Chapter 15
Thranduil was in the middle of showing Eruanna the stables. She had squirmed down from his arms and bee-lined for a grey horse. It reminded her of Asfaloth, who she missed. The horse nickered and shook its mane, blowing a puff of air on the child's hair, who smiled slightly.
Then he led her over to another stall where she stopped in front of, eyes wide at the creature housed in it. Her mouth opened as she looked up at the elk's large antlers, and the elk stared back, large brown eyes contemplative.
Eruanna shied away from the elk, shuffling behind Thranduil's robes and clutching them, peeking out from behind him. His lips quirked slightly and he walked forwards, patting his elk.
"Eruanna, this is Darthan. My steed." He introduced her. She nodded jerkily as the elk shifted and stared at her warily. Eruanna decided to dive behind Thranduil again, to which he chuckled. "I do not think Darthan has ever seen an elfling before." He explained to Eruanna, whose face twisted at the words.
The irony. She was eight thousand years old, and considered a youngling. Not that she minded at all. She was more than happy to be cuddled and loved, if only by certain people. One of which was King Thranduil. She couldn't help but admit that he knew how to be around elflings.
She backed away from the large animal slowly, and decided that she much preferred to be around horses, not elks. Thranduil fed Darthan a carrot, then picked Eruanna up and proceeded to whisk her away to the healers to check her back.
"King Thranduil." The healer bowed. He merely gave a curt nod and motioned to the elfling.
"When you are finished, bring her promptly to the throne room." He ordered, and then swept away, nose high and air condescending. Eruanna giggled silently, and the healer gave her a disapproving look. She ignored him and he proceeded to check her over, especially her back.
"You have healed extremely fast. You should be completely well again in a few more days." He informed her, to which she nodded and thanked him with a smile. He inclined his head back and left her at the throne room.
She trudged up the stairs, stopping every once in a while to survey something that caught her eye, and slowly made her way up to the dais, to Thranduil's annoyance.
When she finally arrived, she climbed wearily into Thranduil's lap and sighed, curling up into him, looking tired, forlorn, and miserable. His annoyance faded.
"Are you well, little one?" He asked concernedly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She nodded, but he wasn't fooled. "Do not hide your struggles from me." He scolded her slightly. She frowned at him in reply and shook her head.
"How can you say you are well when you look the very opposite?" He asked gently. She frowned and pointed to his heart, and then her own, clenching her fists. Thranduil understood. "Your pain is from the heart." He murmured, and she nodded again, curling into his tunic.
Eruanna felt so very weary. So tired. So pained. Utterly lifeless and dull. Her time was running out. If Glorfindel didn't find her soon, then she would completely fade away from grief and stinging loss. The feeling of betrayal.
She needed his presence, his acceptance of her. Now that she knew who he was to her, she knew that she had absolutely no family left except for him. And her bond with him, as a result, was so strong, that it was almost the only thing keeping her soul from breaking into a million shattered pieces from the sheer pain and loneliness she had gone through.
Already it was cracked, shards of it glinting in her eyes as a testament to her trials and struggles for life. If Glorfindel should reject her, then she would utterly break. Into so many pieces that there would be nothing left.
She cried out for him inwardly for the millionth time since two days ago, desperately fighting tears.
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The closer they got to the palace, the more Glorfindel worried. He was eager to get to her, and at the same time so afraid.
What if she hated him for not protecting her? What if she didn't want him in her life anymore? What if she wanted to stay in Greenwood?
There was no doubt that he would be utterly broken-hearted if she did, for after all, she was his sister. His little sister. He was still reeling from the knowledge.
"Lord Glorfindel? Are you well? We are here." Legolas asked, a little concerned. Glorfindel looked up abruptly and nodded.
"Yes." He took a deep breath and walked on with determined strides, face blank, though he was inwardly conflicted.
"Oh Valar, let her accept and forgive me." He muttered under his breath as they entered the palace.
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Eruanna was playing with an array of extravagantly carved wooden blocks when she heard the doors to the throne room open. She ignored it, not really interested, absently listening to their footsteps. All of a sudden, she heard a sharp intake of breath just as they arrived at the top, whoever they were, and she looked up- and her heart stopped.
Before King Thranduil could stand to greet the Lord of the house of the Golden Flower, Eruanna bolted up from in front of him on the floor, and he watched her, thoroughly startled. This was the most alert and active he had seen her since she had arrived.
Eruanna leaped up to her feet, bolting for the first person in the group. She tripped and fell, but scrambled back up, tears streaming down her face.
Glorfindel dropped to his knees, desperately opening his arms as Eruanna threw herself into his arms, not caring that others were watching, startled exclamations abundant. "Eruanna!" He choked, tears pouring down his cheeks. She was here. She was safe.
Rich, unmistakable golden hair. Bright, beautiful sapphire blue eyes. She breathed in his smell, hugging him as tightly as she could, relief crashing over her. He was here. She opened her mind to him, and he opened to her in return, their feä's connecting fully for the first time, mingling and strengthening their bond.
"Yes, penneth, I'm here. I'm so sorry, sweet, I'm so sorry." Glorfindel choked in answer to her wordless exclamation.
She shook her head and frantically clutched him, refusing to let go. She reveled in hearing him say her name and calling her 'penneth.' He gripped her tightly in response and stood. "Hannon lle, King Thranduil, for keeping her safe." He thanked the startled Elvenking.
Both he and Legolas was baffled. Why did the golden lord feel so strongly for this elfling? "It was our pleasure, Lord Glorfindel. Do you know her?" He asked curiously.
Glorfindel turned back to Eruanna. "I missed you." He murmured for her ears only. She pulled back and placed her hands on his cheeks. 'I hoped you would come for me.' She whispered through their bond. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers, smiling at hearing her speak through their bond.
"She is my younger sister, my lord." Glorfindel replied to the kings question. Legolas started as Thranduil blinked, then raised an eyebrow. Eruanna started, staring at him, face twisting in emotion.
"Your sister?" He queried.
"Yes. My long-lost sister." He replied, smiling as she sobbed for joy. He accepted her. He wanted her. He loved her. He knew. He was her brother, and he knew it. He accepted it. He wanted it. He had searched for her, and he had found her.
"Then how is she so young?" Thranduil asked with a frown. To be honest, he was feeling disappointed. He had grown fonder than he expected towards Eruanna.
Glorfindel's smile faded, and he looked to Eruanna, clutched to him so tightly that she was almost suffocated, but uncaring. "That is a long story. If you have time." He added, looking up at the King again, who nodded.
"We would be pleased to." He replied, motioning for them to sit on several stools that a servant had brought in. He took a seat, and settled Eruanna carefully in the folds of his tunic, while she clutched him so tightly that her knuckles were white. She was shaking from immense emotion, and Glorfindel stroked her hair, murmuring into her ears softly, kissing the top of her head and her cheeks gently, which she soaked up desperately. Legolas felt himself moved by the scene. How starved this elfling was for the loving touch of another.
Then the golden lord looked back up and began to tell their story from the very beginning, all through their journey up to that very moment. Legolas felt mingled rage, pity, and horror as Glorfindel wove the story together of his little sister. Tears streaked down Legolas' cheeks, but he didn't care. Thranduil looked moved as well, and all three elves looked to Eruanna once the tale was over to see that she had stopped shaking but was still crying.
"And that is why she is still an elfling." Glorfindel finished, hands stroking her hair gently.
"I cannot say I am completely happy." Thranduil sighed, then smiled amusedly at them. "I had grown quite fond of Eruanna." He said.
Glorfindel looked surprised. "If you wish to see her, I am sure that she can visit you from time to time." He replied, then turned to her. "Would that please you, seler?" He asked gently. She looked up and nodded, a shaky smile on her face. Thranduil looked pleased.
"You are always welcome here." He inclined his head to Glorfindel.
Legolas smiled. "No wonder she would always look amused whenever you called her 'little one'." He chuckled to his father, who raised an eyebrow. Glorfindel chuckled. Eruanna smiled exhaustedly, but her eyes were bright, not dull any longer.
"Will you stay here for the night, lord Glorfindel? I am sure that you would like to rest before traveling back to Imladris on the morrow." Thranduil invited. Glorfindel nodded, tiredness seeping into his features.
"Hannon lle, King Thranduil." He accepted and rose, refusing to let go of Eruanna.
"Quel kamin, lord Glorfindel, Eruanna." Thranduil replied, bowing to them. Legolas and Glorfindel bowed in reply and left, Legolas to show them the way to their room.
They arrived in front of a door, and Legolas turned with a smile. "I hope you rest well. I am happy for you, lord Glorfindel, Eruanna. I'm glad you have agreed to visit us, Díllothel." He said. Eruanna stirred and reached out for him, to their surprise.
Glorfindel handed her over reluctantly, fingers itching to have her back. She hugged Legolas tightly, and tapped their bond, asking for permission to access it. Legolas smiled and opened it to her.
'You came back safely.' She said, a note of relief in her voice. He smiled as Glorfindel had to hear her speak through their bond.
"As I promised." He replied aloud. She smiled and kissed his cheek gently.
'Thank you for bringing Muindor to me, Gwador.' She whispered across their bond. He hugged her and kissed her cheek in return.
"My pleasure, Onònë." He smiled, returning the title of sibling. She patted his cheek and tugged on his hair, and he handed her back to Glorfindel, who took her with a smile.
They retired, Legolas going one way and Glorfindel and Eruanna going into their room. As Legolas walked to his own room, he thought over the events of the day and Eruanna's story. Thranduil, in his own room, did as well. And both of them wondered all the more at the little elfling's strength and inner light.