BulbasaurB.k.
Rainbow Trainer
Haha. It's not finished yet but haha, person who was being mean to me. read it and weep!
-many many years later-
I was sitting in the dining hall eating dinner with my daughter Emile while we waited for the hunting party to return.
"When is Papa coming home?" Emile asked. She was still young, only about the age of a human eight year old. I smiled at her fondly.
"Soon darling, soon," I said lovingly. An elven maid came into the hall with a bow. Her name was Luin and i had befriended her when i first came to Mirkwood with my husband.
"Queen Elwyn, the hunting party has returned,"She said with a friendly smile.
"Thankyou, luin, Is my husband coming in?" I asked.
"Yes ma'am, would you like me to take Emile upstairs, it's nearly her bedtime," Luin offered.
"I want to say googdnight to Papa!" Emile said stubbornly. I nodded my head at her with a smile and Luin left the room. I heard his footsteps coming before he entered the room.
"Papa!" Emile shouted running to him and jumping into his arms.
"Emile," He said happily. They embraced, then Emile said goodnight to us both and skipped upstairs, her blonde hair streaming behind her.
"Legolas, How was the hunt?" I asked kissing him on the cheek.
"Good. I recieved a message from Gimli and Aragorn," He said.
"Oh?" I asked, curios about our friends.
"Yes, the ship to Valinor is ready," He said.
"Oh this is wonderful news!" I said happily.
"Wonderful indeed. We can leave at any time." He said.
"We need time to prepare, at least a week,"
"A week it is then, I'll inform the castle elves so they can help us prepare," He said.
I lay my head on his shoulder as we walked outside together.
"The stars are shining brightly," I remarked.
"Yes, they are quite beautiful," He sighed.
I heard voices singing in the distance.
"Our people are merry-making in the woods," I said.
"Shall we go sing and dance with them? This is a happy occasion," He said.
"Yes lets," I said.
We ran through the woods together happily on our way to the merry crowd. The paths through the forests of Mirkwood are numerous and if you don't know your way around you could easily get lost. We were laughing and holding hands while running when someone stepped out in front of us.
"Hey Elwyn, Legolas," The man said. For man it was, human, not elf-kind. It was rare to see human in Mirkwood so there was only one person this deep voice could belong to.
"Aragorn!" Legolas said. And Aragorn it was. "...And..Gimli..too!" Puffed a dwarf running up behind Aragorn.
"Gimli," I said smiling.
"Oi! Don't you be forgeting about me!" Said another voice. It was Sam Gamgee, a hobbit.
Legolas and I smiled at our friends. "What brings you all to Mirkwood?" I asked polietly.
"We wanted to make sure you got our message so we decided to deliver it ourselves," Aragorn said smiling.
"We did indeed get it," Legolas said
"Would you like to come and sing with us? Our people are singing in the forest," I said.
"And feasting," Added Legolas.
"Food! Of course we will, although I don't sing," Gimli said.
"Elvish singing isn't a thing to miss on a night as fine as this," Sam said. We all looked at Aragorn.
"Well what are we waiting for?" He asked.
Legolas and I led the way through the forest. When we stepped into the circle of elves around a fire all noise stopped.
"Continue my fair people, We come bearing friends," Legolas said. The noise continued and Legolas joined their dancing.
Gimli and Sam both found their way to the food.
"So, Where is Arwen?" I asked Aragorn quietly.
"She is at home,with Elendil," Aragorn replied. Arwen was Aragorn's wife, of course, and Elendil was their son.
I nodded slowly.
"So, we are leaving for Valinor shortly?" Aragorn asked.
"In a week," I replied.
"You know this means you might find out something about your past?" Aragorn asked.
"Yes, I know,"
The next morning at the castle while Emile was in her classes (yes elves have to go to school too!) Aragorn, Gimli, Sam, Legolas, and myself sat down to talk.
"So we're leaving in a week," Sam stated.
"Yes, you are coming with us then?" Aragorn asked.
"Of course! I was a ring-bearer, for a short time anyways. Besides the kids are grown now and my wife died a long time ago when the orcs stormed the Shire a few years ago, again!" Sam said in a sad voice.We nodded our heads in sympathy. I heard approaching footsteps...they were Luins.
"King Legolas, Queen Elwyn, more people have arrived," She announced entering the room.
"Who?" I asked curiosly.
"A she-elf and a small half-elf," She said.
"Arwen and Elendil," Aragorn and I said at the same time. We all stood and went outside to greet them.
Arwen was riding a gray mare followed by a small black pony bearing Elendil.
"Hello Elwyn," Arwen said.
"Welcome to Mirkwood," I said trying to imagine I was greeting someone more pleasant.
"This is Elendil, my son," Aragorn said introducing him to us. I had seen him once, when he was a baby, about 7 years ago. He was about the age Emile would be if she were a human which she isn't thenk Illuvatar.
"Hello Elendil," I said with A warm smile.
Emile ran around the corner of the castle.
"Hi mama, I heard horses and I had some time before my archery class so i decided to come and see who it was," She said quickly answering all of my questions i was about to ask. She looked at Arwen and Elendil.
"Hello Arwen," Emile said politely. She had once told me that she didn't like Arwen for an unexplainable reason, i felt the same way, but Emile tried harder to be polite.
"Hello Emile, this is my son Elendil," Arwen said. She had always been a little nicer to Emile for which i was thankful, otherwise i might have to injure her. haha.
"Hi," Emile said brightly.
"Hello," He replied shyly.
"Do you want to go and play?" Emile asked.
"Okay,"
And off they went to the garden.
Arwen and Aragorn were talking so we all returned inside to allow them privacy.
-Later that evening-
I took Emile upstairs after dinner to put her to bed. Her room was decorated with pink lace and her stuffed rabbit, Bubba, was waiting for her on her bed on pink bedsheets.
"Did you have fun with Elendil today?" I asked as I tucked her and Bubba in.
"Yes, I showed him the garden and he didn't know the names of as many flowers as i did," She said proudly.
"Well that's nice. Time to sleep my child," I said blowing out the candle on her bedside table. She yawned and i turned to leave.
"Hey mama, Elendil said he would be my boyfriend," She said as I walked out the door.
I shook my head in disbelief as I closed the door behind me.
"What?" Asked Aragorn who had come to find me.
"Your son and my daughter are dating," I said as we walked back downstairs.
Aragorn let out a bark of laughter.
"You laugh, yet I don't think it's a good idea," I said to him.
"Why not?"
"He's....half-elf," I said finally.
Aragorn stopped and looked at me.
"So what?" He demanded.
"What do you mean 'so what' an elf shouldn't marry a-...Oh right you and Arwen, sorry," I said. Aragorn rolled his eyes.
"Well I can't help what I think! A half-elf would never fit in among real elves," I said.
"Everyone is entilted to their own
opinions," Aragorn said finally.
"Just you wait and see, when we get to Valinor, the three of you will be like deer amongst moose," I said.
-about a week later-
Legolas, Emile, and I got up early that morning. we were leaving from the bay in the Shire. Everyone was waiting for us there. We had sent most of our stuff to be loaded onto the boat already there was just one more thing to do...
We all walked outside, Legolas leading his horse Arod. I let out one loud whistle followed by a short one. My horse FrostRose came running quickly from the forest.
"Del' lle desiel a' aut a' Valinor?" I asked her in elvish. She neighed loudly. I hopped onto her back and pulled Emile up behind me.
"Hold on tight," I told my daughter. She nodded obidiently and wrapped her arms around me.
"Los' aut," I said to Frostrose kicking her with my heels gently.
She took off like a bolt of lightning followed, at a respectable distance, by Arod and Legolas.
It was almost dark when we reached the Shire and we found all our friends waiting for us outside of what used to be Frodo's house but now belonged to Sam.
"Hello friends," Gimli said.
"Greetings all," I said getting off of my horse and helping Emile down.
"We leave in the morning, the ship is ready," Aragorn said, who had his arm drapped around Arwen's shoulder.
"Good," I said. It just dawned on me that I would be stuck on a boat with Arwen for a long time, not something I was looking fowards to.
"We all need to get some sleep," Sam suggested.
"Good idea," said Legolas who seemed to be reading my thoughts.
Emile yawned sleepily and clutched Bubba the rabbit closer to her.
"Come on darling, time for bed, you've had a long day," I said to her. She nodded and we followed Sam inside to one of the spaer bedrooms.
I tucked her into the hobbit-sized bed and kissed her forehead then went back outside.
I stopped when I got to the door. Legolas and Arwen were outside talking in hushed voices, Aragorn and Gimli were nowhere to be seen.
I looked around and saw nobody so I listened.
"How long will it take to get to Valinor?" Legolas asked.
"A week at the most," Arwen replied softly.
"our friends know we're coming?" He asked.
"The Valar said," She responded.
Legolas grasped Arwen's hand.
"Mankoi cael lle nid ite ai'er eile dairers dos lear?" He asked. His tone was not angry but something else, distressed perhaps?
"I didn't want to tell anyone," She replied.
"So why tell me?" He asked.
She muttered something I couldn't hear and walked away. Legolas went after her and I could no longer hear their conversation. I cursed softly. A hand gripped my shoulder and I had to stop myself from screaming.
"Spying are we, Elwyn?" Aragorn asked a hint of amusment in his voice.
"If you had any sense you would too," I said breathlessly. He raised his eyebrows at me.
"Oh, you were, of course. Where were you?" I asked. He pointed to a tree nearby.
"Oh. Don't guess you managed to hear that last bit?" I asked hopefully.
"No," He said.
I shrugged my shoulders.
We all got up early the next morning and went down to the harbor just as the sun was rising. The ship looked beautiful in the morning light. The front of the ship had a dragon carved into it. The dragon was painted bright blue.
"Wow," I said softly to myself as we all stared at the ship. Emile was holding onto my hand, she was still tired but the sight of the ship woke her up.
"It's the most beautifulist thing I've ever seen!" She exclaimed.
Emile and Elendil both ran ahead of the rest of us. The waves were lapping against the shore.
"Well, are you ready to go?" Legolas asked. I nodded my head slowly. We all climbed aboard the beautiful ship who had been named the ele. We were finally on our way to Valinor.
We had been on that boat for four days without sight of land. I didn't mind too much. The sea was beautiful, especially at night with the moon shining on it. I loved to stand on deck at night and stare at the water, which was what I was doing late one night when Legolas came out to talk to me.
"Hey. The sea sure is beautiful," He sighed gazing at the water.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Something told me to come out here tonight," He said seriously.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. Almost like that time we saw the sea elves in the Shire," He said.
"I wonder if we may see them tonight,"
We stared at the water for a while. Just when I was beginning to think we wouldn't see them I saw something glimmering just beneath the surface.
"Legolas look," I whispered. A beautiful sea-elf leapt out of the water and began to recite a strange poem.
" I ear'edhel yel iller tariena eska, a' da ndor n'nir cael somte, I re' alar nev, lith nauve tul atayr, dae' ella e' nid palar tuulo' eska. Rei arvalra waini an'ien ie i ear', dae rato rei ni nauva na da ear'edhel."
I repeated their song in common tounge for Legolas.
"I'm sure this will all be explained when we get to Valinor," Legolas said.
He returned to his room shortly after that but stayed on deck thinking about their song. "Dock in lands not far from home," I whispered to myself.
"What was that?" A voice asked. I whipped around to see Aragorn coming out of the captain's room since he was the captain apparently. I told him about the sea-elves,
"What's a selkie?" I asked.
"Just another name for a sea-elf," He shrugged.
"Oh,"
I sighed to myself and returned my gaze to the sea.
"Legolas hasn't been much help. all he says is everything will be explained when we get to Valinor. How does he know?" I asked bitterly.
Aragorn put his arm around my shoulders.
"Maybe it will be maybe it won't. You should listen to Legolas thoguh. he's being optimistic." Aragorn said.
I sighed again and yawned.
"You should go to sleep. It won't be too long until we get to Valinor," He said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said.
"Of course I'm right," He said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
I returned to Legolas and mine's cabin and lay down next to him. He was already asleep.
"Don't worry, only three more days," He muttered in his sleep.
On the sixth day we spotted the shores of Valinor. We reached the harbor on the seventh day.
"Yay, we're here!" Emile exclaimed as she jumped off the boat. There was a large crowd of people there to see us. Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, and Frodo were there as well. The moment my feet touched the sand I felt a chill run up my spine. I wasn't scared or anything; It was a good feeling. The moment passed quickly.
"Welcome to Valinor, Elwyn," Galadriel said kindly to me. I nodded my head at her. I was too busy looking around to notice a strange elf clothed in black was watching me unblinkingly.I recognized many of the elves as those who were once loyal subjects of Mirkwood, before taking the trip to Valinor.
"Queen Elwyn," Said one of the elves excitedly.
"Yes?" I asked.
"We got permission from the Valar and we built a castle in the forest. Would you like to come see?" He asked. I was suddenly overcome with the urge of exploration. I wished to explore these lands and discover new things. I looked at Legolas who looking around excitedly with a familiar twinkle in his grey eyes. He nodded his head excitedly and so we all folowed the crowd of elves to the castle.
The castle was beautiful beyound decscription. It was made of a pink stone I had never seen before and Our bedroom was at the top of a really tall tower.
I was laying in my bed that night waiting for Legolas to come up when I had a sudden urge to go walk in the forest. I dressed quickly and walked soundlessly down the stairs. I had gotten to the last flight of stairs when I heard hushed voices. It was Legolas and Arwen.
"You're sure it was tonight?" Legolas asked.
"Yes when the moon is risen in the sky," She replied quickly.
"Okay,"
"We shouldn't be seen together, they both already suspect something," She said urgently.
Legolas nodded his head and kissed her on the cheeck before she scampered off.
I continued down the stairs as if I had seen nothing.
"Hey Elwyn, where are you going?" Legolas asked distractedly.
"For a walk in the forest," I said.
"Okay. I would come with you but I'm very tired," He said. He gave me a kiss and walked gracefully up the stairs.
I wasn't far into the forest when I heard footsteps behind me. I leapt into the nearest tree hoping to suprise the person. As the steps drew nearer I saw it was Aragorn. I leapt from the tree and landed right as his feet. He didn't flinch.
"What are you doing?" I asked curiosly.
"I had a sudden urge to walk in the forest," He said a little dazed. I nodded my head and we walked together in silence.
Whent the full moon had nearly risen we came across a stone statue of an elf. It was obviously an elf of great power. Whether good or bed one could not tell.
"Wow," I whispered to myself. I felt a presence behind me althought there were no footsteps. Aragorn must have felt it also for we both turned around at the sam time.
Standing behind us was an exact replica of the staue only alive and something....more. He, if it could be called a he I was thinking more...non-gender, had an expression of power on his face. We both fell to our knees.
"Illuvatar," Aragorn breathed quietly.
Illuvatar is the creator of all. Elves, men, dwarves, even the Valar who were the first children of Illuvatar.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked. His voice was not deep yet nor was it high pitched, it had a sense of awarness and power that nobody else I had ever met had. We both nodded our heads solemly.
"Arise, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and Elwyn daughter of Arlya," He said. We both stood up hastily.
"I have descended upon you this day for two reasons. Elwyn, your past, though hidden by your mind, will play a great part in your future. Aragorn, Elwyn will need your help in her quest. She will need the help of all of her friends although she will not think it. Elwyn, even if you think it is not best, trust your friends, they will help you." He said.
He peered into my green eyes and his voice filled my head.
"Be wary of Arwen Undomeil. Keep an eye out for two elves one clothed in black the she-elf in purple. They will not come to you at the same time but both will play an enourmous part in your life before too long. He watches you whether you can tell or not, even as we speak, but do not be afriad my child, he is not evil as some would think," He said in my head.
"But who are they?" I asked. He didn't respond but instead turned his attention to Aragorn.
After a moment Illuvatar spoke to us both directly again.
"Now, when you leave the forest you will both travel down to the sea together. There, the first part of your journey will begin," He said greatly. Then he began to fade.
"Farewell and good luck, my children!" He called as the last of him disapeared into a sparkly light. Aragorn and I stood in silence for a moment.
"Did that just happen?" Aragorn asked dazed.
"Yes, I belive so," I replied.
"Then let us go to the sea,"
We walked the whole way in silence. I wondered what Illuvatar had said to Aragorn to make him so quiet and then turned my thoughts to what he had said to me. He had called me Elwyn, daughter of Arlya. The name seemed strangly famaliar. I thought about the elves i had seen earlier today. None of them had really stood out but there was the one elf, the one who had on the black cloak who had stared at me intently when we first arrived.
Before I was completely aware we had reached the beach and a voice was drifting over the empty night. It was not the voice of Illuvatar but that of the sea-elves...
"Come great ship your time here is finished, come over seas so you won't be diminished, You are needed elsewhere, no longer here,"
With that the ship glimmered and disapeared. We both ran to the water and peered inside. There were two sea-elves floating gracefully in the shallows. We watched them not expecting them to notice us.
They both turned to me with unblinking green eyes.
"We have long awaited your return, Princess Elwyn," They said at the same time.
"Return?" I asked.
"Yes. It was written in the stars that you would return and help us fight the wicked Gurael," The male sea-elf said.
"I'm afraid I don't now what you're talking about. Many years ago my memory was taken away from me." I said to them.
"Oh dear, Well princess everything will be explained to you," said the older female.
"But not tonight," Added the male.
"Meet us here on the seventh night from now," She added. The both turned to go.
"Wait, what are your names?" I asked.
"Laure," said the female.
"And Kenya," said the male. Then they were gone.
"Um, Do you want to go back to the castle now?" Aragorn asked.
"No, wait," I said keeping my eyes on the water. The surface of the water broke and Laure and Kenya reapeared riding on magnificant water creatures.
"Dolphins," exclaimed Aragorn.
"Farewell princess Elwyn. See you in seven suns time,"
They called as the dolphins jumped away towards the open sea.
"Now we can go," I said to Aragorn.
The next day neither of us spoke about the previous night. I kept an eye out for any of the elves discribed to us by Illuvatar butI saw nobody. Although I did feel as if someone was watching my every movement. I needed something to take my mind off of Illuvatar's words so I decided to plant a garden. I went outside and chose a place to begin, between the forest and the castle. Over the next three days I planted roses, daises, pansies, and other flowers as well as two apple trees brought to me by an elf from Mirkwood.
After my garden was complete on the fourth day I went down to the beach. There were few elves there sunning themselves on the warm sand. Arwen was amoung them. I sat on the sand a respectable distance from her. Emile joined me a short while later.
"Hi mama," She said happily.
"Hello darling, Have you been having fun in Valinor?" I asked glad to have some company.
"Oh yes. I saw your garden it was really pretty," She said.
"Yeah," I replied, "It is,"
We talked for a while and then she said she had to go to her next class and then I was alone again. After that Legolas came.
"What's on your mind?" He asked.
"What makes you ask?" I asked.
"I know when something is bothering you. Will you not tell me?"
I thought about Illuvatars words and decided to tell him.
"Oh. Well Elwyn, I don't know what to say except that I'm going with you to see the sea-elves in three days." He said putting his arm around my waist. He played with a strand of my hair.
"I noticed an elf robbed in black on our first day here," Legolas said. I looked at him curiosly.
"He was watching you. I didn't think too much of it, I mean you are very pretty, but I didn't like the look of him," He said. I nodded my head slowly and grinned.
"Are you jealous?" I asked smiling at him.
"No. In case you didn't notice I had a few she elves looking at me too," He said smiling. I rolled my eyes and punched him playfully on the arm.
It was finally the seventh day and was nearing close to sun down. Legolas and Aragorn met me outside of the castle and we walked towards the sea together.
"Well, I've found a place for Arwen, Elendil, and I to live," Aragorn said as we walked.
"Oh?" I asked suprised.
"Yes, On the otherside of the forest there is a village, they say one of the Valar used to dwell there so there is a great house made of stone,"
"When do you leave?" I asked.
"As soon as Arwen says so," He replied. I kept my self from rolling my eyes by picking a particuarly beautiful flower from the side of the path.
"This is a pretty flower," I said to nobody in particular.
"A yellow rose," said Legolas examining it.
"These are quite rare, they are a symbol of love," Aragorn said.
I looked at him in silent question.
"My mother planted many of these in her garden," Aragorn said with a shrug. I kept the rose in my hand, hoping to plant it when we got home.
"Look, there, at the water, two people," Legolas said pointing.
I looked towards the beach. There were two people standing as if they were waiting for someone.
"You know I've heard selkies can change their form," Legolas said.
"Yes, from sea-elf to regular elf," Aragorn added. I felt kind of excluded because I knew none of this. We approached the two elves on the beach and they turned to greet us. Both shared my sea-green eyes.
"We are glad you have come princess Elwyn," Said Laure.
"However, your friends cannot take hand in this part part of your quest," Kenya said.
"This quest is only for you Elwyn Seastar," Laure said softly.
"Do not worry Elwyn, we will wait here for you," Aragorn said in elvish. Both Laure and Kenya looked up in startled suprise.
"The human speaks elvish?" Kenya asked suspicously.
"Do not be dim-witted, Kenya, this is obviously the great King Aragorn of Middle-Earth," Laure said.
"How did Elwyn Seastar end up befreinding Aragorn?" Kenya asked quietly.
"What is this name they continue to call you? seastar?" Legolas asked quietly.
"I do not know," I said.
"What do you mean you do not know? Can you not remember your own last name? Or your father's last name by birth?" Kenya asked in suprise.
"I'm afraid not," I said sadly, then something dawned upon me.
"You knew my father?" I asked quickly.
"Yes," Laure said sadly.
"king Dior was a wretched man, he enslaved the selkies...eve his own daughter," Kenya began as if he had gone into a trance.
"He forced her to work, scrub floors and windows, but she befreinded the small things;spiders, mice and whatnot," Laure said.
"And with their help she escaped, nearly 150 years ago. Soon Dior was overthrown and was forced to live onland with the sea traders, but even they rejected him," Kenya said.
"What are sea traders?" I asked quickly.
"They were once sea-elves , who betrayed their clan and had their powers taken away by the great star-clan, otherwise known as the Valar," Laure said.
"What of my mother? Illuvatar called her Arlya," I asked but it seemed they were to say no more on that subject.
"Come we must go," Laure said gesturing to the ocean.
"How?" I asked curiously.
"We will teach you to become a selkie. Although you were never able to as a child, according to selkie legend," Kenya said thoughtfully.
"Stand in the water, imagine your love for the sea and the things in it, Pretend you are a fish of great strength, surging throught the water," Kenya directed. I did everything he said as he said it.
"Now great star-clan, hear our cry. give her fins, to leave the world so dry,"
I felt myself changing, it was a delightful, tingling sensation throught my legs. The next thing I knew I was in the water, able to breathe still, and I could sea many beautiful things. Fish of many colors swam alongside me.
"There, that is better isn't it," Said Kenya who had appeared next to me along with Laure.
"How delightful! I must say farewell to Aragorn and Legolas," I said, swimming up.
My head broke through the surface of the water and I saw them still standing on the shore.
"Farewell my friends, I fear it will be a few days before we next meet," I said. Legolas kneeled down beside the water.
"Have a great journey, Elwyn," Legolas said. I gave him a kiss on his cheek.
"A selkie's kiss will bring you luck," Laure said wisely.
Aragorn scowled and muttered something about luck not being real.
"Good-bye Aragorn," I said giving a final wave before diving into the ocean after Laure and Kenya.
It was very late and Laure and Kenya had taught me how to make a selkie bed using seaweed. The surface of the water was clear and un-disturbed. I watched the stars until I fell asleep. My dreams were haunted by a voice that sounded familiar, It sang a ballad of mysterious words:
Though seperated
at your birth
by those who don't
appreciate your woth.
On Midsummer's Eve
On the day of your birth
I will come to thee
reunited at last
my daughter, my joy
do not have fear
keep your heart
with those you hold dear
sleep now my child
until mornings new light
take heed evil beasts
Bad dreams take flight...
I awoke with a start. The sky was still dark and the moon was setting. Laure and Kenya lay beside me, their dreams undisturbed.
I turned over on my stomach and examined my hands. My fingers were all wrinkly. I tugged at the webbing between my fingers that had been part of my selkie change. My legs had become a single fin. My scales were a shade of the same greenish-blue as my eyes.
The voice that had filled my dreams...It seemed so familiar....I was certain I had heard it before, as a small child.
My head throbbed and I was begining to grow angry at myself for not being able to remember. I picked up a light-blue shell that was laying on the bottom of the sea and threw it harmlessly. I wondered what Legolas and Aragorn were doing. Perhaps they were asleep, too. I looked at Laure and Kenya. They were still strangers to me; I didn't know where they had come from or what reason they had for bringing me here.
Dawn was in a few hours and then peerhaps more things would be explained to me.As I turned over I hit my head on a rock that I had not realized was there before. It was pink and glittering strangely in the moonlight. Seeing the rock made me remember the name of the voice...It was my mother.
When we got up the next morning the sun was streaming down through the water and everything was beautiful. The colors seemed brighter below the sea and it seemed as if the sea was singing a song of it's own.
"It's those bloody clams again! Always singing, it's just about driven me mad," Kenya said disapprovingly when I asked about it.
"They are celebrating, and they have good reason to, The princess has returned," Laure said motioning to me with one hand.
"Queen," I said automatically, tired of being reffered to as princess.
"Right...yes of course," Laure said sheepishly.
"So why exactly am I here?" I asked looking around.
"Well, We are to take you to Elrahd,the selkie city where the castle is, says Star-clan," Laure said calmly.
"Star-clan?" I asked.
"Yes, the Valar, as you would call them. The great Star-lighter himself came to Kenya and myself and told us this," Laure said.
"You mean Illuvatar?" I asked.
"Yes....Illuvatar," Said Laure in mistified voice.
"Come on you two, we have a long swim ahead of us," Kenya said impatiently.
Before leaving I picked up the pink stone and placed it in my bag.
"So how long will it take to get to Elrahd?" I asked as I followed Kenya and Laure through the currents.
"We'll be there shortly before the sun sleeps in the west," Kenya said.
As we swam along I absorbed the sights around me. The glittering shells on the bottom of the sea, the seaweed growing, and the fish swimming a distance away. Once when I was looking down at a small crab scuttling along I accidently bumped into an orange fish with white stripes.
"Excuse me, miss," The fish said in a small voice.
"That's quite alright," I said. Laure and Kenya b oth looked at me.
"Were you just talking to that fish?" Laure asked incrediously.
"uhm...I guess so," I said.
"I couldn't understand you! Why didn't you say you spoke fish?" Kenya asked.
"I didn't know! How can I speak another language without realizing I am?" I exclaimed.
The little orange fish had not yet gone on, but was examining me with his small eyes, swimming circles around me.
"I know who you are! You are Princess Elwyn Seastar!" The little fish said excitedly.
"Yes, I am," I said.
"A pleasure to meet you, princess, my name is stripes,"
"Well met stripes,"
"Are you headed to the city?" He asked curiously.
"Yes, would you like to accompany us?" I asked politely.
Stripes swam in c ircles excitedly.
"Oh, yes, that would be most wonderful," Stripes said. Laure and Kenya were still looking a bit confused.
"This is Stripes and he is to accompany us to Elrahd," I said to them.
They both bowed their heads.
"As you wish, Elwyn," They said.
It was sunhigh and the four of us were swimming steadily along when suddenly Laure stopped.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"We are nearing the city and I think we can ride dolphins now that we are closer," Laure said. I thought about this for a moment and Laure let out a high-pitched squeak. Immedeatly three dolphins came speeding towards us.
"I don't know how to ride a dolphin," I said approaching one nervously. The dolphin squeaked happily and nudged me with it's nose.
"Just hold on to it's fin," Kenya said grabbing the fin of his dolphin.
I did so and Stripes swam close to me and grabbed a strand of my hair. The dolphin departed with amazing speed which startled me.
I could see the tops of the castle before I saw the city. I heard voices and after a short while we looked down onto the citry of Elrahd from atop a very steep cliff. We slowed the dolphins to a halt and dismounted as one would a horse.
"Wow, it's so beautiful," I said aloud. The sun made the city glitter beneath the water. There were selkies lined up on the street and they all began to whisper excitedly to one another when they saw me.
"They are all excited to see you, lady Elwyn," Stripes said happily.
I nodded my head.
"Why are they so happy to see me?" I asked incrediously.
"We've told you already. It's not everyday a prophecy comes true," Laure said patiently.
As we swam through the streets towards the castle sea-elves placed necklaces of shells around my neck and a crown made of beautiful shining shells was placed on my head.As we approached the castle the crowd got smaller and we were accompanied inside by two tough but friendly looking guards.
"Who is the king?" I asked.
"King Arainder. He is a kind man and has been a great leader," One of the guards said.
We approached a great room hidden behind two large doors. The second guard went in to inform him of our arrival.
"King Arainder, Princess Elwyn has come to see you," I heard the guard say to Arainder.
"Well tell her to come in!" Arainder exclaimed. We entered and I managed a clumsy bow before fully looking at Arainder. His scales were a deep blood-red color and his hair was blondish-red. He had a kind face that had seen many years.
"Welcome, Princess Elwyn, to Elrahd," He said greatly.
"If you please, my king, it is no longer princess elwyn, for I have married and become a queen," I said humbly.
"Yes of course, my sincerest appologies. Now if i am told correctly you suffer from loss of memory," He asked.
"Yes, that is correct," I said.
"Well, Laure and Kenya have told you as much as I know of your childhood and just about all that anyone knows. It is written in the stars that you are to help us. Do you except this quest?" He asked.I thought about it for a moment.
"Yes, my lord, I accept," I said.
"Excellent. Now I believe the first part of your task is a small one. You will be able to complete most of it at your home, on land. Now if you are ready, Elwyn, there is one who will explain your task to you," He said. As he spoke a female selkie came into the room. Her scales were lime green and her hair blonde.
"My daughter, Leoyla," The king said proudly.
I followed Leoyla down a few passage ways and through some rooms. She told me that she worked with animals here in the castle and that she had a suprise for me. I couldn't possibly imagine what was in store for me that was animal related but I would do whatever it took if it meant unwravelling my past. Leoyla finally stopped in a room that was dimly lit by lamps that were glowing red. The water was pleasantly warm here and it smelled like life. Not that the smell of life can ever be properly described to anyone who hasn't smelled it before. Leoyla rumaged around in a room for a moment and then returned with something wrapped up.
"Here, take good care of it," She said handing me the bundle.
"Okay, What is it?" I asked.
"It'll be more fun if it's a suprise," Leoyla said childishly.
"Ok,"
"Just keep it warm," She said.
I was lead to a room where I was to sleep for the night. They had somehow bewitched fire to light underwater and keep it warm. I placed the bundle near the fire to where it could stay warm. I uncovered it slowly to find a rock-type thing sitting inside. There was a knock on my door.
"Who is it?" I asked softly in elvish.
"Laure and Kenya," They couresed. I let them in.
"Hello, Elwyn, hope you find your room comfortable," Laure said.
"Yes, How long am I to stay here?" I asked curiously not trying to sound rude.
"As long as you like," Kenya said kindly.
"I think I will stay a while, I like it here," I said pleasently.
"As you wish," He said with a bow.
"What did Leoyla give you?" Laure asked.
I pointed to the rock sitting near the fire. Laure swam up to it and placed her hand on it.
"It is alive on the inside! It's an egg," She said confidently.
"What sort of an egg?" I asked.
"Well I can't say for sure. It's definetly something nice,"
"Well that's good news. Wouldn't want anything dangerous,"
"I didn't say it wasn't dangerous," Laure interrupted.
>nearly a week later<
I had found my way back to where I had first met Kenya and Laure. They couldn't accompany me home for they had emergancy buisness to attend to in another city so I had to find my way back. I stuck my head above the surface and saw our castle in the distance. It was dark out and there was nobody on the beach. I spoke the words of transformation and next thing I knew my fins were gone. I moved my legs experimentadly and flexed my fingers. It felt unusual not to have fins and a tail. I got out of the water to find a bitter coldness waiting for me.
"Yow, it's cold!" I said to myself.
"Elwyn!" A voice called. I turned expecting to see Legolas, but was greeted instead by a blanket-bearing Aragorn.
"Aragorn," I said giving him a quick hug. He wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and kissed me on the cheek. My heart did a little wiggly-dance which was immeadeatly replaced by curiousity.
"Where's Legolas?" I asked shivering.
"He had buisness to tend to in the forest. Emile went with him," He said.
"Where's Arwen?" I asked.
"In our new house..." He said a little annoyed.
"Why aren't you there?" I asked.
"We fought,"
"What about?"
"Something stupid,"
I looked at him, but he didn't say anymore and it wasn't my place to ask questions.
"I'm cold," I said.
"Let's get you up to the castle," Aragorn said putting a comforting arm around my shoulder and steering me towards the castle.
After I had changed clothes Aragorn came into my room with a tray with two cups of hot tea and some biscuts on it.
"A food-bearing saint," I muttered to myself. Aragorn grinned a silly boyish grin and sat beside me on the bed. He handed me a cup of tea. It was perfectly warm and felt good going down my throat.
"Why is it so cold?" I asked.
"It's nearly winter and the cold has come early this year...It also dosen't help that you spent the last week under the water," He said.
"So midsummer's eve isn't for a long time," I said remembering the dream I had had.
"No, why?" He asked. I told Aragorn about the dream I'd had and about the egg I had recieved from Layola. I had placed the egg next to the fireplace already. A maid elf brought in some elf-wine and two glasses which we both grabbed eagerly.
"So where, exactly is Legolas?" I asked after she had left.
"He is.....with Arwen," Aragorn said not looking me straight in the eyes.
"He what?!" I hissed angrily.
Aragorn still wouldn't look at me.
"This dosen't bother you at all?" I asked.
"N--yes, but well, the reason we were fighting has a lot to do with it," He said.
"What were you fighting about?"
"You."
My jaw dropped open and I stared at Aragorn.
"I wanted to stay here until you came back and Arwen wanted to her own home and she yelled something about me be in love with you and how she hated you and never wanted to see me again. So she took Elendil and left and I came here," Aragorn said quickly.
"Do you?" I asked.
"What?"
"Love me,"
He stared at me a moment and finaly sighed.
"In my own way," He said at last.
"And what way is that?"
"The kind that dosen't come with a ring attatched,"
Maybe it was the wine or maybe I was just angry but somehow we ended up laying together on the bed.
haha incomplete thoguh it is it is way more awesome than m,y last one. will update soon....
-many many years later-
I was sitting in the dining hall eating dinner with my daughter Emile while we waited for the hunting party to return.
"When is Papa coming home?" Emile asked. She was still young, only about the age of a human eight year old. I smiled at her fondly.
"Soon darling, soon," I said lovingly. An elven maid came into the hall with a bow. Her name was Luin and i had befriended her when i first came to Mirkwood with my husband.
"Queen Elwyn, the hunting party has returned,"She said with a friendly smile.
"Thankyou, luin, Is my husband coming in?" I asked.
"Yes ma'am, would you like me to take Emile upstairs, it's nearly her bedtime," Luin offered.
"I want to say googdnight to Papa!" Emile said stubbornly. I nodded my head at her with a smile and Luin left the room. I heard his footsteps coming before he entered the room.
"Papa!" Emile shouted running to him and jumping into his arms.
"Emile," He said happily. They embraced, then Emile said goodnight to us both and skipped upstairs, her blonde hair streaming behind her.
"Legolas, How was the hunt?" I asked kissing him on the cheek.
"Good. I recieved a message from Gimli and Aragorn," He said.
"Oh?" I asked, curios about our friends.
"Yes, the ship to Valinor is ready," He said.
"Oh this is wonderful news!" I said happily.
"Wonderful indeed. We can leave at any time." He said.
"We need time to prepare, at least a week,"
"A week it is then, I'll inform the castle elves so they can help us prepare," He said.
I lay my head on his shoulder as we walked outside together.
"The stars are shining brightly," I remarked.
"Yes, they are quite beautiful," He sighed.
I heard voices singing in the distance.
"Our people are merry-making in the woods," I said.
"Shall we go sing and dance with them? This is a happy occasion," He said.
"Yes lets," I said.
We ran through the woods together happily on our way to the merry crowd. The paths through the forests of Mirkwood are numerous and if you don't know your way around you could easily get lost. We were laughing and holding hands while running when someone stepped out in front of us.
"Hey Elwyn, Legolas," The man said. For man it was, human, not elf-kind. It was rare to see human in Mirkwood so there was only one person this deep voice could belong to.
"Aragorn!" Legolas said. And Aragorn it was. "...And..Gimli..too!" Puffed a dwarf running up behind Aragorn.
"Gimli," I said smiling.
"Oi! Don't you be forgeting about me!" Said another voice. It was Sam Gamgee, a hobbit.
Legolas and I smiled at our friends. "What brings you all to Mirkwood?" I asked polietly.
"We wanted to make sure you got our message so we decided to deliver it ourselves," Aragorn said smiling.
"We did indeed get it," Legolas said
"Would you like to come and sing with us? Our people are singing in the forest," I said.
"And feasting," Added Legolas.
"Food! Of course we will, although I don't sing," Gimli said.
"Elvish singing isn't a thing to miss on a night as fine as this," Sam said. We all looked at Aragorn.
"Well what are we waiting for?" He asked.
Legolas and I led the way through the forest. When we stepped into the circle of elves around a fire all noise stopped.
"Continue my fair people, We come bearing friends," Legolas said. The noise continued and Legolas joined their dancing.
Gimli and Sam both found their way to the food.
"So, Where is Arwen?" I asked Aragorn quietly.
"She is at home,with Elendil," Aragorn replied. Arwen was Aragorn's wife, of course, and Elendil was their son.
I nodded slowly.
"So, we are leaving for Valinor shortly?" Aragorn asked.
"In a week," I replied.
"You know this means you might find out something about your past?" Aragorn asked.
"Yes, I know,"
The next morning at the castle while Emile was in her classes (yes elves have to go to school too!) Aragorn, Gimli, Sam, Legolas, and myself sat down to talk.
"So we're leaving in a week," Sam stated.
"Yes, you are coming with us then?" Aragorn asked.
"Of course! I was a ring-bearer, for a short time anyways. Besides the kids are grown now and my wife died a long time ago when the orcs stormed the Shire a few years ago, again!" Sam said in a sad voice.We nodded our heads in sympathy. I heard approaching footsteps...they were Luins.
"King Legolas, Queen Elwyn, more people have arrived," She announced entering the room.
"Who?" I asked curiosly.
"A she-elf and a small half-elf," She said.
"Arwen and Elendil," Aragorn and I said at the same time. We all stood and went outside to greet them.
Arwen was riding a gray mare followed by a small black pony bearing Elendil.
"Hello Elwyn," Arwen said.
"Welcome to Mirkwood," I said trying to imagine I was greeting someone more pleasant.
"This is Elendil, my son," Aragorn said introducing him to us. I had seen him once, when he was a baby, about 7 years ago. He was about the age Emile would be if she were a human which she isn't thenk Illuvatar.
"Hello Elendil," I said with A warm smile.
Emile ran around the corner of the castle.
"Hi mama, I heard horses and I had some time before my archery class so i decided to come and see who it was," She said quickly answering all of my questions i was about to ask. She looked at Arwen and Elendil.
"Hello Arwen," Emile said politely. She had once told me that she didn't like Arwen for an unexplainable reason, i felt the same way, but Emile tried harder to be polite.
"Hello Emile, this is my son Elendil," Arwen said. She had always been a little nicer to Emile for which i was thankful, otherwise i might have to injure her. haha.
"Hi," Emile said brightly.
"Hello," He replied shyly.
"Do you want to go and play?" Emile asked.
"Okay,"
And off they went to the garden.
Arwen and Aragorn were talking so we all returned inside to allow them privacy.
-Later that evening-
I took Emile upstairs after dinner to put her to bed. Her room was decorated with pink lace and her stuffed rabbit, Bubba, was waiting for her on her bed on pink bedsheets.
"Did you have fun with Elendil today?" I asked as I tucked her and Bubba in.
"Yes, I showed him the garden and he didn't know the names of as many flowers as i did," She said proudly.
"Well that's nice. Time to sleep my child," I said blowing out the candle on her bedside table. She yawned and i turned to leave.
"Hey mama, Elendil said he would be my boyfriend," She said as I walked out the door.
I shook my head in disbelief as I closed the door behind me.
"What?" Asked Aragorn who had come to find me.
"Your son and my daughter are dating," I said as we walked back downstairs.
Aragorn let out a bark of laughter.
"You laugh, yet I don't think it's a good idea," I said to him.
"Why not?"
"He's....half-elf," I said finally.
Aragorn stopped and looked at me.
"So what?" He demanded.
"What do you mean 'so what' an elf shouldn't marry a-...Oh right you and Arwen, sorry," I said. Aragorn rolled his eyes.
"Well I can't help what I think! A half-elf would never fit in among real elves," I said.
"Everyone is entilted to their own
opinions," Aragorn said finally.
"Just you wait and see, when we get to Valinor, the three of you will be like deer amongst moose," I said.
-about a week later-
Legolas, Emile, and I got up early that morning. we were leaving from the bay in the Shire. Everyone was waiting for us there. We had sent most of our stuff to be loaded onto the boat already there was just one more thing to do...
We all walked outside, Legolas leading his horse Arod. I let out one loud whistle followed by a short one. My horse FrostRose came running quickly from the forest.
"Del' lle desiel a' aut a' Valinor?" I asked her in elvish. She neighed loudly. I hopped onto her back and pulled Emile up behind me.
"Hold on tight," I told my daughter. She nodded obidiently and wrapped her arms around me.
"Los' aut," I said to Frostrose kicking her with my heels gently.
She took off like a bolt of lightning followed, at a respectable distance, by Arod and Legolas.
It was almost dark when we reached the Shire and we found all our friends waiting for us outside of what used to be Frodo's house but now belonged to Sam.
"Hello friends," Gimli said.
"Greetings all," I said getting off of my horse and helping Emile down.
"We leave in the morning, the ship is ready," Aragorn said, who had his arm drapped around Arwen's shoulder.
"Good," I said. It just dawned on me that I would be stuck on a boat with Arwen for a long time, not something I was looking fowards to.
"We all need to get some sleep," Sam suggested.
"Good idea," said Legolas who seemed to be reading my thoughts.
Emile yawned sleepily and clutched Bubba the rabbit closer to her.
"Come on darling, time for bed, you've had a long day," I said to her. She nodded and we followed Sam inside to one of the spaer bedrooms.
I tucked her into the hobbit-sized bed and kissed her forehead then went back outside.
I stopped when I got to the door. Legolas and Arwen were outside talking in hushed voices, Aragorn and Gimli were nowhere to be seen.
I looked around and saw nobody so I listened.
"How long will it take to get to Valinor?" Legolas asked.
"A week at the most," Arwen replied softly.
"our friends know we're coming?" He asked.
"The Valar said," She responded.
Legolas grasped Arwen's hand.
"Mankoi cael lle nid ite ai'er eile dairers dos lear?" He asked. His tone was not angry but something else, distressed perhaps?
"I didn't want to tell anyone," She replied.
"So why tell me?" He asked.
She muttered something I couldn't hear and walked away. Legolas went after her and I could no longer hear their conversation. I cursed softly. A hand gripped my shoulder and I had to stop myself from screaming.
"Spying are we, Elwyn?" Aragorn asked a hint of amusment in his voice.
"If you had any sense you would too," I said breathlessly. He raised his eyebrows at me.
"Oh, you were, of course. Where were you?" I asked. He pointed to a tree nearby.
"Oh. Don't guess you managed to hear that last bit?" I asked hopefully.
"No," He said.
I shrugged my shoulders.
We all got up early the next morning and went down to the harbor just as the sun was rising. The ship looked beautiful in the morning light. The front of the ship had a dragon carved into it. The dragon was painted bright blue.
"Wow," I said softly to myself as we all stared at the ship. Emile was holding onto my hand, she was still tired but the sight of the ship woke her up.
"It's the most beautifulist thing I've ever seen!" She exclaimed.
Emile and Elendil both ran ahead of the rest of us. The waves were lapping against the shore.
"Well, are you ready to go?" Legolas asked. I nodded my head slowly. We all climbed aboard the beautiful ship who had been named the ele. We were finally on our way to Valinor.
We had been on that boat for four days without sight of land. I didn't mind too much. The sea was beautiful, especially at night with the moon shining on it. I loved to stand on deck at night and stare at the water, which was what I was doing late one night when Legolas came out to talk to me.
"Hey. The sea sure is beautiful," He sighed gazing at the water.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Something told me to come out here tonight," He said seriously.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. Almost like that time we saw the sea elves in the Shire," He said.
"I wonder if we may see them tonight,"
We stared at the water for a while. Just when I was beginning to think we wouldn't see them I saw something glimmering just beneath the surface.
"Legolas look," I whispered. A beautiful sea-elf leapt out of the water and began to recite a strange poem.
" I ear'edhel yel iller tariena eska, a' da ndor n'nir cael somte, I re' alar nev, lith nauve tul atayr, dae' ella e' nid palar tuulo' eska. Rei arvalra waini an'ien ie i ear', dae rato rei ni nauva na da ear'edhel."
I repeated their song in common tounge for Legolas.
"I'm sure this will all be explained when we get to Valinor," Legolas said.
He returned to his room shortly after that but stayed on deck thinking about their song. "Dock in lands not far from home," I whispered to myself.
"What was that?" A voice asked. I whipped around to see Aragorn coming out of the captain's room since he was the captain apparently. I told him about the sea-elves,
"What's a selkie?" I asked.
"Just another name for a sea-elf," He shrugged.
"Oh,"
I sighed to myself and returned my gaze to the sea.
"Legolas hasn't been much help. all he says is everything will be explained when we get to Valinor. How does he know?" I asked bitterly.
Aragorn put his arm around my shoulders.
"Maybe it will be maybe it won't. You should listen to Legolas thoguh. he's being optimistic." Aragorn said.
I sighed again and yawned.
"You should go to sleep. It won't be too long until we get to Valinor," He said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said.
"Of course I'm right," He said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
I returned to Legolas and mine's cabin and lay down next to him. He was already asleep.
"Don't worry, only three more days," He muttered in his sleep.
On the sixth day we spotted the shores of Valinor. We reached the harbor on the seventh day.
"Yay, we're here!" Emile exclaimed as she jumped off the boat. There was a large crowd of people there to see us. Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, and Frodo were there as well. The moment my feet touched the sand I felt a chill run up my spine. I wasn't scared or anything; It was a good feeling. The moment passed quickly.
"Welcome to Valinor, Elwyn," Galadriel said kindly to me. I nodded my head at her. I was too busy looking around to notice a strange elf clothed in black was watching me unblinkingly.I recognized many of the elves as those who were once loyal subjects of Mirkwood, before taking the trip to Valinor.
"Queen Elwyn," Said one of the elves excitedly.
"Yes?" I asked.
"We got permission from the Valar and we built a castle in the forest. Would you like to come see?" He asked. I was suddenly overcome with the urge of exploration. I wished to explore these lands and discover new things. I looked at Legolas who looking around excitedly with a familiar twinkle in his grey eyes. He nodded his head excitedly and so we all folowed the crowd of elves to the castle.
The castle was beautiful beyound decscription. It was made of a pink stone I had never seen before and Our bedroom was at the top of a really tall tower.
I was laying in my bed that night waiting for Legolas to come up when I had a sudden urge to go walk in the forest. I dressed quickly and walked soundlessly down the stairs. I had gotten to the last flight of stairs when I heard hushed voices. It was Legolas and Arwen.
"You're sure it was tonight?" Legolas asked.
"Yes when the moon is risen in the sky," She replied quickly.
"Okay,"
"We shouldn't be seen together, they both already suspect something," She said urgently.
Legolas nodded his head and kissed her on the cheeck before she scampered off.
I continued down the stairs as if I had seen nothing.
"Hey Elwyn, where are you going?" Legolas asked distractedly.
"For a walk in the forest," I said.
"Okay. I would come with you but I'm very tired," He said. He gave me a kiss and walked gracefully up the stairs.
I wasn't far into the forest when I heard footsteps behind me. I leapt into the nearest tree hoping to suprise the person. As the steps drew nearer I saw it was Aragorn. I leapt from the tree and landed right as his feet. He didn't flinch.
"What are you doing?" I asked curiosly.
"I had a sudden urge to walk in the forest," He said a little dazed. I nodded my head and we walked together in silence.
Whent the full moon had nearly risen we came across a stone statue of an elf. It was obviously an elf of great power. Whether good or bed one could not tell.
"Wow," I whispered to myself. I felt a presence behind me althought there were no footsteps. Aragorn must have felt it also for we both turned around at the sam time.
Standing behind us was an exact replica of the staue only alive and something....more. He, if it could be called a he I was thinking more...non-gender, had an expression of power on his face. We both fell to our knees.
"Illuvatar," Aragorn breathed quietly.
Illuvatar is the creator of all. Elves, men, dwarves, even the Valar who were the first children of Illuvatar.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked. His voice was not deep yet nor was it high pitched, it had a sense of awarness and power that nobody else I had ever met had. We both nodded our heads solemly.
"Arise, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and Elwyn daughter of Arlya," He said. We both stood up hastily.
"I have descended upon you this day for two reasons. Elwyn, your past, though hidden by your mind, will play a great part in your future. Aragorn, Elwyn will need your help in her quest. She will need the help of all of her friends although she will not think it. Elwyn, even if you think it is not best, trust your friends, they will help you." He said.
He peered into my green eyes and his voice filled my head.
"Be wary of Arwen Undomeil. Keep an eye out for two elves one clothed in black the she-elf in purple. They will not come to you at the same time but both will play an enourmous part in your life before too long. He watches you whether you can tell or not, even as we speak, but do not be afriad my child, he is not evil as some would think," He said in my head.
"But who are they?" I asked. He didn't respond but instead turned his attention to Aragorn.
After a moment Illuvatar spoke to us both directly again.
"Now, when you leave the forest you will both travel down to the sea together. There, the first part of your journey will begin," He said greatly. Then he began to fade.
"Farewell and good luck, my children!" He called as the last of him disapeared into a sparkly light. Aragorn and I stood in silence for a moment.
"Did that just happen?" Aragorn asked dazed.
"Yes, I belive so," I replied.
"Then let us go to the sea,"
We walked the whole way in silence. I wondered what Illuvatar had said to Aragorn to make him so quiet and then turned my thoughts to what he had said to me. He had called me Elwyn, daughter of Arlya. The name seemed strangly famaliar. I thought about the elves i had seen earlier today. None of them had really stood out but there was the one elf, the one who had on the black cloak who had stared at me intently when we first arrived.
Before I was completely aware we had reached the beach and a voice was drifting over the empty night. It was not the voice of Illuvatar but that of the sea-elves...
"Come great ship your time here is finished, come over seas so you won't be diminished, You are needed elsewhere, no longer here,"
With that the ship glimmered and disapeared. We both ran to the water and peered inside. There were two sea-elves floating gracefully in the shallows. We watched them not expecting them to notice us.
They both turned to me with unblinking green eyes.
"We have long awaited your return, Princess Elwyn," They said at the same time.
"Return?" I asked.
"Yes. It was written in the stars that you would return and help us fight the wicked Gurael," The male sea-elf said.
"I'm afraid I don't now what you're talking about. Many years ago my memory was taken away from me." I said to them.
"Oh dear, Well princess everything will be explained to you," said the older female.
"But not tonight," Added the male.
"Meet us here on the seventh night from now," She added. The both turned to go.
"Wait, what are your names?" I asked.
"Laure," said the female.
"And Kenya," said the male. Then they were gone.
"Um, Do you want to go back to the castle now?" Aragorn asked.
"No, wait," I said keeping my eyes on the water. The surface of the water broke and Laure and Kenya reapeared riding on magnificant water creatures.
"Dolphins," exclaimed Aragorn.
"Farewell princess Elwyn. See you in seven suns time,"
They called as the dolphins jumped away towards the open sea.
"Now we can go," I said to Aragorn.
The next day neither of us spoke about the previous night. I kept an eye out for any of the elves discribed to us by Illuvatar butI saw nobody. Although I did feel as if someone was watching my every movement. I needed something to take my mind off of Illuvatar's words so I decided to plant a garden. I went outside and chose a place to begin, between the forest and the castle. Over the next three days I planted roses, daises, pansies, and other flowers as well as two apple trees brought to me by an elf from Mirkwood.
After my garden was complete on the fourth day I went down to the beach. There were few elves there sunning themselves on the warm sand. Arwen was amoung them. I sat on the sand a respectable distance from her. Emile joined me a short while later.
"Hi mama," She said happily.
"Hello darling, Have you been having fun in Valinor?" I asked glad to have some company.
"Oh yes. I saw your garden it was really pretty," She said.
"Yeah," I replied, "It is,"
We talked for a while and then she said she had to go to her next class and then I was alone again. After that Legolas came.
"What's on your mind?" He asked.
"What makes you ask?" I asked.
"I know when something is bothering you. Will you not tell me?"
I thought about Illuvatars words and decided to tell him.
"Oh. Well Elwyn, I don't know what to say except that I'm going with you to see the sea-elves in three days." He said putting his arm around my waist. He played with a strand of my hair.
"I noticed an elf robbed in black on our first day here," Legolas said. I looked at him curiosly.
"He was watching you. I didn't think too much of it, I mean you are very pretty, but I didn't like the look of him," He said. I nodded my head slowly and grinned.
"Are you jealous?" I asked smiling at him.
"No. In case you didn't notice I had a few she elves looking at me too," He said smiling. I rolled my eyes and punched him playfully on the arm.
It was finally the seventh day and was nearing close to sun down. Legolas and Aragorn met me outside of the castle and we walked towards the sea together.
"Well, I've found a place for Arwen, Elendil, and I to live," Aragorn said as we walked.
"Oh?" I asked suprised.
"Yes, On the otherside of the forest there is a village, they say one of the Valar used to dwell there so there is a great house made of stone,"
"When do you leave?" I asked.
"As soon as Arwen says so," He replied. I kept my self from rolling my eyes by picking a particuarly beautiful flower from the side of the path.
"This is a pretty flower," I said to nobody in particular.
"A yellow rose," said Legolas examining it.
"These are quite rare, they are a symbol of love," Aragorn said.
I looked at him in silent question.
"My mother planted many of these in her garden," Aragorn said with a shrug. I kept the rose in my hand, hoping to plant it when we got home.
"Look, there, at the water, two people," Legolas said pointing.
I looked towards the beach. There were two people standing as if they were waiting for someone.
"You know I've heard selkies can change their form," Legolas said.
"Yes, from sea-elf to regular elf," Aragorn added. I felt kind of excluded because I knew none of this. We approached the two elves on the beach and they turned to greet us. Both shared my sea-green eyes.
"We are glad you have come princess Elwyn," Said Laure.
"However, your friends cannot take hand in this part part of your quest," Kenya said.
"This quest is only for you Elwyn Seastar," Laure said softly.
"Do not worry Elwyn, we will wait here for you," Aragorn said in elvish. Both Laure and Kenya looked up in startled suprise.
"The human speaks elvish?" Kenya asked suspicously.
"Do not be dim-witted, Kenya, this is obviously the great King Aragorn of Middle-Earth," Laure said.
"How did Elwyn Seastar end up befreinding Aragorn?" Kenya asked quietly.
"What is this name they continue to call you? seastar?" Legolas asked quietly.
"I do not know," I said.
"What do you mean you do not know? Can you not remember your own last name? Or your father's last name by birth?" Kenya asked in suprise.
"I'm afraid not," I said sadly, then something dawned upon me.
"You knew my father?" I asked quickly.
"Yes," Laure said sadly.
"king Dior was a wretched man, he enslaved the selkies...eve his own daughter," Kenya began as if he had gone into a trance.
"He forced her to work, scrub floors and windows, but she befreinded the small things;spiders, mice and whatnot," Laure said.
"And with their help she escaped, nearly 150 years ago. Soon Dior was overthrown and was forced to live onland with the sea traders, but even they rejected him," Kenya said.
"What are sea traders?" I asked quickly.
"They were once sea-elves , who betrayed their clan and had their powers taken away by the great star-clan, otherwise known as the Valar," Laure said.
"What of my mother? Illuvatar called her Arlya," I asked but it seemed they were to say no more on that subject.
"Come we must go," Laure said gesturing to the ocean.
"How?" I asked curiously.
"We will teach you to become a selkie. Although you were never able to as a child, according to selkie legend," Kenya said thoughtfully.
"Stand in the water, imagine your love for the sea and the things in it, Pretend you are a fish of great strength, surging throught the water," Kenya directed. I did everything he said as he said it.
"Now great star-clan, hear our cry. give her fins, to leave the world so dry,"
I felt myself changing, it was a delightful, tingling sensation throught my legs. The next thing I knew I was in the water, able to breathe still, and I could sea many beautiful things. Fish of many colors swam alongside me.
"There, that is better isn't it," Said Kenya who had appeared next to me along with Laure.
"How delightful! I must say farewell to Aragorn and Legolas," I said, swimming up.
My head broke through the surface of the water and I saw them still standing on the shore.
"Farewell my friends, I fear it will be a few days before we next meet," I said. Legolas kneeled down beside the water.
"Have a great journey, Elwyn," Legolas said. I gave him a kiss on his cheek.
"A selkie's kiss will bring you luck," Laure said wisely.
Aragorn scowled and muttered something about luck not being real.
"Good-bye Aragorn," I said giving a final wave before diving into the ocean after Laure and Kenya.
It was very late and Laure and Kenya had taught me how to make a selkie bed using seaweed. The surface of the water was clear and un-disturbed. I watched the stars until I fell asleep. My dreams were haunted by a voice that sounded familiar, It sang a ballad of mysterious words:
Though seperated
at your birth
by those who don't
appreciate your woth.
On Midsummer's Eve
On the day of your birth
I will come to thee
reunited at last
my daughter, my joy
do not have fear
keep your heart
with those you hold dear
sleep now my child
until mornings new light
take heed evil beasts
Bad dreams take flight...
I awoke with a start. The sky was still dark and the moon was setting. Laure and Kenya lay beside me, their dreams undisturbed.
I turned over on my stomach and examined my hands. My fingers were all wrinkly. I tugged at the webbing between my fingers that had been part of my selkie change. My legs had become a single fin. My scales were a shade of the same greenish-blue as my eyes.
The voice that had filled my dreams...It seemed so familiar....I was certain I had heard it before, as a small child.
My head throbbed and I was begining to grow angry at myself for not being able to remember. I picked up a light-blue shell that was laying on the bottom of the sea and threw it harmlessly. I wondered what Legolas and Aragorn were doing. Perhaps they were asleep, too. I looked at Laure and Kenya. They were still strangers to me; I didn't know where they had come from or what reason they had for bringing me here.
Dawn was in a few hours and then peerhaps more things would be explained to me.As I turned over I hit my head on a rock that I had not realized was there before. It was pink and glittering strangely in the moonlight. Seeing the rock made me remember the name of the voice...It was my mother.
When we got up the next morning the sun was streaming down through the water and everything was beautiful. The colors seemed brighter below the sea and it seemed as if the sea was singing a song of it's own.
"It's those bloody clams again! Always singing, it's just about driven me mad," Kenya said disapprovingly when I asked about it.
"They are celebrating, and they have good reason to, The princess has returned," Laure said motioning to me with one hand.
"Queen," I said automatically, tired of being reffered to as princess.
"Right...yes of course," Laure said sheepishly.
"So why exactly am I here?" I asked looking around.
"Well, We are to take you to Elrahd,the selkie city where the castle is, says Star-clan," Laure said calmly.
"Star-clan?" I asked.
"Yes, the Valar, as you would call them. The great Star-lighter himself came to Kenya and myself and told us this," Laure said.
"You mean Illuvatar?" I asked.
"Yes....Illuvatar," Said Laure in mistified voice.
"Come on you two, we have a long swim ahead of us," Kenya said impatiently.
Before leaving I picked up the pink stone and placed it in my bag.
"So how long will it take to get to Elrahd?" I asked as I followed Kenya and Laure through the currents.
"We'll be there shortly before the sun sleeps in the west," Kenya said.
As we swam along I absorbed the sights around me. The glittering shells on the bottom of the sea, the seaweed growing, and the fish swimming a distance away. Once when I was looking down at a small crab scuttling along I accidently bumped into an orange fish with white stripes.
"Excuse me, miss," The fish said in a small voice.
"That's quite alright," I said. Laure and Kenya b oth looked at me.
"Were you just talking to that fish?" Laure asked incrediously.
"uhm...I guess so," I said.
"I couldn't understand you! Why didn't you say you spoke fish?" Kenya asked.
"I didn't know! How can I speak another language without realizing I am?" I exclaimed.
The little orange fish had not yet gone on, but was examining me with his small eyes, swimming circles around me.
"I know who you are! You are Princess Elwyn Seastar!" The little fish said excitedly.
"Yes, I am," I said.
"A pleasure to meet you, princess, my name is stripes,"
"Well met stripes,"
"Are you headed to the city?" He asked curiously.
"Yes, would you like to accompany us?" I asked politely.
Stripes swam in c ircles excitedly.
"Oh, yes, that would be most wonderful," Stripes said. Laure and Kenya were still looking a bit confused.
"This is Stripes and he is to accompany us to Elrahd," I said to them.
They both bowed their heads.
"As you wish, Elwyn," They said.
It was sunhigh and the four of us were swimming steadily along when suddenly Laure stopped.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"We are nearing the city and I think we can ride dolphins now that we are closer," Laure said. I thought about this for a moment and Laure let out a high-pitched squeak. Immedeatly three dolphins came speeding towards us.
"I don't know how to ride a dolphin," I said approaching one nervously. The dolphin squeaked happily and nudged me with it's nose.
"Just hold on to it's fin," Kenya said grabbing the fin of his dolphin.
I did so and Stripes swam close to me and grabbed a strand of my hair. The dolphin departed with amazing speed which startled me.
I could see the tops of the castle before I saw the city. I heard voices and after a short while we looked down onto the citry of Elrahd from atop a very steep cliff. We slowed the dolphins to a halt and dismounted as one would a horse.
"Wow, it's so beautiful," I said aloud. The sun made the city glitter beneath the water. There were selkies lined up on the street and they all began to whisper excitedly to one another when they saw me.
"They are all excited to see you, lady Elwyn," Stripes said happily.
I nodded my head.
"Why are they so happy to see me?" I asked incrediously.
"We've told you already. It's not everyday a prophecy comes true," Laure said patiently.
As we swam through the streets towards the castle sea-elves placed necklaces of shells around my neck and a crown made of beautiful shining shells was placed on my head.As we approached the castle the crowd got smaller and we were accompanied inside by two tough but friendly looking guards.
"Who is the king?" I asked.
"King Arainder. He is a kind man and has been a great leader," One of the guards said.
We approached a great room hidden behind two large doors. The second guard went in to inform him of our arrival.
"King Arainder, Princess Elwyn has come to see you," I heard the guard say to Arainder.
"Well tell her to come in!" Arainder exclaimed. We entered and I managed a clumsy bow before fully looking at Arainder. His scales were a deep blood-red color and his hair was blondish-red. He had a kind face that had seen many years.
"Welcome, Princess Elwyn, to Elrahd," He said greatly.
"If you please, my king, it is no longer princess elwyn, for I have married and become a queen," I said humbly.
"Yes of course, my sincerest appologies. Now if i am told correctly you suffer from loss of memory," He asked.
"Yes, that is correct," I said.
"Well, Laure and Kenya have told you as much as I know of your childhood and just about all that anyone knows. It is written in the stars that you are to help us. Do you except this quest?" He asked.I thought about it for a moment.
"Yes, my lord, I accept," I said.
"Excellent. Now I believe the first part of your task is a small one. You will be able to complete most of it at your home, on land. Now if you are ready, Elwyn, there is one who will explain your task to you," He said. As he spoke a female selkie came into the room. Her scales were lime green and her hair blonde.
"My daughter, Leoyla," The king said proudly.
I followed Leoyla down a few passage ways and through some rooms. She told me that she worked with animals here in the castle and that she had a suprise for me. I couldn't possibly imagine what was in store for me that was animal related but I would do whatever it took if it meant unwravelling my past. Leoyla finally stopped in a room that was dimly lit by lamps that were glowing red. The water was pleasantly warm here and it smelled like life. Not that the smell of life can ever be properly described to anyone who hasn't smelled it before. Leoyla rumaged around in a room for a moment and then returned with something wrapped up.
"Here, take good care of it," She said handing me the bundle.
"Okay, What is it?" I asked.
"It'll be more fun if it's a suprise," Leoyla said childishly.
"Ok,"
"Just keep it warm," She said.
I was lead to a room where I was to sleep for the night. They had somehow bewitched fire to light underwater and keep it warm. I placed the bundle near the fire to where it could stay warm. I uncovered it slowly to find a rock-type thing sitting inside. There was a knock on my door.
"Who is it?" I asked softly in elvish.
"Laure and Kenya," They couresed. I let them in.
"Hello, Elwyn, hope you find your room comfortable," Laure said.
"Yes, How long am I to stay here?" I asked curiously not trying to sound rude.
"As long as you like," Kenya said kindly.
"I think I will stay a while, I like it here," I said pleasently.
"As you wish," He said with a bow.
"What did Leoyla give you?" Laure asked.
I pointed to the rock sitting near the fire. Laure swam up to it and placed her hand on it.
"It is alive on the inside! It's an egg," She said confidently.
"What sort of an egg?" I asked.
"Well I can't say for sure. It's definetly something nice,"
"Well that's good news. Wouldn't want anything dangerous,"
"I didn't say it wasn't dangerous," Laure interrupted.
>nearly a week later<
I had found my way back to where I had first met Kenya and Laure. They couldn't accompany me home for they had emergancy buisness to attend to in another city so I had to find my way back. I stuck my head above the surface and saw our castle in the distance. It was dark out and there was nobody on the beach. I spoke the words of transformation and next thing I knew my fins were gone. I moved my legs experimentadly and flexed my fingers. It felt unusual not to have fins and a tail. I got out of the water to find a bitter coldness waiting for me.
"Yow, it's cold!" I said to myself.
"Elwyn!" A voice called. I turned expecting to see Legolas, but was greeted instead by a blanket-bearing Aragorn.
"Aragorn," I said giving him a quick hug. He wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and kissed me on the cheek. My heart did a little wiggly-dance which was immeadeatly replaced by curiousity.
"Where's Legolas?" I asked shivering.
"He had buisness to tend to in the forest. Emile went with him," He said.
"Where's Arwen?" I asked.
"In our new house..." He said a little annoyed.
"Why aren't you there?" I asked.
"We fought,"
"What about?"
"Something stupid,"
I looked at him, but he didn't say anymore and it wasn't my place to ask questions.
"I'm cold," I said.
"Let's get you up to the castle," Aragorn said putting a comforting arm around my shoulder and steering me towards the castle.
After I had changed clothes Aragorn came into my room with a tray with two cups of hot tea and some biscuts on it.
"A food-bearing saint," I muttered to myself. Aragorn grinned a silly boyish grin and sat beside me on the bed. He handed me a cup of tea. It was perfectly warm and felt good going down my throat.
"Why is it so cold?" I asked.
"It's nearly winter and the cold has come early this year...It also dosen't help that you spent the last week under the water," He said.
"So midsummer's eve isn't for a long time," I said remembering the dream I had had.
"No, why?" He asked. I told Aragorn about the dream I'd had and about the egg I had recieved from Layola. I had placed the egg next to the fireplace already. A maid elf brought in some elf-wine and two glasses which we both grabbed eagerly.
"So where, exactly is Legolas?" I asked after she had left.
"He is.....with Arwen," Aragorn said not looking me straight in the eyes.
"He what?!" I hissed angrily.
Aragorn still wouldn't look at me.
"This dosen't bother you at all?" I asked.
"N--yes, but well, the reason we were fighting has a lot to do with it," He said.
"What were you fighting about?"
"You."
My jaw dropped open and I stared at Aragorn.
"I wanted to stay here until you came back and Arwen wanted to her own home and she yelled something about me be in love with you and how she hated you and never wanted to see me again. So she took Elendil and left and I came here," Aragorn said quickly.
"Do you?" I asked.
"What?"
"Love me,"
He stared at me a moment and finaly sighed.
"In my own way," He said at last.
"And what way is that?"
"The kind that dosen't come with a ring attatched,"
Maybe it was the wine or maybe I was just angry but somehow we ended up laying together on the bed.
haha incomplete thoguh it is it is way more awesome than m,y last one. will update soon....