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! 

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

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?

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..

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

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!

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?

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.

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.

"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.

""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!

"Thranduil jsut cannot see Gildor, can he ? But he has to be like that, he is Thranduil, after all.

"

"I know", Erestor smiled wryly, "When she leaves, we shall all stop keeping up appearances. It shall be an out and out mudslinging party indeed."

Don't think that will be as easy to put up with as Erestor makes it seem!

The last scene between Galadriel and Celeborn ceratinly makes one of the best I have read in The SoS, I am too overcome to stay anything sane right now.

Be back later. Leaving Ered to do the 100th review, as I am a true gentleman (soemtimes) ! Advance Congrats, you deserve it.

*faints*

I ha read all but the last paragraph, and I've been dying to find the time to finish this chapter. It's great, and I'm really curious about Arwen! I mean... she's that Arwen... but shouldn't she be Elrond's daughter?

I'm in a hurry, I just wanted to say that this is one of the best chapters so far, it sent shivers down my spine all the way.

“I have been lost for centuries”, she said in a quiet tone that sent shivers down Elladan’s spine. 

Who is this new character? I think its going to be another tragic character..wicked genius JDE

Erestor and Elrond are more beautiful together than many married couples. The easiness of their relationship is beautiful becquse of the deep love they have for each other.

“What I want has never been granted”, she said emptily, “I no longer have the courage to wish.”

Galadriel, daughter of Finarfin, granddaughter of Finwe - strongest character in the Song of sunset.

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!

“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 !

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...

Things are getting every chapter more interesting.

I loved the last four chapters equally, some parts are very sad, but they're great chapters.

I'm curious for the end, but I fear that moment. Can't think a life without The Song of Sunset...

Gildor smiled as he watched the feline form of Thranduil Oropherion stretch languidly. Some things remained the same ever. The blatant sensuality of Thranduil’s golden body was one of those rare things......

One of the best descriptions of Thranduil!

“Elbereth”, Erestor traced a welt along Elrohir’s jaw, “So young…why did the Valar have to test him?”

“Because they were terribly bored”, Elrond said bitterly.

The Valar; I am angry with them....how can they be like this?

He had met many powerful elves, but none of them were as wise, powerful, compassionate and valiant like Thranduil Oropherion.

True...

And wonder what Laiqua will do to stop Thranduil's abstinence!

While we are on these Valar-forsaken mountains, you should do better to take my instructions”, Erestor said coldly, for a moment looking rather like how Elrond remembered Maedhros; proud, determined and confident.

That is how I picture Erestor too...your words are as powerful as always!

His green eyes were a shade lighter than Thranduil’s deep green ones. His frame was more like Oropher’s, spare and austere unlike Thranduil’s magnificence. Their eyes held the same fearlessness and determination though Laiqua’s held a measure of kindness that was absent in his father’s ruthless eyes. And to Galadriel, it seemed that the blood of the Sindar was more prominent in Laiqua than in Thranduil. 

Laiqua's description is so perfect...the best of ORopher, Anoriel and Thranduil! What tragedy waits for him?

“The next time I get my hands on your father, I don’t care which one, I am going to become a kinslayer”, Celeborn promised,

Now that was one heck of a sentence!

Going off to read if they are all right. Hope Celbria doesn't get raped....It would be too much prdictable; and you like keeping us guessing, So you won't give that!

...

...

Too good for words =)

...

...

Just one thing I've thought about in the last chapters: it's not only the fact that those of the house of Finwe are cursed to make their lives worse, but also the fact that the other people consider them so and fear them.

...

Did I mention the fact that I loved this chapter?

...well, I do *_*

I loved the dialogue between Galadriel and Celebrian: in a few words you made me understand better those two tormented characters and made Celebrian look more 'human'.

The dialogue between Elladan, Anoriel and Thranduil was lovely and I laughed at the embarrassment of the poor Peredhel.

Haldir of Lorien watched in shock as the two lords of Imladris walked slowly through the woods, their robes barely brushing against each other. His face turned cold in fury as he thought of Celebrian, his friend. Elrond was cheating on her!

If Celebrian could take a lover, why Elrond shouldn't do the same??

Elrond was sitting with his back leant against a tree trunk and Thranduil had his head in Elrond’s lap, a position favoured by them both over many centuries. Glorfindel smiled at them indulgently before moving his gaze to the lake where the object of Elrond’s staring was swimming lazily.

The four of them are so perfect together...

And the following squabble with Celeborn is a masperpiece! Every line was just where it had to be, and... well, it was perfect.

“You are addicted to carnality”, Thalion muttered as he took in Thranduil’s smug expression.

“You are addicted to celibacy”, Thranduil shot back, “We compensate each other, My Lord Thalion.”

Thalion became like a second father to Thran, didn't he?

The patience of the Balrog Slayer with younger elves made Celebrian think of Melorian, her friend. Glorfindel would have made an excellent father.

No, you can't say this... it's too sad... you want to make me cry, JDE, don't you? =(

Reading this story is the best way to begin a new year! *faints* this chapter was far too good for words.

Erestor pretended to examine his nails carefully even as Elrond said firmly, “’Bria, I believe that the person has always loved me in his own way.”

I can figure the scene in my mind, and I find it highly amusing.

The last part is almost surreal: I can't believe the twins are so sure that the two elves they call 'Ada' aren't in love!

“How is Laiqua?” Elrohir asked with great interest, he had always had a soft corner for the motherless prince of Greenwood. Is it the beginning of something???

Elladan suppressed a sigh, they were talking of his brother and himself. They took pride in the twins’ achievements, and stood by them always. And Elrohir and he were spying on their personal lives? He met his brother’s knowing eyes. He nodded in assent and they moved away silently. It was no concern of theirs. The twins must be very worried and at the same time afraid to discover the truth!

Haldir signed off with a flourishing remark, “Of course, you must have forgotten him, Lord Erestor. Seeing that you were in Lord Half-Elven’s bed scarce moments after he died.”

It was so cruel...but it was cruel to keep it a secret from 'Bria for so long!

The doom of Finwe shall be revoked again. 

scary now...

Thranduil-Legolas-Thalion conversation was incredibly beautiful he's goin to spoil his son more than Oropher spoilt him...And Thranduil finally discovering his healer's love for Oropher. IT was poignant and painful. Thalion's love was one of the most sacred ones in the story...