Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of Tolkien's characters. They are his, even if I so desperately want them…I do however own the mary-sueish character, who I have been trying to change, but can't, you have my permission to dream about killing her and disfiguring her mary-sueish head.
AN: this is my first fic, I would appreciate some reviews, but it is up to you. Please keep in mind "do not shoot the messenger" Blame my muse, although it'd be hard to kill him, because he has jumped off the tallest building he could find.
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He stood atop his balcony looking out onto the valley of Rivendell. Glorfindel had left to talk to the guards and had yet to return. Now normally Elrond wouldn't be worried, but a feeling of dread swept through him nonetheless. Attempting to shake it off, he told himself "Glorfindel can take care of himself".
He was about to go inside when he noticed a shimmering of light appear out of the forests' edge. The sun was shining off Glorfindel's hair again, making his presence known. He was carrying what looked to be a black bundle, but it was squirming to the point where Glorfindel was having trouble running, so he slowed to a walk. Elrond saw it to be a young elleth, small compared to her older companion. He felt he had nothing better to do, so Elrond decided to greet the two and commenced to walking down to the front entrance.
"Let me go!" the elleth cried.
"Milady, you can not walk!" Glorfindel said getting a little annoyed.
"So! My friends are back there, I've gotta help 'em"
"You cannot help anyone but yourself right now" he replied with a half growl as she just missed kicking him where the sun don't shine.
"Lemme go lemme go lemme GO!" she yelled.
'I must remember never to have kids' Glorfindel reminded himself as he continued to walk with the child. He had guessed she was with the group from Greenwood, recently renamed Mirkwood. This decision was made due to the blonde hair flowing from her head, it had leaves and twigs stuck in it at the moment. She was young and light weight wearing a black dress obviously made for her arrival, but her attitude needed some adjusting. He approved her wanting to help her friends, it was a noble trait, but she had to understand that in her condition she would do more harm than help. He had yet to get a name from her, so far all she told him was she had been playing with some friends and they were attacked by an animal. When he started to carry her back to the house, she started throwing a fit. He sighed as he looked ahead to see how far away they were.
"Look!' he exclaimed, "there is Lord Elrond now!" He sighed again, this time in relief as he saw his old friend about a hundred yards away. She calmed enough, as her curiosity got to her, to look in the direction he pointed out. Glorfindel tensed as his charge immediately hugged him as tight as possible.
"Ok, I give up! I give up! Just DON'T put me down!" she hid her head and ceased movement altogether.
"Lord Elrond!" glorfindel laughed as the tall dark elf approached him, "You seem to have a silencing effect on the younger generation"
"He's scary looking" her muffled hiss was barely heard through Glorfindel's chest. She had slid from his shoulder into his arms and was now seen to be huddled into his chest and forearms. Elrond touched her shoulder and she squirmed her way deeper into his arms.
"What is wrong with her…and you?" Elrond asked just realizing Glorfindel's neck and arms were bleeding.
"She says an animal attacked her and her friends, I'm guessing a bear, seeing as I found her unconscious in a tree."
"And you?" he asked raising an eyebrow, already guessing how it happened.
"She did it" he said with a short sigh.
The young elf giggled at Glorfindel's tone of voice. He shifted his grip.
"Sorry" she said poking her head out and with a toothy grin.
"She speaks freely?" Elrond asked. She ducked back into Glorfindel's chest.
"Does the young lady have a name we should call her by?" he asked softly.
"She refused to tell me; all I got from her was that her friends are missing"
"then we should send someone out to find them, in the meantime, you two should go to the healing wing, I'll see you in a moment" with that said, Elrond headed for his herb garden and Glorfindel continued towards the house with their charge.
"Will you tell me your name now?" he asked glancing down at the now obviously calm elf-ling.
"It's Eamane" she mumbled, exhaustion finally talking hold.
Moments later:
"Well my little friend, here we are" he smiled as he saw her eyes widen. He laid her upon one of the numerous empty beds and sat on the one next to hers. She didn't notice Elrond standing in a dark corner, mixing the herbs he had picked. One of the healers began to help the child, but stopped when she noticed the cut was beginning to get puffy on the outside.
"Milady,…?" she asked.
"Eamane," the child stated.
"Yes, well Eamane, this cut is deep and infected, so it will probably hurt for me to clean it up. Is there someone here with you?" she asked as soothingly as she could.
"No, my friends are lost and I've only just arrived today." She yawned.
"Lord Glorfindel?" she turned to the other blond, "do you mind sitting with her? She obviously doesn't mind you." Glorfindel tensed, he didn't quite understand children, except for Elladan and Elrohir and they where a royal pain in the deriair.
"Um, ok" he got up and sat down next to Eamane. She gripped his hand tightly as the healer poured water on her leg. Elrond stepped out of his corner with a cup at hand.
The other healer looked up startled.
"My lord! I didn't see you over there!" she moved over to let him closer.
"Yes, I do apologize for that, I should have made my presence known."
He glanced at Eamane, who had cuddled into Glorfindel again.
"I must ask though," he knelt in front of the child, "why are you afraid of me?"
A sorrow filled him as she shivered. 'What could possible scare one so young? Besides the obvious of course.' he asked himself.
"T-there's a man, h-he's t-there in m-my dreams. I th-think he's y-you!" she cried with her eyes shut tight. Elrond sighed and took her free hand.
"Please open your eyes and look at me" he said with a hint of remorse, "for you did not get a detailed glimpse."
She peeked out of Glorfindel's chest to look at him. A small smile formed on her face, however she was still a bit jumpy.
"Your right, the facial features are different, but still familiar." Eamane's smile faltered at her own statement. By now Elrond had moved to her wound, intending to prove he was trustworthy. 'You'd think parents would teach their children about the different elf-havens and who's currently leading.' He thought as he washed it out with the salve he had mixed earlier.
"Your still freaky looking though" she whispered, a smile rising again as he rolled his eyes and chuckled. The smile soon turned to a grimace on Eamane's face as he continued to clean out the cut, this time pulling out the foreign objects that were to stubborn to be washed out. He remembered he was to send out a search party for the others.
"Eamane, who else was with you when you were attacked"
"Er,..I was with my brother Aidame, his friend Legolas, and someone who was friend's with Legolas. Dark haired ellon, kind of loud." She said thoughtfully. Elrond glanced at Glorfindel quickly, then stood up and let the other healer finish with the stitching. After pulling out the proper herbs and getting some water up to a boil, he fixed her a cup of tea, sedatives included.
"You've been through quite an ordeal and have been very brave, but now I think you should rest. I'll talk with you later, when you've awaken, and then we'll find something for you to eat." He said giving her the tea. As most young elves do, she spit the first sip out, but eventually drank it and slipped into a healing sleep.
"Glorfindel, have you seen my sons?" he asked turning to the blond guard, who was at the moment glaring at the elleth who was cleaning his scratches.
"I'm sorry my friend, I have not. Although I am sure Elladan is still with Celebrian and Arwen in the gardens."
"Then I think it was Elrohir she was with." He said worriedly.
Half an hour later,…..
Elrohir, Legolas and another blond elf ran into Elronds study, closely followed by two rather winded guards.
"Sir,…pant we've found,…pant,….them" one said leaning on the doorframe for support.
"Thank you, you may take a break now if you wish." He said suppressing a laugh.
"Much appreciated my lord" the other said as they left the room. Elrond turned to Lindir, with whom he was chatting with beforehand.
"I would have thought our guards would be more fit than that, after all they're just children." He laughed. Glorfindel tsked from his corner and shook his head. Elrond continued to chuckle then sobered abit as he turned to the three before him, "what happened, and where have you been?"
"Father, we were playing in the glade and a bear,.." Elrohir started, but was cut off by his father.
"The glade? You know you are not supposed to go that far without an adult!"
"I know! But I wanted to show Legolas before they had to leave!"
"They have only just arrived, it could have waited a few days, and you could have asked someone"
"But,.."
"No buts" he said sternly, "you know the rules"
"I'm sorry, Lord Elrond, it's my fault as well, he was telling us about it and I asked him to take us." Legolas said stepping up. Elrond looked them over and sighed again.
"Sir, my sister is missing" Aidame said quietly, "We searched, but couldn't find her"
"Did you look up?" said Lindir, who had heard about the story through Glorfindel.
"Up?" the three asked.
"She was unconscious in a tree" he replied, "I'm surprised Glorfindel didn't realize she was one of you when she didn't stop squirming."
"Excuse me?" Glorfindel asked eyeing Lindir.
"She got it from you Elrohir" Legolas laughed.
"ME? Come on! I just met her, and I'm not stubborn."
"Are to"
"Are not!"
"Boys!" Elrond raised his voice.
"There you go with the silencing effect, Elrond I think you have a real talent there"
"Glor…" he started with a mild glare.
"He scared her"
"What?" the group chorused.
"Yes, well just be grateful none of you where harmed badly, we found your friend, she's asleep at the moment."
"Ok, so you did find her," Aidame sighed in relief, "thank eru, our parents would have killed me!"
"Your lucky if they don't still, where are they?" he asked.
"At home, mother gave us permission to travel with Legolas for awhile, she almost didn't let us leave."
"With great reason I can see" he said sternly.
"Ada, I really am sorry, it won't happen again, I swear! Don't take it out on Aidame and Eamane."
"You know I'd do no such thing, Elrohir, you are not to leave the grounds for a week, and Legolas, your father will hear of this, as for you and eamane" he said turning to Aidame, "Thranduil will deal out your punishment. Now why don't you three go spend what little free time you have left wisely. I suggest the gardens or the archery field, but be carefull, I don't want another guest spending their visit in the healing wing."
There were a series of 'yes sir's and 'thank you's before the three started to hustle out of the room.
"Wait, you said Eamane is asleep?" Elrohir asked.
"Yes, please don't disturb her at the moment" He replied as Elrohir groaned.
"What!?" Aidame asked surprised. Elrohir and Legolas scrunched their noses up as Elrohir explained.
"He gave her his patented sleeping draught, the taste is guaranteed to make you more cautious about what you do, just so you never hafta even smell it again!"
"Yes" Elrond commented amused, "now move along all of you or you'll each get a cup at dinner."
Throughout the Last Homely House three screams could be heard as the children ran from the study.
"Ok, now about the concert?" Elrond smiled as he turned to Lindir and Glorfindel.