we carry our lives around in our memories by Elrond's Library  

we carry our lives around in our memories

Prompts: watching, time, overheard, night AND I've been thinking: This is what the living do.

Anairë spends a great deal of time perched in the rigging of the great swanship, simply watching the world go by. Nerdanel, in her attentive, quiet way, thus spends about the same amount of time watching her. Stiffly, in silence, giving her lover the space she so obviously craves, needs, as they approach the far shores and the inevitable chaos that will follow. They had thought their choice to not follow their children east final, until Elwing came.

Night falls, and still Anairë refuses to come down. So Nerdanel climbs, copper hair whipping in the wind, and waits.

“We’re going to die there,” Anairë whispers, low as though she does not want even the wind to overhear.

“Is that foresight, or just because we’re following our family’s footsteps to make war on a Vala?” Nerdanel asks, matching her lover’s tone.

“The latter. I’ve never had a lick of foresight, not even when my children were born. You know this.”

“Do you seek to follow them?”

Anairë snorts. “To Mandos’ care?” Nerdanel nods stiffly. “No, meldanya. Not if I can help it. Only …”

Nerdanel understands. “Don’t. I don’t want you to die for me, I want you to live with me.”