A/N: Sorry I haven't updated lately, but thanks to all the support I've
been getting!!! Here's a short part, because I'm trying to get ready to go
on vacation. I'll be gone for a week or so, but the second (R-rated) part
to this chapter will be ready when I get back!
WARNINGS: None here.
TIMEFRAME: The twins are the equivalent to about 10 years old.
************ The Sea ************
Four horses carried their riders through the well traveled paths, their backs to the rising sun. The riders were silent, and even the two young ones of the group kept their eyes focused on the horizon.
At last, they could stand the silence no longer.
"Are you afraid?" Elrohir leaned over to ask his brother.
Elladan nodded. "A little. I don't know why we should be," he added quickly. "Father once lived by the sea, and Glorfindel has even sailed across it before."
Elrohir glanced over to their father. "I am still afraid," he admitted.
Elladan looked to the elder two Elves as they rode slightly ahead. "Father?" he asked.
"Yes, Elladan?" Elrond answered, slowing his horse to ride alongside of his sons.
"Will you tell us again of the sea?" Elladan asked uncertainly.
Elrond smiled, though he was quick to hide it. "We will be there soon, and you will see for yourself. You do not need to hear the old tales again," he answered.
Elladan accepted the answer, though he looked ill at ease. They rode on over the dales and downs with the sun warming their backs. Elrohir gasped when he first caught the scent of salt on the air. There were no hills high enough to see over the lands to the ocean yet; Elrond said they would only see it when they were close to the shore itself. The sun was past its peak and sinking quickly by the time they could catch sight of their destination.
"Look, Elladan!" Elrohir exclaimed. "The sun is melting into the water."
Elladan stood amazed at the sight of the endless stretch of water. A few gulls circled the bay, adding their piercing call to the roar of the waves as they lapped the sandy shores. Elrohir slid off his horse and nearly took off running, if Glorfindel hadn't reached down to catch the tail of his cloak.
"Wait, little one. Our host will meet us here and take us to the beach himself," Glorfindel said.
Elrohir took the reins of his horse again, but his wide eyes did not leave the glistening waters. Elladan stood by his side, lacing his hands with his twin's to let him know that he was not alone in his wonder. The twins did not notice as another approached them on the beach. Only their father's cry of "Cirdan!" tore their eyes from the ocean.
They turned to see their father embracing an Elf who seemed so much older than anyone else they had ever seen before, though he did not show his age as mortals would. Indeed, Cirdan's silver hair flowed around him like living water and even his short beard could not disguise him as one of the Eldar. Glorfindel went to the mariner and grasped his hand in a warrior's embrace before stepping back and giving him a clear view of the sons of Elrond. Cirdan glanced over to Elrond before approaching the youngsters.
"Elrohir, Elladan," he said in greeting, nodding his head to each of the twins in turn.
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other in surprise. It shocked them that this Elf could tell them apart at first glance, though half of Imladris could not. Elrond smiled at his suddenly shy children in encouragement.
Elladan glanced from the sea-blue eyes in front of him to the ocean in the distance. "Where...where are your boats?" he asked nervously, his youthful enthusiasm overriding his fear.
Cirdan laughed, and it was a full sound, though it echoed like the gulls did. "Would you like to see them?" he asked, offering his hand.
Elladan nodded, smiling now as he took the hand presented, dropping Elrohir's in the process. Elrohir watched Cirdan walk away with his brother, chatting about the great ships that flew like swans over the waves. He felt his eyes well up with tears.
"Come now," a soft voice said at his side. Elrohir had to look up to see Glorfindel--he would never be as tall as the blond Elf. Glorfindel was smiling, his blue eyes outshining the sea. "Let's go down to the water."
Glorfindel held out his hand and Elrohir stared at it for a moment before taking it. Then he was being pulled along, running down to the coast and into the waves where he clung to Glorfindel like a raft. He was floating, floating away to his own haven..
WARNINGS: None here.
TIMEFRAME: The twins are the equivalent to about 10 years old.
************ The Sea ************
Four horses carried their riders through the well traveled paths, their backs to the rising sun. The riders were silent, and even the two young ones of the group kept their eyes focused on the horizon.
At last, they could stand the silence no longer.
"Are you afraid?" Elrohir leaned over to ask his brother.
Elladan nodded. "A little. I don't know why we should be," he added quickly. "Father once lived by the sea, and Glorfindel has even sailed across it before."
Elrohir glanced over to their father. "I am still afraid," he admitted.
Elladan looked to the elder two Elves as they rode slightly ahead. "Father?" he asked.
"Yes, Elladan?" Elrond answered, slowing his horse to ride alongside of his sons.
"Will you tell us again of the sea?" Elladan asked uncertainly.
Elrond smiled, though he was quick to hide it. "We will be there soon, and you will see for yourself. You do not need to hear the old tales again," he answered.
Elladan accepted the answer, though he looked ill at ease. They rode on over the dales and downs with the sun warming their backs. Elrohir gasped when he first caught the scent of salt on the air. There were no hills high enough to see over the lands to the ocean yet; Elrond said they would only see it when they were close to the shore itself. The sun was past its peak and sinking quickly by the time they could catch sight of their destination.
"Look, Elladan!" Elrohir exclaimed. "The sun is melting into the water."
Elladan stood amazed at the sight of the endless stretch of water. A few gulls circled the bay, adding their piercing call to the roar of the waves as they lapped the sandy shores. Elrohir slid off his horse and nearly took off running, if Glorfindel hadn't reached down to catch the tail of his cloak.
"Wait, little one. Our host will meet us here and take us to the beach himself," Glorfindel said.
Elrohir took the reins of his horse again, but his wide eyes did not leave the glistening waters. Elladan stood by his side, lacing his hands with his twin's to let him know that he was not alone in his wonder. The twins did not notice as another approached them on the beach. Only their father's cry of "Cirdan!" tore their eyes from the ocean.
They turned to see their father embracing an Elf who seemed so much older than anyone else they had ever seen before, though he did not show his age as mortals would. Indeed, Cirdan's silver hair flowed around him like living water and even his short beard could not disguise him as one of the Eldar. Glorfindel went to the mariner and grasped his hand in a warrior's embrace before stepping back and giving him a clear view of the sons of Elrond. Cirdan glanced over to Elrond before approaching the youngsters.
"Elrohir, Elladan," he said in greeting, nodding his head to each of the twins in turn.
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other in surprise. It shocked them that this Elf could tell them apart at first glance, though half of Imladris could not. Elrond smiled at his suddenly shy children in encouragement.
Elladan glanced from the sea-blue eyes in front of him to the ocean in the distance. "Where...where are your boats?" he asked nervously, his youthful enthusiasm overriding his fear.
Cirdan laughed, and it was a full sound, though it echoed like the gulls did. "Would you like to see them?" he asked, offering his hand.
Elladan nodded, smiling now as he took the hand presented, dropping Elrohir's in the process. Elrohir watched Cirdan walk away with his brother, chatting about the great ships that flew like swans over the waves. He felt his eyes well up with tears.
"Come now," a soft voice said at his side. Elrohir had to look up to see Glorfindel--he would never be as tall as the blond Elf. Glorfindel was smiling, his blue eyes outshining the sea. "Let's go down to the water."
Glorfindel held out his hand and Elrohir stared at it for a moment before taking it. Then he was being pulled along, running down to the coast and into the waves where he clung to Glorfindel like a raft. He was floating, floating away to his own haven..