Gifts of the Valar.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the Original Characters and their adventures. Everything else belongs to JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson, et. al. This was done purely for entertainment and as an exercise in creativity.
******************************

Glorfindel, Erestor and Helcarin returned the next afternoon, having spent the previous day enjoying the beauty of the countryside and catching up on what had happened in their lives. Since coming to Ithilien, Erestor had spent more and more time alone or with Golradir working on the legacy of the Eldar. They knew that once they departed these shores, it was important those left behind have access to the writings and teachings of those who had come before and so they spent much of their energy in passing along knowledge.

Glorfindel had spent more time with Saelbeth than Erestor, as they both enjoyed the more substantial pleasures of life in Middle-Earth and were less concerned than Erestor about their legacy. Still, with Helcarin, he once again had something tangible to share with his old friend.

Both Elves were proud of the way their son had turned out. He seemed to be even-tempered, fair and happy. He was talented with weapons, especially the blade, though he did not speak much about any conflicts in which he may have been involved during his years in the north.

He did tell them he had dwelt among both mortal and Eldar in Forodwraith, though the Elves were leaving there as well. He had been the last to depart, there having been only a small number of their kin in the frozen land, and had initially begun his journey to the Grey Havens. But, he said, something called him to the south.

He said he dreamt of his mother---at least, the female in his dreams appeared as his fathers had described her: silver curls and light blue eyes, pale and gowned in iridescence. She had told him to seek his fathers before leaving these shores and he had felt, upon awakening, a call to find them. So, he had changed course, cutting through the Misty Mountains to Eryn Lasgalen, then south to Ithilien. Along the way, he had felt a growing compulsion to travel, not into the west with the rest of his kin, but into the east. He did not know why, but it seemed to call to him.

“If you truly desire to go east, then do so,” Glorfindel said as they rode back through the forest toward Legolas and Alexandra’s house. “There is much unknown about that part of the world and I understand your curiosity.”

“Just … do not tarry too long,” Erestor added. “Once Glorfindel and I leave Middle-Earth, you will not have long to follow or you will begin to fade.”

Helcarin smiled. He knew they wanted him to travel to Valinor with them. He may yet go to the Undying Lands; but he could make no promises.

“I may not fade, ada,” he said softly. “After all, nothing about my beginning was as expected for one of our kind.”

The other two Elves had to admit the truth of his words. Whatever his mother had been … perhaps she had been chosen to bear their child because of the special gift her being could give him. They did not know; the ways of the Valar were not always clear and could only sometimes be understood, even in retrospect. And Siensia had said they would be long passed into Valinor before the purpose of this gift was fulfilled, so to worry about it now was a waste of energy.

They arrived in the courtyard of Legolas’ home to find preparations underway for a journey. Entering the cool, breezy receiving room, they found the Elven prince along with Haldir finalizing instructions for their time away. Balglin and Saelbeth were assuring Legolas that everything would be fine in his absence. He knew that, but still felt compelled to speak his mind. He vaguely wondered if this was what parents felt like---his feelings of responsibility for the people who had chosen to follow him were akin to those of a father. He imagined Thranduil, Eomer and Aragorn went through the same thing, only on a larger scale.

The Ithilien Elves looked up and called greetings to the newcomers, welcoming them back.

“What is this we find upon our return?” Glorfindel asked, pouring himself and his two companions goblets of wine. One good thing about visiting with Thranduil’s son: the finest vintages were always on hand.

“We’re going to Rhun to visit Vanurion and his people,” Alex said, having just come into the room. Something in her eye told the others there was more to the trip than a simple courtesy call.

“Charika---?” Glorfindel could sense an unspoken tension in his friends.

“Has delivered her son,” Alex said, but her expression was not as joyous as one would expect when announcing the birth of a child.

“We are accompanying Rumil to visit her,” Legolas said, and Glorfindel knew the lady at least still lived. Still there was something else in the prince’s tone and he saw the Elf glance at Alexandra. If she were aware of any undercurrent, she seemed to ignore it. Instead, she welcomed the three travelers back and asked if they were hungry. Without waiting for their answer she left to find something for them to eat.

“Is she always so …” Helcarin searched for the correct term.

“Commanding?” Haldir interjected. “Yes. One becomes accustomed to it.”

Legolas smiled. His wife could take some getting used to.

“I take it you have additional plans for this journey,” Erestor said. He had not been as involved in the details surrounding Legolas and Charika’s adventure of the previous year as the others, but knew Rumil’s lady had been ill-treated by a man of Khand. He also knew Legolas and the Lorien Warden had unfinished business with the man of the east.

“Indeed,” the young prince replied. “However, nothing is final. Much will depend on what we find in Rhun. Right now, we are going to visit our eastern kin and the lady, and are there to support Rumil. This entire ordeal has been difficult.”

“You know Alexandra …” Glorfindel said and Legolas nodded.

“Yes. But she has asked no questions and made no comment. She seems to know when to keep her own counsel.”

“No doubt, she will have something to say before all is said and done,” Haldir observed, though he did so with a smile. For all of his merciless baiting and teasing of Legolas’ wife, he truly liked and respected her. She was as a sister to him; he could torment her all he pleased, but if anyone else tried to threaten her, he would not hesitate to come to her defense.

“You had wished to visit the Elves of the east, Helcarin. You are more than welcome to join us---that is, if it does not interfere with your plans.” Legolas did not wish to force the other Elf into a situation that could bring him into a conflict that did not concern him, but it would allow him to travel with his kind and provide a means of introduction to Vanurion and his people.

“In fact, I would very much like to accompany you,” Helcarin said with a smile. He glanced at Glorfindel and Erestor. “Have you any objections, my lords?”

Glorfindel shook his head. “Of course not. I, for one, would not mind making a trip to Rhun---this time, not clad in armor and going for the express purpose of going to war.” No, it would not be a war in a traditional sense; but depending on what they found when they got there, Legolas and Rumil might have their own private … action to undertake.

He and Helcarin looked at Erestor, who sighed. He was weary of travel, of fighting, of everything, really. But he desired to spend just a bit more time with his son before Helcarin was lost to him for Eru-knew-how-long.

“I admit to some curiosity about our eastern kin as well,” he said. He, Golradir and Thandronen had led a contingent of Elves into Harad during the last war and concluded a peace with that country while Legolas had led others north into Rhun in pursuit of Goroth and, ostensibly, to negotiate peace with the Rhunian leader; so the ancient counselor had not been to the land of the eastern Elves and had only met Vanurion at the treaty-signing with Harad in Minas Tirith earlier in the year.

“We depart at first light tomorrow,” Legolas said with a smile.

“Will Alexandra be riding with you?” Glorfindel asked, hopefully. The lady was notoriously ill-tempered when first awakened and did not make for charming company so early.

Her husband laughed. “She will ride Hector, though,” he added, seeing the pained looks on his friends’ faces, “I will certainly suggest that she ride with me until she feels rested enough.”

“Manwe be praised,” Haldir muttered and Helcarin looked at Glorfindel in askance.

His father chuckled. “You have not yet experienced the particular joy that is Alexandra when forced to arise before she wishes.” His son caught his drift and nodded. He knew not all mortals were particularly cheerful upon awakening, and it seemed Legolas’ wife was one of them.

The rest of the day was consumed with last-minute preparations for the journey and after dinner that evening, Alex snuggled with her dogs on the couch, her feet once again propped against Orophin and her head in Legolas’ lap, and quickly fell asleep as the Elves talked. She thanked heaven for the way being with her husband and his kin made her feel so safe. Before coming to Middle-Earth, she would have been on guard, alert for danger, never truly resting. Indeed, in her first years here, she had remained vigilant. But as she grew accustomed to life among the Elves, she began to gradually relax. She felt her husband and his brethren were much like guardian angels, their beauty and immortality reinforcing that notion. Hence, she always felt safe in their care; safe enough to fall into deep and restful sleep without hesitation.

“Forgive my ignorance, but why do you anticipate danger on this journey?” Helcarin knew about the first journey to Rhun during the war; Glorfindel had written of that trip. But the episode with Lastharos was unknown to him and he did not know who Charika was.

The others looked to Rumil. The matter concerned him most of all, as Charika had been his lover. He smiled sadly at Helcarin.

“A lady whom I loved---and still do---was victimized by an evil man from Khand. She was returned to us, after enduring much suffering, and found to be with child. She traveled to Rhun with Vanurion’s people in order to be able to deliver the babe safe from the threat of Lastharos, her abuser. I have sworn to kill him.” He spoke matter-of-factly and without remorse and Helcarin was struck by the certainty in the Lorien Elf’s voice. He nodded

“I understand,” he replied with a respectful nod. “I trust your lady is well?”

Rumil looked away for a moment. “The birth was … difficult and she was always of a gentle, delicate disposition.” He laughed ruefully. “In fact, she was always terrified of Elves until she came to live in Ithilien. Our eastern kin do not seem to be as … forbidding, I suppose one might say, as we here in the west, and she was much more comfortable among them than here. Still, she has suffered much and our eastern cousins fear she has a sickness of the soul from which she may never recover.”

“I am sorry,” Helcarin said, and the others could see he truly shared in Rumil’s pain. “Perhaps seeing you again will help to ease her spirit.”

“Perhaps,” Rumil said wistfully.

The next morning, the Elves and Alexandra departed for Rhun. Because Helcarin had not traveled any in this part of Middle-Earth, they took a route that sent them through parts of Mordor so he could see the remains of Barad-Dur, Cirith Ungol and Mount Doom. Besides Legolas, Alexandra, Rumil and Helcarin, the party included Haldir, Orophin, Glorfindel and Erestor.

Alexandra had minimal interaction with the others. It was far too early for her to be even remotely human, much less deal with Elves, who never seemed to be tired. She sat astride Hector in her traveling clothes and Helcarin noticed she kept a sword at her side, just like the others, as well as throwing daggers on her back. He was surprised because few mortal women knew how to fight, although he had heard the women of Rohan were the exception. Still, he did not think Alexandra was of Rohan---he thought he had heard she was from some land beyond Middle-Earth.

The journey through Mordor was fascinating, though he noted his kin seemed quite uncomfortable in the dark land. Legolas remained close to his wife the entire time and Helcarin saw the lady seemed drawn to mountains above Cirith Ungol. Several times, her husband would reach out and take her arm or the reins of her horse and they would have a conversation in hushed tones. The eyes the lady cast upon the dwelling place of Shelob, he saw, seemed quite a bit darker than he remembered her normal gaze being. He wondered what secret the prince and his wife shared, but decided it was not likely something he needed to know.

Erestor recalled fighting in this place during the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, when the One Ring had been taken from Sauron. Gil-Galad, High Elven King of the Noldor in Middle-Earth had been killed on this field, as had Oropher, King of the Silvan Elves of Mirkwood, Legolas’ grandfather, along with two thirds of his people. It had been a bloody, terrible battle and Erestor was not the only Elf who had lost his taste for war in this place.

Unlike some others, however, he had not given up his arms entirely. He served as Elrond’s chief counselor, but also performed other services for the Eldar in Middle-Earth. He was as skilled an assassin as he was diplomat, and often found himself doing things quietly. That was what Siensia had meant when she had said he had performed deeds in secret that were known to Eru.

During the last millennium, however, he noticed he was growing weary of conflict. It would soon be time for him to cross over to the Undying Lands where he could find relief from his memories of violent things done in the name of peace. He looked to Helcarin and smiled to himself as he watched his son laugh at some tale Orophin and Haldir were regaling him with. Though he had never bound himself to anyone, and had shared his seed with no other after Siensia, he felt a sense of accomplishment that at least he had done something good that would follow him.

“No regrets, my friend?” Glorfindel’s voice called him from his reverie. He glanced at the golden-haired warrior and shook his head.

“No regrets.” He glanced back over at Helcarin. “It was a good thing we did, even if it did seem …”

“Rather debauched at the time?” Glorfindel finished for him. He laughed. “That you felt guilt over that one episode, simply because you gave up the fruit of your passion to one with whom you were not bound, seems strange, my friend. I know, personally, you have done many more things which were much more decadent, both before and after that incident.”

Erestor sighed. “You do not understand because you do not care. You have always been one to ignore rules or commands or anything else that goes against what you feel is right at the time.” He smiled at his friend. “Though we share some common … proclivities, we are very different.”

“Yes, we are. You need to relax more. Worry is tiring.” It was almost as if Glorfindel could read his mind … which he probably could. Erestor mentally shrugged. It was a conversation they had had many times.

“I think I shall cross over to Valinor when we return from this journey,” he said quietly. Glorfindel looked at him in surprise.

“You have done all you believe you can do in Middle-Earth?”

“Yes. I am tired, old friend. It is time to leave this place for the ones who follow us.” Once again, his eyes fell on his son.

Glorfindel followed his gaze. “Helcarin will not remain here as he is once we leave. Even if you leave and I remain for a while, we do not know that he will not begin to fade, quickly.”

“I know. I would have him come with me---even if he wished to remain a while, then come with you when you sail for the Undying Lands. But he must choose his own path, and we must trust the Valar that he will choose the correct one.”

“You will be missed by many here. Even though we will see you again shortly, there are mortals whose lives you have touched who will not have the comfort of seeing you in Valinor.”

Erestor knew he referred to several mortal friends, including Aragorn and Arwen, who had chosen the mortal path in order to be with her husband; Alexandra, who counted him as a friend, not only as the friend of her husband; and, especially, Falwyn, the Gondorian woman who had been Erestor’s mistress for the past several years.

“They will understand.”

“Even Falwyn?”

“She did not expect me to remain as long as I have. It will be a loss for us both. I shall miss her company.”

Glorfindel well knew what it was like to lose friends, as he had had many mortals whom he had cherished during his two lifetimes. Still, it was the way things went when one was of the Firstborn and developed friendships with mortals.