She, sorry they, will be back part 1
Disclaimer: This one will have to last the entire story as i cant be bothered to write one out for the entire story so here goes. Rumrum (aka ginny) and i do not own anything nd will never own Lord of the RIngs, this is written purely for reader and writer enterainment so please don tsue as we really do not have any money to sue for.
Eleanor's POV
Leggy and I were sailing the little ship my beloved husband had built us with our beloved little Dwarf friend.
I had my hand on my abdomen, wondering when to tell them.
I have never been in this situation before so I don't really know how either. I hope they and everyone else will be happy.
Leggy has been rather down for a while now. He only stayed in the human world to remain for Aragorn and now our human friend has died, we left off.
Leaving Miriel behind was not too hard as we knew we would see her again as soon as the mental twins decided to come to Valinor.
It was leaving the now middle-aged Ginny, though it had been a fair while (in human standards) since Amrothos had died and her children were all married and whatever. She would only have the few elves and her descendants left and she would never come to Valinor as she was human.
Unless my little plan worked out of course...
As I stood at the front of the ship (don't ask for terminology, me no know) I saw land roll over the horizon.
My elfin blood told me what it was immediately, my kind know when we have come home instinctively.
The arms I felt wrapped around me said that Legolas also knew that we had first sight of Valinor.
He hummed to me quietly, I am sure he could feel my nervousness, I am about to meet a family I didn't even know I had until I was an adult.
After what feels like both too long and far, far too soon, we manage to dock on the most beautiful wooden dock I have ever seen.
It is obvious that those tall towers round the dock were used for them to see and identify us long before we actually arrived, aided by the flags upon the flag pole. Legolas had run both the banner of Gondolin and the banner of Mirkwood up the mast.
What makes it obvious is the welcoming party.
I see Elrond, Glorfindel, and one hell of a lot of elves I don't recognise.
I have to admit to shaking so much that I can barely walk off the gangplank down to the pier.
When we get down from the boat, Elrond calms me a little by hugging me before introducing me to the very distinguished looking elf beside him.
"Eleanor, meet your father, Turgon. Turgon, this is your daughter Caladhiel Minuialêl or Eleanor as she prefers to be called."
My father immediately pulls me into a rib-crushing hug. When he pulls back and looks at me with such happiness I feel more than slightly inadequate. Do I really deserve this totally unconditional love that he seems to have for me?
Once again my ingrained little insecurities come out.
Ada, as I must remember to call him, then introduced me to the rest of my family. Only my sister, Idril properly notices how nervous I am.
Eventually I am able to drag him back to my husband.
"You have not been introduced to Legolas, have you, Ada?"
"He is a Sindar you happened to travel with, what more is there to say?" I look at my father's expression and remember that Thingol of Doriath and he are not best of buds for various reasons.
"Elrond and Glorfindel did not tell you?" Judging by the way they seem to have joined to eyes-to-sky-floor-and-anywhere-but-us squad, the little cowards have not. "This is my husband, Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood and Ithilien."
Well that statement had an amusing affect.
If he were a human I am sure he would have just gone an interesting shade of puce, but as it is only his eyes pop out and his mouth works about uselessly as he tries to think of something to say.
To make it even more fun, Legolas had clearly finished his introductions and had been on the way over to me to do something similar so all his side of the family, particularly his grandfather Oropher, also seemed to be having a similar reaction.
You will never guess who ends the uneasy silence.
Yes that is right, our lovely Dwarf companion.
"What is all the fuss about? The two of them love each other and everyone seemed over the moon when it was announced in Rivendell."
That is the cue for the floor-sky inspection squad to get back to work.
Oropher then asks something, and it is the first time I have heard my grandfather in law-speak.
"Did my son condone this match? It is clear the Noldor did, but did he?" Before my husband can speak I get in there first.
"Your son was the one to suggest it and got most unhappy when I decided to flirt with Glorfindel to annoy him. If looks could have killed when I did that I most surely would have got here via the Halls of Mandos." Those present that were in on that plan grin manically at the memory. That was such a good night.
Back to fish impressions from the rest of the ancient ones. I decide to change the tone a little.
"There was something I have been meaning to mention, that I found out about a day ago, since everyone that matters is here and silent I shall tell you all now." They are all looking at me expectantly now. "I am very pleased to announce that I am pregnant."
The racial enmity is suddenly forgotten. A new baby smoothes everything over, though judging by Ada's face he is having trouble dealing with a child he last saw as a week old baby being pregnant with her own child.
I think adjusting to me being an adult is going to take him a while.
Miriel's POV
We waited until the boat disappeared over the horizon.
Ginny sniffs again and a tear rolls down her cheek. She and Ellie have barely been apart ever since they arrived in Middle Earth and now the two friends have been parted forever.
I study Ginny carefully; she still looks young, although not as young as she was. Her hair is still a thick, bright sheen of strawberry-blonde that falls to her waist. Wrinkles are starting to appear, but not very much.
It's her eyes though which truly show her age – like the elves of old, her eyes are full of a wisdom only obtained after countless years of life, unlike the elves of old however, her eyes sometimes show great pain and sorrow.
The only eyes I've ever really seen such a look in before belong to Ada when he's remembering Naneth. When Amrothos died over 40 years ago, Ginny was beside herself with grief; she is again as happy as she was when Amrothos was alive, but occasionally, her eyes lose their light.
I put my arm about Ginny's shoulders and, along with the Twins, we rejoin the party of riders from Dol Amroth and set out for Rivendell.
Ginny's children accompanied us on our journey of farewell because it is also the journey of their own farewell.
They stay with us in Rivendell for about a week after we arrive back in the Last Homely House.
When they do leave, only Ginny is there to see them off – this is a kind of parting which should always remain private. For Ginny is saying goodbye to her family forever; she lived through Amrothos' life and death; she cannot bear to do the same with her children.
True to my word, I stay away until I hear the sound of hooves grow fainter; I then go out to the main courtyard in front of Rivendell. Ginny is not there. I start looking; a passing maid says she last saw Ginny heading out to the farthest corner gardens.
I don't wander over there; Ginny obviously wants to be left alone.
We don't see her all day; it's only at dinner when I actually go to find her.
Ginny is in her room, sitting by her dressing table when I enter. She has her back to me and seems to be frantically wiping at her cheeks.
"Dinner's ready," I say gently.
"I was just coming." Ginny's voice sounds a perfectly steady, but, when she turns to face me, I notice her eyes look more moist than usual. An awkward silence ensues.
"I see you gave Rosetta your circlet," I say brightly, indicating the space on her shelves where the carved box usually lies.
"Yes; to be a family heirloom. My sons were very pleased when I also gave them most of my collection of weapons as well as my Mithril shirt – it's not like I'm going to be doing much more fighting."
Ginny turns back to her mirror and begins to brush her hair; I turn to leave.
"I found a grey hair today – my very first!"
I turn back to Ginny, unsure of what to say.
"It's strange; I find my first grey hair, while my eldest are already turning grey themselves."
Ginny hunches over, hanging her head. I go over and kneel down beside her; Ginny flings her arms around me, sobbing as though her heart would break – maybe it has.
A small movement at the door causes me to look round just in time to see Elrohir silently close it behind him.
He, Elladan, and I are going to stay in Rivendell until Ginny dies and then we too shall follow our kin and make our final journey out of Middle Earth to the Undying Lands...
