And so my muse has returned for a short interlude, and here is what's popped out. This is my first fic that's set before the Fellowship of the Ring, so be gentle. Please read and review though, and I'll pop out more chapters as they come to me.

-A

Eregion

Elrond looked out at the city of Eregion with a great sense of anxiety. He was too late.. they were too late. The city was already encircled by Sauron's army, they could not reach it. And there were still Elves trapped in the city, amongst them he knew were Celebrimbor and Celeborn. Were they still alive? A herald by his side looked to him for a command and Elrond hesitated. Was it folly to charge the army standing between them and the city? Was it suicide? With a firm nod, he confirmed his decision. They would charge the city, in hopes of clearing the path for those that would flee it's walls. A cry was sounded, to alert the dark army of their presence. "An Elbereth a Eregion!" And then all hell broke loose.

The battles were long, though not as long as Elrond had anticipated. Sauron's army retreated to the southern side of the city, leaving the north wall open. Elrond's troops had formed an unwavering wall of defence, allowing a constant stream of those that were able to escape to get through their lines.. but before nightfall, Sauron's forces had returned, harrying their lines and testing their strength. The Half-Elf wondered how long they could keep this up. Already casualty reports were coming in from their lines in the east and west. How many more would leave the city? Where was Celeborn?

As if someone had heard his thoughts, it was at that moment a silver haired Elf made himself known. Elrond turned and breathed a sigh of relief; Celeborn had managed to get what was left of his defence force out of the city to join Elrond's ranks.

"It seems we meet in times of need, meldir-nîn. Are you well?"

Celeborn managed the slightest of smiles as he clasped Elrond's forearm, the Half-Elf did the same before they embraced. When they parted, Celeborn answered. "Yes, I believe I am well. Though I fear for those still within the walls. Sauron himself has entered the city… Celebrimbor has been captured."

The news brought a look of shock to Elrond's face and a deep concern to his heart. Celebrimbor, the one that had crafted the Three, had been captured? What of the Rings? He looked to Celeborn, and though his question had not been posed, it was promptly answered with a shake of the head.

"I know not of the Rings… but I know that the smith does not have them. Sauron took him as we were fleeing." Celeborn's voice was quiet, as if he were already mourning. He knew that Sauron would not rest until he knew where the Three were, perhaps the Seven as well. Would Celebrimbor betray them all? Elrond's voice broke through his train of thought.

"Take rest now, Celeborn, there is little we can do. Already my lines have broken and have fallen back… we cannot hold off his forced for much longer. Already I fear that we may be trapped."

"We are not yet trapped, Peredhil, not yet. When all that are able have fled, then we in turn will make for the north." Celeborn bowed his head to Elrond before leaving to take some rest. In the morning, their battle would continue…

Three years. It had been three years since this had all begun.. but the night that Celeborn arrived had been the worst. It was when the screaming had begun. That night had been unnaturally quiet, all had noticed it and took fear in it. The first one had been ignored. Perhaps it was simply a death.. But the next, and the next.. It was torture. Elrond finally understood – Celebrimbor. Sauron would try to torture the locations of the Rings out of him. It was then that all had began to plead to any higher power that would listen – Do not let him betray us.. Do not let him betray the Three.

Elrond watched the city with stormy eyes, watching black smoke rise from burning buildings, from the burning smiths, homes, libraries… He could see black shapes on the walls, keeping watch as their dark lord tortured the hapless Celebrimbor. But.. somehow.. the screams were almost reassuring. It meant that Celebrimbor had not given Sauron what he wanted, had not told him the locations of the Three. And for that Elrond was glad. He turned his head as someone came to stand beside him.

"It's been three days, Elrond, do you believe he can last any longer?" Glorfindel asked softly, troubled blue eyes looking out at the blazing city.

"He is our only hope, Glorfindel, but I can feel naught but guilt when I wish for his death. Sauron will kill him if he does not reveal the locations… and I look for signs of it daily."

Glorfindel looked to his younger friend, frowning slightly. The Half-Elf was watching the city steadily, watching Sauron's forces between them and Eregion. A pained cry pierced the air and it made both of them cringe. "Death will be a release for him, and he shall find peace in Mandos's Halls." He said quietly, offering some comfort to the dark-haired Elf beside him. Elrond only nodded.

"Yrch ortha e rhaw!" A frantic call came from the front of the lines, clearer details were brought to Elrond and Celeborn by a messenger. Both Elves dropped what they were doing and raced through the lines. Another cry sounded. "Their lines are reforming and advancing!"

And indeed they were. Black forms were edging up the hill to the Elven lines. Elrond scanned the walls of the city and just as quickly averted his eyes. Beside him he heard Celeborn's shocked gasp, and he heard a disgusted sound choked in Glorfindel's throat. The Half-Elf heard someone in the ranks retching, and he was not surprised. There, in the city, suspended from a great pole, was Celebrimbor's beaten and bruised body, pierced through with three arrows. The bright golden hair reflected the sunlight coldly. In that moment Elrond knew that the Three were safe – Sauron did not know their locations.

But all was not well. The dark forces were still advancing, and even combined with Celeborn's group, there simply were not enough Elves. Elrond felt a growing panic. They would be wiped out by sheer numbers. All of the survivors.. They would be slaughtered. He turned desperately to Celeborn. "We must retreat, we cannot take another full-out assault from Sauron's forces-"

He was cut off by a sound from behind the city, and the Elves of the ranks lifted their heads in time to see a stream of stout figures crashing into the orcs' flanking lines from behind. Dwarves, out of Khazad-Dûm, a relief force.

"Elrond, we must take this opportunity, we must retreat north or we will lose those we have been fighting to protect. We can do no more for Celebrimbor, no more for Eregion. We must take the survivors north." Glorfindel broke through Elrond's thoughts, and the dark-haired Elf nodded.

"The army must stay between the survivors and the orcs." Elrond commanded. "I will not have these people lost."

Travelling was hard, the orc lines had followed the army to trouble its front most, or rather in the case of this retreat, hindmost ranks. But after three days, after losing more than Elrond had imagined, they broke off, and returned to Eregion. On that third day Elrond ordered a rest, so that they may tend those that needed it, and so that the refugees may rest.

Celeborn was not surprised in the least to find his friend had visited the make-shift medical tents before doing anything for himself. Glorfindel had delivered news that Elrond had not yet rested or taken food, and Lórien's lord was intent on making sure it was done. He found the Half-Elf hovering over one of the spearmen, nursing a broken wrist.

Elrond smiled some, promising the young Elf that he would be well in a few weeks time. He stood and was a bit surprised to run into Celeborn, most literally. "Forgive me, I did not see you there."

"I am surprised you can see aught at all, Peredhil, have you taken any rest at all since we've stopped?" Celeborn arched a brow, and Elrond found himself looking away from the piercing grey eyes that stared at him. "As I thought. These men will be looked after, Elrond, you cannot heal all their hurts on your own, and without rest. Come, eat something and take rest, or we shall force both upon you." Celeborn smirked when the dark-haired lord gave him a doubting look. Celeborn wondered at that moment if anyone could force Elrond to do anything. But they could certainly try.

"As you wish it. Wake me in a few hours and we will continue north."

Of course, Celeborn had no intention to wake the younger lord until Elrond awoke on his own.

Elrond awoke to the sound of alarm. The Half-Elf rolled out of bed, performing perhaps the quickest turn-out of his life, and rushed out of his tent, finding it to be dusk – hours after he'd asked to be woken. "Celeborn!" The silver-haired lord was no where to be found, and so he grabbed a herald that was rushing by. "What's happening?"

The youth looked terrified. "My lord, orcs out of the mountains and from our south, their numbers are vast. We cannot hold them back and the order has been given to flee north, with those that are able to stay towards the back and defend our flanks."

"Who gave this order?" Elrond frowned at the news, looking up and surveying the controlled chaos of people moving about.

"My lord Celeborn." That explained it.

"Where is he?"

"Waiting for you, behind the ranks." With that the young messenger broke free and sprinted off again, evidently having more news or orders to deliver. Elrond took off in the other direction, finding Celeborn amongst a few soldiers.

"What news?"

Celeborn shook his head sadly, "Eregion is burning, overrun completely. Sauron has sent his forces to follow us and we must flee. Our numbers cannot match and we are running out of places to run."

Elrond surveyed the map before him with some horror. He saw their own vastly depleted army marked with small, blue stones. Then he beheld the darker stones, the black obsidian that represented the orcs.. The creatures were forming a half-circle around the Elves and planned on encircling them completely. Only their northern edge was free enough to flee. "Celeborn we must go north and hope that Gil-galad's host meets us. We cannot hold off Sauron's force if we are encircled."

"I have ordered the retreat and you shall lead it, Elrond. I will remain amongst the ranks with Glorfindel. Take Erestor and lead Eregion's refugees. Find somewhere that may act as a place to hide.. anything." Celeborn levelled a hard look to Elrond, who was vaguely of the same rank, but was now being made near subordinate. "Please do not challenge me meldir-nîn. These people were not born to die, and nor were we. I will follow with our own forces to keep the beasts off your back. But now is not the time to fight. We run, and we do so quickly. Now go!"

Elrond nodded and sprinted off again, pausing only a moment to speak to a dark-haired Elf, who was by comparison very young yet. Erestor took in Elrond's words and ran after his lord. Glorfindel watched the pair go.

"Do you believe we will succeed?"

"Whether I believe it or not matters little, Glorfindel. What matters is that I will not break off from those survivors. Now come, organise the lines to follow them, moving northwards slowly if we must. We must protect their backs and hope we come to a place where we may hide, or hope that the High-king's host meets us before then."

†

So.. yeah. We're done for now. Please read and review, it's excellent incentive to continue my madness.

Translations:

An Elbereth a Eregion! – for Elbereth and Eregion!

Meldir-nîn – my friend (masculine)

Yrch ortha e rhaw! - Orcs are raising a body!