Passersby ➵ ONC 2021

➵ the answer to death

Precisely one hundred years later, on the exact day to a meticulous counting, horns sound on the shores of Shfashara, and a visiting boat approaches.

Elu himself, now fully appointed the position which Nînthel used to contain, rides forward on a large kudu to meet the ship, the tall and long-horned animal carrying him forth with grace and speed harnessed only by kindness and understanding. As he slows with his warriors behind him and the boat docks in the harbor, he gives a kind smile as an old wizard walks off of it to meet him.

"Gandalf," he says kindly. "I hadn't expected you to be the one to walk off that dock."

The old wizard only smiles and motions to the front of the ship, where two others are stepping off. One is a dwarf, although her skin is laced with cat fur, and her name is Gimwyn. The other, following her steadily behind, is none other than Legolas himself.

"Hello, Elu," Legolas says as the sunlight warms his shoulders. "It seems only yesterday."

"Waiting turns seconds to days," Elu replies. "It was a very long yesterday." He pauses, dismounting the kudu and approaching to pat him kindly on the back. "I was concerned that you may not be coming."

Legolas smiles and returns the physical gesture as Elu waves the rest of his soldiers off.

"Go show our new guests around Shfashara," he orders them. "I have someone to catch up with."

Gandalf and Gimwyn mount the spare kudu and they rush off, led by the other elves through the plains and forests to meet Longil and her lands. Elu is left with Legolas on the sand by the water as the Mirkwood elf explains that he crossed paths with Gandalf on the way, both of them happening to make a stop in Aman on the same night before expanding their travels.

"And you brought the child of some that I remember well," Elu says, mentioning Gimwyn. "Whatever did become of them? The dwarf and the cat?"

Legolas' face falls, clearly riddled with sorrow, and Elu notices that he now has three shells hanging around his neck.

"Gimli passed shortly before I set sail. Ulvinowyn wanted to see her homeland again, but she, too, passed of sadness before we made it," he answers. "This was the nearest stop, and I, remembering that a century had passed, ordered for the boat to be put to a stop on your shores."

Elu nods. "And I am grateful you did. I have waited long to see you again."

A smile places itself on Legolas' lips. "And what of you?" he asks kindly. "What has happened since I have gone?"

The seaside is cool and fresh as they walk alongside it. Elu watches the sand beneath his feet as they speak.

"Nînthel no longer walks," he says. "After we brought you to Aman, she informed me that I would be taking her position. We trained the kudu immediately and have been using them ever since. All thanks, of course, to your quite lawless rebellion." He ties this off with a playful smile that Legolas feels too grim to return.

"How are the others?"

Elu keeps his eyes fixed on the sands. There are many pebbles beneath his boots; pebbles that Gimli would have loved to keep in his pockets. "Farriel is well, as are Longil and my father. We lost Faerthurindir in battle with invaders ten years after you had gone, but we won the fight easily. I listened to the trees and they warned to be prepared."

Legolas picks up one of the pebbles. "Perhaps I have seen your dead in Valinor. They are certainly there now," he says. Elu agrees.

"It is a large place," he replies. "They are there indeed, but perhaps you have not seen my soldiers, or did not know them. Estolad, for example, who you never met, was my second in command. Their absence now leaves me with nobody directly below me or behind. Which..." He pauses, his steps ending as he stops and looks sincerely down at Legolas. "...Which brings me to ask you if you would be my new commanding partner."