No Road Home

Part the Eleventh (PG-13)

The next morning they returned to his House. All the members of his household, anxious at the previous night's disappearance of both their master and his dying beloved, awaited them on the terrace. When Elrond and Windwalker emerged from the forest, his arm around her, a murmur went up. As they drew nearer, an alert Maltheneldor noted the change in Wind's appearance.

"Look!" he exclaimed. "She is Elven!"

"She is more," Elrond announced. "Call an assembly."

They passed through, into the house, as the servants scrambled to obey the Elven Lord.


While they waited for the assembly to gather, Elrond had what few possessions Wind owned moved into his bedroom. Maltheneldor took care of this personally, delighted in the knowledge that his beloved master had, after millenia alone, taken a bride, and that bride was a healthy, transformed Windwalker. "Milady," he told her, "welcome home. We have been most worried for you. It is good to know that you are well and happy."

The gentle greeting of the manservant nearly reduced Wind to tears. "I am happy," she confirmed to him. "I am home...for the first time in my life, I am home."

Elrond drew his bride into his arms and kissed her tenderly, to Maltheneldor's delight.


Galadriel appeared then, bearing a package. "My daughter," she said softly, "Mithrandir has explained your fear of us. We...did not realize. The Council has learned a great lesson, as the Valar intended. Please forgive my distance, and accept my love instead. I mean you only kindness."

Elrond watched as Wind struggled with her sense of inferiority. "My love, you are Eldar, and Dunadan, descendant of kings," he reminded her. "You have no need to feel beneath anyone. It is we who have been wrong, not you."

"You're all so beautiful," Wind murmured. "I..."

"You are just as beautiful," Galadriel said, turning her to face the looking-glass. "Behold the Lady Gwaepadir, the Windwalker. She is greatly favored of the Lord Elrond." Galadriel smiled at the expression of amazement on Wind's face as she saw herself in the glass for the first time since the transformation. "I know you have but few garments, and you will need them, as a new member of the Council, for it has been decided that you should be invited into that body. Only you have experience of the Edain of this Age." She held out the package. "Here. This is for you."

Shyly, Windwalker accepted the package and opened it. It was a lovely silk brocade robe, sky blue with cloud white embroidery, and a matching white undertunic. "Oohhh," she whispered, "it's lovely."

Galadriel hugged the younger elleth gently. "You should wear this for the assembly." (elf-woman)

"All right," Windwalker smiled, giving the older elleth a timid glance. "I don't know...what to expect. Will you help me get ready?" (elf-woman)

"Why don't you let Elrond help you dress," Galadriel smiled knowingly, "and then I will come back and help you with your hair and accessories?"

"That is an excellent idea," Elrond agreed, noting that Galadriel had seen the desire in his grey eyes when he had envisioned Windwalker in the new robes.

Windwalker nodded, and Galadriel made a graceful departure from the master suite.


Once Galadriel had left their suite, Elrond laid the beautiful robes over a chair, then unfastened Windwalker's garments, and she stepped out of them. But before she could reach for the new robe, Elrond drew her into an embrace and kissed her soundly. Wind felt the hunger in him as he moved to the bed, lying down and opening his robes to her.

Shyly, following his mental instructions, Wind crawled atop him, and he helped her settle down on him. He sighed with pleasure, smiling up at her.

"You...enjoy this a lot, darling," she observed shyly as they made love.

Elrond's smile deepened. "I have been celibate long, beloved. You are beautiful, and I am in love." He paused. "Do you object?"

"No, no. I like it, too."

"Good. We will satisfy each other, then."

Hands slid sensually over skin, pleasuring perfectly. Elrond knew what it was to experience total happiness, and he strove to share it with his lover, desiring to atone to her for her long years of pain. 'Are you happy, meleth nin?' he asked. (my love)

'I didn't know it was possible to be so happy, Elrond,' Wind answered. Her dark eyes shone with love.

'Good. I will give you beautiful things, beloved. Lovely clothing to enhance your beauty. Time for play. A warm, soft bed to share, and delicious food to nourish you.'

'Elrond,' she began hesitantly, 'all these things are wonderful, and I love you for caring. But there's only one thing I need now, to be happy.'

'And what is that, beloved?'

'You.'

Elrond pulled his bride down into his arms as he felt heat take his loins. 'You have me, bereth nin.' Then he gasped as his body arched in ecstasy, feeling her body shudder in delight as she rode his passion to its ultimate conclusion. (my queen)

"Melon cin, hervenn nin," Wind breathed into Elrond's ear, and joy flooded him at her declaration of love. (I love you, my husband)

A knock came at the door. Maltheneldor's voice came through from the far side. "Forgive me, master and mistress, but the Ringbearers have arrived. The assembly will begin soon."

Windwalker slid off Elrond, who rose, closed his robes, and held out his hand. "Come, beloved, we must dress you. I have some dear friends I wish you to meet."


Elrond led his bride into his study. There, they were met by those of the Fellowship that yet survived: Legolas, and Gimli, Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, and Bilbo. Legolas stepped forward, smiling.

"You have changed from the last time I saw you, milady."

Windwalker blushed. "And for the better."

"Not better, merely different," Legolas observed. "I know now what I sensed in you earlier."

"Yes," Elrond agreed softly, behind her. "Like Frodo, her long journey was killing her."

"I am glad," Legolas added, "that a way was found for you, too, to survive."

"You made a valiant effort, milady," Gimli ventured, coming to stand by Legolas. "Had the skies not opened, I verily believe you would have made it, that day at the Bridge."

"I don't know, Gimli, I don't know," Wind mused. "For a moment, it was all so clear."

"Friend Legolas is a good teacher," Gimli vouched.

"He is," Wind smiled, "and a gentle one, too. He...accepted me. He was the first elf, other than Elrond, to willingly work with me."

"That is because of his great love for the Men of the Fellowship, Lady Gwaepadir," Gandalf remarked. "He knows the foibles of humans, and he knows their strengths. Legolas saw strength in you." (Windwalker)

Windwalker glanced at the blond elf, who nodded respectfully.

"And now to some very important persons, my love," Elrond said softly with a smile. He turned to the small ones beside Gandalf. "These are the Ringbearers."

"Sam, Frodo and Bilbo," Windwalker breathed, and suddenly knelt before them. The others joined her.

"Oh, goodness," exclaimed Sam, shocked.

"No, no, no, my dear," Bilbo chuckled, reaching out to take her hand. "We don't stand on that kind of ceremony."

"He's right, you know," Frodo agreed. "You're one of Strider's kin, so that automatically makes you a friend, milady."

As Bilbo raised her to her feet, Windwalker commented, "Speaking of standing on ceremony, what is it with the way everyone's addressing me? It's 'milady this' and 'Lady that.'" She turned to Gandalf. "Especially you. I hoped...we were friends," she said softly, hurt.

"We are friends, my dear Unole," Gandalf said gently. "Never fear for that."

"Lady Windwalker," Gimli explained, "you are Master Elrond's wife."

"And daughter of kings," Frodo added.

"You accord them respect," Elrond murmured. "They return the honor."

"Where I come from," Windwalker said, "honor and respect have to be earned."

"And you have earned it," Gandalf noted. "You earned Elrond's respect, then his love, because of your quiet determination and caring. You earned the respect of his house with your uncomplaining gentleness in spite of pain. You earned the respect of the White Council because of your Choice: You chose neither Death, nor Life. You chose Love." Gandalf met her eyes. "Therein lies your greatest glory, and your greatest honor."

To her shock, as one, the members of the Fellowship -- even her husband -- bowed low before her.