Year 1005 of the Third Age

Eruanna sighed as she closed the book. She had been writing all night unable to stop the flow of words as she put her story onto paper. She had watched year 1005 of the third age dawn as so many had before it for Eruanna. There was nothing about this particular New Year morn to indicate that anything extraordinary would happen. There wasn't even anything unusual in the knock that was heard at the door to the sitting room of Eruanna's apartment in Mithlond. She stood from the desk and went to answer the door.

At her door she found two men, both had grey beards, but one had the form of an elderly human and the other was tall noble and fair, one of the eldar. "My Lord Cirdan," she said speaking in Sindarin as she did the majority of the time now. "Could I offer you a seat and a cup of tea?" she asked.

Cirdan was kind to her never asking more about her past then she was comfortable telling. Her friendship with Earendil and her marriage to Laiqualassё, as well as her own acts of valour since then guaranteed her the hospitality in the household of any of the elven kindred of Middle-Earth as well as in the Royal court of the North Kingdom, and Gondor. Indeed Elrond had been trying to entice her into staying in Imladris with him once again and Mirwen as well as Galadriel had been begging her to come for a visit. Yet she wished to be close to the sea, for it had taken her heart from her.

"You may Lady Eruanna," the two men entered the brightly lit sitting room. "This is Olorin, he is a messenger, but that is between us." They sat on the settee and Eruanna went to pore three cups of tea from the kettle she had made not long before. Eruanna brought the cups over handing them each one before taking her seat.

For a time they discussed things of a general nature, including but no restricted to the state of the world the comings and goings of the different races, and the activities of the men of the North, which featured largely in discussion. Finally, Cirdan stood addressing Eruanna alone he said; "Among other things Olorin had brought a message for you. He said that it is of a private nature and thus I will take me leave. Good day to you Eruanna." With that Cirdan let himself out of her apartment.

"Yes, that I have, a message of a truly personal nature. There has been a council held of the highest order. Many feel that the lot appointed to you is an unduly harsh one seeing what you have done to help this world against the evil that inhabits it. It seems unfair that you have to remain on these shores facing the same agony the Eldar feel in mortal lands and are yet unable to escape it because you will one day be mortal again. You know that at the end of this age the first born will leaves these shores forever, handing Middle Earth into the care of Men. As things stand you would also remain here. Yet, Manwё as asked the council of the One and Eru has decreed that you alone among all will be given the right to sail and then return to these shores when it come time for you to take your place in your own time. You will be able to do so and remain mortal."

Eruanna lifted her face and stared at the grandfatherly man in front of her, he looked no different then many elderly men she had met in her life time but Eruanna knew that he was a vessel of great power. "Truly?" she whispered with fear that if she spoke any louder the salvation he had just uttered would vanish as mist over a lake on a spring morning.

"Yes, there is one who dwells ever in Avallonё on the shores of the Isle of Tol Eressea. Ever does he gaze longingly into the east. His soul is searching and yearning towards something on these far shores. I spoke with him ere I left. He awaits your arrival my Lady. Cirdan had informed me that he will has ship is due to leave in 4 months time. If it is your will, you may sail with that ship." Olorin stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Remember you will be parted again. None can see what happens once you return to the moment that you left all those years ago."

"Many years lay between this time and that yet. I shall cherish every moment of that time for I will endure it with him at my side. I will sail," Eruanna looked up at the noble istar. "It will break my heart and his that I will have to depart this I know. However, at least we will remember a time of peace that we shared together."

Olorin nodded his head. "One came with me on my journey, I asked him to meet us here. I believe it will comfort you to see him again." As the Istar finished speaking there came a knock at the sitting room door for a second time that day. "Come in," called Olorin.

The door opened and a tall figure wreathed in golden light, that Eruanna had only ever seen glow around Galadriel and Laiqualassё before. Then, she saw the beings face and she could not speak. It did not matter that four thousand years had passed, his face, noble and brave, had never left her mind.

She stood and for a time neither spoke. The Elda observed her curiously but he didn't really understand who she was. Eruanna however was trying to put the thoughts that were jumbled in her head into some sort to f coherent sentence. She looked up into his vibrant blue eyes. "Thank you," she automatically spoke in Quenya and she meant those two words more then any she had ever spoken in her life, with the exception of the first time she had ever told Laiqualasse that she loved him.

His eyes searched hers, she felt as though he could read her very soul. Finally, recognition and shock registered in the intense blue eyes of Glorfindel of the house of the Golden Flower once of Gondolin. As with many things Eruanna had forgotten that Glorfindel returned to Middle-Earth in the third age.

"How is it possible?" He asked softly reaching out to touch Eruanna's cheek as though he had to assure himself that she was flesh and blood and not a ghost.

Olorin cleared his voice to get their attention. "I will take my leave, my lady. You have much to speak of." He left the room closing the door softly behind him.

Tears were running down Eruanna's face. "Why do you cry, child?" he asked. His voice was as soft as velvet. To Eruanna it brought back distant memories of he father's voice, it was a tone that comforts and protects you.

"You do not know what it means to be to see you standing before me," her tears flowed like rivers. He placed his hand gently on her shacking shoulder. Then impulsively Eruanna through her arms around her dead saviour's neck.

Startled Glorfindel was not sure what to do, as this four thousand year old seemingly human woman clung to him weeping. Thinking of nothing else he could do he wrapped his arms around her speaking softly in Quenya southing her. Eruanna pulled away from him as she calmed. "I'm sorry, "she said looking at her feet.

"It does not matter. What is your name, Lady, Olorin would not tell me whom I was to meet. I had not idea it was to be you." He wiped the last of her tears form her cheek. "Do not be embraced. I understand."

"I am called Eruanna-Mernaseldё of the House of the Tree," she said in almost a whisper adding the house she had joined when she and Laiqualassё had been bound something she had not done it many years. Glorfindel had heard tales and songs of the valour of the maiden Eruanna-Mernaseldё but seeing that the tales had stretched over millennia had made him believe her to be an Elda.

"I am outside of time as I have yet to be born, I do not age. I am mortal but I will live out the rest of my normal life span from the moment I left my on time onwards. All that occurs during this stasis will seem to occur in the space between two moments." The explanation was brief but she could not explain it any better, it still confused her. "I never thought I would see you again. You gave me a chance at life when you got me out of Gondolin that day. For that I give you my heart felt thanks. I have lived for four thousand years owing you a life dept."

"I accept you thanks, Lady Eruanna, but I believe I can call the life debt that you feel you me a clear. In sending Laiqualassё across the sea you save his life. A life that he would have given up to have remained her near you for all it would have killed him. He is a cousin of mine and we have been very close friends ever since we were elfling in Tirion growing in the light of the Two Trees. You fulfilled any debt you may feel you have incurred when I save your life when you sent him across the sea." Glorfindel lifted her chin. "He loves you deeply. Ever he wanders along the sea's brim on the eastern shores of Tol Eressёa saying ever that he had left his heart on hither shores. I have asked him why you had not come to the Blessed Realm, he told me you were ever tied to this land. His Eruanna, the gift Eru had given him, he called you. He never mentioned you were human and I would never have guessed, he spoke little of what you shared just your name murmuring it often under his breath."

"I will be going to Tol Eressёa myself. The Valar have granted me passage. I will sail in four month," said Eruanna quietly.

Eruanna still couldn't believe she would be going that she would soon see Laiqualassё again. She remembered how he had looked the day that Cirdan and Linnear had carried the litter baring her fёa mate onto the grey ship. She remembered his pale face and glazed eyes, murmuring in his feverish dreams. Even in his delusions he had held her hand with a strong grip. They had had to pry his figures from hers so that the ship could leave. He had never wished to be parted from her. They had laid the litter down and she had knelt next to him smoothing his dark hair from his forehead. Leaning down she had kissed his smooth brow. "Namarie, Melethril, know that I will love you forever and a day. I know you will be upset when you wake. Upset that I sent you away from me but I could do no less. To have kept you with me would mean watching you die, I can not do that when I could do something to save you."

Eruanna came back to the present from her memories. She looked up at the noble Ellon before her; Glorfindel wore a smile that lit up his face.