down. "Can you describe the Man for me?"

       "Misty folk. Looks like Ewithain...........'cept he has a scwatch here." Freddy drew his finger down Aragorn's left cheek.

       "A scratch. Do you mean a scar - like this one?" He pointed to the scar on his own upper lip.

       Freddy nodded. Tarondor leaned down to murmur in Brand's ear. "Halbarad took a Dunlending arrow in the face twenty-five years before he died. Has Freddy seen things before?"

       "Oh yes. He call them misty folk. He has no fear of them at all and regards them as friends. Of course several of the Tooks have 'the Sight' and Frodo - and Pippin to some degree - have always had it."

       Erithain stared at the Memorial. "I wish..............."

       "I think that is part of the problem, my friend. You wish so much to see them and sometimes that very desire prevents it. Allow your vision to drift slightly." Aragorn advised.

       Freddy smiled. "'Lo, Dir....." He glanced back at Dirhael, puzzled that the young Ranger seemed to be in two places at once.

       "I see them!" Dirhael whispered.

       It was then that, for Erithain, the miracle finally happened. He saw his brother and son, clear and solid as they had been in life. They looked so alike and they were both smiling. It is time to let go, you ass! You have had sorrow enough. Enjoy the Days of the King! said his brother's voice in his mind.

       Freddy pushed Erithain's mouth into a smile. "Smile, Ewithain," he said, and the Man did so, even though he had tears in his eyes. "See! They want oo to smile."

       "Do they? How do you know?" the Ranger asked in a teasing voice as the figures faded slowly.

       "Told me," replied Freddy confidently. "Oo must smile. It Uncy Estel's birfday."

       Erithain swung Freddy up onto his shoulders. "And they are right. It is our King's birthday and smiles will be the order of the day." He felt as though a great weight had rolled off his shoulders at last. He now knew his loved ones were happy and it would be a rejection of all they had fought for to go on wallowing in misery. He would learn from the hobbits and embrace life again.

       The walk back to the Citadel for luncheon took much longer. People wanted to greet the King, hand him flowers and tell him how much he meant to them. One woman presented her son, a handsome lad of almost twelve years. Aragorn was genuinely delighted to see them and while he spoke with them Faramir related her story.

       "When the Battle of the Pelennor was over, our King came into the Houses of Healing and brought me back from the dead. He did the same with Eowyn and Merry, and people realised who he really was. Poor man, he was overwhelmed with people pleading for help and he worked for hours to do what he could. As he made his way out of the city to his tent, a woman begged him to help her sister, who was labouring with her child. Her husband had been killed that day and she refused to do anything to help the child to be born. No doubt she wished to die and join him. The King began to talk to her, telling her that her son would be a credit to both his parents and needed a mother to look after him. She realised that she did want the child after all and began to push, and minutes later he was born. Our Lord Elessar says that bringing life into the world that night gave him hope for the future. The boy's only ambition is to serve in the Citadel Guard and when he is eighteen he will begin his training."

       Gil nodded. "To see a King after all those years must have inspired the people. No wonder they all adore him."

       Aragorn re-joined the group. "I think we need luncheon. These long-suffering hobbits missed elevenses."

       "Good thing Pippin isn't here," murmured Brand. "We'd never hear the last of it!"

       Laughing, the party made their way back to the Seventh Level.