This is the long awaited sequel to I Shall Not Follow, and Broken Soul, Hardened Heart. You don't have to read either to understand this, though I would be happy if you did! :D ;) This first starts out as a 3rd person, then switches into Glorfindel's POV. Obviously I still don't own LOTR, but I'll let you know if I ever do! ;)
Footsteps
The last ship docked, and those aboard exited it. Along the shore, Elves gathered to greet the last of their kin. Among these were four who waited anxiously and in vain for the one that was suppose to be coming.
"He is here, Ada, he must be. He swore he would come," Elladan said, his bright gray eyes trailing from his Father to the ship.
Elrond stood silent, watching, waiting. But he knew, and inside his heart trembled with pain. He desperately tried to hold on to hope, but as the last Elf exited the large white ship, it died.
"Nay, something has happened, he is not here," Elrond said softly, turning stormy gray eyes away from the ship to his family.
A family missing two members, one irretrievable, for she had passed from the circles of the world. The other? Lost, and none among them knew where he could be.
Elrohir slipped from his family and went to where his Grandparents stood, embracing. He smiled softly at the reunion, for Celeborn had been on the last ship, and Galadriel had missed him dearly.
"Grandada?" he called softly.
Celeborn turned, and smiled at his grandson before embracing him as well.
"What?" he asked gently as he pulled away.
"Where is Glorfindel?" Elrohir asked softly.
Celeborn's joy slipped from his face, and a troubled expression entered.
"I looked for him, Elrohir, but there was no news of him," Celeborn said.
Elrohir bowed his head, and nodded as he slipped back to his family.
"There was no word of him," Elrond said as Elrohir started to speak up.
"No, Ada, there was not," Elrohir sighed.
"As I feared," Elrond said softly, his eyes trailing back over to the sea, to the land that was hidden from his view.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grief, horrid, life stealing grief. I have returned to Rivendell, ruined Rivendell, after all these years. There is only broken ruins in place of the great house where I once dwelled. I do not know what has brought me here, all I know is grief, and all I am is grief. It is devouring me even as I stumble. My world is gone, all that I had ever truly loved is gone, and Men have forgotten the roots of their world. For it is their world now, the age of Elves has long since passed. My people have fled this world, the hobbits and dwarfs are long dead or hidden away, and I am alone, the last.
Oh, sorrow, still my heart, let neither blood nor breath flow in me. Let me grow silent and cold, so that I may fade back into Mandos's halls, where I may pass my days remembering good and ill deeds. For death would be better then living. I am alone, and this loneliness threatens to crush me. Let the song be silenced in me, for I have lived for too long! I have died by falling in combat against the Balrog, in which I took the demon with me. Why could I not have remained dead, for Mandos was better then this existence!
I do not know where I wonder, though these halls are familiar. But soon I sit, and the gray gloom is lifted from my eyes briefly. I am in my rightful place at the right hand of Elrond's abandon throne in the Hall of Fire. Now silent, though I can feel the echo of songs and tales in this ruined chamber.
Oh, Elrond, my despair is upon me like a predator is upon a prey. I am dying, nay, I am already dead.
What is left? Nothing. Nothing remains but broken ruins and one lone Elf who should have passed on long ago.
I have let sorrow consume me. I should not have, I know. But as it is, I had not missed that last ship because I did not wish to leave. Nay, I have been searching for my son, who I now believe is dead. I should not have stayed to look for him, or better yet, I should never have let him go in the first place. But that cannot be helped, and no matter what I might have done, he is dead, and I shall soon follow him.
I can already feel my body growing colder as the grief fills me, extinguishing my life like a candle in a storm.
'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 grief you bear, and so we shall be reunited,' I hear Elrond's words echo in my memory.
"But the Havens are gone, and the last ship has sailed," I answer, as if he was still here to listen to me.
'You must do what your heart tells you, for it has never led you wrong, has it?' my memory echoes.
"My heart tells me to end it," I whisper, but know it is not true.
My heart tells me to fight, to find a way to get to Aman. To be united with my adopted family. To be healed of the burdens I have carried for too long. But how can I do it? I have neither the strength nor the will to go on. But I must. Not only for myself, but also for Elrond, for the brother I left in Mandos's Halls, for my adopted family, and for my son.
The thought of those who wait for me ignites the fire to survive within me, a fire I had thought long dead. I must get up; I must make my way to the sea. Doubts linger on whether I have the strength, and there is no way to banish them. Slowly, I rise to my feet, and nearly fall upon my face. I haven't eaten or slept in several weeks, and it tells upon what strength I have left. But if I allow myself to rest now, I probably would not awaken. Though I have chosen life, my body is still too close to death's touch. I will just have to continue on, and find substance when I can, but rest is too dangerous for me now.
I make my way to the shattered doorframe from where I had entered. As I pass under it, I turn back, and again feel the echo of what has passed. My heart trembles within me at the loneliness I feel, and I turn, leaving behind the past, never looking back.
Footsteps
The last ship docked, and those aboard exited it. Along the shore, Elves gathered to greet the last of their kin. Among these were four who waited anxiously and in vain for the one that was suppose to be coming.
"He is here, Ada, he must be. He swore he would come," Elladan said, his bright gray eyes trailing from his Father to the ship.
Elrond stood silent, watching, waiting. But he knew, and inside his heart trembled with pain. He desperately tried to hold on to hope, but as the last Elf exited the large white ship, it died.
"Nay, something has happened, he is not here," Elrond said softly, turning stormy gray eyes away from the ship to his family.
A family missing two members, one irretrievable, for she had passed from the circles of the world. The other? Lost, and none among them knew where he could be.
Elrohir slipped from his family and went to where his Grandparents stood, embracing. He smiled softly at the reunion, for Celeborn had been on the last ship, and Galadriel had missed him dearly.
"Grandada?" he called softly.
Celeborn turned, and smiled at his grandson before embracing him as well.
"What?" he asked gently as he pulled away.
"Where is Glorfindel?" Elrohir asked softly.
Celeborn's joy slipped from his face, and a troubled expression entered.
"I looked for him, Elrohir, but there was no news of him," Celeborn said.
Elrohir bowed his head, and nodded as he slipped back to his family.
"There was no word of him," Elrond said as Elrohir started to speak up.
"No, Ada, there was not," Elrohir sighed.
"As I feared," Elrond said softly, his eyes trailing back over to the sea, to the land that was hidden from his view.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grief, horrid, life stealing grief. I have returned to Rivendell, ruined Rivendell, after all these years. There is only broken ruins in place of the great house where I once dwelled. I do not know what has brought me here, all I know is grief, and all I am is grief. It is devouring me even as I stumble. My world is gone, all that I had ever truly loved is gone, and Men have forgotten the roots of their world. For it is their world now, the age of Elves has long since passed. My people have fled this world, the hobbits and dwarfs are long dead or hidden away, and I am alone, the last.
Oh, sorrow, still my heart, let neither blood nor breath flow in me. Let me grow silent and cold, so that I may fade back into Mandos's halls, where I may pass my days remembering good and ill deeds. For death would be better then living. I am alone, and this loneliness threatens to crush me. Let the song be silenced in me, for I have lived for too long! I have died by falling in combat against the Balrog, in which I took the demon with me. Why could I not have remained dead, for Mandos was better then this existence!
I do not know where I wonder, though these halls are familiar. But soon I sit, and the gray gloom is lifted from my eyes briefly. I am in my rightful place at the right hand of Elrond's abandon throne in the Hall of Fire. Now silent, though I can feel the echo of songs and tales in this ruined chamber.
Oh, Elrond, my despair is upon me like a predator is upon a prey. I am dying, nay, I am already dead.
What is left? Nothing. Nothing remains but broken ruins and one lone Elf who should have passed on long ago.
I have let sorrow consume me. I should not have, I know. But as it is, I had not missed that last ship because I did not wish to leave. Nay, I have been searching for my son, who I now believe is dead. I should not have stayed to look for him, or better yet, I should never have let him go in the first place. But that cannot be helped, and no matter what I might have done, he is dead, and I shall soon follow him.
I can already feel my body growing colder as the grief fills me, extinguishing my life like a candle in a storm.
'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 grief you bear, and so we shall be reunited,' I hear Elrond's words echo in my memory.
"But the Havens are gone, and the last ship has sailed," I answer, as if he was still here to listen to me.
'You must do what your heart tells you, for it has never led you wrong, has it?' my memory echoes.
"My heart tells me to end it," I whisper, but know it is not true.
My heart tells me to fight, to find a way to get to Aman. To be united with my adopted family. To be healed of the burdens I have carried for too long. But how can I do it? I have neither the strength nor the will to go on. But I must. Not only for myself, but also for Elrond, for the brother I left in Mandos's Halls, for my adopted family, and for my son.
The thought of those who wait for me ignites the fire to survive within me, a fire I had thought long dead. I must get up; I must make my way to the sea. Doubts linger on whether I have the strength, and there is no way to banish them. Slowly, I rise to my feet, and nearly fall upon my face. I haven't eaten or slept in several weeks, and it tells upon what strength I have left. But if I allow myself to rest now, I probably would not awaken. Though I have chosen life, my body is still too close to death's touch. I will just have to continue on, and find substance when I can, but rest is too dangerous for me now.
I make my way to the shattered doorframe from where I had entered. As I pass under it, I turn back, and again feel the echo of what has passed. My heart trembles within me at the loneliness I feel, and I turn, leaving behind the past, never looking back.