DISCLAIMER: Did I miss a few of these? Oppsie. NONE of this is mine except Ëarel, Aldaya, Tindómë, Ellórmë, and the very mean five hundred year old thugs. And yes, this is based on Arwen's ride to the ford, from the movie. Also, I'm taking the explanation that Elves sleep with their eyes open to mean if they close their eyes it's a bad sign. Best if read slowly while listening to soundtrack (starting with the Flight to the Ford) and ending with the breaking of the fellowship.

Chapter Ten

Undying Regret

Aldaya went crazy.

Seeing her precious child about to be murdered on a sacrificial alter was too much for her and Elrohir. All plans flew out of there heads, and Ellórmë was left briefly gaping as they flung themselves at the elves with a viciousness that startled even her. She sighed and then took out the elf holding the knife with a throwing star through the throat, and followed the Aldaya to where she was cutting Tindómë free and cuddling her child close, babbling nonsense.

Ellórmë let her do this for about ten seconds, and then she cuffed Aldaya gently across the shoulder. Aldaya swung around and scowled at her.

"No offense," she stated calmly to the irate mother. "But we should be moving on, unless you like ambushes."

Understanding settled on Aldaya's face, and she handed Tindómë briefly to Elrohir, who held the child close, crying silently. She put her fingers to her lips and whistled sharply.

Ellórmë winced. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

A second later, though, in fact just as she finished the sentence, a horse pounded into the clearing, fully saddled and ready to ride.

"Oh no…"

Aldaya looked to Ellórmë, who was stooping over the knife fallen from the dead guard's hand. "Tell me he wasn't cut."

"You poor baby!" Aldaya whispered, nearly hysterical as she and Elrohir crowded protectively around the child. "Did they hurt you?"

Ellórmë saw the blood on Tindómë's neck and went alabaster white. "Aldaya, you need to get him to Valinor now. That knife has a fast-acting poison on it. He'll be dead before the hour is out if you don't get the antidote."

Aldaya wasted no time in flinging herself onto the horse's back, pulling Tindómë in front of her and whipping the horse around. They set off at a dead gallop.

Elrohir looked torn. Ellórmë put her hand on the father's shoulder. "Let's go kick some elf-butt," she suggested. Elrohir nodded grimly and drew his sword. It was time for justice to be served.

*     *     *     *

Aldaya leaned protectively over her child. Tindómë had begun to shiver, and she grimly urged the horse on. Wind whipped back her hair, stinging her face and eyes. She ignored this and squinted. Would Elrond have gotten her message to Ëarel in time? She could not exactly ride over water to Valinor. She needed a boat.

Aldebaran pounded forward, sensing his mistress' haste. Instinctively, Aldaya glanced over her shoulder even as Aldebaran shied to one side and an arrow flicked by. Three elves on horseback followed her, with longbows.

"Noro lim!" she cried, bending lower over the horse. "Noro lim, noro lim, Aldebaran!"

Aldebaran stretched out his long legs, put his head down and pounded. Aldaya looked straight between his ears, unable to look at the ground falling by at a dizzying speed. Behind her she could hear the shouts and whoops of the elves.

She risked another glance back. They were falling back—their horses, probably sensing their intent, began fighting them. "Faster," she whispered.

Tindómë whimpered softly. Aldaya kissed his cheek and held on tightly. She glanced sideways as something burst out of the trees. It was a bowman, shooting at point-blank range.

Aldaya's hand snapped up and to the side with a speed she had not known she had. She hit the arrow's shaft and knocked it off its course. She only had enough time to see his shocked face as she thundered by, and then the archer's horse reared up.

Two more riders burst from the foliage and followed her close, swords in hand. Aldaya looked up and saw Ëarel's ship heading for the wharf. This is going to be close…

The elves were almost within reaching distance now. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The pounding of Aldebaran's hooves, the snort of breath, the adrenaline and fear in her veins.

She swerved to one side, avoiding a sword sweep. Then she was on the wharf—the boat was coming up fast—Aldebaran leaped—

—and landed, stumbling, on the boat's deck as the elven-riders skidded to a stop on the edge of the wharf.

Ëarel caught her as she swayed with relief, almost falling off the horses' back, easing her to lean against a sack of grain and putting a heavily panting Tindómë in her arms. "We're only a few minutes from Valinor," he said soothingly. "Just relax, we're almost there."

Aldaya cuddled Tindómë and did not answer.

Ëarel shouted orders, and Aldaya felt the wind pick up, driving the little boat towards the shore of Valinor, now coming into sight. By some blessing of the Valar, a gale had come up and was now pushing the boat towards the docks on Valinor's shores.

Aldaya held a now-motionless Tindómë in her arms as she ran off the boat, Ëarel close behind.

An elf, very tall and still, her eyes dark as night, nodded to them and motioned for them to put the elf-child down. "We have received word of what has transpired," she said coolly, placing her hands on the elf-boy's brow and neck. "I will do what I can." She reached into the satchel she carried and pulled out a bottle. Unstopping it, she tilted Tindómë's head back and poured a small amount into his mouth. She then closed his lips and massaged his throat, tilting his head back further. He swallowed reflexively. The healer then turned his head to the side as she examined the wound on his neck. Taking out a second bottle, she let the contents drizzle over the wound. The potion hissed and fizzled softly. She then sat back and lifted the child to a sitting position, and gave Tindómë back to Aldaya, who was now weeping quietly.

"He will live," the healer said softly as Aldaya pulled Tindómë against her. Tindómë sighed, and squirmed. Then he opened his eyes.

Aldaya pulled Tindómë closer and began to babble nonsense. The child shifted in her arms until comfortable, and then leaned against her to rest. "My baby," she whispered, rocking the boy. "My poor baby."

"I'm okay, mommy," Tindómë murmured sleepily, his eyes slowly glazing over as he fell asleep.

"Aldaya? Aldaya!" Aldaya looked up as Elrohir raced over, falling to his knees beside her and gently easing Tindómë into his arms. "Will he—?"

"He'll be fine," Aldaya answered in a shaky voice, wiping tears from her eyes with a handkerchief that Ëarel handed her.

"Which is more than I can say for you."

Aldaya and Elrohir sprang to their feet. Tindome jerked out of reverie and hid behind them.

Earal was held captured by two elves. Arrows pointed at Aldaya and Elrohir, and the healer was also held.

"Do as you wish with me," Aldaya said softly. "But please—leave my child and husband alone."

"We might do that," one of the elves agreed. "And then again, we might not."

Tears sprung into Aldaya's eyes. All this had happened because of her…

"Go on, m'lord," a second elf ordered. "You, the sea-elf, the healer and the child are free to go. We just want the girl."

Without moving, Elrohir said: "Healer, take our child if you please, and get him out of here."

Tindome began to cry as the healer lifted the child. She and Earal began slowly walking away, deeper into Valinor. Aldaya had no time to marvel at the land's beauty—she was too busy glaring at Elrohir. "Go with them!" she urged. "They only want me, just go! Don't make him loose both parents."

"If I lost you I'd die from grief," he answered softly. "We're soul-bonded, remember?"

"Enough talking!" the first elf snapped. "Stand back, or we'll kill you, too!"

The second elf stared in disbelief at the first. "You'd kill the son of Lord Elrond?"

"To ride the islands of human muck? Yes I would."

"That wasn't in the agreement!" another elf protested. "You said no one would die."

"I changed my mind!" the first elf cried, grabbing his bow and pulling taunt the string.

"No!"

Elrohir stepped between the arrow and Aldaya as it flew towards her, taking it point-blank through the chest. His face paled and he gasped, touching the shaft with one had as he slowly collapsed. Aldaya screamed shrilly, and screamed again and again as she caught him. The healer and Ëarel broke into a wild run, shouting for help.

Elrohir lay gasping in her arms. His eyes caught and held hers; there was no pity in them, but a burning joy that shook her. "No," she whispered, pulling him tighter. "Elrohir, no!"

Even as she spoke she felt a brief tug, and then a flowing sensation as her link with him was lost. He opened his mouth to speak, but there was too much blood for him to catch his breath. He struggled briefly and horribly to breathe, for a moment, and then his eyes slipped closed and he lay still.

"No," she whimpered. "No, no, no, no, no!"

The pounding of feet on wood did not even raise her head. She did not see the elves turn on their leader and kill him for killing their Elrond's son. She did not see Elrond himself, following Finarfin and several other elf-lords and ladies come up. She felt hands tugging gently on her to let Elrohir go. She shook her head wordlessly, staring at her husband's face. The flow of blood had stopped now, and Elrohir looked like he was sleeping, but his eyes were closed.

"Wake up," she moaned. "Elrohir, wake up! Wake up, wake up," she whispered. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder, and felt the dampness of blood on his collar. She shuddered as she drew in breath, and it came out a violent sob. No one spoke.

"Child…"

Now she did look up. Her tear and blood stained face twisted in anguish. Olórin knelt by her, his face a mask of sympathy. "Let him go," the former Wizard said gently, "go to your child."

Aldaya slowly stood up and backed away as Olórin stepped closer. he looked around slowly at the large group of elves standing before him. "Not since the Third Kinslaying has any elf murdered another," he said at last. "And the hopes of the Valar were than it would never happen again. Through your own foolishness and near-sightedness, this has come upon you. There was enough blood spilt today to last until the end of Time." He looked down at Elrohir and the other dead elf. "And enough sorrow to last all the races of the world a billion years. You have torn a father from his child, and that damage can never be undone. You have brought your own sorrow and pain upon yourselves. I dearly hope that for all the loss today, you have learned something from this. Now take your slain and go—there will be no more blood, mortal or immortal, ever to be slain upon this fair place again.

"Go."

And the elves went, taking their dead and mourning their folly and short-sightedness. But Aldaya walked alone, in front of the others, holding her child close. And she now understood how regret could be undying.

*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?

Yes, there WILL be a sequel, so patience please. Gloomy, I know. And yes, Elrohir is quite dead. Not even dead, but deadead. Sorry about that but it did set the mood.