Long grass tugged at the hem of Eleanor's dark blue dress and sand stuck to her wet feet as she paced in one of the secluded areas of the garden in front of her fathers grand house, a worried expression cast upon her face. Lord Círdan had ordered her
presence at sun down and Eleanor had stayed in the bay way into the early hours of the morning trying to avoid speaking to him. It was childish, she knew that, but the thought of standing amongst the waves once more after so long apart from the sea
over took all of her senses as soon as she had riddeninto the Grey Havens previously that evening.
A gust of cool autumn wind rushed through the flowers as the doors to her fathers study opened. Eleanor couldn't haveguessedwhat sort of unladylike state she looked in. Her long brown hair had curled slightly and was matted with salt and at
least the bottom seven inches of her dress was transparent and heavy with saltwater. In the hopes of taming her wild mess of matted wavy hair, Eleanor dragged her thin fingers through it, quickly plaiting and twirling pieces as she went until it was
in a traditional elvish style. Within a minute or two it was slightly presentable, although Eleanor thought she should be allowed to look a little rugged at times, even if she was classed somewhat of a princess. Before she went to greet her father
she caught glimpse of a reflection of herself in the door. Her face was thinner and more angular than it had been when she had left Mithlond and her blue eyes were tired and lacked the passion they used to hold. She knew Gandalf was right, she had
changed. Eleanorrealised that even now, when she was in the protection of her old home she still felt vulnerable without her weapons at her side. She didn't know if that scared her or reassured her.
Unlike when she left almost 523 years ago, her fathers study was a mess of maps, charts and pages of scribbled writing. Her father, Lord Círdan himself hadn't aged a day (as expected) his long beard had barely grown and his long legs were stretched out
in front of him. He wore a simple and elegant tunic of blue that would have blended spectacularly with the sky. On his hip balanced a long sword and behind him on the wall was his magnificent bow. The age that had strained his face from a millennia
of stress seemed to have faded into his skin. Eleanor had dreamed of her father like this, it took her a moment to discern it but, he looked almost happy. She was surprised to find he was not wearing Narya, the magnificent ring of power that she had
never seen him take off before.
"Welcome!" Círdan exclaimed. "I have been waiting. Come and sit."
The years have made him soft, she thought. Eleanor could no longer see the harshness in his face and his eyes seemed less steady. She was taken back and wondered for a brief moment if the absence of his ring had changed him for the better. Taking a seat
opposite her father, she smiled shyly expecting him at his worst.
The room that surround them was one of true splendour, long tapestries hung from the walls like waterfalls, crashing onto the ground. All the furniture they sat on was lined in pure silver and every cushion was a different shade of sea green. Everything
was made from elvish hands, delicate and strong. Spirals of light fell from the ceiling and appeared to be clinging to the air, creating a blanket of white illumination that seemed to have fallen from the sky above. The magic of her kind never ceased
to amaze her. Eleanor remembered being terrified of this room. It was where her father would hide away for hours after her mothers death. She had found no fondness in him for those many years. She had often seen her fathers counsellors like his most
trusted adviser, Galdor, enter this room and come away shivering in fear. Cirdan was a ruthless man but he was beyond wise and an excellent leader.
"I'm sorry for my tardiness, Ada." Eleanor replied curtly, "I Hope I did not cause any trouble."
"Do not worry." He said looking upon her face and studying her carefully. "The Valor must have shined upon your journey as you are far more beautiful than the girl who stormed off all those years ago."
There was a regretfulness in his tone that she had not heard for centuries. She wondered what had caused him to value her as he once had. Was it his age? Or had the departure of his kin to the west set his mind back to how it used to be? Eleanor's throat
ran dry and she could not bring herself to speak. Guilt still plagued her mind when the topic of her departure came up in conversations. She preferred to forget about it, to move on and live as she wanted.
His daughters face had fallen slightly at his words and Lord Círdan could see how much pain those memories caused her. He was not used to a life without the constant companionship of his kin. The loneliness of living without his daughter had plagued him.
He did not want to tell Eleanor but soon he would be planning his departure to Valinor and she would be the last of Gil-galad's heirs. Wishing not to cause her any more hurt he poured a drink of fine wine and passed it to her. Eleanor accepted it
graciously and took a delicate sip before replying,
"I regret what I did to you Ada.' She confessed when an awkward silence had fallen. Eleanor recalled the same tactic that her father had used when she was an elfling, he would sit silently until she was unable to bare the lack of noise, she would confess
to him what she had done and he would accept an apology. She didn't want this conversation to end the same way. "But I do not and shall not regret leaving."
"I understand." He answered albeit a little quietly, ''Perhaps I should not have caged you here like a wild animal. It seems you have grown wise in your travels, wiser than I thought you could ever be."
She didn't know whether to thank him or be insulted by his words.
"I will not ask how your travels have been because I know you would not tell me." Círdan added, voicing his opinions clearly.
There it was again, the guilt. Eleanor averted her gaze from Lord Cirdan's mirroring eyes. His gaze was strong and unwavering, like he held all the secrets of the universe and was using them against her. She would have loved to contradict him but she
could not bring herself to lie or start another argument. It didn't matter in the end though because before she had time to refuse he carried on,
"Eleanor, I have not asked you here for nothing. Lord Elrond has summoned a counsel and I wish you to attend.'' Lord Círdan chose his words carefully, moving to the back of the room where there was a prudently carved chest of drawers. Her head snapped
in his direction as he moved. Had she heard him correctly? Was he trusting her to become representative of their people? She halted,fiddling with the fine silk of her dress as she waited from him to continue,
"I thought little of you when you were young and I often disapproved of your actions but, It seems that now you have grown into your responsibilities. There is no doubt that you have grown since you were last here and I understand that you will be able
to make the right decisions without my help." Círdan grumbled
''I do not understand." She replied, ignoring some of the backhanded compliments he had sent her way. "What does Lord Elrond need to consult us about? What trouble is so great that he needs counsel from the Lindon elves?" Eleanor added standing with authority,
to walk to his untidy desk.
"I cannot tell you for I do not know myself." He clarified, shuffling around with some papers in his hands "I received a message a week ago that Lord Elrond has summoned a representative from Lindon to attend a counsel, I know nothing else except that
it is of great importance and Elrond would have the representative leave promptly. I would send Galdor but I fear that Lord Elrond's counsel requires someone of standing. He may also need your skills and as my daughter I have no choice but to trust
you unconditionally."
Eleanor gulped as if a sudden weight of responsibility had been laid upon her shoulders,
''When is this meeting? Does it say in the letter?" She questioned.
In truth she had no desire to help her father. History ran deep and not smoothly between them. Eleanor had once forgiven him for his reluctance when she was young but, he had only abandoned her again, like an animal, who he had found no use for.
"It will be held on 25 October 3018 in Ilmadris."
"That's two months, a little time to travel a great distance." Eleanor mumbled to herself. Frowning when she remembered the growing threats whilst travelling alone. She had noticed how the peril in the South grew stronger and wondered if it would be best
to set off straight away.
"If you set off from Mithlond at sunrise you may reach Elrond's house by the 20th at the latest." Cirdan informed, grimly noticing the overcast look on his daughters face. Smoothly he formed a letter from his drawers and passed it to his daughter to read
thoroughly.
She accepted it and then turned away from him and moved graciously towards the door which she had entered his study from. Eleanor's perch in the entryway allowed the moonlight to shine through the large doors. It was bright and strong and she could read
the parchment clearly.
"This letter barely gives any details Ada.'' Eleanor commented as her eyes scanned over Elrond's brief words. A large gust of sea breeze floated in with the tide and her fathers thin curtains blew around her ankles.
"That is why I'm trusting only you with this." Círdan explained sternly, sighing at her with something that resembled annoyance, ''I have known the half-elven all his life and have not known him to be so secretive.''
Eleanor nodded, taking another sip from the goblet of wine her father had given her. It ran smoothly down her throat but seemed to lay a heavy stone in her stomach. She knew Elrond well and the letter seemed rushed as if the business he wanted to discuss
was important and completely confidential.
''I will leave in the morning and write to you when I get there." Eleanor agreed, her guilt easily forgotten with her fathers confounding and misplaced trust in her. On her part, nothing was forgiven between them, many wounds still were not healed. She
doubted wholeheartedly that they ever would be fixed. Easy companionship had never been a possibilitybetween them.
"One more thing, child." Lord Círdan stopped her from rushing away in a fluster. "While you are at Rivendell meet with Elrond he knows now of what I speak and will inform you more there. I am an old elf, far too old to be meddling in the lives of men
and I fear that the time of our race is ending. Soon there will be a scarce amount of elves West of here and I will travel to Valinor and meet my forebears. Once I have sailed, you will be the Lady of the Grey Havens, Forlond, Harlond and Mithlond.
You are my solitary heir and if no ill comes to you on your travels you will become one of the most powerful elves in Middle Earth."
"What are you trying to say my lord?" She inquired, raising a dark eyebrow at her father. She had known that she would one day be faced with the task of ruling the Grey Havens but she was sure she was not ready for the responsibility yet.
"Be careful." He answered simply, "speak with Lord Elrond and do not go out of your way to cause trouble."
She bowed her head but made no comment, too shocked by his sentimentality. Her fingers reached up to drag through her hair before she quickly lowered them under her fathers disapproving glare.
"I also have something else that I wish to speak with you about." He said as he reached into his pocket and placed something folded neatly in brown leather packaging on the table. "To repeat what I said, I am an old elf, I have done many things in the
past which I regret." His baring seemed to sag and his tone was forlorn. "but, I am also a ring bearer and If I am right, A great war is stirring."
Eleanor shuddered, It was rare for her father to show any sign of weakness and she almost felt uncomfortable seeing the warning and helpless look in his eyes.
"I will sail. You will rule in my place." He said more firmly, pushing the package along his desk towards where she stood. "Take this to Gandalf and tell no-one but him what you carry. A ring of power controls the life of every soul who bears it. I am
saddened to think that I ruined my chances of happiness by being greedy when I accepted Narya. It is only now, as the world is changing that I can leave my ring behind and move on with my life. I believe you will be able to complete what I ask. Take
Narya to Gandalf and bestow it upon him. He is a maiar, from the peace of the undying lands and one of the few in Middle Earth that will still be able to harness it's power for good."
Eleanor nodded, reaching out to lift the package from the table. It was heavy in her hand as if it was a rock instead of a ring. Grasping it tightly in her fist, she'd daren't unwrap it from it's bounds, afraid of its power and influence.
"I will take it to Mithrandir and place it in his hands directly." She promised.
Something that resembled pride washed a cross Cirdan's face for a moment before it was replaced again by severity.
"Go now and gather supplies for your journey." the elvish lord demanded firmly, "Then rest and have a good nights sleep before you depart. Galdor will give you all you need to set you on your path. "
"Thank you." Eleanor nodded, watching completely attentive as her father passed her to leave the room.
"I trust you can find your rooms, they have been untouched since you left." He mumbled before turning around to look at her.
''May the Valor bless your travels once more daughter." He wished in elvish. ''May your ways always be green and golden till next we meet."
Eleanor swiftly bowed her head at her father, her hand resting gently on her heart as she looked over him. ''Fair winds,'' she replied, sending a simple smile his way. Lord Círdan noticed that it didn't reach her eyes and he mirrored her look
with one of pity. He wondered what had gone wrong between them, he questioned silently if it was his fault they had become so insensitive and impersonal?
''May the Valor bless both our travels." She added softly as the lord of the Grey Havens closed the door behind him, turning his back on the sea and his daughter who stood alone in silence. For once, she thought, her wonderings were loud enough
for the whole of Middle Earth to hear.
A/N~ This is my first attempt at a fan fiction by myself and I would love to hear any thoughts you have about my writing or the story. It is a Legolas/OC, this was a prologue so I promise some of our favourite characters will appear in the next few chapters. Updates will be slow because I like to really check through and edit my writing as much as possible so..yeah sorry :D Thanks for reading! Please review I'd love to hear from you all! x Jess
A/N ~ Obviously I don't own any of Tolkien's work, although that would be amazing! However, I do own my o/c's. x