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Farewells
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Gil-galad came to a room in his mansion where his seamsters were busy at work. They paused and stood to greet him. He nodded to them, and they got back to their project.
"Is it ready?" he asked them.
"Nearly, sire," said Dúrilis, one of the seamstresses. "I am finishing the edges now. But completion waits on Serlindil." She turned to her colleague, who sat bent over a great sheet of fabric draped over his lap, his face hovering close over the hoop he held in one hand, with a fine thin needle in the other.
"You cannot hurry perfection!" he replied. "I will not curse this voyage with rushed work."
The king laughed. "Indeed, my friend!" he said. "You still have time. But nor would we wish to spoil their journey with delay over the artwork of sails and flags."
"Fear not, lord!" said Serlindil. "It will be ready."
At last it was ready, and on the eve of spring there was a great feast to celebrate the departure. In the morning the king stood on the docks with the shipwright and their other leaders and friends standing nearby. Galadriel was present, and gifted to the young queen a wreath of evergreen, which she hung from the bow of the flag ship. "May the favor of Uinen goddess of the seas go with you," Galadriel said to them.
Then Gil-galad turned to Serlindil, who handed him the final gift. "May this bless and guide your journey," said one king to the other. "And serve as a reminder of the enduring friendship between true hearts among elves and mortals."
Elros received it, and turned to Elrond. "Will you help me do the honors, brother?" he asked. Together they went up onto the ship, and unfolded the banner, and raised it up above the main sail. All gathered there saw the image of a white ship on the waves, with a swan flying overhead bearing a bright diamond on its breast, in honor of Eärendil and Elwing. This scene was encircled by a wreath of golden flowers woven through with silver emerald-eyed snakes, in honor of the elven king Finrod and his mortal friend Barahir, modeled after the ring which that king gave to his friend in token of their friendship - which Elros now wore on his finger. At last the brothers returned to the pier, and farewells and embraces were given. Finally the mortal host boarded the elven ships, to be guided by their elf captains, and set sail toward the west out of the gulf.