Author's note : There are several scenes in this chapter. Think of it like a movie going through the important bits with different characters.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One -- The Star Bracelet --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legolas silently cursed, the fog had come suddenly, like great billowing fingers caressing the land, and he had shouted a warning, but Glorfindel could not hear him. The wind was also howling, making it difficult to both see and hear. But the Prince of Mirkwood had many years of experience in this kind of weather and in many forms of magic. He was certain this was unnatural, something that had to do with Galadriel's warning. It had come when they were still many days from Rivendell, near the ruined watchtower. He'd have to find his way there, for then perhaps he could see what was going on.
Glorfindel. He sighed, something just was not right. He was not the elf that he used to be. There was a darkness in him that Legolas had never seen before. Not depression or madness…just a darkness. He was not himself. He did not make jokes, or talk anymore. In fact, he had become very silent, not sullen, nor rude, but simply silent. As though he wanted to be alone.
Legolas was no longer riding his horse as he could track better from the ground. He led the mare while he did so, carefully calculating distances and landmarks. He knew -where- he was and looked for an opening in the fog, anything.
Then it came. He saw the Watchtower looming nearby, a great shadow in a sea of shadows. He started to move faster, and forward, leaping over stones and branches. If Glorfindel had made it through the fog, that would be where he'd have headed.
Legolas felt something aberrant in the air, like a vast menace that was silently building. He moved faster and faster until he finally got to the base of the tower, and left his horse. He climbed quickly, one hand over the other and then he finally got to it. The fog was very thick here, and the shadows…seemed to have a will of their own. He shivered, it was cold…extremely cold. The icy wind nipped at his skin like it never had before. Usually…cold did not bother him, he was an elf.
He gazed about, peering through the rolling fog, looking for any signs. "Glorfindel?" he saw a shape coalescing in the fog…but it did not seem to have any real form he recognized. "Glorfindel are you here?" he raised his voice. He saw the shape bending down and pickng something out from underneath a rock that glittered silver and he moved forward.
But despite his experience…and his almost legendary valor…he failed to notice the white hand that sailed through the fog towards him, attached to the most loathsome of creatures. He turned suddenly, dagger in hand, but it was too late. The Witch King was upon him. His eyes opened wide in horror at the formless terror that was in the shape of a man of pure white light…but was the heart of evil itself. He felt the back hand of the blade smack against the side of his skull and there was a sickening crack.
And so he fell, staggering forward and bracing himself against a rock. He struggled to keep conscious, but everything reeled and he slid to the ground as the fog rolled over his inert form.
Glorfindel held the bracelet in his hand and looked towards the White King, he had failed to notice Legolas at all, or what had happened. "This is it?" it glittered pure silver, forged in the same fires from which the rings were made. There was no purity in the charm bracelet, but it had everything that would appeal to the eye. Delicate beauty, exquisite craftsmanship and three little opal star charms that glinted brightly.
"That is it." The Witch King smiled.
"And all I have to do is give it to her?" Glorfindel held the bracelet up to the moonlight that was beginning to sift through the fog. The little stars bore elvish markings which faded when he brought it back down.
"That's all."
Glorfindel then turned to make his way down to Weathertop. No one saw his eyes, but the Witch-King knew they had succeeded in taking control. They flashed with a sudden white light, and then returned to a much deadlier version of the elf that used to be. He saw Legolas' horse, but totally ignored it, jumping on the back of his own steed. He had to ride hard. He put the bracelet back into his pocket and was swiftly gone as the fog rolled away after him.
+++++
Twas morning when the Prince awoke, holding the back of his head in pain. The fog was gone, but there was no sign of his companion. He staggered to his feet and gazed around blearily trying to remember what had happened. Then he began to remember. Legolas frowned and stumbled down the ruins of the watchtower to his horse. A gourd of water was there and he splashed the back of his head, where a nasty lump was giving him a splitting headache. He steadied his horse and dragged himself up on the steed. The valiant Prince kicked the beast into action and began to ride despite any pain that he might be suffering. There were more important things than pain.
+++++
Gailethil smiled at Glorfindel when he arrived in Rivendell. He had come…sometime at night, and directly to see her. This had not displeased her really. She was painting in the house of her father. She greeted him with a fond smile that one would give a brother or a favorite relation. "Glorfindel." she set down the paintbrush and went to give him a warm hug. Which he returned in kind, abet…holding her a little longer than necessary.
"Gailethil, I've missed you. How are your paintings coming along? You have been practicing quite a bit I see."
"Thank-you. Its good to see you too. Where is Legolas? He usually is with you."
"Oh." Glorfindel shrugged nonchalantly, "There was a fog on the way here, and we lost each other, he should be along any day now, we were not that far apart. He has the papers Elrond wanted." He sat down and simply gazed at her for a moment. "You know there are no elleth in either Mirkwood nor Lotholorien that match you in either spirit nor beauty." His words spoken like a caress made her only laugh.
"Don't be absurd. I do say, Glorfindel, if you are not careful, you're going to start spouting poetry. If you are practicing on me for another…I must tell you truly. Try something else other than poetry." she laughs gaily.
He half-smiles, it was what he expected to hear from her after all. He reaches into his pocket. "Actually…I have a present for you." Holding up the star bracelet he smiled when he saw her reaction. "Twas something I purchased in Mirkwood. What do you think?"
"Oh…oh Glorfindel. Its lovely." her eyes sparkled. "Did you really get it for me?"
"Yes, I missed your birthday last year…" he smiled. "Here…try it on."
And he snapped the bracelet around her right wrist, the three black stars contrasted sharply against her light skin and she held it up to the sunlight. It glittered and sparkled. She smiled warmly at him. "Its beautiful." and then leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank-you. Its wonderful to have you back again. Come…tell me all about your journey."
And as she walked with him in the garden, neither noticed the bracelet as it tightened ever so slightly around her wrist…clinging to the delicate flesh.
+++++
"Attacked at Weathertop?" Elrond eyed Legolas, taking care to attend to his wound carefully. "You lost Glorfindel in a fog?"
"I heard he had come back here alright. I'm glad to hear that, at least. I'll go see him in a moment. I do have the papers you wished for." Legolas grunted slightly as the herbs were applied to his wound.
"I like this not." Elrond mused, "I like this not indeed." he looked to Arwen. "Send Glorfindel to me, I wish to question him."
And Arwen had a guard go to find the Elf in question, but return with chilling words. "He has already left Rivendell, My Lord. He only stayed one day. He did not say where he was going."
Elrond looked towards Arwen and they both seemed to share the same thought at once. "Why would he leave so suddenly? Where would he go? This is his home…"
But there were no answers to those questions…and only one elf could give them what they sought, and he was nowhere to be found.
+++++++
"I don't like it…please…" Frodo begged her as she tried to tend to him. He was beginning to sweat fiercely as he stared at the black stars that hung from the silver chain around her wrist in fear. "Take it off…"
"Frodo…" she dabbed the cool cloth against his forehead, but was beginning to see the terror in his eyes. Could he really be that jealous of Glorfindel? Could her really be that insecure. After all..it was only a birthday present from a friend.
"Please…" he begged her, his large blue eyes gazing up at her in torment.
Then she sighed, and shook her head. "Alright." and she slid the bracelet into her pocket. He gave a sigh of relief, but was still shaking with fear. She did her best to calm him through the night, but when his Aunt came in the morning to care for him…she was unable to stay. Something drew her back…something forced her away from him, even though he was not entirely well again.
++++++++
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One -- The Star Bracelet --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legolas silently cursed, the fog had come suddenly, like great billowing fingers caressing the land, and he had shouted a warning, but Glorfindel could not hear him. The wind was also howling, making it difficult to both see and hear. But the Prince of Mirkwood had many years of experience in this kind of weather and in many forms of magic. He was certain this was unnatural, something that had to do with Galadriel's warning. It had come when they were still many days from Rivendell, near the ruined watchtower. He'd have to find his way there, for then perhaps he could see what was going on.
Glorfindel. He sighed, something just was not right. He was not the elf that he used to be. There was a darkness in him that Legolas had never seen before. Not depression or madness…just a darkness. He was not himself. He did not make jokes, or talk anymore. In fact, he had become very silent, not sullen, nor rude, but simply silent. As though he wanted to be alone.
Legolas was no longer riding his horse as he could track better from the ground. He led the mare while he did so, carefully calculating distances and landmarks. He knew -where- he was and looked for an opening in the fog, anything.
Then it came. He saw the Watchtower looming nearby, a great shadow in a sea of shadows. He started to move faster, and forward, leaping over stones and branches. If Glorfindel had made it through the fog, that would be where he'd have headed.
Legolas felt something aberrant in the air, like a vast menace that was silently building. He moved faster and faster until he finally got to the base of the tower, and left his horse. He climbed quickly, one hand over the other and then he finally got to it. The fog was very thick here, and the shadows…seemed to have a will of their own. He shivered, it was cold…extremely cold. The icy wind nipped at his skin like it never had before. Usually…cold did not bother him, he was an elf.
He gazed about, peering through the rolling fog, looking for any signs. "Glorfindel?" he saw a shape coalescing in the fog…but it did not seem to have any real form he recognized. "Glorfindel are you here?" he raised his voice. He saw the shape bending down and pickng something out from underneath a rock that glittered silver and he moved forward.
But despite his experience…and his almost legendary valor…he failed to notice the white hand that sailed through the fog towards him, attached to the most loathsome of creatures. He turned suddenly, dagger in hand, but it was too late. The Witch King was upon him. His eyes opened wide in horror at the formless terror that was in the shape of a man of pure white light…but was the heart of evil itself. He felt the back hand of the blade smack against the side of his skull and there was a sickening crack.
And so he fell, staggering forward and bracing himself against a rock. He struggled to keep conscious, but everything reeled and he slid to the ground as the fog rolled over his inert form.
Glorfindel held the bracelet in his hand and looked towards the White King, he had failed to notice Legolas at all, or what had happened. "This is it?" it glittered pure silver, forged in the same fires from which the rings were made. There was no purity in the charm bracelet, but it had everything that would appeal to the eye. Delicate beauty, exquisite craftsmanship and three little opal star charms that glinted brightly.
"That is it." The Witch King smiled.
"And all I have to do is give it to her?" Glorfindel held the bracelet up to the moonlight that was beginning to sift through the fog. The little stars bore elvish markings which faded when he brought it back down.
"That's all."
Glorfindel then turned to make his way down to Weathertop. No one saw his eyes, but the Witch-King knew they had succeeded in taking control. They flashed with a sudden white light, and then returned to a much deadlier version of the elf that used to be. He saw Legolas' horse, but totally ignored it, jumping on the back of his own steed. He had to ride hard. He put the bracelet back into his pocket and was swiftly gone as the fog rolled away after him.
+++++
Twas morning when the Prince awoke, holding the back of his head in pain. The fog was gone, but there was no sign of his companion. He staggered to his feet and gazed around blearily trying to remember what had happened. Then he began to remember. Legolas frowned and stumbled down the ruins of the watchtower to his horse. A gourd of water was there and he splashed the back of his head, where a nasty lump was giving him a splitting headache. He steadied his horse and dragged himself up on the steed. The valiant Prince kicked the beast into action and began to ride despite any pain that he might be suffering. There were more important things than pain.
+++++
Gailethil smiled at Glorfindel when he arrived in Rivendell. He had come…sometime at night, and directly to see her. This had not displeased her really. She was painting in the house of her father. She greeted him with a fond smile that one would give a brother or a favorite relation. "Glorfindel." she set down the paintbrush and went to give him a warm hug. Which he returned in kind, abet…holding her a little longer than necessary.
"Gailethil, I've missed you. How are your paintings coming along? You have been practicing quite a bit I see."
"Thank-you. Its good to see you too. Where is Legolas? He usually is with you."
"Oh." Glorfindel shrugged nonchalantly, "There was a fog on the way here, and we lost each other, he should be along any day now, we were not that far apart. He has the papers Elrond wanted." He sat down and simply gazed at her for a moment. "You know there are no elleth in either Mirkwood nor Lotholorien that match you in either spirit nor beauty." His words spoken like a caress made her only laugh.
"Don't be absurd. I do say, Glorfindel, if you are not careful, you're going to start spouting poetry. If you are practicing on me for another…I must tell you truly. Try something else other than poetry." she laughs gaily.
He half-smiles, it was what he expected to hear from her after all. He reaches into his pocket. "Actually…I have a present for you." Holding up the star bracelet he smiled when he saw her reaction. "Twas something I purchased in Mirkwood. What do you think?"
"Oh…oh Glorfindel. Its lovely." her eyes sparkled. "Did you really get it for me?"
"Yes, I missed your birthday last year…" he smiled. "Here…try it on."
And he snapped the bracelet around her right wrist, the three black stars contrasted sharply against her light skin and she held it up to the sunlight. It glittered and sparkled. She smiled warmly at him. "Its beautiful." and then leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank-you. Its wonderful to have you back again. Come…tell me all about your journey."
And as she walked with him in the garden, neither noticed the bracelet as it tightened ever so slightly around her wrist…clinging to the delicate flesh.
+++++
"Attacked at Weathertop?" Elrond eyed Legolas, taking care to attend to his wound carefully. "You lost Glorfindel in a fog?"
"I heard he had come back here alright. I'm glad to hear that, at least. I'll go see him in a moment. I do have the papers you wished for." Legolas grunted slightly as the herbs were applied to his wound.
"I like this not." Elrond mused, "I like this not indeed." he looked to Arwen. "Send Glorfindel to me, I wish to question him."
And Arwen had a guard go to find the Elf in question, but return with chilling words. "He has already left Rivendell, My Lord. He only stayed one day. He did not say where he was going."
Elrond looked towards Arwen and they both seemed to share the same thought at once. "Why would he leave so suddenly? Where would he go? This is his home…"
But there were no answers to those questions…and only one elf could give them what they sought, and he was nowhere to be found.
+++++++
"I don't like it…please…" Frodo begged her as she tried to tend to him. He was beginning to sweat fiercely as he stared at the black stars that hung from the silver chain around her wrist in fear. "Take it off…"
"Frodo…" she dabbed the cool cloth against his forehead, but was beginning to see the terror in his eyes. Could he really be that jealous of Glorfindel? Could her really be that insecure. After all..it was only a birthday present from a friend.
"Please…" he begged her, his large blue eyes gazing up at her in torment.
Then she sighed, and shook her head. "Alright." and she slid the bracelet into her pocket. He gave a sigh of relief, but was still shaking with fear. She did her best to calm him through the night, but when his Aunt came in the morning to care for him…she was unable to stay. Something drew her back…something forced her away from him, even though he was not entirely well again.
++++++++