All around her lay the filth of death. Every creature tainted by Morgoth died around them so swiftly they fell froze with their expressions intact. She was rocking slowly back and forth and trembling as she spoke.
"no no no no Elthian you can not do this to me. You can not go where I can not follow."
His hand reached up to caress her blood soaked cheek and wipe away from of the filth so see her pristine white flesh beneath it all. Her tears streaking down her cheeks.
"Hey now, none of this. You must finish this. So our future will blossom. You will have to be strong for him too. " She could see it. The life slowly draining away from him. His fea began to dim as it slipped a bit more away. There was no going back from this. Her jaw stiffened as she struggled with her tears.
"Promise me." She choked. "Promise me as soon as you can you will come back to me. You will find away back to us. PROMISE IT, in Eru's name." She demanded from him and he smiled at her and pulled her close . "I promise." Then he kissed her. His hand holding her small head until it slid away and fell to his side. She felt his last breath against her cheeks and slowly lifted her head.
"I will hold you to it." She whispered to him.
Minol and Minogos watching it all, this anomaly in Minol's vision. This every elf, He finally understood why him. When Minol suddenly lunged for her and wrapped his arms nearly too crushingly tight around her, it was hard for her to breathe. The anguish she felt ripped from her like a tidal wave. Making everything around them feel heavy. Vorondil was moving through the smoke having heard the cry and now feeling the weight. He fell to his knees and crawled closer to the small bright light .
"You must stay with me." Minol whispered to her softly and held on as she grew brighter. "I know you want to go kill everything but please, stay with me. I need you here. We need you here. So stay."
Vorondil could see it. The Queen held by the Demon and beside her the body of Elthian. The weight began to fade and Vorondil rose to his feet. Staggering forward to look down on the scene of carnage around him and he dear friend.
The Queen finally relaxed and turned in Minol's arms. She was sobbing into his chest as he lifted her up against him and rose. He looked to Vorondil. "You must take him from this place. The meara will take you both. Take him to his King."
Vorondil looked to the small broken creature in Minol's arms. "I will do it for her and for Elthian. My Lady, I will take him home, all the way there."
Minol nodded and walked towards Minogos slowly stepping over the corpses or orc and around the troll to disappear into the smoke that permeated the battlefield.
Thranduil was in the meeting with Grah. While he did not have the eyes of his wife there he had been a fairly good judge of character especially when it came to humans. He felt nothing even slightly off about the exchange nor the oath Grah took. It was as Thranduil was leaving the meeting tent that he was stricken and began to fall. Elrohir caught him and lay him gently on the rugs.
The King began to writhe in agony, Elrohir quickly checked his ribs but found nothing strange. He was healing. He checked quickly for other causes. The King screamed in sheer pain and cried as he gnashed his teeth. None knew what to do.
Ryu burst inside the tent with Legolas behind her. She knelt down beside him and took his hand. Then slowly she moved so she was against him and wrapped her arm around him. Her head against his she spoke to him very softly. Then slowly the agony that had taken him eased and he remained shaking and sobbing on the floor.
"What has happened?" The question coming from Elrond's lips.
"Ada?" Elrohir looked to his father who he had not seen in months. He quickly gained control of his thoughts and began to tell his father what had happened.
"It is not his ribs or another injury Ada."
Elrond looked to Ryu who seemed to be the only thing keeping Thranduil together. Lets get them off the floor and more comfortable. Move them to the Kings tent. He turned to face Legolas who looked bewildered and wide eyed with trepidation.
"What happened?"
"I was sitting with Ryu at the fire. She jumped up and ran just as suddenly as I blinked. I had a hard time catching up to her. She came to adar and he was, it was as if he were dying." Legolas looked to Elrond for an answer and was disappointed to find he had none.
Glorfindel and Finnola watched as the King and Ryu were carried off. Narl joining them all three of them confused and not being allowed to get closer. "See what you can find out Fin I am going to go find Feren. We have to get the message to him and he might know something." Finnola nodded and started to try and make her way through the crowd of guards.
Glorfindel nudged Narl . " Come on little brother lets go find the snarkiest general ever made."
Thranduil thankfully found sleep and Ryu was more able to speak though she had to maintain contact with Thranduil. She held his hand and sat up to speak with Legolas and Elrond. "Something has happened that was devastating to her. The shock and the intense sadness hit him in full force. I felt it too. It was terrible it was debilitating. Then suddenly it stopped. As if Juniper is just a candle and she was blown out. I do not think she is in control any longer and she has hidden herself away."
"You do not know what has happened?" Elrond asked her.
She shook her head. "It is the same as I felt when Lorithir was killed."
Legolas looked to Elrond and just swallowed hard.
"She left over a month ago with Elthian, Minol, Minogos and several of the eastern elves and," He paused and looked troubled. He stopped walking and looked to Legolas who stopped and turned. "there was one human among them."
"A human?" Legolas asked the narrowed his eyes. "Elrond you do know that while my father is incapacitated I am well within my rights to..."
Elrond began to chuckle. "You are starting to sound more and more like your Adar every time I see you."
Legolas just stared at Elrond. He wasn't sure if he was flattered or insulted.
"It is Turin." He said lowly. "I would not with hold such information Legolas. Listen to me. We do not know yet what has happened but we can deduce that someone has died. The loss of any of that group would be devastating indeed. Now I need to meet with the generals. I suspect that Glorfindel is already filling them all in with colorful retellings of the events. That being said we need to formulate a plan and Thranduil will have to be told later."
Legolas was still stuck on Turin being with them. "Turin? He was Human. How?" Legolas stammered in his confusion.
"It will all make sense soon." Elrond assured him.
She was carried by Minol most of the day. Then Minogos took over until the nightfall. She had no woken up, not once during the day. They let sleep blissfully and now she was beginning to stir in Minol arms. They had found a small secure cave hidden away near a creek. When her eyes opened she was looking at the small fire they had lit and she could smell meat being cooked. Her belly rumbled and growled so loudly Minol took notice.
"Here Little Flower," He adjusted her a bit and lifted a small cup of warm liquid to her lips. "it is just some broth we made. It's not very tasty but its nourishing." He managed to get her to sip at it then her small hands came up to take the warm cup between her fingers. "That's good, drink as much as you can."
Minogos tried to not look at her. She seemed more frail than he had ever seen her. She was covered in dry orc blood and reeked of it. The loss of Elthian was felt deeply by all of them. Even Minol. Perhaps especially by Minol. The biggest anomaly in his vision. Minol was feeling regret.
"That's it." He set the cup down and then lifted her in his arms. "Let's get you cleaned up." Minogos watched them moving through the small cave and out. Then in the few moments he had to himself he broke down and finally cried for his friend.
Minol stepped into the creek. The water was cold but it was all they had. Her armor had already been cleaned by Minogos that day and it sat folded in the cave. Her dress was another matter entirely. He sat on a swollen log that had become wedged at the bank then placed her down in the few inches of water that splashed against her ankles. She stood there still and did not make a sound. Even when Minol pulled the dress from her body and began to wash it out.
There was little moon light but she could see the color of the water change as her dress began to come clean. She lifted an arm and saw just how dirty she was then looked to the other. Slowly she crouched down to the water and began to wash herself off. He watched her and wanted to say something. Anything that would take some of this grief away from her. Nothing he could come up with seemed to fit the moment so he stayed silent and ever watchful.
The more that washed away the more her light flesh was revealed and the glow she emitted was astonishing to look on. "I think perhaps we should hurry. You are especially lovely tonight and someone might take notice."
When she looked into the water she could see herself glowing on the rippling surface. "Well, look at that. I am like a torch." Her words were very soft an she lifted her eyes to Minol.
"That is what the fae looked like all the time once. Long before there was a sun or moon. The stars and the fae were the only light in the world." There was a sadness in the way he said that.
"So you are saying the sun and the moon diminish our light?"
"That is what I am saying." He looked deeply into her eyes. She had sought his gaze and watched him answer and she saw no lie. "Well lets head back. I hope your clothing is dry by the morning other wise you will be cold."
He lifted her wet form up and held her closely. His wings coming around them and soon she was very warm. He carried her inside and placed her down before Minogos. "He is far warmer than I am at the moment. "
Minogos pulled her closer and when she sat in his lap he wrapped his cloak about her. She lay her head back against his chest and stared into the small fire. Minogos watched his father lay down to rest. He was getting much weaker and he began to doubt that his father would make it to the end.
There was this strange still calm about the pixie in his arms. One that could explode at any moment he realized yet, she lay lightly in his arms and just quietly appreciates his presence. "Juniper, what are you feeling?" He was surprised the words slipped from his lips.
"I am unsure." She answered softly. "I have never experienced anything like this. Yet I have seen the expressions of this emotion played out on many faces of those I love." She yawned softly and snuggled against him a bit more.
"Everything, all of it is grief. The combinations of all those emotions. You are grieving." He wrapped his arms around her then and pulled her in tight. "You may cry, you may scream and get angry. You may even try and strike a deal with eru. Just know you truly are not alone."
Her eyes closed and she sighed somewhat contently. "Thank you." she whispered to him. "I needed to know."
Thranduil was awake and feeling well. He could not explain what had happened other than to say he was overwhelmed with sadness. He remained confined to the bed per Elrond's orders. Much to his chagrin. Then file after file of of his most trusted friends and advisors entered his tent. He looked at them all as they lined up along the tent and in the middle of them was Elrond.
"We decided that since you were awake and feeling well that we would just have the meeting here. You need to hear what we have to say. Glorfindel stepped forward and so did a slightly crouched Finnola though the further she moved into the tent to taller it became.
"tell him," she urged Glorfindel to speak.
Thranduil's eyes shifted to Glorfindel as he inhaled deeply. "It's true, all of it. Orome is out there, then again you have seen Tulkas and Eönwë. The thing is They travel with Kin Slayers."
There was a collective gasp from those gathered and whispers amongst them. Thranduil looked around and then to Glorfindel who was looking as if he were defeated. Thranduil lifted his hand and quieted everyone. "Please go on Glorfindel."
"Thranduil are we friends?"
"I believe we are family now." Thranduil said softly.
"I beg that you do not pass judgment on them though I know they took much from your family. They have been returned by the Valar, Placed in the east to resettle it and build you an army. 2000 years ago it began and now they are here to fight with you and end this. Cuivienen is a place for second chances and I am begging on behalf of Feanor and his Sons, On behalf of those that followed them and with the forgiveness of those wronged that you too give them a second chance."
Now Thranduil was witness to why Glorfindel was sent back as he made his impassioned plea. He was the mediator between the Elves and the Valar.
"Has Thingol forgiven the dwarves?" Elladan asked Glorfindel. "Has he forgiven Celegorm and Curufin?"
Elrond stepped before Glorfindel and held up his hands to quiet the growing discontent within the tent. Then he turned to his son. "Look at me Elladan. If I can forgive them I think we all can find it in us."
Thranduil sat back and listened to the different arguments. Then began to laugh. He was truly laughing and finally everyone went quiet and looked to him. "We all are truly doomed." He laughed and waved a hand out towards them all. "If we can not get beyond our past how are any of us to have a future." He shook his head and chuckled a bit more.
"Who are we to question of the Valar? They have given us a gift. They have handed us a mighty army filled with the greatest warriors from our past even if some maybe Kinslayers obviously they have been deemed worthy of this chance. Are we all as pristine as we like to think? We all have our past sins. Every single one of us has killed. Some of us have killed on a massive scale. We may not have killed our own but we are all killers none the less. Have you not given thought to the dead you leave behind? What their families are like? How many children did they have?" He looked to them all and none had words on their lips.
He then shifted his icy gaze to Glorfindel. "You are their emissary, You know them all better than we. What does Glorfindel the Elf think?"
Glorfindel looked down in those moments. His long flowing golden hair masking his face. He gathered his thoughts in those moments and lifted his head . Looking at Thranduil with a smile.
"I think that if I can fight along side an Orc and call him brother. That I can fight along side this Army and call them all brother. I think we need them and they need us and if we have one Iota of a chance to actually win we will need to come together and the past be damned. This is today and today we need them."
Finnola grinned and threw her fist in the air. It hit the top of the tent and pushed it up. "That's it. We fight." She cheered happily not caring if those gathered looked at her as if she were crazy.
"Indeed iell nin (my daughter) we will fight." Thranduil said with a proud grin.
What he said did not go unnoticed by Finnola or Glorfindel.
Vorondil was in the middle of a journey he took no pleasure in taking. He had wrapped Elthian in his cloak and bound him with rope. He was carried across the back of the meara before Vorondil. They rode slowly through a dense line of trees. The sun beginning to sink west and he found himself speaking with his friend.
"You know, I had hopes that you and I would be friends for ages. You were so much like your great great grandfather. I miss him and now I will miss you. I fear I have failed him though and you have fallen. I hope you will tell him nothing but good things about me when you meet."
His head hung down before him as he was over come with his sadness and he began to sob. It was the light that had begin to surround him in its warm glow that made him lift his head to see Orome before him astride Nahar. "My Lord?" Vorondil said softly as he stopped.
Orome dismounted and walked towards them. He lifted Elthian from the back of Loratha and cradled him closely. "This is the consort of the Queen. Oh sweet fae what a great loss you have suffered." He said and lowered to a crouch with Elthian hugged against his breast.
"I promised to take him to the her King and then I will take him all the way to his home." Vorondil explained and Orome nodded gently.
"This flesh will not suffer from rot nor decay." He then rose and gently placed Elthian back over the back of the meara. "She continues on?" He asked and looked into Vorondil's eyes seeing the deep saddness within them.
"Yes she continues on though I can not tell you how she fairs. The demon struggled to keep her in control of herself. "
Orome looked back to Feanor and his small band of warriors. Then sighed before turning around to speak to Vorondil again. "The Alliance army is not far. You will reach them a little after nightfall. Elrond is there now. I might be best to only give him details for now. I am not so sure how their King will take this news."
Orome whispered to Loratha. "Swiftly my friend. Bear them with haste."
The very last remnants of the suns dark grey light was fading quickly from the sky and Vorondil was left under a clear starry sky. His heart was heavy and grew as heavy as it's size in lead the closer to drew to the Alliance army. He could hear the soft sound of horses hooves against the ground and coming for him from both sides.
Loratha stopped and He looked down at his friend who lay before him across the horses back. "It seems like soon you will be back with your King." He spoke softly and waited as the riders came closer. Their were bows drawn on him and one of them spoke. "Daro avagaro, eno ech cam. Man est I baur? (Stop and still your hand. What is your business here?)"
Vorondil took a deep breath to calm the shaking he knew would be in his voice. "Eneth est Vorondil, O Cuivienen. Im nevia Elthian bardor. (I am Vorondil of Cuivienen I am taking Elthian home.)"
One of them lowered his bow and he moved his horse closer. His lifted deep brown eyes to look in the green pools of Vorondil's and saw the sadness in them. He leaned down and looked on the face of the Captain. He gasped and lifted up quickly. The second bow now lowered.
"Follow me, I will take you to the King."
The entire ride to the camp was done in silence. His escorts kept looking over with a revered look to their eyes. The darkness gave way to the soft glow of campfires. They rode through groups of Men and Elves mingling together. Then more Orc like Narl. The tents began to change into ones that looked more elvish. He tried to ignore all the eyes that stared at him and the gasps that followed once they realized what was happening.
They stopped outside a grouping of larger tents and Vorondil slides from the back of Loratha and gently pulled his friend towards himself. The Moment Vorondil laid eyes on the tall silver haired elf he knew this was Thranduil. He held Elthian against his chest and watched as the King turned and looked on him. He saw the light drain from the kings eyes and that moment of realization.
He approached them as if each step he took was weighted down. He looked on Elthian's face and his knees went weak. Gently the king lowered to the ground and Vorondil with him. Elthian was lain before the king who showed no shame in his tears and the cries of anguish that passed his lips. He pulled Elthian's lifeless body from the ground and held him tightly to his breast. His face buried in his hair and he grieved viciously.
Elrond, Celeborn and Legolas slid to a stop once they had reached the center of the commotion. Ryu ran past them the fae collapsed down beside Thranduil and wrapped her arms around his massive frame. Vorondil looked up and saw the other fae for the first time and how she clung to the king He watched as the younger ellon, on that looked so much like the king fell to his knees on the other side of the King and too held on to him.
Within minutes the Generals and Captains arrived and all bore witness to the Kings grief and lowered their heads. Having lost a friend as well. Finnola shoved her way past rows of Elves and Men. She was silent as she stood there looking on in shock.
Elrond had to step in. "Finnola come help us." He called to her and she looked at him as if she had no idea who he was. "Finnola carry Elthian to the... " He began and Thranduil broke in. "Carry him to the Kings tent."
Thranduil rose up slowly. Ryu and Legolas following him. He looked to Vorondil with wet eyes then he nodded to him before turning away. Leaving the eastern elf standing there next to Loratha. "Come on Vorondil, Let's get you some food and a place to rest. " He turned to see Glorfindel and exhaled a long held breath.
Tauriel and Jeven rode side by side and in near silence. Jeven seemed distant, He was there she could reach out and touch him but his mind was somewhere else. SHe had seen this before. His way of just drifting off. He never told her where he goes or who he see's when this happens. She never asked, she always just figured he would tell her if it was important.
They were heading east and Jeven had not told her where they would go but a head, for days now all she saw before her were the tall peaks of the Red Mountains. There was this focus by Jeven that she had never seen before there was nothing more she could do but stay by his side.
At night they camped with no tent. Just them under the stars. Jeven held her close and said little. Though this night she heard his voice for the first time in several days and it made her smile.
"I am sorry for my silence. I have found myself deep in thought over everything. I think I know how some of this will end."
The smile slowly faded from her lips and her head lifted from his shoulder. "You have foresight?"
"No I have a mind Tauriel," He smiled gently and smoothed a lock of her red hair back and tucked it behind her pointed ear. "If we are to believe Minol then everything that is happening is happening in a predetermined way. He set up the battle that never happened. Why? He had a cross roads. it was a point in his plan where there were 2 possibilities and he was set up for either of them. Either she remembered who he was and she battled to the end or there was a war and what? There was another possibility. So we are now on timeline who knows in Minol's plan. We have returned Kinslayers and Powerful Kings and the Valar. Why? Because of Melkor, He has something up his sleeve. Something so terrifying that we need Heroes and villains from the past to destroy it. Then what of Melkor, imprisoned in the void again? No they are seeking a permanent solution. "
"Minol knew they would do that. He had to know Jeven. He manipulated everything so she would have their backing when she was revealed. What else could there be besides just Melkor and I assure you Jeven what he did to the Kinslayers was tragic in it's own right. All of them have a personal stake in seeing him destroyed."
"How does she kill him?" Jeven whispered.
Tauriel swallowed and lay back beside him. "I don't know."
"The weapon will be there. Melkor is in possession of the weapon that will destroy him." Jeven said softly. "What ever it is they are scared of it."
The next day both of them rode with heavy hearts and minds. If this scheme did not fall through It meant a new era if fell through then it would be a new era in darkness. Tauriel looked up to see the mountains in the distance and she thought she could hear the sounds of music on the breeze.
Melkor watched as the 2 armies were on the cusp of converging. "These pitiful elves and men. These monsters from Valinor. Will all fall, it is almost sad to know so many will die." He spoke and looked to Drannor who lounged on a sofa and sighed as if he were bored.
"You do realize that many more will die before they accept you are their king." Drannor said in a yawn. "Then you will rule over what? Corpses and ash?"
Melkor just laughed lowly. "I will create a whole new Arda."