Not So Happy Returns

by Soledad

Disclaimer: see in the Foreword.

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December 03 – Reunion at the Endless Sea

He turned around, expecting to see his usual minder. Instead, he saw a Maia he had not met before. She was clad in a gown of soft grey, girdled with silver, over which she wore a sleeveless kirtle of pale blue, embroidered with a wavy silver pattern along the hem. The only vivid colour on her was her hair, shining like polished copper, braided with silver and wreathed around her head like a coronet.

“Greetings,” she said brightly. “I am Erunyauvë, of the People of Lady Nienna. She sent me to take you to her mansion.”

“Why?” he asked, hesitating between relief and bewilderment. “I thought I was to be released today.”

The Maia nodded. “And you will be. However, there is someone in my Lady’s care who refuses to leave without you, and frankly, we all would be relieved to see him gone. He is emanating an air of gloom that we all find hard to bear.”

“Trust Turucáno to make even the lives of the Powers miserable,” he grinned, but the Maia gave him a surprised look.

“Oh no, I was not speaking about your brother! Turucáno has long been released and happily reunited with his wife; the two of them are currently dwelling on Tol Eressëa, as lord and lady of Tavrobel, and content with their lives.”

“Aracáno then?” he asked, a bit baffled. Their youngest brother had never been particularly stubborn – well, never before.

“No,” said the Maia. “Aracáno was the first of you to be re-embodied; and even your father has returned to Life already. Only Aredhel is not willing to leave, but she is a special case anyway.”

“Then who…?” he tried fishing for facts, butt he Maia just shook her head again.

“’Tis not my right to tell. Come with me, and you shall see.”

Seeing that there was no way to learn more, Fingon reluctantly followed the Maia to the outside.

“Take my hand,” she instructed him. “As Lord Irmo has not officially released you from his care yet, we shall take the shortcut to my Lady’s mansion. You may wish to close your eyes, though; unless, of course, you don’t mind throwing up right upon your arrival. It can be a bit… disorienting for you Elves.”

As throwing up all over Lady Nienna’s doorstep was the last thing he wanted, Fingon hurriedly closed his eyes and clutched to the Maia’s hand for dear life. There was a powerful lurch, making his stomach turn upside down for a moment, but it passed swiftly enough, followed by a feeling of disorientation, as the Maia had foretold. But that, too, passed soon, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm down his protesting insides.

Having a body again definitely brought problems with it. Problems he had long forgotten.

“You can open your eyes now,” said the Maia, her voice gently amused. “It is over.”

He obeyed and found himself on the shore of the Endless Sea, looking forward over the waves that rolled silently like snow-clad hills to the desolate shore – forwards, where, beyond the Sea, the Door of Night is said to be found, at the utmost edge of the Black Marshes. It was a majestic sight, but also a fairly disturbing one, moreover for the utter silence that engulfed them.

“Why are we here?” he asked with a frown. “I thought you were taking me to Lady Nienna’s.”

“I already have,” the Maia replied. “This path above us leads directly to my Lady’s gardens. We did not want anyone to see you, as, in theory, you should still be in Lórien. This way we can… well, simply sneak you in,” she added with a grin.

She led him along the path into a beautiful garden. And there, setting under a weeping willow near a small pond, Fingon finally spotted the reason why he had been brought here.

Maitimo looked very much like he had before they would leave Aman for Ennorath. Before the death of Finwë. Before he would take that terrible Oath.

He had both hands again, and that was almost disturbing. For him, too, by the way he was looking at the hand the loss of which had so much determined his previous life.

Hearing their approaching footsteps he looked up – and recognized Fingon at once.

“Findecáno,” he whispered. “You came.”

“Do I not always?” asked Fingon. “How could I refuse now, that you have been finally released?”

“True,” Maedhros gave him a tentative smile. “What are we going to do now?”

“What we must,” replied Fingon simply. “We return to Life.”

Maedhros shook his head glumly. “I do not wish to.”

“You have no choice,” intervened the Maia. “Besides, you are expected anxiously. Do you not think your Ammë deserves to get her firstborn back?”

Maedhros hesitated. “I fear to face her,” he admitted. “I have left her without a second thought; that must have hurt.”

“It has, but that was a very long time ago,” Erunyauvë reminded him gently. “She has forgiven you. Now you must forgive yourself. Go to her – that is the first step to full healing.”

“Come,” Fingon extended his hand. “Let us go together.”

After another moment of hesitation, Maedhros took the proffered hand and the two of them followed Erunyauvë back to Lórien, to head to the Gates of Return.

~Fin~