A/N: Something that most people don't know is the meaning of some of the names I mention.
Minuial-Buffy's horse- means Dawn
Raina-Buffy's formal name among the elves-is their form of Ann
Cristiel-Buffy's name in Minas Tirith- means Sword
And yes I actually bothered to look up elvish names...
Other than that I'm done.
10. Purge
"As we move on year by year in this life, we learn that telling doesn't necessarily purge; telling sometimes merely is a reliving and it's a torment."
Lestat-Blood Canticle-Anne Rice Pg 103
Rivendell January 18/59 Hrive 2970 III Age
Adar
I have recently come met with a young woman who knows more about my past than one outside the family should. The name given to me is Cristiel. Though I do not believe it to be her real name. She is small, fine boned with green eyes and golden hair. She wields both sword and knife as though trained to them. She is arrogant, aggressive and hides much.
She also claims to know my brothers.
I need to know who she is ada.
Estel
Elrond stared at the letter from his foster son with annoyance. Trust her to cause trouble. He had known not informing Estel about the slayer and all that she entailed would be an issue but he had not expected it this soon or in this fashion.
Galadriel had been most adamant that no one was to know of the slayer's fostering outside of those already living in a safe haven. And though Aragorn was her kin as well he wouldn't learn of her until he decided to come home.
And what in Arda had they done or said to each other to cause such a fight or distrust? Knowing his son he assumed it was incessant need to know everything. And as for his kinswoman, she had quite the temper and Estel had most likely done something incredibly foolish.
He was pulled from his thoughts by a knocking at the door. A moment later all three of his children came through with an expectant look on their faces.
"Estel has written?" Arwen asked
The children always came to read the letters that Estel wrote. It had become habit in the two decades since his departure. Elrond gave a slight nod and handed the letter to the seated Arwen. A brother behind each shoulder read as well.
After several moments three pairs of eyes looked up at their adar with anger, worry, and understanding in them.
"He insulted her." Eladan began
"She baited him." Elrohir continued
"He became suspicious and aggressive."
"She lost her temper."
"He threatened her."
"She left."
Elrond raised an eyebrow at his sons but said nothing. They were right of course. Estel had obviously handled this badly. But, if his experience with his kinswoman were any indication, she had as well.
They were both foolish and young. Neither held their tempers well. Though if truth be told Estel held his much better.
His kinswoman had a dark past he knew but the particulars were kept from him. Aside from her foster parents the slayer had only revealed her entire past to Arwen Undómiel . The gwenyn knew more than even he did but still not all. The tiny golden child kept much to herself. And Elrond knew that the things she left unsaid were dark and painful.
A voice cut through his thoughts as Arewn spoke softly. "She is coming. Past the mountains already,"
Elrond stared at his daughter in shock for a moment before recovering.
"And how do you know this iel nín?" (my daughter)
"When she was taken into the family blood bonds were made. All of the line of Galadriel and Celeborn can feel her."
Elrond's eyebrows rose high into his forehead. Looking at his sons for confirmation their slight nod of assent startled him more.
"Why was this done?"
"So that when the time comes to sail she may join us if that is her wish ada." Arwen replied.
"And you wait until now to tell me?"
"We assumed you knew."
Elrond could not believe that the mother of his beloved wife had joined in blood with this child. Blood ties were unbreakable. He understood the reasons all to well though. The child had been given the gift of a choice that no other child of man had ever received. And Galadriel would be unwilling to pass into the west knowing that her daughter, whether foster or no, could not join her.
"Ada what shall you tell Estel? He cannot know that she is gwanur and telling him of her unusual ties or history is not a thing we can do." (kin)
"I know not yet pyn neth." (young ones)
All three rose to go. Elrond was surprised by this. He had expected them to stay longer and discuss the matter further.
"Where are you going?"
"We go to meet Buffy." Elrohir replied.
"And I to prepare her quarters. She will be tired when she arrives."
And with that three of his children slipped from the room to go meet the small child of man that shared the same blood with them.
Elrond contemplated his children and their relationship with their kinswoman. They were close. Far closer to her than they had ever been with Estel. For while he was their brother he was not of their blood and weither they chose to think on it or not one day he would die like all mortal men. With Buffy (and by the Valar did he hate that horrible name) they had no such distance. She, like them could chose a mortal life but until that day came she was as one of the Eldar. She was also blood to them. That tie alone would have made them close but it was the way that they interacted with one another that made it more.
The gwenyn found in her an ally for pranks and teasing as well as a warrior that shared the same passion as them. In her Arwen had found a sister that she had never before had. Together they behaved as mere elleths and stood together against the gwenyn. The were almost as siblings. And all three seemed to feel the need to protect the young woman from pain even as they respected her as an equal.
It was an odd bond but one that Elrond was grateful for. His children needed what happiness they could find in the dark times he could feel fast approaching. And Buffy, if what he assumed was true then her past was filled with far too much pain for one so young.
Sighing he retrieved the letter from the edge of his desk and considered his reply to his foster son. Trust the two youngest of the family to start a fight before they had even been formally introduced.
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Buffy rode.
Hard.
For days.
All the while silently cursing herself.
Cursing him as well.
She had made record time so far but that did little to improve her mood.
In under seventeen full days she had made it from the Minas Tirith to almost Rivendell.
Even in the snow and winter chill.
No small feat by any means.
But it didn't improve her mood.
She had considered going back to Lothlorien to her foster parents but decided against it. The calm of the Wood was not what she wanted at the moment. She was angry and wanted to stay that way. She wanted to let lose her aggression. And the only two who truly understood that were in Rivendell. And the temptation to beat down the balrog slayer was just as high as her anger at the moment.
She knew she had handled the situation badly. She was supposed to help him get his throne eventually which meant that she would need his trust. But after long years of having the elves simply accept her keeping her secrets it had pissed her off royally. He had actually grabbed her. No one got to do that any more. Not since Spike had tried to...Well not since Spike. And the stalking thing he did was really just as bad. Angel and Spike with the stalker thing had been bad enough to ingrain a severe hate of stalker boys. Threats though didn't bother her in the least. But the fact that she had screwed up beyond all possible hope got to her. Her pride wouldn't let her cave and tell him anything just because he had a bug up his ass and wanted to know and her failure to even begin what needed to be done just made her realize that she really was a fuck up.
So here she was.
Maybe a day and a half's ride from Rivendell just after nightfall and unwilling to stop. She wanted the gwenyn and Arwen right now.
Feeling both sad and bored she started to hum under her breath. Which after a few moments turned into her singing softly. She knew many songs in the language of her foster family but after years in the wilds with the gwenyn she had found herself remembering words to songs she hadn't even realized she'd known with perfect clarity.
I'm Standing on a bridge
I'm waitin in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
Theres nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but theres no sound
Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
I'm looking for a place
searching for a face
is anybody here I know
cause nothings going right
and everythigns a mess
and no one likes to be alone
Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
oh why is everything so confusing
maybe I'm just out of my mind
yeah yeah yeah
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
Take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you
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Elladan and Elrohir had ridden out in under an hour to go meet Buffy. They rode hard, knowing well the state she would be in.
It was just after the sun had set that they had heard her singing. None without the hearing of the Eldar would have heard her voice as she sang softly to herself.
They slowed their horses to a stop to await her approach and not alarm her. In the dark of night she was at her most dangerous they had learned over the years. Darkness seemed to be her natural environment and in the blackness her eyesight put even the eyes of the Eldar to shame.
They waited for a few moments, their breath giving off little puffs of steam in the night as she approached at a canter.
Deciding it best to not antagonize his kinswoman who was now holding her bow at the ready as she waited for them to identify themselves in the distance Elrohir spoke.
"Mae govannen Raina"
The bow was lowered instantly at his words and she rode to them quickly.
"How did you know I was coming nín gwenyn?" she asked (my twins)
"The bond of kin we share. We have felt you coming for several days now. Though it was not until Estel's letter arrived this morning that we knew the cause of your coming thel mell." Elladan replied. (dear sister)
Buffy's face was unreadable to them for once as they made their way to a spot where they had made camp before.
Upon arriving they set up camp quickly and efficiently. Many years of time together having made them work well with one another.
Sitting around the crackling fire Elladan decided that it would be best if she spoke about her troubles.
"Tell us how this all came about and why saes? (please)
Buffy looked up at the two sets of brown eyes and saw in them the same understanding and concern that had prompted her sharing with Arwen. Sighing she made her decision.
"This is going to take a while muindyr-nin." (my brothers)
"We have all the time in Arda thel neth." (little sister)
Now many hours later the two brothers sat by the glowing embers of the fire with dawn fast approaching. Buffy lay asleep on her bed roll. Her story had taken most of the night and she had finally collapsed into a deep sleep.
Sitting next to one another their thoughts were much the same.
She had suffered far too much in this life.
They would protect her from all pain if they could.
No matter what the cost to themselves they would see her achieve her destiny.
And they would see her happy.
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Rivendell January 19/60 Hrive 2970 III Age
The three riders made it to the Last Homely House late the next day. Buffy looked both tired and worn and before they could even pass through the doors Arwen had Buffy in hand.
The gwenyn were happy that the Undómiel had taken the tiny slayer from them as they knew that they needed to speak with their adar.
Buffy had given them permission to tell Elrond everything and so with resolution they followed him to his office from the doors where he had greeted them.
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