The Last Ship ii by hennethgalad

Chapter 1

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The Last Ship ii. - 

 

   There came a day of grey clouds and squalls of rain. Frodo took refuge in the library under the stern deck, he was now fascinated with Finrod Felagund, and reading a third book about him.

   Excited cries came from on deck, Frodo darted to the door and rushed out. Overhead, an arrowhead of swans flew sedately by, on business of their own. Frodo suppressed a smile; devoted as he was to the elves, it was nice to see them looking up at something and being completely ignored by them...

  Elrond was at his side 'At last !' he said, Frodo looked up at him

  'At last ?'.

   Elrond smiled 'The swans do not fly far from land. We are bound for Alqualonde, the Swanhaven. They are as messengers, bringing news of journey's end.' He looked to the West, and Frodo realized that even Elrond felt trepidation at the approach of the unknown shore.

   From the crow's nest above came the delighted voice of the lookout

   'Land ! Land ahead !'

   Frodo rushed forwards with everyone else. Glorfindel, at his usual post, was almost trembling. He spared Frodo a swift dazzling smile, his cheeks were flushed, his eyes shining, Frodo was amazed at the transformation; the sunny Glorfindel of old had changed into something feverish, intense, driven...

   It was long before his hobbit eyes could see anything of the shore. Elves came and went, but Glorfindel stood like a carven figurehead, scarcely breathing, gripping the railing and staring fixedly at the widening green blur of land at the edge of sight.

   Mithrandir sat down by Frodo and glanced up at Glorfindel with a brief smile. 'Poor Glorfindel. Of course, if Finrod was in love with me, I expect I would be standing at the prow myself.'

   Frodo looked at him in astonishment. Mithrandir smiled 'His mother called him "The Noldo". ' He looked curiously at Frodo 'The epitome, the definitive, the masterpiece. The exemplar.' he laughed to himself 'Poor Finrod. All he wanted was to make music, until he met Glorfindel, then all he wanted was Glorfindel. Everyone loved him; he was the sweetest, kindest, most understanding person of any kind I think I have ever met. My own patron, Nienna, he was her favourite too. Of course when he and Glorfindel met at Eithel Ivrin... By my beard ! I would have liked to witness that meeting. Many songs were sung of the pool and the golden flowers.' He sighed 'All gone, under the cold sea... But you may be in luck. If, as I suspect and Glorfindel hopes, Finrod is waiting on the shore, you will see a reunion of lovers who have been kept apart for more than six thousand years.' He smiled to himself 'Do you have a clean handkerchief ?'

 

 

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   Hours later, after a leisurely stroll around the deck, Frodo found himself back at Glorfindel's side. He himself was beginning to feel the strained tension that seemed to vibrate through Glorfindel. The ship leaned into the wind, the steering groaned, Frodo's legs shifted his balance to compensate as the deck sloped under the heel of the fresh breeze.

   A headland to the south had begun to come into focus even for Frodo, there was a low cliff, a spit of sand, and pitched near the shoreline, a green pavillion. Frodo could just make out a pale-haired figure clad in a long green cloak. Galadriel appeared at his side and smiled down at him, then she too peered ahead, almost as eagerly as Glorfindel.

   Suddenly Glorfindel let out a strangled croak, Galadriel moved at the same time, crying 'Yes !' in an odd, teary voice.

  Glorfindel threw his head back and howled 'Finrod !'

   Frodo saw the green-clad figure start, and a faint cry came across the water. Glorfindel was kicking his shoes off , Galadriel gripped his arm

   'Glorfindel, wait, the ship sails faster than you can swim !' Glorfindel threw off her arm but gripped the railing as if he would tear apart the sturdy oak with his bare hands. Frodo looked at the elf's hand, and at his own puny paw...

   Glorfindel had long, sinewy hands, golden as the rest of him; Frodo suddenly remembered his perception of a tree in Lothlorien, and saw Glorfindel in the same way, so strange to a hobbit, so deeply ancient, like a fabulous sea-creature suddenly rising from the mysterious darkness, as unknowable as the depths of Moria.

   Galadriel leaned forwards and smiled conspiratorially at Frodo 'Finrod is my favourite too, but if you ever tell anyone that I have told you this, I will deny it.'

   Frodo grinned at her 'I am longing to meet him !' he said with a laugh.

   There was a movement beside him and Glorfindel was gone. From above came the lookout's anxious cry 'Elf in the water !'

   and the captain 'Ready about !'

   but Galadriel cried 'No ! Glorfindel is swimming for shore !'

   The captain joined the crowd at the side, and there in the open sea was the golden head, surfacing halfway to the shore.

   'Belay that! 'shouted the captain, 'Steady as she goes!' and the sailors returned to their preparations; for the voyage was over and the ship must be made ready for port.

  On the beach the pale-haired figure cried 'Glorfindel !' and Glorfindel cut through the water faster than Frodo would have thought possible. Celeborn had joined them, and was holding Galadriel's hand.

  On shore Finrod shrugged off his cloak and stood naked on the beach, too far for Frodo to see anything.

  Celeborn muttered under his breath 'So, the tale is true then.'

  Galadriel smiled at him 'Oh yes, they were both naked when they met, just like Cuiviénen.'

   Glorfindel was striding through the shallows, he stripped his shirt off and fell to his knees on the sand in front of Finrod, then threw his arms round Finrod's waist and pulled him down into a passionate kiss.

  Everyone aboard the ship gave a great cheer, Celeborn embraced Galadriel, but Frodo could not see the tears in her eyes, for he himself was weeping.

 

 

 

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Chapter End Notes

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