The Paradise of Elves – Part 1: First Impressions

‘I’m bored.’  Elladan threw one of the artistically arranged pebbles into the elegant fountain, disturbing one of the aesthetically pleasing fish.  ‘What in Arda have you found to do with yourself here, my friend?’

Legolas sighed.  ‘Very little.  I’ve often wondered whether we truly live eternally here or whether life just seems to drag on for ever.’

‘What purpose do we serve?’

‘Well - ,’ Legolas selected another of the co-ordinated pebbles and sent it to join the fish. ‘Do you realise, by the way, that someone will come along later, remove the stones from the pond and place them back in the exact spots we took them from? – We actually seem to serve almost no purpose at all.  I mean, those elves who work in practical roles, cooking food, cleaning, making things, sewing, looking  after elflings, and so on – they have all continued to carry out the jobs that have always been theirs, but princes and warriors – well, there is no point to us, is there? There are more kings and lords here than you could shake a stick at, and, short of the elves taking up kinslaying again – which really doesn’t strike me as a good way to bring entertainment into our lives – there are no threats, no dangers and there’s precious little to kill.’

‘So what do you do all day?’  Elrohir joined in the conversation.

Legolas paused, as if finding it difficult to come up with any explanation that would suit his friends.  ‘Well – since Gimli died, not much.  Watch the sea.  Flirt with a few ellyth.  Climb a tree or two.  Sing to the stars.’

‘And before Gimli died?’

A long moment of silence ensued.  ‘About the same really.  With a bit less tree-climbing.’

‘And this is the paradise of the elves?’

‘So they tell us.’

Elladan spent several minutes selecting another small stone, which he then threw in to join the others.  ‘I’m bored,’ he said.