Chapter VII: The Arrival of Thûlë
âThat evening, there was a grand feast in the dining hall to celebrate Legolasâ safe return home. It had been a long time since my household felt whole again as the servants served us the freshest delights prepared for this occasion.
NenduĂźl and Aranduil sat as close to Legolas and Gimli as they could; eagerly asking them about their adventures. The hall was filled with life as it was when I was young and my father was king. Though I sat in his place, I felt as I had before the wars took so much from our kingdom.
âThinking again,â Nimlos said leaning across AramĂr. âYou should be listening to Legolas. Heâs had quite the adventure.â
âI will speak with him later,â I said. âAs it is, he has the ear of NenduĂźl and Aranduil.â
âThey have been following him all day,â AramĂr said. âHe rather enjoys having an audience.â
âJust like his mother,â Nimlos said. âI remember she would tell me and Nenloth about adventures when we were young, though hers came from her imagination as though they were real.â
I laughed softly remembering ĂlĂșriel. Seemed not long ago she was telling me of her childhood or spinning a tale about our life together. As I watched Legolas and Gimli from a distance, their engagement with the children of the court brought memories of ĂlĂșriel in the garden with children. I was a sad but pleasant thought.
âIf you will pardon me,â I said, rising. Â
The room fell quiet and the court stood to bow to me. I left the dining hall and made my way to the garden. It was a calm eveningânothing but the song of the night sung by the nocturnal chants of the woodlands creatures large and small.
Light of dim lanterns cast shadows down the winding paths as I sat amidst them on a bench deep in thought. It had been so long since I had been accustomed to a peaceful night I wondered what it was like in other cities across the world.
âAda,â a voice said. âIs something the matter?â
It was Legolas. I shook my head.
âNothing,â I said. âJust found myself wanting to think. Why are you here?â
âFor the same reason,â he said sitting beside me. âSo much has come about, there has hardly been time to own's self. Now that I am home for a time, I want to remember how it was before I leave again.â
âYou are leaving,â I asked. âYou have just arrived.â
âNot quite yet, Ada,â he said smiling. âYou will have me for a time. Though I hardly think you wold notice with NenduĂźl and TĂĄrimĂ« at your side.â
âThey are growing up,â I said. âSoon they will not need me anymore as they once did.â
âThat is not true,â he said. âThey will always need you. I still need you. Time has changed many things, but the heart is not one of them.â
âI suppose you will accompany Gimli to Erebor to see his father,â I began. âI know GlĂłin will want to see his son as much as I wanted to see mine.â
âOf course,â he answered. âTarthĂŽn wishes to join me, if he may.â
I nodded. It was good to see my sons doing things together once more.
âGimli was given sovereign over Aglarond and wishes to lead his people there to settle. I wish to see the world.â
âYou were always the wandering kind,â I said. âYou know I will not stand in your way. It is your fate and yours alone. Mine is here with my people. It always has been and always will be.â
âFor now, just be my father,â he said.
âI will forever be your father no matter where you are,â I said. âI am glad for that.â
Legolas and Gimli remained with us for a week before they set out for Erebor with TarthĂŽn. Their plan was to stay the same amount of time there before leading dwarves through the Rhovanion and onto Aglarond. It seemed a fleeting moment I had my son again, but I had no fear for him now. The world was born anew and many would go seeking what there was to see of it.
I thought many days on what Galadriel said to me. I knew what she what she meant. I had two callingsâboth struggling within for dominance. Should I stay in my kingdom or make the journey my ancestors never completed into the west. There were hundreds of reasons to leave but only one to remainâĂlĂșriel. I wanted to lay beside her for eternity. My time in this world was coming to an end but to which end would it come?
I felt there was time enough to think on this; I felt a much better use of my days was to spent with NenduĂźl and TĂĄrimĂ«. I had given them each a horse of their ownânot realizing they had grown near the height of Legolas at that age. They were no longer children.
One day, I had decided to go riding with them along with Aranduil. Nearly my height now, he started to look much like a true Sindarinwa prince. We had traveled quite a distanceâstopping only for TĂĄrimĂ« to pick flowers for her chambers.
When we returned to the stables, we dismounted and walked toward the palace.
âAda,â TĂĄrimĂ« began. âWhat do you think of FĂ«andil?â
âYou mean the son of ArawĂ«,â I asked attempting to remember him. âWhy do you ask?â
âShe has eyes for him,â NenduĂźl said teasing his sister. âIt is no secret to anyone.â
âEspecially to Grandfather,â Aranduil added. âI am surprised he has not said anything to you.â
âTarthĂŽn has been away often, Aranduil,â I answered. âHe only returned from Gondor recently. Is it true, TĂĄrimĂ«? Are you fond of this young elf.â
âNo,â she lied. âThat is preposterous, Ada. He is as troublesome as these two.â
âI know better, TĂĄrimĂ«,â I said. âYou have never been one to hide your emotions from anyone.â
âHis face does not displease me,â she said giving her brother a stern glare. âI suppose he is adequate.â
âAdequate,â I said. âIf you think he is adequate, then I suppose I should think so as well. Whenever you find him more than adequate, tell me so I may speak with him.â
Aranduil and NenduĂźl could not help themselves but to laugh all the way to the front gates when we were met by ĂarmĂźr.
âGo your way,â I said to them. âĂarmĂźr wishes word with me.â
They continued on their way as I approached ĂarmĂźr.
âSomeone wishes an audience with His Majesty,â he said to me.
âWhy has FĂ«aluin sent you to tell me,â I asked.
âI come to you on my own,â he said. âFĂ«aluin awaits in council.â
We entered the palace and made our way to the throne room. I noticed a tall creature standing quietly in the center of the room. I ascended to my throne as I felt his eyes following me.
I noticed he wore the long robe of a wizardâof the Istariâthe color of grey. He had long hair the color of silver with withering skin the color of a winter sky. He approached me, his eyes a deep hue of sky at the end of day.
âDo I know you,â I asked. âYou remind me of someone.â
âMithrandir, perhaps,â he said. âHe is no longer the Grey Wanderer as he is known as The White Rider.â
âWho are you,â I asked.
âThĂ»lĂ«,â he answered, âAnd I have come quite a long way to see you,â he said. âFrom Mithlond.â
âMay I ask why you have come?â
âAs I have said,â he answered with a smile. âI have come to see you.â
I looked down upon him from my throne. I rose and walked down to meet him.
âWhy have you come to see me,â I asked.
âIt was time,â he answered.
I looked around the courtâit had grown shallow and empty. It had become a shell of its former self. I looked to ĂarmĂźr who stood quietly next to FĂ«aluin.
âI know,â I said. âI know why you are here.â
âOh, yes, Thranduil,â he began smiling. âI have heard much about you. You are beyond lore. You are of the ages that this world has seen over centuries. I arrived with Mithrandir in the Second Age and remained in the Havens and watch him sail into the west. He said I should await you there, but I knew I would remain there for another age should I do such a thing, so I came to you.â
âYou saw my son, then,â I said. âLegolas?â
âIndeed. He left with a certain dwarf I believe. Gimli, son of GlĂłin.â
âDid he say anything,â I asked. I was hoping he did not say something that would touch my heart or break it for the mention of his name brought to me every moment I had with him since the day he was born.
âYes, Thranduil,â he said smiling. âPeda aranon od Eryn Lasgalen, adar nĂźn, Thranduil TĂĄrisil Oropherion, ernil od Eryn Lasgalen tolant na vedui sĂ Mithlond.
I knew there were tears in my eyes but I did not care. My son was safe and I missed him greatly.
âI am afraid I have no words,â I said. âI miss my son.â
âHe misses his father,â he said.
âHow long will you be with us,â I asked quietly.
âUntil it is time for me to depart, which will be in five days. I hope that I will not leave this place alone.â
âPlease escort ThĂ»lĂ« to where he may rest his head,â I said.
FĂ«aluin led him away. Before I could say a word to ĂarmĂźr, I turned to see NenduĂźl.
âAda,â he began. âAre we leaving Eryn Lasgalen?âÂ
I looked to see TĂĄrimĂ« as well. NenduĂźl looked much like me as TĂĄrimĂ« looked much like ĂlĂșriel. I did not know the answer to his question. I was numbed at the thought of leaving.
âSomething the matter,â TĂĄrimĂ« asked. âYou are not yourself.â
âI am not myself, TĂĄrimĂ«,â I said. âGo to the gardens, I will come to you later. I must have a word with ĂarmĂźr."
They left quickly, giddy with anticipation of seeing me again.
âGalathil left you here to make sure that I would leave for Mithlond.â
âYes,â ĂarmĂźr said softly. âYou would not leave otherwise.â
âHow would anyone know what is in my heart or my mind,â I said as anger and sadness began to rise to the surface.
âThranduil,â EldĂŽr began. âCalm yourself.â
âI will not calm myself,â I said. âDo not presume you know me! Any one of you! It is my life and my choice! If I want to remain here in my kingdom, it is my choice! There is no life for me without ĂlĂșriel. Whether I stay here or live forever there, there is no life without her.â
I stormed away toward the gardens hoping NenduĂźl and TĂĄrimĂ« would bring me peace as they often would. I felt a light breeze carrying the scent of ĂlĂșriel. I felt my heart fill with joy for the first time since Legolas had returned to me after the war. I stopped at the railing and began to remember my youth. My friends. Everything seemed to return again as it once was. I knew what I had to do. I saw EldĂŽr approaching me from the court calmly.
âThey have grown into beautiful elves,â EldĂŽr mused. âI know what you are thinking, Thranduil. I have known you since you came into this world.â
âI know, Uncle,â I said. âPerhaps that was the reason for your return."
âWhat will you have us to do now,â he asked quietly.
I never let the twins out of my sight. I seemed hypnotized by their frolicking.
âSend forth the rest of our people into the Havens and sail home,â I said. âThe time as come. NenduĂźl and TĂĄrimĂ« will sail. And so shall I go.âÂ
We said nothing more as we watched the last of the elven children to grow up in Endor. and led them away to the old pool where I once played in my childhood. I knew I would have to tell Nendußl and Tårimë that we were going home.
That evening, I requested ĂarmĂźr to send the twins to my chambers. EldĂŽr had the court ready themselves to leave Eryn Lasgalen forever. With hurried excitement, what was left of the elves of the last elven kingdom prepared for the journey home.
When the familiar knock came to the door, I took a deep breath.
NenduĂźl and TĂĄrimĂ« came in slowlyâuncertain what was about to happen.
âPlease, have a seat,â I said. They sat on the edge of my bed in unison; their eyes focused on me.
âAre we leaving Eryn Lasgalen, Ada,â TĂĄrimĂ« asked..
âYes,â I said. âWe are leaving and we will never return.â
âNever,â NenduĂźl asked. âWhy can we not return home?â
âWe are going to a new home,â I said. âFar away from this world. It is a place of eternal youth and beauty where we will live forever.â
âWe do that here,â TĂĄrimĂ« said. âWhy can we not do that here?â
âBecause we are elves,â I said. âUnlike any other creatures we are. Our time here must end so the rest of this world may continue. I know you will miss Eryn Lasgalen, but where we go will be far more beautiful.â
âWhere you go, we will go, Ada,â NenduĂźl said.
âWe love you, Ada,â TĂĄrimĂ« said.
âI love you, too,â I said.
I embraced them, my heart heavy with the thought of leaving but glad knowing I will be with them for all eternity. When I released them, they were smiling.
âNow, go prepare yourselves. We leave at weekâs end.â
They nodded and left me alone. I looked around my chambers remembering every moment of my life that took place within its walls. Memories were the only thing I would take with meâthey were all that I would need.â--ââExcerpt from TKWR Book III: To Eryn Lasgalen by J.M.Miller 05-19-17.
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