"Raven?" Glorfindel knocked lightly on the door, listening to the low growl of Nightshade.
"You have a key," she grumbled. Glorfindel took that reply as the closest he would get to permission and thus entered the room.
"I brought you lunch," he put on his best cheerful grin as he carried the laden tray over towards the little nightstand. "I've got fresh bread, butter, cheese, roasted potatoes, carrots, fresh berries, ham, chicken, tea, apple cider, and water."
Raven stared blankly at the tray and turned to look at Glorfindel with an expression that could be read either as amusement or annoyance.
"Might I join you?" Glorfindel was met with another blank stare. Seeing as she did not move to evict him however, he deemed it safe for him to pull up a chair beside her bed. He immediately began digging into his food and waited patiently for Raven to reach for the plate. It was only once she finished a few bites that he spoke up again.
"So how are you liking Imladris?" he asked with an innocent smile, doing his absolute best to ignore the very clear oliphant in the room.
"It is dull."
"Well I suppose the valley tends to keep things rather peaceful. Wait until you see the gardens! When you are recovered enough to walk we can go there and enjoy the sunshine and snow. Elrond's private gardens are absolutely lovely and no one ever enters them. In fact, that's where those flowers are from," he grinned at the memory of one particular blossom that was hanging near the very top of the walls.
"I've never liked cut flowers."
"Oh? Why not?" he bit his lip in nervousness. Is she allergic? What if she doesn't like the smell?
"It seems a waste to kill such a thing for aesthetics. Even placed in water the flowers are slowly dying."
"Oh... yes. I suppose so..." Glorfindel trailed off, not quite knowing where to go from there.
Their meal fell into silence and Glorfindel took his time to gaze over the room that he put together. The fire was still blazing nicely and he had no need to tend to it, but the majority of the books were still stacked on the opposite end of the room and he made a mental note to himself to move them over to the dresser after Elrond's interrogation... best not give her any weapons.
"Where are my things?" Raven asked suddenly, as if reading Glorifndel's mind in regards to weapons.
"Your uh... things," he could feel his face heating up as he attempted to maneuver his way around that one. "Oh well, Lord Elrond put them, er uhm... away. They've been nicely cleaned and are now being stored for... security."
"Your Lord doesn't trust me with weapons?"
"He uh..."
They lapsed into silence after that. Glorfindel found himself fidgeting in his chair, unsure of how to proceed. He had a million questions, but none of them seemed appropriate to ask. It would not be long before Elrond and Erestor arrive with their own interrogation, and Glorfindel didn't want to pressure the girl. Part of him wanted to reach out, to touch her and test if she was indeed real. He, an elf that came back from the dead, could hardly believe that she was really there, alive after all those years. Se was so young too... far too young to have lived on Middle Earth for the centuries between his death and rebirth.
"So... you decided to stick around Imladris?" he asked as casually as he could.
"Obviously."
"Thank you, by the way, for saving me again."
"It's not me who you should thank," as she spoke, she carded her fingers through Nightshade's fur. The wolf, who had not left Raven's side since being allowed in the same room, looked up at him with bright eyes as if asking for her thanks.
"You have my eternal gratitude, Nightshade," he put a hand over his heart and inclined his head towards the wolf. He would've sworn that she nodded her head as well.
Raven watched this with a discerning eye, still carding her wingers through the wiry coat covering Nightshade's neck. She looked down and seemed to be speaking more to the wolf as she addressed Glorfindel.
"It seems that she's taken a fancy to you... I intended to leave as soon as the archers were taken out."
"Ah yes, thank you for saving my patrol as we-"
"I did not do it to save them," she spoke sharply, cutting off Glorfindel's words. "I merely despise orcs slightly more so than elves... and barely at that."
Glorfindel fell silent again. He had no idea what to say, and nothing that he could say sounded right. Raven was obviously hurting, obviously pained by something, though he didn't know what.
Another knock sounded on the door, and this time Nightshade released a low growl with a slight snarl, though she did not bother to lift her head.
"I would assume that to be Elrond?" she asked.
"Indeed," Lord Elrond replied from behind the door. "It is I and Master Erestor... may we come in?"
Glorfindel watched carefully as she looked down at Nightshade before calling back a rather unenthusiastic affirmative. He rose from his seat by her bedside, moving to stand unobtrusively in the corner. Although Elrond granted him permission to attend the "interview," Glorfindel had no doubts that the Lord would not hesitate to kick him out should he prove to be a problem. And, Glorfidnel couldn't bare the thought of Raven enduring Erestor's ceaseless curiosity on her own.
"Ah, Raven," Elrond walked in with a. gentle smile, followed quickly behind by a stern looking elf who Evelyn knew to be Erestor. "It is good to see you well. How is the pain? I've brought another draught."
"With perhaps an extra ingredient to loosen my tongue?" Evelyn shot back. She was no fool. Three elves, all of high positions in the household convening in her room at the same time- this was no social call.
"I can assure you that this is just for the pain," as Elrond spoke he had a gentle, maybe even sad smile tugging on his lips, but Evelyn had seen false pity in elves before.
"I decline."
Elrond said nothing, merely handing the bowl of tea to Glorfindel who moved it to the dresser. Glorfindel and Erestor then moved the couch from the corner of the room and placed it closer to the bed. The former elf retreated back to his spot against the wall whilst Erestor took as seat beside Elrond.
"Raven," Elrond spoke gravely. "I would like to formally thank you for saving the lives of my sons, Glorfindel, and the patrol. I have read the full report and if it were not for the actions of yourself and your wolf, then it is likely that they would've been slaughtered."
From the corner, Evelyn could see Glorifndel stiffening as he knew what her response would be, but she answered the same anyway.
"I did not do it to save the lives of elves. I merely despise the orcs less."
"Nonetheless, Imladris is in your debt," Elrond replied without pause.
"If you came to thank me, then you may leave," Evelyn's words were punctuated by another growl from Nightshade. She could feel the wolf's apprehension of three elves in one room that they were trapped in. Evelyn was indeed, not the only one to suffer losses at the hands of elves.
"In truth, we came to ask you some questions... regarding your identity."
Evelyn inhaled deeply, thinking over her options. If she told them the truth, she would be met with disbelief. If she lied to them... then they would be able to tell. Something about Elrond just seemed like he had the ability to utterly stare into one's soul. A thought came to mind... perhaps a counter.
"Why are your eyes so dull?"
"Pardon?"
"You and Erestor... your eyes are dull compared to Glorfindel's." There was a pregnant pause in the room before Elrond replied.
"Glorfindel is among the Calaquendi... the Light Elves who saw the two trees. His eyes still shine with their light. Erestor and I were born on Middle Earth, we do not share in such."
"But you do," Erestor spoke and Nightshade, who seemed to take a particular dislike to the councilor, growled once more.
"I do what?"
"Your eyes shine brighter than those of the Calaquendi. Do you hail from Aman?" he continued despite a rather irritated glare from Elrond.
"I'm not from your Undying Lands," she drawled. "I'm from a place you've never heard of." Half truths are safest.
"How old are you?"
"I haven't been keeping track, but not as old as Glorfindel would suppose."
"Were you brought back from the dead?" Elrond pressed further.
"No."
"Are you of the Maiar?"
"No."
"How were you in Gondolin?"
"Don't know."
"Would you tell us from where you hail? Perhaps we can contact your people."
"I have none."
"What are you?!" Erestor, who couldn't seem to hold back his frustration at Evelyn's non-answers exploded in anger.
"What are you?"- Oh Evelyn recalled this words well, the words of a haughty King ready to toss her aside because he could not bear her answer. "What are you? Crebain"- those dark birds that are spies of Sauron. Perhaps that is what this counselor thinks of me. Perhaps he thinks of me as a dark spy, these wings a mark of my evil. Oh I'll show him...
"Do you not know?" she asked with a feigned air of innocence, so sweetly done it was obviously in mocking.
"Should we?" Elrond attempted to gain control, but Erestor continued.
"It is a simple question. A girl who shivers like an Edain, but flies like a bird with eyes as bright as a Calaquendi. What are you?" It seemed that Evelyn had thoroughly vexed the Counselor.
"Oh what you would give to know the answer," she hissed back. She could feel Nightshade tensing beneath her in response to her anger. The wolf's hackles were rising.
"Tis' a simple question! What are you?! What do you want here?!"
"Erestor, please," Glorfindel attempted, but was beaten away by a glare from Elrond.
Evelyn could hear the voice of Thranduil hissing in her ear... questioning her on who she was, what where her intentions. I don't know... she wanted to cry it out to the highest mountains. I don't know what I am or what I'm doing here! I don't know how I got here, who sent me, or what I am supposed to be doing.
She tried before, oh how she tried to ask questions, to plead, to beg. Each time she was rejected. Each time she told the truth, she was told that she spoke lies.
"Erestor," Elrond warned.
"She is hiding something! Recall what she called you when she first awoke, she knows more than a mortal should. She speaks of things that she knows not!"
Oh she could still hear him, the hiss of his breath as he determined her fate. The folly of kings and lords... "noble" men who could determine the fate of another based on personal prejudice alone.
You speak of things you know not... You are a spy, or some other form of evil mischief
"I know much more. Does that disturb you?" Evelyn's voice rose, Nightshade snarled, and Erestor stood, pointing an accusatory finger at her.
"What are you?!"
Creiban
Evelyn had enough. Her short stay in Imladris proved effective in dragging up old memories that she had spent years attempting to bury. She pushed herself as far up as she could in her bed. Nightshade stood beside her, fangs bared and eyes locked on Erestor who was still pointing at her. She reached into the back of her memory and recalled the lines from that book that she once treasured, pulling every bit of malice she held for the elves into her words.
"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul," as she hissed the words, she felt a strange sort of power flow through her. She watched in morbid delight as all three elves in the room closed their eyes, pushing their heads into their hands and groaning in pain at the words of the Dark Speech.
These high and mighty elves, the beings holding themselves os superior and righteous... look how easily they're hurt by mere words. Only such a perfunctory species such as the elves could be hurt so much by words alone. It was a gloriously intoxicating rush of power.
"What-"
Before Elrond could finish his question, Evelyn spoke.
"Get out!" She pointed angrily at the door as she continued. "Get out and leave me be. If you want me gone then return my weapons and I shall disappear within an hour. If not then leave me alone!"
To make her point abundantly clear, Nightshade chose that moment to leap from her place at Evelyn's side, lunging towards Erestor who released a rather undignified yelp as he stumbled backwards. Elrond stood slowly, hands held up in a gesture of peace as he walked in reverse.
"Peace," his voice was soothing and Evelyn ignored the strange tugging that she could feel in her mind. "My apologies. We held no intention to upset you."
"Get out or Nightshade might test if your counselor tastes as bitter as he acts," the wolf beside Evelyn her growled along with the threat.
"Raven-" Glorfindel tried.
"Out!"
Erestor was the first to flee, razor sharp jaws gnashing as his heels. Elrond was next, hands still up in a placating gesture as he exited as peacefully as he entered. It was only Glorfindel who lingered, pausing to look back at Evelyn and Nightshade, two rays of blinding fury.
"I am sorry," he whispered before slipping out the door.
Evelyn flopped back on her pillow, exhausted and filled with pain. She was at the level where back at home, she would likely just mix some poppy pod paste with amber and chew on it for a bit. She couldn't trust whatever Elrond put in that tea however, especially not after that outburst.
It looked like they would have to move up their leaving date. The less time they spent in Imladris amongst the elves, the better.
Elrond had what felt like piles of work to catch up on. His interview with Raven had been rather unfruitful and resulted in him scolding both of his senior staff about their tempers before sending them away to cool off. It also introduced the Black Speech into Imladris which he was decently cross about and created yet more questions about the bright eyed youth. Now, he was stuck with the piles of paperwork that had built up in the time since Glorfindel and then his sons went missing.
Just as he succeed in pushing the enigma of a child out of his mind however, a knock sounded on his door.
It was Galoriel again.
"My Lord," she seemed slightly hesitant.
"If more flowers went missing, then don't worry about it," he dismissed the problem easily, assuming that Glorfindel was likely attempting to make up with Raven after their last incident. He had already returned to his work when Galoriel, still by the door, cleared her throat. "Yes?" He asked impatiently.
"It's Glorfindel, my Lord..."
"Are you launching a complaint about his cutting of the flowers?"
"No my Lord..." she still seemed hesitant, but continued. "It's just that he's out there right now and... well he's digging up one of the Golden Rose bushes."
Elrond looked up.
"He's digging up a rose bush?"
"Yes."
"An entire bush?"
"Yes."
Once again, Elrond found himself with his forehead to the palm of his head, contemplating the urge to push his head through his desk. Instead however, he dismissed the gardener and promised to speak to the reborn elf about the gardens.
He didn't even have time to pick up his quill again when Lindir sprinted into the room, incredibly flustered.
"My Lord! The hallway! There's dirt all up and down as if someone has broken into the-"
"I am aware of the situation, and there's no need to fear Lindir," Elrond spike as calmly as he could manage. "Pleas ensure that it is cleaned. I will deal with the cause later."
Linder bowed and left, leaving Elrond to contemplate the possibility of having Glorfindel and Erestor simply kill each other and save him the hassle.