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In Times of Trouble

Scribbles-on-Parchment

October 23, 2021

Chapter 12 – Burned Letters and Wet Ink

Elrond sighed as he walked slowly back down the hall towards his study. It had not even been an hour since the confrontation in the hall. While he knew that Omalaern's words warranted a more severe punishment, he knew he could not give it to the elf. He had known the eldar since he was but an elfling and had always admired the other's calm and reasoned counsel. That was why the elf had been elected for his council in the first place. But what had happened today…

The elf lord shook his head. No, that was not Omalaern. Something had happened to the ellon. Something had grown in Omalaern's heart that had corrupted his judgment and reasoning. He had begun to notice the change in his friend several years ago after he had told his people of the encounter with the young Thranduilion. He should have done something about it then. Why had he waited so long?

Elrohir's logic that the elf should be thrown out of Imladris was sound. After all, why in Eru's name would he wish to let a dark elf wander free in the valley? It would only lead to disaster. But he could not banish the eldar. It was not that Omalaern was not warranting it, but rather that Elrond still had need of him. The former council member, though dark as he may be, provided the critical link that he needed.

It was not normal that one of the firstborn should fall into the shadow of their own accord. Rather there was someone or something behind this that Elrond needed to find. Omalaern would not be banished for his words for he still had a part to play, the elf lord was just not sure what it was.

The faint smell of smoke caught Elrond's attention as he neared the door to his study. While it was slight, the Noldo was instantly on his guard. Putting a hand on the hilt of his sword, he cautiously pushed open the entrance to his study fearing that someone awaited him inside. Yet as the great wooden door swung open he was greeted with an empty room.

The eldar sent one more look down the hall behind him before he stepped into the room. The smell of charred paper was still faint and it took only a second for Elrond to find what it was coming from. The letter that he had so carefully written to Tamír just hours before now lay in a charred pile of ash on his desk. Someone had lit in on fire.

A crease of worry appeared on Elrond's brow. If this intruder had spent the time to burn just this one letter, what had their intentions been? His gaze moved from the now-destroyed letter to the rest of his desk. Papers lay in jumbled heaps all over the wooden surface as if they had been quickly searched through. Yet what concerned him most were the splotches of wet ink that littered the normally clear surface. He ran a hand anxiously through his hair as he walked around the desk to get a better look at the ink stains.

Glorfindel hurried down the hall. He had received a summons from Elrond and was concerned about the matter behind the message. It was rare that the elf lord called him for a private meeting in his study without telling him of the nature of the conversation that would be conducted. However, this time there had been no additional information given to him. The messenger had simply said that he must hurry at once to Lord Elrond's study.

A million things rushed through the elf's mind as he neared the study. Was Elrond in danger? Had he been wounded? Poisoned? Held hostage?

Glorfindel burst through the door a second later, his hand on his blade prepared to strike down any opponents he found within.

"Mellon nín," Elrond's voice was calm, his face betraying no surprise as his friend's sudden entrance, "I am glad you have come."

"What happened?" Glorfindel was still on edge even as he stared at the elf lord sitting behind his desk, "I was told nothing of the nature of this meeting and was therefore worried. Is there ill news?"

"That depends on how you choose to look at it."

Glorfindel ground his teeth and glared at his friend. The elf lord knew how much he hated it when he spoke in riddles such as this.

"I believe," Elrond said slowly, his grey eyes telling nothing of what he was feeling, "I believe that Imladris is about to be thrown into the middle of an altercation."

"Yrch?"

Glorfindel felt his blood run cold. How could those foul beasts have gotten anywhere near the peaceful valley without anyone noticing?

"Nay. I am afraid it is something far worse – far more dangerous."

There was silence for a moment as Elrond stood slowly and gestured to a pile of ashes that lay on the desktop.

"A burned letter?" Glorfindel was confused at what the Noldo was trying to say.

"The letter is only the start. I fear that in a short time we will be alerted to the news that an order has come from this very room. An order that is to put a great rift in our people. I believe that this letter will tell the soldiers to prepare to march to the Greenwood to destroy the darkness within."

Glorfindel was on his feet in an instant,

"What? How could you do this? You said yourself not two days ago that you would never give in to the counsel's wishes to ride on the Woodland realm. How will you explain this to Thranduil? You know very well he will…"

"He will know nothing of this."

"How?"

"Because he will never know it has happened. You see I never wrote a letter with any such order as this. I returned here not an hour ago from being with my sons to see that someone had been in here in my absence."

Glorfindel said nothing, his mind still trying to grasp what was going on.

"Whoever this person or persons are, they burned this letter I had written to Tamír, and then proceeded to write something down. While I can only speculate what was scripted, it must have been something very important for they have used my seal which I had foolishly left unguarded."

Glorfindel felt his heart sink as he realized what Elrond was saying.

"Someone is trying to start a war."

Estel cursed loudly as his shot once again flew wide, hitting the side of the wooden target.

"You are worse than normal toron. I would have expected this kind of aim from a Dwarf, but I guess a human is a little different. You are just a little taller and a little less hairy…"

"Shut up," Estel grumbled as he all but threw his bow at his grinning brother, "I am not in the mood."

"You are never in the mood these days," Elrohir caught the weapon in his hand, "But I can tell something is on your mind. Come, tell me what is wrong."

Estel stalked over to a nearby tree and sat down heavily glaring at the Noldor twins who stood nearby.

"Legolas could have hit the target."

"Legolas is an elf. You are not," Elladan said with a slight frown, "No doubt he has also trained with a bow his entire life, which I might remind you is far longer than you have even been alive. But why do you speak of this now?"

The young human shrugged and leaned back against the tree.

"I was just thinking."

"About the Greenwood? Why? That was years ago. I am surprised your human mind has not already forgotten that adventure."

This remark earned Elrohir a dark look.

"I was thinking about it because ada is trying to start a bloody war with them."

"He is not trying to start a war, Estel," Elladan remarked, "Be careful what you say, toron, least your words bring about more trouble than they are worth. Ada is wise and will not give in to the pressures that are being placed on him. Surely you know him better than that."

There was a long silence between the brothers. Estel turned his head so he could see the training grounds that stood not far off. Several ellyn were sparing and the clanging of metal on metal rang out loudly through the quiet air.

It had now been a day since the incident with Omalaern. No had yet to see the disgraced elf after his disappearance from the hall. Estel half hoped that the Noldo had fled the valley, for if he were to set eyes on him again the young man knew he would be at risk of losing his temper.

It was seldom that anyone could invoke anger in Elrond and Estel did not think he could even remember a time he had seen the elf lord as irate as yesterday. The words that Omalaern had said must have struck the eldar deeper than he would show – and that was what was making Estel angry.

"How did he do it?"

"Do what?" Elladan glanced over the man.

"How did he hurt Omalaern without touching him? I have never seen any eldar use their inner light in such a way before except for Maer."

Estel watched as the twins glanced at one another clearly trying to figure out what to say.

"Can you both do the same? Why do you not use it more often if it can work to your advantage?"

"It is not as easy as that," Elrohir said running his hand thoughtfully along the edge of the bow, "To control your inner light requires a great amount of power and practice. Seldom can one truly use it at will as our ada can. Most often it happens as more of a reflex in a threatening situation or as a way to release emotions that cannot be controlled."

"Legolas," Elladan cut in, "Is still very young in age and cannot control his emotions fully yet. Therefore, he was able to flare his inner light due to his frustration at the time. But I would not worry yourself with these thoughts. These events are few and I doubt that they shall happen often in your life."

"But…"

Whatever Estel was about to say next was cut off by a cry from the entrance to the training grounds. It was too muffled for the young human to understand what was being said, but the look of concern that crossed his brother's face told him everything he needed to know. The twins glanced at one another before taking off to join a growing gathering of Imladrian soldiers on the far side of the grounds. Estel understood immediately. An order was about to be given.

"And you have redirected the patrols to cover the entirety of the Southern edge?" Elrond asked Glorfindel who walked slowly beside him on the balcony, "I have heard rumors that yrch have been seen roaming the Dunland and I do not want their filth anywhere near our lands."

"I have given the orders. If anything dares to pass through our borders, you will know," the eldar smiled softly at his friend, "Now let your mind be at peace about this. I also spoke with Uadithon this morning and he assured me that no order has been delivered to him about gathering forces for an attack."

Elrond frowned at this,

"Even so, I feel in my heart that something is not right. There is some evil at play here that is working in the shadows to undermine my authority. Yet, I do not know what it is."

"And have you decided what your course of action will be should an order seeming to have come from you be given?"

The elf lord sighed heavily. He looked out across the valley and was about to respond when a voice called out angrily,

"Ada!" The eldar spun around, recognizing the voice of his youngest son, "What have you done?"

Elrond felt a spike of fear shoot through his heart as the young man all but shouted,

"You promised you would not start a war!"

Elvish Translations:

mellon nín – my friend

yrch – orcs

toron – brother (Noldorin elvish)

ada – dad

maer – golden (a nickname for Legolas)