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Chapter 18: Rivendell.

"What purpose does a woman has in these lands, alone, in such dire times?" the voice of the per- elf, that could only be the leader, fell like melody to my ears. In that trance I gaped open-mouthed at their beauty. Even as much as I tried, my mouth would not just make any words. My throat felt parched.

"Miss," the voice sounded again, this time the beauty of it barely masked the hard edge to it. I snapped back to my senses and my eyes focused on his face. One flickering gaze towards the sword barely touching my neck made me take an unconscious step backwards, only to come to an abrupt halt as I felt another cut into my shirt's back. I tensed considerably and judging by their expressions they could tell. The sword recoiled a few inches and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. The leader still stared continuously, with an unflinching and steady gaze.

I cleared my throat to get a semblance of composure, "I was here to go to Rivendell." I finally said. The silence that ensued with my words made me uncomfortable. I shifted on my feet but paused mid move as I saw the knuckles of the leader turn white against the sword, although it remained at its place. There were no signs of anger or frustration from his face, and I could go as far as to say that I had not seen someone maintain such a pleasantly passive expression before.

At their silence I became anxious, stumbling over my explanation. It would be a cheap lie to say that their pristine, equanimous and majestic presence wasn't contributing to my fidgeting. I could only hope that the heat rising in my neck didn't extend to my face. My gaze dropped to the ground for a moment as I tried to regain my poise.

"I mean- like going to talk with Lord Elrond." In my haste I didn't realise the English words that had slipped past until it was too late.

The leader's eyebrows furrowed. His grip on the sword tightened. Inhaling a sharp breath, I cursed myself silently before trying again

"I didn't mean to say it like that. I mean that I must meet Lord Elrond. That is why I was going to Rivendell."

"The language that you used my lady, what tribe does it belong to?"

"Tribe?" I couldn't help the scepticism that seeped into my voice. English was a tribal language, really? Did I seriously just hear that.

"It is not a tribal language and one of the few reasons that I have meet with Lord Elrond." I turned my head to look at the rest of them before staring at him again.

He opened his mouth to say something before his gaze focused on an incoming figure beyond him and the sword in his hand turned lax. The rest of them also turned to form a wide arc on his both sides and I was left standing in the path of whoever was approaching. The incoming stallion slowed down near us and passed me by to meet with the leader. I stumbled backwards, dodging myself against that big beast. The elf of the horse considered me through a side glance and I was left struck at the uncanny resemblance between him and the leader. He wasn't dressed for battle and adorned robes, that were extremely fine and well made. His charcoal gaze snapped to the leader's identical one. There seemed to be a quiet understanding passed between those eyes, the visitor said something, in a language so alien and melodic while it nearly left me gasping.

"Lord Father has requested your presence, we should travel with haste, there is much to discuss."

Whatever was said was understood. The leader nodded, once, and then his gaze snapped towards mine as if contemplating what to do with me. At his suspicion, I let all the desperation and tiredness to seep into my face. My lips twitched in a want to give a big long speech on why I was standing here, in front of such fictional creatures, dressed in an extremely inappropriate manner (according to their standards), looking like a ugly fly in front of their out of this world beauty but rather I bit my tongue muttering to myself, 'Not like I can harm them with all those big weapons they've got here.'

"I shall be the judge of that Miss." The leader said, and I felt my brow furrowing before I comprehend that he was referring to my mutter. Half ashamed at being heard and half creeped out at their ability to do so I shifted my stare to the extended hand. He looked at my waist pointedly and my eyes shifted to my sword.

I nearly snorted and unstrapped it. "Yeah, right bro right." I breathed out before handing it to him. He merely raised a brow at my use of English, yet again. I wasn't sure what it was. Maybe I truly had lost my mind living alone for so long or maybe I had snapped after my long desertion of my mother tongue. Or maybe I was just frustrated in their presence as they were not like the ones I had thought. But I seemed to be using English quite a Lot without any notice.

The leader gestured to his sub ordinate and that elf steered his horse towards me. Looking at his face and then at the pale hand extended towards me I laughed inwardly. Santa got the shorter end of the stick when the elves were being distributed. Had Julia been here right now she would surely have made an inappropriate joke on their oozing attraction by now.

I grasped the long fingers and was pulled up onto the horse back. The elf trudged forward the horse. I felt the wind rush onto my face and ducked my head behind the rider. The rhythmic gallop of the horse made me relax into its back and I nearly leaned forward in my sleep.

There was just something so peaceful, something so extremely tranquil about the elves. Even the horse seemed to connect with them for they seemed to glide over the foothills rather than the bumpy, sore rides I remembered from a year prior.

I took the time to stare about the landscape, feeling at peace. Maybe because I had never seen the blooming beauty of the foothills in the spring, I felt transfixed by the flora. The grass, becoming a lush green with every trot seemed to lay into a cushioned bed. Various plants, appearing in clusters blossomed with large flowers, their petals still radiant with dew.

We sped across the land in silence, for a few hours before we came across the path that narrowed and twisted across the steep foothill. The hill shadowed the berm and hid the view beyond. The horse slowed to a trot as we moved beyond the lean track.

The view that greeted us made me gasp so loud that the leader's face nearly snapped towards mine. About a mile from our spot on the hill, the valley of Rivendell resided in all its glory. I leaned towards the side to get a better view at the approaching dale. In a moment of serenity, I felt my eyes glazing. My lips parted with a loud breath of amazement as I took in my surroundings. For truly how such a place of timeless beauty could exist in this world overrun by orcs and caught up in the mindsets of the ancient days?

The nature seemed to be one with the dale, the grass greener, fresher. The flowers in florescence and exhibiting the colours so vibrant as if their petals were made from the richest velvet that could be found. The vines twisted intricately over the buildings, stretching far and wide. They crooked and turned on the pillars as if someone had taken time to care for every single strand of the vine that extended from the ground towards the blue depth of the sky. Birds chirped, hidden in their nests in the lush thickness of the trees. Their leaves were vivid and from far not even a single yellowed one could be seen decaying. It truly felt as if the very nature had a pulse that beat thinly in the lush gardens beneath the strikes of hooves and with the take of every breath.

The waterfalls shimmered in the diluted rays of the sun. The light looked to be just right and caused the whole dale to shimmer in the same magic that I had been transfixed by in Hollin.

The architecture was another thing to be amazed by. Wide marble pillars rose from the ground and extended towards the height of the tallest buildings. Stone houses and villas, made in purely Victorian style increased the grace of the scene.

The whole area gave a different, a nearly magical vibe. As if this scene was not meant for the eyes of mere mortals of flesh and bone. Instinctively my gaze shifted towards the pack I was riding with. Even after coming back from battle the grace and poise still clung strongly to their posture, their appearance still seemed perfect.

It made sense then that such dignified creatures would inhabit a valley of a magnificence to rival their own. For that little moment, as I gazed upon the valley, I felt light, peaceful even, as if all the troubles and difficulties I was dealing with were nothing more that the fragments of my imagination. And those were now, in front of these sights, lost in the very depths of my mind.

In my days in Middle-Earth, if I'll ever live to tell this tale of mine then I probably shall always remember Rivendell as that, unearthly, unapologetically appealing. A place of breath-taking grace it was, Rivendell, Imladris, and the one place in whole of this continent that had the ability to make or break my future with its foresight.

The horses glided over the smooth marble bridge and came to a halt at a circular opening just wide enough to be harbouring this company. Everyone sledded from their horse in one swift motion, their elegance once again left me gaping. If I could just come down from a horse with a part of this ease...

My eyes snapped towards the elf sitting in front of me. His face was bent lightly backwards, and I realised that he was waiting for me to get off.

I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment and I swung myself over the horse. My feet collided with the marble floor with enough force to leave me staggering and I winced as a bolt of pain shot through my ankles. The elf barely masked his amusement as he slid over the horse. I watched his movements with no little amount of contempt.

Another elf came forward a moment later and the reins were thrusted onto their hands with the exchange of a few greeting in the same language. I furrowed my brow. Not understanding anything again still left me uncomfortable for the memories of my first few months still reigned supreme in my mind. The elf cut short the conversation with a small smile and a nod before asking me to follow him.

The next few minutes were passed in walking towards the back of the circular opening, along a winding path down wards. There was no conversation, for the elf himself was a quiet soul and I, being too fascinated by the nature preferred to gaze around in approval.

Later, as we came to the guest halls, I was passed onto a lady elf who was the keeper of those rooms. I controlled my features quite poorly at seeing the fairer of the fair. If I thought that male elves were cat walk model worthy. Then this elleth was just drop dead gorgeous. In presence of them both I felt conscious of my grimy, dirt laden lesser self. I fidgeted quite visibly and enclosed my hands in front of myself to hide the layers of dirt inside the nails.

The elf left with the barest quirk of his lips in my direction and the elleth turned her soft smile on me. Her lips curled, and her eyes shimmered lightly at the impact. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in nothing short of glamorous waves. Those types of waves for which you must prepare for days for. Like shampooing and conditioning and moisturising the hair for a whole week before straightening the knots and flyaway before curling again. That sort of hard work that lasted for just one night out. Yeah, she was pulling off those hair naturally and the only thought that went through my mind was: 'Spare my broken self-esteem.' Did I think, myself to be hideous or ugly? God no. I was just pleasant to look at. Not drop dead gorgeous but not too hideously disfigured to gag at. Just a normal, white, dark haired twenty-eight years old human. But standing in front of these elves, I was sure that even Miss World would feel neglected.

The elleth led me through the hallways into a large bathroom. For the first time in my stay in Middle Earth I had seen such a lavish bath. The elleth moved forward to open a tap, a tap! and hot piping water streamed out of the nozzle. At my gobsmacked expression she gave a light laugh and said something about being more advanced than mortals. What she didn't realise was that it was not because I was seeing such architecture for the first time that I was surprised, hell I had seen greater and better ones in my time, (modern plumbing anyone?) but the fact that I was seeing such structure for the first time in Middle Earth that left me amazed.

"I shall see for a dress to fit you, Miss." her voice floated over, effectively breaking myself from my musings. I nearly blanched at the word dress. Not again. My gaze turned towards her and I bit at my lip struggling to find appropriate words without beings too rude. She gave my expression a searching gaze and then what seemed to be understanding dawned in her features.

"You wish for the same garb that you don?" she inquired. I was surprised by her judgement but smiled nonetheless and shook my head, maybe a little too eagerly. There came her tinkering laugh again.

"If it won't be inappropriate..." I trailed off, trying to gauge her expression.

"No not inappropriate, Miss. There certainly are a few maidens who prefer the garb. Few and far in-between but present nonetheless." Pant wearing elves? Should I have just steered towards Rivendell on my first trip rather than Rohan?

"I shall, see what I can do," she replied, "but till I return, Miss." She gestured vaguely about her, "I feel that you crave this much more that the rest." I gave a light laugh and shook my head. The hot water steamed fresh and inviting, just ready for me to wade in and relax all my sore muscles.

The elleth by then had left and I heard the faint click of the closing door before stripping bare. The warm yet fresh spring air collided with my sweaty skin pleasantly tingling across my body. My clothes pooled at my legs and I did not bother folding them or placing them neatly and in my eagerness waded straight into the large pool. The hot water pooled around my skin and with satisfaction I saw all the dirt and grime floating with the running water to the opposite drain. Utilizing the soaps and lotions I scrubbed my body until nothing, but raw red skin peaked from beneath and the dirt was washed down the drain before closing the water and settling down in the warmth. My newly washed scalp felt cool and my hair light after ridding them of all the oils and grime that seemed to be embedded in each pore. I closed eyes and leaned against the marble that was warmed by the heat of the water.

For a long time, I stayed in the pool, sometimes floating and sometimes swimming across the surface, my skin had turned sinewy long ago, but I stayed in waiting for the elleth to return with the clothes. I must have drifted off sometime for the faint click of the door arose me and I turned to look at the approaching figure. She set the clothes on the uplift and turned around. Unconsciously I sunk a little deeper into the water due to my nakedness.

"I shall wait outside, Miss..." for the first time her voice drifted off while talking to me and one look at her expectant gaze made me realise that she was waiting for me to fill in.

"Lanette- but you could just call me lane"

"Miss Lane" she said, her brow twitched a little as if to frown but she didn't. Maybe these elves don't even frown. It was a little unnerving to see that. As I was sure that with every word they I displayed a variety of expressions but here they were with their perfect impassivity.

I came out from the pool after the door shut behind her soundless steps. Drying myself, I thanked my stars when I saw the firm cotton undergarments, quite like that of Bree but of better quality (Well duh. Elf made?). The corset that I had initially been given in Gondor was what could only be any woman's worst nightmare. Having to continue those three old garments from Bree was a terror. I donned the trousers and moaned softly as the soft fabric settled across my legs. The shirt was a female musketeer style and the small flare of it reached my mid-thigh. I turned around to pick up the previously discarded clothes to find none of them there. Feeling the embarrassment rise in my cheeks I realized that the elleth must have taken them, those messy, grubby clothes that no one should touch except for me. Walking across the room, I opened the door to leave. She stood outside, her long silhouette leaning across the front pillar. She seemed to be alert to my presence even before I opened the doors which made me wonder how much their pointed ears could hear as compared to a normal man. It was quite embarrassing, if I thought of it, that I only knew what elves did in the old wars of Middle-Earth from the texts I had read in Gondor and nothing at all of them, their workings, their life. Just looking at them had left me staggering and I was sure that many things in future would also affect me the same.

We walked in silence for a long time, until we reached another hallway parallel to one of their mesmerising gardens. The doors were built periodically on the wall proving the rooms to be of equal lengths. She stopped to open the way to a room and ushered me inside with a soft hand on my back. The room was beautiful (It looked by now that even if they lead me to some gory dungeons they would still look pretty in this environment). A large window, with soft cream curtains opened out to the backside gardens. The room was furnished well, being nice but not overly crowded with unnecessariness. My gaze went to my old bad placed on the small coffee table that the elf had taken with him. Beside it was a tray of food. Now after being on the road eating nothing but jerky and herbs and catched tid bids, anything washed well and cooked properly with salt and pepper would have tasted like heaven and the food placed on that tray was nothing short of mouth-watering. It was all vegetables and fruit (those perfectly plumb apples), a few blobs of creamy cheese and freshly cooked bread. I felt my feet carrying me to food on their own and I nearly extended my hands but stopped, a question hammering in my mind. The elleth, who was standing by the door seemed to sense my hesitation and moved forward to sit on the twin chair before gesturing myself to one.

"Eat Miss Lane, I am sure you would be hungry after being on the road for so long." she said, her pale hand gestured to the food before pouring out two glasses of whatever was in that jug.

"Why are you doing this?" I blurted out, my eyes darting between her pale hands and the food before coming to rest on her face. Her hands stopped mid-way and she turned her questioning gaze on me. "Doing what Miss lane?", her tone sounded purely curious. "If you do not like the food I am sure I can arrange for something else." I shook my head firmly,

"The food looks amazing right now, but I meant not it," I looked at the food with a small curve of my lips before turning back to her, "Why are you treating me so nicely? I mean not that I don't appreciate it" I quickly added, not wanting to hurt her good intentions, "the leader seemed suspicious of me, so I thought that I'll be like thrown into the dungeons or something..." I trailed off with an awkward laugh. There was silence for a moment before she gave a small laugh. Her silvery voice rang in my ears, "You are not a threat to us Miss Lane until you prove so otherwise." Her tone was decisive and she gestured to the food a bit firmly this time, "You look like you haven't eaten in days Miss, It'll do you good to do so now, to your fill." I faintly murmured true before taking the bread and splattering it with the cheese.

After I was done eating, the elleth got up with the dishes and moved towards the door, just before she opened it she stopped and turned to face me, "As for the leader, it is by his, Lord Eladdan's, order that we have been taking care of you. For this is the Imladris, the last homely home of the elves and Miss Lane, for as long as you stay in these halls you shall be treated as our fine guest." She inclined her head with a smile,

"I appreciate it," I said after a moment of silence, "I can't thank you enough."

"Miss Lane, it would be in your favour if you don't wander far from your room alone, lest you could not find the way back to your rooms." I nodded, knowing my not so much sense of direction. "If you wish to explore you can call me at any time."

"I would but I," I replied, getting up and pushing the chair back into its place, "but I don't know your name." This time it was mine expectant gaze on her.

"Calyniel" she replied and left with a click of the door. I stared at the door for a moment, repeating her name (that she said so elvishly that it was hard for me to pronounce it, if that even made any sense) until I finally got the hang of it. Unconsciously my eyes drifted over to the bed lined with soft mattress and what looked to be the silkiest sheets ever. Letting go of my thoughts and purpose for a while and jumped on the bed, relishing the way its softness cupped my body. Before long, my eyes drifted shut under the soft breeze from the partially opened window. The slight flutter of the curtain being the last thing I saw.

I woke up sometime along the end of the day, stretching and yawning as I struggled out of the bed and padded over to the window. The sun was setting along a hue of oranges and purples. The natural beauty combined with the serenity of Rivendell was just breath taking. There was a bowl of water placed in the corner, beside it was all the things I would need to freshen up, a soap, a towel, a brush with a bit of paste and even a comb.

Finishing my daily routine, I furrowed my brow when I saw food on the table. From the cold bread I could tell that it had been here a while, but I had only gone to sleep a hour ago, then?

The doors opened after a knock and Calyniel stepped through. Looking at me she gave what could only be a relieved smile. "You are awake, Miss Lane. I was worried if you had fallen ill." she said putting a few changes of the clothes like the ones I wore on the shelve. At my questioning gaze she laughed, "Seems like you are not aware." She came to sit beside me on the table and put her head on her wrist. "You have been asleep for a whole day Miss." I choked on the sip of water I took and with a silent amused look she passed me a bit of sugar.

"A whole day!?" I spluttered.

She just opened her mouth to reply when a knock sounded on the door, "A moment, Miss" she said and moved to open it. For a few minutes there were faint voices and from the back of her head it looked like someone was telling her something. I shrugged turning my head back to the food, my stomach grumbling at the sight. Having a fine breakfast of fruits, salad, some cheese and bread with two glasses of juice I was knocked out. Couldn't even get up from the chair but the food has been so appetizing...

She returned and looked at my slouched self with a smile, "It seems as the food was to your liking, Miss lane"

"It was just Wow, I've been like living on bland jerky for a while...", I replied turning my head to look at her, "Oh and you can drop the miss."

Her brow furrowed, "Drop the Miss?" One look at her made me fathom that she quite didn't understand, "I mean like, you can just call me Lane or Lanette, no miss."

"If that is what you wish.", I gave her a small smile.

There was silence for a moment, "I shall wait outside Lanette, Lord Elladan has asked for your presence to the dinner." That made me perk up,

"Like the leader I met before?" I asked. Her brow creased at the strange sentence but she just nodded mutely before breathing a small laugh, "Yes, the same leader although it will be preferable if you call him appropriately." I got up amused by thought of his face if I called him the 'the stuck-up leader' in front of all,

"Of course, Calyniel."

She left the room, and I dressed into the fresh clothes brought to me. It was still mind blogging how she found such perfectly fitting clothes so easily. My hands twitched towards my waist before grasping that the sword was in the hands of this Lord Elladan. 'I'lI have to ask him for it' I thought frowning. It wasn't that clean with spots and orc blood on it. I still hadn't had the heart to clean it but after a day of rest and food maybe I was coming back into the right state of mind and accepting what I had already done.

Sighing at how complicated my life had already become, I opened the door to leave, sparing one last look behind me to see if I had forgotten something, I fell into step with Calyniel. On the way there was a large mirror adorning the wall, unconsciously I stopped to stare at my reflection that was so different, yet so similar to my old self. My skin wasn't tanned for the days of the summer were yet dawning. My hair had grown a little more than halfway down my back, the chopped ends growing into better shape. 'Should've put them up in a bun or a knot' I thought, not liking the way the split ends grazed at my lower back. My eyes were the ones that left me staggered, they were different (If that even made any sense). Even after my sometimes childish and sarcastic remarks and modern antics, I saw a seriousness in them, a maturity, that I had never felt before. 'Having to run for your life and killing a living being tends to do that to one' I thought dryly, my face twisted, ' and also losing whatever one holds dear' a small voice in my back nagged. A hand on my arm made my attention divert to Calyniel and she for a moment seemed surprised at the array of emotions running through my eyes.

"Your soul is not at peace, mellon nin", she stated it more of as a fact than anything else. I swallowed thickly and plastered a smile on my face before walking again, "Come on, we don't want to be late? Now do we?" She seemed to be thinking something and with a last lingering look at my face fell into step with me.

Calyniel knocked once on the heavy polished oak. A faint 'come in' was heard and she pointed me inside.

My brow furrowed lightly, "Are you not coming?" She just shook her head once and with a faint murmur of some pending duty she left the area. My hand hesitated on the door knob, for I wasn't sure about what that leader could talk about. The sobriety in his eyes, was a little disconcerting.

I pushed open the door to reveal a study, furnished to obtain a balance between the lavish beauty and homely atmosphere. There were shelves of books crafted on the very walls, even one of them had not an empty space to accommodate anything else. The large desk, made from the best timber, was placed before the huge window. The lush greens and billowing streams could be seen from my spot. It was an ideal place to sit down with a warm cup of tea and a good old book, while the diluted days formed a soft blurred glow on the paper.

My admiring gaze came to an abrupt halt as my gaze met with the tall posture of the leader. I raked my brain to remember his name, as a show of polite Courtesy for it was he who asked for me to be taken care of. 'Lord Elladian or Elladan?' My musings were cut short by his resonant timbre.

"I see that you are well rested, Miss Lanette", I nodded lightly, giving him a small smile of gratitude.

"I did. Thank you for it all." I gestured vaguely, and he nodded before coming around the desk to stand in front of me. I felt discontented, for even though Calyniel's steps were light they had a feeling, but he was so light on his feet that he might have floated over here for all I cared. He was dressed regally, his battle armour disregarded in the place of those fine robes and leggings he now wore. His collar was high, the edges of which were embroidered with gold thread. His leggings were finely pressed, and the leather boots shined from beneath. Long hair tied half in a band were left loose to cascade down his back. His silver eyes still bore with the maturity and solemnity way beyond the years shown from his youthful face. I wasn't a fan of men with long hair, preferring the short fashions of the modern day and time but Damn... he was still beautiful.

The Lord stopped a few steps from me and I craned my neck to look at his above six feet height. "There is a tale Miss Lanette, a lore of ancient times, which I feel that you must be made aware of," his gaze bore into mine as his voice floated across the room. My face couldn't hide the incredulity I felt at his will to tell a 'tale' to me. I had asked to meet Lord Elrond with all urgency and had gotten my hopes up that maybe he was going to introduce me to his father but here he was, calling me down to this lavish study to tell a tale. Now don't get me wrong, I was fully aware of the station that lord Elrond held as the leader of his people and of this civilization of elves, and by the great knowledge associated with him it seemed that he was much more than just a Lord of a valley. But never the less he was the only hope I had, of going back to my old life, to my home, to my family... and thus for that very moment I would act selfish, waiting impatiently to meet with that Lord.

Lord Elladan merely raised a brow at my expression and continued as if he never noticed it, "Not to delve into the deep details, for they would require an age to be told. The glorious and agonising days of the past yet are not lost to our kind." He stepped back a step and took the seat in the high chair of the desk, gesturing me towards his front. He continued even before I had a chance of settling into my given seat,

"The first age of this world was marked with much battle, kin slaying among those of our kind and the greater ones. Among them was the dark elf, Eöl, the master craftsman of old times. From his hands were crafted the swords Anguriel and Anglachel." He paused for a moment, his eyes unfocused and head turned lightly to the side as if reminiscing something from his past.

In my impatience I broke in, "Yes, that's good and all but why am I getting the privilege of such a story?"

His eyes turned sharply towards my face, his eyes roaming to gauge my expression, "For his weapons, above all the others had the ability bonded by the curses." He said, his tone suggesting that I he believed me to follow him down the line of his talk. But to his incredulity and my amusement he was abashed at my totally clueless expression.

"He once created a weapon, for the greatest healer in the halls of King Thingol, Nimrolel. It was said that he, Nimrolel had the purest essence of the starlight and his hands were made to only heal the wounds, not to inflict them." His hands clasped nobly in front of him, "Such abilities lead to one's downfall and even when Eöl insisted on the sword to be a pure gift for his service, he had bound it with a curse so powerful that it was unbreakable except by his hands or those of the Maia. The curse was to kill his first living being by that very sword and once it took affect the blood of hundreds would taint the gleam of the hilt." I inhaled sharply. His eyes took on a new sobriety, one not of seriousness but of command, "Five are to carry on this curse, one of them to be not our own. All of them would be renowned healers of their time and four of them had already passed."

He got up from his seat. Pacing across the room he emerged with the familiar scab of my sword, "This is what I meant to warn you about Miss Lanette. This sword, no matter how it came by your hands is not yours to take. All those whose destiny had not aligned with it had died before inflicting the first wound on the battle field. This is how it has survived such long eons. For it is to be only for the hands of the renowned. If you continue with this, I am afraid, your end shall be of your own making."

The words rang in my head as I stared at him in disbelief. Suddenly that scene flashed across my eyes. My first killing, a living creature, surely an orc would be considered one. My hands trembled, and I held them together to quench the sudden, overpowering dread in my stomach.

The way my hand had moved so fast, as if it wasn't in my control. I had doubted my luck again but now...

"But..." My throat constricted, and I gulped.

"Do not despair, Miss Lanette. I shall provide you with a well enough-"

"What if I had already killed with it?" My sharp sentence cut across his mellow tone. For a moment there was deadly silence and then he moved across the desk to stand in front of me, "You did what?" His tone had taken a different tone, the characteristic voice of the elves was added with a deadly undertone.

"Before coming here, I met orcs on the way and I tried to escape and killed one and," by then I was mostly babbling, "I knew that it wasn't possible to move that quickly for me, but I did not give it much thought." His face went totally slack before he tightened his jaw. He looked totally pissed. But the look lasted for only a moment before his face was passive again.

"That is not probable, Miss, for I have not yet heard the tales of a famous woman healer in present times."

He waited for an answer, as if asking me to elaborate. His tone was sharper this time around.

"Are you claiming yourself to be one?"

I thought about it. Was I? True, that I was a surgeon in my world, and that I had not only done medical but also specialisation. But in this day and age... I knew nothing about the herbs, the pastes, the plants, the before modern science treatment. What was a healer if they knew not how to even treat the smallest wound? Surely, I couldn't call myself one. At that very moment I realized that the little confidence about my skills that I had was nothing if not misplaced. I knew nothing, not even in that front.

I closed my eyes and when I replied my voice was not more than a dejected whisper.

"I'm not."

His eyes showed triumph, as if proving me wrong was right.

"Then Miss Lanette you expect me to believe-"

"It is the truth whether you believe it or not." I cut across him, my gaze sharp and unyielding. He stepped forward, his hands clasped at his back. Until there were only a few inches between us. The expression he gave me then was nothing but thunderous, assertive.

"Tell me Miss Lanette, who exactly are you?"

I blinked twice, taking an abrupt step back. The way he phrased it made me think that he knew. As if those eyes could look into my very soul.

"I-" I stuttered, gulping thickly.

"Enough Elladan."

Both of us turned at once. The soft yet authoritative voice floated over the room. An elf, bearing resemblance to Lord Elladan entered the study. If I thought that Elladan posessed grace, then this elf took the very award. He seemed to glide across the room. And yet his presence spoke nothing less that royalty. He face was older, and his eyes bore a look of someone that had seen things more than a simple brain can decipher.

"This is no way to treat a lady, no less a guest." His eyebrow was raised, and a small smile graced his features as his eyes made contact with mine.

Lord Elladan bowed respectfully.

"Ada" he said, in that beautiful language of theirs.

He took a look at my haggard face and then turned to speak to Lord Elladan.

"I wish to have a conversation with our friend here, if you'll excuse us." Lord Elladan looked as if he wanted to complain but he bit his tongue and with a departing nod he left the room. His burning gaze leaving holes in the side of my face.

The new comer stepped forward, before taking the seat around the small coffee table. As opposed to the main chair at the back of the desk. He gestured to his twin chair.

"Sit Lady Lanette,"

I sat slowly, keeping my eyes fixed on his face, still a little bit shaken at the previous encounter.

"I have heard lot about you." That drew my attention. A scowl made its way into my face. As if gauging my very thoughts, he said,

"Elrond at your service."

I tensed looking at him in a new light. Truly, this person seemed enlightened enough to help me. Suddenly my stomach clenched in nervousness.

"Ah, um good to meet you." I said with a dry mouth. I stumbled over my words and my gaze fell to my lap for a moment, in an effort to compose myself. It took every fibre in my body not to just kneel and beg him to send me back.

"I take it that you're satisfied with the hospitality." His voice was extremely friendly, soothing even. Looking at his face I felt myself relaxing a little. His presence was contagious.

"Of course! I'm really-um- thankful."

There was silence and I took that as a cue to talk.

"I needed to ask you something, I mean that I think you're the only one who can help me."

"So, I have heard." He replied. My eyebrows raised.

"You have?" He nodded once, and realisation struck me,

"Ah from lord Elladan." I said, relaxing back into the chair.

"I shall answer your questions Lady Lanette, for I know that you must be brimming with ones, but first let me ask you, do you miss your home?"

The question was totally unexpected. It fell like bomb to my ears and the smile was wiped from my face. One look at his face told me he knew. He knew.

"I what?" I stumbled over my words. He knew. He knew but. But how!?

"Do you miss the land you left behind?" He asked further. His mellow voice even softer, tilted in what seemed to be sadness.

"I- how?"

He stopped, to look at me truly. "I have seen much Lady Lanette and heard much and even now, I know more than it seems."

"But-"

"I have for seen things about you," he cut across me, "things that I yet not understand." My back tensed, seen?

"Seen? What-" I started, my voice sounded like a hollow gasp. A moment later reality struck me, and my voice appeared trembling when I next spoke, "You can see the future?"

He tilted his head to the side as if considering my words. A small smile graced his lips.

"You may call it that."

My thoughts shifted to that horrifying prophecy I had head. The weight of his words felt like ice cold water.

"Then the prophecy I heard that, was that also?" I murmured, more to myself than to his. Bit that couldn't be true. It just made no sense!

"Prophecy-" Lord Elrond started to say, but I cut across him in a rush.

"There was this man, he had a tattoo on his neck, all the scholars seemed to know who he was..."

Realisation dawned on his face. For once he looked a bit troubled.

"I see. "he said after a moment. His dulcet voice previously soft with concern now appeared hard. "May I ask what he said?"

"I- I'll try, but I think that I don't know it all well enough."

His gaze again softened, "Try Lady Lanette, even if you feel that you do not know, a foretell about one's own fate is not forgotten easily."

I raked my brain for it. And to my surprise I truly could remember it. Like words printed on the back of my mind.

"O' wondrous lady with a lost purpose!

The heir of passers of the forbidden barrier,

Thee roam'd far and wide to find the healer's touch,

The success of thyself was written among trials.

Passing through the frost and the land of Eorl,

Reaching the majestic bearing of men, in search of long lost lore,

Defeated by the purpose engraved in thy's fate,

Thee shall travel west to the night of despair,

Only to find the cause, thee shall return to this lair.

Through water, fire, darkness and storm,

In the company of those who shall forever be known,

Thee shall fight for what will become scarce in this land,

Fulfilling the prophecy that was once recited by the grand!

He leaned back on his chair. His eyes stared away from me and out of the window. There was a long moment of silence during which I fidgeted impatiently in my seat. I wanted to say something but the look on his face made me want to not disturb him. When he spoke, his voice was soft with understanding, as if he was appreciating me.

"Seems like you made the choice."

I furrowed my brows, choice, I didn't know what he was on about. And by then I was beginning to wish that he was straightforward and didn't speak in so many riddles.

"What choice?" I asked haltingly,

"Not to go back to your home."

I recoiled back as if slapped.

"What? No!"

"That is why I am here. I want to go back. There's no way I've gone through all that only to stay. No." I said, my voice loud with disbelief. Lord Elrond stared back into my incredulous eyes patiently, still firm in his words.

"The prophecy tells of your decision, so does your fate that is now adhered with your sword, Agnaria."

It was such nonsense. I snorted looking away, my face crunching in despair, "I-"

"And yet," he continued, holding his held up to cut my tirade off, "I see a choice of paths before you."

"You do?"

"I saw you, Lady Lanette, reunited with those you love." Relief washed unbidden over me, and I nearly stood and jumped in my excitement. At last! Maybe all the dangers I had undertaken will bear some fruit and I'll go back to my home after all.

"You did!" My voice loud with pleasure. For a moment I was lost in my own victory until my eyes took in his look. The extreme joy in me faded at seeing his stony expression.

"And yet, that reunion bought you much grief"

I looked at him in question. Why would I be grieved if I got what I wanted?

"There are conditions, Milady, to every bit of magic performed. And the one force that brought you here was caused by the imbalance of dark and light in this world."

"Will I have to fulfil something to go back? Tell me and I will." The desperation seeped into my voice and by now I was leaning at the edge of my seat almost to fall off. It felt like all those years of travelling my success was just within my grasp and yet...it was constantly slipping away. I was too close to it and yet so far that it made no sense.

Lord Elrond spared a look at my care worn face before he got up and walked to the window. His hands were still clasped behind him, but his gaze was unfocused. I nearly jumped at his voice after a long while of silence.

"I understand your desperation, but it shall be in your favour if you listen to my talk." he said, inclining his head towards the right. His back was still turned, and I could only guess the expression on his face. His hair turned like a waterfall at his movements.

I wanted to speak, to ask him to tell me what I wanted. The last thing I wanted was someone who would extend the talk by some sort of talk or tale. I opened my mouth to speak and he turned to look at me then. His eyes bore into mine and there was a certain amount of deepness in them that I yielded. My eyes dropped to my lap as I gulped down the disappointment. Winning over Lord Elrond was like winning over your Grandparents about a talk of their own life, it was nearly impossible. He knew too much and could see even more. I couldn't take the chance of not knowing the details when he insisted on them so much.

He walked back to his seat. There was a certain uncertainty in his expression, only for a fleeting moment, as if he was double guessing what he was about to tell me. It was for such a short moment that it made even me doubt whether I had seen it, or my eyes were just playing a game. But if there had been something Lord Elrond was unsure about... I felt rocks settling into my stomach.

"There was a man before you, of conditions same as your own." he said. My eyes snapped up to his. I sat there wide eyed in disbelief. Was this common? but how?

"It was eons ago, back in the second age. When i still hadn't been the lord of Imladris." Second age? I raked my brain to find what it was and nearly choked on my spit. It was like thousands of years ago! Not possible that this Lord was alive then. What complete utter nonsense.

"You were alive then?" I still asked him, more out of amusement for an answer than anything else.

"We elves are what you might call, immortal and do not die unless inflicted by a fatal flesh wound." I recoiled back at his tone, disbelief marring my face. The way he had said it had been so natural, just like yeah so, we are immortal what? He didn't seem fazed by my incredulous self and continued with the same sobriety.

"He desired the same as you, my lady, and for that he came before those powers he shouldn't have. He too was met with a condition. A dark spell my lady, the one that desired him to bring his own share of despair to this world."

I couldn't say that I liked where this was going.

"What despair?" I breathed out, my brow furrowing instinctively. Lord Elrond breathed out, a sigh full of sorrow that made my heart fall to the pit of my stomach.

"Dark magic requires such hatred in one's own soul and that spell required the death of ten he would come to love the most in this world, then and only then would he be able to go back."

I flinched back as if slapped. Gasping, my desperate eyes searched his for some kind of prank, some amusement, some joke. I found none. Leaning back on the chair I closed my eyes. In the back of my mind I realised that I was beginning to tremble, but it was a minor detail at that point.

"Death?" even my voice trembled. My words came out as a gasp, stumbling over one another.

"Yes, my lady, death. Your ancestor activated the spell not knowing the condition, and the goblins promised him ten years before his departure."

Ten years? I had changed unknowingly in only a year and half. Ten years was like the making of a very new person.

"He waited for ten years?"

Lord Elrond gave a smile, a rueful one at that. As if he reminisced the days before him. As if he were there.

"He waited for three before finding out the conditions."

"How did he-"

"He fell in love."

That little fact felt nothing short of a blow. I closed my eyes to compose myself. My heart burned a little, pained for the one that came before me.

"Did..." I said, stumbling a bit, "Did that person?" My sentence finished as a wish to not be true. It was cruel, it was too cruel. I couldn't have borne it if the one person that made me feel right in this world was to die by a fate signed by my own hands.

"She did die, in the most torturous way, right in front of him." By now every word that came out of Lord Elrond's mouth felt like a curse. A start of something even more worse to come. My throat felt closed, and tears welled unbidden in my eyes. I looked away, blinking rapidly to not lose composure right in front of him. The previous days had been hard, and this little talk felt even longer eternity.

"How-"

"During an orc siege."

I looked away. A thick silence settled into the room. A tense silence.

"He turned to elves then, begging for help."

"Did you?" I asked, looking at him. I couldn't help but judge him for whatever he was about to say.

"We couldn't.", My disappointed gaze fell to my lap, "There is some magic in this world Lady Lanette, that binds with the very fate of a man." He phrased it in a way that spoke 'We tried our best, but it wasn't best enough' and I couldn't resent him for it.

"Then what did he do?"

"He tried to live away from civilization. So, he wouldn't have to be the death bearer."

That idea made me perk up, it was a good one. A little ray of hope entered me then.

"So, did it work?"

"There was a village he frequented, only to get a few necessities, once a few months.", I nodded, listening intently to his words, "That curse caused the death of the man, who provided him with those things."

Looking down with a gasp, yet another, I clasped my trembling hands together. A voice in my head wanted him to stop because a little part of me could already tell where this was going. A major part of me wanted it to not go there.

"Then came the news of the death of his friends and people that took care of him in this world."

Another heavy silence settled, one that no one made the attempt to break. I took it as a cue to calm myself. One look at Lord Elrond told me that he was not yet finished. I closed my eyes willing to gather courage to initiate further talk.

"What, what happened?"

He came back to us. We made a spell for him that faded his very soul"

I closed my eyes. My expression shifted and even my lip quivered. I dreaded the words that fell from my lips because I was not only asking for what happened to my ancestor but also what could potentially be my fate.

"He died?"

"No, he still roams this land. But none can see him, for his life is barely leaning in his soul. He became formless, soulless and cursed himself to the deepest depths of darkness to forget it all."

Until then I had no courage to even look up at his face. Right now, I was weak, weaker than I had ever been before, and it scared me. No, it terrified me.

"It worked for him, for there were no more deaths." Lord Elrond's voice cut over my tired mind. The way he stated the phrase was like a fact. A fact that made me resent him.

"Hence I give you a choice Lady Lanette." My increasingly incredulous stare settled over him. Quenching the deepest desire to laugh at the choice, I bit my tongue to let him talk,

"For the spell is now also known by our kind."

My eyes flashed at those words, and the whole year of hardships came bombarding to me. For nothing, I thought bitterly.

"Is there even a choice?", I couldn't help but snap. My eyes were already swimming with tears, and I continued.

"How can you ask me to?"

"You can, but it will be on your conscience.", he said, staring back with wisdom.

I looked down, my neck bowed in defeat. I felt cold. Raforta, Eohere, Cathiel, Butterbur,... all of the people that had helped me while not even knowing the truth about me. How can I stab them all in the back? And even if I did. Ten Years. They would not accept the woman I would've become by then. I wouldn't be Lanette Anderson, General Surgeon any more. I would be the Lanette Anderson that had lived through the civilization that would never accept me as their own, without destroying whom I prided myself to be completely. I felt the world spin out of focus. The tears that had before threatened to fall, shrunk back. I felt cold, dry, a biting sensation engulfed my brain. The choice, was no choice at all. I was stuck here, forever and ever. The magnitude of the realisation nearly broke me. Stumbling to my feet, I took two steps backward.

"I- No.", my voice was strained, strained with an effort to not let myself break. Not here. Not now.

"Is there no other way?", I murmured, poking at the fire that had already extinguished. Hoping to find just a little spark to make it brighter again.

"Please tell me that there is!"

"There isn't Lady Lanette."

"Tell me, of your choice Lady Lanette, for your fate still hangs on a light string.", he said, standing up and extending a scroll towards me. The label on it was written in English. 'Whoever comes after me', It was what my ancestor wrote. A parting advice.

"When I make a choice?" I thought that I needed time. I was desperately telling myself that I did. I can be selfish. I can. I can.

"It shall be sealed, not to be turned back."

"I think- I think that" I can be selfish. I thought once again. A small part of my mind screamed in collusion with that though. And then, as if the very heavens wanted to torture me, the faces of all those selfless people who had helped me here flashed before my eyes. The next words made me choke.

"The choice was already made for me."

My fate truly was sealed.

I stumbled backwards, dashing blindly for the door,

"Lady Lanette," I heard the mellow voice drifting over to me. His tone mourned my loss, "when you want to, you know where to find me."

I struggled with the knob and opened it with enough force that it collided with the wall beside it. There were a few people waiting in the frontal lawn, Lord Elladan among them. The all turned abruptly at my arrival, and their gaze widened at my view. I would've looked a complete sight too. With my trembling body, quivering lip, disheveled hair, paling complexing and gasping breaths. With the tears threatening to fall and the world swimming before me I did the one thing that came to my mind.

I ran. Ran until I could feel stinging sensation in my legs, and the sharp pain in my lungs. Ran until I collapsed on the rocky pathway winding across the mountain. Ran until the lights of Rivendell were not more than small blobs at my back. Until I fell and let out all the emotions welling in my body.

I would've been surprised too, had I been in my right mind. Because, those howling gasps, torturous cries and heart wrenching shouts were not mine. They couldn't possibly have been. I couldn't cry like that.

The sad truth was, that they were.

To be continued...