Chapter Eleven: Surprise in the Night
I did not take Elendil or his sons back to the Havens. They would not go and the Elves would not have them. Instead I took him to the shelter of the woods near the beach where I healed their woods. When they were all well Elendil and I discussed what was to become of them.
"You cannot go back." I said, "There is nothing to go back to."
"This is truth." Elendil replied, "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome marucan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta. Out of the Great Sea to Middle Earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the end of the world."
I nodded my understanding. He was not going anywhere but Middle Earth.
"Very well." I said, "There is a place, north and east of here, and a place south and east. There lies your safety for the time being, but you should first be taken to Rivendell. Lord Elrond would have heard of these happens and you should be brought before him."
"Will you accompany us?" Elendil asked, looking to where his two sons were playing in the waves.
"I will accompany you to Rivendell as is the bidding of Uinen." I sighed, "Though there are people there who I wish not to face."
Elendil nodded, "When will we leave?"
"Tomorrow, first light." I replied. ***
The men were all asleep as I walked along the shores of the Great Sea, taking my time to glance out across the waves in the light of the moon.
I was going back to Rivendell. The bidding of the Lady of the Seas was taking me right into the hands of that which I had avoided for seven hundred years, but I had to take Elendil to Imladris.
I was absorbed in my thoughts; letting my guard down thinking I was totally alone on the beach.
"Fair is that which wanders the Silver Beach." Someone said, causing me to turn around, with knives drawn. Standing ten feet further up the beach was a lean dark figure, the moonlight at it's back, I could not see the stranger's face.
"Who are you and why have you come here?" I asked tentatively.
"I came searching for you." The stranger saw my tightening grip on the handles of my knives and laughed, "Please, Lhunrothien, has my face become strange in days past? Lower thy blades, I am no foe."
"The moonlight hides your face." I replied, "Step forward so I may see you clear."
With that, the stranger took a step forward and I dropped my weapons.
"How did you find me here Lord?" I asked.
"We have searched for many days now." Glorfindel replied, "You are not easy to find Lady."
"You should not be here." I said, leaning down to pick up my knives and return them to their sheaths at my waist, "I have business with the Númenóreans from Uinen of the Seas."
Glorfindel took two steps towards me, "I have to be here." He said, "You are taking them to Rivendell, and Elrond would be most unpleased if you showed up alone."
I raised a long slender eyebrow; "I believe the Lady of the Seas requested that I make this journey alone."
"Higher forces would take advantage of you if this journey was made alone." He said, "I am going, whether you like it or not."
"This is one mission you can not accompany me on my friend." I said, and with that, I turned away from the beach and started back towards the trees, I stopped, but without turning around I whispered, "I am truly sorry Glorfindel."
Dawn was breaking, we had to move.
I did not take Elendil or his sons back to the Havens. They would not go and the Elves would not have them. Instead I took him to the shelter of the woods near the beach where I healed their woods. When they were all well Elendil and I discussed what was to become of them.
"You cannot go back." I said, "There is nothing to go back to."
"This is truth." Elendil replied, "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome marucan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta. Out of the Great Sea to Middle Earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the end of the world."
I nodded my understanding. He was not going anywhere but Middle Earth.
"Very well." I said, "There is a place, north and east of here, and a place south and east. There lies your safety for the time being, but you should first be taken to Rivendell. Lord Elrond would have heard of these happens and you should be brought before him."
"Will you accompany us?" Elendil asked, looking to where his two sons were playing in the waves.
"I will accompany you to Rivendell as is the bidding of Uinen." I sighed, "Though there are people there who I wish not to face."
Elendil nodded, "When will we leave?"
"Tomorrow, first light." I replied. ***
The men were all asleep as I walked along the shores of the Great Sea, taking my time to glance out across the waves in the light of the moon.
I was going back to Rivendell. The bidding of the Lady of the Seas was taking me right into the hands of that which I had avoided for seven hundred years, but I had to take Elendil to Imladris.
I was absorbed in my thoughts; letting my guard down thinking I was totally alone on the beach.
"Fair is that which wanders the Silver Beach." Someone said, causing me to turn around, with knives drawn. Standing ten feet further up the beach was a lean dark figure, the moonlight at it's back, I could not see the stranger's face.
"Who are you and why have you come here?" I asked tentatively.
"I came searching for you." The stranger saw my tightening grip on the handles of my knives and laughed, "Please, Lhunrothien, has my face become strange in days past? Lower thy blades, I am no foe."
"The moonlight hides your face." I replied, "Step forward so I may see you clear."
With that, the stranger took a step forward and I dropped my weapons.
"How did you find me here Lord?" I asked.
"We have searched for many days now." Glorfindel replied, "You are not easy to find Lady."
"You should not be here." I said, leaning down to pick up my knives and return them to their sheaths at my waist, "I have business with the Númenóreans from Uinen of the Seas."
Glorfindel took two steps towards me, "I have to be here." He said, "You are taking them to Rivendell, and Elrond would be most unpleased if you showed up alone."
I raised a long slender eyebrow; "I believe the Lady of the Seas requested that I make this journey alone."
"Higher forces would take advantage of you if this journey was made alone." He said, "I am going, whether you like it or not."
"This is one mission you can not accompany me on my friend." I said, and with that, I turned away from the beach and started back towards the trees, I stopped, but without turning around I whispered, "I am truly sorry Glorfindel."
Dawn was breaking, we had to move.