Story [LOTR] My Heart is Whole Again. For the Classical Epic MiniGame.

This is for the Classical Epic Roulette presented by @Pandora
Mine was:
3.
Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World".

Characters: Celebrian & Elrond

Disclaimer: Borrowing everything with deep admiration!

~~

Elrond felt the years fall away. The years had lain heavy upon his heart the interminable time apart from his heart's truest love. How her presence, her wisdom, and sweetness would have lightened his burdens and doubled his joys.

Part of him had known that when they saw each other again upon these Deathless Shores all the grief and heartache would melt away as if it had never been and that untold aeons of sweet memories were theirs to gather like amethyst blossoms amongst the emerald blades of grass.

"Celebrian..." He breathed her name.

"Elrond," She replied in the same tone of wonder and gladness. "It has been long and long."

"Yet, here in Valinor, it must have seemed but a pause?"

She smiled. "In some respects, but I'm glad to be on the other side of it."

They embraced then, with all the tenderness and poignancy of love resumed.

+++

 

Love how you used the piece to describe Elrond's love for Celebrian

 

It's been a loooong time since I read a Tolkien-verse story from you, but this one was a wonderful way to become re-acquainted with this aspect of your writing – both for the heart-warming mushiness and for your wonderful interpretation of the prompt. Indeed, for elves, returning to Valinor would be a "new world", a new lease on life. I just loved the fact that Elrond would have felt the literal passing of the years in Middle-Earth as opposed to Celebrían's (lack of) sense of time in the Undying Lands, and yet, even in this blessed environment, the absence of her beloved weighed on her.

I'm just quoting this line for the poetic beauty of this comparison. Tolkien-verse indeed!

 

Thanks for the gorgeous reviews! I love Valinor - it pushes all my Paradise regained buttons and I adore reuniting lovers on top of it.

 

I was meaning to review this gem forever so here to go: I really liked Elrond's and Celebrian's reunion in Valinor--the way you described their undying (no pun intended) love and bond was really lovely. I also enjoyed the different perspectives of time: for Elrond it was years but for Celebrian it was "long and long" which really implies she has no sense of time (makes sense, being in Valinor and all!)--that contrast really stood out to me.

This part right here is literally like something out of Tolkien!

 

Oh what a sweet, lovely review! That was exactly the contrast I was going for, how Elrond noticed acutely the passing of time and that Celebrian didn't to the same extent, although she missed him intensely. And to say that I wrote what you quoted as Tolkien would is the highest of compliments!