Reviewing Reponses: First of all, thanks for your reviews! I always like feedback, it's awesome!

Meg Ishiro thanks you very much! I can just hear their voices in my mind as I write. It's like knowing a friend so well, you just know what they would say. Please continue sending feedback. I like knowing how I'm doing!

Tenga Well, the advise of another reviewer I looked up the information, and Arda is Middle Earth. The Undying Lands are not part of it. But thanks for caring enough to review.

Snodgrass Winkle Thanks for the help on the Arda Middle Earth thing. I already knew it though. As for slash? I don't know. I can't say I approve of it, but I know some authors who write slash and still have pretty good stories that aren't. As for Cirdan and Gil-galad…that's just wrong. Please keep reading.

Chapter Two

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The Water Is Wide

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The water is wide I can not get o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that will carry two
And both shall row my love and I
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Cirdan sat in his study reading a letter that had just arrived, it was from his foster grandson's in Rivendell.

Dear Cirdan,

My greetings come to you with a bit of surprise, no doubt. I know you thought that Elladan and I would never leave Middle earth, but it is not so. Unbelievably, even to ourselves, we have grown weary of this house, which over the years has grow so empty.

I write this in warning that we will be going on the next ship and hopefully will arrive in three years time. We would come sooner but there are many things we need to attend to in Gondor before we final leave. You may understand, that thought of leaving Undomiel's children behind is more painful then any battle wound.

You should come to Rivendell, at least once, before we leave. I know Father always wanted you too.

Sincerely, lord Elrohir of Rivendell

Cirdan folded the missive and tapped it gently against the desk as he considered the message. Elladan and Elrohir, finally leaving. It was a sad day when the liveliest twins ever born were 'weary' of anything. The twins sons of Elrond, perhaps it would be an interesting place to visit. Gil-Galad had always thought it such a fine place.

But even as he mused about the pros of going he discarded the idea. He could never be happy away from the sea, and certainly not if a ship was being built. As Cirdan thought along this rather selfish vein, two Rivendell eflings came hurtling into the room covered from head to toes in sand.

A gritty trail decorated their path as they rushed to him.

"Tirdan! Tirdan! The elleth yelled as she hurled herself into his arms.

"What is it Mara?" He asked. He brushed some of the golden grain off her nose and tickled her chin.

"I want to tell!" The ellon interrupted. "Cirdan, I want to tell you! Mara always does."

"But I dot here first!" his sister crowed and pulled a nasty face. She was rather surprised to find herself propelled into the corner of the room. Her little nose that had been so proudly lifted was stuck into a corner.

"Mara and Orophin! Shame on both of you!" Cirdan scolded. He escorted the ellon to the opposite corner and deposited him in a similar fashion. "Now, neither of you knocked, which you know you're supposed to do. And Mara you quite a hideous face at your brother, why you almost looked like an orc!"

"She does anyhow!" Orophin said rebelliously from his corner. Cirdan quickly bit back a laugh at the comment but he said, "That will be more then enough Orophin, I don't suppose you want laundry duty till you leave for Valinor?"

"No sir." Orophin said, his voice muffled now in the junction where two bookshelves met. Cirdan nodded at the sullen children and made his way back to his desk the sand crunching under his feet. Thankfully none of the children could see the smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. A hint of humor and the discipline would fly out of the window.

A few minutes ticked sluggishly by, and little gritty sounds issued from the corners as the elflings shifted. Cirdan busied himself with writing a letter in reply to Elrohir and pretended to have forgotten the siblings all together. A knock came at the door and a moment later Itarildë entered.

Seeing the children she started, "Oh! I'm sorry I didn't know you were busy."

"No, that's quite all right my dear. Please, come in." Cirdan beaconed the elleth into the room. "I was just dealing with a little…misunderstanding between these two delightful elflings."

"I see. And do you think they have duly repented?" Itarildë's eyes sparkled in amusement. Cirdan drummed his fingers on the desk and said, "well, I think that they may have. At least for today."

"Good, because I hear that Eglerion is planning a clam hunting party. He's seeking volunteers for it right now."

The children wriggled in desperation to be gone, but they knew to speak before they would told to go could be worse. But Cirdan was not hard hearted and he called them out of the corners and sent them on their ways. Itarildë surveyed the sandy floor and shook her head. "Interior decorating I see." she joked.

"Well, you know how I love the sea. I thought I should just bring it right into the house." He smiled at her laughter and gestured to the porch. "Shall we?"

"Certainly, but tell me. What do you want me for, and why be so mysterious about it?"

"I would hardly call it mysterious but you may think so if you wish." Cirdan answered. "I wanted to speak to you about Alassë."

Itarildë looked surprised, "Alassë? What..?"

"She wants to leave." Cirdan answered simply. "I spoke with her the other night and she confided that she wished to depart on the next vessel."

Itarildë exhaled a long breath, "I hardly know what to say! I thought she'd never leave!"

"That's kind." Cirdan replied dryly.

"No, I meant that she was so happy, and I never detected anything in her manner to indicate her desire to leave. I am so surprised!"

"So was I. But you can see where that puts me in a bit of a tight position. Alassë is the House mother and.."

"And you need someone to take her place. Oh please Cirdan, not me!" Itarildë pleaded.

"But why not? I think you would be a wonderful job." The shipwright encouraged. "I have the utmost faith in your amities Itarildë, the way you work with everyone so well is exactly suited to the position."

"But it isn't. I mean, I'm not." Itarildë shrugged a little. She picked at the peeling white paint on the railing and said, "You know that I am far too eager to please others. If I had to run the house, the house would rather run me then I it."

Cirdan quirked an eyebrow and said, "I'm afraid that I didn't quite get that."

"Cirdan!" she said. She pushed her braids behind her ear and moved away down the porch. "Please, pick someone else."

"If you wish it. But I warn you if I cannot find someone else willing then I will apoint you." he threatened.

"Then I'd just go to Valinor! And then where would you be Shipwright?" she stuck her nose in the air. Just then Eglerion appeared n the other end of the porch and called to the elleth.

"Coming!" she said. "I'll see you at supper tonight? You will have to tell me who you picked." and she ran lightly down the length of the porch and joined the black haired ellon.

"Then where would you be Shipwright?"

"Lost." the word broke from his lips before he realized what he had said. For a moment she looked back at him as if she had heard. An odd smile tugged at her lips but Eglerion called for her attention again and the look was lost.

Lost.

Cirdan turned away and studiously kept his gaze forward as he walked down to his workshop. He began craving the intricate designs into the Swan's face but the interview with Itarildë kept nagging at the back of his mind. Would she leave? She never wanted to before, why would she bring it up now?

But then again, Eglerion had never been around before. Perhaps she was falling in love with the dark elf, perhaps she would depart when he did. The ship was almost finished, it only need rigging and a few sea trails and she would be ready. Two weeks at most.

Cirdan lowered the craving tool and placed it on the bench. He studied the hand that had held it, it was unlined and strong. He clenched it into a fist and forced himself to leave the quiet little building. He didn't have to complete the work here today. He could wait a few days.

Lost…it was such a lonely word.