Disclaimer: Has hell frozen over yet? No, then I guess I don't own these characters….
In honor of the fact that I have to tour the freshman around campus tomorrow, (and start school the next day, oh whoopee! I start school on a Friday!) I am posting this early. A) because I have to be at school early so I can be executed… okay start the freshman's education. Well I hope you enjoy!
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They had finally managed to get Estel on to the boat. For someone who was supposedly near death, he had a lot of fight left in him. Elladan and Elrohir had practically had to drag him on to the boat. They had even gone as far as to threaten him with a sedative after he started laughing and calling them crazy about the blood bonding; claiming it would never work as he had earlier in the trip. Legolas almost had to laugh, because ironically the last person they had had to threaten with a sedative was Arwen..
six months ago...
"No I am not going to the Valinor Estel. I am not leaving you, I made my choice." Arwen said furious that her husband dared to try and send her over to the Valinor. She had chosen a mortal life. She was about to slap her husband who stood only a few feet from her.
"I will not leave my children behind." Arwen said in desperation, surely Estel would recant when she said that.
"You would leave them behind if you died as well. They already know that you are going to the Valinor." Estel said as he turned to grab Arwen's bags. Arwen did not catch the grimace that crossed Estel's face as he spoke those words. Legolas and his brothers did, out of Arwen and Estel's four children, only the eldest two understood why he was doing this. It was tearing him apart to do this, but he felt that he had too.
"And I will not allow you to die in grief of me Arwen. You would die of a broken heart, not old age. That is something I refuse to allow you to do. I love you to much for that." Estel was correct, Arwen had not aged at all, there was not one single gray hair on her head, nor one wrinkle adorning her youthful face.
"You call this love Estel? You do not send someone away when you love them." Arwen spat as she tried to grab the bags away from him, but she was unsuccessful. Legolas and her brothers were suddenly glad they were standing far away from the feuding couple, because it looked as if at any moment one of them was going to start a physical fight.
"Sometimes if you really love something Arwen, you have to let it go." Arwen glared at her husband, how dare he quote wisdom at her. He was a mere child compared to all her years. She tried to walk away from the boat. But Estel stood in her way.
"If you do not get on this boat willing, I will sedate you." Estel said as calmly as he could.
Arwen's eyes widened, then narrowed. She reached for the knife in her belt. "You dare to threaten me Aragorn? What have you done with the husband I love? Do you not love me anymore?"
"Arwen I mean not to threaten you. But I do not do this for me, but for our father. I love you more then life itself, but I can not allow Ada to lose both of his youngest children to death. Especially you Undomiel, for you were not meant to face death." Estel was crying freely now. "I will not be so selfish to make Ada have to mourn two children. I will not be that kind of man."
Arwen looked at her husband as he stood in front of her, then suddenly he was not in her line of sight. He was on the ground on his knees. "I beg you a'maal, go to the Valinor, if not for our father, then for me. For I can not bear the thought that you will never see your Amme again or our Adar. Please Arwen?"
Arwen dropped to her knees, tears filled her eyes. "I...if that is what you truly want Estel..."
Estel entwined his hand with Arwen's, as silver eyes met blue. "Yes Arwen. That is what I truly want, for you to live and be happy with Ada. That one of us will be there to make Ada smile and hold him when he mourns...."
"I will go Estel-nin." Arwen said, head bowed in defeat. She could not deny her husband, the love of her life.
Legolas turned to the twins, whispering so only they could hear him. "Now you understand why we have to do this?"
Elladan closed his eyes in uncertainty, "I do not know if we should Legolas. If we do this we would not only be violating the ban and the Valar, but interfering with death itself"
"But we have to!" Legolas looked at his best friend. "Look at him. Truly look at your brother, Elladan, Elrohir. He is making the ultimate sacrifice for your Adar. He loves not only Arwen, but also your father and you two so much that he is willing to lose his true love, to never see her again... So she can live and that your family will not have to mourn her. Do you really want him to die? Do you?"
Elrohir looked at his aged brother, he knew they had to do this. He could not leave his little brother to the fate of death. To never be able to see Ada again, someone his little brother loved above all else. For all of them to never see their little one again, the thought was just as heart breaking as the reality. "Elladan you once said that death should not be his fate. We have a chance to change that. We can take him home with us, if any try and stop us... He is our gwador, Elladan. I can not leave him here, can you? Truly can you?"
Elladan looked at his younger brother, closing his eyes he knew his answer. "No, nin-gwador. I can not leave Estel here to the mortal fate... He does not belong here or Minas Tirith... He is the eldar's child, not the edain's."
Estel stood hugging his wife. "Remember amine mela lle."
Arwen now saw how much what Estel was doing was paining him. "N'uma m'at caela 'mina mele. (No other have I loved) This is our forever Estel. I will remember it and your love for me always my husband." She felt like her heart was breaking as she kissed him their last kiss.
The couple's brothers approached the two of them. Elladan was the one that hugged his little sister. Unknown to Estel, Elladan whispered softly in her ear. "You will see him again, Undomiel." He released her from his grasp.
Then Elrohir held her, grasping her for dear life. "We are going to take him home with us. To Ada and you. But do not tell Ada or Estel, it is a surprise."
Arwen covered her surprise as Elladan joined in the hug again with his twin. "How?" She whispered.
"We are going to take him on a ship, silly." Elladan said softly.
"Be happy, you will get to see your love again. It is Legolas' idea" Elrohir smiled. Arwen could barely contain her happiness. What those three were going to do was dangerous, not only to Estel but to themselves as well. But, oh the ideas of having her husband with her forever. Suddenly she was glad that her grandmother and she had gotten Gimli make that promise....
"I promise I will not tell Ada or Estel." The two of them thanked her, then pulled away from her.
"We will see you again Arwen. Met mela lle tithen sinja (we love you little *sister*) Elrohir said quietly. Elladan added "Always."
Legolas approached her next. Gently teased Estel and him, acting as if she was still sad. "Well it seems that you have finally got him to yourself Legolas. You better take care of him." This elicited laughter, no matter how sad Estel was. Legolas laughed knowing that Arwen approved of what they were going to do.
Taking a deep breath Arwen got on to the ship. In a way she was relieved for she would get to see her mother and father again. Yet she was still sad that Estel did not know that they would be together again. She wanted more then anything to wipe the sadness from his eyes. You better take care of him Legolas or I am going to gut you when you reach the Valinor…
Present...
Estel was still trying to get off the boat, trying being the key word. There was no escape from his brothers or his best friend. But as he turned to try and jump off the boat one last time before they got to far away from the shore, he saw all four of his children standing on the shore. The two youngest of his daughters looked at him directly, wave then turn away. They were unable to say goodbye to the last of their parents and elven family. The elder two stayed, holding on to one another. Both of them were dressed as warriors, instead of as the king and princess/advisor they were. Their long dark hair was braided instead of flowing over their shoulders like it usually was, silver grey eyes filled with tears
Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas turned to see what had stopped Estel from trying to escape once more, upon seeing the nephew and eldest niece they smiled. It was a pleasant surprise, but what surprised them the most was when both of Estel's children drew their swords and brought the pommels over their hearts bowing deeply as they raised their swords. It was a salute to great warriors of the past.
The girl was the first one to speak. "Amine mela lle Ada. Always, through death...."
Eldarion continued it, "...And life. Until we meet again, remember you are always in our hearts..." They both placed their swords back into their scabbards.
"...Minds, souls, and spirits." The eldest daughter finished. "Namarie Ada."
"Namarie Ada." Eldarion said. "Middle Earth will never be the same without you Adar-nin."
"Without any of you." His daughter said with a smile as she looked over at her uncles. "We love you all and will miss you all terribly from now until the day we are merely dust." As she looked on at the four on the boat from their perch on the hill, she could not help but truly grin when she saw the gift that had been given to her uncles and father early. She glanced over at Eldarion wondering if he saw what she saw he smiled at her. He had noticed as well.
"Namarie iel-nin a ion-nin. I will miss both of you terribly." Estel said with tears in his eyes. The two on the shore just grinned, which confused Estel. Why were his children so giddy when they had but moments earlier been in one of their gravest moments.
The twins got curious at what two young humans were grinning at. Then they saw, they nudged Legolas, who looked annoyed until he saw Estel. Then he just grinned as the wind in the sails was taking them away from the shore.
Estel felt the glances of his children, brothers, and best friend on him. He turned to look over at the others in the boat. "What are you all staring at?"
They did not answer him at first, just grinned. Finally Elladan joked, "Finally I will get to braid your hair tithen pen."
Estel was puzzled, his hair was not long enough to braid. Was there something in the water that was making everyone crazy. "Brother what is it that you speak of, my hair is not..." Then he saw his reflection in the water, or should he say a reflection of himself when he was merely twenty years of age. Suddenly wondered if he to had partaken in the bad water, for surely he was dreaming.
Estel just stared down at the water, bringing his hand to his face as his brothers, children and friend looked on. He could not believe it but his senses did not lie to him. His was ebony again, his skin smooth, body full of life. It was not an illusion he actually looked and felt like he was twenty again. Suddenly he had his brothers hugging him and Legolas tackling them all. And in their joy they almost did not hear Eldarion's question to his sister before the wind robbed them of all the sounds from Arda.
"Vila?" Using the nickname she had had from childhood, finding he needed the comfort of familiarity. "Do you think they will make it to the Valinor?" Eldarion asked Vila as they watched the ship sail away.
Vila looked over at the boat, waving at the occupants that she knew could hear them. "Eru Iluvater and the Valar know the difference between going over the sea to collect spoils of war, honor, pride and greed and challenging the ban out of the love of a brother. The desire for your loved one to be with his family, instead of separated." She grinned, "Plus he is more like an elf then a man, like Tuor."
Legolas laughed at that comment, as he slung his arm around his brother in arms. Estel could not help to think but the sound of his friend's laughter was one of the most wonderful sounds in his life.
And as Legolas whispered in his ears, "She is right you know, you are. I am glad you got this gift mellon-nin. You deserved it." Legolas was glad that they had done the blood bonding feeling that was the reason the gift had been received.
Estel could not help thinking that he was glad that his friend would not have to lose him. For this must be what it meant, for the gift of the Numenoreans only occurred in death, but yet he was alive and feeling better then he had ever felt before. Somehow he knew now Legolas and him would be together always. Friends forever… because if it hadn't worked out like this… If his friend's laughter ever ended, the world or even the Valinor would lose something truly amazing.
Legolas sensing his thoughts, said quietly in his melodic voice. "No, gwador of my heart, losing you would cause a great loss for everyone."
Estel just slung his arm around his friend's shoulder, knowing he would never win this argument, and waved at his eldest children. Then when they could see them no more, he turned to his brothers.
"I wonder if Arwen told Ada what you named my second eldest. I am sure that he would be very curious you decide to name her after his r…." Elladan covered his little brother's mouth.
"Behave gwador, we can still sacrifice you to Ulmo." Elladan said sadistically. Elrohir nodded, looking as if he would throw Estel into the sea at any moment.
"Legolas would not let you." Elladan just smiled slyly, and Estel began to fear for his life. Maybe it would be better if he stayed clear of his brothers for a while. The problem was… how do you keep away from someone on a boat only twenty feet in length and five feet wide?…..
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"What should we do about the human?" Manwe asked Iluvater respectfully, speaking for all the Valar gathered in Varda and his home.
The Valar's opinions were divided. But surprisingly Manwe was one of the ones favoring allowing the human called Estel by the elves to enter, when he himself favored the elder over the second born race. He thought it was also ingenious of the elves to blood bond themselves to the human. But he was amazed that the human was so loyal to their, the Valar's, wishes that he had fought his brothers and friend the entire time, so as not to disobey them. For that the human deserved some respect.
"Allow him to enter." The voice came. "He has earned his way, this son of man has. I will not separate a family." For it had been he who had planted the idea….
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"Do you think we will ever get to see Gimli again Estel?" Legolas asked quietly long after Elladan and Elrohir had fallen asleep. In the moonlight, he glowed ever so little, so did Estel for the first time in his life. Not that Legolas was going to tell his friend, there was no need to frighten his dear friend. Elladan and Elrohir had practically started to laugh when Estel had asked what it was that they were smiling about before they took to rest.
"I do not know Legolas, most probably for I do not believe the dwarfs pass from the world like man does…" He trailed off at the look of loss on his friend's face, understanding it for Gimli was a good friend to him as well. So he changed the subject. "Actually I thought he was the one that was going to go with you to the Undying Lands."
"I asked him to come with us." Legolas said quietly, "He told me that he had a promise to keep to the Lady of the Wood and the Undomiel to watch over your children until the day he dies."
Estel looked over sharply at Legolas, "How could that be? I never heard of such a promise." If it was true, then it was his fault that Gimli did not come.
"But it was a promise made." Legolas said calmly. "Do not trouble yourself Estel, for it is not a fault on your part."
Estel shook his head, disagreeing but he did not argue the point for he did not feel up to it. "We will see Gimli again gwador Legolas. I do not know how I know, but I have a feeling we will see him once more." He encircled his arm around Legolas' shoulder as they leaned against the side of the boat. Legolas in turn wrapped his around the ranger's waist.
Legolas smiled, Estel was aptly named. Elladan and Elrohir arose to take watch over the boat, nodding to Legolas. "Rest Lord Estel, rest. Our watch is over and we can rest now."
Estel smiled at the formal speech, it was rare for the two friends to speech like this but sometimes it was necessary. "I will rest Prince Legolas." Legolas rolled his eyes at the title, but smiled knowing he had been asking for it.
Leaning his head on Legolas shoulder, he felt his friend holding him to keep him warm, and in a way safe. Legolas placed his head on top of Estel's and together they slept. Their dreams taking them to another place where a benevolent being of great power stood…
TBC….
* this translation of sister is in sylvan, the only word for sister that I could find in the dictionary I was working out of.
I hope that explains where Gimli is, but for all of you that are wondering they will see Gimli (Not in this story) but they will someday...
2 more posts to go!!!