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Chapter 9 ended with:
He did not give Glorfindel any time to question him any further. He gave one last kiss to his daughter, and bowing his head to his son-in-law, left the flet to join the army who was about to march to Dol Guldur.
Chapter 10 - Recovery
"Glorfindel?" she whispered.
He immediately woke from his light sleep, still paying attention to his mate during his reverie. An instant later, he was sitting beside her, checking if she needed his help.
"Yes, beautiful?" he asked, caressing her cheek with his knuckle.
"I cannot... endure... the pain anymore..." she panted.
"Why did you not wake me before?" he chided, going through the bottles Lord Elrond had left for him. He soon found the medicine he was looking for and brought it back to her.
"No... not this one. Do not want... to sleep." Each time she had awaken in the past two days, Glorfindel had given her a sleeping draught. She was ready to face the reality. She wanted to know if Glorfindel had heard about the battle in Dol Guldur. She was worried for the safety of her father and grandparents.
Glorfindel went back to the table, and took another bottle. In truth, he had not expected Elleniel to want to remain awake for another few days. She had more endurance than her father had expected. He should have known better. He helped her drink the medicine, and she sighed in relief when she started feeling its effect a few minutes later.
"Why did you not wake me earlier?" he asked again.
"You were sleeping. You needed the rest. I know... what you did. The pain that you took from me on the battlefield."
"How do you know?" he asked, wondering who could have told her. He had not left her side since she had been carried away from the battlefield on a stretcher.
"I saw you." He rose an eyebrow. "I saw you... from up there. I was... on my way to the Halls... but my fëa could not leave. Something was keeping me close to my body..."
"Your father and grandmother. They kept your body artificially alive while Celeborn repaired some of the damage and I took some of the pain away from you."
"I see."
"You see? Am I crazy or do I hear regret in your voice?" he asked in disbelief.
She turned her head to look at him. "He was calling me."
"Who?"
"Namo."
"What did the Doomsman of the Valar wanted with you?"
"Can you not guess, Glorfindel?" He refused to answer. "It was my time, my love. My mission was over."
"Good. Now we can concentrate on being happy without worrying about Sauron and his Nazguls."
"You do not understand. The Valar wanted me back in the Halls of Waiting. You have all acted against the will of the Valar."
"I care not for their disapproval or anger. I was reborn to take care of Elrond's family. This is my mission. As far as I know, I am respecting my oath." He started caressing her hair, trying to reconnect with her. "Why are you not happy to be with me?" he whispered painfully.
"It was... so peaceful. And painless."
"The pain will recede. And your fëa will be at peace, Elleniel, this I promise you."
"Bring me back home."
Glorfindel was puzzled. Elleniel had never used that word. What place did she call home? Imladris? Valinor?
"Bring my to our guest talan, you dimwit," she chuckled, only to choke abruptly when the laughter movement caused her additional pain. He patiently waited for Elleniel to recover, caressing her hair to soothe her panic.
"See what happens when you insult me?" he said lightly, hiding his worry. "I am afraid your father did not want you to be moved to Caras Galadhon until you can sit for a few hours."
"Can you remember the last time I actually listened to my father's command?" she asked. "Please, Glorfindel. I want to be in our bed. It is much more comfortable. I am sure I will heal more quickly there."
"This is a fallacious argument. You will heal whether you are on this flet or in our bed."
"Yes, but I can bitch the whole time or be as sweet and quiet as a fawn. What is your pick?"
"I will not move you unless you take the sleeping draught. I do not want you to be awake while we bring you down the flet and carry you to the city."
"No. I want to see the forest. The trees will help me heal. Promise me you will not use your sleeping spell. I will see it coming."
"Fine. Maybe you can try to heal some of your wounds? It would decrease your pain when we move you."
"I would not know where to start. Although... my right knee feels weird. I do not think the bones are mending properly. Maybe I should..." she mumbled to herself as her hand started glowing.
Glorfindel hid his glee as he watched her touch her knee, starting a healing process she did not have the strength to hold. She lost consciousness, exhausted by the use of magic after less than a minute. Elleniel was so much like her brothers! He had spent centuries subtly laying traps in front of them, and was now very skilled in achieving his own goals with the twins. Elleniel was as easy to deceive!
Glorfindel called the warriors that had remained behind to protect them, and asked them to prepare the stretcher, as the Lothlorien princess was ready to be carried to her talan.
The first thing she saw when she woke was her smirking spouse. "You will pay for this, traitor!"
"You know your father will kill me once he finds out I did not follow his instructions?"
"You deserve his wrath if you are silly enough to tell him!"
Six days later, the army was still not back in Lothlorien. Glorfindel was getting worried. If the battle had gone quickly, they would have been back the day before. It could mean that the elves had lost the battle or that the numerous injured elves were slowing down the return to the Golden Woods.
And Elleniel was not getting any better! Glorfindel started pacing in their room, wondering when Lord Elrond would be back to take a look at her. She slept most of the time, some deep healing sleep that did not heal her at all! She still was in much pain when she was awake, and she avoided moving her legs or her chest. She could not eat, and even drinking was painful. But her physical weakness would not worry him so much if her mood was not so melancholic. He did not know if it was due to the pain, or to that incomprehensible longing that she had for the Halls of Mandos and the peacefulness she had felt when she had almost died.
He was mystified. Was his mate fading or were her injuries taking much longer than expected to heal? He had no healers to discuss her health with, they all had followed the army to Dol Guldur.
He remembered a comment Lord Elrond had said before leaving, about renewing their bond. He stopped in front of the bed, where Elleniel was still sleeping. She was lying on her back, in the position that was causing her the least pain. Her raven hair was spilling all over the pillow and her eyes were closed, sign her extreme fragility. The bed sheet covered her body, hiding the bandages that still covered her arm and legs. He had removed the bandages on her chest as changing them had caused her excruciating pain. She was the most beautiful elleth to him, despite her weight loss and the dark circles under her eyes. She was still a constant temptation to him, but in all honesty, he could not imagine a way to renew their bond without causing her more pain.
He had no choice. She was slowly dying in front of him, their bond damaged by her near-death experience. Making his decision, he prepared a double dose of Elrond's pain draught, using the last bottle that was left. He slowly sat beside her, caressing her hair to soothe her in her tormented sleep. She sighed softly and woke up, looking at him with confusion.
"Glorfindel?" she asked, wondering why he had woken her. She had long before renounced to being awake as the simple pain draught did not seem to be strong enough.
"Drink this," he said, insisting that she drank it until the last drop. He was actually playing his last card. He had no idea what would happen to his mate if he failed renewing their bond. Or more precisely, he knew exactly what would happen to her and he could not conceive it. Once she was done drinking, he put the glass back on the night table and lied beside her.
"You gave me more than usual," she whispered. "I will have no more until my father comes back."
"Do not worry about that. You are getting better every day," he lied.
"Liar," she softly replied. "You know I am not getting any better. I am not recovering, Glorfindel. Namo is still waiting for me. I can feel him around me."
"I cannot let him take you, my beloved!" he said with determination. "You will remain here with me! We will be happy together, have children one day. You will go to Valinor alive, when we are ready, and we will live with your family wherever we decide to settle. The Halls of Mandos are not for you, you hear me? I spent millennia there, and believe me, you would not like it. It's too quiet for someone like you."
He started trailing kisses on her neck, going up to her ear. She shuddered when he started licking the tip of her ear.
"What are you doing?"
"Claiming you. Lord Namo will not get you. Not today or any other day!"
"And just how do you think you will do that?" she asked with a point of sarcasm. She knew it would be next to impossible for him to make love to her.
"Trust me," he replied, resuming his kisses on her neck and shoulders. When he pulled the bed sheet from her upper body, she looked at her torso with a frown.
"How you can look at my injuries without disgust is beyond me." The scar tissue was large, red and very swollen, going from between her breast down to her hip. The bruises covering her entire torso were still greenish while they should have almost disappeared by then. The healing process seemed to have entirely stopped for Elleniel.
Glorfindel decided not to reply. She would not believe anything he would say. That her scar would eventually fade, and that her body, although slightly altered, would remain very close to its prior indisputable beauty. And still beautiful she is, he thought as he kissed her breasts.
He caressed her entire body with gentleness, his love for her obvious in his every touch. He insistently stroked the apex of her thighs, an area that was not wounded, and her body started responding to him. Her breathing accelerated, and she frowned in pain. The combination of pain in her chest and pleasure in her core was strange, but she let Glorfindel continue his ministrations until she felt her climax submerge her. She cried in pleasure and then in pain when her back arched, moving her broken ribs.
"I am sorry for the pain, but not for the pleasure," Glorfindel said with a satisfied smile.
Elleniel chuckled for the first time in days. "You are incorrigible. What are you doing?" she asked when he slowly moved her body on her uninjured left side.
"I told you I would claim you," he replied from behind her. "Worry not, you now know there will be more pleasure than pain." He carefully positioned her legs to allow him better access, and he slowly stroked her wet slit with the head of his elfhood, making her shudder in need. When he felt she was ready and eager for his loving, he gently entered her. Once sheathed, he simply snaked his arm around her hip and started caressing her bud with expertise. Her breathing picked up again, and she started making little movements around his length. She understood he could not thrust into her repetitively, but with his caresses and the small movements she was making around him, she was slowly but surely bringing herself on the brink of another orgasm. Glorfindel was holding to all his self-control not to take over, but he could feel his own pleasure grow even with her small movements. They had not made love in a long time and his body was aching for release!
He thoroughly licked the tip of her ear while his hand was still busy between her thighs. Elleniel climaxed first, and her cries of rapture made him dizzy. He kept stroking her while he was trying to reach his own pleasure, and she rode on a second wave of ecstasy right after the first one, and this time, her movements became uncontrolled, creating a friction that sent Glorfindel over the edge. They suddenly felt their bond grow stronger, and the flow of thoughts and feelings was reestablished between them. Glorfindel almost wept in relief when he felt Elleniel's love for him. Lately, he had frequently wondered if she had not preferred to die than to remain with him.
Two days later, the Marchwarden Haldir entered Caras Galadhon with all his uninjured wardens transporting the injured ones on stretchers. The healers, including Lord Elrond, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, were walking between the stretchers, checking upon their patients who were at the end of their difficult journey.
Standing on a flet, Glorfindel watched the scene with both relief and despair. Their return meant that the elves had been victorious at Dol Guldur. But the number of injured and dead elves was way beyond his expectations. He quickly counted at least 30 stretchers on which lay lifeless bodies, some of which wore the Imladris uniform. Some of his own warriors were dead or injured.
He ran down the stairs and quickly reached the lower level of the city. He started walking between the stretchers, paying his respect to the fallen, and comforting the warriors that needed his presence. He saw one of his lieutenants with a bloodied bandaged on his leg. He sat beside him, and started removing it to see the wound underneath.
"How do you feel, Maethon?" he asked him to keep his mind busy while he pressed the inflamed wound to remove some of the pus.
"I have been better, Captain. How is our Lady?" Glorfindel lifted his head to search for Lady Galadriel.
"She looks fine," he replied after having made sure that Galadriel was still taking care of the wounded.
"I meant our Lady Elleniel," Maethon specified.
Glorfindel looked at him in surprise. Before the last battle, Elleniel had been merely tolerated in Imladris. Everyone had frowned upon this warrior-witch who did not follow the rules. But the warriors of Imladris that had been present on the battlefield had been in first line to see her self-sacrifice, and how she had protected her loved ones from the Nazgul that was killing her. She had gained their respect and love the day she had almost died.
"I believe she will completely recover, but it will take time," he said with worry.
"And you seem well, Captain. If I may be blunt, you looked quite pitiful on that battlefield, when Lord Elrond was trying to save your wife. I can only imagine how it would feel if I were to lose my own mate!"
"It is... the most dreadful thing you can imagine," he replied, trying to hold in check the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him once more. He finished draining the wound, and washed it thoroughly.
"I guess I am lucky my wife is safe in Imladris instead to fighting Nazguls!" the lieutenant replied once his level of pain had come down.
"Where is my daughter?" Lord Elrond had suddenly appeared at their side. "Where is she?" he asked, watching around frantically for her.
"She is in our talan, my Lord."
Lord Celeborn, who had heard them, came closer. "How is she?"
"I was worried for many days. But her health started improving two days ago. But I know not if her recovery follows your expectations."
"If she is not walking with some help by now, her recovery is too slow," Celeborn supplied.
Both lords looked at Glorfindel, waiting for his answer.
"She does not walk. At all."
"She sits, at least?" Elrond asked, hopeful. Glorfindel's puzzled look was answer enough. She did not even sit in her bed.
"Her mood has improved greatly, at least. Two days ago, I was wondering if she was... fading. But I am sure she is not now!" he added quickly when he saw their horrified looks.
Elrond called a healer nearby and asked him to redo Maethon's bandage, and grabbing Glorfindel by the arm, he dragged him towards the talan he knew was occupied by his daughter and Glorfindel. Celeborn followed, catching his wife before she started taking care of another warden. When the four elves entered the talan, Elleniel was sleeping on a small bed located the balcony. She was covered with the warm blanket Glorfindel had put on her earlier, and despite the warmth of the sun, she was shivering. They took in her weakness, paleness and weight loss in one glance.
Galadriel knelt beside her granddaughter and gently touched her forehead. "She was fading," she realized. "She was fading, but somehow, the process was stopped!" Galadriel said, looking up at an uncomfortable Glorfindel.
"How did it happen?" asked his father-in-law.
"I... Well... We renewed... our bond."
"In her state?" cried the outraged father. "It must have been extremely painful for her! I specifically told you not to do it!"
"Elrond!" Celeborn thundered. "Glorfindel did the right thing! Without him, Elleniel would have faded by now, and we would be burying her with the other fallen warriors tomorrow."
"How painful was it for her?" Elrond asked.
"Do not answer that, Glorfindel!" Galadriel ordered. "Elrond, it is time for you to remember that Glorfindel is Elleniel's mate, and that he cares for her deeply. I am sure he was extremely gentle with her. And if I remember correctly, you attempted the same when Celebrian was found after her abduction and torture by the orcs. You stopped her fading, and she sailed to Valinor to recover. You have no lessons to give to Glorfindel in such matters!"
Elrond was finding it hard to let it go. Elleniel was his daughter, a daughter he had missed for centuries, and who was risking her life like many male warriors would not dare do. He had almost lost her on the battlefield, and now she was still suffering. How could Glorfindel have...
"She is strong, my Lord," Glorfindel stated, touching his arm to get his attention. "It was... beautiful. Our bond is stronger than ever."
"Alright," Elleniel's father whispered. "Bring her inside so we can examine her."
Glorfindel picked up Elleniel and carried her to their bed inside the talan. He stood back and left all the space beside the bed for her family. He listened intently to their conversation.
"Is she under a sleeping spell or is it a healing sleep?"
"Healing sleep, I think."
"She wears a robe, she probably cannot put on a night gown yet. Help me remove it."
The three healers stared at a naked Elleniel for a few seconds. Glorfindel had to fight the jealousy he felt, but could not suppress a growl. The two males are healers and her family, he reasoned with himself. Galadriel turned to him, reading his thoughts easily. Do you wish to leave? she asked in his head. No, I can manage, he thought in reply.
Elrond and Celeborn had not even noticed the silent exchange.
"Her scar is still very swollen," Celeborn observed. "The bruises on her chest should be gone by now."
"They are yellowish now. Two days ago, before we...," he stopped, not wanting to talk about their lovemaking again, "two days ago, they were still green," supplied Glorfindel.
"Then there are some improvements," Elrond replied. "Why can she not sit yet?"
"I think the abdominal muscles have been damaged and she still has a hard time with the position."
"What about her legs?"
"She has not complained about them since the day she tried to magically heal her knee. It exhausted her completely, and I do not know if she had time to fix it completely or not."
Celeborn bent over his granddaughter and gently put his hands on both her knees. The hand on her right knee started to glow blue as he started mending the bone. His hands then moved to her ribs, where they stayed for a few minutes, still glowing blue. The bruises slowly started to vanish, and when they were gone, Celeborn removed his hand and sat on the bed, exhausted.
"I cannot do more for her, not for the next few days," he panted.
"That will help her greatly, my love," Galadriel told him. "She already breathes better, can you not hear it?"
They all listened to Elleniel's breathing, who was indeed less shallow than before.
"Thank you, my Lord, for making Elleniel more comfortable," Glorfindel told Celeborn.
"Glorfindel, this is the last time I want to repeat it. We are family now. Call me Celeborn!"
Glorfindel nodded. He still had difficulty calling the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien by their name.
A maid entered the talan, bringing food for them all. They sat on chairs around the bed and Celeborn described to Glorfindel how Galadriel had destroyed the fortress of Dol Guldur with the power of her ring. He also told of how King Thranduil and him had separated the Mirkwood forest between their realms, and how the southern part now belonged to Lothlorien and would be called East Lorien. The northern part had been renamed Eryn Lasgalen, the Wood of the Green Leaves.
Glorfindel listened distractedly, thinking about how Elleniel had told him they had upset the Valar by saving Elleniel on the battlefield.
"She told you that?" Galadriel asked him out loud. Would he ever get used to his thoughts being read by Lady Galadriel?
"Yes. She was upset too. For days, her thoughts were dark. She wanted to go with Namo, to his Halls and remain there in peace for centuries."
"She did not want to stay with you? With us?" asked Elrond, shaken.
"I believe Lord Namo's attraction was too great for her to remember our love. This is why I had to..." he stopped himself, not wanting to upset Elrond anymore than he already was.
"And after you renewed your bond, how was she?"
"She recalled how great our love is. She wants to remain with me. But her body is so weak, her recovery so slow, that I sometimes wonder if Namo is not still trying to get her fëa. Do you think we really acted against the will of the Valar and that they are angry?" he asked them.
"I cannot tell for sure," replied Celeborn.
"Do you think that even if she recovers... they will try to get her back?" Glorfindel asked, shaken with the thought that Elleniel could very well be facing deadly dangers at every corner until she ended up in the Halls of Mandos.
"I do not believe so," Galadriel replied. "We simply opened a new path for her. And I cannot believe that the Valar Oromë and Tulkas would allow Lord Namo to get Elleniel's fëa once we saved her!"
"I will not let him have my daughter," Elrond claimed. "Her recovery may be long, but I will save her, I swear it," he vowed to Glorfindel.
Lord Celeborn was sparring with Haldir, with many wardens training around them. Although Sauron had been defeated, the warriors were still training to remain in shape, as their borders were still attacked by lost bands of orcs and men of the East.
The lord was waiting for his granddaughter Arwen to arrive to Lothlorien with Elrond's counsellors. In Minas Tirith, Aragorn was waiting for his fiancée, and all her family would travel with her to the White City. All of it? he wondered, knowing Elleniel still had not fully recovered from her injuries, even after two months. His Marchwarden noticed his distraction and stopped his attack.
"Are you well, my Lord?" Haldir asked.
Around them, the wardens stopped training, and Celeborn and Haldir turned to look at the people that had just arrived on the training grounds. They smiled when they saw Glorfindel, supporting Elleniel as she slowly walked towards her favorite seat, under the sunlight. The elleth was smiling to her mate as he was murmuring to her. Once she was settled on her long chair, she replied to the respectful bows of the warriors who were watching her. They resumed their training, except Celeborn who decided to join her. Glorfindel kissed her and went to spar with Haldir, who was now lacking a training partner.
Celeborn put his arm around Elleniel and pulled her to him, her head resting against his cheek. The areas where their naked skin touched was glowing like it always did when their magic was in direct contact. The Imladris warriors were no longer afraid to see this, and were watching the scene with great joy. Their Lady Elleniel was a warrior-witch, and they were grateful that their realm had been blessed with such a powerful Lady.
"Arwen will soon arrive," Celeborn told Elleniel.
"Yes. Later this evening, I think. They will sleep at the border, and make their way to the city at dawn tomorrow," Elleniel stated.
"You realize that I am expecting you to go with us to Minas Tirith?"
"I do not think I can ride yet."
"You can, if you ride with Glorfindel."
Elleniel laughed. "Are you out of your mind? I will not ride with an ellon like some weak female!"
"No one will think you are weak. Arwen would be hurt if you did not attend her wedding."
"I am not riding with Glorfindel!"
"Maybe you would prefer to ride with me?"
"I am not riding with Glorfindel, you or anyone else!" Elleniel answered, raising her voice.
Above her, Celeborn was silently laughing. Elleniel's combative spirit was back completely.
One week later, she was cursing herself as she rode Morarrna. Her legs were aching, and each step her mare was taking was sending waves of pain into all her bones. She was riding beside Arwen, whose constant chatting about Aragorn was making her dizzy and impatient. Her younger sister was so enthralled by her description of her wedding plans that she did not even realize that Elleniel was going through both mental and physical torture.
"I am sorry, Arwen, I need to go speak to someone," Elleniel said when Arwen paused to breathe. She slowed Morarrna and Arwen turned to Elrond and Galadriel to continue her conversation. Celeborn passed her, giving her an understanding smile, but did not discuss her current situation. She would ask for help when the pain would become unbearable.
When Asfaloth reached Morarrna, Glorfindel simply dragged her off her mare and sat Elleniel in front of him. His mate did not even protest. He made sure she was comfortable before continuing the ride.
Two weeks later, by mid-June, Arwen's escort was getting ready for another day of riding when they heard two galloping horses, approaching their camp. Immediately, all the warriors stood and encircled the Lords and Ladies they were guarding. But they dropped their stance when they recognized the twin sons of Lord Elrond.
"Elladan! Elrohir!" Arwen cried when she saw her brothers. They dismounted and embraced their younger sister with much affection. They were welcomed by their father and grandparents, before they turned around, looking for their other sister, hoping she had made the journey with the rest of the family. They saw her by the fire, frowning as she struggled to stand up without help. Glorfindel was beside her, ready to help if necessary. She walked slowly towards them, and only a push from Arwen made them move to close the distance between them.
"You have been injured!" cried Elrohir as he reached his triplet sister and carefully enclosed her into his embrace.
"And you are safe and sound!" she replied, caressing her brothers' faces with joy. "I cannot believe you have been to the Black Gates of Mordor to challenge Sauron! You fools!"
"I missed you," Elladan said, kissing her cheek. "What happened to you?"
"I fought with a Nazgul, nothing unusual," she replied. Glorfindel rolled his eyes. Elleniel did not fool her brothers. They could tell how serious her condition had been just by the protective looks everyone around them was throwing her. Not only their family, but also every singly warrior in their entourage.
"I am happy your mission is over," Elrohir said, releasing her so Elladan could hug her as well.
"It is not completely over," she replied. "But worry not," she added when she saw their expression, "the last part is much less dangerous."
The looks exchanged between Glorfindel and their sister gave them some comfort. Obviously, her mate knew what this was about, and did not seem to think her safety would be at risk.
They rode all day, Elleniel riding alone in the morning, and with Glorfindel in the afternoon, like they had been doing in the past few days. She enjoyed this closeness with her mate, his arm wrapped around her waist, her head against his powerful shoulder. He had a peculiar odor, one she had only smelled in Valinor, where he had been reborn in his second life. She was deeply inhaling his scent, her face against his neck, and was giving him kisses when no one around them watched. In response, his hand frequently traveled in inappropriate areas of her body, also when no one was watching. Elleniel cherished every minute of her afternoon rides.
At dusk, they reached Edoras, where Eomer, now King of Rohan, was waiting for them before making his way back to Minas Tirith to attend the wedding. He had come back to Edoras with his sister for the burial of King Theoden. The body of the king now rested beside his son Theodred, in the valley below the city.
The elves passed the main gate, and slowly made their way in the city while the crowd was watching them warily. King Eomer warmly welcomed the elves, standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to his palace. His sister Eowyn was standing beside him, ready to lead their guests to their rooms. A feast was ready to welcome Gondor's future queen.
Eomer was introduced to Arwen and Elrond while the rest of their escort was dismounting. The low murmurs of the crowd suddenly stopped. Eomer and Eowyn turned around to watch what had caused this heavy silence. A golden haired elf mounted on a magnificent white stallion was helping an elleth seated in front of him into the waiting arms of a regal elf standing beside the horse. The sight in itself would not have surprised anyone if both elves had not been glowing blue, even more shockingly now that the sun was down. Eomer immediately recognized Elleniel and Glorfindel, but not the impressive elf that was now holding the female in his arms. Eowyn beside him was as shocked as the rest of the crowd around them.
Seeing the attention they were drawing, Elleniel gathered her cloak around her and made sure she was not touching her grandfather's skin. The Imladris warriors encircled them as Glorfindel was dismounting and took his mate from Celeborn's arms. The elves watched the crowd with worry, wondering what these simple and superstitious mortals would do in front of this accidental display of elven magic.
Sensing the general tension, King Eomer walked to the group, and the circle of warriors opened before him.
"Lady Elleniel, Lord Glorfindel! I am honored by your visit. Do you need to see a healer?" he asked Elleniel.
"No, my Lord. Thank you for your concern, my family is taking care of me."
Glorfindel slowly put her on her feet, and Elleniel proceeded to introduce her grandparents to the King of Rohan. Eowyn, who had recovered her wits by then, walked to his brother and was introduced also.
"I would guess that you would like to rest in your room, Lady Elleniel," she said to the strange she-elf.
"Yes, Lady Eowyn, I would appreciate if you could lead us to our room."
Eowyn led them all to their rooms, her eyes never leaving these beautiful elves, especially not the ones that had magic humming around them.
"I knew I should never had come," Elleniel told Glorfindel as she was getting ready for bed. There was no way she would face the crowd again that night.
"It is like everywhere else, Elleniel, they will get used to you."
She snorted. "I had to almost die for the Imladris warriors to stop being scared of me. You think these mortals will in two days? No, they will not! I shall remain in our room until we leave."
"You would insult King Eomer and his sister, Elleniel. You can rest tonight, but tomorrow morning, you must join us for breakfast."
"Fine, I will go tomorrow morning. It is beyond my capabilities tonight. Go to the feast, Glorfindel. I will probably fall asleep in a flash."
When Glorfindel reached the Hall, he noticed the sudden relief of the Rohan people when they realized his mate would not attend. This did not bide well for the breakfast the next day, or even for the reaction of the people of Minas Tirith when Elleniel would reach the White City. Elleniel had been doing so well lately, and he worried that this would bring back her old habits of hiding from the people that were not her close family. As he ate, he wondered if Elleniel's family had noticed the reaction her presence had triggered. He could sense their tension, although it was well hidden from the men and women of Rohan.
When Elleniel entered the Hall the following morning, the crowd became silent, watching her with weariness. She sat between Glorfindel and Celeborn, facing her brothers. They were discussing the preparations to leave the next day. Nearby, Eowyn was inviting Arwen to ride beside her, so they could get better acquainted. Eowyn was betrothed to Lord Faramir, steward of Gondor, and would be seeing Arwen on a regular basis at the Minas Tirith court. Realizing she had forgotten to invite Arwen's sister to join them like a good hostess should do, Eowyn turned to Elleniel and asked her to join them.
Elleniel, who had been playing with her food, was stunned to receive the invitation. She felt Eowyn's secret hope that she would decline, and was not hurt by it. The King's sister had already shown more politeness than she had expected just by offering.
"Thank you, Lady Eowyn. But I usually ride with my husband in the afternoon."
"And could you not join us in the morning?" Eowyn asked again, ensuring that she would not be blamed by her brother Eomer for not insisting.
"She rides beside me in the morning," replied Celeborn with courtesy, to cut this meaningless exchange short. He distractedly put his hand on Elleniel's, generating the blue light that always appeared when they touched. Immediately, Eowyn's gaze was fixed on their hands. Elleniel quickly removed her hand from her grandfather's, and hid it under the table.
Galadriel rolled her eyes, wondering how Celeborn could have forgotten himself in such a way in front of the mortals. Next time, sit beside me, she chided in his head.
"Well, I really enjoyed the meal, Lady Eowyn. Please give my thanks to your cook," Galadriel said, standing up. "Elleniel, I would like to walk in the city. Would you please join me?"
Elleniel looked at her in dismay. Walk in the city? Was she mad? She could hardly walk without limping! She heard around her the whispers of the Rohirrim soldiers, relieved to see that the witches were leaving the Hall. Witches. So they were afraid of her grandmother too? Why only the females? Why were they not afraid of her grandfather was beyond her! Celeborn smirked when he saw her expression.
"Are you coming, my darling?" insisted Galadriel a little too loud for the elven ears around the table.
"Of course," Elleniel replied as she stood from her seat. She gave Glorfindel a kiss, and then turned to Celeborn to give him a long, maximum glowing hug while he chuckled discreetly.
"Stop acting childishly! Do not shame your sister in front of the Gondor allies!" her father commanded in Sindarin.
"I did nothing to cause their fear and earn their disrespect, Ada," Elleniel replied in the same language, somewhat hurt that she was being blamed. Maybe she should not have hugged her grandfather. But she had not been able to resist the temptation to give them a little run for their money. "I realize that you are ashamed of me. May I suggest that next time, you only bring Arwen with you on your diplomatic missions? It is about time that you realize that I scare people, even when I do nothing to deserve it."
"Elleniel..." Elrond tried to interrupt.
"If you are looking for me, I will be hiding in our room. I should never have left it," she said in Sindarin to Glorfindel in particular. "I will no longer be insulted for the sake of not insulting our hosts."
The elleth left the room, arm in arm with Galadriel. In a show of support, Elladan and Elrohir followed them. The tension in the room dropped when the door closed behind them.
"I am sorry, Lord Elrond," King Eomer whispered. "I have met your daughter in Isengard, where I saw her deal with some dreadful magic from Sauron. I saw her in her weakest moment, and have learned not to be frightened by her. I am afraid I cannot say the same thing about my people."
"I am afraid there is no place in Middle Earth for her, Lord Eomer," Glorfindel replied, bowing politely to the king. "If you will excuse me, my wife needs me."
Sitting near them, Eowyn dropped her head in shame. She had fought the Witch-King of Angmar with the hobbit Merry, and there she was, being terrified by Lord Elrond's older daughter, who had also fought with many Nazguls. She promised herself she would make efforts to befriend the elleth. She did not know that Elleniel had no plan of letting anyone near her again.
Glorfindel watched his mate as she walked to Morarrna the following morning, fully armed and cloaked. No one could see her eyes. This was the warrior that had arrived in Middle Earth almost a year before. All the social progress she had made in the past months had vanished during a two days stay in Rohan.
When they reached Minas Tirith two weeks later, Elleniel was riding by herself, fully cloaked and hooded again. No one could tell that this warrior was in fact a fearsome warrior-witch. She let Arwen enjoy all the attention, standing aside with the other Imladris warriors.
She remained in her rooms most of the time, and when she attended her sister's wedding and coronation, most of the Gondorians discovered that their new queen also had a sister in the city. Elleniel carefully avoided touching her grandfather in public, and stayed with her mate and brothers most of the time, avoiding mixing with strangers. She remained aloof until she left the city with Glorfindel during the night, a few days after the wedding.
They rode until they faced the battlefield in front of the former Black Gates of Mordor.
"Everything is destroyed, as Elladan described. We will never find anything here."
"We have to, Glorfindel. The Valar do not want to leave any artifacts of the Nazguls in Middle Earth, to make sure no mortal will ever find them and use them with ill will."
"At least, the sword of the Witch-King is in Minas Tirith!"
"And how long did it take me to convince Aragorn to give it back to me for safekeeping? It is calling to him, Glorfindel. We need to find them all before they caused more damage. I have one Nazgul sword with me at all times, I have two in Imladris, Khamul's is in Caras Galadhon, and the Witch-King's is in our room in Minas Tirith. There are four here, Glorfindel. We need to find them all."
"Aragorn said that all the remaining Nazguls flew on their Fell Beasts when Sauron felt Frodo was wearing the ring in the center of Mount Doom. They did not have time to reach him, the ring and Gollum were destroyed too quickly in the fire of the mountain."
"Which means the Nazguls disappeared somewhere between the Black Gate and Mount Doom, but closer to the mountain, I would guess. Do you think the beasts disappeared too?"
"I do not think so. The beheaded body of the Witch-King's beast was still on the battlefield after the destruction of its master."
"Then, let search for their bodies. They will be bigger than the swords themselves!"
They searched for days in the land of ashes and rocks, where no life grew and ever would for centuries to come. Glorfindel was happy to have left their horses in the forests of Ithilien, as their mounts would have suffered from the heat of the sun, without any trees to protect them in Mordor. There was no water or food either, and their provisions were disappearing quickly.
"Maybe we should separate," she suggested one morning after a very uncomfortable night on the rocks. She had recovered from her battle injuries, but the lack of comfort was taking its toll on her.
"Separate?" asked Glorfindel in dismay.
His exclamation brought the first smile on her face in days. "Separate to search the swords, beloved," she specified with a snort. "You are stuck with me for an eternity. If you remember correctly, you had wished it in that pond, when we bound..."
"I perfectly remember that moment," he replied, somewhat surprised at his own reaction. He realized he still had not truly recovered from the brief period where she had wished to leave him for the peacefulness of the Halls of Mandos.
She felt his hurt, and put a comforting hand on his cheek. "I will not leave you, Glorfindel. If we can find these damned swords, we will bring them back to the Valar. And then, we can live in peace until the end of the world."
"You want to go to Valinor right away?" he asked. They had never really talked about what would happen after the end of the war. Her recovery had monopolized all their thoughts and actions.
"Is that not your wish, Glorfindel? I would have thought you would want to go back with your family. Are they not waiting for you in Valinor? And what about your friend Ecthelion? He might be reborn by now."
"The time of the elves is coming to an end. But we cannot leave Middle Earth without making sure we leave no trace behind us. We will soon become legend. And legend we should make sure we will remain. There is still so much to be done before we can depart forever."
Elleniel had never really thought about this. She had always assumed someone else like her father or grandfather would be taking care of such things.
"What is your wish, Elleniel? Are you in a hurry to go to Valinor?"
"No, not really. I will follow you wherever you go, my love. I will make your home mine. You know I have no attachments anywhere, whether in Middle Earth or in Valinor."
"Your grandmother has been hearing the call of the sea for many decades now, and she cannot resist it any longer. Your father wishes to be reunited with your mother. They will both sail as quickly as possible. Your brothers and grandfather wish to remain longer."
"Did they tell you how long?"
"Your brothers will not be able to witness the passing of Estel and Arwen. My guess is that they will sail within the next 25 years. Your grandfather is a totally different story. He will remain until Arwen passes. Legolas will do the same. He swore to remain in Middle Earth until Estel dies."
"Estel is from the line of Numenor. He will live a long life for a mortal."
"Yes."
"So you wish to stay here until they both pass away?" she asked, not quite able to believe her ears. "What would we do?"
"I would serve Imladris, as I have done in the past centuries. Many elves will remain behind and will need protection. There are still some orcs and wargs in Middle Earth. They need to be eradicated. And after father's departure, someone will have to keep Imladris under magical protection."
He looked at her pointedly. She sighed, understanding she would have to be the one protecting her father's realm until all the elves departed.
"And then," he continued once he saw her acceptance, "I would imagine Lothlorien will also need to be forever hidden from the mortals. Same for Thranduil's realm..."
"Are you seriously asking me to safe keep all the elven realms, cast an eternal spell to hide them one by one and then sail when the last elves leave Middle Earth?"
"Yes. What else could we do? Go to Valinor and die of boredom?"
"I need to think about it, Glorfindel."
"Take all your time, we have plenty on your hands."
"I will search on the West side on the volcano, you search on the North side. Maybe we will be more lucky."
"How much food do we have left?"
"Maybe another four days."
"Water?"
"We will have to be cautious. Maybe 5 days at the most."
They separated the food and water in equal portions. Elleniel watched Glorfindel as he started to walk to the northern side of the mountain. She shivered at the thought that she was alone in this destroyed land. She started climbing the western side of Mount Doom, lost in her thoughts about her future. Could she really remain behind for decades, protecting the elven realms with her grandfather? Be at her sister's bedside when she would die?
The climb was difficult. Her knees were aching, she was thirsty but could not drink. She had to save her water. She tried to imagine how Frodo and Sam had felt, terrified, alone, thirsty and hungry. The weight of the ring around Frodo's neck. The fear of being seen by Sauron's eye. The eye was gone, but everything else was the same. This land was sucking all hope and joy from her fëa. A foul smell reached her nostrils. A stench more horrible than burning orcs. She followed the smell and found the rotting carcasses of two Nazgul dragons.
Fortunately, the area had been spared from the lava flows. If the beasts had fallen dead right after the disappearance of the Nazguls, then the blades should be nearby. She searched around for a few minutes, and found a Nazgul sword not far from the carcasses. Screaming in victory, she lifted the blade above her head, and eventually attached it on her back. Finding the second one proved harder, but she eventually found it, stuck in the rocks. She tried to pull it out in vain for long minutes, before she decided to use her magic. She knew the usage of magic would weaken her, but she had no choice. She successfully removed it, and put it on her back also.
After many hours, Glorfindel also found one beast with a sword nearby. He lifted the sword, feeling the evil that remained inside. It was calling to him. Trying to lure him. Showing him the power he could hold if he used it against his enemies. Elleniel was right. These blades were evil and needed to be brought to Valinor and given to the Valar. He dropped the sword on the ground, deciding not to touch it himself. Elleniel seemed to be immune to the evil contained in the swords. Only her was able to use them for long periods of time. On the Lothlorien battlefield, Celeborn had eliminated the Nazgul and dropped the sword right after, horror easily readable on his face. Yes, he would wait for Elleniel to pick it up for him.
He called her through their bond, and sat on a rock, breathing by the mouth not to smell the rotting beast close by. Elleniel arrived five hours later, took the sword on the ground and put it on her back.
"Did you find any?" he asked her.
"Two. We are only missing one."
They found the hilt of the last sword nearby dried and black lava two days later. The blade itself, that had been on the way of a burning flow of lava, had melted.
"The evil is gone," mumbled Elleniel, putting the hilt of the last blade in her bag. "That is it," she said to her mate. "My mission is over. I only need to keep them safe until we sail."
"You are free."
"Yes."
"You think Mithrandir will release you from the Istar order?"
"No. Not before I bring back the swords to the Undying Lands. And certainly not if I am to be the last Istar in Middle Earth for decades."
"Do you mind?"
"Not really. If Mithrandir leaves with Radagast the Brown and the other Blue Istari, there will be no other Istar in Middle Earth to bother me."
"Saruman?"
"Mithrandir broke his staff. He is a defenseless human now. He cannot hurt me."
"Should we leave? We have merely enough water to drink before we reach Ithilien."
"Yes. Let's get out of this desolate land."
When they arrived in Minas Tirith a week later, they were dirty, exhausted, but happy. The people of Gondor watched them as they walked on the multiple levels of the city to reach the highest level where the royal guests were lodged. They met King Elessar and Mithrandir in their way to their rooms.
"Estel, would you please have someone send is a big chest in our rooms?"
"A chest? Does it require a lock?"
"It will not be necessary. I will seal it... magically."
"Does that mean that your mission is completed, Blue Istar?" asked Mithrandir, still Head of her order and the only one aware of the last part of her mission.
"Yes, Mithrandir. I have six with me here in Minas Tirith, and have hidden the last three in various locations. They will no longer be a threat."
"Good. You need to bring them all to Imladris and make sure no one but you will ever touch them."
"I will." Elleniel respectfully bowed to the wizard and the king, and walked away to her rooms, followed by Glorfindel.
"Elleniel?" the wizard called back. She turned to look at him. "The Valar are proud of you. And so am I. You have accomplished your mission beyond our expectations. All the people of Middle Earth will forever be grateful."
"All the people of Middle Earth?" she asked doubtfully. "Are you sure of that? You know I did not do this for their recognition. I would have wasted my time and efforts," she replied halfheartedly.
Glorfindel walked away and pulled her after him, not desiring to see the White Wizard darken her mood. They had been happy since they had left Mordor, and he wanted to remain as such. Her smiles had been scarce in the past months...
A/N: Well, this story is getting closer to its end... I have been quite inspired in the past 2 weeks, have have already written the last chapter and the epilogue. I just need to review them thoroughly before I post them, I promise I will not make you wait too long. Thank you for reviewing!