The Soldier and the Princess
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings does not belong to me. JRR Tolkien has that happy pleasure. Had that happy pleasure. Anyway, the characters in this story do not belong to me. This is purely to please myself and those besides me who enjoy this sort of thing. I also do not own the song "Enchantment Passing Through." That honor goes to Elton John and Tim Rice. The wedding vows come from Dragons of Autumn Twilight. If some of the words don't fit, remember that these vows are *ancient.* When they were written, they fit, and elves are.well.set in their ways? Oh, btw, Anaiyah and Tyrennafaile are original characters. *Their* stories will be related later.
Author's Notes: This is an Elrond/Celebrian get-together, mainly from Elrond's point of view. If there are any complaints as to how this is done, ::coughcough, Elrond's relationship to Gil-Galad coughcough:: register them politely. Please. I got some slightly less-than-polite comments on my Galadriel/Celeborn fic, which is discontinued. As far as I know, this is an A/U. Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Goodbye
Two weeks after the boys had their ceremony, I escorted Celebrian to the Sea. It was one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. (The only thing that was harder was allowing Arwen to marry, but that is another story. At least I knew I'd eventually find Celebrian again.)
By tradition, I was the only one on the beach with my beloved. I could hear very little over the pounding of the waves.
"Celebrian." I whispered.
She reached up tremulously and pressed her fingers to my lips. "I'll find you again," she whispered. "When you join me in the Undying Lands. You know I will."
"Not if I find you first," I joked weakly.
She almost grinned. "Shut up, soldier boy."
"I could go with you now-I *should* go with you now."
"*No,* soldier boy," Celebrian said firmly. "You are still needed *here.* Our children need you. The world will need you again. The Ring was not destroyed, you know that."
I was completely and utterly shocked. I hadn't thought of the Ring in years. I berated myself for that fact, and *never* made that mistake again. "I know," I whispered.
"Wait a thousand years or so."
'I can't wait that long!' I cried silently. I nodded. "I will see you avenged. *Then* I will come to you."
"Do not speak of vengeance, love. It's not like you," Celebrian said reproachfully.
"But when I think of what they *did* to you."
"I don't *care* what they did to me, Elrond. Eventually, all wounds heal. Even.those. But, Elrond, *don't* go on an insane quest for vengeance. Not only is it not like you, you don't have the time. You have other, far more pressing responsibilities. Promise me, Elrond." Her eyes pleaded with me as eloquently as her whispery voice.
Unwilling to argue, I nodded and tremulously kissed her hand.
She smiled. That sweet, sweet smile I had fallen in love with all those years before.
"There'll be no ties of time and space to bind us," I whispered.
"And no horizon we cannot pursue."
"We'll leave the world's misfortunes far behind us," I finished as I placed her on the boat. "Goodbye, Celebrian," I whispered, as the boat disappeared in the mists.
As I turned to leave, I spun back, startled. I scanned the horizon. No sign of the boat. I shook my head. "I must really be exhausted," I murmured to myself. But.
I could have sworn I heard a whispered, beloved voice on the wind.
"And I will put my faith and trust in you."
(A/N: We have an epilogue, *then* this will be over. Patience, my friends. We're almost done!!!)
Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings does not belong to me. JRR Tolkien has that happy pleasure. Had that happy pleasure. Anyway, the characters in this story do not belong to me. This is purely to please myself and those besides me who enjoy this sort of thing. I also do not own the song "Enchantment Passing Through." That honor goes to Elton John and Tim Rice. The wedding vows come from Dragons of Autumn Twilight. If some of the words don't fit, remember that these vows are *ancient.* When they were written, they fit, and elves are.well.set in their ways? Oh, btw, Anaiyah and Tyrennafaile are original characters. *Their* stories will be related later.
Author's Notes: This is an Elrond/Celebrian get-together, mainly from Elrond's point of view. If there are any complaints as to how this is done, ::coughcough, Elrond's relationship to Gil-Galad coughcough:: register them politely. Please. I got some slightly less-than-polite comments on my Galadriel/Celeborn fic, which is discontinued. As far as I know, this is an A/U. Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Goodbye
Two weeks after the boys had their ceremony, I escorted Celebrian to the Sea. It was one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. (The only thing that was harder was allowing Arwen to marry, but that is another story. At least I knew I'd eventually find Celebrian again.)
By tradition, I was the only one on the beach with my beloved. I could hear very little over the pounding of the waves.
"Celebrian." I whispered.
She reached up tremulously and pressed her fingers to my lips. "I'll find you again," she whispered. "When you join me in the Undying Lands. You know I will."
"Not if I find you first," I joked weakly.
She almost grinned. "Shut up, soldier boy."
"I could go with you now-I *should* go with you now."
"*No,* soldier boy," Celebrian said firmly. "You are still needed *here.* Our children need you. The world will need you again. The Ring was not destroyed, you know that."
I was completely and utterly shocked. I hadn't thought of the Ring in years. I berated myself for that fact, and *never* made that mistake again. "I know," I whispered.
"Wait a thousand years or so."
'I can't wait that long!' I cried silently. I nodded. "I will see you avenged. *Then* I will come to you."
"Do not speak of vengeance, love. It's not like you," Celebrian said reproachfully.
"But when I think of what they *did* to you."
"I don't *care* what they did to me, Elrond. Eventually, all wounds heal. Even.those. But, Elrond, *don't* go on an insane quest for vengeance. Not only is it not like you, you don't have the time. You have other, far more pressing responsibilities. Promise me, Elrond." Her eyes pleaded with me as eloquently as her whispery voice.
Unwilling to argue, I nodded and tremulously kissed her hand.
She smiled. That sweet, sweet smile I had fallen in love with all those years before.
"There'll be no ties of time and space to bind us," I whispered.
"And no horizon we cannot pursue."
"We'll leave the world's misfortunes far behind us," I finished as I placed her on the boat. "Goodbye, Celebrian," I whispered, as the boat disappeared in the mists.
As I turned to leave, I spun back, startled. I scanned the horizon. No sign of the boat. I shook my head. "I must really be exhausted," I murmured to myself. But.
I could have sworn I heard a whispered, beloved voice on the wind.
"And I will put my faith and trust in you."
(A/N: We have an epilogue, *then* this will be over. Patience, my friends. We're almost done!!!)