The four faintly glowing beings were arrayed in various seated and reclining positions on the grass as they talked and joked. A movement off the shore caught the attention of one of the dark haired beings.

Sitting up properly he looked carefully at the excitement, “there is a boat coming in.”

The blond haired one twisted around to look, “are you sure, Elrohir?”

The identical being next to the first one had sat up to look as soon as his twin had said anything. Now he stood. “He is right, there is a boat coming in.”

The third dark haired being climbed to his feat then pulled the blond to his, “that is unusual, it has been a long time since the last one.”

“The last one was when you, Arwen, Legolas and Gimli arrived.” Elladan replied almost absently.

“What are we waiting for? Let us go see who is in this unexpected boat.” Legolas stated then looked mischievously at Aragorn, “race you.”

“Hey!”

Aragorn sprinted after the swiftly disappearing elf.

As they reached the small boat their mirth vanished as they took in the sight of the heavily injured man with a familiar looking sword clasped to his chest.

“We need to get him to the shore.” An elf that Aragorn couldn’t instantly place stated, reaching for the sword.

“Stop!” Aragorn commanded, drawing startled looks from the elves as he waded to the boat, “That is Anduil.”

Understanding flashed across the elves faces and they moved back to let him take the sword. As he did the gravely injured man grasped at it worriedly, mumbling something unintelligible.

“Peace, it is well. I am one who can hold it.” Aragorn soothed him as he moved back to let the elves gather the unknown man into their grasp.

“Who is he?” Elladan asked.

“Why ask me? I just met him.” Aragorn asked in return.

“Well...” Elrohir waved his hand at the sword.

“It is a little hard to keep track of my descendants with the scarcity of information coming here.” Aragorn replied, looking a little amused and glancing at Mithrandir as he spoke.

“Hardly my fault Merilin does not send updates as often as you and your brothers would like.” Mithrandir harrumphed in response as the human and elves in question turned to watch the ‘light show’ suffusing the area around the strange man.

They approached as the light faded and the elf holding the man set him carefully on his feet.

The man, who bore more then a passing resemblance to Aragorn, looked down at himself in wonder then looked around frantically as he noticed the absence of his sword.

“Where is my sword?”

“It is in safekeeping.” An elf replied.

“No, you don’t understand. I am the only one who can wield it; I would not have any harmed by it.”

“Peace, Arthur. The one who is keeping it safe is one who can safely hold and wield it.”

Aragorn blinked and looked around at the new arrival.

“Mae govannen, Merilin. I hope you kept good family trees, as the twins have gone hobbit like with wanting to know.”

“Hey!” Elladan exclaimed and Aragorn ducked the soft blow aimed at him by said elf.

“You have been just as bad in that respect as we.” Elrohir added, causing Legolas to start laughing.

Arthur blinked in confusion at them for a moment then did a double take as he noticed that the majority of those surrounding him were not human.

“Have no fear Arthur. None who live here will harm you.”

“What are they Merlin?”

“They are elves. There should be some dwarfs and hobbits around here as well. And some more humans too, I notice Aragorn is the sole representative of them at the moment. Fitting really, since you returned ‘from the dead’ to take the throne much like he did eons ago.”

Arthur blinked and gaped at the Istar. Having spent much time with him the human was used to strange proclamations but this certainly took the cake.

Aragorn chuckled, “that would be me.” He stepped forward and offered the sword hilt first to the bewildered man. “Greetings, uh...Merilin how many greats am I supposed to put before ‘grandson’?”

“I would go for ‘many times removed’ unless you want to do a hobbit.” Legolas said, laughing.

Arthur slowly took the sword while studying the man in front of him.

“You were king of Britain too?”

“Britain? No, Gondor and Arnor.”

Merilin chuckled, cutting off any reply that Arthur may have had, “Little Britain had a King of a greater linage then they knew. The world you knew, Aragorn, was long gone and changed beyond recognition by the time Arthur came on the scene. Gondor was long gone, though the line of Kings survived. The Rohirrim survived, but without their beloved horses and they split into several different peoples. And I think you already know the fates of the elves, dwarves and hobbits.”

Aragorn nodded, “that I do.”

Before he could say anything more a rough voice interrupted them all.

“You could have let me know what was happening.”

“By the time we found you, Master Dwarf,” Legolas answered, turning towards the voice with a big grin on his face as other elves moved out of the way, “The excitement would have been over.”

Arthur’s eyes widened as the stout dwarf stepped through the elves, still arguing good naturedly with Legolas.

“Gimli, this is Arthur my...many times removed great grandson.” Aragorn said, mildly amused, “Arthur, this is Gimli son of Gloin. On Arda he was Lord of the Glittering Caves.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Arthur returned then looked at Merilin, “Arda?”

“Earth or rather, what it was previously known as.” Merilin answered.

“I see.”

Gimli chuckled, “I see your family is still continuing, Aragorn. Do you have a current count?”

Aragorn gazed with concern at Arthur as the human looked away, trying to blank his face, at Gimli’s question.

Merilin stepped up next to the younger human and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Arthur is the last of that line.” Merilin stated softly in explanation.

Arthur gave a tight smile and moved away from the grouping of elves and other beings.

After a few moments Aragorn followed him.

“What troubles you?”

Arthur looked up at him and Aragorn could see the grief in his eyes.

“I would not expect you to understand.”

“I do not understand everything, I know. But I do know pain and grief.”

Arthur took a breath and looked up at the sky, “I was not childless. I had a son.”

“What happened?”

“I was forced to kill him.”

Aragorn reached over and put his hand on his descendant’s shoulder, “I am sure that you had no other choice.”

“How would you know? You were not there.”

“No. But I am good at reading people.”

Before Arthur could think of anything to say he was started out of his thoughts by a small being popping out of the undergrowth. At first glance he thought they were a child, then noticed the age in their eyes.

“Do children never grow up when they come here?” He asked, starting to wonder if he had found his way into a fairy realm.

Aragorn laughed, “He is no child. He is a Hobbit. Greetings Pippin, come to great the new arrival have you?”

“Came to see what all the fuss was about, did not know that another boat had arrived.” Pippin answered as Merry popped up beside him.

“Arthur, this is Peregrine Took, also known as Pippin. For a time he was Thain of The Shire. And next to him is Meriadoc Brandybuck, also known as Merry, who was Master of Buckland at the same time Pippin was Thain.” Aragorn said, indicating the appropriate hobbit, “Pippin, Merry, this is Arthur. The last of the line of Elros.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

“And I you, little ones.” Arthur replied, then looked at Aragorn, “Elros?”

“A half-elf who chose mortality and became the first king of Númenor.”

“Númenor?”

“Have you heard of Atlantis?” Merilin interjected, walking up to them.

“Yes.” Arthur replied, turning around to face the Istar.

“Númenor is the real name of Atlantis.”

“I take it not all died when it sank then.”

“Hardly, but it was only a remnant of those who lived there. The king at the time had tried to challenge God, and his land bore the punishment. The true descendants of Elros led the remnant away from the island before it sank, and founded the realms of Gondor and Arnor.”

Arthur pondered that for a moment, “how much truth is there in legends?”

“Some more then others. Forget all the legends you have heard about ‘fairy realms’ and the like. Their basis is on superstitions about the elves that were not even accurate when there were still elves around.”

Arthur pondered that for a moment then looked at Aragorn, “So, did you have to pull the sword out of the stone too?”

Aragorn chuckled, “No, but I did have to turn up with the sword and stand against the Dark Lord when everything looked lost.”

“You are forgetting the bit where you healed someone using Athelas and proved your blood and heritage.” Legolas stated with amusement as he came up, sensing the touchy topic had passed.

“And showing Sauron the sword and scaring him.” Elrohir put in.

“And giving the people hope when they had none.” Elladan added.

Aragorn laughed as they continued, eventually retelling the entire story of the quest.