It being Saturday, everywhere was busy and lively, changing the atmosphere of the town as Duinor drove Govon and Legolas and I to our appointed meeting place outside the station. I was a little anxious, but Duinor proved as good a driver as Seamus, and my tension eased once we had made one or two stops; having researched local vintners before leaving, I wished to acquire suitable refreshments to take back to the hotel.
I had almost concluded the business when Legolas drew my attention to some of the specialist ales on offer.
'Look, Adar – honey beers! Have we room for a crate or two, do you think? Triwathon and Glorfindel used to get through a lot of honey beer in their time; it might be a good present to take with us,' he said. 'If not, we can always have a party when we get there.'
'A good idea,' I said. 'The honey beer brewed in the palace was excellent, although those two seemed to have a particular fondness for it which I never really understood.'
Our next stop was at a place where I could acquire a phone – Govon helped – and by the time I had sorted it out and called Ness from the car, we were pulling in outside the station where we had arranged to meet.
We did not have long to wait before a group of tall and elegant people emerged. They wore their modern dress with grave dignity, as if they were robed, and one had a grey beard. Although none had their ears showing, all had shoulder-length or shorter hair, (I wondered why they had felt it necessary to cut their tresses; it seemed a pity...) it was obvious they were elves.
And besides, I recognised Cirdan's beard.
Duinor jumped out and opened the door for me while Govon did the same for Legolas as Cirdan and his followers approached and Cirdan bowed his head.
'Your majesty,' he said with courteous ease. 'It is an honour to meet with you again. And a relief.'
'It is very good to see you again,' I said, shaking hands. 'If you will, I would be happy to take you to lunch...'
'Assuming that I know the area a little better than you, sire, I took the liberty of making arrangements for us. My friends and I will get a taxi, and you can follow, if you will. We are going to the Angel Inn, which is about a mile and forty years away, if you understand me.'
I wasn't sure I did, but he smiled, and so did I, and once Cirdan and his elves had got into their taxi, we climbed back into the car and followed them along a wide, underused road, finally pulling up outside a pub that stood in the middle of an expanse of waste ground.
The Angel claimed to be an old established inn, but in reality it seemed simply to be a rather tired pub; I did, finally, understand Cirdan's comments; the place most certainly looked several decades out of date. It did, however, boast a fire in the hearth and we got a table near it, so that we could look at the flicker of the flame while we waited for the food.
Although Cirdan and I had first met in the early Ages of the world, so long ago now it was startling even to me, to my eye he was unchanged. He wore his hair shorter than most, and, unusually amongst elvenkind, sported a beard, a sign he had entered into the third age of elves, where we allegedly become more wise and mystical and annoying than ever.
But Cirdan was not an annoyance. Rather, he was a welcome sight, a symbol of hope for us all.
'How soon can you be ready?' he asked me once we had talked around the subject for a few moments.
'This evening, at a push,' I said. 'Some of my elves are out this afternoon, but I could call them home sooner, if required...'
The shipwright looked as if only respect for my person stopped him from laughing at this.
'Is something amiss?'
'Not at all, your majesty, in fact, it's reassuring to find you so prepared... I was expecting you to say a week and to have to argue with you...'
'Really, I want to get away as soon as we can...' I glanced across at Legolas. 'My son has episodes when we cannot rouse him. We fear he may be fading...'
'I am sorry to hear that.' Cirdan sighed, and I saw sympathy in his eyes. 'It has happened, when elves come to me, sometimes. But usually, get them on the ship, get the sea air in their faces, and it puts new heart into them. I've seen it happen.'
'But, and forgive me, my lord,' Govon put in. 'That implies you have... sailed back?'
'Many times. Well, we do not have an endless supply of ships, you know! Although it used to be easier to arrange, in the days of the tea-clippers...' His eyes twinkled. 'And yes, they let the Silvans in, yes there are trees...'
Govon grinned.
'As long as they let gay couples in, that's all I care about,' he said.
If Cirdan was shocked by my honour-son's announcement, he hid it well.
'They let Elrond in,' he said. 'And we all know what he was like, at the end, don't we...?' he added, looking around with a lifted brow. 'Or do we...? Ah. Well, forget I said anything...'
'I'm not sure I can,' Govon murmured.
'You would remember Elrohir and his spouse Rusdir, of course?' Cirdan said, smoothly diverting Govon's thoughts away from Elrond's proclivities. 'And there – not only a married gay couple, but a Silvan, known to you. How else may I reassure you?'
'I am sure my honour-son will realise, on reflection, that there is nothing for him to worry about. When do you wish us to be ready?' I asked.
'Monday, early,' he said. 'The boat I'm hoping to acquire for our use officially comes into service again on Wednesday; I've scheduled a series of river trials for her, starting on Monday morning, with the tide, and pencilled in more trials for Tuesday, just to give me a little leeway to get you ready. As far as anyone is concerned, I'm just taking the ship round, going over her usual routes, making sure she handles well for docking... The ferry will be renamed the Uinen's Gull, not a typical name for a Mersey Ferry, and I'll painting it on her hull tonight myself so you won't board the wrong ship by mistake. It should be noted that this is a passenger boat, not a luxury liner; it is not fitted out with private accommodations. But there are comfortable saloons to gather in, and for the number of passengers I expect, there will be more than sufficient space for all. Certainly, bring everything you have, if you wish, luggage, clothing, there is plenty of storage space, and it's a long way back if you forget anything, after all.'
'Are you sure there are no private rooms?' Legolas said with a grin. 'Adar is on his honeymoon, you know.'
'Yes? Congratulations, then, your majesty, and I will see whether we can find private quarters for you... I am sure there is a room beneath the bows we could equip for you and your spouse...'
'Wife,' I said, wanting to be absolutely clear how it was. 'And while it is most accommodating of you, it is hardly necessary...'
'But, Adar-in-Honour, Legolas and I could use it when you were not...'
'No. Absolutely not. It was bad enough letting you two use our bathroom...'
Cirdan was smiling, his companions utterly nonplussed.
'If I may suggest, there are tents available these days which do not need staking into the earth, should any of your elves require seclusion,' he said. 'We will make sure there are some stowed, just in case... And now, I should really be getting back... you will need to know where to meet us, of course, and it will be easier to show you than to tell...'
We left the Angel and, when Cirdan's taxi set off, followed it along the wide, underused road, turning off here and there until finally we crossed over a small iron bridge and Cirdan disembarked and dismissed the car.
We parked and got out, looking around, breathing. The air was heady with salt and industry and the promise of the sea. A strange vessel I recognised from the Curious Boys' Book as a Submarine was moored at one side, and seemed to be open to view to judge from the interest shown by persons gathered around. Legolas stared across the water, a dark slur of a dock with buildings and wharves all around as if entranced, Govon at his side.
'That is Duke Street Bridge and this is the West Float,' Cirdan said, drawing my attention away. 'Tomorrow evening I will be bringing the Uinen's Gull here, ostensibly for her final checks. We'll moor overnight and I will send to you to bring your people here at some point on Monday. I'll make sure we are supplied and ready to go as soon as you board... We will need to stop off at Seacombe to collect my first engineer and his mate; they are chaperoning a small enclave of elves who were living in the woods for a time, and will bring them aboard. After that, we will head out along the estuary towards the sea and then... well. Let us not get too far ahead. A couple of stops and then west, all the way west.'
'Cirdan, we are grateful.'
'Yes, but you do not have to be. I am only doing what I have always done. I have done it for others, and now I do it for you. There is a rail station a short walk that way. If you have any problems, send me a message. I will see you soon, Thranduil.' He nodded off to the left before turning to his companions. 'Shall we go?'
'Sire?' Duinor drew my attention from watching Cirdan walking away. 'Should they be doing that?'
Govon had sat down on the very edge of the waterfront, dangling his legs into the water and stroking it with his fingers. Legolas was doing the same, their footwear discarded at their backs.
'I understand now,' Govon was saying, and there were tears on his face. 'Oh, it is so beautiful...! Yes, soon, I will come, we will both come...'
'Govon?'
'Do you not hear it, Adar-in-Honour? Can you not feel it?'
I did, of course; a longing, a tugging, a need... the sense of a song just outside of hearing, just out of reach...
'I hear it, ion. Legolas, bring your fëa-mate. Get in the car. We need to get back.'
'But, Adar, the sea, it is talking to us...'
'I know. What would you, fall in now, drown, get to Valinor the long way round? Come away. We'll be back, two days at most and we will be underway. But now, come away.'
It took considerable coaxing to get my son and his fëa-mate back into the car. As soon as the doors were closed, Duinor pressed something, and all the little buttons on the windows popped down.
'Central locking, sire,' he said. 'Just in case.'
'Good thinking,' I said. 'And you are well, still?'
'Yes, my king; I felt the pull, but I think, had I interacted with the water, it would have been far worse.'
As we headed towards the hotel and away from the smell of the salt, Legolas grew uneasy.
'We are leaving it,' he said sadly. 'It is fading, that lovely song...'
Govon sighed and stared out of the window back towards the town and I began to worry. Within moments the atmosphere had changed, became somehow moody, sullen; it was as if Legolas and Govon were sulking, arms crossed over their chests, faces set, silent. When we got to the hotel, I drew them apart, and I tried to find out what was wrong.
'The sea, Ada, its song. You brought us away and we can't hear it any more. We can't hear it, and you don't seem to care, you don't understand...'
His voice rose towards hysteria and I interrupted hastily.
'Legolas, Govon... I felt it also, I did. But this is why I kept back from the waters, why I have kept our people away from the sight and sounds of the sea as much as I could, knowing it might bring them pain. And I know, I know you suffered in the past. But my dear son, it is only for a little while and then we will be on our way. Help me now. Govon you see, he has not been through this, he suffers more... it is not so bad for me, but you... you connected with the water, which you should not...'
'But it was so beautiful.' Govon said. 'Ai, Legolas! However do you bear it?'
'I do not know. Before, for you. But now... it hurts again. But I know how it hurts you, beloved...'
To my alarm, a tear slipped down Govon's face and Legolas pulled at his arm.
'Come, I know something that might help. Let me show you. And as Adar says, we will sail, soon, we will have all the rest of forever to sing with the sea, if you want, when we get there. Come with me now. Let me help.'
I watched them leave, concerned. Ness would know what to do, if anyone did, if anything could help. Otherwise, perhaps time alone together, getting lost in the song of each other... if anything could drown out the song of the sea, that could, I supposed. They had come through so much, surely they could weather this, also?
It was but for two days at most...
It was a relief to me when Nestoril got back, less than an hour after we ourselves had returned, but I'd had an anxious wait.
I broached the subject gently while Ness fussed around with bags and boxes and packages in our room a little while later, trying to make light of Legolas' encounter with the water, trying to focus on the fact that he had said, the rest of forever... was that not a good sign? Was he safe now?
She paused in what she was doing and smiled.
'Try not to worry. Legolas has been looking stronger more... more present. But Govon doesn't quite believe it; he has a haunted look, sometimes. I'm glad we're going so soon, though, for all our sakes. Especially if, as you say, they've both been touched by the sound of the sea.'
'I felt it, also. Like a song you can almost hear, one which promises the answers to all the questions you did not know you needed to ask... it was strange, they were not so badly affected at first...'
Suddenly, I could not pretend it was nothing, just a dangling of feet in the dock, suddenly I realised it was more, perhaps dangerously so and I let all my fears out.
'Oh, Ness, but once we were a mile or so away from the waterfront, once we properly headed home, it was as if they were naughty little elflings who had suffered an unjust scold, it was distressing to see their pain... how may we support them?'
'Well, you said Legolas took Govon away saying he had an idea how to soothe the discomfort...?' She raised an eyebrow. 'I think an afternoon in private together will help them find new strength. Do not worry too much; if it gets bad again, I will talk to them.'
I felt the warm kindness of her hand on my arm and allowed myself to turn in and be held. It was still strange to me, accepting comfort from another when for so long I had been alone, apart, but this was Nestoril, and she understood my reticence was not reluctance.
'I have never suffered,' she said. 'When I was on the Anduin, I could feel there was something in the waters which, if I let it, would call to me, but... but all the time, I knew who was really calling me home.'
'Ness, why ever did we part?'
'The world was growing harsh, aware we were different. After we repelled the dragons, and then the invaders came, they recognised us as Other and, well, once the Vikingr were here to stay, we had to disappear. And it was not so bad, not always... I do not like that you cannot remember as much as some of us; those drugs you mentioned, perhaps... but we were able to keep in touch, now and again. We... I remember once, in the days of the first Elizabeth, we spent an entire summer together in Sherwood Forest; we made a talan in a tall oak and lived off the land, lived as a couple... oh, the stories that sprang up about us... but with autumn, and the falling leaves, we parted again... Still. We would meet, we would write. It has only been the last century or so that we really lost touch...'
She gave me a little squeeze and moved out of my embrace, changing the subject, returning to the strangely comforting trivia of her shopping expedition.
'Now, I found Legolas and Govon the jeans they asked for; we can take them up later, it might distract them a little... Oh, and I brought you a present; I thought you would look wonderful in this...'
'Nestoril, it is very kind, but...'
I fell silent as she held up a black leather coat, long, fitted, and I raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to grin as she insisted on helping me into it and pushed me in front of the mirror.
Automatically I fastened the buttons, tied the belt. It fitted perfectly and I wondered again at just how well this elleth knew me.
'Thank you. It is wonderful. But I do not have anything to give to you...'
'Oh yes, you do,' she said with a smirk. 'There are trousers to match.'
I shook my head in mock-despair.
'What else did you get? Have you any money left?'
'Plenty; where possible, I used my cards... I must make arrangements for them to be paid when we've left...'
'Parvon's law firm,' I said. 'I will leave written instructions for them, and ask Helpful Pam to post them on once we have departed... along with everything of material value we leave behind, they can be used for the Resettlement Programme... I suppose I should write to Lily as well, come clean... or at least, clean-ish and tell her what we are, why we really have left so that she is prepared if others like us do turn up in need of help... I am sure she will do it.'
It was a relief to both of us when Legolas and Govon came down for dinner, and more of a relief that they seemed to have thrown off their sea-longing enough to celebrate and drink to ships and sailing and parties, to hug Ness and thank her for her thoughtful concern, but they were fine, really, they had found a way to cope... and it would not be for long...
Whatever they had been up to must have been messy, I thought; both appeared to have spent a long time bathing afterwards, their hair still damp, fingertips wrinkled from an excess of water. I did not ask, (I did not think I wanted to know...) I just accepted my son's brave efforts to be present, to be happy and we went to bed that night secure in the knowledge we were one day nearer to sailing.
