oh Valar, please don't kill me for this! *cringes* I solemnly promise to update tomorrow... Oh, and 'Glorfindelithel' means 'sister of Glorfindel.'
Missy-loves-Waffles: yep. Next... *gulp*
WoodElfJedi: hehe, thanks! No offense taken, really I don't like Tauriel at all. I have nothing against Evangeline lily, and her acting was incredible, but really Tauriel is the perfect Mary Sue. And the love triangle made me perfectly sick. I'm particular on who exactly gets to be my sister as far as Legolas goes, and as far as that's concerned the only one I'll ever approve of is Evangeline Pond. ;) besides, Tauriel wasn't in the book anyway. *mutters imprecations against PJ* oh! YOU FORGOT!? Yeesh.
Pip. The Dark Lord of All: you mean Tauriel? Nope. Or if you mean Eruanna, heavens no, that would be pedophilia! Even though she's technically more than old enough, her body certainly isn't. And then on the other hand, if you mean canon romance like Arwen and Aragorn, yes to that. Otherwise, no. Hope that clears it up! XD
Rainbor123: you and I think alike, my friend! Eruanna would love to spend a day with you, she says, if that's what you want. *grin*
Erythra-Selena: one of the greatest compliments I have ever received. *bows* thank you! I try to write things so that people can see them in their minds. You are very welcome!
FandomFangirl100: Legolas... Drop...? Yeesh. Don't you know the pairing LegolasxGravity Defiance? Normally fangirl would be screaming at me if I made that happen... But then, you and I are certainly not rabid fan girls now, are we? *grins*
TheMouseOfAwesomeness: thanks! Yes, it was. XD
Guest: here you go!
Guest: I don't know if you're the same guest as the one above, but just in case I'll reply separately. Errm, no, I'm afraid that Galadriel will not be 'naneth' although she will have a sort of grandparent type role in Eruanna's mind. After all, she's basically the cousin of Elladan and Elrohir, so it's inevitable they would view her as the same. ;)
Chapter 27
Eruanna was still unconscious, and they were nearing the woodland realm quickly. It had already been at least two hours since she had passed out, and Glorfindel was getting antsy. Legolas, noticing, handed the elfling to the golden lord, who immediately took her and calmed somewhat to see her face smooth and peaceful.
His hand ghosted over her hair gently, and her fingers instinctively latched into his robes in a white-knuckled grip. He bent down and kissed the top of her head softly, just as the gates of the city came within view.
They went into the throne room with the orc, and Thranduil immediately asked for an explanation. Or rather, took one look at Eruanna and demanded one, making the four exchange knowing glances and Thranduil give them the 'don't even think about it' look.
Legolas began to formally report their mission while the orc, held by the prince at dagger point, snarled and squirmed. Glorfindel made to hand Eruanna to Elrohir, eyes burning as he remembered what the filth had done to his sister, but Elrohir shook his head.
"No, lord Glorfindel. She will not let go of you." He said quietly, and Glorfindel admitted the truth of the statement reluctantly.
"Wake up, seler." He whispered to the light hair. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, making him start and let out a slight noise of surprise. Her eyes were wide and unclear, slowly focusing on his face.
Her mouth opened and she let out a groan that resounded through their bond. She struggled, and he had a time of it trying to hold her. "Seler, calm down!" He shouted, making the other's heads whip towards them.
But she only struggled the harder. "Put her down!" Thranduil suddenly said harshly, moving forwards. He realized what Eruanna was doing, having seen it before when Legolas was younger. Glorfindel complied and knelt, setting her down.
She was on her feet in a moment, eyes rolling back in her head and breathing funnily. She suddenly staggered, coincidentally right in front of the orc, and turned dazedly, promptly getting sick all over the front of the orc, who growled.
Elrohir suddenly began laughing, turning around and shaking in his attempt to control his amusement. Elladan was grinning like a fool, Thranduil looked as unreadable as always, Legolas had a smirk on his handsome features, and Glorfindel, after a moment, suddenly grinned.
"That's my sister." He sniggered. The twins burst into hysterical laughter as Eruanna slumped on the ground and started breathing raggedly. She managed to give them all a weak but still scathing glare, and Glorfindel picked her up.
"I'm sorry, seler. Forgive me, I meant no offense." He apologized with proper graveness, though his eyes were still gleaming in amusement.
"May we get back to the matter at hand?" Thranduil asked cooly, though the corner of his mouth tilted upwards ever so slightly. They nodded, sobering, and Thranduil turned back to the orc, slowly circling around it as seemed to be his wont.
"There is a darkness growing in the vast ignorance of the world. It festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night." He finished sharply.
"So it ever was. So will it always be." He said. Eruanna vaguely wondered if he was always this dismal. The orc snarled. "In time, all foul things come forth."
Legolas tightened the dagger grip. "You were tracking the company of thirteen dwarves." He said. "Why?" He demanded. The orc snarled.
"Not thirteen. Twelve. There was another one with 'em we were told to capture too. And this little one has a price on 'er pretty head." He chortled, jerking a head gleefully to Eruanna, who was drinking water that Glorfindel gave her from a side table. She paled and Elrohir tightened his grip on her.
"Answer the question, filth." He hissed at the orc.
"I do not answer to dogs, elf!" He spat in black speech. Glorfindel's sword was out in a moment, held at the ready.
"I would not antagonize him." Legolas warned.
"You like killing things, orc? You like death and pain? Then let me give it to you!" Glorfindel shouted, lunging forwards.
"Glorfindel!" Thranduil shouted, making the golden warrior stop, eyes burning. "Tolo hi." He commanded. Glorfindel's lips thinned and the orc snarled tauntingly. But the sword re sheathed, and he backed off.
"Answer the question." Thranduil reiterated. "You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know, and I will set you free." He ordered.
"You had orders to kill." Legolas cut off Glorfindel's pending protest. "Why? What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?" He asked.
"The dwarf runt will never be King." The orc growled in hatred.
"King? There is no King, nor will there ever be." Legolas countered. "None would dare enter Erebor whilst the dragon lives."
"You know nothing. Your world will burn." It cackled.
"What are you talking about?" Legolas asked, a hint of mingled incredulity and worry in his tone. Eruanna clung to Elrohir, a sinking sensation in her stomach.
The orc snarled. "Speak!" Legolas commanded.
"Our time has come again. My master, serves the one. Do you understand now, elfling?" It jeered. Eruanna stiffened completely and began to hyperventilate. The question was directed to the wrong elfling. She knew what the orc meant. Her dream- oh dear Valar, her dream- that had been- the one.
"Death is upon you. The flames, of war, are upon you." It began to laugh in mad glee, which was quickly turned into a gurgle as Thranduil's sword cut its head off. Glorfindel smiled in grim satisfaction as Legolas was left holding the head in his hand.
He gave a disgusted look and dropped it, making it roll away and the body fall to the ground, shaking in its death spasms. "Why did you do that? You promised to set him free." Legolas said.
"And I did." Thranduil answered calmly. "I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders." He slammed his boot down on the twitching leg of the orc, making it still.
"There was more the yrch could tell us." Legolas retorted. Thranduil looked to him.
"There was nothing more he could tell me." He answered, and began striding down the stairs.
"What did he mean by 'the flames of war'?" Legolas asked, heading down after him. Elladan and Elrohir began to clear the body away as Glorfindel and Eruanna listened, Eruanna still trembling in his arms.
"It means they intend to unleash a weapon so great it will destroy all before it." Thranduil answered tersely as Glorfindel stiffened.
"I want the watch doubled at our borders, all roads, all rivers. Nothing moves but I hear of it. No one enters this kingdom, and no one leaves it." He added, marching off. The twins and Glorfindel looked at each other. They would have to leave sooner or later, and in that case Thranduil had better let them go.
Legolas went off to close the gates and Glorfindel immediately turn to his sister. "Seler, what is it?" He asked anxiously, rubbing her arm as she slowly stopped trembling.
'Dream. D-dark. Angband, he came and visited me again and told me to c-come...' She shuddered and buried her head into his side. He stroked her hair calmingly and frowned.
"He? He who?" He asked. Her mouth clamped shut and once again the bond slammed closed. He gave an irritated sigh.
"Eruanna Glorfindelithel, if you don't want to share then don't make me worry by mentioning anything at all!" He hissed, then rubbed his forehead. Eruanna's head jerked up, fire blazing in her eyes angrily.
'Im trying to tell you that you of all people should know the 'one' the orc was talking about!' She retorted furiously in his mind, and he stopped to look at her, puzzle pieces suddenly clicking into place.
"You mean- Valar, the white council... Gandalf was right!" He gasped. "And you should know, you were in Angband for seven millennia..." He cut himself off with a cringe and began hustling down the stairs as Eruanna sighed. It had taken him long enough.
Why could her life not be normal? Hadn't she gone through enough already? Maybe Glorfindel was right. They, of the House of the Golden Flower, were to forever be anomalies. And maybe not entirely in a good way either.
LOTRLOTRLOTR
As usual, Nienna was crying. "This cannot be!" She protested.
"It is inevitable. It cannot happen any other way." Manwë was saying with grim dissatisfaction.
"She will not be able to bear it, Manwë, there will be a repercussion, and if I receive her, I will not be happy." Nàmo said, his face as forbidding as it could get, making even Manwë feel vaguely uncomfortable.
"Oh? I thought you said that you wanted her." Tulkas said dryly.
"And you know as well as I do that if that happens then Glorfindel will follow her without qualms or second thoughts, and the very reason I re-embodied and sent him back will come to naught. And Arda cannot handle that." The highly displeased judge of the dead replied darkly.
Manwë sighed. "I cannot help it, Nàmo, I tell you there is no other way." He said wearily.
"Her bond with Glorfindel will not allow her to leave." Estë spoke up calmly. "Believe me when I say that if she does have any backlash, her bond with him will keep her there."
"Their bond is already to the point where it disturbs me in its strength." Varda said with thinned lips.
"What do you mean?" Several voices asked confusedly.
"She means that it is so strong that absolutely nothing can break it." Irmo replied, standing calmly and making his way over to a stand on which a silver bowl rested.
Varda moved to the middle of the ring where they were gathered and reached up, drawing with her finger. Lines materialized in the air where she drew. The rest of the Valar studied the replicas in front of their faces carefully.
There were two glowing orbs and a thick line stretched between them. One of the orbs was sapphire blue and golden, while the other was a mix between leafy green and silvery blue, ringed with both silver and a slight tinge of gold.
"This is a map of their bond and a chart of their spiritual condition. Look here." She circled the line stretched between the two orbs, and the image enlarged on the circled area. "Tell me if you do not see it." She said grimly.
"This is unexpected. Atto is more involved in this then I believed." Manwë murmured, leaning back in his throne. The rest of the Valar gave him startled looks.
"It is true." Nàmo made their attention turn to him. "Their bond will not be broken even by death. It will remain. Look at this." He pointed to a spot on the line and it zoomed in even closer.
Vairë gave a startled cry. "But that means that at this rate-" she stopped.
The cord stretched between the two orbs was made of two different parts. The rope on either side was in corresponding colors with the side they came from, and they joined together in the middle to form the link. But the distinction between the two were beginning to fade. Each side was taking on even more colors of the other side, mingling until there was no clear distinction between the two.
Nàmo nodded. "If this continues, then they will begin to loose their identity. They will become like one, and they will not know where the other begins or ends." He said gravely.
"But it will not happen." Irmo spoke up calmly. "Look again." He said pointing to Varda's image. The Valar looked.
"There's a limit." Irmo said. "They are not at full potential yet. One more thing has to happen until they can reach the level they need to be at in order to fulfill their part on Arda, and that will be when she receives a certain memory." He said, a thin, unpleasant smile on his lips.
"I see it now." Oromë agreed. "There is just a little more and then it can go no farther. See here." He pointed and highlighted a spot, and the rest nodded.
There was a coating over the two separate ropes. In some places it was nothing more then a thin film, smaller then the eye can see, but in other places it seemed to be melting away. But there was a definite point where the coating would not fade any longer. In some spots it had already reached its bare minimum.
"They will never loose their individual personalities, but neither will they ever be fully their own selves again." Irmo finished.
"I doubt that they would have it any other way." Nienna sniffed.
"True." Manwë conceded wryly.
"Face it, Nàmo, when they finally get here you'll have to share." Tulkas smirked. The Vala mock-glared.
"I've had to put up with our favorite Balrog Slayer for a long time in my halls; I think I can care for both." He retorted, making the rest chuckle.
"And you know that said favorite of ours is going to find out soon. If I'm not looking forwards to his inevitable breakdown in Arda, I hate to think of what he will say when he actually gets here." Manwë sighed.
"I'm sure my little elfling can calm him down when she does get here." Nàmo said with an enigmatic smile.
"Oh? Our little elfling? Who do you mean by 'our'? And what makes you think she won't gladly let him murder us verbally?" Tulkas snorted.
"By our I mean mine and Vairë's- you have your own children among the Firstborn. And I am quite sure that she won't because I will personally make sure of that." His grin only grew wider as the rest of the Valar exchanged horrified looks.
"Nàmo, no!"
"You will not!"
"The last time you 'made sure' of something you ended up calling Finrod to yourself!"
"I didn't mean it that way, why must you always think that I call them to my halls? I don't want them there any more than they want to be there!" Nàmo sulked, sweeping away from the ring.
Sigh. "Back to the main point of our gathering, it will happen. Wether we like it or no." Varda said resignedly.
"Let us hope that the consequences will not be too severe." Manwë agreed.
LOTRLOTRLOTR
Eruanna decides that if something doesn't happen soon, she is going to go absolutely bonkers.
Glorfindel is pacing in front of her in their room, which makes her extremely nervous, the twins are somewhere she knows not where, Legolas isn't here either, Thranduil is brooding on his throne, and she is altogether about to explode from the tension that is so thick in the air that she feels absolutely smothered.
She squirmed for the hundredth time just as the door opened and Legolas walked in without even knocking, looking around worriedly. Eruanna bolted up and he immediately knelt and held out his arms. She ran to him and in a moment was hanging onto his neck like a lifeline.
Legolas held her tightly and stroked her hair awkwardly. Thanks to her, he had learned a little better how to handle elflings, although he was still a little uncomfortable at times, not sure how to do this or that.
Eruanna, not caring, just clung to him, shaking from strain. Legolas stood and shifted her in his arms until he could finally get to a position where his armor wasn't poking her but he could still balance her firmly.
"Glorfindel, really! Can't you see you're scaring her with your pacing?" Legolas scolded, making the golden warrior stop and send an apologetic glance in his little sister's way. He strode over in two long steps and kissed her cheek lovingly.
"Forgive me seler, but I am frankly worried." He resumed his pacing, and Legolas sighed.
"Now what?" He asked, as Eruanna stilled somewhat but still buried her face into his neck, hot puffs of air warming his collar. She shivered and let out a noiseless whimper that could be heard through their bond.
"Eruanna has pointed out to me something that I do not know what to make of. It is disturbing, and at the same time makes perfect sense." He sighed and paused by the window, dragging agitated fingers through his long locks.
Just then, he stiffened, freezing and eyes glazing over. Legolas tensed. Eruanna became so still in his arms that he knew she was feeling whatever Glorfindel was. Two tense minutes later, Glorfindel snapped to and his eyes narrowed as he began to dress himself in his armor he had brought from Imladris and strap his sword to himself.
"What happened?" Legolas asked.
"Lord Elrond has requested my help." Was Glorfindel's terse reply.
Eruanna squirmed and Legolas let her down. She ran to her brother and tugged on his robe. He turned to her. "No, seler, you are not going." He said sternly. Legolas winced. He knew how this one was going to turn out: it had been bound to happen for a while now.
"No! You are not going to Dol Guldur!" Glorfindel reiterated, tightening his arm strap as though the issue was over. Legolas' eyes widened marginally. Eruanna's lips thinned considerably and her eyes sparked. He whipped back to her.
"I can ask the trees the way myself thank you very much. I am not putting you in unnecessary danger." He hissed, jerking a strap particularly hard. Eruanna stamped her foot adamantly.
"Do not push me, Eruanna! You are not going; you will not tell the trees to block my way; you. Are. Staying. Here." He snarled, mien darkening dangerously. Legolas suddenly turned pale and backed right into the door as Eruanna's face changed drastically.
Her eyes snapped pure fire, almost like the wrath of the Valar themselves were in them, her face set in determination, and her aura- even Glorfindel paled slightly. Her aura darkened and the whole room suddenly seemed to be plunged into winter and darkness. The lone candle flickering idly in the window went out. It was actually like Lady Galadriel when a rare fit of anger overcame her, Glorfindel absently thought.
Then the room returned to normal and Eruanna nodded in finality, turning and making her way to the wardrobe and after taking clothes out, slammed the door to the bathroom shut. Legolas shook his head.
"I knew she would get her way." He tsked, making Glorfindel's glare shift from the door to him.
"Excuse me?" He growled.
"With all due respect Lord Glorfindel, she may be your little sister but in a way she outranks you." He pointed out quietly. "She has gone through about the same amount if not more hardships then you have, she has suffered much, she has her own wisdom and experience, and she also seems to have the same amount of power as you do. The more I watch her, the more I see that she is more than she seems, perhaps more than she herself knows." He said.
Glorfindel's face blanked and he gave the younger elf a calculating look. "Which is exactly why I don't want to admit it, because I know that it will come with responsibilities that she cannot be expected to handle with all of her scars and emotional instability." He said flatly, just as Eruanna marched back out.
She was dressed in a set of clothes Legolas had never seen before. The tunic was silver, with golden flowers embroidered on the hems, and she had on leggings of the same design. Glorfindel sighed heavily.
He was dressed in silver armor, with a white tunic and leggings underneath like his sister. The armor had etched on it golden swirls, and a device of a golden flower with a blue center was placed in the middle of the chest plate. A blue and silver cloak sat on his shoulders.
"Let us go, then." He said in defeat, holding out his arms for Eruanna while kneeling on one knee. Legolas personally thought it a striking image. The golden warrior keeling and holding out his arms to the little elfling in front of him, both silhouetted against the waning sun shining through the window. Eruanna ran to him and buried her head into his neck as he stood.
Glorfindel turned to Legolas. "I must leave the gates." He said grimly. Legolas inclined his head.
"I will tell Ada that you have been called." He answered gravely. Glorfindel nodded.
"Do not let Elladan or Elrohir out." He added tersely. "If all goes well we will return by the morn I believe." He strode out the door with Eruanna, who frankly looked frightened.
As Legolas went to report to the King, he wondered vaguely if he would ever see Eruanna again. Not that he doubted her survival, but rather he wondered if he would ever see the elfling again, or if she would come back changed. For some reason, his stomach plummeted at the thought, and he tensed, shoving the thought to the side.
Whatever he did, whenever he fought, he would remember his dear little sister and fight in her name, as vengeance against what she had to suffer.
LOTRLOTRLOTR
Eruanna was honestly afraid. They had been in such a hurry that it hadn't hit her until they were already far away that she hadn't said goodbye to Legolas. She stared morosely over Glorfindel's shoulder, missing him already.
Glorfindel shifted slightly and sighed. "Penneth, I can't guarantee your safety." He finally said, sounding strained. Eruanna pulled back and blinked at him, then smiled softly.
'Sokay, Muindor, I'll be fine. Glorfy do whatever Lord Elrond ask.' She replied cheerfully. He briefly frowned.
"I want you to be safe, Eruanna. If anything happens to you then I'll be very worried." He said, stroking her cheek worriedly. She curled into him, patting Asfaloth's mane, who tossed a head and pranced a step in reply.
'Can't promise. But I'll try to be safe.' She answered. He sighed, not fully satisfied but somewhat mollified.
"Well, here is where I need your help." He said, coming to a halt. It was as far south as he had ever gone in Greenwood. Eruanna reached out to a tree, who reached back a branch and curled it around the elfling's hand.
After a moment, she pulled back with a smile and a wave, and the trees in front of them shifted, providing a clear path deeper into the forest. They headed farther in, and Glorfindel grew more and more tense the more they moved. The forest was getting clearly darker, and he didn't like it.