Not So Happy Returns

by Soledad

Disclaimer: see in the Foreword.

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December 12 – Bereft

She had been waiting anxiously ever since the fall of Sauron, and now, it seemed, the time of reunion had finally come. The word about it reached her during one of her rare visits to the Noldóran’s court in Tirion, and Arafinwë and Eärwen spontaneously decided to join her, for they were eager to see their only daughter again.

Finrod and Amarië came, too, as well as their son Ingalaurë and his wife, Lintári of the Vanyar, who were hoping for a reunion with their son Gildor, whom they had not seen since the Second Age.

Now they were all standing in the haven of Avallónë, waiting for the grey ship to sail into the docks in a wide, elegant arch. The grey-clad sailors of the Falathrim were singing in their ancient tongue as the ship drew its perfect arch to line up with the long stone jetty. Celebrían recognized Galdor, holding the steering wheel with his own hands; this was the Alquarámë then, the same vessel that had brought her to the West half a millennium ago.

However, it took her a moment to realise that the tall figure shimmering in pearly white, standing at the prow of the ship, was, in fact, Mithrandir. She had always known who – or rather what – the old wizard truly was, but she had never seen him display his power so openly.

He was the first to leave the ship, as soon as the gangplanks were thrown over, riding a magnificent white horse, followed by two small figures, barely taller than very young elflings, on ponyback – presumably the Ringbearers.

The Lady Galadriel followed, still as imperious and stunningly beautiful as she had always been, and Celebrían’s heart stopped for a moment, seeing that Lord Celeborn had not come with her. She was greeted joyously by the Noldóran, his Queen and their heir, while Gildor was immediately surrounded by his parents and grandmother, though their reunion seemed a lot less happy.

Then, finally, Elrond departed, too, and Celebrían’s heart stopped again, seeing the damage the Longing had done to him. Someone else might not have noticed the marring of his beauty, or how weakened he truly was, but the two of them had been soul-bound for more than an Age, and the long separation had only heightened her awareness of him.

Overwhelmed by impatience, she showed people out of her way, ignoring the calls of her mother as she made a path to him to take him into her arms – an embrace that was more that of a mother than that of a wife, not for the first time in their marriage.

“At last you are here, beloved,” she whispered, tears running down her face that she was able to hold him again. “At last we are together again. I have missed you so much!”

But he was trembling in her arms and she could feel sadness radiating from the very depths of his fëa.

“I am sorry, Celebrían,” he murmured in despair. “I hoped to bring our children home to you, but they have made their Choice. We may be reunited with Elrohir one day, but I have my doubts about Elladan. And Arwen… our Evenstar is lost for us, forever.”

She felt a strange coldness encroach her heart, as if she had been run through with a Morgul-blade. Then everything went dark around her as she fainted into Elrond’s arms.

Eärwen, who had been watching them from the distance, shook her head in sad understanding.

“Nothing can wound a mother’s heart like the loss of her children,” she said.

She knew what she was speaking about. She had once lost all her children to the rebellion of the Noldor. But while she could hope for them to be eventually reborn – which had already happened to Finrod – Celebrían did not have that comfort.

Somebody touched Elrond’s arm gently, and he recognized in surprise Galenbrethil, formerly a Master Healer of Imladris.

“Allow us to help,” she said. “We have friends here, in Avallónë, in whose house you can both rest. It would be better for you to spend some time in each other’s company ere continuing on to Aman proper.”

Elrond looked at her, saw the gentle understanding in her eyes and nodded in agreement. ‘Twas good to know that they were not without friends, not even beyond the Bent Sea.

~Fin~