Title: In Times Like These
Author: Yih
22: Leaving Again (December 18, 2003)
.IV.120.
She was leaving again. This time it was by her own choice. She had to go. She couldn't bear to linger here any longer. Her soul cried out for Valinor. The call of the sea was pulling at her, drawing her to it. It wanted her to leave; it needed her to leave. She had to. She didn't want to leave because she would have to leave Elrohir.
Did she dare tell him how she felt for him? She didn't think she could stand it if he only saw her as a niece. She wanted to be more than that. She wanted to be someone that he could fall in love with. She knew that she was thousands of years younger than him, but she felt much older than her few years. She knew it was because she was the reincarnation of Anaire.
She was afraid not only would he think she was too young, but that she shouldn't make up her mind right now when she was leaving for the Undying Lands. She knew that her old life, she had been in love with an elf warrior called Haldir. But even though she was Anaire, she was still Elen. And she loved Elrohir.
How could she not? He was the one that had comforted her in her nightmares, her endless and never ceasing nightmares where she had to recall all the torments of her anguished former life. He'd been there; he'd been the first. She had wanted to tell him that Anaire had truly loved him, that if he had been there like Haldir was--- Anaire would have fallen for him instead.
"It's time," Legolas murmured, holding his hand out to her. She knew from past memories, Anaire's memories, her memories that Legolas had once been infatuated with her. She had been intrigued by the beautiful Mirkwood Prince. But a relationship between them was not to be. However, that hadn't prevented them from becoming good friends over the years. And it was he that offered her a spot on one of the last ships that were left to sail to Valinor.
She took his hand and turned tear filled eyes to her father. Glorfindel was also going, but Elrohir and Elladan were not. She had hoped Elrohir would come to her, but he hadn't. Her beautiful pale eyes had tears that were threatening to spill down her pale cheeks. She didn't cry. She only hoped that what she did not dare to say but that she dared to write would move Elrohir to take the last ship before it was too late.
What more was there in Arda? Aragorn had passed. Eldarion had been crowned King of Gondor. Arwen was fading. There was almost nothing left. She didn't understand why they wouldn't go. They said that even though they were elves, they were part of man too. They still had things they had to do. But what?
"We have to board," Glorfindel reminded her, his hand holding hers tightly as he and Legolas guided her into the white ship. "The winds are about to guide us to the Undying Lands. We cannot afford to let them pass. You know the journey can only be made at an appointed time and the time is now, Elen."
"I know," she whispered painfully. "I know, adar."
~
"She is leaving," Elladan reminded Elrohir as he watched his brother's eyes stare across the fading horizon. "You should have gone to her before it was too late. Now it's too late, Elrohir. The ship has left and you never told her how you felt for her."
"You know I cannot."
"Why can you not?" Elladan asked.
"Because she and Haldir are meant to be. Their love is a love that crosses time and death. It will not fade. It will not die. It is what we elves have always yearned for in love--- a true and boundless love. Haldir almost faded to his death!"
"But he did not," Elladan countered. "If it was truly a soulmate love, he would have faded."
"You know that Anaire wanted him to live!"
"You should have told her what you felt Elrohir! You should have at least told her! I have never known you to give up before, so why now?"
"Because," Elrohir whispered painfully, "if I had told her, she would have stayed."
"That means," Elladan began triumphantly, "that she felt the same way about you that you do about her!"
"She needs to leave. If she had stayed here any longer her soul would have slowly died. The nightmares will only leave her if she leaves Middle Earth. You know that her pain is tied to these lands. If she goes to Valinor, she will be blessed with the light that is there and her sorrow and anguish will be lifted from her."
"You still should have told her."
"I could not bear to see her remain here in agony."
It was then that Elladan noticed the letter that laid unopened on Elrohir's desk. "That is a letter from her, is it not?"
"Yes, it is."
"Are you going to read it?"
"One day. Some day."
~
Author's Note: Thanks for all your support. This is a short chapter just to let you know that I will be trying to continue this series! Please review.
22: Leaving Again (December 18, 2003)
.IV.120.
She was leaving again. This time it was by her own choice. She had to go. She couldn't bear to linger here any longer. Her soul cried out for Valinor. The call of the sea was pulling at her, drawing her to it. It wanted her to leave; it needed her to leave. She had to. She didn't want to leave because she would have to leave Elrohir.
Did she dare tell him how she felt for him? She didn't think she could stand it if he only saw her as a niece. She wanted to be more than that. She wanted to be someone that he could fall in love with. She knew that she was thousands of years younger than him, but she felt much older than her few years. She knew it was because she was the reincarnation of Anaire.
She was afraid not only would he think she was too young, but that she shouldn't make up her mind right now when she was leaving for the Undying Lands. She knew that her old life, she had been in love with an elf warrior called Haldir. But even though she was Anaire, she was still Elen. And she loved Elrohir.
How could she not? He was the one that had comforted her in her nightmares, her endless and never ceasing nightmares where she had to recall all the torments of her anguished former life. He'd been there; he'd been the first. She had wanted to tell him that Anaire had truly loved him, that if he had been there like Haldir was--- Anaire would have fallen for him instead.
"It's time," Legolas murmured, holding his hand out to her. She knew from past memories, Anaire's memories, her memories that Legolas had once been infatuated with her. She had been intrigued by the beautiful Mirkwood Prince. But a relationship between them was not to be. However, that hadn't prevented them from becoming good friends over the years. And it was he that offered her a spot on one of the last ships that were left to sail to Valinor.
She took his hand and turned tear filled eyes to her father. Glorfindel was also going, but Elrohir and Elladan were not. She had hoped Elrohir would come to her, but he hadn't. Her beautiful pale eyes had tears that were threatening to spill down her pale cheeks. She didn't cry. She only hoped that what she did not dare to say but that she dared to write would move Elrohir to take the last ship before it was too late.
What more was there in Arda? Aragorn had passed. Eldarion had been crowned King of Gondor. Arwen was fading. There was almost nothing left. She didn't understand why they wouldn't go. They said that even though they were elves, they were part of man too. They still had things they had to do. But what?
"We have to board," Glorfindel reminded her, his hand holding hers tightly as he and Legolas guided her into the white ship. "The winds are about to guide us to the Undying Lands. We cannot afford to let them pass. You know the journey can only be made at an appointed time and the time is now, Elen."
"I know," she whispered painfully. "I know, adar."
~
"She is leaving," Elladan reminded Elrohir as he watched his brother's eyes stare across the fading horizon. "You should have gone to her before it was too late. Now it's too late, Elrohir. The ship has left and you never told her how you felt for her."
"You know I cannot."
"Why can you not?" Elladan asked.
"Because she and Haldir are meant to be. Their love is a love that crosses time and death. It will not fade. It will not die. It is what we elves have always yearned for in love--- a true and boundless love. Haldir almost faded to his death!"
"But he did not," Elladan countered. "If it was truly a soulmate love, he would have faded."
"You know that Anaire wanted him to live!"
"You should have told her what you felt Elrohir! You should have at least told her! I have never known you to give up before, so why now?"
"Because," Elrohir whispered painfully, "if I had told her, she would have stayed."
"That means," Elladan began triumphantly, "that she felt the same way about you that you do about her!"
"She needs to leave. If she had stayed here any longer her soul would have slowly died. The nightmares will only leave her if she leaves Middle Earth. You know that her pain is tied to these lands. If she goes to Valinor, she will be blessed with the light that is there and her sorrow and anguish will be lifted from her."
"You still should have told her."
"I could not bear to see her remain here in agony."
It was then that Elladan noticed the letter that laid unopened on Elrohir's desk. "That is a letter from her, is it not?"
"Yes, it is."
"Are you going to read it?"
"One day. Some day."
~
Author's Note: Thanks for all your support. This is a short chapter just to let you know that I will be trying to continue this series! Please review.