Finally, they have made it to Mithlond. Read on to find out what happens next!

Chapter 4

Cirdan was there to greet them; he stood tall, back straight and eyes warm in welcome. With the backdrop of the sunset behind him, it made him appear as an Elven king of old as he shone in the light. Elrond held in a smile as he heard a few of the Elves behind him gasp in awe. "He has a beard," Maglor murmured with some amusement. "I did not know it was possible to grow one, as an Elf."

"He is the oldest Elf I know, being one of those who woke under the stars at Cuiviénen," Elrond replied, chuckling. "I remember how amazed I was when he told me the story of it; he said it was both a trying time and an exciting one. It is one of those things where you almost do not believe the event happened, until you speak with one who was there."

"Indeed," Maglor murmured. "I feel that way sometimes about the events of my life. They seem so far away, almost like they were from another life."

"Perhaps they are, in a way," Elrond mused. "You have grown from the Ellon you once were."

There was no more opportunity for private conversation, as they dismounted and Maglor was once again apprehended, but with slightly more gentleness than before. Clearly, the others had taken Elrond's stern words to heart.

Elrond greeted Cirdan once more, "Mae Govannen, hir nin Cirdan," he said, bowing for the sake of appearances. "We have come to board a ship to take us to Aman."

Cirdan inclined his head, "Be welcome here, friends. It is late, and accommodations have been made for you to stay until tomorrow, when you will begin your journey." There was a twinkle in his eye, and Elrond raised an eyebrow, "But first, would you like to get a view of the Sea?"

There were exclamations of excitement from his people, and Elrond nodded with a smile. He knew they were looking forward to seeing something many had never laid eyes on before, something which pulled at their very souls. It was with amusement that he noted the pace had quickened, as they allowed their horses to be stabled, and continued on to the white sands of the beach.

And there it was: the Sea.

Gasps of delight and surprise echoed his own, and some of the younger Elves raced down to the water. "Careful!" Cirdan cautioned them, before they jumped into the waves. "The Sea is calm now, but Ossë is an Ainu of unpredictable temperament. Take care with your steps." Sure enough, they were much more cautious as they approached, but smiled in delight as the warm, salty waters splashed their feet and legs as it moved back and forth from the shore. One of the Elflings attempted to make a break for it, but his Naneth scooped him up and handed him a seashell to amuse himself with.

Elrond felt a wave of peace settle upon him as he basked in the sunset. The warm breeze caressed his cheeks, and the salty tang of the air made him smile. Finally, he was here. Finally, he would be able to see his wife in a matter of days. Elrond furrowed his brow, unsure how long the voyage would take; he had not thought to ask. Not short enough.

Lindir wandered over, taking a deep breath and grinning. "I am inspired to compose a piece about the Sea! It is beyond words, but I am determined to find a way!" His eyes sparkled with excitement, making him look youthful, even though Elrond knew he was much older than himself. Lindir had been fully grown when Elrond was born, and had entertained him with many songs as he grew, and ever since.

"I am looking forward to it, mellon nin," Elrond replied, with a grin of his own. "Although you will have stiff competition once we get to Aman, I am sure."

"Ah, I assure you I will impress them with my immense skill and knowledge," Lindir boasted dramatically, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Of course you will," Elrond said dryly. "They will be falling at your feet, begging you to teach them."

Lindir winked, "I will be happy to indulge them!"

After a little while, they both turned away from the Sea and joined the others, who were settling into their rooms. Elrond knew he needed to meet with Cirdan and other important figures, both to discuss the particulars about tomorrow, as well as Maglor's presence and how it would be handled on the voyage. It certainly would not be an easy conversation, but the pleasantness of the atmosphere and the crashing of the waves made things seem much less difficult to manage.

Once his things were in his room, he took a short time to wash his face with a bowl of warm water, and change into something a little less travel-worn. After a moment's consideration, he threw a cloak about his shoulders, knowing the temperature would drop once the sun was fully set. As he walked outside once more, his eyes found the Star of Earendil as it sailed across the sky. It made him feel strange; would he see his father again? Little was definitively known regarding where Earendil went, when he was not up in the skies sailing his ship, nor where his mother Elwing was. He had heard rumors of a tower where she would stay, while he was absent, and that she would join him sometimes by flying to him as a bird. It was all very outlandish and sounded more like a tall tale than the truth, but many things in his long life had proven to be more than just a legend.

As ashamed as he was to admit it, he was not sure if he wanted to see Earendil again. His father had left the rest of his family when Elrond and Elros were very small, to go search for his parents, Idril and Tuor. They had sailed West when Tuor became old, looking to find rest in Aman, but it was said no Man could travel there and live. Earendil thought perhaps they had become lost, and he could rescue them and return them to Beleriand.

After Earendil left, he never saw his children again, and would never reunite with Elros. Elrond felt that creeping sense of abandonment start to return, which he had shoved into a dark corner of his heart and refused to acknowledge during his long life. He was proud of his father's accomplishments and great deeds, for they led to the saving of many people who had been thought lost forever in the dungeons of Angband. Yet, the world was forever changed, and Beleriand had sunk beneath the waves.

When he had watched his mother throw herself off of a cliff into the ocean, Elrond felt his world crashing down around him. Maglor and Maedhros had hustled the two children away, and Elrond didn't find out until later that she had taken on the form of a bird; had she known she would be spared death? Or had she been prepared to commit suicide, just to keep a Silmaril from the Sons of Feanor? "Stop this foolish wool-gathering," Elrond admonished himself. "The past is the past; no use dwelling on it."

He took a deep breath as he arrived to where Cirdan and the others were waiting, pushing the painful memories out of his thoughts. "Suilad, mellyn. It is good to be here at last," Elrond greeted them with a smile.

Cirdan smiled. "Indeed, and I am very glad to see you." He smiled fondly, and Elrond wondered what he was thinking on.

"Will there be more than one ship, or will one be enough to accommodate us?" Elrond asked curiously. The vessel Celebrian had taken was on the smaller side, but his people were numerous.

"We have a few larger ships, and one should be comfortable for everyone," Cirdan assured him. "I shall give you a tour of it tomorrow, so you may see."

"I would appreciate it," Elrond replied with a smile, which faded as he noticed the suddenly grave look on the other Ellon's face. "What of Maglor?"

Cirdan sighed, "I am unsure how to house him in the ship. There is nothing like a cell within, and none of the rooms have locks on the doors."

"Hir nin, may I speak?" a soft voice interjected, and Elrond noted Lindir's solemn expression. When Cirdan nodded, Lindir continued, "As much as it pains me to say this, I am not sure if Maglor should be considered a prisoner."

Cirdan looked surprised, "His past deeds hold weight, whether he has apologized for them or not." He turned to Elrond, "If what you say is true, Maglor is being transported by you to face judgement. If one was arrested and being brought somewhere to await trial in Middle Earth, would you not detain them just the same? They certainly would not be walking freely."

Elrond nodded, as this echoed Glorfindel's words. "He is right, and you know I would not keep someone under guard unless I believed it to be necessary." What was unsaid was that it might be not only to keep the others protected, but to keep Maglor safe from the others. It hurt Elrond to think such things, but after what he had seen from his own people, he no longer trusted them around Maglor. "I suppose we will have to set a guard upon his room."

"We can decide on such a place in the morning," Cirdan added, before placing a hand on Lindir's shoulder and speaking more softly. "I know how difficult it was to ask such a question, after what happened to your father. He would be proud of you for your kindness, I am sure of it." Lindir's eyes watered, but he simply nodded with a tremulous smile and turned away.

They spoke a little more regarding the number of people and organizing families into groups, as well as the supplies they would need. Cirdan generously agreed to provide a large amount of waybread and dried fish, and would provide everyone with a basic safety lesson regarding traveling by ship, and how to deal with sea sickness. Elves did not generally fall ill, and it was wise to warn them of such symptoms so they would be prepared.

Stifling a yawn, Elrond asked to be brought to Maglor. He wanted to make sure the Ellon was settled, and speak with him a little more about what tomorrow would bring. Glorfindel let Elrond in but whispered, "I am right out here. If he does anything to make you feel even the slightest bit unsafe, you will call for me." It was not a request, and Elrond nodded his understanding.

Elrond was dismayed to see Maglor sitting on the ground instead of in the chair right next to him, and he was curled up with his knees tucked under his chin. Tears rolled down his face, and he did not seem to notice Elrond until he was right in front of him. Maglor jerked in surprise, and tried to roughly wipe his tears away. Elrond took his hands in his, "What ails you?" It was a foolish question, considering the circumstances.

"Nothing you need to worry over, Ionneg," Maglor murmured, trying to force a smile but failing. "I am well."

Elrond frowned. "Clearly, you are not well, Adar," he replied firmly. "Will you not tell me of your troubled thoughts?" Maglor remained silent, and Elrond huffed a sigh in frustration. "I am a healer, you know, and not just in ailments of the body. Let me help ease your mind."

Maglor squeezed Elrond's hands, and did not pull away when Elrond slid an arm around his shoulders. "As I have said, I am ready to face judgement, in my mind. But in my heart…" he swallowed. "I fear hurting you with my death, for surely it is what the Valar will decree."

"You cannot know for certain," Elrond countered. "Perhaps they will consider your many years of solitude and reflection to be enough."

"Then why would they summon me to Valinor?" Maglor asked. "If I had already paid the price, would they not simply leave me here to live out my days?"

Elrond had some thoughts on this, but was too afraid to entertain such wild hopes. "It is possible they wish to personally speak with you and hear you plead your case."

Maglor shrugged. "There is nothing to plead; my deeds speak for themselves. I am guilty…of leaving Valinor in exile, of making the terrible Oath, of…" his voice broke and he whispered, "Of slaying my kin." He shook his head. "Now it is only for them to decree my sentence, and I will take it without complaint. Besides," he turned his head to look at Elrond, "You have many who love you, and who will care for you well when I am gone." He smiled. "What am I saying? You are an Ellon full-grown; no one needs to care for you as if you are a child."

"I may be many, many years past my majority, but I will always need a father who loves me," Elrond murmured earnestly.

"You do have a father," Maglor whispered sadly. "Earendil surely loves you, and will come to you once you arrive, if he can."

Elrond's eyes hardened. "He was never much of a father to me…not in the ways that mattered."

"You should not say such things," Maglor replied, but Elrond could hear the smile in his voice. "Maedhros and I had no idea what we were doing with you and Elros most of the time. Suddenly we had two curious, stubborn Elflings to take care of, and our lives certainly were never easy, wandering as we did."

"Elros and I thought of it as an adventure," Elrond said softly, smiling. "When I would start to feel frustrated about moving somewhere yet again, Elros would make it seem like a fun game of exploring new places. It made things easier for me."

"I hope we gave you a good life, while we could," Maglor murmured. "When we left you with Gil-Galad and fled, it was the hardest thing we had ever done, and that is saying something." He turned Elrond to face him a little more. "We loved you both so very much, and did not want to part with you, but…"

"The Oath made you do it," Elrond finished, looking at Maglor with kindness. "I could tell how exhausted it made you, how you desperately wished to be free of it."

"I tried to find a way out of going after those two remaining Silmarils," Maglor said earnestly. "Maedhros convinced me otherwise, and who knows what would have happened, if we had chosen to let them go across the Sea." He sighed. "When we put them in our hands and immediately felt our skin start to burn, I felt such despair! How I had wasted my life! I saw Maedhros run as if Morgoth was behind him, screaming in agony. I tried to stop him, but…but he cast himself into a crevice of fire before I could reach him, the Silmaril in his hand. I almost threw myself down after him, but something held me here."

"What do you think it was?" Elrond asked.

"Once I threw the Silmaril into the ocean, I felt this overwhelming weight leave my chest. Even though I knew my life would likely be an eternity of lonely wandering, away from the few people left who might have held a shred of love for me in their hearts, I believed it was just. It would be so easy to die, but I could not do it." Maglor squeezed Elrond's hand. "A small part of me always held this hope of seeing you and Elros again, so I could apologize, and explain, despite not knowing what I would say, should we ever meet." He swiped his hand across Elrond's cheek, who was surprised to note he was crying. "I am glad to spend this time with you, Ionneg, even if it be short. My love for you will never abate, whether in life or in death."

"Nor will mine, Ada," Elrond choked, and once again, he found himself in his father's arms, finding comfort as a child would.

I'm not crying, you're crying! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and leave a review if you have a moment!