~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Dark Memories: Shadows of the Past
by: DLR 2002
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The Second Age of Middle-earth
The year One
Lindon (Ossiriand)
Chapter 21
"She is watching you, Elrond," said Erestor with a smirk.
Elrond looked up briefly from the building plan he was perusing. "Not really," he concluded, returning to his study.
"She cannot take her eyes off of you," continued Erestor.
Elrond snorted. "Perchance it is you she is gazing at so intently."
"Nay, I think I would realize that," said Erestor. He nudged Elrond with his elbow. "Go and speak with her."
Elrond regarded his friend with a glint in his eye. "Leave it be, will you? I have no need for a matchmaker."
"Fine," said Erestor, putting his hands in the air and feigning offence. "I will no longer mention it."
The elven female was indeed staring at the construction site and Elrond could not help stealing glances at her after Erestor had moved away. She was very beautiful and he felt his pulse quicken. An uneasy feeling of foreboding filled his stomach.
Elrond shook his head and turned away, trying to throw off the dismal shroud that threatened to engulf him. When he looked up a while later, she was gone and he was able to breathe again.
The young elf was subdued and introspective the remainder of the day, attending to his work at the building site, but preoccupied.
"What is ailing you?" asked Glorfindel at dinner. Elrond was quiet.
"He is in love," said Erestor, taking his life in his hands.
Elrond turned cold grey eyes to his friend and looked at him, his silence and demeanor speaking volumes. There was a long pause as Erestor visibly quailed beneath the intense stare.
Glorfindel looked at both his friends and intervened. "You," he said to Erestor, "you are too much of a jester." He slapped him on the back. "Go now, before you find yourself in trouble."
Glorfindel turned his eyes back to Elrond as Erestor made a hasty departure. He watched his friend eat for a while, making no comment. "Do you wish to discuss it?"
"There is nothing to discuss," Elrond replied, between bites.
"Should you need an ear," said Glorfindel with his hand on Elrond's shoulder, "you know where to find me," he added as he rose and departed, leaving Elrond alone with his thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pain was intense. He could feel it all through his buttocks and upper thighs, radiating outwards. He reached back to massage himself, to ease the ache and his hand encountered a wet sticky substance. Elrond brought it up before his face and tried to focus.
His hand was covered in blood.
His eyes snapped open and he sat up with a jerk. Sweat broke out through every pore in his skin and he breathed heavily, his heart pounding.
He folded his arms across his chest and gripped his shoulders tightly, waiting for his body to relax.
Glorfindel stirred groggily in the next bed. "What is it? What is wrong?" he asked, seeing Elrond sitting up in his bed, shaking.
"Just another nightmare," whispered Elrond. "Go back to sleep, tis nothing."
"I do not suppose you remember any of it?"
"Nay, of course not," replied Elrond. "I never do."
Glorfindel sat up on the edge of his bed. "They might cease, if you could just remember something," he suggested, wondering if he should ask some leading questions.
"Somehow," said Elrond, "I have a feeling I am better off not knowing. It is bad enough to be terrified when asleep, but to see the images when conscious as well would be very troubling."
"Hmm," said Glorfindel, pondering this, relieved. "Perhaps you are right."
"Do not concern yourself," said Elrond. "I have had these dreams for many years, I am accustomed to them."
Glorfindel looked sadly at his friend. "It pains me to see you suffer," he whispered.
Elrond returned his gaze. "I am fine. Truly." There was a pause.
"What was all of that with Erestor earlier?" asked Glorfindel.
Elrond looked around the room at the sleeping elves and lowered his voice. "It was nothing, really. Erestor will have his jest. It was merely some female at the site today, staring at me, that is all."
Glorfindel raised his eyebrows. "A secret admirer?"
Elrond smiled a little. "She did not look as though she was keeping any secrets, she seemed quite forthright."
"Hmm, yes, staring at you like that," said Glorfindel. "So why did this upset you so much?"
Elrond frowned. "I am not certain. It all seemed somewhat strange. I felt frightened, somehow."
"Well, you have been with a female before," said Glorfindel, " this is not something new."
"I have?" asked Elrond with wide eyes. "When was this? I seem to have missed it," he said with astonishment.
Glorfindel bit his tongue, surprised actually that he had not made this mistake more often over the years. "Ah yes, it was not you, I am thinking of someone else," he said brightly, wondering why Elrond would have forgotten this encounter as well.
"Indeed you are," said Elrond. "I think I would remember an intimate encounter with a female."
Glorfindel was glad that Elrond could probably not discern the expression on his face in the dim moonlight. "Well, that most likely explains why you were frightened, if being with a female is a new experience."
"Yes, possibly that is true," said Elrond and he paused for a minute. "I had thought that attraction to someone would be a more pleasant sensation."
"Ah," said Glorfindel. "I am sure it will be, eventually, once you meet her."
Elrond brightened. "There is a positive thought. I will try to have dreams on that."
"That is a plan," said Glorfindel, smiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There she is," said Elrond, "see, sitting on the bench."
"She is lovely," said Glorfindel appreciatively, wondering where he had seen her before.
"Indeed," said Elrond. He turned away suddenly. "Nay, I cannot do it," he whispered.
"What, why? Where are you going?" asked Glorfindel, puzzled.
"I look at her and I feel ill."
"Pay it no mind," said Glorfindel, "tis merely nerves."
"I fear it goes well beyond nerves," said Elrond, his complexion taking on a green tinge.
Glorfindel placed his hand on Elrond's arm and guided him away from the bench. "What is it you wish to do?"
"If I knew the answer to that," said Elrond, "I would not be standing here talking to you."
Glorfindel smirked. "You do not wish to approach her," he surmised, "so do not, let it be."
"I do wish it," said Elrond, "and I do not wish it, as well."
"Let it be, until you are certain."
Elrond turned towards him. "So, you are saying, do not approach her?"
"I am," said Glorfindel.
"You have never given good advice in the past," said Elrond. "Why should this occasion be any different?"
Glorfindel opened his mouth, said nothing, and then closed it again. "Fine, do as you will," he said, washing his hands of the matter.
Elrond took a deep breath and walked up to the bench once again. "Excuse me," he started.
She looked up at him and her beautiful blue eyes turned cold. "I thought that was you, although I could not be sure from a distance. Why do you even approach me? I care not what you have to say."
Elrond's eyes grew wide and he was speechless for a moment. "Why do you speak to me in this manner, Lady?"
She snorted and looked at him with disdain. "Tis no less than you deserve."
Elrond ran his fingers through his hair and was dumbfounded. Finally, he managed to ask the wrong question. "Have we met before?"
She stood up in silence. She took a step closer and looked at him for a moment. He was totally unprepared as she slapped him hard across the face. She did not utter a word as she turned and walked away.
Glorfindel was at Elrond's side in an instant. "What in the name of Mandos was that all about?" he hissed, wondering if Elrond's seduction techniques required serious overhaul.
"I . . . . I . . . ." stammered Elrond, completely in shock. "She . . . I have absolutely no clue." He stared after her for a long moment, then turned and abruptly walked in the opposite direction, leaving his friend to gaze after him in astonishment.
It came to Glorfindel in a sudden flash. The Palace on Balar. That is where he had seen her before. He smiled grimly as he realized where he could find answers to his questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~