Morning Mist and Silver Sun by StarSpray

Lost & Found

For the B2MeM 2017 prompt: Lost & Found

“Olwë.” Elmo nudged his brother with his foot. Olwë rolled over with a sleepy grunt. “Have you seen Elwë? He should be back by now.”

Olwë yawned, and sat up, jostling his wife, who kicked him before rolling over. “I haven’t,” he said, rubbing his leg. “Send a runner to Finwë.”

Elmo did. His daughter returned two days later with word that Elwë had never made it to Finwë’s camp. A hush fell over their entire encampment. An awful, familiar, sick feeling of dread settled in Elmo’s gut. They all knew what it meant when someone disappeared without a trace.

.

It was years after Olwë led most of their people on the final leg of the Great Journey that Elwë returned to them beyond all hope—and not alone, but with a maiden fair as the stars, with light in her face and shadows in her long hair. Elmo pushed his way through the crowd, hardly daring to believe his eyes. Elwë’s smile faded a little as Elmo charged forward, and he opened his mouth, perhaps to apologize, but did not get the chance before Elmo embraced him. “We thought you were dead! Never leave us like that again, Elwë!”