Chapter 3
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears!
-Romeo and Juliet act 2, sc. 2.
The next time Anhuil woke, night had fallen and the only light was that of the moon. It shone down and cast silver light over the bed in which she lay, creating long shadows which extended further into the room. As she grew more awake, Anhuil heard a sound floating over the balcony and into the room where she lay. Someone, somewhere, was playing a musical instrument. It sounded like a flute of some kind, the long graceful notes winding their way to her ears, followed by short, fluttering ones that sounded as though a butterfly's wings were making the music. Never before had she heard a sound quite so bewitching and haunting.
Slowly, her legs still not quite as strong as they should be, she left her bed and walked towards the balcony. As she grew nearer, the music became louder, and the sweet notes drew her further onto the balcony. She came to stand by the rails and stood, entranced, listening. She leant out and tried to see who was playing, but either they were hidden in shadow or they were standing right below her and she could not see.
As she stood listening to the gentle music, she didn't know how much time passed. Apart from the sound of the music there was silence in Rivendell and it seemed that time in fact stood still until, at least ten minutes later, complete silence returned to the valley once more. Anhuil let out the breath that she had been holding and, although she didn't know why, smiled to herself. This was the ultimate perfect moment; she'd never seen anything more beautiful than the valley in the moonlight, the music had been the most haunting thing she'd ever heard, and this silence and peace was so... right. Softly, she began to hum, forgetting all about the person that was probably still nearby. Her voice grew louder and she began to sing the song she knew by heart.
"Love is blindness,
I don't want to see...
Won't you wrap the night
Around me...
Take my heart,
Love is blindness."
However, unbeknownst to her, the flute player was sitting right below the balcony, his head resting on the bough of a tree, eyes closed in welcome calm and peace away from the stress of the everyday in Rivendell. He sighed and sank almost into sleep when something disturbed him. A voice, definately not elvish, was singing softly. Intrigued, he stood and walked out from under the balcony, peering upwards. He saw, leaning over the balcony rail, staring out across the valley, the dark-haired human girl. her voice was like nothing he had heard before; soft, low and not quite as clear as an elf's. Entranced, he listened in silence.
"Love is clockworks
And cold steel...
Fingers too numb to feel.
Thread is ripping,
The knot is slipping...
Love is blindness."
Elrond leaned against the trunk of the tree once more, watching the girl sing. Something about the strange, small, dark-haired, fair-skinned girl fascinated him. From the little time he had spent talking to her, he had seen her to be strong-willed and definately out-spoken. But at the same time he observed a fragility about her that he saw needed protecting.
"Love is drowning
In a deep well...
All the secrets
And no one to tell.
Take the money...
Honey...
Blindness."
Anhuil heard, rather than felt, her pain. Her voice quavered a fraction of a second before she felt a stab in her heart. As if a piece was missing. She missed wherever she'd come from, and she missed whoever she'd left behind, but she didn't know who they were and she didn't know where she came from. It hurt and she didn't know why.
"Love is blindness,
I don't want to see...
Won't you wrap the night
Around me...
Oh my love...
Blindness."
She stopped abruptly and placed a trembling hand to her mouth as she choked back a sob. Elrond watched as she broke down, sinking her head into her hands. He paused for a moment before doing something very out of character. He acted on impulse and climbed up the flowering creeper that grew up to the balcony.
He climbed onto the balcony itself and stood for a few moments in silence, behind her and completely unnoticed. He stepped forward and she, sensing movement, turned.
"Oh." She said, wiping her eyes hurriedly, "It's you. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."
"You did not." Elrond said gently. He stepped forward once more and looked at her, curious. "Why are you out here at this time of night?"
"I could ask you the same thing." She grinned half-heartedly before answering seriously. "I heard music."
"Ah." Elrond said. "Then I must apologise. I did not realise it could be heard from these rooms."
"That was you?" She asked, surprised.
"You are surprised that we elves know about music?" He asked, a little amused.
"No, of course not." She said. "It was beautiful."
"Thank you. As was your singing."
She winced, dabbing at her eyes once more, "You heard that?" She asked rhetorically, "Oh dear. Sure fire way of putting you off our music..."
"On the contrary." Elrond smiled, "I found it most enjoyable. It was very... different to what we are used to hearing here. Elven song is not like that. It is refreshing to hear a new voice in Rivendell."
"Do you sing?" She asked.
"All elves sing. Unfortunately, some are worse than others at it and I am one of those few." He did not say anything as she once more sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Are you recovered?"
"I feel better than I did." She told him.
"That is good. And can you remember anything else?"
She pulled a face, "Absolutely nothing. It's so frustrating."
He looked sympathetic. "Are you sure there is nothing you know? It would help me tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" She asked.
"I must explain to the council why you should be allowed to stay in Rivendell."
"They want to throw me out?!" She said, alarmed. "Where would I go then?"
"Do not worry about it. I will make sure that you are not 'thrown out'." He replied.
She looked at him curiously, "Why are you so willing to help me?" She asked, "I mean,
I'm a complete stranger, for all you know I could be a spy, not that I'm saying I am, and I'm completely unimportant. Not meaning to be blunt, but why are you bothering?"
He looked at her gravely for a moment before replying. "I do not know. I feel it in my mind that you are of significance that has not yet been realised."
"Oh." Seemed to be the only response to give.
"My reasons are dubious, I know, and I am having trouble justifying them to myself, let alone the council. But do not worry, after the meeting I shall journey to Lothlorien to seek council with Galadriel and Celeborn. I would hope that you will accompany me, but if you do not wish to..."
"Lothlorien?" She asked, bewildered. "Who're Galadriel and Celeborn?"
Elrond looked surprised, then muttered more to himself than to her, "Maybe it is true you are not from our world..." He then said, "Galadriel and Celeborn are powerful elves. Lothlorien is a forest that lies beyond the mountains and is their domain. They rule there as Lord and Lady of the wood. They will be able to help both you and I, I hope."
"And if I don't go...?"
"Many would take that as a sign that you have something to hide." He replied. He continued in a softer tone, "It is as much to help you as to help me that I ask you to go. The Lady Galadriel may be able to give you answers to your questions." She looked at him warily, unsure of what to do. "Trust me." He said.
"Okay." Anhuil agreed grudgingly. "But, umm... What am I going to wear?"
He looked down at her clothes and realised she was wearing merely the white linen dress she had been dressed in on her arrival in the Healing Houses. "Ah. I will have Glianel bring you some proper clothes. I'm afraid the ones you were found in were ripped."
She cast her mind around, trying to remember what she had been wearing. Not remembering she replied, "Oh well."
"And for now I suggest you sleep. You may be feeling well, but we have a long journey ahead of us if all goes well."
She nodded and was about to turn to go back into her room when something occurred to her. She turned back and asked, "How did you get up here?"
He smiled, "I climbed." She raised an eyebrow. He leaned towards her and said in a hushed conspirital voice, "And now I must ask you to keep our meeting secret."
"Why?"
"It highly improper for the Lord of Rivendell to be out at night in such a manner." He smiled once more, then hopped with amazing grace over the balcony rail.
Anhuil rushed forward, thinking he had jumped, and leant over to see him climb with fluid agility down the creeper and walk away into the shadows without looking back.
She stood for a moment, taking in what had just happened.
"Curiouser and curiouser..."
To be continued.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note: Once again, many gushing and tearful Oscar-esque thanks to my lovely reviewers Lady Adyra, AngelsFall, and Lady Harlequin (who's fic is really cool). Also a shout out to The Fly for being one cool person to have around when trying to coax plot bunnies to breed.
Additional disclaimer: The song 'Love Is Blindness' is by U2 *bows down to these masters of music then realises everybody's staring*.
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears!
-Romeo and Juliet act 2, sc. 2.
The next time Anhuil woke, night had fallen and the only light was that of the moon. It shone down and cast silver light over the bed in which she lay, creating long shadows which extended further into the room. As she grew more awake, Anhuil heard a sound floating over the balcony and into the room where she lay. Someone, somewhere, was playing a musical instrument. It sounded like a flute of some kind, the long graceful notes winding their way to her ears, followed by short, fluttering ones that sounded as though a butterfly's wings were making the music. Never before had she heard a sound quite so bewitching and haunting.
Slowly, her legs still not quite as strong as they should be, she left her bed and walked towards the balcony. As she grew nearer, the music became louder, and the sweet notes drew her further onto the balcony. She came to stand by the rails and stood, entranced, listening. She leant out and tried to see who was playing, but either they were hidden in shadow or they were standing right below her and she could not see.
As she stood listening to the gentle music, she didn't know how much time passed. Apart from the sound of the music there was silence in Rivendell and it seemed that time in fact stood still until, at least ten minutes later, complete silence returned to the valley once more. Anhuil let out the breath that she had been holding and, although she didn't know why, smiled to herself. This was the ultimate perfect moment; she'd never seen anything more beautiful than the valley in the moonlight, the music had been the most haunting thing she'd ever heard, and this silence and peace was so... right. Softly, she began to hum, forgetting all about the person that was probably still nearby. Her voice grew louder and she began to sing the song she knew by heart.
"Love is blindness,
I don't want to see...
Won't you wrap the night
Around me...
Take my heart,
Love is blindness."
However, unbeknownst to her, the flute player was sitting right below the balcony, his head resting on the bough of a tree, eyes closed in welcome calm and peace away from the stress of the everyday in Rivendell. He sighed and sank almost into sleep when something disturbed him. A voice, definately not elvish, was singing softly. Intrigued, he stood and walked out from under the balcony, peering upwards. He saw, leaning over the balcony rail, staring out across the valley, the dark-haired human girl. her voice was like nothing he had heard before; soft, low and not quite as clear as an elf's. Entranced, he listened in silence.
"Love is clockworks
And cold steel...
Fingers too numb to feel.
Thread is ripping,
The knot is slipping...
Love is blindness."
Elrond leaned against the trunk of the tree once more, watching the girl sing. Something about the strange, small, dark-haired, fair-skinned girl fascinated him. From the little time he had spent talking to her, he had seen her to be strong-willed and definately out-spoken. But at the same time he observed a fragility about her that he saw needed protecting.
"Love is drowning
In a deep well...
All the secrets
And no one to tell.
Take the money...
Honey...
Blindness."
Anhuil heard, rather than felt, her pain. Her voice quavered a fraction of a second before she felt a stab in her heart. As if a piece was missing. She missed wherever she'd come from, and she missed whoever she'd left behind, but she didn't know who they were and she didn't know where she came from. It hurt and she didn't know why.
"Love is blindness,
I don't want to see...
Won't you wrap the night
Around me...
Oh my love...
Blindness."
She stopped abruptly and placed a trembling hand to her mouth as she choked back a sob. Elrond watched as she broke down, sinking her head into her hands. He paused for a moment before doing something very out of character. He acted on impulse and climbed up the flowering creeper that grew up to the balcony.
He climbed onto the balcony itself and stood for a few moments in silence, behind her and completely unnoticed. He stepped forward and she, sensing movement, turned.
"Oh." She said, wiping her eyes hurriedly, "It's you. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."
"You did not." Elrond said gently. He stepped forward once more and looked at her, curious. "Why are you out here at this time of night?"
"I could ask you the same thing." She grinned half-heartedly before answering seriously. "I heard music."
"Ah." Elrond said. "Then I must apologise. I did not realise it could be heard from these rooms."
"That was you?" She asked, surprised.
"You are surprised that we elves know about music?" He asked, a little amused.
"No, of course not." She said. "It was beautiful."
"Thank you. As was your singing."
She winced, dabbing at her eyes once more, "You heard that?" She asked rhetorically, "Oh dear. Sure fire way of putting you off our music..."
"On the contrary." Elrond smiled, "I found it most enjoyable. It was very... different to what we are used to hearing here. Elven song is not like that. It is refreshing to hear a new voice in Rivendell."
"Do you sing?" She asked.
"All elves sing. Unfortunately, some are worse than others at it and I am one of those few." He did not say anything as she once more sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Are you recovered?"
"I feel better than I did." She told him.
"That is good. And can you remember anything else?"
She pulled a face, "Absolutely nothing. It's so frustrating."
He looked sympathetic. "Are you sure there is nothing you know? It would help me tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" She asked.
"I must explain to the council why you should be allowed to stay in Rivendell."
"They want to throw me out?!" She said, alarmed. "Where would I go then?"
"Do not worry about it. I will make sure that you are not 'thrown out'." He replied.
She looked at him curiously, "Why are you so willing to help me?" She asked, "I mean,
I'm a complete stranger, for all you know I could be a spy, not that I'm saying I am, and I'm completely unimportant. Not meaning to be blunt, but why are you bothering?"
He looked at her gravely for a moment before replying. "I do not know. I feel it in my mind that you are of significance that has not yet been realised."
"Oh." Seemed to be the only response to give.
"My reasons are dubious, I know, and I am having trouble justifying them to myself, let alone the council. But do not worry, after the meeting I shall journey to Lothlorien to seek council with Galadriel and Celeborn. I would hope that you will accompany me, but if you do not wish to..."
"Lothlorien?" She asked, bewildered. "Who're Galadriel and Celeborn?"
Elrond looked surprised, then muttered more to himself than to her, "Maybe it is true you are not from our world..." He then said, "Galadriel and Celeborn are powerful elves. Lothlorien is a forest that lies beyond the mountains and is their domain. They rule there as Lord and Lady of the wood. They will be able to help both you and I, I hope."
"And if I don't go...?"
"Many would take that as a sign that you have something to hide." He replied. He continued in a softer tone, "It is as much to help you as to help me that I ask you to go. The Lady Galadriel may be able to give you answers to your questions." She looked at him warily, unsure of what to do. "Trust me." He said.
"Okay." Anhuil agreed grudgingly. "But, umm... What am I going to wear?"
He looked down at her clothes and realised she was wearing merely the white linen dress she had been dressed in on her arrival in the Healing Houses. "Ah. I will have Glianel bring you some proper clothes. I'm afraid the ones you were found in were ripped."
She cast her mind around, trying to remember what she had been wearing. Not remembering she replied, "Oh well."
"And for now I suggest you sleep. You may be feeling well, but we have a long journey ahead of us if all goes well."
She nodded and was about to turn to go back into her room when something occurred to her. She turned back and asked, "How did you get up here?"
He smiled, "I climbed." She raised an eyebrow. He leaned towards her and said in a hushed conspirital voice, "And now I must ask you to keep our meeting secret."
"Why?"
"It highly improper for the Lord of Rivendell to be out at night in such a manner." He smiled once more, then hopped with amazing grace over the balcony rail.
Anhuil rushed forward, thinking he had jumped, and leant over to see him climb with fluid agility down the creeper and walk away into the shadows without looking back.
She stood for a moment, taking in what had just happened.
"Curiouser and curiouser..."
To be continued.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note: Once again, many gushing and tearful Oscar-esque thanks to my lovely reviewers Lady Adyra, AngelsFall, and Lady Harlequin (who's fic is really cool). Also a shout out to The Fly for being one cool person to have around when trying to coax plot bunnies to breed.
Additional disclaimer: The song 'Love Is Blindness' is by U2 *bows down to these masters of music then realises everybody's staring*.