Glorfindel, Rivendell, and Elrond do not belong to me. They belong to Tolkien, but you should know that. ;) This is not slash. I hope you enjoy it!
I Shall Not Follow
I smile sadly out at the place I have called home for several years. Rivendell, a majestic place, full of beauty and hope. But soon all of it would be gone, for even now it is fading away. When the one ring was destroyed, the powers of the three were rendered powerless. The age of elves has ended, and thus many are moving on to the Undying Lands, and my Lord and friend is going to be among them. But the choice stands before me now. Leave for the Undying Lands, or stay here? All ready I can hear the call of the sea, and it's pulling at my mind. But the land holds my heart and I do not wish to leave it. What should I do? I have not the mind to stay nor the heart to leave. The dilemma is upon me and there is no cure for it.
Elrond will come and ask me soon what I will do. He will not wait forever to see if I follow him across the sea or not. I used to want to be there for him, but now, I do not feel it is my place. My friend and comrade. The one that cared for me when I was younger, and the one to discover who I once was even before I did. I swore I would not abandon his side, but now I fear I may break that promise. Oh, Elrond, would you forgive me? Your heart sorrows that your daughter shall not come with us, and that your sons will remain here a time, and now I only add to your burden. How could I, the one that you had once called your truest friend, abandon your side?
But it is not my place, I can't explain it, but I cannot journey across the sea now. Maybe, maybe later, maybe never, I don't truly know. I haven't been this unsure since I left the halls of waiting. I was sent here to aid you then, Elrond, but now, I feel that I am done with that, and must move on.
I look out into the moon lit night and know what I must do. I cannot face Elrond with this, so it is best if we part before he leaves, before he comes asking me to go with him.
I turn away from the light and head for my desk. My hand closes around the quill, and then the quill touches the paper. I recognize my handwriting, but those do not seem to be my words. They seem so cold and indifferent. But I must do what I must do.
I suddenly hear the door opening. I turn around to find myself faced with Elrond.
" I felt that you were troubled and had wish to speak to me," he says, and then his eyes trail down to the paper on my desk.
*Curse the horrid bond that had been placed between us! It may have been helpful between us once, but not now!* I curse in my mind.
"You were planning to leave without informing anyone?" Elrond asks.
"Yes," I say.
"Why?" he asks calmly.
"Because uncertain are my paths. I only know that my place is not in the Undying Lands, but among my world. I don't know if I shall ever follow you there, and I regret to leave you, but my heart leads me down another path and I must follow," I sigh.
Elrond stands silent for several minutes, and I grow to fear what he might say.
"I had felt it would be this way. But I did not think it would happen so soon. You have been by my side for many lifetimes, old friend, and I do not wish to part from you. But you must do what you must," he says.
I nod, unsure of what to say.
"But are you sure you will not come?" Elrond finally asks.
"I am sure. Be it that my heart grieves with parting, old friend. I feel I have no choice," I say.
"You always have a choice, Glorfindel. But you must do what your heart tells you, for it has never led you wrong, has it," Elrond says.
"No, it has not," I say.
"Then you know what you must do. Must you leave this night as you planned?" he asks.
"No, I just feared what you would say when I told you my decision," I say; now knowing that it was a foolish though.
Elrond lay a gentle hand upon my shoulder, "Never be afraid of me, dear friend. I would not rebuke you for the path you chose. I only hope you are happy upon it," he says softly.
"I know that now, and I know it was a foolish thought. I did not wish to add to your burden. I know I shall never be happy upon the road I am choosing. For I shall watch my world fade and another take its place, and I shall grieve. But I cannot leave it," I say.
"Do not worry about my burden. But promise me one thing, promise me when you are weary of this world that you shall not just lie down and die in grief. Sail to the Undying Lands, and be finally healed of the griefs you bear, and so we shall be reunited," he says.
"I shall, for dying is not a pleasant thing," I say, and a small smile comes to my lips.
"Only you know that," he chuckles slightly.
Then silence came over us, and for a few moments, we could say nothing. Finally I sigh again and look away.
"I shall miss you," I say.
"And so shall I. But we should not say goodbye yet, for we have a few days yet. Let us make the best of them," he says.
"Thank you," I say, looking back up at him.
"Always," he says quietly and takes his hand from my shoulder.
He then leaves as soundlessly as he came, and I am left alone with my thoughts.
I Shall Not Follow
I smile sadly out at the place I have called home for several years. Rivendell, a majestic place, full of beauty and hope. But soon all of it would be gone, for even now it is fading away. When the one ring was destroyed, the powers of the three were rendered powerless. The age of elves has ended, and thus many are moving on to the Undying Lands, and my Lord and friend is going to be among them. But the choice stands before me now. Leave for the Undying Lands, or stay here? All ready I can hear the call of the sea, and it's pulling at my mind. But the land holds my heart and I do not wish to leave it. What should I do? I have not the mind to stay nor the heart to leave. The dilemma is upon me and there is no cure for it.
Elrond will come and ask me soon what I will do. He will not wait forever to see if I follow him across the sea or not. I used to want to be there for him, but now, I do not feel it is my place. My friend and comrade. The one that cared for me when I was younger, and the one to discover who I once was even before I did. I swore I would not abandon his side, but now I fear I may break that promise. Oh, Elrond, would you forgive me? Your heart sorrows that your daughter shall not come with us, and that your sons will remain here a time, and now I only add to your burden. How could I, the one that you had once called your truest friend, abandon your side?
But it is not my place, I can't explain it, but I cannot journey across the sea now. Maybe, maybe later, maybe never, I don't truly know. I haven't been this unsure since I left the halls of waiting. I was sent here to aid you then, Elrond, but now, I feel that I am done with that, and must move on.
I look out into the moon lit night and know what I must do. I cannot face Elrond with this, so it is best if we part before he leaves, before he comes asking me to go with him.
I turn away from the light and head for my desk. My hand closes around the quill, and then the quill touches the paper. I recognize my handwriting, but those do not seem to be my words. They seem so cold and indifferent. But I must do what I must do.
I suddenly hear the door opening. I turn around to find myself faced with Elrond.
" I felt that you were troubled and had wish to speak to me," he says, and then his eyes trail down to the paper on my desk.
*Curse the horrid bond that had been placed between us! It may have been helpful between us once, but not now!* I curse in my mind.
"You were planning to leave without informing anyone?" Elrond asks.
"Yes," I say.
"Why?" he asks calmly.
"Because uncertain are my paths. I only know that my place is not in the Undying Lands, but among my world. I don't know if I shall ever follow you there, and I regret to leave you, but my heart leads me down another path and I must follow," I sigh.
Elrond stands silent for several minutes, and I grow to fear what he might say.
"I had felt it would be this way. But I did not think it would happen so soon. You have been by my side for many lifetimes, old friend, and I do not wish to part from you. But you must do what you must," he says.
I nod, unsure of what to say.
"But are you sure you will not come?" Elrond finally asks.
"I am sure. Be it that my heart grieves with parting, old friend. I feel I have no choice," I say.
"You always have a choice, Glorfindel. But you must do what your heart tells you, for it has never led you wrong, has it," Elrond says.
"No, it has not," I say.
"Then you know what you must do. Must you leave this night as you planned?" he asks.
"No, I just feared what you would say when I told you my decision," I say; now knowing that it was a foolish though.
Elrond lay a gentle hand upon my shoulder, "Never be afraid of me, dear friend. I would not rebuke you for the path you chose. I only hope you are happy upon it," he says softly.
"I know that now, and I know it was a foolish thought. I did not wish to add to your burden. I know I shall never be happy upon the road I am choosing. For I shall watch my world fade and another take its place, and I shall grieve. But I cannot leave it," I say.
"Do not worry about my burden. But promise me one thing, promise me when you are weary of this world that you shall not just lie down and die in grief. Sail to the Undying Lands, and be finally healed of the griefs you bear, and so we shall be reunited," he says.
"I shall, for dying is not a pleasant thing," I say, and a small smile comes to my lips.
"Only you know that," he chuckles slightly.
Then silence came over us, and for a few moments, we could say nothing. Finally I sigh again and look away.
"I shall miss you," I say.
"And so shall I. But we should not say goodbye yet, for we have a few days yet. Let us make the best of them," he says.
"Thank you," I say, looking back up at him.
"Always," he says quietly and takes his hand from my shoulder.
He then leaves as soundlessly as he came, and I am left alone with my thoughts.