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A Counsellor's Musings – Goodbye (b).
A half a turn of the hourglass after I have entered the stable house, the twins released me from their crushing embrace. They explained to me that they themselves would be making their way to Valinor on the final ship to raise its sails and depart these shores.
I explained to them, they must do what they must to aid in this war. I told them that my war was over, it ended at the birth of the Third Age and I could not hope to bring much help to the people of Middle-Earth in this war.
Explanations voiced, I left the twins to their devices. I vacated the stables and started the walk back to the Palace.
My walk is not as brisk as it was when I first exited my chambers but it is no mere stroll either. The destination I have in mind at this moment is that of Lady Arwen's chambers. Lord Elrond would have me not say Good bye to his daughter, for he believes she will sail from this land with her people. I would not wish to know the heart of Lady Arwen better than her own father, but I know she will stay with her love.
So it with this in mind, that I walk. I turn a corner and come to the corridor upon which her room resides. As I reach her door I raise my hand, clenched in a fist, and bring it down, softly rapping twice on the wooden barricade.
I am left waiting outside Lady Arwen's chambers all of five seconds before her door opens, revealing her dressed in the gown she must have worn for the feast that was to take place after the Council meeting. I see her smile brilliantly (not an ounce am I vain, she truly did) as she recognises me and cannot help but return the gesture.
I incline my head by way of silent greeting and see her roll her eyes towards the heavens.
"'Restor." She admonishes playfully. "You are always so formal. Please, come in." She steps away from the archway and waits for me to fully enter her chambers before closing the door behind us.
"You wish for me to rid myself of my formal air, My Lady?" I ask with an innocent smile playing on my lips. The she-elf before me laughs.
"By the Valar, should you rid yourself of your formalities dear 'Restor, you would no longer be 'Restor would you?" She teases lightly. I chuckle and we both take an arm chair by the fire place. "As much as these crossed words please me, I suspect that light banter was not the reason for your visit." She smiles at me and I cannot help but think I will more than likely be the reason for her losing that smile in the very near future.
"Nay, of course, you are correct." I say. "My reason for being here this night is, in essence, to bid you farewell." She looks at me with confusion written over her flawless features.
"Farewell, 'Restor? But why would you visit me with the intention of..." her words cease slipping from her mouth and I watch as realisation washes over her face. "You are leaving." She whispers and for the first time in three hundred years, I see fear fill her eyes. "NO!" She cries. "No 'Restor! You cannot leave!" She rises from her seat and starts pacing the length of the room.
"Arwen," I start but a wave of her hand silences me.
"No! You, of all Elves here in Imladris, cannot leave." She declares. "You cannot leave me! Please 'Restor!" She begs, her eyes bore into my own, pleading silently with me.
"Arwen, calm yourself!" I cry, my voice a glint sharper than I had intended it to be.
She starts at the tone, takes her seat once more and looks at me with tear- filled, fear laden eyes. I immediately soften under the gaze. "My dearest Arwen, this will be harsh for you to hear, but I feel you need to hear it. You need not me as much now as you need your father's approval of your choice regarding Estel." I say softly. "Do not mistake the approval I have given you for the approval your father has yet to bestow upon your relationship."
"I would never!" She exclaims. My words were harsh, as I predicted. "Mistake not my need for your person, 'Restor! I need you as I have always needed you; as a friend! As moral-support! As-''
"As an older, wiser figure that offer you approval where your father does not!" I cut her tirade short. "Give him the time he seeks, My Lady. Give him the time he needs to see with both eyes open what a proud, self- assured, intelligent, beautiful daughter he has. Give him the time to see that allowing you to follow your hearts desires is the only way you can truly be joyful in your lifetime." I smile at her. "And if that means you sacrificing your immortality, then let that be so."
I see her rise from her seat again and I rise from my own, remaining at eye level with her.
"'Restor." She speaks, her voice almost choking with emotion. "I want you here, at my side when I wed." I pull her into an emotional embrace.
"You know that I will be there when you wed. I will be there in spirit and in heart. If I could stay here in Middle-earth, I would be there when you wed, I would be there to watch your children grow, I would be there to tutor them as I did their parents... but I cannot remain here." I pause to gather my scattered thoughts.
"For too long have I remained in these lands when over two thousand years ago, I heard my call. Too long have I evaded the call by keeping my concerns elsewhere. I cannot wait any longer
"The ground I walk is no longer pure; the air I breathe is polluted." I sigh. "It is only the company I am close with that keeps me sane now. You, my dear, you have kept my heart warm with your joyous ways. Your family feels like it is my own. Glorfindel and your father are my brothers.
"I do not want to leave you but I truly must. My time here is over. I sail west with the first ship."
I pull out of the embrace and hold my brother's daughter at arms length. I see her tear-stained cheeks and her red-rimmed eyes and I see the love she holds in her heart purely for me. I know that she sees the same when she looks into my own eyes.
"'Restor." She sobs. "I do not want you to leave."
"I know you do not. But deep within your Elven heart, you know I must."
It is Arwen this time that initiates our embrace.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review!!
Thank you!
A Counsellor's Musings – Goodbye (b).
A half a turn of the hourglass after I have entered the stable house, the twins released me from their crushing embrace. They explained to me that they themselves would be making their way to Valinor on the final ship to raise its sails and depart these shores.
I explained to them, they must do what they must to aid in this war. I told them that my war was over, it ended at the birth of the Third Age and I could not hope to bring much help to the people of Middle-Earth in this war.
Explanations voiced, I left the twins to their devices. I vacated the stables and started the walk back to the Palace.
My walk is not as brisk as it was when I first exited my chambers but it is no mere stroll either. The destination I have in mind at this moment is that of Lady Arwen's chambers. Lord Elrond would have me not say Good bye to his daughter, for he believes she will sail from this land with her people. I would not wish to know the heart of Lady Arwen better than her own father, but I know she will stay with her love.
So it with this in mind, that I walk. I turn a corner and come to the corridor upon which her room resides. As I reach her door I raise my hand, clenched in a fist, and bring it down, softly rapping twice on the wooden barricade.
I am left waiting outside Lady Arwen's chambers all of five seconds before her door opens, revealing her dressed in the gown she must have worn for the feast that was to take place after the Council meeting. I see her smile brilliantly (not an ounce am I vain, she truly did) as she recognises me and cannot help but return the gesture.
I incline my head by way of silent greeting and see her roll her eyes towards the heavens.
"'Restor." She admonishes playfully. "You are always so formal. Please, come in." She steps away from the archway and waits for me to fully enter her chambers before closing the door behind us.
"You wish for me to rid myself of my formal air, My Lady?" I ask with an innocent smile playing on my lips. The she-elf before me laughs.
"By the Valar, should you rid yourself of your formalities dear 'Restor, you would no longer be 'Restor would you?" She teases lightly. I chuckle and we both take an arm chair by the fire place. "As much as these crossed words please me, I suspect that light banter was not the reason for your visit." She smiles at me and I cannot help but think I will more than likely be the reason for her losing that smile in the very near future.
"Nay, of course, you are correct." I say. "My reason for being here this night is, in essence, to bid you farewell." She looks at me with confusion written over her flawless features.
"Farewell, 'Restor? But why would you visit me with the intention of..." her words cease slipping from her mouth and I watch as realisation washes over her face. "You are leaving." She whispers and for the first time in three hundred years, I see fear fill her eyes. "NO!" She cries. "No 'Restor! You cannot leave!" She rises from her seat and starts pacing the length of the room.
"Arwen," I start but a wave of her hand silences me.
"No! You, of all Elves here in Imladris, cannot leave." She declares. "You cannot leave me! Please 'Restor!" She begs, her eyes bore into my own, pleading silently with me.
"Arwen, calm yourself!" I cry, my voice a glint sharper than I had intended it to be.
She starts at the tone, takes her seat once more and looks at me with tear- filled, fear laden eyes. I immediately soften under the gaze. "My dearest Arwen, this will be harsh for you to hear, but I feel you need to hear it. You need not me as much now as you need your father's approval of your choice regarding Estel." I say softly. "Do not mistake the approval I have given you for the approval your father has yet to bestow upon your relationship."
"I would never!" She exclaims. My words were harsh, as I predicted. "Mistake not my need for your person, 'Restor! I need you as I have always needed you; as a friend! As moral-support! As-''
"As an older, wiser figure that offer you approval where your father does not!" I cut her tirade short. "Give him the time he seeks, My Lady. Give him the time he needs to see with both eyes open what a proud, self- assured, intelligent, beautiful daughter he has. Give him the time to see that allowing you to follow your hearts desires is the only way you can truly be joyful in your lifetime." I smile at her. "And if that means you sacrificing your immortality, then let that be so."
I see her rise from her seat again and I rise from my own, remaining at eye level with her.
"'Restor." She speaks, her voice almost choking with emotion. "I want you here, at my side when I wed." I pull her into an emotional embrace.
"You know that I will be there when you wed. I will be there in spirit and in heart. If I could stay here in Middle-earth, I would be there when you wed, I would be there to watch your children grow, I would be there to tutor them as I did their parents... but I cannot remain here." I pause to gather my scattered thoughts.
"For too long have I remained in these lands when over two thousand years ago, I heard my call. Too long have I evaded the call by keeping my concerns elsewhere. I cannot wait any longer
"The ground I walk is no longer pure; the air I breathe is polluted." I sigh. "It is only the company I am close with that keeps me sane now. You, my dear, you have kept my heart warm with your joyous ways. Your family feels like it is my own. Glorfindel and your father are my brothers.
"I do not want to leave you but I truly must. My time here is over. I sail west with the first ship."
I pull out of the embrace and hold my brother's daughter at arms length. I see her tear-stained cheeks and her red-rimmed eyes and I see the love she holds in her heart purely for me. I know that she sees the same when she looks into my own eyes.
"'Restor." She sobs. "I do not want you to leave."
"I know you do not. But deep within your Elven heart, you know I must."
It is Arwen this time that initiates our embrace.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review!!
Thank you!