The Sea Calls Us Home

Eruwestiel sized up the two newcomers as she led them to the guest quarters. Gimli, she dismissed immediately, as she had no interest in dwarves or their business. Legolas, however, was a puzzle to her.

The elf-prince paid scant attention to her and she found that somewhat troubling. Eruwestiel was known among the elflords in Imladris for her cool aloofness towards them. That, of course, only added to her allure; and being the daughter of Elrohir made her one of the most sought after and desirable elfmaids left in Middle-earth. So why did Legolas Greenleaf barely even give her a second look?

“What brings you to Imladris, my lord?” she asked him. “Have you come to stay with us?”

“For a few nights, my lady,” Legolas replied. “I am on my way to visit my father in Mirkwood.”

“Mirkwood?” Eruwestiel laughed lightly. “Do you still call it that?”

Legolas was not amused at her teasing tone. “It is my home, my lady,” he replied stiffly. “It may be called something else now, but to me it will always be Mirkwood.”

Gimli tried very hard not to chuckle at her. Thranduil’s kingdom might not exactly rival what Lord Elrond and his sons had created in Rivendell, but his friend was no backwoods elf-prince to be mocked, even by a beautiful elfmaiden.

With a raised eyebrow at his tone, she replied, “I beg your pardon. Mirkwood it shall be then,” and continued down an arcade to stop at a pair of rooms joined by an airy pergola. “Here you are, my lords,” she said shortly. “Dinner, again, is at sunset. Tenna san…”

Before either could respond, Eruwestiel sailed back down the long, covered walkway without another look back at them.

“And you give me a hard time about making new friends,” Gimli could not help but harass Legolas a little.

Uncharacteristically, the elegant elf grunted with annoyance and headed towards his room.

“Have a nice nap!” Gimli called to him cheerily then chuckled as he, too, went in to lie down before dinner.


The daughter of Elrohir was noticeably absent when the pair joined the others for the evening meal. In fact, there was no female presence at all among the diners. Even the servers were all male.

Legolas thought that curious, but did not ask about Eruwestiel or any of the other ladies of Rivendell. He very much doubted their absence had anything to do with him or his friend.

That thought was challenged, however, when Elladan asked his brother, “And where is Eruwestiel and her friends, brother? I thought she was going to act as hostess tonight? Is she feeling quite well?”

Elrohir shrugged, “My daughter assures me she is fine. Only that she had other plans for this evening, which involved another elleth. With her gone, I'm assuming the others decided not to join us either." His brother frowned, thinking it showed disrespect on their part not to wait upon their new guests. "You know how independent she is, Elladan," Elrohir continued, "She rivals your Cara, though she is much more sedate.”

His twin sighed, “Cara… how I miss that elfchild! I hope she is doing all right now that she is in Valinor.”

“If you wish, my lord,” said Legolas gravely, “I will seek her out when I arrive and deliver any message you choose. Though I imagine she would much rather hear it from your own lips.”

Leaning forward across his arm on the table, Elladan asked, “So you are taking the ship then?”

“I am,” stated the elf-prince. “Except for Gimli here, I have no real connection to Middle-earth any longer. I long to go.”

“I have considered it,” agreed Elladan, “but the Sea does not call to me. The blood of the Edain is still strong in me… and my brother.” He looked to Elrohir who nodded soberly in agreement.

“What about you, my lord?” Gimli asked Celeborn. “You have your wife waiting for you in the Undying Lands. Will you not go to her?”

“I have been there and back,” spoke the Lord of the Golden Wood. “Valinor holds no allure for me… at least for now.”

The dwarf shook his head, “The allure of The Lady alone would be enough to draw me, my lord. She is the loveliest creature I ever beheld…”

Shrewdly, Elrohir asked, “Given the opportunity, would you go to the Undying Lands, Gimli son of Glóin?”

Gimli snorted, “Little chance of that happening! Why even speculate? I’m as likely to be invited to Valinor as Sauron himself…”

Those at the table chuckled along with him, but Legolas pondered the question the rest of the evening.

As the friends paused on the threshold of their respective chambers, the elf-prince brought up the subject again. “What if you could go, Gimli?” he asked. “Would you consider it?”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing our friends again, Frodo and Sam. You know…see how they’re faring among the Elves,” he mused. “And it would be an honor to see Lady Galadriel, maybe create something beautiful for her in payment for her gift to me.” He looked at his friend archly, “What do you think of it? Would you want me to come with you? Perhaps explore the Undying Lands like we have here?”

Honestly, Legolas answered, “I have enjoyed the time we’ve spent together here, my friend. I really have not thought beyond making the journey. I do not have any idea what Valinor holds for me.”

Hands on his hips, Gimli said, “You did not answer my question, Legolas.”

“If you could be happy there I would enjoy your company as always, my friend.”

Acknowledging the elf’s tacit reluctance the dwarf grunted and nodded. “Well, we’ll never have to test it, will we? Good night, Legolas.”

Legolas watched his friend thoughtfully as Gimli ambled into his chambers, wondering why Lord Elrohir would bring up such a question when the answer was a moot point. Or was it?


Gimli was grumpy when he woke the next morning. He had slept fitfully, a combination of reposing in the unsettling open air of Rivendell when he was again used to the safe, enclosing walls of rock of Aglarond and the muted peacefulness that was yet tense with melancholy rather than the more raucous, happy noise of his own folk. He had tossed and turned a great deal before dropping off at last.

Though he would never admit it to his friend, the dwarf was also perturbed by the conversation he had with Legolas upon retiring.

Perhaps he thought the elf would not go through with his plans to sail into the West; that once he was among his own folk again, he would see how pale and uninteresting they were. Why would Legolas go to a land populated entirely by more of the same when there was still much to experience and enjoy in Middle-earth?

But he saw in Legolas’ eyes that he meant to go. So, what did that mean for Gimli? Did his friend not even care what would become of him upon his departure?

“Hmph!” he growled angrily aloud. “Who needs that pointy-eared princeling anyway?”

Gimli was tired, though. He had gotten used to his life in Aglarond, only venturing out of the Caves when Legolas could no longer stand being underground. The journey to Rivendell, while not taxing, had left him somewhat weary, he found.

Perhaps that was why Legolas wanted to abandon him in Middle-earth? Perhaps he sensed the dwarf nearing the end of his years and rather than watch him wither away, he wished to spare him that indignity.

“Elves really do have it in them to be quite noble!” he suddenly thought fondly.

The dwarf then made some of his own decisions concerning the future.

-end of Chapter Three-

Translations:
Tenna san -- Until then
Elleth -- Elfmaid