Chapter 13

Amathȋr was standing before a map of Imladris as he and several captains and scouts went over the information they had so far procured. They had pinned several brightly colored tacks upon the map, indicating the locations already cleared by patrols.

It was this scene Ereiniel saw when she rode up to the guardhouse that served as a command post with a company of Elves behind her. They were a mix of Noldorin infantry, Falathrim and Sindarin bowmen, and Silvan scouts. She dismounted and approached with Erestor, Saelaethor, and the Silvan Elf Lothiriel, who was another trusted captain.

"Milady," Amathȋr and the others bowed low when Ereiniel approached. She now looked more like the King's Lord Marshal dressed in a well-tailored, midnight blue gambeson with a sword, quiver, and bow strapped to her back. "Just as you said, we found the orc dead in the Bluebell Woods and we have also found the trail of the other orcs. We are pursuing them as we speak."

"Good," Ereiniel said with a nod. "Are those the locations that you have already searched there? Let me see."

The line of Elves before the map parted as Amathȋr explained what they did and did not find in each location, careful to leave no shred of information out. However, they had not found much of anything in such a short span of time. What they did know was there appeared to be no more than a dozen, and there seemed to be no movement at the borders of Imladris that indicated a siege.

"From what we know milady, is that a small pack of orcs have somehow found their way into the valley, but we know not how," Amathȋr said.

"Elrond himself has said there may be entrances that we may not yet be aware of," Ereiniel said, her eyes never leaving the map. "The valley is a labyrinth of gullies and mountain passages. It's quite possible they found one of those paths. What are the locations that have not yet been searched?"

"We have started a ring around the Bluebell Woods and are searching outwards from it, the furthest locations here are where we have yet to begin," he said, pointing to the map.

"Then that is where we shall begin our search," Ereiniel said as she turned.

"Milady?" Amathȋr asked, his brow raised. "I thought you were—"

"You thought I was what?" she asked, genuinely perplexed.

"Are you not here to assume command? I was under the impression that since Lord Elrond and Lord Glorfindel have not appeared that you were going to lead us," Amathȋr said.

"You have not seen Elrond nor Glorfindel?" Ereiniel said with a raised brow, and he shook his head.

"No one has seen Lord Elrond since he departed the feast over an hour ago," Amathȋr said.

"And I was the last to see Glorfindel riding back to Imladris about the same time," she said.

Both of their hearts sank deep into their stomachs as they stared at each other with a matching expression of alarm.

"Have everyone who remains in Imladris to search everywhere for Lords Elrond and Glorfindel," Ereiniel commanded a scout, her heart was racing in her chest. "Leave no room unsearched, they must be found."

The scout nodded and quickly left the guardhouse.

"If Lord Glorfindel heard the alarm, he would have likely gone back to the wood to retrieve you, milady," Erestor said. The only thing that had changed about his appearance was the presence of a slender sword on his back. Four throwing knives were fastened to the belt across his chest.

Ereiniel turned to him and spoke lowly, so no one else could hear. "If you find him for me, the next emissary I send from Aearellond to Imladris will be Lindriel. As the head of my House she will not refuse to represent me if I ask her."

Erestor wasted no time in making his decision. He bowed to Ereiniel and departed for the Bluebell Woods at once.

"Lord Elrond appointed you to ensure the safety of the valley, Lord Amathȋr," Ereiniel said, turning back to him. "Please fulfil this task as commander, for you know this place far better than I. My forces and myself are at your complete disposal."

"O-of course," he said, inclining his head. "I greatly appreciate your assistance, as does Lord Elrond I'm sure."

"Indeed he does."

Startled, Ereiniel and Amathȋr turned to see the elaborately robed Elrond sweep into the guardhouse with Lindir behind him. Everyone but Ereiniel bowed low.

"Although I will say that I do not believe it is genuine help the High Princess gives, she has always liked to play the hero ever since she was an Elfling," he said with a smile.

Ereiniel returned the smile. "And I will continue to play the hero and ride to Imladris' defense every time it is required."

"I never thought I would be so grateful to hear that," Elrond said, then waved at her dismissively. "Go and be Ereiniel the Valiant for the night, Amathȋr and I will keep watch from here."

"As you wish," Ereiniel gave a flourishing bow. "I shall have these trespassing orcs dead by morning Lord Elrond."

Elrond didn't miss her mocking tone, but chose to ignore it. This was no time for nitpicking battles, and he turned to Amathȋr. "Where are Lords Erestor and Glorfindel?"

"Princess Ereiniel just sent Erestor to find Lord Glorfindel, his whereabouts are still unknown."

Elrond turned and frowned at Ereiniel. "Lord Erestor's expertise would have been better served in hunting the orcs," he said.

"When Lord Erestor finds Glorfindel he'll no doubt turn his attention to just that," Ereiniel replied. "No orc will be able to overcome the two of them."

"Is that what this is about?" Elrond's brow rose as Ereiniel returned a perplexed stare. "Come," he said, taking her arm and ushering her out of the guardhouse.

"Ereiniel, no orc will be able to overtake Lord Glorfindel if he shows his power," he said when they were out of earshot of the other Elves. "Nothing bad will happen to him this night."

"For all your famed wisdom you are sorely lacking in common sense," Ereiniel snapped back and jerked her arm out of his grasp. "I have seen some of the mightiest Elf Lords slain by a single arrow, and an Elf can easily be killed by an orc overcome with bloodlust."

"Erie," he sighed and moved to place a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "You have seen too much war in your life, but I can assure you that Glorfindel is safe within the valley, as are you. You will never see those sights here."

"We thought the same with Ost-in-Edhil," she said, the words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop them.

Elrond stared at Ereiniel as she stared back with a pallid face and wide eyes. Somehow, he knew it was not himself Ereiniel was seeing. Before her eyes was a landscape of ruin and smoke, and she saw the body of Celebrimbor hoisted on a tall pike shot full of arrows.

It wasn't just Celebrimbor that had died that day, something in Ereiniel did too. A sense of security had shattered within her, and she had become deathly afraid that those she loved would be snatched from her at any moment. Sauron's defeat had clearly done nothing to ease her fears and she must have felt that her premonitions were coming to life tonight.

"Erie," Elrond said as he wrapped his arms around her, wishing so desperately that he could heal those hurts in her heart. "Everyone will be fine, Erestor will find Glorfindel safe and sound. You'll see."

"Can you foresee it then?" she asked, her voice breaking. Ereiniel had opened her own Pandora's box and struggled to control the emotions that surged within her as a result. Ost-in-Edhil had been a second home to her, and she had yet to heal from its destruction.

"No, but I don't need to foresee something I know will come to pass," Elrond said, chiding her as he did when she was young.

"I suppose it is stupid of me to ask," she said, stepping out of his embrace. "Foresight only shows you devastation and your loved ones dying," she said, looking at him with red rimmed eyes and with no small measure of bitterness in her tone.

"It's never a guarantee, Erie," Elrond said.

"I suppose we'll find out sooner or later, won't we?" she replied, turning on her heel. "I'll be searching the Northwest, maybe they'll try to make for the mountain."

Elrond sighed as she walked away, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. He sometimes didn't recognize her nowadays. That carefree, effervescent girl who would spend her days laughing and playing by the sea seemed forever lost. Glorfindel could sometimes pull remnants of the younger Ereiniel back for a short while, but she was never really the person Elrond remembered.

His thoughts lingered around that until he realized that he had been selfish to send Erestor after Ereiniel. Though he often didn't give the Vanya Elf much mental credit, Glorfindel was often able to sense Ereiniel's moods better than the rest of them. He probably realized that she was upset earlier that day and needed a break, and Elrond should have suspected his intentions.

Having lived in a constant state of war since Ost-in-Edhil was destroyed, she had yet to fully grieve and come to terms with many terrifying things she had witnessed and lived through. Elrond knew that the effects of untreated trauma could appear as everyday stresses, for he had seen her struggle to make even the simplest decisions at times, and swing from cheerfulness to despondent if no one was there to distract her. She also had to know where everyone was and would fly into a panic if someone went missing for a time.

Elrond chastised himself, he should have been helping her this entire time, he was a healer after all.

With this in mind he started after Ereiniel, shrugging off his outer robe. She was walking out of the guardhouse to her horse when Elrond tossed the robe over a chair and grabbed a sword, bow, and quiver from a rack along the wall.

He left quick instructions to Amathȋr and followed Ereiniel out of the guardhouse. She had already mounted her horse when he walked out, buckling the quiver across his chest.

"What are you doing?" she asked him with a raised brow.

"I'm going to help you," he replied, striding over to his horse. "Whether you want it or not."

Ereiniel's mouth twitched upwards. "Just don't slow me down," she said.

"I won't," he said as he swung himself up in the saddle. 'But that's not what I meant, I'm going to help you, Erie,' he said, his thoughts touching hers. 'You've been needing it for a long time.'

A look of startled realization passed over her face before she sighed. "I'm not going to like it, am I?"

"No, probably not," Elrond replied. 'Healing hearts is far more painful than any other injury, there's nothing that can prevent the pain. You'll feel like you're breaking into pieces, but if you don't start healing now, your mind may shatter. There's only so much a person can take before they breakdown.'

"I suppose you're right, as usual," she grumbled, urging her horse forward.

"The bright side is," he said as his horse came to walk alongside hers, "you'll know exactly where I am at this entire evening."

Ereiniel gave a slight smile and glanced over at him. "That at least, I am content with."