Elandili

by: Kristall

A/N: Another disclaimer (a.k.a. Author's Note). Well, I do not own LOTR, nor do I own any of the actors' contracts, locations used for the movies, film rights, etc. The list is endless, especially when one gets into copyrights for both the book and movie (which I won't at this point, but you could probably find the details on the web, if you wanted to, which you probably don't). Also, A/N: I know that the Americas were once attached to Africa and Europe, and that they broke off well over three million years ago, but I had to change this so that it would work for the story. Otherwise, it would be the Americas at the bottom of the ocean, and that would ruin the story, because the world is supposed to look like the way it is today in my story. Sorry for going into more detail than usual, but it's nine forty five p.m. right now, and I had two IB exams today (English and German) and IB exams are a nightmare. *sarcastically* Just think, I get to have 'em again, twice, next year, and I had them once last year. Oh boy! *drops sarcasm* OK, enough wandering off the subject. Hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 5: The Final Scene

Elan was back at work a week later, at her orders. She couldn't stand another day in the bed. Especially since she kept on thinking about Valinor. If she wasn't careful, she'd wind up spilling everything too soon, and to too many people. But her visit couldn't be hidden completely. She had been to see the trees that had been established in Valinor since Middle-earth had vanished. The light still shone in her body a bit. It was really noticeable when she was in a dark spot, so she took care to stay in lit areas. She also longed to tell her friends about her gift for them, if they would have it, but she couldn't tell them just yet. She had to wait until they had their farewell party.

The best way for her to not make too many slips was hard work. Thus, Elan was back at work a week after she woke up, to the dismay of the doctors, but she insisted. Today, they had finished filming the Elves, including Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan, and Galadriel, along with Bilbo and the Hobbits, going to the harbor to leave Middle-earth. By the end, Elan had tears streaming down her face. Just one more Mount Doom sequence, the one where Frodo fought with Gollum and the Ring fell into the Cracks of Doom. Elan was to be on hand to coach Gollum on how to fall over the ledge they were using and land safely while waving his arms and legs about on the mattress. The party would be the day after. She could wait.

The next day dawned bright and clear. Elan watched the sun rise, feeling refreshed, even though she had spent a restless night. It had been as if she were in Rivendell, she had recovered so well. She smiled fondly. The only things from her past that had any kind of hold on her still were the suffering that she had gone through. Her mortal mother's death when she was four, the struggle to be accepted by the Elites that had lasted for nearly eight hundred years, the Riders that had killed her trainer and had nearly killed her as well. At that time, only one thing had saved her - the river that flowed under the Last Bridge. She had dived into the waters, letting the river carry her to safety. She could still feel her shoulder burning with the pain.

That caught her up. She wasn't remembering the pain this time, she was feeling it. Her wound had started to throb again, a reminder that she had to clean it, a duty she had been neglecting. Elan turned and went into her room. Going to her bag, she dug through it, looking for the hidden pocket. She still had a few leaves of athelas in this pocket, as well as copies of the sketches she had drawn of her family before they had left.

She took only a small part of one of the leaves, which had dried out but were still useful. Soaking the crushed leaf in water, she let her true looks show so that she could clearly see where the scar was. Then she took a washcloth and dipped it into the water. She let the water run over her scar, which ran up her right breast, over her shoulder, and down across her back. Elan cleaned the scar carefully, and then drank the water, as her supply of athelas shouldn't be wasted. The drink gave her a strength that would allow her to get through the day. Then, she returned her looks to the Elan everyone knew.

The cast were eating a quick breakfast when Elan found them. Nearly everyone was there, even the ones who had been "killed" in the first two movies. This scene was worth watching as it was being made, and none of the cast would miss it for anything. Elan greeted Sean Bean and a few other familiar faces. They would also be here for the party tomorrow, which was fine with her. Some of them were good friends of hers, and the gift would be offered to them as well.

The only change Elan made in her appearance was to give herself her elvish vision. As she slipped her glasses into her pocket, Elan thought to herself: Humans can not see. How do they handle being so short-sighted all the time? Then Elan grinned to herself. Human eyes would seem weak to her, when she was used to being able to see things a hundred paces off without having to mentally enhance her sight. The others noticed her action, but at the time did not realize the importance of it, nor of the nonsense words she muttered under her breath. None of the others spoke Elvish.

Elan showed Gollum (a.k.a. Andy Circus) how he should look falling over the ledge. She then took turns wrestling with both Elijah and Andy, physically showing them what they had to do, while the camera crews arrived and set up. Andy and Elijah had a practice round from where Gollum bit off Frodo's finger to when he fell into the "Cracks of Doom". Elan was satisfied with both of them, and said that the shooting could commence. The shooting lasted all morning, and then they stayed the afternoon without packing up. Elan had fun doing flips off of the ledge, which was about ten feet above the thick mattress. Then Orli declared an archery contest. The Elves all joined in, as well as Elijah, Viggo, Elan, and Sean Bean. Elan won of course, with Orli in second place.

Chapter 6:The Gift of Elandili

The next day, everyone dressed up as a creature from Middle-earth. Elan just went as herself, dressed in clothes the same style as she had worn as an Elite in Rivendell and Gondor. There were rock climbing contests, water fights (Billy had produced an amazing amount of water guns and water balloons overnight for this), races, and swimming in the river nearby. Elan smiled as she went back to her rooms to change for the dance. They would all still be in their costumes, but not her. She would go dressed as she had been back when Elessar had been crowned, but not as an Elf. When the moment was ripe, she would reveal herself as Elandili, the last Elf to leave Middle-earth.

This was more of a dinner dance. There were tables for people to eat their supper, with a clear spot in the middle. Elan got many compliments on her gown, which she had made herself. She smiled at the compliments. Elijah took her aside and asked why she had gone back to being human. Elan laughed and said: "I just decided to. Right after the party, at the meeting, I'll become an Elf again." Elijah nodded and Elan disappeared before he realized that she had human ears, not elf ears. How could she get her ears back on, in such short time?

Finally, Elan was alone with all of the major cast. She had spoken with Peter Jackson the night before and had asked if he would assemble this meeting for after the party. She had a special surprise for all of them. Pete had agreed, and so they were all there. The ones she had chosen. The ones who would get her gift. The ones who would go to Valinor with her if they so chose.

They were waiting for her to speak, so Elan stepped up to the mike. Taking it in her hand, she stepped aside so that they could all see her clearly. Her first words were a surprise in themselves. "My friends, we have come at last to the breaking of our own Fellowship. Tonight is the last night we will be together, so I think it is time for me to come clean." Her audience gave scattered gasps. She had their attention. Good.

"First of all, I have to show you something. Only after that will I answer questions. I ask only one thing of you, for now. Don't run away when you see what I have to show." Elan knew that her scar would be visible, and it would be clearly visible against her tan. Smiling, she said two words. Two little words that everyone could translate, because of the song that went with the Arwen/Aragorn love theme. "Aniron Elandili."

The change was slower this time, so that her audience could see what was happening. Her ears grew a bit, and her hair was now past her waist, perfectly tidy. Her face was as clear as a model's now, and her height increased so that she was six feet tall. Lastly, the scar appeared, coming up over her shoulder and moving down her breast. Or at least that's what it looked like.

Elan had closed her eyes when she had spoken. She opened them now, and the cast could see the clear dark blue eyes, instead of the green eyes they knew. Elan had become Elandili, finally showing the truth to her friends. She smiled at them, and saw Elijah's face. He looked as if he were pleased he had guessed correctly about her race. She smiled and spoke again: "My real name is Elandili, which in the higher elvish language literally means "Half-Elf". I was named for what I am. If you have questions, ask me. I will answer everything."

The questions came rapidly at her, but in a somewhat orderly fashion. Elandili answered every one. The most burning question was why she had stayed in Middle-earth when all of the Elves had left. "I was trapped by my own honor. I kept on promising to serve the descendants of Elessar, until shortly before Middle-earth sank into the sea. I left then, going to the mountains that cut off Middle-earth from the rest of the world."

The other burning question was where Middle-earth had been located. It had been located at the western shore of what was now Ireland, with the Americas attached to present day Asia. The entire land mass had been all together, so there had been plenty of ocean to get to Valinor on. But the tidal wave had been created as the present day Americas had broken off from the main land mass, which covered Middle-earth.

Finally, Elijah asked his only question, the last of the evening. "Will you be able to go to Valinor?" Elandili nodded.

"That was my other surprise. There is a reason as to why you are here tonight. I have an offer that if you will take it, will enable you all to follow me someday to Valinor. That is my parting gift." They stared at her. Could she really be offering them a chance to meet those they had portrayed, or their friends? It seemed too good to be true. Sean A. was the one who asked how it would be possible. Elandili smiled.

"I have a sack of rings here, in my hand. The same sack that was left on my table at the hospital. My work in this world is done, I can finally go. But I offer, with the grace of the Valar, a chance for you to someday follow me to Valinor. But the offer, while made to all of you, will only be available until six tomorrow morning. After that, there will be no other chance."

"Will we have to leave right away?"

"No. You will spend most of your mortal life here, and then when the ring glows blue as Sting did around Orcs, gather a few things and come to the mouth of our Anuin. I will be waiting for you there. Also, you must come within a month, or the gift will be taken away. On no other conditions will this gift be offered to you."

Elijah stepped forward. "I will take a ring." Five words, but ones that cleared the air, allowing the others to come back to the present. One by one, the others came and took a ring, until they were all gone. Not a single one was left. Elandili smiled at the empty sack. She would leave now, but she would have only a bit of a wait before the first one was called. She now would no longer be torn between two worlds. She would have her family and friends at the same time.

0o0o0

Elandili saw her ring glowing blue. She was excited. Just over seventy years had passed since she had left the outer part of Middle-earth. Now it was time to go back and lead some of her friends to Valinor. She went down to the harbor and got out her sloop. It could hold ten people at the most without capsizing or being too crowded. She set sail east, through the mists. Soon she was through them and saw, on the shore four men. They were watching the sea, and hailed her sloop. It was the Hobbits, grown old certainly, but it was still them. Elandili sprang ashore and saluted them. "Welcome aboard the Argonath. I hope you have not waited too long for me on this shore."

"No indeed, my Lady, you have not." Dominic was the one who spoke. "We all showed up here today in the morning with a lunch, and it is now mid-afternoon. The wait has not been too long for us."

Elandili smiled at them and motioned for them to come aboard. She freed the mooring lines and sailed back west, bringing the first of her friends home. These friends would be followed by all of the other chosen ones. She smiled as the wind blew through her hair, blowing away the years on her passengers' shoulders, so that they were once again the men she had worked with for the filming. As the mists rolled over them, she could see the tall spires of Valinor. They were almost home.

A/N: Ok, it's now past midnight. I hope you enjoyed the story. *yawns* I'm going to bed. I've been up too late. See ya!