Chapter 9

"Gandalf, what do you think of Oriel?" Lord Elrond asked his friend. They stood silently, watching the stars from the balcony as Gandalf smoked his pipe.

Gandalf coughed, surprised with the suddenness of Lord Elrond's question. From one moment, they were talking about Thorin and the next, it was Oriel. Gandalf cleared his throat and answered. "She is like her father in many ways. From when she was a child, she has been adventurous and wild, always causing trouble with your sons. But now, she has grown up, fair and wise as all elves are, stubborn and unyielding as a dwarf. She is brave and intelligent, one of your best lieutenants. And yet even with the battles she fought, she remains the same, pure and gentle at heart."

Elrond shook his head. "But you do not see what she could become. She is naïve. She seeks to see the good in people, no matter how small it is, and she believes in the goodness of the world too much. But the world is cruel for a kind-hearted girl, Gandalf. Oriel will become ruthless and much more cunning than she is today. Her once innocent eyes will disappear, if not, it will be tainted by hatred and vengeance."

"Have you seen her future?" Gandalf asked quietly.

Elrond nodded.

"What have you seen?"

"Her fate is changing. It was not the same as it was." Elrond frowned. "I believe the company of Thorin Oakenshield is tied to her fate. They, coming here, triggered things that should not be. I worry for her. I see only danger, blood and death, and endless grief for her. It is painful to see a future for a child—a child that I have grown to love as my own."

Gandalf looked at the clear night sky, the stars glimmered and the midsummer moon shone brightly, illuminating the great valley. Always, Lord Elrond's weakness was his children. Even though Oriel was not his child by blood, he treated her as such. Gandalf felt that the trouble in his friend's mind was none other than Oriel. Gandalf remained silent.

"If it is a fate set by The One*, who are we to question it? Who are we to intervene?" Gandalf finally spoke. "The events that have yet come to pass are events that are meant to be. We may sway her from her intended path but you know how similar she is to her father, once her mind is set on a task, she will see it to the end. Her fate is entirely in her hands."

"Perhaps if your companions had come here, then her fate might not have changed."

"And what surety is there in that?" Gandalf asked, his bushy eyebrow rising in question. "If her fate is intertwined with them, destiny will find a way to weave their paths together again. She had met the young dwarf prince before we arrived here, and she had met the sons of Fundin and Thrain long ago. Their meetings are no simple coincidence—they were meant to happen. And even with foresight, we cannot determine the future with certainty for it changes with every choice we make."

"She will die, Gandalf." Lord Elrond's voice was quiet. "Is it not a reason for the Iluvatar to allow him to come back?"

"Who do you speak of?"

"Celebren. " Elrond turned to his friend and regarded him anxiously. "He has returned to Middle-Earth."


Oriel found herself in the middle of a large empty room. There were great, arched windows that overlooked the sea and the mountains in the east. The smell of the salty sea filled her nose and the sound of waves crashing onto the distant shore echoed in her ears. And the sun shone brightly, filling the room with light.

She was a sight to behold, wearing rich silk robes of white and silver, its hems detailed with laced blue flowers, and her hair was woven into a sophisticated braid and a circlet of silver rest atop her head.

"You look beautiful." A gentle virile voice spoke. Oriel turned and followed the sound of his voice. There was a man, standing near the windows, his back turned to her. He had pale white hair that fell to his back, and as the rays of the sun hit his fair head, it seemed to shine like silver. "I have never thought I would see you again."

When it comes to strangers with unknown intent, Oriel always kept her guard up. But in the presence of this strange man, she felt relaxed, protected. "Who are you?"

"From my veins to yours, the blood of the Vanyar flows." He turned to her slowly. He was no man, but an elf. He reminded her of Glorfindel—the same fair and young face, the endearing smile, and a pair of blue eyes that was as blue as the sky. He frowned slightly, marring his beautiful features. "I should have protected her."

Fleeting images came to Oriel's mind as the elf spoke. There was a little girl, barely ten winters old. She was beaten and cut by dark figures. She could only scream and cry as she was held down. She kept screaming for someone's name. Oriel was filled with rage and sorrow for the girl. For an innocent child to be treated in such a way, it was despicable.—

"I should not have left her."

—"Ada! Ada! Where are you going?" The little girl shouted as she ran after the leaving cloaked figure. She was covered in blood and dirt, her arms were covered with bruises, her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were rimmed red. "Do not leave me!"—

"I hope only for forgiveness that I do not deserve. But I am here now. I am here to protect her."

Oriel fell to her knees as the images began to fade. She felt her Fëa* and the pain and the grief the girl felt ripped through her like an arrow through her heart. She felt her cheeks dampen, not noticing that she was crying.

"From your veins to mine, I do not understand." Oriel asked quietly. Her hands trembled as she placed her hands around herself. "Who was that child?"

"That was you, my daughter."


THE NEXT DAY

"Oriel would be awake by now. She told me once that she rises early." Kili yawned. Beside him, his brother was still frowning. "Don't worry. She will forgive you if you apologize. Oriel is not hard-hearted."

Fili knew that. She was friendly and pleasant, and she showed nothing but kindness to them. Unlike all the others that looked down on them, she treated them like equals despite being raised by elves. And how did he repay that? He spoke to her insensitively and judged her based on the opinion of another. He regretted his actions deeply. That's why he wanted to apologize first thing today. And he swore to himself, that he will try to know her better, to be a friend to her.

"I know she isn't."

As they approached Oriel's door, they noticed it was slightly open. They knocked twice, thrice, but there was no answer. When Fili was about to knock again, an elf with golden hair came out and closed the door. His face was young and fair, and his eyes were blue like Oriel's. He carried Huin in his arms and as he saw them, he smiled.

"I am sure you wish to see Oriel." He said smilingly as he ushered the dwarves away from the door. He didn't smile at them as if it was a duty, instead he smiled to them like Oriel always do, as if they were friends, like equals. "But now is not the time. She is unwell."

"Then we must see her at once." Fili insisted. "She is our friend and we wish to lift her spirits."

Kili added. "Aye, perhaps a visit from us may help greatly."

The golden-elf eyed the two dwarves curiously and smiled. "Perhaps she does need friends right now. Very well, you may enter. However, Oriel is still—"

"I REFUSE TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO YOU TELL ME HALF-TRUTHS! " An infuriated Oriel came bursting through her door, shouting in elven tongue. Kili and Fili, even the elf before them was shocked to hear Oriel's shouts.

She looked terrible. She wore no beautiful dress or dull trousers today, only her sleeping garments and a dark robe. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes were red, as if she's been crying all night. "I DESERVE THE TRUTH! DON'T TREAT ME LIKE A CHILD!"

She brushed past the two stunned dwarves without a second glance, as if they were not there. All eyes were set on the fleeing Oriel, even the golden-haired elf who was frowning slightly. He was worried for her. Oriel had never thrown a tantrum to that extent. All her previous tantrums were always measured, and she never talked back—not to Lord Elrond.

"Glorfindel." Kili and Fili turned to the sound of the voice. It was Lord Elrond. Looking exhausted and dejected, he closed Oriel's door behind him with a sigh. As he noticed the two dwarves, he spoke in elven tongue to the golden-elf whose name was Glorfindel, as Kili realized.

Kili has never seen Oriel in such a bad mood. He never thought that she was capable of such emotion. From what it seems, Oriel was shouting at the elf-lord inside the room. Something big must have happened. Kili only hoped that she was fine.

As the elf-lord hurried away—like Oriel, he ignored Kili and Fili, the golden-elf turned to the dwarves with an apologetic smile.

"She looks well enough to us." Fili remarked.

"I think you should give her time to think." Glorfindel sighed. In his arms, Huin whined. "I would appreciate if you would see her tomorrow or the next day, but for today, leave her be. It will be good for all of us."

With that, Kili and Fili were left alone in the empty corridor.


"What happened?" Glorfindel asked. He reached Elrond's balcony in his quarters, and found him staring off into the distance.

"She came to me early in the morning dishevelled and crying. Never has that girl cried again after she came back to us, today has been the first after many years." Elrond sighed worriedly. He relayed what she told him, sparing no detail. As he finished accounting Oriel's dream—and their argument, Glorfindel said nothing, but Lord Elrond noticed his jaw tightened. The wolf in his arms was squirming but when Lord Elrond glared at it, Huin stopped immediately and sulked.

"Do you not think it is time?" Glorfindel asked sadly, knowing what it meant.

"Those years have been torment for her. I fear that she would become…lifeless and hollow as before."

Glorfindel sighed. It had taken years for Oriel to live again. They had thought she would sail to the Undying Lands at such an early age, but one day it all changed. She became cheerful again, like the child she once was. It was only after a few weeks had they realized that she willed herself to forget the memories of that incident, locking them in the deepest parts of her mind. "I do not wish for that to happen. But, Oriel is strong. I believe in her spirit."

"Her spirit was weak this morning because of that dream." Elrond argued. He eyed the wolf in Glorfindel's arms sourly.

"She was shocked. Do not treat her as if she is a fragile vase." Glorfindel retorted back. "Remember that she is his daughter. She has a strong spirit and a resilient resolve. She would not be here now if she was as frail as you think. More dreams will come, Elrond, and she would eventually recall those horrid memories."

Lord Elrond remained placed the wolf down. It scampered away quickly as his paws touched the ground, leaving both elves in privacy. Oriel has always been Glorfindel's favorite. With her dark hair and blue eyes, it reminded him of his lost love. "If that dream came to her, it is no coincidence. Maybe it is time that she learns of what truly happened in the past."

"I do not wish to hurt her. I do not wish for the past to bring her sorrow."

"All these years you have kept her in the dark. The truth will come out soon, Elrond. If she learns that you kept the truth from her, it will bring her sorrow, it will hurt her much more. You are her 'ada', the only one she knows now. And to be betrayed by you, the one she has trusted all her life, it will crush her. I heard from Mithrandir that Celebren is back. I believe that the dreams are his doing. He wants her to know."

"I know now what Celebren wishes." Elrond looked at Glorfindel with sad but determined eyes. "To change the course of her path towards her fate."


"You all right, laddies?" Balin asked. He noticed the young princes have been sitting under a tree, sulking all morning. After they went to see Oriel, their disposition has turned gloomy, even Thorin has noticed. He was worried for his nephews. They were refusing to tell the truth, saying that they were only tired, that they did not sleep well.

"We are just tired." Fili lied. They were worried for Oriel. They wanted to comfort her but as the elf said, it was better if he was left alone for now. She wouldn't probably want to see him, anyway.

Beside him, Kili was brooding about Oriel much more. He felt angry that she was crying. He felt angry because she was angry. It didn't make sense but all he wanted to do right now was to find her, and embrace her like his mother did when he was hurt. She needed someone to be there for her now. But he was scared. He was scared that he would make it worse. It was irritating him that he couldn't do anything for her now.

"Well, lads," Bofur tried to cheer them up. "You better get yer spirits up. We're goin' for a dip in one of the fountains!"

Fili sighed and scooted next to his brother. He knew his brother was more of Oriel's friend so he was more affected than he was. "Come on, brother."

"It's not fair that will be having fun with the others while she's crying and angry."

"We cannot let uncle see us like this. We cannot be distracted." Fili pulled his brother to his feet. "We'll visit her later. Cheer her up and play with Huin, all right?"

Kili nodded silently. "I just wish she's not crying anymore."

"Me too, Ki." Fili offered a smile. Seeing Oriel sad was heartbreaking. She was always smiling and always kind, and all he wanted to do was make her smile, but for now, nothing can be done. "Me too."


A/N: With the impending future, Elrond grows anxious. What exactly did Lord Elrond say that quickly angered Oriel? What happened to Oriel in the past that Elrond fears greatly? Is the man in her dream truly her father? What is the relation of Celebren to Oriel's dream? And what role will he play in Oriel's life? What will Fili and Kili do to cheer up Oriel? Find out in the next chapters!

*The One does not refer to the One ring but to Eru Iluvatar, as it is one of his titles/aliases.

*Fëa means spirit.

**Italicized dialogues are in Sindarin.

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