Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places in this story.
Reunion Beyond the Stars
Chapter 3
Meanwhile, in Imladris.
The messenger had returned to Imladris to find that the Lady Galadriel had arrived.
Galadriel was speaking with her son-in-law, trying to comfort him, but to no avail. Elrond seemed almost detached from the world around him. She knew what was happening. She knew how much pain Elrond had felt in his life. He had lost so many loved ones to death. Elrond was in the early stages of grief, and she doubted he would get over it.
Galadriel left Elrond's room, only to meet Glorfindel outside, "Any luck?" He asked.
"Sadly, no." Came the reply. "Although, I doubt any of us would be able to get him to listen at this point. You know of most of the pain he has gone through. It is unlikely that he will recover." Galadriel added before turning and walking away.
A few days later, Glorfindel was sitting in one of the gardens, thinking on what had happened over the last few weeks. Elrond's condition had gotten worse. Many of the elves were shocked that the great lord of Imladris was succumbing to grief caused by the death of his twin sons. Glorfindel knew that this was not the only reason. He had known Lord Elrond for many years. He was one of the few elves who remembered the most painful separation from Elrond's past, and now he could see the pain in Elrond's eyes that was brought forth from the death of his sons. 'The pain,' Glorfindel thought, 'is most likely not only caused by the death of the twins, but also from memories of the past.' His thoughts wandered for a while before he realized something. Other than his own parents and Celebrian, Elrond had no other direct family alive. And the only one of those three he would ever have the possibility of seeing again would be Celebrian. 'Perhaps there is more for him in death than there would be in life.' He suddenly thought.
An idea suddenly formed in his head. He could not do this alone. A messenger had arrived the day before saying that Aragorn, Arwen, and Legolas were coming to Imladris and that they would only be a few days behind the messenger. He would talk with the three, as they would most likely understand his motives for his plan.
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A few days later, the King and Queen of Gondor and the Prince of Eryn Lasgalen had arrived in Imladris. Glorfindel was heading towards their rooms, so as to catch them before they set out to see Lord Elrond. He had found the three in Legolas's room.
"YOU WANT TO WHAT!" Arwen's voice carried throughout the room. Aragorn had to pull her back onto the couch to calm her down.
"It's most likely the best thing for your father. I know it does not seem like it, but would you rather that you knew that your father was happy, or would you like me to show you how close he is to death right now." Glorfindel replied, not at all surprised at Arwen's reaction.
"How can encouraging him to give in to his grief, be the best thing for him!" Arwen was angry and she was not thinking clearly.
"Your father has been through a lot of pain. As of right now, the only ones left of his family that he would ever be able to see, is you, Estel, and Celebrian. Estel is mortal, and he will eventually die, and you will follow him into death. Elladan and Elrohir are already dead, and he has already lost someone near to his heart to the fate of men. There is not much left for him in the living world." Glorfindel tried to explain.
"Celebrian would follow him into death. There, our entire family could be reunited." Aragorn said, finally figuring out most of what had been explain, yet there was one question burning in his mind. "Who was the first that he lost to mortality?" He asked.
"Do you remember the history of Numenor?" Glorfindel asked, he suddenly had an idea.
Aragorn nodded.
"Do you remember why it is that the Numenorians have some elvish blood in them?" He then added.
"Yes, it was because Elros, the first king of Numenor was..." Aragorn trailed off, suddenly realizing what Glorfindel was trying to say.
"Elros was also known as half-elven, just as Elrond was, but why is that important?" Legolas asked, not catching on to what Glorfindel was trying to tell them, as he was not as learned in the history of Numenor.
"It was said that Elros had a twin brother, who had chosen to remain among elven-kind. Elros was Elrond's twin brother." Aragorn added, still slightly shocked at what he had just learned. 'It's interesting, I was raised by Elrond and I only thought that I had truly become part of the family when I married Arwen, but now I have discovered that I have always been a part of this family by blood as well.' He thought as an afterthought.
Arwen was shocked. "How was it that we never knew that father had a brother?" She asked.
"I am one of the few who knows this, because I knew your father when Elros was still alive. I had arrived in Imladris about a century before, and your father had just received a message from Numenor, he was setting out to leave to see his brother one last time. I did not go with him, but I do remember the day he returned. I could see the sadness in his eyes, in fact most elves near him noticed it. Not many knew why, but I did. Your father confided in me that Elros had died a few days after he had arrived in Numenor. He had been waiting to say farewell to your father. He had also told me that he did not feel comfortable speaking about his brother now that he was dead. Your father never told you because he did not want to bring up certain upsetting memories from that time." Glorfindel told them.
"I think it is time that father was reunited with certain family members that he has not seen since the second age of the world." Aragorn said, finally understanding what Glorfindel wanted them to do.
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A few minutes later, Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, and Glorfindel were standing outside Lord Elrond's room. "It's time." Arwen said. The four entered the room to find Elrond lying on the bed eyes unfocused, but he was still breathing.
"Ada, please wake up and listen to us, we will not keep you long, but we would like to hear your voice one last time." Arwen said pleadingly.
For the first time in weeks, Elrond's gaze focused and he actually looked at his daughter. "Yes, daughter?" He said slowly.
Aragorn kneeled beside Arwen and looked into his father's eyes. "Why do you stay here?" He asked.
"I stay for the two of you." Came the answer.
"We will be fine, you should follow your heart. We have heard that it has been far too long since you last saw your brother. Go to him, we will join you soon enough." Aragorn said. "Namarie Ada farewell father." Aragorn stood up and leaned over the bed and gave Elrond a final embrace.
"Namarie ion nin farewell my son." Elrond said. "Arwen, take care of yourself as well as Estel. I shall see the two of you soon enough. Glorfindel, do not think you can hide in the corner from me, I know you were behind all of this. Thank you. And Legolas, take care of yourself." He looked towards the two blonde elves, "I know that I will not see the two of you again." At this Elrond closed his eyes and drew his final breath.
The four remaining in the room turned towards the door and left. "Goodbye father." Arwen said silently, "I shall see you soon." She added.
TBC...
A/N: I go by the belief that Elros is Elrond's twin brother. I actually believe that Elrond probably did tell his children about Elros, but it made more sense to me when writing this story, that they had not been told.
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