Ahh, it's the last chapter! And here comes the end of this particular epic, with (since it is me) a suitably happy ending. All that is left for me to say is, thankyou my wonderful reviewers (Songing the woods, Nicolette-Whitlock, Werepanther33, Stabbythings, and whoever else i may have forgotten at this moment, sorry - Celi no have good memory.), Thank you for reading and Enjoy the rest of the story.

(For those who read the dawnstar epic stuff, soon to be posted on Rumrum's account there is another story called Forbidden fruit which is in the early stages of writing that takes off from 'In the Spring' still mostly following Adindel's POV covering his love/lust for Ginny. My dearly beloved co-writer and best friend and i are having a right laugh writing it and i hope you will all enjoy it. GaiaCaecilia)

Etyanárë Chapter 24

The journey to Valinor took several weeks and was more often than not rather boring. The boredom was lifted significantly by Eleanor's presence, the young girl barely into her 30's and very curious about everything elven. She had learnt much about Elves while she stayed in Eryn Lasgalen, but Silari had had an upbringing much closer to how it would have actually been in Valinor. Maglor had been a traditionalist.

Cirdan was the one to spot when they had left the mainline shipping places and entered the 'long straight road' to Valinor, him being the most familiar with the sea. That night there were celebrations on board the boat, knowing that they could now see the end in sight so to speak.

Even so, it was another boring three weeks on the boat before they actually sighted land. That was Eleanor who spotted land, she being the agile one who was best at scurrying up to the crow's nest and therefore the lookout.

It still took a day or two to get to the large harbour. Silari nearly laughed when she saw the flags that Celeborn had run up the flag pole as they neared the two towers at either side of the harbour entrance. He had run up one for each house of Elves on the boat, his flag, Thanduil's, the Twins', Cirdan, and one for Silari. She wondered what the lookouts would be thinking when they saw that.

When they entered the harbour, they saw what must have been every ship that ever sailed to Valinor there. Just about every one of those ships had been built by Cirdan and/or his apprentices. It was quite spectacular to see them all together; you could see the progression on improvement as they went on. Cirdan was looking exceptionally proud of his handiwork.

Eventually though, they came to a free wharf, the only free one as it happened. At the end was a crowd with many Elves that all on board recognised, and many more that they didn't. Most prominent though were Galadriel, Elrond, Celebrían and Legolas. All four waited expectantly beside many other distinguished looking Elves.

Celeborn was the first to disembark, and then Cirdan and Silari got off as well. Thanduil and the Twins, and then Eleanor were last off. When Celeborn reached the waiting group, he immediately pulled his wife into a deep and very public kiss. There were several laughs at that and a distinguished Elf at the Lady's side got an elbow in the ribs for his amusement. It was the first time Silari had ever seen Galadriel blush.

Then she and Cirdan reached the group and Celebrían pulled Silari into a deep hug.

"You took your own sweet time getting here! We thought you had got lost or something." Silari laughed.

"No, blame your father, sons and Thanduil. Cirdan would not leave until they had; I would not leave without Cirdan so that meant sticking around until their get up and go arrived." Celebrían and Elrond raised their eyebrows for a second before laughing as they translated what she had said.

"Your speech has changed Silari, it is different somehow." Elrond said softly.

"And hello to you too, Elrond. Typical that the first thing you notice is the change in my speech. We have not been totally isolated from the humans while we were sitting around Arda for all those millennia and so have picked up the ever changing speech of their kind. That is except for Thanduil as he stayed home to look after shop, sorry the elven haven, I forgot you would not have come across that phrase before." The last bit was added after the confused look that spread across the Elves' faces. "Incidentally, I have someone I know you will want to meet." Silari turned and called Eleanor to her.

The human had been standing back from the rest of the Elves, who were all greeting their relatives enthusiastically, looking rather lost and seemed glad that there was something she could now do.

"Elrond, Celebrían, meet Eleanor, the last descendant of Arwen and Aragorn. The Valar gave her the choice of immortality and a place in Valinor, she obviously took both and so we brought her with us." Both Elves had eyes the size of saucers and it took them a moment to recover from their shock. When they did however, Elrond pulled Eleanor into his arms and held her close. He then pulled back slightly and looked at her, noticing her similarity to his daughter.

"You look so like her! It is amazing!" Celebrían coughed gently and was then allowed to hug the girl herself. It was at this point that Celeborn decided to greet his daughter and son in-law as well as to introduce Galadriel to Eleanor. More hugs followed and then Thanduil decided to join in. Legolas got a little weepy over her, knowing that Eleanor was his great to the goodness knows what niece. More than once there were comments on Eleanor's slight Irish accent, the brogue was unfamiliar to the Elves, though not found unpleasant.

After a while, Galadriel decided to finally introduce Silari to some of the Elves she did not know, who had all been waiting out the reunions patiently. Silari couldn't help noticing that several of the group bore close resemblance to Galadriel.

"Silari, these are some people I thought you would be particularly interested in meeting. They have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. May I introduce my father, Finarfin who is your great uncle and..." The list went on, covering all of Silari's relatives. To a girl who had only had known her father, and for a short while her uncle, to suddenly be introduced to an entire family was quite a shock. It was slightly dizzying, to say the least.

After some time, Silari was not sure how long exactly, Cirdan called to her and led a particularly distinguished looking Elf over to her.

"Meleth nin, I wanted to introduce you to one of my kin I have not seen since the time of the trees." Silari winced, as did one or two other Elves. That was a very long time ago. "May I introduce Olwë, my kinsman and the brother of Elwë, or Thingol of Doriath as you would know him." The Elf bowed formally to her as Cirdan introduced her as his beloved.

"You have picked an interesting one, Nowë, she is the descendant of Feanor that my granddaughter is so fond of, is she not?" Olwë spoke slowly and very formally and it took Silari a second to realise that Nowë was actually Cirdan. He hadn't been called that by anyone in Ages, at least 7 or 8 of them. In response to the question though, Galadriel wrapped her arm around Silari's shoulder.

"Yes, grandfather, she is." At the confused look Silari was trying to hide, Galadriel elaborated. "Olwë is my mother's father."

"Do you have a Quenya name, child? It is proper that the great granddaughter of Finwë has a correct Quenya name." Silari opened her mouth to answer when someone behind her spoke first.

"Her father gave her the name Etyanárë, but that is not appropriate now for she is not an exile and has come home. Her Quenya name is now Aranárë." Silari turned to stare at the tall figure who had spoken, who was this imposing figure who had the right to change her name?

The Elves around her bowed slightly to the Lord and some said a word that told Silari all she needed to know: Manwë. Of course the Lord of the Valar could do what he liked. Silari also bowed to him, but he placed his fingers under her chin and lifted it again.

"You are more than welcome here, child, even though for many long years you felt exiled. Your exile ends now, totally. I will not punish those who have done nothing. You have shown your right to be called noble many times over the years, and I welcome you as all should. Find peace and acceptance only from now on." And he smiled at her, a gentle and friendly smile that she couldn't help smiling back at. He then turned to Eleanor.

"You are also welcome here, child, I made it so you would find this place and so all elven blood is now returned to the elven home. As a sign of your welcome here, I have a new name for you also. You are now Elfairë, star of radiance, and last holder of the Evenstar pendant. I welcome you also and may you find what you did not have amongst the humans." She then smiled at her and before either elleth knew what had happened, the Valar was gone as mysteriously as he arrived.

After a few seconds everyone recovered, though Eleanor was the first to speak.

"Those evangelists really do not do justice to their descriptions of meeting God." Silari looked at the girl and laughed. Most of the other Elves looked confused while those who understood just shook their heads.

The two Elves spent much of the rest of the day meeting many new Elves and getting to know those they were related to. By evening they were each whisked off, Eleanor went with the Twins to Celebrían and Elrond's house, while Silari and Cirdan went to Olwë's home to stay for he wished for his long separated kinsman to be near until they had built their own house to live in.

XXX

That night, after everything had been taken care of and Silari was once again left alone with Cirdan, they stood on a balcony outside their room watching the stars. They were silent for the most part with occasional bit of conversation.

"You know, it is strange being here, I thought I would never come here, Adar always made it clear that I was exiled due to being born of him. To finally be here, it is..." Silari sighed gently, not sure how to put it. Cirdan then spoke up.

"When we were unable to cross to Valinor because we had waited to find Elwë, I felt like the Valar had forsaken me in not allowing me to cross because I had waited behind for my kin. Then I was told about the ship Earendil would take and I had a purpose, but even then I knew I would not go to the place I longed for until all others had come. I always knew I would be waiting for others to come to Valinor. I have waited since the dawn of the Elves to be here, having spent untold millennia as an exile with a purpose and I know how you feel, my love, for we are the same. We were exiled because of those we are related to, but that exile has been lifted and now we are finally here." He smiled and leant down and kissed her softly.

"Now, how about we go in and try to make those children we would not have on Earth?" And with that not so subtle invitation, the pair went inside to celebrate the end of their exile in their own private way.

The END