Taking Readings I by Himring

Grey Ship's Cargo

A company of Elves leaves Middle-earth on a ship from the Grey Havens at the End of the Third Age. (The Ring-bearers are not mentioned; nevertheless it could be the same ship.)

Written for the  November drabble challenge at the LOTR community (theme: nostalgia; element: memories).

Rating: PG (on the General side of Teens); no specific warnings except those to do with the theme itself

For some it is the sweet waters of Cuivienen to which there is no returning; for some it is that white city on a green hill, Tirion on Tuna. For some it is Gondolin, cupped in its encircling mountains, for some the thousand caves of Menegroth; but all that lies under the wave.
For some it is Mithlond in its days of glory, for some Hollin, built high before its fall, for some Imladris, sheltered in its cleft, for some the Golden Wood, before the gold faded.
Home is where the heart was. Home is where the heart will be.

The Grey Ship is so laden with memories it is almost ready to sink. Even those who are going home are not going home, although it is the long home of the Elves they are going to. They lean into the wind. They listen to the waves and sail on.

Chapter End Notes

Also written for the Tolkien Weekly Challenge: Peoples of Middle-earth: Noldor & Sindar

The first element of the word nostalgia is a Greek word meaning "homecoming, return home" (the second element refers to pain). That is not what the word means in English, obviously, but my drabble takes off from this idea.

The names of the elven peoples are not actually mentioned, but represented by "Tirion" (Noldor), "Menegroth" (Sindar).

Some of these Elves are clearly very old, as the reference to Cuivienen shows (that first sentence is adapted from  Feanor's speech in Tirion).

 A drabble and a half, according to MS Word