Title: Loss
Rating: PG
Summary: A fanfiction about what I think Elrond and his children went
through when Celebrian was wounded by orcs.
(Translations: Ada Father, Nane Mother, meleth nin my love, melane
le I love you, a melane le and I love you.)
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own the dear professor Tolkien's
characters, nor do I intend to make profit off of them. :-)

Elladan ran up and down the halls in Rivendell, trying to find his
father. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. His mother had
just been brought back to Rivendell wounded. Finally, Elladan found
Elrond in his study, reading. Elladan's voice was cracked and
breathless as he spoke.

"Ada! Come quickly! It's Nane!"

Fear gripped Elrond's heart. He stood up and began walking swiftly down
the hall with Elladan leading the way.

"What happened?" Elrond asked as they walked.

"Elrohir and I were out riding when we saw a group of Elves coming up the path. We went to greet them and found that they were carrying Nane. They say that her party was waylaid by orcs and she was injured."

Elrond didn't say anything. He prayed to Elbereth that there would be no poison in the wound.

Elrond and Elladan finally reached the healing room the Elves had taken
Celebrian to. Elrohir sat next her, clasping her hand and trying to
look like everything was going to be fine. Elrond went to his wife's
side and felt her forehead.

"She's very cold. Has she said anything?"

Elrohir shook his head. Elrond looked around the room at the anxious
Elves.

"Did anyone here see what happened?"

"I did, my lord."

A fair-haired Elf stepped up shyly.

"What is your name?" asked Elrond.

"Nimedhel, my lord. What happened is this; we were on our way to
Lothlorien, as you know my lord. We took the Redhorn pass. There, we
were ambushed by many orcs and one of their darts struck the Lady
Celebrian. Many lives were lost. Few of us escaped unscathed. A group of Elves who were out hunting found us and escorted us here."

Elrond turned back to his wife.

"Where was she hit?" he asked Nimedhel.

"On her back, my lord."

Elrond gently turned Celebrian over onto her side. He unfastened her dress to reveal a black gash near her shoulder.

Elrond winced and asked Nimedhel, "Do you still have the arrow?"

"Yes, my lord. Though none of us wished to carry it, we knew you would want to see it."

Nimedhel held out a small jagged arrow. Elrond took it and examined it. As he did, his heart sank.

"It is poisoned. I feared as much."

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged fearful looks.

"Can you save her, Ada?" asked Elrohir. Elrond hesitated.

"I could heal her body... But her mind may never be the same."

Elrohir wondered what his father meant by that, but didn't press for
details. He felt a sob welling up in his throat but forced it back
down. This was no time for despair. Elrond would need assistance in
healing Celebrian.

"What do you need, Ada?"

"See if you can find some athelas. If you cannot, bring what you can."

Elrohir and Elladan nodded and headed outside. They searched the ground for any herbs that might prove useful. After a moment's silence, Elladan asked quietly, "What do you suppose he meant by her mind never being the same?"

Elrohir didn't answer for a while. Finally he said, "He may have meant
that Nane might not be able to think as well as she used to."

Elladan nodded. Suddenly, Elrohir exclaimed, "I found some athelas!"

The twins gathered as much as they could carry and walked quickly back to the room where their parents where.

Elrond sat next to his wife, holding her hand. The other Elves had
gone, leaving him alone with Celebrian. Elrond couldn't believe what
was happening. His wife, to whom he often looked for comfort and
reassurance, was now lying cold and unconscious in a healing room.
Tears clouded his vision and he kissed Celebrian's hand gently.

"Please, Namo," he whispered, "Don't take my love from me."

Suddenly his sons came in, their arms full of athelas. Elrond swiftly wiped his eyes and stood up.

"I'm going to need your help in healing your Nane."

The twins nodded solemnly.

Elrond and his sons worked long and hard on Celebrian, hoping and
praying. When they had finished, they left her so she could rest
quietly. Elrond wondered if he would ever see her graceful figure
gliding through the halls of Imladris again. He wondered if he would
ever hear her clear laughter at her sons' foolishness again. He
wondered...

"Ada? Did you hear me?"

Elrond looked at Elladan, who was looking at him questioningly.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Elladan smiled gently and said, "I recommended that you get some rest. We will need all of our energy to help Nane heal."

Elrond tried to smile at his son but found he couldn't find the heart. He told the twins good night and walked slowly to his bedchamber.

Nearly a year passed. Celebrian was able to walk and ride her horse by
herself again, but her demeanor had changed dramatically from what it
had once been. She no longer smiled or laughed. She rarely spoke and
when she did, it was scarcely more than two words at a time. A message
had been sent to Arwen about Celebrian, and she decided she couldn't
bear to see her mother thus, so she remained in Lothlorien where she was surrounded by the love of her grandparents.

It pained Elrond to see his wife so listless. Her joy was gone. Her
body had been healed fully, but she could no longer find pleasure in
earthly things. He knew what must be done, but he hated the thought of
being without her.

After a few weeks of deliberation, he made up his mind. Celebrian must be taken across the sea to Valinor where she could be fully healed. He knew he would see her there someday, but it was still difficult to come to the decision to part with her. Elrond called his sons to him and told them what had to be done. They understood and assured Elrond that he had made a wise choice.

When Elladan and Elrohir had left, Elrond found Celebrian and said
gently, "My darling, I think it is time for you to go to the Havens."

Celebrian looked at him carefully.

"Are you sure? Perhaps I could stay a bit longer for you and the children."

Elrond smiled sadly, his admiration for his wife growing by the minute.

"No, meleth nin. I think it would be best if you went to Tol Eressea as soon as possible."

Celebrian smiled weakly and embraced her husband. Elrond choked back
tears and said, "You can leave tomorrow. I'll have a party escort you
to the Havens."

Celebrian nodded.

"Melane le, Elrond."

Elrond rested his cheek on the top of Celebrian's head and whispered, "A melane le."

The next afternoon was clear and cool as Celebrian's escort stood
waiting to depart. Celebrian embraced and bid farewell to her husband
and sons.

"Do look after Arwen, Elrond," she murmured to her husband.

Elrond nodded and kissed her. As the group of Elves left Rivendell's
gates, Elladan and Elrohir gripped their father's shoulders comfortingly.

Elrond watched the escort until they could no longer be seen. His mind flew to Arwen. He wished she could be here. He knew she would sorely regret not being here for her mother's departure to the Undying Lands. Elrond made up his mind then and there that he would never let any harm befall his beloved daughter. He could not bear to lose another one of his dear ladies to misfortune. He had promised Celebrian he would look after Arwen, and that's what he intended to do.