A last letter unsent by Aprilertuile

A last letter unsent

Read A last letter unsent

Sitting on a rock on top of a cliff, surrounded by trees, above the ocean, Maglor was writing in a heavy notebook that looked like it had seen better day.

Far away in the distance, he could see a ship, one of the ships made by Cirdan's people for long journeys, sail away.

"Elrond, dearest child,

Here I am writing another letter that will never reach you.

Perhaps the last one, this time.

Exiled I might be, but unaware of the state of the world I am not.

I'm aware that Sauron is now gone for good. All of Gondor and Rohan rejoiced with it. I heard a lot of rumors as to what happened, most are untrue, some partially true, some certainly true.

I believe the truest tales are those I heard rangers discussing discreetly in inns and taverns, even though they sound fantastic enough.

One could argue that I have no right to it, but I am proud of you. Out of all the terrible deeds that my brother and I did... Out of all the horror of the past... You survived, and now you're going home to a safe land.

I'm grateful. So much so that words are lacking to express it. I'm grateful because... Namo said: "To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well."

Of course, our story didn't start exactly "well". I chased away your mother, destroyed your city... Kidnapped your brother and you. And yet, I grew to love you and I believe that in your innocence, you came to like me back. And now, here you are, alive, leaving these shores to find a home in safe Valinor.

That gives me hope. How could it not? Not all ended in disaster. You got away. You were safe. You grew into a wise lord beloved by his people. And you didn't follow the terrible fates of so many members of our extended family.

So Elrond...

I know that leaving these shores is not always a joyous occasion, and that you are leaving behind all you ever knew but...

Be well and find peace.

You'll remain forever in my heart, and I hope that, someday, we can meet anew under better stars."

A strange noise startled Maglor and the old notebook, containing hundred of such unsent letters... Fell down the cliff, onto a rock protruding from the water, and a wave threw it into the sea.

Maglor looked miffed at that for a moment and then snorted a laugh. A fitting end perhaps.

It wasn't like he hadn't lost more than one notebook or paper during his 5000 years of wandering. Or like he had space to spare to keep books he finished writing in.

He usually burnt them though.

Maglor stayed there, on that cliff, until the ship disappeared from the horizon. Then he got up, and left, going deeper into the forest.

He had a village to reach soon and a place as a wandering bard to barter at the local inn if he wanted to avoid the coming rain. Though if he remembered well from the last time he was there, there was a nice cave not too far from there, for when he'd tire from the company, or if he arrived too late to arrange something with the inn.

Though he still had bread and dried... Something left over... He could go there first. Check if the cave was still usable.

On the other hand, the rumors about the fall of Sauron were becoming increasingly outlandish, and he wouldn't hear anything new in that cave.

Better to try to get to the village first, and then see if the cave was still there.

Admittedly a cave hardly ever moved, but after a few centuries spent wandering away, he could have some surprises. There could have been a cave in. Or it could be occupied by wild things: wolves or bears. Or brigands.

He’d had that problem before.

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Chapter End Notes

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