Imladris Revisited
By: DLR 2002
Disclaimer: Most of these characters are owned by the estate of JRR Tolkien
Elrond/OFC
Rated: PG
Chapter 35
September 29, 3021 T.A.
"I do not like boats," said Culurien, "especially large ones."
Elrond folded his arms in front of him. "You have traveled all this way, have you changed your mind? Do you plan on staying behind?"
"Nay, of course not." She looked nervously at the great white ship docked at the quay.
"What is wrong?" asked Gandalf, coming over to them.
"Everyone else is on board," said Elrond, his words accentuated with a glimmer of annoyance.
"I am coming, pray, give me a minute," said Culurien, rooted to the spot.
"Why is this an issue now? You have known about this for years. You have had ample time to become accustomed to the idea."
She became stubborn. "I am finding that 'knowing' and 'doing' are two very different things."
Elrond rolled his eyes at Gandalf. "You need to make a decision now. What is your choice? Are you coming or staying?"
"I am coming, naturally." She slowly backed away from the ship.
His eyes narrowed. "Fine. That is all I wished to know."
He bent over, tucked his shoulder into her abdomen, put his arm around her buttocks and stood up, with Culurien slung over his shoulder, across his back and started up the long gangplank that led onto the ship.
"Do not struggle;" he warned her, "I might drop you into the water."
She hung over his shoulder like a limp sack after that remark.
"What a very barbaric, but somehow romantic abduction," murmured Galadriel as they came over the side.
"No one is being abducted," said Elrond. "Culurien joins us of her own free will, do you not?" He gave her legs a squeeze. She made a muffled sound into his back.
Elrond smiled brightly. "There, you see? It is just merely a whim on her part to board ships in this fashion. Tis an unusual fetish, I grant you, but I indulge it, I can refuse her nothing." He set her down on the deck.
Culurien opened her mouth to protest and immediately turned green at the sight of her surroundings. She promptly fainted.
"Well," said Elrond, looking at Glorfindel. "This ought to be a pleasant voyage."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epilogue
Some months later
The Halls of Manwë
Taniquetil, Valinor
"Elrond Peredhil most blessed of all the Eldalië," began Manwë, his hand on Elrond's head.
"Lord Manwë," whispered Elrond, from his kneeling position on the floor.
"We welcome thee at last to the Blessed Realm," continued Manwë from his throne. "We wish to know, however, why didst thou not come sooner?"
Elrond looked up, startled. "Many tasks were appointed to me Lord. I thought I was doing thy will."
"Nay," said Manwë. "My will was for all of the Eldar to return to Valinor after the fall of Thangorodrim."
"Oh." Elrond became very pale. "It seems that was not clear to everyone, we thought we had a choice."
Manwë sighed. "Never mind. On to other matters." He turned to look at Culurien, who was kneeling on the floor beside Elrond. "I gave thee permission to marry this lovely lady. Why didst thou not do it?"
"Gave permi . . ." Elrond started. Culurien looked up, shocked.
"Yes, yes," Manwë said. "The dream, I sent thee a dream, did thou not receive it?"
Elrond's mouth moved, but no words came out. "But what of Celebrían?"
"I explained that in the dream," said Manwë, annoyed. "Celebrían found love with another, she asked for an annulment many years back and under the circumstances, it was granted. Thou must seek her out; she has much to explain to thee." He paused. "Thou did not seriously consider thyself still married, didst thy?"
Elrond and Culurien looked at each other.
"My beloved child Elrond!" Manwë exclaimed. "Hast thou no skill in dream interpretation?"
"Apparently not." Elrond sighed. "Why a dream, O great Manwë? Dreams are so vague, so sketchy, so easily influenced by outside stimulus. Why not a vision? I would have understood a vision, there are clear indications . . ."
"Elrond, my child," interrupted Manwë. "Thou art the most beloved of all the children of Eru Ilúvatar, but thou hast one glaring fault. It is thy irritating tendency to mire thyself down in acting pedantic."
Elrond's jaw dropped. "But . . . but . . ."
"Now go," Manwë said, winking at Culurien. "Or I shall never get to meet little Elanna and Elethîr."*
Culurien looked at him in surprise. "You have named our children, Lord Manwë?"
"Nay, of course not," said Manwë. "Their father has done it, as is his right."
Culurien looked at Elrond in amazement, who reddened under her gaze. "You have already named our children? How could you do that without having seen them?"
"I have seen them," Elrond explained, embarrassed. "In the dream."
Culurien stared at him. "I hardly think . . . ."
"Hush, children, hush," said Manwë, blessing them. "Gwanno ned sîdh."*
Elrond and Culurien left the great hall in a daze. They walked down the steps towards their friends who awaited them nervously.
"So," said Glorfindel, coming up to them. "How did it go?"
Elrond looked at him in silence for a long moment.
Then he started to laugh.
He laughed until the tears streamed down his face.
He laughed so hard that his sides ached.
He lay down on the ground, still laughing, all self control gone.
"I told you it would be a cheerful place," Bilbo said to Frodo.
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*Elanna-star gift Elethîr-star face
*Go in peace.
~~***~~
When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again.
~~~**~~~
Fran Walsh
Howard Shore
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