I Choose a Mortal Life by Uvatha the Horseman

At The Dock

The ship entered the harbor. With a shouted command and some cursing on the part of the sailors, the swath of canvas cascaded down to the deck, where it was gathered up by seamen and roped into bundles.

They coasted past empty beaches backed by untouched forest. Tropical birds screeched in the palm trees. From time to time, it was possible to glimpse a few primitive structures set well back behind the high-tide mark, but for the most part, the land appeared to be empty forest.

At the back of the harbor, the spot most protected from storms, a dock made from tree trunks larger than any found on the mainland stretched from the beach into deeper water.

A figure stood on the end of the dock, waving. Elros, in the same rust-red tunic he'd worn when he boarded the ship. And his hair was still short. He'd cut it a year ago, but it hadn't grown back at all.

The ship approached the dock, threatening to scrape the huge timbers. Sailors fended off and threw ropes which were caught by waiting arms and made fast to pilings. Someone laid a gangplank between the deck and the dock, and removed a section of rail to make an opening.

Elrond practically ran down the gangplank. He embraced his brother, then held him at arms' length. "I hardly recognize you."

"That's a nice thing to say, given that you and I look exactly alike."

"I mean your clothes. You're still wearing the disguise that got you past the gatekeeper. I thought you would have changed back into embroidered silks the moment the ship pulled away from the wharf."

Elros rolled his eyes. "I dress like this because everyone else does, and I want to fit in."

Behind him, Men from the settlement boarded the ship and re-appeared with oak casks and latticed crates, at least one of them containing chickens.

Elrond had a sudden insight. "So, the settlers don't know you're half-Elven?"

Elros snorted. "Of course they know. Armelos is a tiny village. Everyone here knows everyone else's business, and if they don't, they're working extremely hard to find out."