Hey! This is my first fanfic. Thanks for reading:)

CH.1

The rosy fingers of dawn painted the sky above Rivendell. A breeze brought the smell of the forest through the light-filled rooms of the last homely house. The patients rested – their minds far from their troubles. They were mostly guards that were injured in the border skirmishes which were becoming more and more frequent. Though elves do not take long to heal, many of the guards (specifically the unbonded guards) lingered in the homely house – enduring the captivity, boredom and frequent (one might say obsessive) bandaging and re-bandaging inherent in a prolonged stay. Often they would feign muscular discomfort, difficulty sleeping, stomach illnesses and more. The head healer, initially concerned, had come to regard these 'injuries' with little more than bemusement.

Élia arrived only moments after sun-up. She walked over to the work table and unloaded a cache of medicinal herbs, thistles, flowers, fungi and algae. After arranging the various bandages, instruments and scrolls, she paused. She looked through her ingredients and picked up a bundle of algae. She placed it on the table of the other apprentice – a gift. Satisfied with her work, she turned her attention to the patients.

The patients smiled as she came by. As she inspected their bandages, they told told her of their talans outside the city, of their families, of their wives and sisters and lovers. She listened, laughing at their jokes and stories. They watched her go from patient to patient, the fine threads of her hair steadily escaping their braids. She changed all every bandage – washing off the wound, reapplying salve, and meticulously rewrapping the cloth. Just as she finished with her last patient, Lord Elrond entered the door.

'Good morning, Élia!'

Startled by the voice, she turned quickly, 'Oh, Elrond! How are you this morning?'

He raised an eyebrow at her surprise, 'fine, fine.. how are you?'

'Oh, fine,' she said quickly. 'I was looking at the charts. It seems as though all the ellyn are recovered, and...,' she continued more quietly, 'have been for several days. I don't know how to get them to leave.'

Elrond's eyes crinkled ever so slightly, 'I imagine that you should remind them of the importance of patrolling our boarders.'

'Certainly, they're aware...'

'Something about this place lends to a kind of forgetfulness,' he said. The ghost of smile reached his mouth, and then vanished. 'Élia, we have other matters of which to speak. The wedding parties from Lórien and Mirkwood are arriving today. Though I have heard of no attacks, we will, regardless, prepare a number of fresh beds and a good deal of sleeping balm, for which we will need more Lissuin flowers. Have you seen any growing lately?'

'Aye, there is some beyond the river in the direction of the mountains. I can harvest it this evening, once the beds are prepared and the other balms have been mixed.'

Elrond, having been busy inspecting the algae she brought, stopped short. 'You will take a guard with you. The land beyond the river is no longer safe.' She nodded. 'Also, where did you find these algae? I haven't found the like for years.'

She blushed, 'a mountain cave... but I went with a guard!'

Elrond looked at her askance – being far too familiar with her perilous sense of curiosity and previous misadventures . 'I should hope so... '

She smiled, 'well, at least, I'm getting quieter!'

'It would be harder to be louder..'

She laughed, 'oh, ada, it must have been so difficult for you to raise such an orcling.' He smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder and a kiss on her forehead.

'We both know that it was the twins who raised you. Arwen and I were simply present to teach and guide from a distance,' his affection was evident in his voice. 'I must go though, there is still much to arrange. Remember the beds and the flowers!'

'Of course,' she said, kissing his temple. She watched him as he walked through the door. When he walked past the window, his eyebrows were already knitted with reflection. She returned to her work table – alone with her work and her thoughts.

She knew that engagements ended in the marriage of those engaged; with Elrohir though, it had never seemed real. Growing up, he was hers. He was the one she went to – no matter the reason or the time of day. In Arwen and Elladan, she had found friend and sibling. In Elrohir, she had only ever seen hero. Though it was far beyond the limit of her memory to recall, she knew that it was Elrohir who had rescued her from the wreckage of her home and the carnage of her family. He had taken her into the bosom of his family – given her a family, a life. In return, she had given him everything of the heart she had – she had become his shadow, his imitator, his greatest and most secret admirer. She felt her heart swell at the thought of him... only to pinch. It was he who would marry four days hence. Even her fingertips hurt at the thought.

His betrothal to Uruviél, the only daughter of Thranduil, had been decided thousands of years ago (indeed, before the births of either elf). Their marriage would unite the houses of Imladris and Mirkwood, previously so distant. As they matured, they seemed well-suited and the date was planned for the thousandth birthday of Uruviél. Uruviél renowned as an elleth both exquisitely lovely and gracious. In every opinion, she was the perfect match for Rivendell's unruly firstborn.

Aria cleaned the mortar she had used, setting aside her ingredients. Tonight was the official commencement of the wedding festivities, and she intended to stay as far from the city as possible. Although there was the question of a guard.. She wondered, who could she ask?

Elladan, she decided. He could always be persuaded to skip a festival, banquet, feast, what-have-you. He would gladly accompany her to the mountains tonight...

'No,' he said.

'But Elladan! You hate festivites – they're so loud and drunken and silly. You would be much happier in the mountains where it's calm and quiet.. It's not even so far from the city, really! It's just beyond the river and the first meadow and the second creak and..,' she looked up pleadingly.

'No,' he said again, amused by her antics.

'Please?' she implored.

'No and no, little elanor,' he said, smiling. 'I may despise feasts and festivals, but I will not miss the wedding of my twin, not for the world!'

He laughed at her pout.

'Come now, Éli, be reasonable.'

'There will be another celebration tomorrow and the day after and the day after... It will be nearly a week of celebration, Elladan. Do you really feel like you must attend them all?'

'Don't you? I should never have imagined that you would run off and miss a celebration of your dearer older brother,' he said with a grin.

She looked down, 'Ada asked me specifically... and you know how I dislike these things.'

'Little one,' he said, raising her chin with his finger, 'little one, he is to be married not murdered. He will still collect plants with you, still take walks with you, still save you when you are being chased by packs of orcs or streams of angry ants.

'Besides,' he added. 'Uruviél is beautiful and kind; she will make Elrohir happy. Perhaps you will even have some elflings to play with soon.'

The thought of Uruviél making Elrohir happy was devastating, and the idea of elflings made her sick.

'I'm not little,' she replied, her expression sour. 'And what if he doesn't like her? He's never even met her!'

Elladan made a noise of agreement, but couldn't keep the mirth from his eyes, 'Aye, you're not far from your majority now, are you?

'It's only a fifty years from now...' she said, a hopeless hope resounding with every syllable.

Elladan didn't respond. He smiled slightly (or perhaps sadly) as he watched her.

'Elrohir is in the stables now, you should talk to him before tonight. He is anxious.'

The afternoon sun streamed down onto the city blow. From her view through the window, it looked as though the whole of Rivendell was caught in a drop of amber. The houses, the water, the rocks, the air – all trapped in golden light. The beauty of the moment seemed so ephemeral, so final, so much like change. She knew she had to see him again, one last time before he bonded, before he trapped. She turned to Elladan.

'Thank you, brother,' she hugged him, and walked from his sight.

He looked after her, noticing for the first time the shy curves of her body and the new, more feminine braids of her hair. He watched her disappear.

'Aye, Éli, you are right... you are coming upon your majority.'

So... what do you think? Should I continue?