Wishing For Sunny Skies
Chapter 8
Arwen sat for a long while after Harry had dozed off into an exhausted rest, his studies long forgotten on her table. She lay covered him with her sheets, and stroked his hair out of his eyes, not for the first time frowning at the jagged scar carved into his forehead.
"Never before have I had anyone else."
The words made themselves a dagger in her heart, twisting and burying deep.
Just what life had this child lived up until now?
She watched the child sleep for another moment until silently rising and padding across her room. Reaching the door she decided to go to the health wing, where her father surely was monitoring Bilbo.
She had not been fortunate enough to have met Bilbo when he first had set out for the lonely mountain with the dwarves. She had been away to Lothlorien and had only returned just before his passing through with Gandalf-tired, weakened and emotionally drained. Even though she had not known him before his journey, she had seen he had lost a part of himself.
Before he had left Rivendell the last time, he had seemed to somewhat heal and they had become good friends. She wished to see him again, to speak of books and his favorite passages.
At arriving in the health wing Arwen tilted her head to the side curiously.
Her father was standing over by the hobbits belongings, the small one fitted in a nightgown for his stay in the healing wing, and the look on his face was not one she had ever seen.
"Ada," she spoke softly and he startled as he jerked his hand away as if burned from where it had been reaching out to the pile of folded clothes.
"Arwen," his voice wavered slightly and she quickly made her way by his side,"What brings you here?"
Setting a hand on his shoulder with concern she looked up to his troubled gaze," What is wrong father? You seem frightened."
He looked back down to the clothes as did she. They had been washed and folded, and set with all the hobbits belongings onto the chair at the end of the bed. In the bed Bilbo slept silently.
"It is as if I have heard a fell voice, one I have not heard in so long. It is like a distant memory that has for some reason come back to haunt me. . .I feel. . .Is there nothing strange that you sense my daughter?"
Her brows knit together as she looked to the clothes and even lifted a pant leg before letting it drop again.
"Father I believe you have been working far too hard. Much has happened this week. Bilbo has finally stabilized. I feel that I can watch him tonight while you rest."
"Perhaps you are right," he frowned again his voice becoming distant and eyes unseeing as they gazed past her to the hobbits belongings again. Her gut twisted painfully in a sharp fear for her fathers mental state at the moment.
After the departure of her mother, it had been her brothers and her that had kept her father going on for so long. She knew someday her father planned to sail to the undying lands to finally be with his love. She wondered if that time was coming soon, and if she was ready to see him go.
Because already she knew she would live a mortal life and forever loose her family for it.
Shaking these dark thoughts from her mind she set her shoulders," And," she negotiated," I believe you have yet to have a day with Calemiron, and I believe a day together would do you both good."
At her fathers questioning look, though she would rather see that than the haunted expression that had marred his face only a moment before, she looked to the hobbit and walked along side his bed, glad to see the regular rise and fall of the small chest.
"He was upset this evening. And I am unsettled at his fears of being unloved or abandoned. He does not think well of himself," Arwen looked up to her father eyes sharp," We must let him know otherwise."
"Yes we must," her father nodded a tired sad look on his face,"It will take time. But as with all wounds he will heal."
"Then go on. I have watch tonight. Perhaps bring him something something special with his breakfast. Though it may have to be something quite extravagant to beat the strawberries Ellihor brought a few days ago."
Elrond chuckled and nodded something in mind," Oh I believe I have quite the rare treat he will enjoy. Thank you Arwen. I shall go rest now, and hopefully sleep with ease my mind."
They embraced briefly before he headed to his bed chambers.
Walking over to the open windows Arwen settled herself down, allowing her mind to wonder as she watched a nearly full moon crest the horizon.
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Harry woke with a jolt. The fire in his room had went out and the sky had the grainy grey in preparation for the sun rise.
Breathing in shakily he tried to sit up.
But the weight on his chest-on his limbs- held him fast. His head stayed turned to the side facing the window, eyes wide as he urged himself to look over his shoulder.
There was a rickety breath behind him.
Fighting down a whimper, wondering if he cried out if anyone would come in time.
It was the monster.
He had refused since arriving to tell the elves of the monster that haunted him. He 'knew' it was real, but he was also well aware that no one would believe him. Even Floi had thought it to be a product of his imagination.
There was a shuffling sound and the breathing was closer, rattling as if the monster had to fight the air in and out of its own lungs.
"Ssssso ssssmaaall," Harrys eyes widened a fraction more and his chest heaved painfully as he tried to steady his breathing," how. How do you have thisss power?"
A cold clammy hand traced down his arm and it burned.
Harry whimpered tears entering his eyes-but if he had ever learned anything from his aunt and uncle it was to be quite.
"Pooor little Harry Potter. All alone in a world that his own is from, yet doesn't belong," the hand grabbed his wrist and Harry groaned unable to completely stay silent. A small sob escaped him.
"Floi," he knew the sun was rising. It probably would have been beautiful if his vision wasn't blurred with tears and his senses all focusing on the pain in his wrist.
"No," the hand gripped harshly onto his wrist and tugged, Harry finally was able to move though boneless lead by the creature," You are alone. In this world as much as the last. Only I have been here. And now I finally have the power to gain form. I just need you to get it for me boy."
Harrys eyes slowly focused on the hollow unnaturally white face, with sunken in eyes set too deep in the long skeleton skull that rested atop a long too thin of a neck.
His vision suddenly blackened at the site and Harry had the odd sense of falling before he was shooting up and out of best, gasping as he looked around to the empty room filled with the morning sun.
Shaking he slipped from the bed and stumbled out the door hitting the wall opposite of it, feeling not completely in control of his heavy movements.
He stood there shaking and breathing looking to the partially opened door where he could see a sliver of the large windows, the sun pouring in and shades lapping gently in the early morning breeze.
Then he ran.
He ended up in his room which was not far from Arawens own and slammed the door shut. Throwing himself to his bed he burrowed under the covers, thrust his hand under his pillow and held the stone Floi had given him close.
"Please come take me back," he didn't realize he was sobbing until he began to talk," please please please. You promised-you promised you would protect me."
He held the blankets around him tightly as the sobs slowed and he felt as if he had not slept at all. But he knew he couldn't fall asleep. The haunting image of the monsters face was still in his head.
There had always been 'something' back at Privet Drive. It had haunted him in the shadows of his cupboard, lurked in alleyways and hallways. But never before had he seen such a creature until arriving to Middle Earth.
And he wasn't fully sure what that meant.
A knock sent him jolting up, hugging the stone to his chest as the covers pooled around his middle.
"Y-yes?"
His nose was stuffed and voice thick from crying, there was a pause on the other side of the wood and Harry knew that whoever it was hadn't overlooked that.
"Are you alright Calemiron," Elronds voice was soft and strong. Harry really liked him. He had a strength much like Floi's, but not in strong arms and strong actions. The smallest movement, the shortest remark, all were underlined with a quiet strength that demanded attention.
"Yes, I am fine," he said heart twisting slightly with guilt when he realized he was comparing the two. No one-no one ever- could replace Floi. In such a short time he had grown close to the dwarf as if the other were the father he always dreamed of. Strong, heroic, protective, and there. He remembered Flois words, even if said in anger, about Harry forgetting all about him. Harry never wanted to forget Floi.
"May I enter?"Elrond asked," Arwen has offered to take over watching Bilbo now that he is stable. I had thought perhaps maybe you and I could spend some time with each other."
"S-sure," he said. Because even if he didn't want to replace Floi, he also didn't want to deny Elrond. Or be alone.
The door opened and Elronds face, normally set into a calm if not slightly weary look, fractured and shock before worry overcame him, his brow crumpling and a frown pulling down on his lips. It indented the very slight lines in those places, hinting that it was a frequent expression.
"Why Calemiron, what has upset you?" He glided over silently and gracefully, tall and willowy like all elves and Harry wondered not for the first time how could he be considered one of them?
Elrond settled on the bed next to him, a gentle cool hand on his hot cheek and Harry realized that his eyes must be slightly red and swollen from the crying, and his cheeks were most likely blotchy.
Looking down he shrugged, unable to voice his worries. His fears. Couldn't talk to him about the monster.
Elrond calculated him for a moment longer before nodding gently.
"I am here for you," he said simply before standing and going to the drawers and pulling out a change of cloths for the boy.
And guiltily Harry couldn't stop the thought. That was something he loved about elves the dwarves and not even Bilbo could do. They always managed to read emotions so well, and backed off at the right times.
His heart broke a bit at the thought of that was in a way proving Floi right. He clenched the stone harder in his hand holding it to his heart.
"Here. A change of clothes,it looks as if it shall be a warm day out. We can go by and see Bilbo before seeking some breakfast-how does that sound?"Elrond spoke softly and Harry nodded, thankful the elder didn't dwell on the fact there was something obviously upsetting the boy.
Taking the clothes and giving a soft thank you he padded over to his bathroom and closed the door to change. When he had first arrived the elves had wanted to dress him, as if he were a baby, and he had-after the second time of withstanding it- gently informed him he enjoyed very much showing his independence by dressing himself.
Of course they only saw how adorable this was. But of course allowed him to do so.
His bathroom chamber was quite nice. He had a sink above what was a toilet that when pumped water was used to wash his hands and flush the toilet-somewhat different than those back in his other world it was nice to at least have running water and plumbing so he couldn't complain-he shivered at the memories of Bree with no indoor plumbing or running water.
Across from the door on the wall ending the room was a full length mirror. He looked at himself in it frowning at his puffy eyes and red cheeks. His hair was more devilish than normal though that wasn't too worrisome.
He went to the mirror, one arm holding his clothes to his chest the other clutching the stone to his heart.
Seeing something he frowned and pulled his shirt sleeve up the rest of the way.
Around his wrist there was a very visible bruise, as if done by long thin fingers.
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Heartspin: PHEW. I finally got this chapter out! I have had HORRIBLE luck with this chapter lol. I lost it twice! And life is so hecktic sometimes that it is so hard to write and finish something in one sitting much less two or three.
I owe you all an apology for the horribly long wait, but hopefully I will be able to update soon(knocks on wood)
Also I do believe this story is WELL overdue for some fluff. So beware. I have already started the next chapter. Your teeth will eventually rot...I hope. Well honestly I don't but I hope the fluff is good-its actually a genre I have trouble writing. . . So yea my eyes are burning and I am exhuasted so i will leave it at that.
Please review and let meknow what you think! Thank you a bunch again for being such amaizng readers!
