She, sorry they, will be back

Eleanor's POV

The august Valar in front of me then explain that they will help power the telepathy that already existed between the three of us to increased strength to allow me to talk to Miriel who, by default of being elfin, is easier to reach than my human friend.

I reach out my mind rather tentatively.

"Miriel?" after about three rings, metaphorically speaking, she picks up.

"Ellie! How, what?"

"Valar powered my friend, long story. The reason for this call is to inform you that Ginny has been allotted a place in Valinor so you will have to bring her along when you leave. How are both you and she by the way?"

"She has moved back to Rivendell and the Twins and I are looking after her as she gets more decrepit. Our original plan was to stay until she died then come. I think we will all be happy to come earlier and bring her with us."

"In Rivendell, why?"

"She didn't want to watch her children grow old and die like she had her husband, she said goodbye to them shortly after you left and came to live with us again. We visit Ada frequently and Adindel almost seems to be getting to like her. He will be staying with Ada when we leave I think. He is too loyal to Mirkwood to leave. I think he is also scared of meeting mother."

"She hasn't been released from Mandos yet, though if I tried hard enough I am sure I could convince her release out of him. I like Mandos, he's nice. Actually, all the Valar are nice, hence the change in mind about Ginny."

At that point it is made clear we have to cut off the conversation so we say our goodbyes and cut off communication.

When I get back home I hug the life out of Legolas before explaining why I am so happy. He is happy as well; then again he was in on the give-Ginny-immortality plan.

I have to admit we kind of forget to mention this to everyone else, not to mention the speeded up travel plans for the Twins, Miriel, and now Ginny.

This is mostly as pay back for Elrond for forgetting to mention about my marriage to the various assorted elves that really should have been told.

We are meeting with both sets of in-laws, who are at least tolerant of each other now, when the messenger comes through to warn us a ship flying the colours of Rivendell and Mirkwood has been sighted on the horizon. There is also a third flag the sentry does not recognise. I soon ascertain that it is the flag of Dol Amroth. I ascertain this out of the hearing of those who have any chance of working out what that could mean though.

The ship is due to dock about midday tomorrow so we leave shortly after dawn to arrive in time for it. We do not live that close to the coast and we only have horses to travel on.

Elrond, Glorfy, and a few others, including Erestor, Silva, and a now grown Lanthi (as I have now taken to calling her, I just can't take these over-long names), stare at the human standard in confusion.

Erestor and family look a bit mournful, they do not know about what Manwë has agreed to and so that symbol reminds them of someone they are mourning for. I just cannot wait to see their faces when they find out. If only I had a camera...

Before the ship has had time to put the gang plank out, a certain blonde elleth jumps over the side and hugs the air out of me.

I am not sure which Sindar was most offended that I got first hugging rights.

While we are hugging I whisper to her about the fact I have not told about Ginny yet. She pulls back from me, grinning like a total loony.

As she does, the gangplank is finally secured and an ancient human descends gracefully. I had never quite comprehended the time difference between Valinor and Middle Earth before, but the rate at which she has aged tells me quite clearly that time is far, far slower here.

I also finally grasp her aging. Before I was never far from her so never noticed it happening but now...

Ginny is old. There is no other way to describe it, she is old.

Wrinkles, the lot.

She has truly aged into ancientness.

On the other hand, she has maintained an inherent grace created by too much time round elves and though her hair is mostly silver now, she is still very recognisably my long time best friend.

I hug her senseless. When we last said goodbye, I never thought we would meet again so the reunion is emotional to say the least.

Once I let go, we turn to Erestor and co who are gaping at us.

I have never seen such a shocked look on that elf's face before. Or any of the other elves face either for that matter.

To break the silence I decide to clarify for those who obviously think they are hallucinating.

"Erestor, are you not going to greet your ward? It took me enough effort to get the Valar to allow her to come here." The expression on his face is indescribable. There are so many emotions in his face that there is not one expression, except his jaw slowly dropping in absolute total shock.

Eventually he gets over it enough to move at quite remarkable speed to her and hold her to him in what I am sure is a bone-crushing hug.

Shortly after that Silva and Lanthi join him and when they eventually pull back, all four are sobbing. I have to admit that I am close also, partly because of them.

Eventually everyone gets over the shock enough to greet Miriel and the Twins.

Once they have done that, Elrond looks at me a bit accusingly.

"You knew this was going to happen didn't you? You knew they were sailing here, and with Ginny as well!" well someone had to work it out.

I decide that offense is the best defence and decide to not even bother pretending I didn't know.

"Yup, since about a week after the monsters were born. Varda and Manwë decided to give it to me as a present, well half a present; the other bit is yet to come." Elrond narrows his eyes at me.

"What would be the other bit be?"

"Ask him." 'Him' would be the aforementioned Vala who is bouncing along the pier wearing an expression almost as insane as Miriel's.

When he arrives he looks at the newly arrived party and immediately zones in on the single human.

I decide introductions are in order.

"Gin, Mir, Ro, Dan, meet Manwë, ultra powerful Vala-guy who let Gin-Gin come to Valinor." Those who know me have to laugh, well after Manwë does anyway.

Gin-Mir-Ro-Dan sounds sort of like one of those longwinded elfin names actually.

Back to the story...

I don't think I made a happy Vala by getting him to explain the transformation.

He promised it though, so he can't exactly pull out now.

He doesn't give us too many details about how the transformation works, but he takes Mandos, and Ginny's adopted elfin parents with him when he takes her off to his palace to arrange her transformation.

Varda then takes us back to our house and explains the basics of the process.

It goes something like this.

Silva and Erestor donate blood which is used by Mandos to create a new elfin body which bares close enough resemblance to Ginny. It will be different because there are some extra inches, all the little imperfections straightened out, and things like that.

Then they basically kill Ginny, but instead of her soul going off to where human souls usually go when humans die, Irmo and Mandos (the Valar of the souls, or whatever you want to call them) trap the soul and edit it slightly to be more elfin while making it still the same person.

This editing mostly changes things like the way emotions are felt and the very subconscious thing like that. It should not really change her personality. I am glad, I like her personality.

Once they have edited the soul to be suitable for an elf rather than a human, Manwë would help Mandos put the soul in the new body.

I decided not to ask what they did with the old one.

I later realise that since the new body is basically made with recombined DNA from Erestor and Silva then she really will be their daughter. How strange...

Miriel's POV

I'm in the library when Ellie's 'call' comes through. At first I can't quite believe what I'm hearing, I mean I have had no contact with Ellie since she sailed.

To tell the truth, I'm only half listening to Ellie as she's explaining the reasons for this contact – Ginny being able to come to Valinor with us!

When we've said goodbye, I shriek with delight, causing the elf who took over from Erestor after he sailed to come marching past the shelves with a very peeved expression on his face. Naturally I don't wait for him to say anything, I just whirl him around and rush out to find my husband.

I find both him and Elladan sitting with Ginny in one of the gardens, Elrohir is reading aloud from a book of elfin legends. As I approach I slow down for I see a dreamy and contented smile on Ginny's face – she has accepted her fate and is now the happiest she's ever been since moving back to Rivendell.

I wonder if we really are doing what is best for her, but that is something only she herself can decide.

All three (four if you count Murrlin stretched out at their feet) look up when they hear me.

"Ginny... I've just had a mind conversation with Ellie. Apparently, you have been allotted a place in Valinor."

At my words, both Elladan and Elrohir turn to look at Ginny, who's wearing a look of complete disbelief. When she does speak, her voice hoarse,

"Me – a place with the Valar? But, I've accepted my fate, I always thought I would die here – I've been happy here, and now you want me to choose all over again?"

No one says anything.

Ginny then gets to her feet, the Twins make a move as though to help her, but she moves suddenly out of their grasp,

"I may be old and decrepit, but I can still walk."

I have to smile at this, even after all this time, Ginny's immensely proud nature still shines through. She heads off in the direction of the Memorial Garden, Murrlin following slowly behind.

Ginny doesn't join us for dinner, neither is she about when we all start preparing for bed; I take her cloak and make my way out to the gardens.

I find her lying, her head resting on Murrlin's body, fast asleep by the now full grown tree. I know she shouldn't really be allowed to sleep outside at her age, but I know she needs this so I lay the cloak over her body and leave them in peace.

Ginny comes in slightly late for breakfast the next morning.

"Right, when do we set out for Valinor then?"

I smile warmly at her,

"As soon as we're ready."

"Good." She sits down and begins eating. I'm about to ask how she made her decision when I notice that the chain which usually hangs around her neck is gone – I think she's finally let Amrothos go.

Our journey to the Grey Havens is very long for we take the easier paths through the woods and mountains.

When we arrive, we find that Elladan and Elrohir have completed the boat they were building and we immediately set sail.

It's only now that I realise that I've unwittingly experienced the sea-longing; I feel at peace.

When land eventually hoves into view upon the horizon, Elladan runs up three flags: Mirkwood, Rivendell, and Dol Amroth and then we all prepare ourselves for our landing the next day.

I'm so excited that I don't even wait for the gangplank to be secured; I jump nimbly over the ship's side on to the dock and run immediately to Ellie.

"No one, apart from your brother, knows about Ginny yet." she whispers in my ear.

We grin at each other before turning to watch as Ginny makes her way gracefully down the gangplank.

As Ellie rushes forward to embrace her lifelong friend, I look around and try my best to hold in the laugh that's threatening to burst from me – everyone is doing perfect gaping-fish expressions.

I then try not cry as Ginny is finally reunited with her family.

I have to say that Manwë is possibly one of the coolest, not to mention most insane, Vala I've ever met. Not that I've met many Valar, but I'm sure that not many of them exude such penneth-like excitement as what Manwë does.

After all the introductions, Ginny takes Erestor's arm and they and Silva are led away by Manwë and Mandos to Manwë's palace in order to begin her transformation.

Everyone else then goes back to Ellie and Legolas' house and everyone new to the area is proudly introduced to their twins – Ginny will be ecstatic, she's always loved children. So have I as a matter of fact; I suddenly feel the tiniest bit jealous of Ellie and Legolas.

I gently squeeze Elrohir's hand – I think sometime in the near future the Peredhil family will be hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet...

Ginny's POV

When I get to the Memorial Garden, I let rip,

"You selfish, selfish man!" I shout as I look Amrothos' plaque, "Why did you have to fall in love with me? Why couldn't you have married someone your own age, who would live to about the same age you did? Why, why, why did you have to pick me? ... If I hadn't had met you, this decision would be easy..."

I sit down upon the grass, my head in my hands, sobbing as though my heart would break.

All the people I knew are either dead or have sailed; I'm the only one left – which fate do I choose?

I don't know how long I sat there, but I eventually feel Murrlin's head as she rubs it against my arm. I tickle her soft ears and look into her eyes... I realise that I've made my choice...

I'm asleep in my cabin when the ship finally docks in the port at Valinor. Elladan gently shakes me awake.

"We're here," he whispers softly.

I take a deep breath as I make my way out on to the top deck; it's been nearly 150 years since I last saw either Ellie or my family, I've changed a hell of a lot, but they haven't – this is going to be weird with a capital 'W'.

I hug Ellie senseless, tears falling.

They fall faster when Ada takes me in his arms for what I'm sure is the hardest hug on record.

It's a wonder that I've any tears left by the time Naneth and Vanlanthiriel have joined in.

I don't really listen as Ellie has her little joke with the rest of the elves; I just watch from the sidelines, leaning against Ada.

I try to hide my face when Manwë's eyes find me, but I'm propelled forwards by Ada and introduced by Ellie.

I don't really know what I expected when I first heard about Manwë, but my expectations were certainly nothing like the reality. I hope all the Valar are like him, he's cool.

In almost no time at all, I'm led gently away by Ada with Naneth walking beside us.

I'm a little nervous to say the least; I mean I have no idea how I'm going to be transformed into an elf. Maybe the reason no one has told me anything yet is because the process is so frightening and complicated that they were afraid I wouldn't come if I knew any of the details.

I stare dumbstruck at Manwë as he casually explains the process to me.

"Don't worry, Ginny, the process is perfectly straight forward." Tuh – easy for him to say, he's not the one about to be killed and have their soul transported into another body.

"So you've done this before then?"

Manwë doesn't look me in the eye – great.

I'm shaking by the time Manwë leads me and my soon-to-be parents into one of the healing rooms.

He takes a phial of blood from Ada and Naneth before I'm almost ceremoniously placed within the centre of the room with everyone standing in front of me. Manwë hands me a crystal phial full of a completely clear liquid. I look about me,

"Can't I sit down?"

"No, the poi... potion works best if you are standing."

I can't believe I'm about to do this.

I drain the phial in one – I cough, a burning sensation almost like nail varnish remover at the back of my throat.

Ada makes towards me, but Manwë and Mandos hold him back.

My head feels light, I stagger, the room spins, and then everything goes black...