Chapter 2: A History by Eleniel

In the year 2509 of the Third Age, my mother Celebrian was captured by the enemy. An orc pack within the Redhorn Pass waylaid her upon her journey to Lothlorien, at this time she carried within her womb a baby. Her company of Elven guards were all slaughtered and she was taken, dragged into the depths of the passage.

In the darkness they wounded her, tormented her and made all her nightmares come true. She was poisoned by the knives of the orcs, and soon the darkness began to work its way threateningly through her body. On the cold stone of the passageway I was born, my mother gave birth to me on her own in the desperate moments of the spreading poison. There she prayed to the Valar and to Eru 'The One' for his love and light to save my life."Please save her, please give her life. Please save my baby, Eleniel"

And with that in a way I guess I was… 'Sent back'. The Valar looked at me and they talked a lot, not that I could see them necessarily-.. But I could feel them, and hear them. They were this bright, warm light and they were everywhere and everything. My naneth was there too, holding me closely to her body as we listened and waited for the Godly ones to decide. In the end, the heavenly beings made a decision. They would give me another purpose to live in the world and there they rewove my destiny; "She will be the Child of Time, and will forever be a light and guardian to those who live on Earth."

My naneth was later rescued by my brothers. I was wrapped tightly in her arms as she was returned to her home of Imladris and was treated by the Lord Elrond. Elrond healed my mother for a very long time, but even when her cuts and bruises went away… she was still sad. It was not very long after that she left us, and sailed across the Great Sea to live for the rest of her days in Valinor.

"Even though I don't remember her very well, I still dream of her"Eleniel whispered the final sentence as she finished her account of the 'Capture of Celebrian'.

Frodo and Eleniel at Bag End.

"The Valar gave you have a magical power"Frodo began apprehensively,"-One that lets you go back in time to events that have already happened in order to assist your ancestors in times of need?" The hobbit tried his hardest to summarize what the elf-girl had told him that day in the garden. Eleniel had been living with him for the past several days since she transported herself accidently into his kitchen cupboard after a 'Time traveling accident'.

It had been a shock to the hobbit, and this week was like none other the Hobbit had ever experienced. None the less, Frodo could not deny that he had found friendship in the girl. He did not know what to believe, but his heart trusted the girl and so he listened to all she would tell and he promised to keep her secrets. Her eyes did not lie as she spoke of many things that did not even exist yet in the world, and she tried hard to explain. Sometimes Frodo could imagine the things that the girl spoke of, as if her words conjured images into the sky and clouds as she told her tales about her mother, the Valar and other adventures she had seen in other worlds and times. Sometimes she would show Frodo objects from within a small leather bound knapsack that was also found in the cupboard after her arrival. In it, a strange object she called a 'Flashlight' could be found, and it could shine bright like the stars.

"Yes, but not only the past. I can travel into the future, or to events happening right now-..." Eleniel looked up at the blue sky as she thought about her family in the valley of Rivendell. She still refrained from mentioning this family relation to the hobbit next to her.She did not want to admit it, but she missed her father and brothers very much- She even missed Arwen. 'I wonder what they are doing now?' She wondered. "Frodo-.. What is the date today?"Eleniel asked the hobbit.

"It is the 18th of September, 3018 of the Third Age"Frodo answered casually. The elf nodded, and fell once more into deep thoughts about her home. She had guessed that her father would be very upset with her-.. That is if he had even noticed by now that she was gone. Lately the Elven Lord had been so busy- Eleniel would not have put it passed him if he had once again he forgotten all about her. These thoughts made her sad, though she tried hard not to admit it to herself or to others.

"Will you be returning to Rivendell then?" Frodo spoke again in a calm tone, he was becoming used to the girl. The last few days she had been good company, and Frodo felt like a young lad again, excited and curious (NOTE: This is not a romance fiction) "Not right away, I think"Eleniel answered with a mischievous grin, she would be avoiding home if she could help it. She would rebel and have the fun her own way. The two continued to sit on the back porch, they watched the clouds pass high above them and they enjoyed the soft breeze that kept them cool. Many times did Eleniel compliment the hobbit on his garden, she had spent some time within it and by her hands Frodo began to notice some flowers that he had not noticed before. Luckily none of the neighbours had seen the young girl yet, it was a miracle in Frodo's mind.

How in Middle-earth would he explain the presence of an Elf in his house? Eleniel seemed oblivious to this issue at hand, instead she laughed lots and sang songs all day long just as Frodo guessed that an Elf would. Still Frodo insisted that she stay out of sight for now and try to keep the singing to a quiet decibel.

It was now the countdown till the hobbit's Birthday, but it was the date after his birthday- September the 23rd, that plagued Frodo's mind. On this day, Frodo would set out from his beloved home of Bag End and travel to the first waypoint in his journey, Crickhollow which was in Buckland. The road to Buckland would be easy enough if they cut across the country side, however it was after that point that worried Frodo the most. If Gandalf did not meet them at Crickhollow, those who traveled with Frodo would have to set out alone on the journey to Rivendell, the 'Hidden Valley'. What if he could not find the way?

"You look so serious, Frodo!" Eleniel giggled and poked him playfully. Frodo turned his upward gaze towards her, her blue eyes shone in the sunlight and her carefree, happy face gave the hobbit a sense of hope. With a Rivendell Elf before him, the answer seemed now plain to Frodo. She could show him the way could she not? Or better yet if she truly did have this 'magical power' then perhaps she could simply transport them to the valley of Rivendell from Crickhollow!

"Eleniel, you have been honest and have told me all that you can. Now however, it is my turn to share my own purpose with you." With that, Frodo showed the girl what he kept safely in his waist-coat pocket, and he told her all that Gandalf had told him. Eleniel's eyes grew wider and wider as Frodo shared the story of The Ring, and by the end she almost looked ill.

"Please,.. put it away"She asked as her face filled with pain, and for her sake Frodo indeed hid it once more. "I need to get to Rivendell if he does not meet us, Eleniel" Frodo began.

"..And you need my help to get there" The Elven child finished the sentence for the Hobbit, who nodded in confirmation. "Will you help me?"He asked his new friend desperately. The Elven child was silent for a moment, how could she deny him this when he had promised to keep her secret? She owed the hobbit a great deal now for promising to keep her secret. After a moment, Eleniel nodded confidently and answered,

"Yes Frodo, we shall travel to Rivendell together"

-
Elrond's Point of View in Rivendell.

"Eleniel, where are you little one?" The Lord of the house called out as he strolled down the corridors of his home. The family wing kept all the members of the family close together, here there was everything they needed. The bedrooms were grouped together; with the nursery, family dining and sitting areas, bathrooms and library.

"Eleniel!" It was to the nursery that Elrond was headed to, as he searched for his youngest child. He had not seen her since the early hours of the day before, when he had been busy with many meetings and obligations which had withheld him. Lately an uneasy feeling worried the Lord and he took counsel with his people. Times were becoming ever more dangerous in all the lands of Middle-earth. His duties had kept him from his family recently, and he could not help but feel responsible for the behaviour of his youngest child; whom of late was wild, boisterous and could not keep out of trouble if her life depended upon it. It had been the day prior that the Elven lord in frustration had sent the child to her room for the day to 'Learn to behave!'

Elrond understood that his absence was hard for his littlest to understand. Celebrian, his beloved wife had departed for Valinor when Eleniel was only just a new born babe, thus Elrond was both Adar and Naneth to his youngest. Perhaps she thought she was losing him as well?

'I'll make it up to her' Elrond thought to himself with a sad yet confident smile, they would spend the afternoon together and do all the things he knew would make her laugh and smile. The Elven Lord laughed as he remembered a fort he had built out of pillows with his daughter not so very long ago, she had slept in there for several nights at least! "Silly girl" He mused with a smile, but Elrond's smile quickly fell from his face as he stepped through the empty nursery and his child's empty bedroom. He felt his heart sink and fill with a sudden fear, something was not right. He continued to search and call out for his child, his heart now racing as he called out. "Eleniel!"

But alas! Eleniel was not there, she was simply gone.