Title & Chapter Number: Farewells and New Beginnings 6/17
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website:
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are the property of Tolkien with the exception of an original or two, and I am sure he would be horrified if he read this…
Warnings: This story is rated NC-17 and contains male slash pairings, incest, and explicit sexual content - not to mention a boatload of angst. If you find this offensive, or you are under-age, I strongly suggest you stop now.
Betas: Alex
Cast: Legolas/Thranduil, Glorfindel/Erestor, Legolas/Erestor, Thranduil/Glorfindel
Timeline: TA
Spoilers: None
Summary: The time of the Elves is over, and the last remaining Elves sail for the west.
Notes: This story came out of a little one I wrote as a companion to the Rock Stars series. The plot bunny, however, refuses to leave, so here I am, exercising my demons. This is inspired by the beautiful Elves that Professor Tolkien created much to our joy and amazement; and by the beautiful, sometimes sad, and heartrending music of U2 that I was listening to when I wrote it. Thanks so much to everyone who gave me encouragement, Alex (my wonderful beta reader on this and the Rock Stars series), Dawn, Larian (my wonderful beta reader on the Tale of Two Brothers series), Hawk, and L.K., (and yes, I cried like a baby when I wrote it…)
October 31st, 120, Fourth Age, Grey Havens, Lindon
Dawn broke through the windows of the King's window and he clutched his son tight. Legolas had finally cried himself to sleep a few hours earlier, and as weary as Thranduil was, he was determined to stay awake, to absorb each minute that passed by, to relish the last hours and moments he had left with his beloved. He heard the sounds of the Elves below readying the ship and he gently shook his son, "Legolas, time to wake, a'maelamin."
Legolas blinked sleepily, and felt his father beside him. He took a deep breath and smiled, then, just as quickly, his smile faded. This was it, this was the day he was to leave his father behind. He was still afraid he could not do it, afraid that at the last minute he would falter and run back into his father's arms. He was torn in two; the call of the sea nagged at him relentlessly and he knew it would never stop. He knew if he stayed he would never be free of it, it would slowly but surely wear him down. His father promised him he would recover from his loss, he would find another to love him, but he had difficulty believing it. He still did not quite understand why his father was doing this, but he saw he was not to be moved. He rose and pressed a kiss to his father's lips and sighed.
He smiled at his father and Thranduil smiled in return. The King spoke softly and lovingly, "They are preparing to depart, meleth nín, it is time for you to go."
Legolas slowly rose and donned his leggings and tunic. His trembling fingers strapped on his quiver and he picked up his bow. He turned to face his father, who had also donned his leggings and tunic. He pulled his riding cloak around his shoulders, and turned and smiled at his son, as he held out his hand.
Father and son walked hand in hand down the long stair toward the docks. The ship and dock bustled with activity as the last of the crates were being brought aboard. Legolas stepped in front of his father and took his hands in his, tears began to fall and he fought them back. He looked into the watery pools of Thranduil's sapphire blue eyes. "Will you take care of Arod for me? He has been a loyal and faithful mount."
Thranduil nodded as his lower lip trembled, "Aye, I will."
Legolas reached up and caressed his father's face, "Take care of yourself as well, Ada." He took a ragged breath and continued, "Do not suffer long." He threw his arms around his father's neck as he broke down.
Thranduil clutched his son to his chest and trembled, his body was wracked with grief; he felt his heart shattering as he clung to his son. "You have made me so proud, Legolas. No son could make his father more proud. The face of the world has changed because of you, my life changed because of you. No matter where you go, know that I love you, know that no matter how far away, you hold me in your heart. Nothing, not even death can change that." He pulled back from him and pressed something into his palm. He pressed his lips to his ear and whispered, "Amin mela le, my little Greenleaf."
Legolas whispered to his father, "Amin mela le, Ada, always."
Thranduil pushed his son back, "Go, Legolas, go now."
Legolas shook his head, "I cannot, I cannot leave you…"
Thranduil shouted, "Leave me, Legolas, get on the ship!" He saw the hurt expression in his son's eyes and he softly continued, "Please, Iôn, please, do this for me."
Legolas slowly backed away from him, managing a sad smile before turning and running down the dock. Thranduil stood trembling, he was reeling, falling backwards when he felt strong hands supporting him.
Gildor stood beside the King, "I have you, my Lord. Try to remain on your feet, just until he can no longer see you. `Twill make his parting easier."
Thranduil whispered, "The ship… you are supposed to be on the ship…"
Gildor smiled knowingly, "Nay, my Lord. I am where I am supposed to be."
Thranduil raised his hand as the ship pulled away, he watched as Legolas ran to the railing and leaned over, raising his hand. They stood and watched each other, until neither was visible to the other any longer. Thranduil collapsed upon Gildor and the Noldo called to the few that had remained behind with him, against his wishes. They gently lifted the King into a carriage and pulled away, Legolas and Thranduil's horses following close behind.
~*~*~*~
Legolas collapsed back upon a crate, tears flowing from his eyes. He silently prayed for his father, for the one who gave up everything for him. He remembered his father pressing something into his hand and he opened it; it was the ring that had passed to Thranduil when Oropher died. Legolas slipped it on his finger and wept. He felt a strong, comforting hand upon his shoulder and looked into the wise gray eyes of Cirdan.
The Eldar smiled gently, "Your father is a brave ruler, Legolas, and a good Elf with a kind heart. Too few knew that about him." The Eldar gazed back toward the shore, "I think there is someone aboard this ship that it would do you good to see." He stepped aside and revealed the Prince's good friend, Gimli.
The Dwarf smiled sadly and softly greeted him, "Hello, Laddy." The stoic Dwarf took a seat beside his good friend and placed an arm around him. Legolas leaned his head upon the Dwarf's shoulder and wept. Gimli sat beside him and comforted him until he wept no more.
~*~*~*~
Erestor stood on Lord Elrond's balcony quietly sipping tea with his Lord when he dropped his cup. One hand flew to his chest, the other arm wrapped around his waist as his knees buckled.
He gasped for air as Elrond fell to his knees beside him, "Erestor!" He called for his wife as he tried to help his old friend.
Erestor turned his tear stained face to Elrond's, "By Elbereth, it hurts! It hurts so much… Oh, my dear, dear Prince… Sweet Legolas."
Celebrían rushed to her husband's side and he looked at her, "It has begun…"
Erestor broke down sobbing in his Lord's arms, he cursed the Valar and cursed the one who made them, "How can you do this?" he screamed, "How can you hurt them this way? Wretched creatures! Why?"
Elrond held him in his arms and rocked him back and forth, tears falling from his face. Celebrían, knelt beside him, "Please, meleth nín, someone else must do this, it is too much for you, you are too close. Please, my Lord, release him to me." Elrond began sobbing with Erestor, all the pain the Counselor was feeling flooding his body. He kept whispering, "No… no it is too much, he will never survive it, make it stop."
Celebrían wrenched Erestor from her husband's grasp and pulled him away, "Come, Erestor, lie down, you must be strong, you must be here for him when he arrives. My mother will protect him and sustain him, you must rest, you must learn to control it." He began to breathe deeply, struggling to quell the pain in his heart. He whispered over and over, "Legolas, a'maelamin…"
Celebrían rushed back out to her husband's side, helping him to his feet. "Meleth nín? Are you all right?" Elrond nodded and looked into his wife's face, "By the Valar, it was horrible, so painful." She stroked his hair and pressed a kiss to his face. "I know, a'maelamin, I know."
Elrond looked up at her and took her face in his hands, "I have only felt pain such as that once before, meleth nín."
She smiled sadly, "I know, my Lord. You survived that, you and Erestor will survive this."
Elrond regained his composure and pushed the hair out of his face. He looked at his wife, "But will Legolas? Will Thranduil?" Celebrían whispered to her husband, "Legolas will, mother will see to it. As for Thranduil, I do not know."
They quietly returned to the house to attend to their old friend.
~*~*~*~
November 10th, 120, Fourth Age, Eryn Lasgalen
Thranduil awoke in his bed, lying on his side and staring toward his son's empty room. He remembered little of the past week, he was not sure how he came to be back in his palace, other than it had something to do with Gildor. He smelled the jasmine drifting through the open door that led to the garden he once shared with his son. He wished now he had left something of Legolas' behind when they departed the palace. He grasped the pillow he had once slept on and hugged it tight. Tears still fell from his eyes, though he could no longer cry, he felt dead, empty, and he ached. It was a pain he had never known before, a heavy aching emptiness that left him weak. He wondered how long it would take him to waste away, how long he would linger in this empty palace before he finally succumbed. The drawer of his bedside table was open slightly and he reached inside. A leather bound book lay inside, the page marked by an ancient willow frond. He smiled as he held it by the stem, and placed it back inside. "Oh, Legolas, I miss you so." He whispered. He growled to the empty room, "Why can you not just let me die? Is it not enough that I gave him up to you? Is it not enough that I am bedridden and weak? Let me die!"
"I am afraid not, my Lord." Gildor walked through the door carrying a tray with soup and bread and a pot of tea. He sat on the bed beside him and smiled gently, "That is not to be your fate, my Lord."
Thranduil rolled over, turning his back to him, "What would you know of my fate, Gildor? You do not even know of what I speak."
Gildor nodded, "Oh, I am afraid I do, my Lord. You grieve the loss of your son and your lover."
Thranduil rolled back to face the Noldo, "How do you know this? Why are you here anyway? You owe me nothing."
Gildor smiled, "The Lady asked me to watch after you, and that is what I plan to do. She said your fate was not to die, that you were to survive and I was to see to it."
Thranduil rolled back over, "You are wasting your time, Gildor. Go away."
Gildor shook his head, "I am afraid not, my Lord. You must eat something, it has been days, you have lost far too much weight already." He held out a plate with a piece of bread on it and Thranduil grumbled.
"Leave me be, Elf."
"I will not."
Thranduil rolled over and slapped the plate from his hand. Gildor grabbed his wrist and held him tight, "That was not courteous, nor Kingly, my Lord."
Thranduil laughed, but it was a hollow sound, "Courteous? Kingly? What do I care! Be gone, Elf!"
Gildor raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Angry, are we? Anger is good… you always were quick to anger, Thranduil."
Thranduil swung at him, but in his weakened state his reflexes were slowed and Gildor caught his other arm. "Tsk, tsk, my impudent King… you are losing your temper." Thranduil growled and struggled against the Noldo and was frustrated by his lack of strength. Gildor smiled, "See? If you were to eat something you might regain enough strength to throttle me."
Thranduil calmed down and realized how ungrateful he was being. He sighed as he fell back upon the pillows. "Why will you not let me die, Gildor? Can you not see that I no longer wish to live?"
Gildor released the King's wrists and smiled, "Aye, I can see that, however, as I told you, that is not your fate." He picked up the bowl of soup, "Now sit up and let me help you."
Gildor started to feed the King and Thranduil frowned, "I am not an infant, Gildor, I think I am capable of feeding myself."
Gildor smiled and scooted closer, "That may be true, but these were the only clean linens in the palace, I would rather you not spill on them."
"Ai, you are worse than a wife!" Thranduil huffed.
Gildor laughed softly, "Have you had one?"
"A wife?"
"Yes."
"No, I have not."
Gildor smiled, "Then how would you know?"
Thranduil furrowed his brow, then chuckled despite himself. "You are one infuriating Elf, Gildor."
Gildor chuckled, "Thank you, my Lord."
The Noldo Elf Lord sat beside the Sindar King upon the bed, patiently feeding him the soup, and seeing to it that he ate every drop. He then took the dirty dishes away and left Thranduil to get some rest as he cleaned up.
~*~*~*~
Legolas awoke in his hammock, the ship was still and he heard the sound of sea birds outside. He rose from his bunk and heard Gimli's heavy footfalls coming down the stairs. He swung his legs over the side and slowly slid off the side of the hammock. He cursed as his knees buckled and he landed in the floor upon his backside, cracking his head on the wall below. Gimli burst through the door to see the Elf sprawled upon the floor, rubbing his head. "Ai, Laddy! Are you all right?" He reached out his hand to help the Elf to his feet.
"Ouch." The Elf said absently as he cast an evil glance back over his shoulder to the wall.
Gimli chuckled, "After all we have been through, Orcs, Dragons, Nazgûl, even Sauron himself, you are felled by a hammock and a wall."
"Shut up." Legolas glowered at his friend as he struggled to his feet. "I am not feeling exactly like myself, lest you forget."
Gimli's expression grew serious, "I know, I am sorry Laddy."
Legolas smiled weakly, "I know, `'tis alright, meldir." He patted the Dwarf upon the shoulder.
Gimli exclaimed, "I almost forgot why I came running down here! We can see the shore, we are almost there!"
The only bright spot Legolas could find in what had become a dark and empty existence was that he might be able to find his good friend Erestor. He sighed, "What of Frodo and Sam? Any word of them?"
Gimli sighed, "Frodo and Sam have passed on, Laddy. You and I are all that remain of the Fellowship."
Legolas smiled weakly, "Well then, it is just you and I then. I hope their passing was peaceful."
Gimli nodded, "Elrond was with them I hear, he would have made sure of it." He looked down at the floor for a moment then sighed and looked back up at the Elf, "Shall we get you some fresh air then?"
Legolas smiled, "Aye, fresh air sounds good. Do not walk behind me lest I fall backward down the stair."
Gimli snorted as the Elf chuckled. "It is good to hear you laugh again, Laddy." The two companions climbed the stair into the bright sunshine.
~*~*~*~
Elvish = English Translation:
A'maelamin = Beloved
Meleth nín = My Love
Ada = Father
Amin mela le = I love you Iôn = Son~ Next Chapter ~
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