Reunions and Secrets
Legolas watched with growing bewilderment and incomprehension as the Lord of Rivendell scowled the more he talked.
Well, it wasn't exactly a scowl because Legolas knew that Elrond Half-elven was too proper and too controlled for that but he did show his distress in the stiffness in his shoulders and the quirk of his eyebrows. His mouth too wasn't set in its usual smile but in a neutral line.
"Gryffon," Elrond stated at the end of the narrative. "Lady of Haven and a swordswoman," he stressed the last word with an appalled and distressed air. "Had no sword?"
In hindsight, Legolas couldn't blame him. What person survived orcs, trolls and goblins with only two knives and a dozen daggers? Lady Gryffon, he realized, was either very frighteningly proficient with those meagre weapons or just plainly reckless. From what he noted when he had met her, it was probably a combination of both.
"Yes, I believe so, sir," he answered after he had assimilated that information. He said this calmly and softly, a sharp contrast to Lord Elrond who let out a distressed sound.
"That foolish child," Elrond muttered.
Legolas took that as his cue to ask, "My Lord?"
He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised that both leaders knew each other. They were close enough to be neighbors, with only less than a months' travel between them. In a way, they were rather similar as well, the very air in both places singing and thrumming with safety and protection.
"They're family holds an enchanted sword," Elrond explained. "And it falls on the heir to bear it. Gryffon has a son so..." he trailed off but Legolas understood what he meant even as he allowed his face to show his surprise, because truly, the only enchanted items hailed from the creation of Arda, from the First age when the Valar still had not settled in the Undying Lands because they were preoccupied in shaping the continent. The rings of power were special cases but they still came from the dawn of the Second age.
Gryffons bloodline must trace back to the beginning of the world and his respect for the woman, already high, rose up several more notches. Enchanted items, however enticing, always had a burden on them. For her family to have borne it and kept at it for centuries without fail was a great thing. It spoke of how seriously they took their duty.
"I do believe," Elrond continued. "That she does not find the other ordinary swords to be comfortable."
Legolas kept quiet, though he nodded because most of the swords he glimpsed in Haven city were clunky and not as delicately balanced as elvish swords. Gryffon, if she was used to wielding an enchanted sword, would not appreciate the heavy swords abundant around her.
"I will have to remedy that," Elrond concluded.
That was all Lord Elrond would say about the subject, aside from the curt, almost brusque statement of, "You will have to drop off a package for me," after Legolas responded that yes, he was going to pass by Haven on his way home, because Lady Gryffons offer was seriously tempting. If he hadn't been too preoccupied with mulling over it and marvelling over the fact that her family had an enchanted sword, he would have protested at playing messenger, nevermind that his own father did it, he was a king but Legolas just sighed and nodded because King Thranduil had been lamenting the distance that had erupted between the three greatest elvish settlements and favors did help lessen that distance.
The actual message from King Thranduil wasn't quite so personal for Lord Elrond so it was received more calmly. It was, however, just as puzzling and important.
"We have examined the Northern woods," Legolas said. "Ever since the rumors of something helping to keep away the darkness of the Necromancer in the ruins of Angmar."
Elrond nodded at that sense. Both of them knew enough about rumors that they always had a root of truth in them.
"King Thranduil wishes me to ask Gandalf the Grey or Saruman the White regarding that?" Elrond asked. "I believe Mithrandir was personally involved with that?"
Legolas let out a practiced look of incredulity that had hints of irritation in it. He knew, and saw it enough in the mirror that it wasn't an offensive expression. "He touched it briefly and battled the results only. But it wasn't him that settled the darkness away from our home," he said.
"How do you know?"
In answer, Legolas gave him a roll of parchment that had copies of the symbols from the strange stone they had found. Legolas knew without saying that it was keeping their home and their forest safe because the very air around the stone was cleaner. There was four more all told, making a pentagram of protection.
"You are right that the Mithrandir is not involved," Elrond remarked. "Because while he knows most of the languages, forgotten and remembered, this is not something he knows. What I do know, however, is that there is one person who has some of these characters written or stitched around her clothing."
At Legolas' perfectly tailored look of expectation, Elrond sighed. "It was nearly four decades ago," he warned. "And I only caught a brief glimpse of it. But when Lady Gryffon was ill, she was brought to Rivendell for help by her sister. Lady Enid had such symbols in her cloak. She only stayed for less than two nights so I cannot be certain."
Legolas had heard of a brief mention of Lady Enid from the cheerful helper that served him and his companions in the RisingEagle and he regretted not using that resource. He did not even see the rest of Lady Gryffons siblings, preoccupied as he was.
"That does compound my purpose," Legolas had to say, making Lord Elrond laugh.
Lord Elrond was always that way, an elf with a great memory and dry humour that rarely showed. Legolas always appreciated that and that association always felt like the cool springs of his home. Nobody was quite like Lord Elrond in the Northern Woods and before, when he was only a handful of decades old, he had felt a brief moment of envy for the twins and for Lady Arwen when he had wondered what it would be like to have Lord Elrond as a father. That moment had passed swiftly because he knew why his own father was cold and hard and extremely difficult to love.
Years of loneliness did that to anybody and the years were hard for King Thranduil, especially with the way he ascended the throne. It had been sudden and shocking, right after a war. He had gone to war with a thousand men, a prince serving under his father. He returned a king, an entire country looking at him for guidance with only a handful of men. He did not have the time to flounder and he learned to be strict.
Then Legolas' mother died and they were two.
Dreams were dreams and duties were duties. King Thranduil knew that most of all and made sure Legolas knew it too.
The end of the visit came as expected, too soon and not soon enough, because while Rivendell was wonderful and welcoming, it wasn't home. However, it was still warmer than the coolness of the woods and their elves were different as well, less tense and more inclined to burst into song every other moment. None of the others at home ever did that so quickly and he knew it unnerved his companions even as it soothed him and made him laugh.
The long, cylindrical package was expected as well. Legloas had heard the smithies working overnight and the furnaces burning hot.
"Have a safe journey, Prince Legolas," Elrond said as they parted, and maybe Legolas didn't school his expression well enough or perhaps his actions spoke volumes in itself, but Lord Elrond's face was sympathetic and understanding of the conflict inside him.
And perhaps that's why he always volunteered whenever something was to be delivered to Rivendell.
Because she was waiting for it, Heather felt it first.
The wards tingled and strengthened, solidifying in a way that signified the entry of two fully-grown wizards. She had been poring over papers with Draco and she had jumped up and laughed.
"What in Merlin's name are you on about?" Draco had demanded crossly, startled. Then he felt it too and the tense lines of his shoulders relaxed.
"Do you think they're alright?" Heather queried as she hastily cleaned up the papers scattered around the living room.
"I would hope so," Draco said, sounding almost cheerful. (He really must have been relieved.) "I haven't had a proper meal in months ever since that bloody elf went with them."
There was a clang! of pans that distracted both of them from putting the living room to rights. Curious, they peered into the kitchen and found a frenzied Kreacher cooking and cleaning at record speed. He looked manic and nearly hysterical.
"Kreacher?" Heather called out cautiously because really, she had never seen the elf act like that.
Kreacher stopped his movements, but it was no use because he was practically vibrating in place. "Master Draco has not eaten a proper meal in months!" he cried out, distressed. He was a second from bursting into tears.
Draco and Heather exchanged looks of alarm. Draco lost the staring contest and said, "Kreacher, I'm fine. Slow down or you'll hurt yourself. I promise that I'm fine."
The elf really did cry but at least he slowed down a little. It was still an above average speed that no human would have been able to replicate.
"Note that," Heather had to say with awe in her voice. "Nobody shall mention starvation within Kreachers hearing ever again. The next time might just break him and I am getting fond of that grumpy fellow."
"Noted," Draco said, along with another voice that made both of them turn around quickly.
"Hermione!" Heather exclaimed, enveloping Hermione in her arms tightly. Hermione just laughed and tugged at Draco to join their hugging party. Draco, in retaliation, squeezed back so hard that both girls could feel their back popping.
"You mastered silent apparition, then?" Draco queried as soon as he regained his personal space.
Hermione, thinner, browner and looking more rugged than she usually did, gave a little laugh. "Yes. I perfected it when I was ambushed by wolves. It seems that it was only the element of panic that I needed to finish the last step."
Heather groaned. "Honestly, the both of you! I haven't seen Mione in months and you're already talking research and technical stuff. Work comes later."
Draco shot her a sheepish look. "Ah, it was instinct. I missed having a sounding board for my ideas and when I saw her, it just happened."
Heather didn't say anything about that, because that was really as close as Draco would say that he missed Hermione. It was even a miracle that he would come close to saying it because years ago, any allusion to missing his pseudo-family was avoided like a plague.
Hermione knew it too because she laughed again and looked close to hugging Draco, even with how averse he was to being touched without his permission.
"Where's Luna?" Hermione said instead. It was a bit amusing because Draco actually sighed with relief at the change of subject. He'd probably felt how close Hermione was to going back to the hugging part of the reunion.
"I'm here," a soft voice said, sounding out of breath and immensely happy. "You look thinner, Hermione. That is the magical exhaustion speaking. I'll have to tell Kreacher to add a lot of meat, liver and beef to your diet."
While Hermione moved to embrace Luna, Draco remarked, "You ought to talk to the elf later. He's gone ballistic, cooking in the kitchen."
Hermione, ever the concerned one, chimed in, "I think he misses having a real kitchen to use. I don't think he's ever actually been in the wild."
Heather caught Draco's eye and quickly looked away again in an effort not to laugh.
"I suppose you're tired," Luna interrupted. "We can get down to the proper celebration tomorrow."
Heather and Draco agreed silently because magical exhaustion was a terrible thing to deal with, especially when travelling. At least Kreacher took care of her and Guiomer.
Speaking of...
"My son is with his wife?" Heather had to ask, even if logic dictated that he would be.
Hermione confirmed it with a nod. "He's been insanely focused on finishing the project early because he wanted to be here for Cailyn. Poor thing nearly fainted when I told him your message."
That got a round of laughter from all of them.
"On other news," Luna said, eyes sparkling with contained amusement. "My assistant and Draco's assistant have come to an agreement. A few more months and they shall tie the knot."
"You're not serious, are you?" Draco asked, having a good idea which of Luna's assistants that was meant. "They can't even stand each other."
Heather and Hermione, after the initial astonishment, accepted it more easily than Draco.
"So she was in denial!" Heather exclaimed. "I knew it! I've been having visions about the two of them but I couldn't even fathom how they got together."
Luna's tinkling laughter was all the answer needed.
"Matchmaking little minx," Draco said, shaking his head.
Luna preened like a complimented bird. Heather laughed at his resigned expression while the lines of tension in Hermione's face smoothed out. She was finally, with the only people that she would let her guard down with.
Kreacher did eventually allow them to enter the kitchen. The four of them usually ate in the small table found there when they were alone. A force of habit after a year spent eating in Grimmauld place's kitchen. It was initially a defence mechanism against the vastness of the house but the transfer to another world yielded a smaller table, where knees and dishes brushed against each other.
It was irritating but the knowledge that they were the only people they could trust made it an assurance. After long absences and death-defying adventures, it was a comfort.
"Potter did another stupid thing this week," Draco confided loudly to Hermione, making Heather sit up in alarm.
"Draco, really?" Heather sighed.
He wouldn't be swayed and Heather's adventure of Troll-climbing was shared to a steadily scowling Hermione. Unfortunately, it didn't yield the results he expected.
"You enforced the blade with magic?" she exclaimed instead of scolding Heather, to Draco's dismay. "I've been researching that. How did you do it?"
"Granger!" Draco barked.
Hermione gave a guilty start. "Ah, right. That was very reckless, feather! I know the future isn't stable and you get swayed by it," she said, a small blush on her face. "But that's no excuse to worry Draco and Luna!"
Draco looked to the ceiling in despair. "Really, the both of you! Hopeless."
Luna was leaning back in her chair, boneless with laughter.
"Hermione just misses her research laboratory," Heather soothed, voice choked with mirth. "Just give it time and she'll be back in proper form."
Guiomer's reunion with Cailyn while quieter, was no less happy. There was a lot of I'm sorry shared between both parties and relieved kisses. It could not get more intimate because Aedan, the moment he saw his father, clambered all over the man and she refused to let go clinging like a particularly stubborn monkey.
"You're early," Cailyn finally said, noticing for the first time that he was home four months earlier than scheduled.
"I cajoled and begged Aunt Enid to half the project with me," Guiomer explained, running his hands on her slightly rounded belly. "I'm lucky that she likes me."
Cailyn let out a breathy laugh. "You're her only nephew, so of course she's obliged to like you."
Aedan caught Guiomer's attention again and there was silence as the boy shared the fact that he could do magic. He was fairly controlled at it too, his toys floating in a decidedly orderly manner. Guiomer, after getting over his surprise, joined by weaving golden lights around the toys, making Aedan laugh.
"He's been wanting to show you that for ages," Cailyn murmured.
"Really?"
A nod. "There was a lot of mishaps too. Check his nursery, he changed the color of his walls to bright turquoise," she said softly.
Not for the first time, Guiomer wondered how things would have gone in his childhood if he was born with magic. Then he ruthlessly quashed that regret. For him, his life truly started when he opened his eyes and saw his soon-to-be mother's anxious face. The years before that no longer mattered. It was still important because the experience of complete unhappiness in those dark years helped define him, dwelling on it thought was no longer needed.
"It's good to have you home," Cailyn eventually murmured.
Guiomer's smile was radiant. "It's good to be home," he said.
It was an unofficial ritual for Heather and Guiomer to spend the whole day together after the long absence of either one. The next day was no different and Guiomer stuffed himself with food while Heather critically eyed him for any changes.
Guiomer was changed but in a way that took observation. He was twitchier and his hands leapt to his wand holster as much as it went to his knives and his sword. Guiomer's eyes were also quick to observe and assess everything.
They were the reactions of wizards, or people, who had gone through several trying times.
Heather had to remedy that before the bad habits set in. If he couldn't even unwind in his own childhood home, he'd end up as paranoid as Mad-eye Moody.
"You're as twitchy as a rabbit," she finally remarked.
His hackles raised in defence. "I'm not," he returned.
Right. Less mannerly too. She knew why though. Days alone would really wreck anyone's manners and it especially made your cursing skills widen. That had happened to her before her siblings set her to rights.
Heather arched an eyebrow at him. "What happened to your manners, my son? I know a bit more than you and the way I see it, if you cannot even trust in my magic that is keeping this house safe, then you cannot trust the city, which is protected with the magic of five wizards, to keep you safe."
Guiomer looked like he wanted to argue and Heather allowed steel to enter her eyes. Anybody who had trained under her in swordsmanship would recognize it and Guiomer was not different. Visibly cowed, he said, "I'm sorry, Mater. I am...unused to being in a civilized area after these past four months."
"Good. You should be," she said, making him blink in surprise. "Now, you will learn how to turn off those instincts once you are these sort of areas. I expect you to grasp it in a week."
"Mater!" he protested. "That's too short a time!"
Heather shot him a look of disbelief. "You have to keep in mind your nearly three year old son and your pregnant wife. And you seriously wish to keep those instincts active in their vicinity?" she asked. There were no arguments or counter-arguments on his side, she continued, saying, "And your manners, Guiomer! I know that being in the wild, nobody would mind or something. But keep in mind the example you're setting on my impressionable grandson."
Guiomer raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Thank you, Mater. I did not even notice. I take it that the same thing happened to you when you wandered as well?"
Heather nodded in approval. "Of course. My siblings set me to rights after I nearly stabbed poor moonbeam for stealing a hug. It took me months of practice, which you don't have."
The added motivation of Aedan and Cailyn would probably make him learn it faster. Both of them knew that.
"Tell me everything," she demanded after checking that his plate was empty.
Guiomer smiled as he shared to her the events of the past four months, his features relaxing just a little. Midway through his narration, he unbuckled his swordbelt under his mothers approving eyes and set aside his weapons.
He was learning. Slowly but surely he was learning and Heather allowed herself a small, cat-like smile.
Faramir's lessons were getting harder, but he didn't know that his tutors had run out of things to teach him. He even managed to disarm Lady Gryffon though granted, she was only using one hand to give him an advantage.
Lady Enid absorbed the mornings sessions after that and Lord Hodur's schedule cleared enough to resume their afternoon lessons. Faramir enjoyed it immensely and he made no effort to conceal how much he missed his old schedule.
But it didn't change the fact that Faramir was a fast learner and things that ordinary people would learn in six years, he learned in half the time.
Lady Eilys, after realizing that, offered to take on Lord Faramir every other week or so. Lady Gryffon nodded and approved because she remembered that there were other things that Lady Eilys knew aside from healing and that she was also a pureblood.
But things, no matter how hectic, eventually settled down and Faramir was present and very very awed at being able to witness the establishment of the country Saldia, with the capital city of Haven. There were suddenly numerous treaties to sign and a large number of agreements to hammer out. The entire thing just made him value Gondor all the more.
Saldia was a country located in the plains and was difficult enough to establish. Gondor was part of the mountainous and hilly areas. The force of will of his ancestors must have been immense to establish a country there.
"Manwe," Faramir whispered in prayer. "I thank you for enlightening my father to send me to this blessed country."
DELETED SCENES:
A light shining in the darkness
Lady Galadriel spent most of her time watching over all of Arda with her senses and it made her slightly difficult to talk to. Lord Celeborn knew that and had adjusted to it accordingly centuries ago. Her sudden delighted joy, however, was shocking given that the elves were intimately connected with nature and could feel the cold and the darkness seeping through their very bones.
"Galadriel?" he asked softly in case it would disturb whatever she was watching.
Her smile was as radiant as the sunlight. "They were smaller years ago," she whispered to Celeborn, eyes alight with unshed tears. "But no less beautiful. I didn't take much note of that because even the Dunedain give off such light. And it has grown! Oh, Celeborn, something is shining a light in Arda. Such a bright light, almost as bright as Estel. "
Hope flitted through his heart. Perhaps they could survive the coming dark age? Any elf could feel it coming, with the darkness creeping into the land.
"Then I pray that they shall continue shining," he murmured. He could finally understand why Galadriel had turned cheerful.
Questions:
Where are we in the time frame of things?
Less than ten years. Note that when Lord Faramir goes home, things will start rolling. Aedan will be five years old by then.
Where exactly is Haven?
Haven is west of Rivendell and north of Rohan. The distance between Rivendell and Haven is divided by plains and winter passes and half a months travel. Haven and Rohan are divided by mountain ranges. Travel between that is easy since Hermione engineered a tunnel through the mountain with the consent of the Dunlendings. Nobody else knows that though.
Notes:
No apologies this time. I was struck with a writers block.
Salus is Latin for protection. That is the root for the name Saldia.
I am going to have another bit of delay unless I finally find the name for baby number two.
Please R&R.
~Hallen
