Shadow Hunter-LegolasxOC

43: Into the West (Edited)

The ocean breeze caressed her cheeks, whispering words to her ear, and slowly woke her up from her deep slumber. I have not dreamt for a long time, Varilerin thought as she pulled herself up. Certainly not of my past.

The room she settled in swayed, reminding her that she was no longer on land, but captive by the sea. She did not like the waters and their constant motion, making her world seem unstable every second—it was unwelcomed, considering how stable her life had grown.

She remembered that she was no longer on Middle Earth, the land full of mysteries and old friends. Many of those old friends had passed to Mandos, many passing to the Undying Lands. One by one their souls fleeted, even with Sauron threatening their lives no more. But those souls had lived a long and steadfast life, and she did not grieve too much when she bade them farewell.

That included Arwen's passing. Varilerin had watched her live with Aragorn, bear children who grew to become handsome men and beautiful ladies, as Aragorn's hair greyed and wrinkles formed on his face. Mortality claimed Aragorn swiftly, without pain, and Arwen soon followed. Arwen had lived to the fullest, and Varilerin was happy for her.

She couldn't describe the feeling that prodded her chest. The truth of life was harsh, but it was what defined it. Choosing immortality had its costs, and that was watching her friends disappear.

Varilerin closed her eyes, drawing a deep breath. She felt exhausted, even though she had not done any fighting for years. Even though she retained her youth, her mind felt stretched.

Someone knocked on the door, and opened it gently. She rose from her bunk and straightened her robes—she had grown to like them in place of full-blown dresses. The guest was a tall ellon with dark golden hair with a single braid running down his right temple. His eyes glinted silver like hers, one of the few traits he inherited from her side. "Mother," her son whispered. "Do you require more rest?"

She must have looked more exhausted than expected. "No, Celethon," Varilerin smiled. Celethon nodded, his expression plain and straight. "What is it?" she asked.

"The lands are near," Celethon informed her. "We should prepare to dock soon."

Celethon offered his arm and Varilerin took it. They walked out of the room to the deck, where the rest of the passengers were enjoying the breezy morning. Cloudless blue sky perpetuated the expanse, gentle waves drifting the boat across the vast sea, towards the mainland now in vicinity. It dawned on her how long she had slept, for now they were already closing in the Undying Lands.

"You slept quite soundly, lass!" Gimli remarked as he leaned against a mast. His voice was ever boisterous and powerful, even though he was a head shorter than he had been and his grey beard almost reached his feet. "I swear she even sleeps longer than me, an old Dwarf! Where have you set your immortality aside?"

Beside him, a black-haired elleth cackled, her blue eyes teary as Gimli muttered another jest under his breath. "Control yourself, Eluewen," Celethon remarked sharply. Eluewen folded her arms and tilted her pretty face, unamused.

"This old Dwarf deserves an appreciation, brother," she argued. "Why don't you try enjoy his jokes for a bit? It certainly won't harm you, or would you die if you laugh just once in your life?"

Celethon raised a brow, but said nothing, as always. He had dealt with his sister's antics for decades and shouldn't be even annoyed the slightest by now. Eluewen left Gimli and approached Celethon to further pester him. Varilerin let Celethon confront his sister, not wanting to bother them and their arguments, for she knew she could not stop them. Instead, she walked towards the edge of the boat, observing the land mass which slowly increased in size. It was lush, full of trees as tall as hills

"You wonder what will await you there," someone said behind her. Haldir stood, still wearing his Lorien cloak, which floated as the wind blew against him. He was one of the few Lorien Elves who stayed back after Lady Galadriel departed with the rest of his kin. He had said that he bore a responsibility to watch over his friend's daughter, but his story told something else. Varilerin had known that he often spent his time with Eluewen, and that he smiled more around her.

"One can only wonder, not guess," Varilerin retorted. "There are only stories told about these lands. They might be true or lies."

"Perhaps we will meet someone we know," Legolas remarked as he appeared on the boat's deck. Varilerin understood what he was saying and felt slightly heartened. "You seem recovered after your sleep, my love," he said as he kissed Varilerin's forehead. Varilerin nodded, watching the crews around them pulling up the sails and preparing to dock the ship.

Legolas pulled her close, protecting her against the wind, assuring her against the imminent unknown. The islands were so close now, and she could see clearly that the lush forests were not uninhabited—there were houses perched on the mighty branches, and cottages sprung on the cliffs. The air grew warm, sufficiently so, and she could even see birds flying freely in the sky.

Varilerin's memories flooded back, so quickly. Middle Earth was behind her, leaving memories which she had made with her friends, history which she had carved with the Fellowship. The age of Elves had ended and it was time for Men to rule Middle Earth. There was no longer a place for her there, or for the rest of those on this ship. A distant call came from Middle Earth, one which beckoned her to come back.

"Well, look at that," Gimli muttered as he joined Varilerin and Legolas. "It seems we have someone waiting for us, eh?"

Varilerin's train of thoughts stopped there. She focused on the docks. Several people lined the shores, their faces obscured by the morning mist but clear enough for Varilerin to recognise them. Those were familiar faces, dug from the deepest depths of her memories. Those were faces of those she had lost, she had cherished, she had remembered. Legolas smiled with her, swallowing tears.

At least, the call from Middle Earth stopped.

Varilerin did not know what would await her beyond the shores, what new stories would be written and retold, what life she would live once again until the world stopped turning. But she knew that she wouldn't be alone, that whatever awaited her would offer her a new glimpse on her life.

She smiled and waved at her friends. At last, she was reunited with them once and for all.

This is the beginning of another journey.

A journey of hope.

oOo

A/N: Hi people. It's finally come to an end (the second time, since this is the edited version of this fiction). I am honestly surprised and delighted at how far this fic has come, from its very first chapter five years ago. At that time, this fic was in general obscurity, perhaps due to my inability to write proper English and my abysmal story development skills. Even now, after I have finished editing the whole fic, there are still things that should have been discarded from the plot. But I have decided to keep them there, as a reminder of how far I've come. Five years has resulted in this fic gaining over 100 k views, and even a Turkish translation! Within the span of that five years, I too have experienced many things in real life which would help me in revising my other fic and hopefully in publishing my original story (god knows when). But regardless of all that, I must say thank you to all of you who have stayed this far, who have endured my awkward grammatical functions and many cliche moments. I am really glad that many of you have found this story enjoyable and seeing your marvelous comments make me smile every time. 

I'll be seeing you guys in the future for the edited version of Where I Belong, an Avenger fanfic that has been missing in the deep depths of 'my writing sucked' but has recently resurfaced to the land of the living. Until then, may the odds be in your favour.