Small chapter compared to the rest, but one of the most intensely written ones. Now I am wondering about Celebrimbor's fate. Is he alive? Is he still a prisoner? Your intensity is really touching at times...It drags us into the world of Arda, I feel sorry for both Galadriel and Maglor. And I feel sorry for Cirdan who sympathises with them..

Elrond scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. Elrohir said cheekily, “Ada is like ‘Dan, isn’t he, Ada? He is very impatient.”

Elrohir scowled again, “I want to ride you, Ada! You are harder than that horse. I won’t lose my grip.”

Elrond turned red with mortification and said furiously, “Don’t you ever tell anyone that, young elf!” Erestor pretended to be interested in the parchment he was writing upon.

It was a clincher! I was laughing like anything! Oh my, you are a truly talented writer...It touched my heart, their simple happiness

As Ered said, the marriage, by the Valar, they are truly a couple

“I decided to take up madness after I realized that was the only route to win your heart”, he laughed, “How else do you woo a mad woman of a mad family?”

“Was that quite necessary?” Elrond panted, his cheeks tinged with red, “Really Glorfindel!”

“Get out!” Erestor said through clenched teeth even as Elrond tried to remove his legs from their perch without moving the scant coverlet that currently covered their lower bodies.

“Are you within…?” Glorfindel asked concerned as Elrond winced slightly, “I will wait outside”, he amended hastily as Erestor shot the coldest stare he could muster on at the time at him.

This was the most hilarious part! Even thranduil and Anoriel doing it in the council chamber loses the race!

“Cirdan left before me, he was eager to see Thranduil and Erestor as soon as possible”, Gildor said informatively.
“That is fine”, Elrond joined them, “I, for one, don’t miss him.” 

That line was so Elrondish...just the plain fact!

“Do you miss the lands from where you were exiled?” Elladan blurted out, then bit his lips. He had been warned by both Elrond and Erestor many a time that he should not ask Glorfindel of Valinor.
“I regret nothing”, Glorfindel said coldly as he moved his horse forwards to catch up with Elrond. 

Oh your poor characters lie so much to hide the truth!

“ADA!” the twins shouted as Erestor walked into the glade accompanied by a golden-haired, handsome elf.
Elrond flinched and Erestor stopped walking. Celeborn was looking shell-shocked. Galadriel looked worried as she walked to her husband’s side.

The twins are gonna have a major shock when they know the truth, aren't they? Can't wait to see how you will write that chapter!

The twins trying to guess Elrond's is funny and at the same time tense. Keeps one on alert. And Thranduil, Elrond, Erestor, Gildor and Glorfindel are together...good, good! This is gonna make a great day, have the feeling.

The title of the chapter made me increase my courage before I read it. Oh, this chapter was one of those I truly cried. I think after Reforging, this was the most heartwrenching chapter. I had started hoping that Anoriel and Thranduil would be happy.

1. “Don’t drop him”, she scolded him, “Thranduil and I worked so hard, you know!” This made me hope that angst wouldnt come. Should have known you better, you twisted writer!

2. She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to Mandos, the prayer of Miriel Serinde, the Broidress of the Noldor, as the orc leered at her. OH, I did even dream of that ending. You once again managed to upturn all my predictions

3. Thranduil and Erestor talking that night. It captured their grief very well.

4. Celeborn looking as Thranduil made that vow again by the pyre.

5.“The odd thing was, however much I grieved at losing her, as she left me with an year old elfling in my hands, I did not regret loving her…”, Oropher mussed his son’s hair lovingly. I loved your Oropher...

6. As Always Galadriel gets the last word...And she excels there.

"I don’t want her to stare at you before my eyes." Elrond is very possessive, LOL!

Erestor's conversation with 'Bria was painful...I mean somehow she deserved the right to call him all that. But I pity them both...thats the difference in your story, we end up feeling sorry for everyone.

"Laiqua was a sight that could lighten even the sorest of eyes." So true! The prince had inherited Thranduil’s looks, Oropher’s kindness and Anoriel’s calmness, a lethal mix. 

Oh my, that must be a great mix! No wonder he had his Ada about his little finger!

And is this 'Bria's tragedy journey? Oh, can't wait...

"We have already defied the laws of the Valar and the laws of the Eldar. What have we left to fear from Celeborn?”  

Erestor seems to be going deeper in the Feanorian style...grim and hopeless.

“That is exactly the attitude I have grown to expect from one of your house”, Mithrandir sighed as he warmed himself by the fire, “It will never change, will it?” 

Yes, it is one cursed house....

Thranduil and Laiqua are fast becoming my favourites! 

But the determined glacial expression on Celeborn’s face made him nod in acquiescence. 

I wouldnt cross him then; sounds scary!

And Elrohir's captivity; I knew you would twist the story into unpreictable again! Cel wasn't raped and Elrohir gets hurt...And Erestor's mindset when he resuces Elrohir...it shows clearly his love for the twins.

“We, the Noldor, never flirt”, Galadriel laughed, “Flirting is simply a Sindarin speciality. Your father is a pastmaster of that, Eru knows!” 

Finally a laugh! 

“I think you will be surprised if you know the truth”, Galadriel watched the sunset sadly, “Even the wisest are not free from that four-lettered beast called love.”

She is so right....one sunset is the cause of such trouble to everyone

To me life has come full circle. I have been a crown prince, an heir, an obedient son, a kinslayer, an oath swearer, a captive, a high-king, a high-king’s mate, an oath breaker, a warrior, a leader, a nomad, a foster-father and a penitent sinner. I would give everything I am to save you and your twin from this. 

I loved this line. It was what I felt the most touching...I thought your writing had reached its highest point. But you will always disprove me..I love these flashbacks that make the plot clearer and most subtle at the same time.

Erestor is too noble...I must say that!

“Unfortunately my choice of paramours has always been much criticised. First, it had been a betrothed prince. Then it is a widowed chief-counsellor”, Elrond sighed dramatically, “I cannot stoop to accept a lower paramour. And there are certainly none who will match the grandeur I have come to expect from my lovers.”

Elrond is developing a smooth sense of humour!

“Celebrimbor is not dead”, Mithrandir said quietly.

VALAR! Not dead....Its going to be complicated.

“There is a breaking point for every soul, mortal or immortal”, Maglor explained, “And when you reach there, you no longer fear or care.”

Elrond rubbed his forehead, Celebrian; it seemed, had reached her breaking point.

I do hate Celebria but I think I do pity her. I pity all of them...

“Birth does not make a person what he or she is”, Glorfindel remarked as he took the seat next to Galadriel.

“Lord Glorfindel the reborn!” Saruman smiled, “I have always wanted to meet you. You are right, of course. Birth did not make you a hero, on the contrary, death did.”

SARUMAN is quite cruel, isn't he?

Thranduil and Erestor are always as smoothtalking as ever....defusing tough situations

They watched as Thranduil executed a sharp, flawless bow and presented his hand to Erestor, who accepted it gracefully. For a moment they stared at one another before releasing their joined hands and starting to dance. Saruman had never seen anything as passionately executed as this dance. He gripped his goblet tightly as they twirled about, dancing out of each other’s reach.

It must have been a sight to watch...the two most beautiful elves dance a hunter-prey dance...

“A pity, that”, Saruman said good-naturedly, “They are too handsome to be allowed to grieve alone.”

I AGREE! I am sure Ered too will agree..

“My dearest ‘Restor”, Thranduil pulled the unsuspecting Erestor to him deftly and pressed a languorous kiss on the stunned lips, “Thranduil Oropherion is ever unpredictable.”

Yipee...Thranduil is now finally losing his grief!

The wizard reminded him of Oropher, the austere features, the politeness, the sincerity and the soft tones.

Mistake, My king...the old wizard's a traitor!

“Our marriage might not have been as hallowed by love as Thranduil’s or my parents’ had been. But I am glad that it ends on far better terms!”

She's got something right finally!

If she had still believed in the Valar in the least, she might have appealed to them to watch over him.

I am liking Galadriel more and more...not like...a kind of grudging admiration !

Elladan cringed as Elrond shouted, “CELEBORN! I had no intention of marrying her in the first place.”

“You were coward enough to marry her on your cousin’s prodding though!” Celeborn snapped as he strode furiously towards his son by law.

“You were the coward! The obedient husband who gave his humble blessings for his daughter’s marriage to a perverted half-elf!” Elrond spat angrily.

....I knew this argument was long brewing!

“’Bria is fading, Galadriel…and he says it is not his fault!” Celeborn said venomously, “I had enough of the entire court of Gil-Galad.”

Elrond turned towards Galadriel saying crisply, “This”, he waved his hand at a fuming Celeborn, “This elf was your mistake. I will not listen to his slander anymore. I married his daughter. But as we all walked into it open-eyed, why is he complaining now?”

Elrond is right...That Silver tree was Galadriel's greatest mistake...

Laiqua laughed as he led his friend into the woods with the supreme confidence that the Sindar race had in any forest...Laiqua is more Sindar than Vanyarin...That makes me like Thranduil more.

“Come, we shouldn’t disobey the high-king’s concubine”, one of the senior-most captains said with a sneer. 

“True”, another Erestor identified as Haldir’s brother Orophin, “Now Lord Celeborn is talking sense into the Peredhel, who has thrown over our Lady Celebrian for his dead cousin’s catamite.”

“After the eve, you will be otherwise occupied; as a bedwarmer”, Orophin sneered. 

Erestor, I wish he could just run them through with his sword...It alwaya amazes me how he can be so cool...Isildur, Haldir etc.

“It simply indicates that I don’t wish to pursue and validate every bit of rumour regarding me. If I were to do that, I would be fighting duels with elves all my time than slaying orcs."

Now yoou have given his reason to be so cool...

“Damn you”, Celeborn cursed her, “I still love you; damn you, Altariel!”

That sums up their whole marriage. JDE, it is the shortest sentence that contains evreything of their relationship spannign millenia!

“I won’t harm him”, Erestor said quietly, “And it isn’t your concern if he harms me.”

Diplomacy, thy name is Erestor.

Erestor calmed himself wilfully even though he felt sickened by the wetness of his companion’s arousal on his thigh...If it had been Elrond, he would have killed Rumil on the spot, I am sure!

“Join whom exactly?” Thranduil enquired sardonically.

“Thirteen dwarves, a Halfling, a wizard, a few hundred Lakemen…there you are”, Mithrandir offered.

“Does the word suicidal imply nothing to you?” Thranduil tugged at his crown absently, “I have half-a-mind to send you to Celeborn. He knows how to deal with your kind. You expect me to send my elves to Erebor to fight orcs and protect dwarven treasure? Whatever was there inside that upper attic of yours has stopped functioning.”

“The upper attic works fine. The lower could do with some conditioning though now”, Mithrandir winked as Thranduil groaned in pure despair, “What say you, Lord Oropherion?”

“I will come”, Thranduil sighed, “The lakemen are my allies. And the dwarves, I have every intention of keeping them alive until they pay me twice over for my lost kegs of the Dorwinion.”

Thranduil too never loses his cool....Mithrandir is lucky there!

“I hope you haven’t been sleep walking after activities with Elrond”, she remarked, “Lord Celeborn will have you roasted and gutted.”

“I have resigned myself to that in the long term”, he shrugged before coming to stand next to her, “I met Rumil.”

Galadriel attempting humour...What will we have next, JDE? You are very unpredictable, more than Thranduil, if you get my meaning!

“After all the quarrels and heartbreak that your parents went through to make you, you should know better than to throw your life away like this”, Laiqua clucked before gazing in the direction that Elladan’s fingers pointed to. 

Laiqua does comedy better than Galadriel!

“Yes”, Erestor smiled bitterly, “But I promise you, we shall go down fighting than live apart. What we have now is too potent that I crave for it every moment of this existence, Elrond. I cannot live without you.”

“I live for you”, Elrond spoke resolutely as he closed the distance with a chaste kiss to Erestor’s lips. They stood together in the darkening room watching the sun sink under the trees.

Each sunset is magical. JDE, each sunset is more magical when you write them!

Celebrian proves she is her mother's daughter....

""I guess he and I are used to insults by now. The dwarves accused me of charming the men of Laketown.""

Thranduil always gets the right way of saying things. But then he was always the charmer!

"So you say that we introduce Lady Arwen as Elrond's and 'Bria's daughter nurtured and sheltered by very over-protective grandparents in Lothlorien?" Celeborn shook his head tiredly, "With due respect, I must say that Elu Thingol was right. Insanity plagues your house. And this far-fetched idea proves it perfectly, My Lord Erestor."

I agree with Celeborn though I love the Finweans. Before SoS I wasnt into Noldor that much, but you have changed it forever..

This chapter gave a grand plot twist! Where do you come up with them from?

The best certainly!

""Celeborn's warriors lost a strategic location again. Can't they do anything right?""

I have lost hope of them doing anything right. I love Celeborn, but he sometimes is very, very foolish.

I see that we have reached 100. I am sad though : I had wanted Ered to take the 100th one. She was the person who deserved it. 

""Thank you", he managed a faint smile, "Now, I will see to your escort. Please be safe.""

Those two, they can never admit that they love each other to madness and be done with it! Pride has a new definition there:)

"

"I had always known that I could not abandon you and sail away", Cirdan shook his head, "This is not your doing, pen-neth. It is my choice. I have atleast the grace of Ulmo. You know that we will have a better chance of reaching Valinor if we sail together than you sailing alone.""

Cirdan too gets to the cursed life, then....You won;t give anyone a happy life??

Thranduil is a determined father, but his son is just as stubborn. No winners there...

"Trust me, people crave for novelty as they age.""

They sure do!!!

"

"No", Elrond said with a deep sigh, "It is a blood language. It seeps into your blood. Everything that Feanor wrought carried a part of his spirit", he paused, "Including this language."

Now you are again bringing in the First Age story into this plot! You are one cunning spidergirl!

Waiting for the next updates!

"At our age, Ada Elrond was a wise healer and warrior; Ada Erestor was the chief-counsellor, the administrator and married; Naneth was an accomplished lady honoured in all courts, Gildor was already a wanderer of repute, Thranduil had bedded half of elvendom, you had already battled a balrog...have I left out anything?" Elrohir responded with droll sarcasm.

wow, they sure were accomplished, though we didnt think of all that when we were reading their tales in the song of sunset.

nostalgia, the chapter reeks of it:)

"You want to hang the coat of arms of our house? ", Erestor asked for confirmation, "With due respect to our coat of arms, I think we might do better to hang a warg's head up here."

your strong sense of humour that you twine into the characters is in full force here. the chapter is lighter than the most, till now. can't trust you that easily though, can i?

" Thranduil was curled about himself in distinctly feline fashion on a worn-out armchair before the fire. His emerald gaze was unfocussed and wide-open in reverie. He was still clad in his formal robes of the day before, having not even bothered to remove his circlet which lay awry and tilted upon his dishevelled hair."

oh, oh! the picture you paint of your golden prince.

""Arwen", Galadriel said with mock seriousness, "Never make an attempt to be Wise. There are much better things one could be doing."

"I...", she shook her head wearily, "I have never been good with words when it comes to you. But centuries ago, I told you while I had ridden to Greenwood to see you that I would die if you asked me to*. I hold to that."

"I would never ask you to", he said brokenly, "I would ask you to live again."

galadriel and celeborn are fast on the road  to meeting the qualification for the best pairing, lol. they are  just awesome.

"There are many things you cannot understand", Thranduil rose to his feet, including both Estel and Gollum in a last cold glare, "If the crown prince of Greenwood intends to hold this creature prisoner, then the crown prince of Greenwood must hold himself responsible for the creature. I shall have no part in it", he nodded to his son and strode out of the room.

shudders in anticpation of more, dear gal, you have struck it right.

Gildor is in trouble...I hope someone gets to save him soon.

Alliances are not allegiances. I really love the way in which you make the connections happen from the first chapters to these. It flows smoothly.

Arwen's discussion with Celeborn abotu mortality and then the ride with Aragorn makes us wonder about the doom.

""Elbereth!" Erestor begged, "Is there no penance that would suffice? Blood, tears and life, we have sacrificed all! What more can we do to appease you?""

I get chills down my spine each time I see the lines of the Doom coming up.

Why will Galadriel and Celeborn be so hopelessly at loggerheads with each other? They are worse than fighting bulls.

Thranduil's meeting with the slavers has me running to the next chapter in panic.

MAN, Galadriel's one crazy woman. So tough to understand and so tough to handle. I know she loves Celeborn. Never expected her love to go to screening his murder of poor Rumil. Mind you, I hated Rumil. But getting killed was a very bad ending for him.

"It makes a lot of sense", Erestor said quietly as he met his friend's confused gaze before turning to gaze at Elrond Half-Elven's austere features, "Glorfindel, I would have done the same if I had been in her place." Elrond felt his breath catch in his chest as he whispered, "You would kill for me?" "Was there ever a doubt?" Erestor smiled sadly before leaving the room, his head bowed and hands clenched together. A

Awww! so chweet. It kinda took us back to the first chapters of The Song of Sunset.

"I want to tear out the hearts from all our bodies and burn them in a blazing fire and scatter the ashes in the air", Glorfindel said quietly, "Love, how I hate the word!" Glor is so right.

"One Isildur was enough to make us what we are now", Erestor looked around the deserted gardens and raised Elrond's hand to his chest and placed it over his heart, "If you had the will to resist the urge to fight him and die, because you wished to return to me, then, Elrond", he paused, "I will gladly walk with you wherever the path leads." "You are most eloquent today", Elrond said contentedly, "Not that I complain." "Time is waning for us", Erestor said soberly, "I don't wish to leave things unspoken even if some of them may sound incredibly trite and sentimental." Elrond met the sincere black eyes and said warmly, moved by the sudden vulnerability he saw there, "Sometimes, hearing trite and sentimental things do wonders to a weary soul. I trust your counsel. I shall not send the letter to Saruman."

Erestor is romaaantic! I like it.

"My Lady Elbereth", he whispered sadly, "The whole purpose of your game seems to be to drive me into blasphemy." I think he's got it right.

The scene btwn Thranny an Gildor was absolutely cool. In the typical JDE style you have mananged to add one more plot to the mesh of plots. I want to come there and open your brain for myself to see what's in. 

 That which you do unto your parent shall be done by your offspring unto you. It is a lesson I have learnt through grief."

Yeah. Lady Ga sure has to learn things the hard way, doesn't she?

Elrohir and Arwen??? You gotta be kidding, sure! But it is sooo nice to see them the way you write.

Galadriel, Celeborn still going crazy about each other. They are both dangerous in their ways. You write them super sharp!

Did Erestor think Legolas won't help his friends? hmm, that's not like Erestor usually. Going to read what happens next!

Emerald green eyes watching him amusedly; a languid, feline form stretched sinuously along the tree branch, the sunrays filtering through the canopy of leaves to lend their radiance to the golden hair of the young prince.

Elrond willed away that image of Thranduil, they had been naïve, innocent and blissfully unaware of oaths and curses.

They were so young then! This makes me sad to know Elrond is feeling old now.

Thranduil and Gildor bonding was great. They both need it. I loved thischapter..

Erestor's got it spot on:"Love would be easier if we had no pride to defend", Erestor replied sarcastically, but he smiled as Elrond's hands took his own, the red sunrays casting dark shadows on their entwined fingers as they watched the sunset.

Legolas and Eowyn now? I don't like Eowyn. But I am waiting to see where you go with that. Haldir was a plotwist and no doubt about that! How DO you do it?

Saruman was taking a twist now. You are so good with giving characters new light to look at.

AW!! PERFECT ENDING!

"Life, to her, has probably come full-circle", Elrond said quietly.

It is right! Galadriel and the readers all came full-circle through the story you wrote so well, JDE!

"I am", Elrond clarified defiantly, "To me, the sunset is never as beautiful as it appears to be when reflected in your eyes. I watch two miracles at the same time. I am fortunate, am I not?"

Erestor merely smiled as he returned his gaze to the red sun that was sinking down the sea, throwing his pale features into sharp contrast.

The last sunset? I am so sad. I don't want this story to end. What happens after they sail, JDE? Do they get happy lives there? 

"I was thinking of hope", she admitted as she accepted his arm.

"To me, hope is you", he said frankly as he helped her up the ladder to the boat that would take them to the ship.

They are so good together! I love the Galadriel-Celeborn marriage in yoru story. It's great!

Thanks for the time you spent in writing this! It will always remain my favorite story in lotr fanfiction! 

Oh Wow!

I was crying here after completing the story, it was touching, poignant and mindblowing!

Forgive you for the tragedy you put Elrond and Maedhros through!

Wonderful! 

I agree with ered...This may not be your masterpiece, but I am glad that you have written a pairing that has been long absent around. The Song Of Sunset is ever my favourite, though Endurance comes close behind! Your Elrond is the best I have ever seen, sensitive, caring, noble, valiant and yet a bit human! All your stories with Elrond, whether it the SoS, Endurance or the Elrond/Thranduil pairings...marvellous.

I especially loved the Elrond/Maedhros pairing in Endurance!

It is a trademark of yours...happiness, love, angst, parting, death and then finally redemption and reunion ! Hope that the Song Of sunset gets some similar ending...