Forgotten Refugee

I’ll wait the signs to come,

I’ll find a way

I will wait the time to come.

I’ll find a way home.



My light shall be the moon

And my path - the ocean.

My guide the morning star.

As I sail home to you.



“Exile” performed by Enya. Lyrics by Roma Ryan.

Taken from the album “Watermark.”







The sun was setting, leaving a trail of amber fire in its wake. The night air was cold and Erestor, feeling chilled pulled his warm travellers cloak tighter to him. Silence reigned, the only sound was the gentle roll of the waves under the boat’s hull.



There were few occupants in the boat with Erestor, two others one Telerin the other a woodland elf. He did not try to initiate conversation he preferred the silence and the gentle lolling of the sea to company. It seemed to him that old, familiar habits die hard.



He was one of the last to leave Middle-Earth to join his kin over the seas. He had lingered when others had departed, unwilling to forsake the land he was born into and unable to refuse the call of duty.



For he had remained with Elladan and Elrohir until they departed the world forever, offering service, loyalty, friendship and comfort when the inevitable occurred. The twins had been unable to refuse the call of the mortal blood flowing through their veins, they had tried for they were unwilling to leave their parents forever but in the end it had triumphed over them.



Erestor had lived in Imladris with them until the end, unwilling to leave his old charges while they still lived. How could he leave them, the elves he had known since their birth, which he had taught, trained and comforted over the years? In the end Erestor concluded that part of it was to do with his reluctance to allow anyone to experience the depth of loneliness he had felt through his life.



The end had been painful to say the least, goodbyes always are…especially the eternal ones that last forever. For the firstborn have a very different fate from the followers, it was likely that they would never meet again. Death was an acquaintance of old to Erestor, he was sure he could survive two more. It had been a strange experience watching them die from old age, a natural occurrence and one that elves did not experience.



Arwen had also departed the world forever not long after Aragorn had forsaken his life as is the custom of ancient Numenor. Grief had taken her and so the likeness of Luthien was once again lost to the world.



Erestor had made a pilgrimage to Gondor before he left to pay his last respects to Aragorn. He had been fond of him as a child, the young man-child who used to stalk him and hide the quills that Erestor used to write the household legers.



It was time! The time had come for him to make the journey across the sea and join his kin, it could be put off no longer and besides there was nothing and no one to stay for. He had seen everyone he cared for safely away to their rest and his duty had been completed.



He would be able to see Elrond again, how he had missed the elf who had been a substitute father to him! And he would finally be reunited with his real father, Gil-galad…he still could hardly comprehend the truth. It had been such a blow to him to know that his father had been there all the time, but still out of reach. This time he would be greeting his father, not his king.



The stars shone above him, small pinpricks of light in a black velvet sky. Pulling his cloak further around him he allowed sleep to overtake him.



* * * * * * *





He awoke to the sound of voices, sweet singing voices drifting through the mist.



A Elbereth Gilthoniel,

silivren penna miriel

o menel aglar elenath,

na-chaered palan diriel

o galadhremmin ennorath

nef aear, si aearon,

Fanluilos, le linnathon

nef aear, si aearon.



Erestor felt all his troubles fade slowly from his body, all his grief and worldly cares left him in that moment, drifting away into the air with the last fading notes of the beautiful prayer.



All of a sudden the mist was swept aside as if by an invisible hand and there before him were the undying lands and the haven of Alqualonde. The sun was bright in a bright blue, cloudless sky and there anchored in the haven were the beautiful, radiant swan ships of the Teleri their pale wood shining in the sun.



Erestor knew at that moment that he was home, truly at home. He had travelled a long way and a lifetime to find it but here it was in front of him. In a way part of him had always doubted whether such a place could really exist, when there was so much evil and pain in the world…but here it was tangible proof that such a heavenly place existed. All paths led here.



The boat he was on docked at last, greeted by the welcoming cheers of the Telerin inhabitants of the havens. A sea of blonde and silver-blonde heads were to be seen everywhere he looked…except…there. There was a patch of darkness among the light, he found himself drawn to it. He walked forward slowly, gently easing his way through the crowds hovering around the jetty.



What he saw caused him to come to a sudden halt. It was Elrond and, and…Sadron and…where was his father?



He found himself walking towards them, disappointment heavy in his heart. Elrond immediately pulled Erestor into a tight embrace, telling him how much he had missed him.



Sadron followed Elrond’s lead embracing his sister-son. “Erestor, I can hardly believe that it is you! How you have grown and matured, when I departed from life you were an elf of a mere twenty years your mother will be proud.”



“My mother?” Erestor whispered. “I’m finally getting to meet her?”



“Yes she is waiting for you in Tirion.”



Erestor nearly broke down right there at the thought of meeting the mother he had never known. Bringing himself back under control he composed himself enough to whisper. “Where is my father? I had hoped that he would be here to meet me.”



It was Elrond who provided an answer. “He is. He wanted your meeting to be private he is down on the beach.”





* * * * * * *





Erestor approached with trepidation, the warm, golden sand under his feet muffled his footsteps as he approached the dark-haired figure standing on the tide line gazing silently out to sea.



Before he could get to close, however the figure turned to face him. Twin sets of identical sapphire eyes met across the short distance between them, one set scared, desperately seeking acceptance in their twins while the other set were filled with tears for a scarred childhood and opportunities lost.



Gil-galad closed the gap between them with one long stride, pulling his long lost son to him for an embrace.



Erestor felt an overwhelming sense of completion. He had found himself at last...he need spend no more years of his life wondering about whom he is and who his parents were.



After what seemed like an eternity of sobbing brokenly into his father’s chest, he finally calmed down. Gil-galad broke the silence between them.



“I have waited so long for this moment, waiting and watching from afar. I spent the years at Imladris before the siege of Barad Dur longing for this, wanting to tell you the truth. But I was scared of the pain it would cause you, and the position that would be thrust upon you as the son of the High King. I never wanted that life for you. The life of a king is filled with duty and isolation. I would never inflict that upon you but I fear that in protecting you from one life I inadvertently subjected you to a worse fate, filled with the reality of war and grief nin-ion*”



“You were not to know ada. You cannot see into the future.” Erestor replied.



“If only I could have.” Gil-galad muttered.



A comfortable silence surrounded them as the stood together gazing out on the majesty of the sea.



“It’s beautiful, magnificent and I can feel its pounding in my heart and head…it calls to my soul.” Erestor said his eyes filled with wonder.



“It makes sense that you would be plagued by the sea-longing. You mother is the same, it is clearly the result of the Telerin blood in your veins.” Gil-galad replied.



“I cannot wait to meet her.”



“She longs to meet you.”



“Shall we?”



“Yes, I think it is time.”



Taking his son’s hand in his Gil-galad turned and walked back up the beach towards the fair city. Both chatted amiably as they went to embrace a new life…together at last.





Dedicated to Soledad Cartwright, for all your encouragement and support.



A huge thanks goes to my long-suffering Beta reader! Thanks for you support and suggestions.



As always a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed!



Papilio. J





* My Son.




O Elbereth Star-kindler,

(white) glittering slants-down sparkling-like-jewels

from firmament glory [of] the star-host,

to-remote-distance after-having-gazed

from tree-tangled middle-lands,

on-this-side [of] ocean, here [on this side of] the Great Ocean,

Fanuilos, to thee I will chant

on-this-side [of] ocean, here [on this side of] the Great Ocean!