Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

The Teacher	By : pip Category: -Multi-Age > Slash - Male/Male Views: 14764 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Chapter Forty-eight
Círdan had a ship ready, which Celebrían would share with others. There was no reason to delay, except for that she would be missed. But then, she was missed already as far as Elrond was concerned. She was not the same. He knew it, the family knew it, and her friends.
It was a dangerous journey over the mountains, especially if you were not Galadriel and Celeborn, and yet elves came. So many from Lothlórien, where Celebrían had been born and spent part of her life. The orcs who were trying to block the way through must have fled in terror, fearing an army marched on them, since no trouble was reported by any of the party, which was some hundreds strong. The dancers too arrived, old and new, and at Imladris they put on a show for Celebrían where they paid tribute to all of her most famous performances, including the most recent one as Elwing.
It was a strange echo of a thought to have, but Elrond had become used to them, and he remembered when they had become betrothed, and how he had realised that Celebrían belonged to the people who knew her, not only to him. She was their Celebrían. It was the same now, as she prepared to farewell them all, but it was to Elrond that she turned when she became weary of greeting them, and he would steal her away for the sake of peace. They still slept together during those long nights, and she would lay with him if he wished it, but he did not. To take her and see the loss of the fire in her fëa was too painful for them both. But his presence seemed to ease her nightmares, and she was so glad of his company when she awoke from them, sometimes screaming, sometimes crying.
It was a much longer journey west to the Grey Havens, and Elrond knew they would not make it alone. Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen joined them, as did Galadriel and Celeborn. But so too went Haldir, Thranduil and Legolas. Even Galion. If Elrond had not known how deeply Haldir and Celebrían had loved over the centuries, his presence then made it doubly clear.
As they travelled, they made their way through land peopled by halflings, and while Elrond knew they had settled, the extent to which they'd expanded their borders and filled the open territory was a surprise. But they were farmers, and appeared to enjoy cultivating the land. Though there was little to fear from the “hobbits” as they termed themselves, the sedate party kept to themselves and were so careful not to be seen that Elrond doubted any hobbit had observed them at all.
The pace was much slower than Elrond was used to on his visits to Thranduil, and by the time they finally reached the downs, a full four weeks had been spent travelling. The closer Celebrían got to the sea, the more animated she seemed to become and they all marked it. He wondered out loud one day if it would be enough for her if they should dwell with Círdan in the Grey Havens, but a sudden shadow in her eyes spoke the truth.
Still, the improvement in Celebrían made for a much more enjoyable journey than all of them had feared, and in their secret moments, they even made love to each other. In some ways, this final journey was a reminder of the joyous times they'd spent together, and it was no use trying to shield his heart, since she had stolen it centuries ago.
The companions became close as they shared a fire at night and food, as they told each other stories and sang songs. Here, Galion came into his own, telling truly ancient tales which he said had been passed down to him. Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel all suspected the truth, however, but did not say anything. Like the rest, they listened intently, spellbound because to them, Galion was relating things he had actually seen and heard, almost from the time of the Great Journey.
Celebrían was to share a ship, and so the day of her departure was not private. Many waved loved ones off, just as they were doing. There were hugs and tears and promises being shared all around. Elrond found at the last he had no words. As always, it was Celebrían who knew what to say.
“Every day I shall walk along the shore, until I see you keep your promise to follow me,” she said. Elrond nodded in silence, his heart too full to speak. She lifted his chin. “I shall be sure to confer with Oropher and Nimbrethil on a timetable for you,” she teased, and Elrond could not stop himself laughing. That is, until he thought about it.
“I am in so much trouble,” he said lightly, and Celebrían kissed him on the forehead.
“I will protect you Hîr Elrond nín,” she said, smiling, “come Kings, Queens...” and here her gaze drifted to Legolas, who was standing idly by, looking out to see, thoughtful, “...or even Princes.”
Elrond was startled. “But you conspire with him! Don't think I didn't notice,” he accused playfully, loving this. Because even though it was goodbye, at least he was saying it to the Celebrían he loved, not to the broken Celebrían he had seen during the past year.
“Of course I do, and you love it,” Celebrían said, smiling. “You will love it when you come to join the rest of us too.”
They made more serious declarations, and she promised to give his love to all those awaiting him in Valinor, then the moment had come at last, and the ship sailed slowly away on the outgoing tidal flow of the bay. All of the party from Imladris waited in silence until there was nothing to see, while elves who had waved off their loved ones took their leave in quiet twos and threes. Even Círdan went back to his work after laying a heavy hand on Elrond's shoulder.
And then, it was time for them. Though Elrond continued looking out to where the channel opened out into the sea, he marked it from the corner of his eye. Thranduil drew the twins away in their sadness, shepherding them as if they were still mere children. Legolas offered his hand to Arwen. Celeborn threw an arm around Haldir and they walked off together. Even Galadriel was surprised when Círdan offered her his arm, putting aside his work until later.
They all drifted off, leaving Elrond alone and almost broken by the side of the empty dock, then he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Galion awaiting him. They must have conspired somehow, all of them, just as she always had. In time to come, Elrond would learn that it had been her last instruction to all of them. Right at this moment, he couldn't bear to be with his own children, because he couldn't comfort them. Nor Celebrían's parents, despite knowing them for so long. He did not want to be with a lover who would cause him to remember what he missed. But Galion?
Elrond allowed the ancient servant to lead him away to some private place to rest and grieve before contemplating the long journey back to Imladris. Galion seemed to know exactly the right things to say and do, and Elrond was thankful for it. Círdan had offered them lodging for a week or two to rest, and they took it. The journey back was much more sombre and thoughtful, and yet it took so long that by the time they arrived back at Imladris, the worst of the melancholy had passed.
Yet ever after that, in his quieter moments when he was tired of studying, when his eyes were too sore to write, Elrond would sit staring out at the garden and listen; and not often, but sometimes, he would hear the call of the sea. He would hear it like the siren song of a voice, hidden in the sound of crashing waves. Come home, Elrond Eärendilion, and rest. Come to the land of faerie in the West. At those times he would long to be on the dock again, setting foot on a ship of his own. But that was long distant, and if sometimes he awoke in the night and smelled salt on the air, the taste of his own tears like seawater, he told no one. Not even Legolas.

To be continued...
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- 50
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The Teacher