time like she used to. She now measures time in the manner of elves.
A hundred years has passed and Charlotte is now 216 years old, and she is going to start getting what she has waited many long years for. Charlotte goes for a swim in the sea to try and distract herself from her grief that is still very keenly felt whenever she is alone. As she is swimming Charlotte hears someone talking to her. When she looks in the direction of the voice Charlotte sees her friend Emma and Emma's boyfriend Ash. They talk for a while, and then Charlotte helps them to re-build their lives before returning home to Lothlorien.
When she gets home Haldir pulls her out of the river, and says.
"You have been gone for two years. Do you have any idea how worried I was that something had happened to you? When we get home we are going to have a serious talk about this young one." Haldir
"Yes father." Charlotte
Charlotte dries herself off, and follows her father home to Caras Galadhon. When they get home Charlotte begins telling her father what has happened saying.
"I am swimming in the sea letting the beauty around me soothe away my loneliness, and then I hear someone talk to me. I turn towards the voice, and see that it is my friend Emma and her intended Ash. We get to talking when they ask me if there is a place where they can re-build their lives, and I take them to Númenor. We then spend the next two years re-building the city, and the Maiar of Ulmo agree to keep the buildings filled with breathable air. After I am sure that all of the work is done, and my friends are living happy lives I return home." Charlotte
"Wow that is a lot to happen in just two years. I am glad that at least two of your friends have been returned to you, and I am no longer angry at you for being gone so long. Because you had a very good reason for being gone so long with no word of your whereabouts." Haldir
"Thank you father. I have a feeling that it will be a long time before I will have to be gone like that again." Charlotte
Haldir nods, and Charlotte goes to find Silwen to make sure that her friend is not mad at her.
Once everything is smoothed over Silwen and Charlotte go back to their daily routine. Silwen tells Charlotte of her excitement over tea saying.
"When am I going to get to meet Emma and her husband to-be Ash?" Silwen
"Well I am going to be going to their wedding in a few months with fathers permission of course. Perhaps you could come with me." Charlotte
"Your friends live underwater how would I get to the city when I can't hold my breath as long as you can?" Silwen
Charlotte thinks about this very carefully, and says.
"I could form an air pocket around your head, and power swim so that we will get there before the air runs out." Charlotte
"That's a great idea Charlotte. I will go ask my father for permission while you go ask yours." Silwen
Charlotte and Silwen go to ask their fathers for permission to attend the upcoming wedding, and only get it when they assure them that they will be gone for no more than a month.
Charlotte and Silwen arrive at Númenor the day before the wedding. It took them so long to get there because Silwen wanted to look at all the beautiful things there are to see in the sea. Charlotte takes Silwen to the house that her friends gave her before she left Númenor. Silwen gets settled in, and rests from the exhausting week long trip. Charlotte takes Silwen to the lounge where people hang out, and just relax. As soon as they get there Charlotte introduces Silwen to her friends saying.
"Silwen these are my friends Emma and Ash. Emma, Ash this is Silwen my only friend on land." Charlotte
"So Silwen how did you meet Charlotte?" Emma
"When Charlotte first arrived at Caras Galadhon the other elleths and I noticed that she is different than any other elleth we had ever met; So we invited Charlotte to take tea with us. We proceeded to pick on and torment Charlotte mercilessly, but Charlotte never said a word. The others took that as license to bully Charlotte more, but I wanted to know why Charlotte said nothing no matter how cruel we were to her so I followed her home. I listened to her tell her father that she took the verbal abuse because she deserved it, because she had been horribly cruel to her friends on Earth. I started crying when I heard her say that, and Charlotte noticed me listening into her conversation. I apologized to Charlotte, and we have been friends ever since." Silwen
"So you and Charlotte became friends because Charlotte was punishing herself for the way that she treated us?" Emma
"Yes. As shameful as it is to admit that is exactly how it happened." Silwen
Emma nods, and says.
"Charlotte we forgave you the instant we found out what caused you to be so mean, and so there was no reason for you to punish yourself for your behaviour." Emma
"I know, but I just couldn't find the strength to forgive myself for what I had done." Charlotte
"Have you forgiven yourself now, or should we be worried about you mistreating yourself when you go home?" Emma
"No my heart is all healed up from the pain and unforgiveness I suffered from before. There is absolutely nothing to worry about." Charlotte
"That's good, but we may have to come visit you at Caras Galadhon just to make sure that there are no relapses." Emma
"It's been two hundred years since then, but I would love for you to visit me in Lothlorien all the same." Charlotte.
"Then it's settled we'll come visit you in a couple of months. We want to see your home, and meet your father." Emma
Charlotte smiles, and everybody goes back to their homes for some rest before the wedding.
The next day at the wedding Emma is shocked to see Miss Chatham walk into the building, and take a seat in the back. The wedding continues on, and Emma and Ash are married. As everyone is swimming to the reception Emma looks at Louise, and says.
Miss Chatham what are you doing here, and how are you a sea child again? - Emma
When you girls stopped coming to visit me I checked myself out of the retirement village, and went back to Mako island in the hopes that I could get it all back. That way the sea would be able to wash away all of my loneliness. The morning after I got it all back the sea god Ulmo asks me if I want to come here to look after you girls as you are building new lives for yourselves, and I accepted so here I am in this beautiful city of yours. - Louise
Well we're glad to have you here Miss Chatham. Now it won't be so lonely when Charlotte goes back to the land. - Emma
What do you mean goes back to land no, no, no that will never do sea children must stick together. Charlotte must move to the city immediately. - Louise
I can't do that Miss Chatham I have a home and family in Lothlorien. - Charlotte
Louise thinks about this carefully, and says.
You are right dear. In that case we will have to work out a schedule were you spend the majority of the time here while still getting to spend an acceptable amount of time with your family. - Louise
Very well Miss Chatham we will discuss this with my father when Emma and Ash come to visit me in Lothlorien. - Charlotte
By the time the conversation is over they have arrived at the reception hall each of them having a lot to think about while they are enjoying themselves at the wedding reception.
Silwen is afraid that she is going to lose her best friend because of this adult sea child, but she isn't going to allow this fear to make her do something that she will regret later. Silwen knows that Charlotte has reached maturity so she is well within her rights to move away from Lothlorien. All Silwen can do is hope that some kind of compromise can be reached so that her best friend will not be gone from her life forever. Silwen also knows that Charlotte's Father would be absolutely devastated if Charlotte was taken from him by the sea. Silwen is positive that Charlotte would never do anything to hurt her father who she loves very much. Silwen takes a deep breath hoping beyond hope that she is panicking over nothing, and their happy lives in Lothlorien will continue on undisturbed.
When the month is almost over Charlotte knows that it is time for her to go back to Lothlorien, but she is having a very hard time saying goodbye to the friends that she never thought she would see again. On the way home Charlotte and Silwen take their time and enjoy all of the wonders of the sea. When they make it to the mouth of the Andúin Charlotte is both happy and sad that they are almost home. Charlotte has no idea how she can continue to divide her time between the land and the sea. Charlotte decides to seek the council of Lady Galadriel. When they make it to the usual spot their Fathers pull them out of the water, and they all head back to the city. When they get there they go their separate ways, and Charlotte says to her Father.
"Father I am so confused." Charlotte
"Tell me what is worrying you Charlotte." Haldir
"I love the sea so much, and it was so hard saying goodbye to my friends, but I also love the life I have here. I don't know what to do anymore." Charlotte
Haldir takes some time to think over the problem that Charlotte is facing, and is not entirely sure how to help her so he says.
"You are a child of the sea so it is a good thing that you love being there, but you must never forget that you are also an elf so you must also love spending time with your people just as much as you love spending time in the sea." Haldir
Charlotte thinks over everything that her father has said, and realizes that he is right, but Charlotte has absolutely no idea how to go about achieving such balance in her life.
A couple of days later Charlotte and Silwen are asked to tea by Lady Galadriel. When they get there the Lady can instantly tell that something is bothering Charlotte. Even though the Lady Galadriel already knows what the problem is she also knows that the best way to help the young one is for Charlotte to talk to her about it. Lady Galadriel smiles at Charlotte, and says.
"Tell me what is bothering you young one maybe I can help." Galadriel
"My love for the sea is slowly swallowing up my life on land, and I have no idea what to do about it." Charlotte
"You need balance in your life Charlotte. Both land and sea are a part of who you are. You must not allow one to swallow up the other or both will suffer." Galadriel
"You are right, but how do I go about finding balance when any kind of middle ground seems to be beyond my grasp." Charlotte
"You must ask for the advise of others. Only by talking to all of those who are involved can you find a way for both halves of your life to meet in the middle." Galadriel
"Thank you so much for your help My Lady." Charlotte
Lady Galadriel smiles at Charlotte, and goes back to enjoying her tea happy to help those who need it.
A while later Charlotte's friends arrive for their expected visit to Lothlorien. Charlotte introduces them to her father who asks them to stay at their house for the duration of their stay. The next morning Charlotte sits everyone down so that they can talk about the issues at hand that way some kind of solution can be reached. Many different possible solutions are discussed, but in the end the only solution that is agreed to by all is the one that worked out for Persephone in Greek mythology. Charlotte will spend half the year in Númenor, and the other half in Lothlorien that way she won't be missing very much in either part of her life. With that matter settled Charlotte shows her friends around Lothlorien, and helps them to truly appreciate the beauty and majesty of the elves. Charlotte giggles when she sees her friends faces after telling them that she is 218 years old. Charlotte tells them that 218 is actually considered to be quite young for an elf, and Silwen tells them that her and Charlotte are actually to youngest Elves in Lothlorien at the moment. Charlotte's friends spend the rest of the visit
