A/N: This is part of my series, Tales of the Elves. It follows directly after the end of Peredhel. Check my author page for chronology.
Story Image Credit: (c) Jenny Dolfen, goldseven dot de
Valinor 4th Age
There are many faces on the shoreline, too many familiar faces. They do not search the crowd for me... not yet. They will. Very soon they will come for me. They will drag me away in chains and parade me through the streets for all to see. Deep breaths, I must take deep breaths. There is nothing to fear. I have already seen the Darkness. I know what lies in the Void. I chose this path, this journey. I will accept the consequences.
It was easier to be unafraid when I stood on the shores of Middle Earth. No, I was not afraid when I came north to Mithlond by the winding sands, when I made the decision to sail. I was not afraid - until I boarded the ship, until I saw their faces. The old ones knew my name, the young will know it by now. They will tell the others who waited for them on the shore, who hold and kiss them now. Those will tell more and so on until all of Aman knows the tale. Maglor Fëanorian – like a foul beast of Morgoth - has crept out from the shadows once more. The last of the kinslayers has returned!
It will happen any time now. Any moment now. They will come.
I watch from the shadows. I wait and watch from the shadows. I follow the faces in the crowd. I see glimpses of the little hobbits, looking lost and out of place amid the glorious beings of Valinor. I see Artanis embrace a silver-haired elleth who looks so much like her and Celeborn. I see the ellon with the cold, deadly eyes being lead away by the kind elleth who offered me lembas. I see Elwing, alive and well, embracing Elrond as if she fears he is not real. I see three ellyn at her side, all of them echoes of Elrond. The two alike in face and form I dare not name, even in my inner thoughts.
I watch as the crowd breaks up. I watch as groups of chattering elves take the cobbled road to Alqualondë. I watch as the elves I feared disappear over the hill without so much as a glance to the shadows that hide me from sight. I watch. I wait.
I am alone now. Alone again. I did not plan for this.
I take a step out of the shadow. I take two more and debark. It has been so long, so very long since my feet touched this shore. I step onto the sand and in the second before my foot touches the ground I wonder if I might burst into flames. No fire burns. No pain envelops. I am whole and alive and standing on the soil of Aman. I want to fall to the ground and weep. I do not. I breathe the air. I listen to the birds. I look to the sky to find the sun. I take a different path, the road that leads to Taniquetil. I shall face my judgment there. Perhaps then I can finally rest.
FIN