~Chapter 2~

Alcarinqua

Coruwen stared at her knapsack; the dark leather shining dully in the freckled sunlight. The night before she had packed for this day and only brought with her a few things such as her bow and needlework. Her fingers turned the loose sleeves of her lavender dress as worry began to churn in her stomach. Her ears did not hear any noises around her, or the trees that whispered above her. No, her ears only heard the thud of her heart against her ribcage. A soft knock on her door started her with a gasp.

"Come in," Coruwen answered when the knock came again. The door opened mutely and her father stepped in. Her gaze thinned on him; his face was tired, his eyes lacking their typical, stern glint. Her skirts swished after her when she approached him to rest a hand on his cheek. When she gazed up at him, he shut his eyes. Her voice came as a gentle whisper, "Ada, are you feeling all right?"

Haldir opened his eyes and smiled, "Yes, sweetling. I am fine – I simply am tired." His hand rested over hers, and his palm was warm. With her hand in his, he removed it from his face and cradled it in both of his hands. "Are you ready to depart?"

Despite the worry that sickened her, she nodded. Haldir hesitated and Coruwen watched him, observing. His eyes watched their hands, and so she turned her gaze on them as well. His fingers were slightly thicker than hers, and his skin possessed darker undertones. She had read about her father's people, the Sindar. A few times, she had read about the Noldorin – the people of Lady Galadriel – and compared her features to the old stories. Haldir's hands dropped hers and she was startled out of her thoughts. He came to take her in his arms, his embrace tight as if she were to be swept under by a torrent. The breath that occupied her lungs was swept free, coming out in a breathy sigh.

"I know this will be good for you, nightingale. However…" His voice faltered and his body became tense under her touch. "I cannot deny the protectiveness I have over you."

She ran her fingers through his silver hair, smiling. "I know... I have always known." Coruwen pulled away and saw the grief in his features to be grave like a shadow. Whispering his name, she cupped his face in her hands. "Ever since I was knee high to you, I have known that. But I will be safe in Imladris. In truth, there is not a safer place."

Haldir nodded before sighing heavily. He moved out of her hands to take up her knapsack. "Come, nightingale. Your uncles and I have something for you."

A crease of curiosity came to her brow, but she trailed after her father like a lost pup. His gait was swift, hurried and urgent, forcing her to pick up the hem of her skirts to follow him out of the flet to the forest floor. Before her was an odd sight – both of her uncles stood in front of her. Orophin smiled at her and Rumil struggled to keep a hold of the reins of a snorting horse.

"Adar," Coruwen began when she saw the horse. Its elegant blonde head swung with white puffs of mist escaping its nostrils. "What-?"

"His name is Faenaur," Haldir answered, cutting her off. He approached the horse without a single shred of hesitation, and began to whisper to the horse in their tongue of their people. Steadily, the horse's wildness ceased and he nudged her father's outstretched hand. "And he is a gift from us to you."

The stallion's brown eyes watched – fierce and wild – as she approached her father's side. Fear made her movements less than graceful as she peered over at Faenaur. He snorted in anxiety again, sending her backwards into Rumil's chest. Haldir smirked and ran a hand across the stallion's forelock. Underneath her father's hand was a blaze of white that matched his long, unruly mane.

"You are giving me a wild stallion?" Coruwen asked in disbelief. She eyed her father curiously, her tone far cooler than she had anticipated. She turned her cool gaze on her youngest uncle and then to her father. "Have the three of you lost your minds?"

"He is a warhorse, nightingale," Haldir began, his hands toying with Faenaur's mane absentmindedly. "And he did not gain the name Radiant Flame, for simply being white and gold."

"And I can attest to that reasoning," Rumil grumbled above her. She glanced down at his hand, and saw that a nasty red mark bloomed lay there. Hesitation and fear filled her, but she steeled her nerves and approached Faenaur. Behind her, she heard Rumil whisper, "Perhaps giving her Faenaur is not the best idea, Haldir."

"If he likes her then we will have nothing to fear, brother," Haldir's voice replied in assurance. Why did he sound terribly happy about this? Their voices blurred into muffled whispers.

She watched the horse before her, the stallion's heavy feet stomping the ground as she closed the space between them. The horse kept his head low, and the wind tickled his mane. He was a beautiful creature, she noted as she outstretched a hand to Faenaur. Beneath her boot, a twig snapped and the stallion's head snapped up, making her flinch. His fiery eyes watched her in turn now, and he tossed his head with a quiet whinny in an almost arrogant manner. Coruwen thought that he was nearly as nervous as she, if not more in this moment.

"Easy, proud fire, easy," Coruwen cooed as her hand pressed against his velvety pink snout. The horse snorted and she ran her hand down his neck, feeling heat envelope her hand in a cocoon of warmth. Though as she neared his shoulder, his muscles became tight like cords and she pulled her hand back to his neck. With trembling hands, she pressed them against his cheek. "I know you do not trust me… And to be honest," She laughed quietly, "I do not trust you, but my family thinks otherwise."

"We can hear you," Rumil drawled over her whispering. She turned a sharp glare on him and he shrank back. "And if it means anything, horses do not understand us."

"The horse master would have your head, little brother," Orophin scolded and prodded Rumil with the end of his bow. Coruwen giggled as Rumil hissed at Orophin, the hiss mimicking a cat in great likeness. "Horses are intelligent, graceful creatures. I am under the firm belief that they understand us."

"Oh yes, only because you were once their kind," Came Rumil's jape, and Coruwen stifled a giggle. Orophin whirled on his brother, his hand raised about to smack his brother upside the head, and Rumil flinched – shying away. "I do not warrant a smack for that?"

Orophin tucked his hands into the confines of his cloak, "Not yet."

"No warning?"

Coruwen saw her father smile, "You know the rules, Rumil." She turned her gaze on Faenaur's swiveling ears, and stood on tip toes to touch one. But just as her fingers graced the plush, erect ears of the horse, her father's hand pressed against her upper back. His voice came to her ear, "Are you ready?"

She nodded slowly, and her gaze fell on the frost that covered the grass in a crunchy shell. Under her feet as she shifted her weight, the grass crunched mutely. She folded her hands behind her back when the urge to wring them rose like a wave in her system. Her father's hand closed around her shoulder to pull her into him, but she dug her heels into the slick earth. If he comforted her, her heart would will her to stay. Her eyes met his and then she bowed her head to him. The reflection of grief glinted in his eyes, to which her heart shuddered. He turned away from her on his heel, his cloak billowing behind him as he took up a saddle and silver blanket. Behind her, the whicker of horses alerted her to Arwen's arrival. She turned to face the maiden of Imladris and her guard, thus becoming dimly aware of Haldir and Faenaur.

Arwen's dappled mare came trotting up to her, and Arwen smiled down at her. "It is a fine day to be departing these lands." Her grey gaze fell on Faenaur, and Coruwen's heart jolted in her chest once again – this time in shock at Arwen's reaction. Her smile drifted away, a mere sliver of happiness gone. Her gaze became curious, her eyes studying the palomino stallion closely.

"Is something the matter, my lady?" Orophin asked, his eyes trained on Arwen, who still kept her gaze trained on Faenaur.

Coruwen's fingers toyed with a lock of hair, and there was little she could do to stop her thoughts from churning around in her head. She wondered if Faenaur was a bad horse to bear her across the Misty Mountains, or if she would even follow the gracious Lady Undomiel. The stallion had a great fire kindled within him, like a great ball that grew when she grew near him – she saw it in his brown eyes. And yet, her thoughts broke when Arwen giggled.

"He will be an excellent playmate for Eleniel." Beside her, one of her guards nodded. The grey gaze of Arwen fell on Coruwen, who started slightly at the calm sharpness within. "Are you ready?"

Her words became like lead in her mouth, her throat became tight, and thus she only nodded. Arwen's lips turned up in a smile, and she reined her mare around in a circle with her guards trailing behind. Coruwen gave her father once last glance – one belonging to departure's grief– before she swung up onto the back of Faenaur. And not once, as Faenaur carried her away, did her eyes drift back.

~.~.~

"What is Imladris like, my lady?" Coruwen asked when they had stopped upon the High Pass. It was the quickest way to Imladris from Lothlórien, though the path was rocky and dangerously high up. The stone was lined with thin rills of water that were as thin as hair strands, and grey like storm clouds. The ellith stood huddled against a corner with an outcropping of rock protecting them from the bitter cold.

Coruwen turned her gaze from the grey clouds, lighter than pillows, to speak to Arwen, her hands shaking in the cold by her sides. When the bitter wind died down, she asked,"What is Imladris like, my lady?"

Arwen let out a breath, though it turned into white steam quickly. "I believe it is as beautiful as Lothlórien is… Though, far from quiet. The Bruinen is quite loud, but nonetheless it is beautiful." Arwen told her. Coruwen rubbed her hands together when a brisk and bitter wind cut through their thick cloaks. Her lady smirked, "I believe you will enjoy my city, Coruwen."

There was a silence between them as the wind galloped past them, sending their hair into their eyes and cloaks flapping. Arwen sighed and smoothed down her cloak. Coruwen flipped her hood up once her hair was free from her eyes. Coruwen felt a tiny jab of curiosity come when she saw that Arwen's guards had wandered off.

"I overheard the guards mention your brothers?" She inquired. At her question, Arwen giggled. "By that, my lady, I would think that they are trouble."

And then the lady's grey gaze fell on her, once again sharp. "Must I correct you on this?" Coruwen frowned, her arms snaking around her sides. "I am not a lady to you – I am Arwen. I know it is a habit, and I should not correct you like an overbearing mother, but…" She took Coruwen's hands from her sides, the lady's hands frigid compared to her own, "We are to be studying together."

"Yes, of course…"

With a hum, she continued, "And to answer your question – yes. My brothers are twins and they are far more trouble than they are worth. Though, I love them… They are hard to handle."

"Will they trouble us?"

"More than likely…" There was agitation in her voice and Coruwen's heart panged in a fit of worry. She thought of her uncles and their bickering. No doubt, she would have to be calm around Arwen's brothers just as she was around Rumil and Orophin. It was not a simple task, she noted when the guards came trudging back. Against her side, she felt a playful poke and then caught Arwen's grin. "Ah, and here I was… thinking the two of you had gotten lost."

"We apologize, my ladies… We found the way down from here that leads to the Road," One guard panted, his leaned forward with his hands on his knees to gain a breath. "Nothing attacked you, did it?"

"I believe we would not be present if said action came to pass," Coruwen said, her voice calm despite the worry bouncing inside of her. Beside her, Arwen quietly giggled, bringing a soft smile to her own face. The other guard straightened, brushed off his mail of scales, and then disappeared around the corner. Beside her, Arwen's giggle morphed into laughter. "Did I say something?"

"Your tone is quite like one of the lords in Imladris – Lord Glorfindel, who is our lord commander. He enjoys play." Arwen's voice was quiet, almost inaudible. It was supposed compliment, she reflected. Coruwen tucked her hands into the folds of her cloak when the other guard vanished from sight. Arwen glanced over at her, her eyes wandering up and down Coruwen's body. "I hate to ask this of you, but do you always become terribly nervous?"

Coruwen started at the sound of the lady's question, her hands falling back to her sides. "I suppose it is concern more than anything… I-I have always worried…"

Arwen reached out and took her hand, her fingers much like her own – bitten by the wind and pink – giving Coruwen's hand a squeeze. She was thankful for the happiness that Arwen gave to her, and yet she was bothered at the same time, for she could not give anything but concern to the Lady Undomiel.

"Are you prepared to depart, my ladies?" One guard's broke her reverie. Poking from around the grey stone corner were Faenaur and Eleniel; their elegant heads swinging in lessened play. Coruwen and Arwen beckoned their horses to their sides with a snap of their fingers.

As Eleniel and Faenaur came trotting up to their mistress's, Arwen spoke without looking at the guards, her hands outstretched to take Eleniel's face. "I believe we are."

They bowed their heads to her and retreated back to find their own horses. Coruwen rubbed Faenaur's neck in small circles and he whickered with a toss of his head. Gripping the reins, she pulled herself onto his back and settled into the saddle. Beside her, Arwen hissed at the cold. Coruwen did not voice her hatred of the cold as it nipped at her skin, though it was quite tempting when she so much as shifted.

"To think it will become colder is a farfetched idea," Coruwen murmured, her voice full of regret. She shifted in the saddle once again. Arwen nodded in agreement, and the two nudged their horses into a slow walk. "Do you think winter will be any colder than this?"

Lady Undomiel glanced back at her guards, and then returned it to Coruwen. There was mischief and an odd somberness to her stormy eyes. "They told me that snow has fallen all ready in Imladris."

Coruwen felt herself frown at the mention of snow. Lothlórien never had experienced snow before, and for the most part it only became cold in the icy months of the year. And Coruwen had never left Lothlórien until now. Beside her, Arwen laughed, which startled her. Perhaps it was the frown on her face or the deathly silence that fell over that Arwen caught.

"I forget, you have not seen snow before… It is simply cold – nothing more." Her friend assured her. Coruwen smiled, nodding and followed Arwen down the narrow slopes of the High Pass. As they ventured down the slopes of the pass, the dark grey stone began to shine in the midday sun. At the sight of it, the guards mentioned that the pass would become treacherous, should anyone make any sudden moves. Faenaur and Eleniel's ears turned in annoyance at one point when they had stopped on the other side of the High Pass.

One guards slid down from his saddle, his hand flicking to his bow. As he moved ahead of Faenaur and Eleniel, he withdrew a tawny fletched arrow from a quiver on his hip. Underneath his feet, the light snow and ice crunched like tiny pebbles, and Coruwen rubbed Faenaur's neck as he snorted out white puffs of steam in anxiety.

"What do you hear, kinsman?" Arwen asked, hushed. The guard stole a glance back at her and then motioned with two fingers to the hills above them. The ladies' eyes rose to the slick ridges above them. The quiet groan of a bowstring being pulled made Coruwen's heart jump into a gallop in her chest. The guard had an arrow notched and pulled back to his cheek, prepared to fire at whatever moved above them.

"If you are going to shoot, I suggest you do it quickly," A voice laughed above them and it echoed off of the rocks. Over the edge of the ridge, a dark head appeared. The ellon's hair was dark and his mail was formed of bands of polished silver. Against the dark rock and dusting of snow, he was a silver star. He slid down the side of the hill, leaping down before the guard with more grace than a mountain lion. A sly smirk appeared on his face when the guard lowered his weapon and jumped back. "Well, if it isn't my sweet sister, come home from Lothlórien."

Arwen's grey eyes narrowed up at the figure, and she reined her horse closer, despite Eleniel's neigh of protest. Coruwen felt a strange sense of confusion and lightness wash over her at the sight of this ellon.

"Elladan, what were you doing?" Arwen inquired, her voice edging suspicion. She raised her hand to the other guard, and he mechanically lowered his lance. Elladan stalked close to his sister and took her horse's reins to cease Eleniel's nervous whinnies.

Coruwen's gaze thinned when Elladan spoke, "Glorfindel and I were hunting an orc pack that strayed too close to home before you came along." He sighed, running a hand over his chiseled face. "In fact, we thought we had them cornered… Low and behold, we were wrong."

"To be fair, we mistook you for orcs as well, Lord Elladan," The other guard chimed, his horse walking past hers.

Coruwen let out a low hum, thinking of her father and uncles in Lothlórien, who had spoken of the orcs that had begun venturing down from the Misty Mountains. She remembered Rumil telling her that the orcs cut the necks of all races while they slept, and all they would find in the tiny huts of Men were splatters of blood upon the walls. They were becoming brave, perhaps too brave, she thought darkly. Her fingers tightened into the folds of her dress as a bitter breeze tore past them and into the narrow pass that she figured must have led to Imladris. The wind seemed to howl throughout the narrow pass, and she shivered.

"Let us come back with you, sister. Glorfindel and I have hunted those orcs for far too long… Adar will become livid if I do not return soon," Elladan said as he started back up the ridge. Watching him climb, Coruwen felt a tiny tickle of fear race up her spine – for years she had climbed trees, and never once did she think that climbing rocks would be an excellent idea. Elladan disappeared up the ridge, his blue cloak vanishing from sight.

The whinny of a horse drew her gaze to another lord, golden haired and noble of face, who led two horses by the reins to Elladan. He handed a bay stallion to Elladan and for a brief moment, Coruwen met the lord's gaze. His eyes were a royal blue, and within sparkled wisdom and power like banked flames. She tore her gaze away, focusing it back on Arwen as she turned Eleniel to follow the guards that marched onward down the narrow pass. And for the longest time as they ventured down, there was a thick silence amidst them. Coruwen caught the glances of Arwen every so often, but nothing was said and she was left to listen to the whickering of horses and muffled roar of the falls nearby.

However, her silence was rewarded when the tiny group rounded a switchback down into the crevice of Imladris, where the ivory city greeted them. It appeared hidden amongst the overhanging branches and sun bleached stone, but as the sun's eye passed over it, the ivory flashed like a winking star. Elladan paused on the lower road with a wide grin on his face.

"Welcome home, sweet sister," Elladan announced and nudged his horse down the next switchback. Arwen's guards followed after their lord, but the golden lord lingered behind with Arwen and Coruwen. Arwen shook her head, muttering something under her breath as Coruwen neared her.

"Arwen," The lord began with a kind smile. Coruwen looked to the ellon as he turned his smile upon her, and she returned it. "Who is your charming friend?"

Arwen's attention snapped back like a bowstring, her grey eyes lighting up, but she followed after Elladan at a slow pace. "She is the healer that will be joining me. Did Adar not inform you that she would be following me?"

"No, he did not." The lord replied. He frowned, and Coruwen giggled into her hand. His attention returned to Coruwen's, and he smiled once again. His smile was kind, a warm smile that made her feel at ease around him. "I am Glorfindel, my lady… It is a pleasure to meet you."

Coruwen gave him a bow of her head, "My thanks to you, my lord. I am Coruwen, daughter of Haldir."

He motioned for her to start ahead of him, which she took and guided Faenaur down the slope. Her horse snorted in unease as he started down the slick path. Behind her, Glorfindel's voice resounded like a iron bell, "I have met Haldir before… I had no idea he had a daughter."

A prickle of heat touched her ears and she looked down at her gloved hands, feeling the skin on her knuckles burn. Her throat constricted in sudden unease, and she did her best to cast off the concern that was locked within. Never before had she been around lords of high order, and she tried her best to appear calm – though without a doubt Glorfindel had caught it.

"H-He does not speak of me much, my lord. It would be my uncles that speak kindly of me," Coruwen told him, keeping the crackle of nervousness out of her voice. Behind her, Glorfindel hummed and she turned her eyes back on him – he was frowning ever so slightly. "Does that strike you as odd?"

"Yes, very much so. Fathers are often fond of boasting about their daughters, especially if they are fair as you and Lady Arwen," Glorfindel chuckled and she turned away, her face burning.

"You are one for flattery, I see…" Faenaur's ears turned back when she spoke. Glorfindel's deep laugh rose to her ears, bright like the sun. Her stallion's ears turned back to the road once again when she patted his warm neck.

"Have you never been called fair by an ellon? If you have not, I find that strange."

Within her, frustration's fire began to kindle and it stirred her blood. Yet despite its goading, she kept her tone even and watched the snow kick up underneath Faenaur's feet like powder.

"Are you always this curious?" Her question came in a lighter tone that startled Glorfindel a tiny bit, and at his reaction, his horse threw back his head with a snort. It took every bit of will power Coruwen possessed not to burst out in laughter at the disgruntled lord. He let out a short sigh, fixed the reins in his hand and rode up alongside her as the road's mouth widened.

"Well, Lord Erestor would tell you differently than I, but I suppose it is a nasty habit." From above, snow drifted down onto his flaxen hair and he shook his head free of the white flakes that dusted his hair. He brushed it away and then looked far ahead of them. "Ah, I see our horses have found the way."

Through the hood of her cloak, Coruwen felt the bite of the falling snow and found that it had not stopped Faenaur from trotting onwards into the depths of Imladris. He glided past the statues of the elven warriors with their spears held at the ready and their cloaks being swept tight against their backs, but frozen forever in stone. Eleniel gave a toss of her head at the sight of Faenaur, and Coruwen reined her horse close to the mare to allow them to greet one another. When she made to dismount, she felt hands grip her sides and pull her down to the slick stone, at which she yelped and clung to the hands that held her. Above her, she heard a familiar laugh – Glorfindel's laugh.

"I forget that it does not snow in Lothlórien," Glorfindel stated, his tone feigning forgetfulness. She struggled to keep herself upright, and she cast off her hood to see what lie around her. She could see the polished silver of Glorfindel's armor and the cloak of royal blue velvet that shadowed him. She also saw Faenaur's blonde fur trembling and Eleniel's grey coat. "You may cling to me if desired, my lady."

As her blood stirred in irritation, she threw an annoyed glare at Glorfindel as her world was knocked out from beneath her feet. Inwardly, she was not letting snow get the better of her, and she stepped away from him. The earth was slick beneath her feet, as though it was formed of the smoothest silk yet it clung to her feet like an anxious child. Without a second thought – tossing caution to the wind – she took another step and her world shrank beneath her feet and she collapsed on the ground. Glorfindel was at her side quickly and picked her up, letting her balance while holding onto his hands.

"I feel like a newborn fawn," Coruwen mumbled, staring at their hands in anger. Her fingers began to ache as the cold seeped into her skin, biting like needles and turned them red.

Glorfindel chuckled, "Would you have me carry you to the top of the stair then?" She sent a look of curiosity his way, and said nothing. "Fine then – I shall carry you."

"W-What? No!" And he heard her, not taking the initiative he had carved out. "L-Let me at least take your hand, my lord."

"As you wish, dear lady."He gingerly guided her to the tall stairway and the two climbed together. She took each step with great amounts of concern, her world threatening to be knocked out from under her once more. Coruwen took deep breaths and steadied herself until Glorfindel's voice shattered her thoughts like a rock hitting a looking glass. "So you are to be studying with Arwen?"

She swallowed the pain in her throat, "Y-yes, my lord."

"Well, I have good news for you then," She stole a glance from him, and paused when he abruptly stopped. It was then – that she realized – he had guided her all the way to the top of the stairs and they were not on snow any longer. She let out a long breath of relief, and met his blue gaze with a small smile turning up her lips. "You and I will be seeing more of the other one."

A/N: Thank you all for the response thus far. :) It means a lot to me. Anyway, if you have questions, please ask me in the review section and I will reply! :)

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Much love - Angel