Title: The End Has Come
Author: B-witched83uk )
Rating: R
Warning: This chapter does include a fairly tame sex scene. It will probably also make one or two of you cry, so you have been warned.
Summary: The royal family of Gondor have their final adventure together.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. The whole of Middle-earth belongs to Tolkien
Beta: The Last Evenstar, a great friend and a great editor.
Archive: , Any others please ask.
Feedback: I would absolutely love some because yes I am a praise junky.
A/N: There are no replies to reviews this time. After re-reading this chapter I am too sad to reply, I'm sorry. I will post the next chapter probably tomorrow, if not the day after. It will be the last chapter, except for the epilogue, but I will post that at the same time.
A/N2: The flashback is taken from Sleepless Nights and Pillow Fights.
Chapter 21
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
In the heart of Rivendell, beside the great waterfall, there was a bridge. This bridge of stone had been there for many years, and it had seen many things. The river flowing beneath it seemed to sing songs of flowing love, of times of magic in days of old. The love that their grandparents had shared filled the air still to this day. The silver leaves of the surrounding trees caught the moonlight, casting misty beams down on the young lovers below.
There stood Gwydion and Estelai, their gentle eyes locked. Estelai's white dress swayed softly in the gentle evening breeze, her fair hair flowing behind her like a waterfall of pure gold.
She smiled lovingly at her cousin and held out her hand for him to take. "Do you remember what I told you, the night of the feast?" Her voice was a soft whisper, enchanting and filled with love.
"You said you would never leave me." He remembered the night in question, his eyes never leaving hers, carrying a certain sadness in them. Estelai looked down at her feet and felt a single tear escape her eye. Looking up to meet her cousin's eyes once more, she stroked her thumb over his hand. "But you must leave me."
Gwydion closed his eyes against the tears he felt threatening to spill. He locked eyes with her and shook his head numbly.
"Gwydion I love you. But if you stay and we are together, no one will ever understand. What we share will be seen as something sordid and wrong." She let her tears fall freely now, the sobs gently wracking her body. "Valinor needs you, just as Gondor needs me. We can be together and be selfish or we can be strong and be there for those who rely on us."
Gwydion wiped at his eyes furiously. "If I leave you, I will die."
"No my love, you will live, you will live because you have no choice. Your destiny takes you to Valinor, as mine takes me back to Gondor. You cant change destiny."
Gwydion had half expected her to say that, had known that the grace of Valinor was far more important in the long run then the love that they shared. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. Removing her shaking fingers from his grasp, she reached behind her neck. Estelai took his hand in hers and curled his own fingers around the object she had placed in his hand.
Uncurling his fingers, he gasped soundlessly as he took the Evenstar pendant in his hand. "You cannot give me this."
Estelai smiled softly, curling his hand around the precious jewel once more. "It is mine to give to whom I will, like my heart," she said in a painful whisper. "Which already belongs to you."
"I know I cannot stay, though I wish for nothing more." He choked back a sob as the cool silver in his hand soothed him slightly.
"I know, but know that you shall take my heart with you, for no other shall ever touch it." Taking her in his arms, he pressed his mouth gently to hers, knowing that soon he would never again feel the warmth of her soft lips.
Elladan, Elrohir, Gwydion, and Estelai rode their horses with passion, making their way to Minas Tirith. The Silmaril was bound securely around Gwydion's neck with a silver chain, gleaming brightly with a warm glow. The gates opened before them, the guard instantly recognising them for who they were.
"Minas Tirith," Estelai sighed sadly. "It is good to be home."
The ride had been hard on Elrohir, who was feeling more and more tired of late. He clasped Galadwen tightly, recognising her pain as his own, before sitting in at the table in the great hall.
Once the entire family was seated, Eldarion stood from his seat at the head of the table. "This will be a sad night indeed, for it is the last night we will spend as a family."
He looked over at his uncles and then at his sister. Eldarion and Galadwen shared a bittersweet smile. Gwydion had shown them all the Silmaril and told them of his decision to leave for Valinor. Though Galadwen was overjoyed not to have to leave her only son behind, her heard still wept for him, for she knew that his own heart would always remain here with Estelai.
They ate in silence for some time before Gwydion found the courage to look at Estelai. She smiled at him softly, trying to be strong for him, all the while feeling her heart break.
He managed to smile back, but it was weak, as they knew this would be their last night together.
Galadwen refused to let her brother go, instead tightening her embrace. Eldarion just stood there, smelling her hair, remembering their childhood together. "gwathel mell, you will crush my bones."
Sister dear
Galadwen let tears fall from her eyes. She clutched to the man who had been her closest and dearest friend for life.
As children, it was always Galadwen who would get them both into trouble. She often ran off without letting anyone know where she was going, taunting her older brother until he finally gave in and went with her.
Galadwen's first memory was from a night when she was three years of age, and found it difficult to sleep. She had ended up in her parents' bed, along with Eldarion.
"Do you remember when you were six and I was three, and we both ended up sleeping in Ada and Naneth's bed due to the storm?"
Eldarion's lips curled slightly at the edges as he remembered. "I certainly do. We ended up hitting Ada repeatedly with pillows."
Galadwen laughed softly, a sadness taking her at the memory of her father..
"Arwen, make them stop." Aragorn chuckled despite himself as he stood on the bed and lifted Eldarion in to the air.
Eldarion's fist flew out as he panicked at being so high up. One of his fists accidentally hit Aragorn in the face
"Ow! You children must surely get your violent streak from your mother!" He put his son down as Galadwen, in fits of laughter, charged him. She head butted him right in the thigh.
Arwen smiled as she watched her family. She was tired and still a little angry at Aragorn, but she was so happy and proud as she listened to the laughter that filled the room.
A royal guard, having heard the ruckus, burst in through the large oak doors.
"My Lord, is everything-" His mouth dropped open as he took in the sight. Arwen had joined in the play. She was on top of the King, holding his wrists above his head as the children continued to tickle him.
Arwen, slightly embarrassed, released her captive and stood beside the bed.
"Yes, everything is well, thank you." Aragorn kneeled up on the bed, trying to regain some composure.
Galadwen, who was just three years old, knew nothing of embarrassment or composure. She launched herself at her father, this time getting him somewhere a man should never be hit. Galadwen instantly knew that she had gone too far, and looked up at him apologetically.
Aragorn winced and spoke through a tightened voice. "We are all fine. You may leave us."
Once the guard left, Aragorn dropped to the bed and bit on his fist. Arwen had never laughed so hard in her life. She sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand over his.
"Oh, you think that is funny, do you?" He grinned wickedly and grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her down and rolled on top of her.
As Aragorn's fingers began tickling his wife, the children laughed and tried to pull him off of her. Arwen squirmed uncontrollably and flung out a hand. Aragorn, releasing her, clutched his eyes.
"Oh, I am sorry, I did not mean to hurt you." She tried to hide her smirk as he glared at her through his good eye.
"It is too late for sorry. I shall have to face my men on the morrow with a black eye. They already think you beat me from the fat lip I received a fortnight ago."
Arwen pulled his hand away and examined his eye. "Yes, well, you deserved that."
Seeing that someone had gotten hurt, the children settled down and watched their parents through dark grey eyes.
Arwen, seeing that there was no real damage, kissed him gently on the lips. "I think you will be all right." She smiled at him, making him grin. Oh, how he loved her, violent streak and all.
Eldarion lifted his hand to his sister's cheek, wiping away the escaping tears. "They were-" Eldarion tried to think of a word that did his parents justice, a word that showed all their love and hope, their courage and their strength, yet he couldn't find one. Perhaps a word had yet to be invented that did them justice.
Galadwen simply smiled weakly and nodded gently. "Yes, they were."
He leaned forward and kissed the top of her brow, letting his own tears fall, for he knew that come tomorrow, apart from his daughters, he would be totally alone. They simply stood in each other's arms, looking at one another, trying to burn the other's image into memory.
"im meleth lle, gwathel nín," he whispered softly, his eyes never leaving hers.
I love you, my sister
"im meleth lle, gwador nín." Galadwen let out a silent sob as she spoke her last words of love to her brother.
"It calls to you, doesn't it." Legolas stated, rather then asked. He had been watching Galadwen stand at the window, facing west, facing the sea.
"You hear it also, do not say you do not. It is in our blood, Legolas, the salt water runs through our veins." Her soft voice was soothing over the gentle breeze of the evening.
Legolas stepped behind her and breathed in the salty air that drifted from the sea. Nuzzling the back of her neck, placing soft kisses upon her supple skin, Legolas began to sing softly.
"To the sea, to the sea! The white gulls are crying
The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying
West, west away, the round sun is falling
Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling
The voices of my people that have gone before me?
I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me
For our days are ending and our years are failing
I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing
Long are the waves on the last shore falling
Sweet are the voices in the lost Isle calling
Where the leaves fall not; land of my people forever."
His arms tightened around his beautiful wife, still grieving for the family she had lost.
Galadwen turned in his arms and softly touched her cool lips to his, brushing them gently against him. His hands went to her hair, and he held her head in place while he deepened their kiss. Her mouth was warm and tasted faintly of honey. He loved Galadwen more then he ever knew he could, and he knew that he would never let her go.
"It is time to go home, Galadwen," he murmured against her lips, his mind filled with Valinor.
Galadwen pulled away to look into his eyes. She smiled deeply at the icy blue eyes, shinning with desire and love, and nodded her head. "Let's go home."
Gwydion was not surprised to find Estelai waiting for him in his room. They both knew it was wrong, and that in the way of the Elves, once two bodies joined thusly, they would eternally be bound to one another, never to take another love. But neither of them cared about that, for neither could ever imagine allowing another to touch them. They needed each other in what was to be their last night.
Slowly, Gwydion walked over to Estelai, taking her hand in his. He could feel that she was shaking, and that her breath was coming in shallow gasps. Sliding the back of his fingers down her cheeks and over her bare arms, he began to feel her relax. When his mouth touched hers, so softly it made her heart weep, she closed her eyes tight and drank in everything that he had to give.
"Make love to me, Gwydion. I need us to be one, if only for tonight," she whispered softly against his lips.
His soft tongue licked soothingly over her lips, waiting patiently until she parted them and let him slid inside. A soft whimper escaped her as he began to stroke her tongue with his own. "im meleth lle, Estelai, ah pain ind nín," he sighed against her mouth.
I love you, Estelai, with all my heart
A tear fell from her eye, a tear for the bliss she was about to receive and for the happiness she would never know. Her arms came around him, pulling him closer. She couldn't get close enough to him, she needed to become him. The entire world fell away and only the two of them were left.
When her hands began to slowly remove his clothing, he broke the kiss, watching her eyes as she slowly unravelled him.
He took in a sharp breath as her cool hands found his heated skin for the first time. She ran her palms over his sculpted chest, knowing that never again would she touch it, or sleep with her head pillowed upon it. She tried to banish her sorrow and simply enjoy their first and only night together.
Once they were both divested of their clothes, Gwydion carried her over to his bed, gently lying her down upon the silk covers. Their lips met once again, their beautiful bodies glowing in the light of the flickering candles.
His hands stroked every inch of her. His lips kissed and his tongue tasted.. She was quivering underneath him, whimpering without shame. The Evenstar, the symbol of true love, still hung from his neck, resting between their bodies, its gentle light growing brighter in their closeness.
When finally he took her, both let out a painfully needy moan as they were joined for the first time. Gwydion felt a tear fall from his eyes as he experienced heaven. Holding his body close to hers, they moved as one under the watchful gaze of the moon outside their window. Their mouths fastened and their hearts raced as they worked to complete their union.
Estelai knew that this would be the last time she ever felt truly at peace. She felt safe, loved and truly content.
She was crying tears for the perfection of their joining, tears for the knowledge that never again would he touch her this way. He brought his hand to her face and slowly began to wipe her tears away, kissing them from his own fingertips. Their bodies were covered in a fine sheen of sweat, glistening like jewels in the candlelight.
Gwydion held Estelai's sated body throughout the night, not once finding his own rest. He simply lay there watching her, her melted eyelids peaceful in dreamless slumber. As the sun rose, he noted how much more beautiful she was in the light of day, how much more golden her hair appeared. How beautiful she had look the night before as she cried out beneath him in blissful calm.
TBC
