I felt the call of the sea a few hundred years ago. At first, it was manageable. My mother and father would send me out to practice archery with my brother; once I was efficient enough in archery, we moved onto short knives, to swords, to then kitting, and finally painting. The past few years have been a struggle. I do not know what caused me to feel the call at such an early age. Most elves feel it when their significant other has either faded, moved onto the undying lands themselves, or just simply to follow their loved ones. Which one is it for me? Well that is a good question! I have not bonded my soul to another yet, I have not found the one being that makes my soul sing and my heart rejoice. My mother, father and brother still dwell in Mirkwood. So why feel the call, I ask myself. The only reason I have come up with, is that my heart wishes to find happiness in the Undying Lands, where most of the Middle-Earth Elven population has migrated to. It was a very difficult decision to make, I must confess. I love Mirkwood and all it's hidden splendor, and every inch of Middle-Earth fascinates me, but somehow, my heart tells me there is something waiting for me in the Undying Lands, something that would fill this void growing deeper and deeper inside of me with each passing day.
I am a young Elf. I will be turning one thousand six hundred years, this fall. I was born after the great War of the Ring, and a few years before the last remaining member of The Fellowship left to the Undying Lands. I had not the pleasure to meet any of them, (although I would love to!) I have heard, however, thousands of stories on each member of The Fellowship, and must confess I am quite intrigued. Back to the issue at hand…
The decision to leave Middle-Earth, to leave Mirkwood, to leave my family and everything I have known for over a thousand years behind, like I mentioned before, was not an easy one. I decided to leave to the Undying Lands mostly because I was afraid I would start fading away if I did not give my heart and soul what it wanted…whatever it was, and that is why I find myself today, in a beautifully built ship looking out at the horizon and towards the silhouette of what would be my new home.
"Nervous?" A voice called out from behind me.
"If I nod my head and tell you nay, I shall be considered a liar." I responded turning around with a small smile on my face. "I have left my family behind, everyone and everything I have known." I rested against the railing of the ship.
"You have me." Durion responded closing the gap between us and taking me into his arms. I would always find comfort in Durion. For instance, the first time an arrow ricocheted from the target, flew back towards me, and embedded itself on my right shoulder, Durion was by my side day and night making sure the herbs the healers had brought for me were doing their job correctly. Or the day I had found out Humans were not immortal like Elves, and would someday reach the end of their lifespan, I cried for over a week, and refused to eat, drink, sleep, or do anything else. Durion had stayed by my side most of the week and was able to put some sense back into me by means of old stories the high Elves from Lothlorien and Rivendell had left behind. (Hence my love for The Fellowship.) Needless to say, Durion was a great friend to me.
"And I am very blessed to be able to have you." I smiled up to him before resting my head on his shoulders.
"No, Hiril vell; I am." beloved lady Durion kissed the top of my head before placing his cheek against it.
To anyone, Durion and I were the perfect match, the perfect couple. Inseparable since the day my older brother, Alagon introduced us, six hundred years ago. My Mother thought he would be the one, the Elf that would make my heart sing, my soul rejoice, and the Elf that was going to grant her grandchildren. My Mother could not be more wrong. We did try, I must admit, various times; and to my incredulity, we still try, to get that spark going. He just does not make me feel whole, does not make me feel right. Now, do not get me wrong! Durion is an astonishing lover, and is very skilled in the art of making love. Always making sure I am satisfied before he lets himself go, but no matter how hard I try, I can not find the connection.
It all started very simple actually, this strange relationship Durion and I have. After spending a few months around Durion day and night, I became smitten with him, and why not? Durion is the most beautiful Elven lord I have ever set eyes on. He has perfect flawless smooth skin, breathtaking green eyes, the color of an emerald, that helplessly pull you into them, making you lose your way, and dark hair that makes an amazing contrast against his pale skin. To add to that, Durion was the sweetest most tender Elf I have ever come across. Durion started stealing kisses from me one day after archery practice, when he had calculated the exact distance and stance he had to take behind me so I would run into him, his mouth more accurately, after turning around from the new stance he had been teaching me that day. That lead to me "mistakenly" overthrowing arrows as far from the target as I could during archery practice with Alagon, just so I could go fetch them behind the tree were Durion stayed hidden, and kiss each other once or twice sometimes trice before Alagon called after me. Which then lead to Durion and I "accidently" running into each other in the hallways of the Mirkwood castle, and steal some more kisses before making it a bit late into the dinning halls for dinner, each of us with a goofy smile glued on our face, and flustered cheeks. To then, setting up secret meetings, in the middle of the night, in one of the few gardens Mirkwood had to offer; to once again kiss each other, only this time, we would let our hands roam all over each others body. Those secret meetings, finally lead to Durion taking my hands in his one day, and leading me trough the Mirkwood forest, up a tree and into a talan he had build himself; were he slowly undressed me, showered my naked body with kisses and told me how beautiful I was before making love to me for the first time.
The experience had been wonderful! Durion awaken new sensations in me I had never realized I was capable of feeling. We did it quite often, escaped from the castle to make love. That bliss and happiness lasted for a few hundred years. I truly believed Durion to be the one. I was about ready to make an attempt at bonding myself with Durion before the call stepped in. It was all to be very romantic. We both had it all planned out. We would both travel to the coast one night, and make love in front of sea, bonding our souls together as the sunset grazed the sky. It never happened, the bonding I mean. We did travel to the sea one night, we escaped the castle, mounted our horses and galloped towards the coast. We reached the sea, such an astonishing vision it was! It smelled fresh and crisp, and the cries of the gulls gladden my heart. Everything was set up, we were just waiting for the right time, for what felt right. As soon as the sun started setting, Durion started undressing and kissing me at the same time. The love making was exceptionally good that day, everything was going fine, according to plan, until Durion declared his love for me before his climax. Nothing happened. I waited a few seconds, closed my eyes and tried concentrating in merging part of Durion's soul within mine, for that golden light to flash behind my eyes, that warmth to reach my veins and flow through me, but it never came; instead, I felt as if part of my soul was missing, and as if my heart had been shattered into two. Suddenly, the warmth I expected to feel flowing trough my veins, was replaced by coldness and a very urging feeling to dive into the sea and swim towards the Undying Lands.
We really did not talk about what happened that day in the coast. We returned to Mirkwood that same night, and separated from each other for a few months. Reuniting again during the Fall Solstice, and falling back into the same kiss stealing-talan love making routine we had before. With the exception, that my happiness only lasted a few days. Once finished, the cold, dark, empty feeling would return to me, and the yearning of the sea would be greater.
Durion learned of my call a few months ago. He went up to his family the day I was leaving, planted a kiss on his mother's cheek, hugged his two sisters tightly, and bowed to his father before turning to me and guiding me into the ship. I pleaded with him to stay, that his time in Middle-Earth was not over yet, but he declared that without me, Middle-Earth would be nothing but a plain canvas.
"We are getting closer." Durion observed as he pointed towards the island of Tol Eressëa. I turned around to face the railing, and what my eyes met with had taken my breath away, the heaviness in my heart started lifting but a little. I observed within miles away from the shore, little tiny lights reflecting from the sandy shore, and a band of Elves beginning to make their way towards the harbor.
"That is home." I said to no one in particular, just then Durion stepped behind me and encircled his arms around my waist while nuzzling my neck.
"That is our home hiril vell. beloved lady Maybe now that the call has left your heart, it will give room for my soul." Durion whispered against my neck as he laid kisses between words.
"Perhaps." I said turning around and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "We shall try." I turned around once more to face Eressëa, Undying Lands with every breath I took, my soul gladden a bit more.
The Undying Lands are quite a magical place. As soon as Durion, me and the rest of the Elves that were traveling with us stepped through the arch of rock, the group of Elves that had been gathering around the harbor, broke out in song, a beautiful song welcoming all of us to their home, to our new home. I took a few minutes to inspect my surroundings. The beaches were sprinkled with gems given by the Noldor, in the back of the singing elves, I could see large manors made out of pearl. Although there was no sight of trees, I could smell their scent mixing in with that of the ocean breeze.
"Tis beautiful!" Durion exclaimed as he pressed my hand against his lips, kissing my flesh lightly, he then intertwined his fingers within mines.
A beautiful Elven woman walked towards us and stopped within a few feet from us. "Welcome to Alqualondë brothers and sisters!" The lady raised her left hand and pointed back towards the city. "Follow us." She was breathtakingly beautiful! Her shimmering golden hair trapped the sun's rays giving off a silver effect to certain strands, as she turned around once again and this time looked straight into my eyes. I felt as if her blue eyes were piercing my soul.
Follow me pinig, little one for we have much to discuss. The lady's elegant voice trembled through my head. I stood still for a second and looked up to Durion, who was looking down at me with a smirk on his lips. I directed my gaze back to the lady who in return smiled and waved for me to follow her.
"Let's go hîr vuin, beloved lord the lady wants us to follow." Without looking up at Durion, I tighten my grip on his hand and followed the lady towards the shinny city.
The halls and manors of Alqualondë were made out of pearl, opals, diamonds and pale crystals. To say it was beautiful, was an understatement. The lady led us into a room which walls were entirely made of out pearls and had arches made out of tiny diamonds as windows. Beyond the window, was the sparkly city and its dwellers. Halls extended from one end to another, in the same pearl fashion with gems scattered to make beautiful designs on the walls. The doors to every room were made out of what seemed like silver, with a certain gem as a door handle. The halls reached out in a rectangular way to cuddle a fountain made out of emeralds and rubies, surrounded by different types of flowers and benches.
"Welcome Lady Saerwen and Lord Durion." The elven woman turned to sit in a chair that match her golden silver hair, as she motioned for us to do the same. Durion, held out a chair for me and I sat as he took his place next to mine and held my hand.
"You act as lovers do, but yet you are not bond." The stunning elf spoke, her blue eyes lighting up. She turned to look at me once more and a beautiful smile graced her lips. "You can not be." She spoke in but a whisper. "I see why now." She turned her gaze from me to Durion, and gave him what seemed to me a sad smile. Durion tensed his grip on my hand.
"Enough riddles." The lady spoke to herself this time. "I am Galadriel." She said with a smile on her lips. "I used to be the Lady of Lorien, but since my passing to Eressëa; Olwë, my grandfather has let me rule his kingdom."
My heart sang as the elven beauty spoke. Galadriel! The Great Galadriel! She was the most powerful Elf of the third age, and Lady of Lothlórien who aided The Fellowship with her powers. I could not help but stare at her.
"An-uir thiad gîn 'ell, hiril vell. your sight is a joy beloved lady I have but daydreamed of meeting you!" I let go of Durion's hand and placed both of my hands on my lap, trying my best to keep my excitement at bay. "It is a pleasure to meet you." I said bowing my head.
"The pleasure is all mine little one." Galadriel smiled at me as she raised from her seat. Durion and I both started to follow her action, but she stopped us midway.
"Nay." Galadriel said walking towards the window and taking in a deep breath. "I have been seated all day. You just arrived from a long journey. Rest." She turned around and looked at me once more.
"Has your soul lighten?" She asked me, never taking her gaze off from me. My hands started to sweat, as I answered.
"Nay, my queen. My heart feels a lot lighter than it did in Mirkwood, but my soul…" I stopped a few seconds to look within me. "My soul still feels yearning." Galadriel smiled once again.
"I suppose so." She walked over to me and took my hands in hers. "I shall send you both to Avathar. The King and Prince of the woodland realm dwell there. They would be eager to know how their realm has been without them." Galadriel then turned her gaze towards me. "And you my child, shall find what you are looking for." She sat down on the chair once again, as the door opened and an elf walked into the room. "Thirenil will show you both to your rooms. Rest well tonight, tomorrow you have yet another journey ahead of you." Galadriel bowed her to both Durion and I as Thirenil stepped into view.
"Please follow me." Said the blonde Elf as he walked us out of the room and into the halls of Alqualondë.