Finding Hope

Title: Finding Hope (30/30)
Author: Aglarien
Type: FPS
Pairings: Erestor/Glorfindel, Elrond/Erynoron, Caladir/Gurvelon, Melpomaen/Turidon, Lindir/Taurfaeron, Amdiriel/Elrohir, and a secret.
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Alas, not mine. Except for the cats. Master Tolkien owns all the rest. I promise to return his elves when I’m done playing with them.
Warning: AU. Very AU. Excessive sweetness, fluffiness and romance.
Beta: Lady Mirfain

Summary: Happily ever after.

Chapter 30

~42 Years Later~

Amdiriel had gone to see the seamstress, Linnolwen, for the final fitting of her new gown. Tomorrow was the ball for her fiftieth begetting day, the day she reached her majority. Erestor and Glorfindel had made sure that everything would be perfect for their beloved daughter’s special day. Celeborn and Galadriel had even arrived from the Golden Woods for the event, escorted by Haldir and a large patrol.

While Amdiriel was gone, Glorfindel and Erestor sat together, arms around each other, reminiscing about their children and the last forty-two years.

“Remember how you picked up Amdiriel and Gailion and swung them around laughing when I got back with them?” Glorfindel asked.

“And how you almost bought out the marketplace the first time you went shopping for them?” Erestor added.

A knock at the door interrupted their musings. “Enter,” Glorfindel called.

The door opened, and a smiling Elrohir entered the room. “Good day, my friends. May I speak with you both?”

Erestor unwound his arms from Glorfindel. “Of course, Elrohir,” he said. “Come and join us.”

Elrohir sat in a chair opposite Glorfindel and Erestor. Clutching his hands in his lap, he took a deep breath. “Do you remember that day so many years ago, when Amdiriel said she wanted me to marry her?”

“Aye, I remember,” Glorfindel said, as Erestor nodded. “You told her if she still wanted to marry you when she reached her majority to ask you then.”

“My heart tells me she has not forgotten, and cares for me still. Please, my friends, do you know, does Amdiriel love me?” Elrohir asked, a soft plea in his voice.

“That is a question you must ask her, Elrohir, not us,” Erestor answered. “What do you want her answer to be?”

“Do you remember all those years ago, when I saw her for the first time, Erestor? I told you then that she had captured my heart.” Erestor nodded. “I have never tried to take it back. She holds it still. I love her, and I want her for my mate. If she does not ask me tomorrow, I intend to ask her to marry me, if you both will give me your blessing.” He looked at Amdiriel’s parents hopefully.

“Elrohir,” Glorfindel said, “there is only one thing we need from you before we answer. It is the same thing we asked of Gailion’s mate. Do you promise that you will sail with us, and her, to the Undying Lands, when the time comes for us to leave these shores, and the rest of us sail?”

“I give you my solemn promise. We will sail with you,” Elrohir said.

“Then you have our heartfelt blessing, Elrohir. We know you love Amdiriel, and we could not ask for a better mate for her,” Erestor said, smiling.

“We will be happy to call you our son, Elrohir,” Glorfindel said, wrapping his arms around the younger elf as they all stood. “You have made Erestor and me very happy today, my dear friend.”

Elrohir embraced Glorfindel, then Erestor, and left them with a smile and lighter steps.

“Oh, my love,” Erestor said, “could anything be better?”

Glorfindel laughed joyfully, embracing his beloved. “All we need now is for Amdiriel to choose him.”

“Do you doubt it, my love?” Erestor asked.

“Not for a minute, beloved, if I know our darling daughter,” Glorfindel answered, kissing Erestor sweetly. “I want to go and tell Gailion. He will be overjoyed.”

“Aye, love, he will. Go and tell him now,” Erestor replied.

Glorfindel kissed his mate again, then hurried to the barracks to find their eldest son. He watched as Gailion finished training a group of beginning guards. Their son had grown into a handsome, tall elf, and possessed extraordinary skills with both the sword and knives. By the time he was forty, he had decided that his place was with the Imladris guards, and his skills had been honed by Glorfindel, Erestor, and the twins. He had been married for nearly ten years now to the one who had captured his heart by the time he had reached his majority. He and Glorfindel, mirror images of each other, with their golden manes, blue eyes, and tall, muscled figures, still retained their special bond.

“Ada!” Gailion called out when he spotted Glorfindel, and walked over to him. “You are grinning. What have you been up to?”

Pulling his son aside, Glorfindel told him the news.

“Oh, Ada, how wonderful,” Gailion said, tears sparkling in his eyes, as he hugged his father. “Ada, come with me? We must go and tell my beloved.” He knew what his sister’s answer to Elrohir would be, so father and son left to find Gailion’s mate and share the news.

~~~*~~~

Amdiriel burst through the doors to their rooms. “Ada, Ada, where are you,” she called, as she headed through the sitting room.

“I am here, sweetheart,” Erestor said, coming out of the kitchen.

“Oh, Ada,” Amdiriel said, “You should see the gown! It is so beautiful. Linnolwen will deliver it in the morning.” She practically threw herself into Erestor’s arms and hugged him fiercely. “Come and sit with me, please? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Of course, little one,” he said, smiling, and Amdiriel giggled. She stood a head taller than her ada.

Erestor sat on a sofa, and Amdiriel curled her long legs beneath her and leaned on his lap. “Ada, do you think Elrohir loves me? I mean loves me like you love Ada Glor?”

“You love him, don’t you, sweetheart?” Erestor asked softly.

“I do, Ada. I love him so much. I always have. He told me to wait until my majority to ask him, and it is tomorrow. Oh, Ada, what do I do if he tells me nay? I want him so much,” she whispered, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Erestor stroked Amdiriel’s head and looked into her eyes. His daughter had grown into a tall, elegant, and graceful woman. Her beauty rivaled the fairest of their race, and was matched only by her loving and compassionate heart. “Do not fear, my little princess,” Erestor said. “Have I not always taught you to be brave and bold of heart, and never to be afraid of going after what you desire? What does your heart tell you, my love?”

“That he loves me, Ada,” Amdiriel whispered.

Erestor smiled gently. “Then trust your heart, my love.” He could have told Amdiriel that Elrohir had been to see Glorfindel and him, but he would not take away the joy of their joint discovery, even to ease his daughter’s fears.

Amdiriel’s fingers traced Erestor’s features, just as they had so many years ago. “My Ada,” she whispered. “I love you, Ada. You never left me. You and Ada Glor have always been here for me. If you tell me to trust my heart, I will.” She kissed Erestor’s brow, wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his chest, happy to have her beloved Ada hold her.

“I love you, sweetheart. I have from the first moment I saw you,” Erestor said, kissing the top of her head. The times like this would be fewer now, and he was content to hold her for as long as he could.

Glorfindel returned a short time later, sat next to Erestor, and wrapped his arms around his husband and daughter, holding them close. Faelion returned from his studies and curled up next to his sister. The four elves sighed contentedly, and before long, golden lights began to sparkle around them.

Amdiriel and Faelion looked at each other and smirked, then Faelion winked at his sister. “Ada,” he whined, “do you two always have to do that?”
~~~*~~~

Amdiriel’s gown was a rich forest green, edged in gold. Gold embroidered swirls formed open flowers that sparkled with emeralds and diamonds. Her fathers presented her with a new golden circlet, its elaborate flowers and swirls highlighted in more emeralds and diamonds. Her brothers and Gailion’s mate gifted her with a matching pendant.

Erestor wove emeralds and diamonds through her hip-long hair, Glorfindel placed the circlet on her head, and Faelion clasped the pendant around her long, slim neck. Then the three males stood back and looked at her.

“How do I look?” Amdiriel asked softly, trying to eye everything in her mirror.

“Oh, baby,” Glorfindel said, tears in his eyes. “You are more beautiful than the stars.”

Erestor’s tears ran down his cheeks as he added, “You are so beautiful, sweetheart, and your Ada Glor and I are so very proud of you.”

Faelion just nodded and smiled at his sister. “Come on, you two,” he told his adas. “No crying. You cannot go with red eyes, and it is time for us to dress now.” Faelion, ever the practical one for all of his forty-two years, led his fathers to their room to dress. Erestor smiled at his littlest son. He would make a fine advisor one day.

Before long, jewels had been woven into Erestor, Glorfindel, and Faelion’s hair, the fathers were dressed in their long-favorite wedding robes, and Faelion was resplendent in dark blue velvet leggings and a blue and gold velvet tunic.

Erestor set Faelion’s circlet into the long blond hair, and looked at his son. Before long, Faelion would tower over his Ada, just as his siblings did, but for now they stood eye-to-eye. He placed his hands on Faelion’s shoulders and kissed his brow. “Aiya, little one, you are so handsome - the image of your Ada Glor and your brother. And soon you will be all grown up, too.”

“Ada,” Faelion said softly, placing his brow on Erestor’s, “don’t you know I will never leave you, no matter how old I become? None of us will ever willingly leave you and Ada Glor. We love you. I love you, Ada.”

Tears once again threatened to roll down Erestor’s face, as he held his son, his baby, close. “I love you, little one,” he whispered.

“No tears, Ada,” Faelion said gently.

“No tears, little one,” Erestor answered.
~~~*~~~

The Hall of Fire was alight with music and laughter. Erestor and Glorfindel stood next to Elrond and Erynoron, watching adoringly as Gailion whirled Amdiriel gracefully around the floor.

Saercaeron partnered Calariel, and Lainon danced with Glawen, both couples protectively watched by Caladir and Gurvelon. Arwen took Erynoron’s hand and pulled him away from her father. “Come and dance with me, Ada Noron,” she said, smiling. Erynoron looked back at Elrond and grinned before twirling across the floor with his smiling stepdaughter in his arms. Even Celeborn was dancing with Galadriel.

“Everyone is having a wonderful time, my friends,” Elrond said.

Erestor and Glorfindel nodded, then chuckled as Faelion gracefully executed a difficult step with his friend Anoriel, Melpomaen and Turidon’s golden-haired adopted daughter.

Haldir wandered over and joined them, as he watched Taurfaeron dancing with a beautiful dark-haired maiden. “Who is that stunning elleth?” He asked.

“Which one?” Glorfindel asked. Haldir knew Amdiriel and Arwen, but there were many beautiful maidens dancing.

“The one with Taurfaeron,” Haldir answered.

“Oh, that is Laerien, Amarion and Diwen’s daughter. She reached her majority two years ago, and is not yet betrothed.” Glorfindel grinned, seeing the look in his old friend’s eyes.

“She is beautiful,” Haldir said before wandering off to the dance floor to relieve Taurfaeron of his partner.

Elladan and Elrohir stood side by side, watching the dancers. “Aiya, brother, look at my beautiful mate,” Elladan said longingly. “I just want to hold my beloved in my arms and dance and kiss the night away.”

“Well, brother, let us go then,” Elrohir said. “I believe I would like to dance with your beloved’s partner just now.”

The twins walked onto the dance floor, and Elladan pulled his beautiful husband into his arms, filling Amdiriel’s arms with Elrohir.

Elladan and Gailion gazed at each other adoringly as they danced away, before Elladan’s lips descended on his beloved mate’s.

Elrohir danced Amdiriel off of the floor and onto a deserted terrace. “Happy begetting day, Princess,” he whispered.

Amdiriel smiled up at the elf she loved with all her heart. “Do you remember that day when I asked if you would marry me?”

“Aye, I remember,” Elrohir said softly, as their steps stilled and he brought a hand up to caress her face. “And do you still wish to marry me, my princess?”

“With all my heart, I do,” Amdiriel whispered. “And will you marry me, my Prince?”

“With all my heart, I will, beloved.” Elrohir said, as their lips sought each other’s in a first kiss.

When they finally parted, Amdiriel stood with her face raised to Elrohir’s, her smile lighting her green eyes so they shone with diamonds.

“I have a gift for you, my love,” Elrohir whispered. “I have already received your adas’ blessing.” He pulled a small item from his pocket. “One year from now, I will replace this with a gold one. I love you, Amdiriel,” he said softly, as he slipped the emerald and diamond studded mithril band on her finger. Pulling a matching ring from his pocket, he said, “Will you put mine on my finger, my love?”

Amdiriel took the ring, tears of joy pooling in her eyes, and slid it onto Elrohir’s finger. “One year from now. I love you, Elrohir.” Her arms wound around Elrohir’s neck and her fingers moved through his hair, as she pulled his head down for a passionate kiss.

Glorfindel and Erestor carefully moved the curtain they were hiding behind back into place, shielding Amdiriel and Elrohir from their further view, and smiled at each other, tears glistening in their eyes. “Come and dance, beloved,” Glorfindel said, as he took his beautiful husband into his arms and moved him onto the dance floor. Erestor rested his head on Glorfindel’s chest, overcome with happiness for their little daughter.

“Lift your head and kiss me, my darling,” Glorfindel whispered into a perfectly shaped ear.

Erestor raised his head, and his lips were captured in a searing kiss as strong arms held him. As they glided across the floor, gold lights spread out, covering all they loved.

~The End~

Huge hugs and thank yous to all my wonderful readers & reviewers. And Minerva - I added Haldir just for you!