How Far I'll Go by Grundy

Chapter 1

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Elros made it a point to look forward, not back, after the first few days at sea.

He’d bloody well chosen this – mortality, kingship, separation from Elrond, the whole shebang. Fine, his twin may have had a point when he complained that Elros hadn’t thought it through in detail, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. He could repay the Men who had followed him through the worst of war and find a way to put his family back together again.

The least he could do for the people who looked to him was make sure he didn’t look like he was regretting his decision. He wasn’t, exactly – even if he did, it was too late now anyway – but it was harder than he’d expected.

He and Elrond may have been pursuing their own diverging paths for quite a few years, and even gone months at a time without speaking to each other in the wake of the Choice. But up until Elros had stepped onto his ship, they’d never been more than a few days’ ride apart for any length of time.

The distance between them grows with every wave now.

He wished his brother could have been here with him.

He’s wanted to do this since they were kids, even if it was Elrond who had tried to build the first boat. The sea, sailing, going off to find something completely new… It’s incredibly exciting to finally be doing it instead of just dreaming about it.

He’s sailing farther than any mariner he knew (well, aside from the one obvious exception, but he's not sure Eärendil counted as someone he knew anymore) had gone, with the prospect of uninhabited land raised from the sea expressly for them waiting – a new country theirs to build as they would. It’s actually beyond any of his childhood dreams.

But he’d always expected Elrond to be around for it.

His brother’s somewhat hazy not-quite-promise to visit is in no way the same thing as having him by his side. Elrond may not even be able to hold to his good intentions. He’s building his own life in Lindon. And it’s possible Gil-galad will keep him too busy for long journeys. (Not that Elros thought Gil-galad would do it out of any desire to prevent Elrond from seeing him, but if Elrond sailed this far west, he might well get the idea to keep right on going… Elros was fairly new to politics, but even he could recognize that having the elf who was crown prince of the Noldor and rightful king of the Sindar in his court would save Gil a fair number of headaches.)

Elros would just have to make Elenna sound too tempting not to come see – if nothing else, they’ve been told there are elves curious to visit them there, elves from Aman. Kin, even if not necessarily the kin he and Elrond wanted to see the most. Just wait until the first time he can write his aspiring loremaster brother about guests from Alqualondë! Elrond will probably return with the ship that bore the message…

Elros looked ahead – he had to, really. This may be the first voyage into the unknown he’ll make, but it won’t be the last. At least with this one, he has some idea what awaits him at journey’s end. As for the next one… it’s said there’s more beyond the circles of the world than mere memory. He can only hope.