Arabella Thorne -- Thank you very much. I am trying to pay more
attention to detail. You will see more of the grey warriors in later
chapters. I'm glad you enjoyed Elrond's visit. Who wouldn't want Elrond
as their personal healer? This next chapter will answer some of the
questions.
AloriaMoonbeam:TheLastFae -- Thank you very much for the compliments. Although you should stop while I can still get my head out the front door. :-D Hope you enjoy this next chapter.
As always, my characters are my own, and everyone else belongs to Tolkien. Darn it.
Now, on with the story. God Bless.
Chapter 5 The Morning After
Elrond stepped out into the hall and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, deliberately slowing his heartbeat to a more normal pace. Entering Sareei's room had been a shock. The raw emotion of the dream had hit him in the face like a blast from a furnace. He was surprised that a human could generate such a powerful wave of emotions. The mental images that had exploded into his mind were still fresh in his memory; some of which he found extremely interesting. He had experienced such things during the Last Alliance, as he worked in the tents with the wounded. But, then he had been working on wounded soldiers; some still in shock from the horrors they had experienced at Sauron's hands. This had been unexpected. A tiny seed of suspicion began to take root and grow. He went to his study and poured himself a glass of wine. Then he settled down behind his desk to think.
The dream had been very vivid. It had burned into Elrond's mind in a flash of images and emotions. Elrond could feel every emotion that Sareei had experienced. She had obviously come from a very loving, secure home. One where she had been much loved and even spoiled. He could still feel Sareei's awareness of how much love and pride her father had for her. There didn't seem to be any memories of her mother. Why not?, Elrond wondered. How had she come to this? Out alone in the wilderness by herself. Elrond was surprised that an orc or warg hadn't gotten her by now. He was aware of her skill with a sword from her dream, but there was much difference between fencing with her father and fighting for her life with a warg. She could not possibly hope to survive if she were forced to pit her physical strength against theirs. She should not be allowed to wander like this, unprotected. His thoughts went to Arwen. He shuddered to think of Arwen living such a life.
Elrond shook himself. He couldn't let himself get sidetracked. He had to deal with the problem at hand. He turned back to his memories of the dream. He felt the withering grief Sareei had felt at the end of the dream. Grief for her father. There was something else there too. Something she had buried deep inside. He wasn't sure what it was, but the feeling of dread that came from it was unmistakable. There was something else there that was wrong. Something that played a major part in Sareei's grief. He would have to find out what it was before he could help Sareei.
And that hideous creature. Obviously reptilian, it wasn't an orc but he got the distinct impression that it came from the same source. He wasn't sure what it was. And the reference to it's master. Who was he? And what did he want with Sareei?
This was a huge puzzle. One that needed unraveling. And quickly. Something was going to happen soon. Something that involved Sareei. It was a feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake it. It reminded him of that time long ago. When he felt that Sauron was on the rise again.
**************************************************************************** ****************
Sareei awoke to the sound of singing. Below her window, someone was singing out in Elrond's garden. The sound of their voice was captivating. The beautiful voice floated over the grounds like a blessing, carrying with it a peace and joy she hadn't known in a long time. It reminded her of a nightingale that she had had living outside her bedroom window at home. Home. The word brought back the memory of her dream. She didn't have a home anymore. Everything was gone. Then she remembered. Oh, no. Elrond. He had said they would talk this morning. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about the dream she had every night. To anyone, but especially not to Elrond. She couldn't bring herself to tell that dream to anyone, and certainly not to an elven lord. She made her decision.
She got out of bed and dressed as quickly as she could. Then she headed for the door. With any luck she would have Ariel out the front gate before anyone knew she was gone. She reached for the doorknob and swung open the door. She gasped; her heart skipping a beat. Elrond stood in the doorway, smiling.
"I'm glad to see you awake, Sareei. I was just coming to escort you to the garden for breakfast." He smiled cordially and offered her his arm. He didn't really leave her any choice. She silently took his arm, mentally chastising herself for being so slow. If only she hadn't taken that drink from him last night. She would have awakened long ago and been gone. She sulked as they walked down the hall to the stairway leading to the garden.
Sun light poured it's warmth down on the garden, it's light turning the dew-bedecked flowers into jeweled garlands. The scent of roses and jasmine filled the air with a heady perfume. As they approached the garden she could see a table had been spread with a white tablecloth. It was covered with plates of food. There were two place settings, one with an elegant pink rose in a crystal vase. A male elf stood ready to serve them. Elrond seated Sareei at the table and then sat down opposite her.
Elrond smiled at Sareei as the servant heaped her plate with fresh fruit, then poured a glass of milk and set it before her. He studied her face as she began to eat. She could be in better health. Her face was too pale for a human's and she was far too thin. Her face held a look of weariness, one that didn't come from lack of sleep. She was under strain of some kind. Her eyes held that same hunted look that some of the elves had when they were escaping to come to establish Imladris.
Sareei noticed him watching her. The mask went down immediately and her face became unreadable. Elrond let her eat in peace. When she stopped he had the dishes cleared and chamomile tea brought to the table. Sareei wouldn't meet his eyes.
Elrond sat quietly drinking his tea. Sareei bit her lip and stared into her teacup. She really couldn't talk about this. The thought of it turned her stomach into one huge knot. Elrond saw her distress. He already knew what the dream contained. She needed to be able to talk about it in order to speed her recovery. And he needed the answers to some very important questions. Yet he knew it was not wise to push. He knew she would talk in her own good time. For now he let her sit quietly as he observed her.
"I.....I would like to thank you for your hospitality.", Sareei haltingly began.
"You are quite welcome, Sareei. You are always welcome here." Elrond smiled reassuringly at her.
There was another long moment of silence. Finally Sareei couldn't stand the silence another minute.
"Lord Elrond, about that dream....", she began.
Elrond smiled at her. "You do not have to tell me anything that makes you uncomfortable, Sareei. You are a guest in my house. You may do as you please." His warm grey eyes met hers.
Sareei breathed a sigh of relief. That was easy, she thought. Then a thought occurred to her.
"Then what did you want to talk to me about?" She could have bitten her tongue for saying that. She knew it was a mistake the minute she said it. Now he could ask her about anything. And there wasn't much about her life that she DID want to talk about.
Elrond thought for a moment. He turned his eyes on her. For a moment they held a peculiar light in them, a look of intensity burning deep within them. He smiled at her again and the look was gone.
"Do you have any family nearby?", he asked casually as he poured her another cup of tea.
Sareei hesitated, tensing up. Then, "No, I have no family near here.", she said as she looked into his dark eyes. Funny, they hadn't seemed that dark yesterday when she met him on the front steps.
Elrond looked her straight in the eye. "You have no dwelling nearby?", he asked smiling.
She didn't like the direction this conversation was taking. Then before she knew what she was saying, she had answered his question. "We used to have a house in the trollshaws. But it's gone now.", she said quietly. What was she saying? She didn't want anyone to know where the house was, what was left of it anyway. And Papa's grave was up there too. What had she done? The knot returned to her stomach with a vengeance.
"Such a pity.", commented Elrond. "I should like the chance to meet your relatives." He continued to maintain a casual attitude as he quietly drank his tea and looked around at his garden, obviously enjoying the sights and smells of the morning.
Sareei began to relax again. He didn't sound like he was going to push the subject. She was grateful for that. Most of the time she couldn't even think of her family without crying. The experience was still so strong in her memory that she felt that it had happened just yesterday.
"I wonder.....", said Elrond, almost to himself.
"Yes?", asked Sareei.
"Would your father and mother care to come for a visit? They would be most welcome in Rivendell." Elrond watched for her reaction. It wasn't long in coming.
Her jaw set firm, and her eyes went to her cup and stayed there. "My mother died the day I was born. I was raised by my father.", she said softly, still looking down.
"Ai, Sareei, I am so sorry. I did not know." He was silent for a moment. "Then your father perhaps........"
"He's gone.", Sareei's voice was a whisper now. Only Elrond's elven hearing caught the words.
"Again, I am sorry Sareei.", Elrond said kindly. "How long ago was this?", he asked gently.
Sareei swallowed hard before she could continue. "It was my nineteenth birthday.", she answered.
Her eyes were beginning to mist up. Elrond know she had had enough for one day. He dared not push too much. His questions would have to wait for another time.
"I am so sorry Sareei. Such memories must be very painful." He abruptly changed the subject. "Why don't you let me show you my garden. It is quite glorious this time of year." He walked around to her side of the table and offered her his arm.
Sareei nodded, grateful that the subject had changed. They began walking through the garden. Elrond would point out particularly lovely points of beauty to Sareei. He felt he had made quite some progress today. Sareei had told him something about her parents and revealed that the creature had murdered her father on her nineteenth birthday. Something that traumatic must have been very hard for her to admit. He spent the rest of the walk letting her mind rest, by focusing her attention on the beauty she saw in the garden. When he felt Sareei had returned to a more relaxed state, he left her sitting under a rose arbor by a pond filled with colorful water lilies. She sat quiet and relaxed, enjoying the swans that swam among the water lilies. He was satisfied she was in a better state of mind so he excused himself to go find Gandalf and report what he had learned. He would check on the house in the trollshaws later. A dangerous place to live indeed!, he thought to himself as he went in search of his friend.
************************************************************************
It was night in Khor Dulgi's castle. A man dressed in black was talking to several soldiers. He was dark; from his thick, curly shoulder length hair and short elegant beard, to his dark, arrogant eyes, down to his dark clothes and boots. His pale face was as handsome as an elf's and as cold as a wraith's. The aura of evil that surrounded him terrified his troops, a group of hoodlums and ex-assassins who would follow anyone for gold. Something that Khor Dulgi had an abundance of. It was rumored that his bloodlines went as far back as the witch king, but no one dared look too closely into that. He was notorious for his short temper and his appetite for cruelty for cruelty's sake. Just being near him was frightening enough and no one knew when he would decide to take his anger out on anyone near enough to kill. And right now he was livid.
"It's been three months!", he shout angrily. "Where is she?", he demanded.
"But my Lord.", one of the soldiers protested.
"No!", shouted Khor in a temper. "I'm tired of your excuses. I want the girl or I want your head! Understood?"
"Yes, my Lord.", the Captain paled.
"And, Captain.....", said Khor in a deadly quiet voice. " I reward generously for success. I'm equally generous with punishment for failure. "DON'T disappoint me."
"No, my Lord", said the Captain nervously. The soldiers hurried away.
Lokhi stepped out of the darkness. "A little rough on them weren't you, Uncle?'
"She humiliated me Lokhi.",said Khor angrily. "I'm not going to let her get away with that."
Lokhi smiled. "Are you sure you don't feel the tiniest bit of attraction? Hum?"
Khor stopped his pacing. The slightest smile passed over his lips. "She did have a lot of spirit, didn't she?", he admitted. " For a moment she reminded me of Arwen."
"Oh Uncle,", sighed Lokhi, sounding bored. "Why don't you give up on Arwen? Elrond would never let his daughter marry a human warlord."
Khor glared at Lokhi. "Having to cut a deal with the elves to get you back was distasteful enough. Don't make me sorry I bothered." The look in his dark eyes was deadly.
Lokhi paused, then continued, this time a little further away. "There are plenty of fish in the sea. This woman for instance. She is one of the few women that I know of besides Arwen who has actually had the courage to stand up to you."
"She does have quite a temper," agreed Khor. "Fire like that is rare in a woman."
"She might be amusing to keep around.....", Lokhi paused. "......as a pet? No.", he said. "She would probably be too much for you to handle. She really isn't afraid of you, is she?" He smiled at the anger in his Uncle's eyes.
"She will be after I'm done with her.", said Khor. Something in his voice made Lokhi shudder.
Khor Dulgi -- "black lord"
Lokhi -- "crooked"
AloriaMoonbeam:TheLastFae -- Thank you very much for the compliments. Although you should stop while I can still get my head out the front door. :-D Hope you enjoy this next chapter.
As always, my characters are my own, and everyone else belongs to Tolkien. Darn it.
Now, on with the story. God Bless.
Chapter 5 The Morning After
Elrond stepped out into the hall and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, deliberately slowing his heartbeat to a more normal pace. Entering Sareei's room had been a shock. The raw emotion of the dream had hit him in the face like a blast from a furnace. He was surprised that a human could generate such a powerful wave of emotions. The mental images that had exploded into his mind were still fresh in his memory; some of which he found extremely interesting. He had experienced such things during the Last Alliance, as he worked in the tents with the wounded. But, then he had been working on wounded soldiers; some still in shock from the horrors they had experienced at Sauron's hands. This had been unexpected. A tiny seed of suspicion began to take root and grow. He went to his study and poured himself a glass of wine. Then he settled down behind his desk to think.
The dream had been very vivid. It had burned into Elrond's mind in a flash of images and emotions. Elrond could feel every emotion that Sareei had experienced. She had obviously come from a very loving, secure home. One where she had been much loved and even spoiled. He could still feel Sareei's awareness of how much love and pride her father had for her. There didn't seem to be any memories of her mother. Why not?, Elrond wondered. How had she come to this? Out alone in the wilderness by herself. Elrond was surprised that an orc or warg hadn't gotten her by now. He was aware of her skill with a sword from her dream, but there was much difference between fencing with her father and fighting for her life with a warg. She could not possibly hope to survive if she were forced to pit her physical strength against theirs. She should not be allowed to wander like this, unprotected. His thoughts went to Arwen. He shuddered to think of Arwen living such a life.
Elrond shook himself. He couldn't let himself get sidetracked. He had to deal with the problem at hand. He turned back to his memories of the dream. He felt the withering grief Sareei had felt at the end of the dream. Grief for her father. There was something else there too. Something she had buried deep inside. He wasn't sure what it was, but the feeling of dread that came from it was unmistakable. There was something else there that was wrong. Something that played a major part in Sareei's grief. He would have to find out what it was before he could help Sareei.
And that hideous creature. Obviously reptilian, it wasn't an orc but he got the distinct impression that it came from the same source. He wasn't sure what it was. And the reference to it's master. Who was he? And what did he want with Sareei?
This was a huge puzzle. One that needed unraveling. And quickly. Something was going to happen soon. Something that involved Sareei. It was a feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake it. It reminded him of that time long ago. When he felt that Sauron was on the rise again.
**************************************************************************** ****************
Sareei awoke to the sound of singing. Below her window, someone was singing out in Elrond's garden. The sound of their voice was captivating. The beautiful voice floated over the grounds like a blessing, carrying with it a peace and joy she hadn't known in a long time. It reminded her of a nightingale that she had had living outside her bedroom window at home. Home. The word brought back the memory of her dream. She didn't have a home anymore. Everything was gone. Then she remembered. Oh, no. Elrond. He had said they would talk this morning. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about the dream she had every night. To anyone, but especially not to Elrond. She couldn't bring herself to tell that dream to anyone, and certainly not to an elven lord. She made her decision.
She got out of bed and dressed as quickly as she could. Then she headed for the door. With any luck she would have Ariel out the front gate before anyone knew she was gone. She reached for the doorknob and swung open the door. She gasped; her heart skipping a beat. Elrond stood in the doorway, smiling.
"I'm glad to see you awake, Sareei. I was just coming to escort you to the garden for breakfast." He smiled cordially and offered her his arm. He didn't really leave her any choice. She silently took his arm, mentally chastising herself for being so slow. If only she hadn't taken that drink from him last night. She would have awakened long ago and been gone. She sulked as they walked down the hall to the stairway leading to the garden.
Sun light poured it's warmth down on the garden, it's light turning the dew-bedecked flowers into jeweled garlands. The scent of roses and jasmine filled the air with a heady perfume. As they approached the garden she could see a table had been spread with a white tablecloth. It was covered with plates of food. There were two place settings, one with an elegant pink rose in a crystal vase. A male elf stood ready to serve them. Elrond seated Sareei at the table and then sat down opposite her.
Elrond smiled at Sareei as the servant heaped her plate with fresh fruit, then poured a glass of milk and set it before her. He studied her face as she began to eat. She could be in better health. Her face was too pale for a human's and she was far too thin. Her face held a look of weariness, one that didn't come from lack of sleep. She was under strain of some kind. Her eyes held that same hunted look that some of the elves had when they were escaping to come to establish Imladris.
Sareei noticed him watching her. The mask went down immediately and her face became unreadable. Elrond let her eat in peace. When she stopped he had the dishes cleared and chamomile tea brought to the table. Sareei wouldn't meet his eyes.
Elrond sat quietly drinking his tea. Sareei bit her lip and stared into her teacup. She really couldn't talk about this. The thought of it turned her stomach into one huge knot. Elrond saw her distress. He already knew what the dream contained. She needed to be able to talk about it in order to speed her recovery. And he needed the answers to some very important questions. Yet he knew it was not wise to push. He knew she would talk in her own good time. For now he let her sit quietly as he observed her.
"I.....I would like to thank you for your hospitality.", Sareei haltingly began.
"You are quite welcome, Sareei. You are always welcome here." Elrond smiled reassuringly at her.
There was another long moment of silence. Finally Sareei couldn't stand the silence another minute.
"Lord Elrond, about that dream....", she began.
Elrond smiled at her. "You do not have to tell me anything that makes you uncomfortable, Sareei. You are a guest in my house. You may do as you please." His warm grey eyes met hers.
Sareei breathed a sigh of relief. That was easy, she thought. Then a thought occurred to her.
"Then what did you want to talk to me about?" She could have bitten her tongue for saying that. She knew it was a mistake the minute she said it. Now he could ask her about anything. And there wasn't much about her life that she DID want to talk about.
Elrond thought for a moment. He turned his eyes on her. For a moment they held a peculiar light in them, a look of intensity burning deep within them. He smiled at her again and the look was gone.
"Do you have any family nearby?", he asked casually as he poured her another cup of tea.
Sareei hesitated, tensing up. Then, "No, I have no family near here.", she said as she looked into his dark eyes. Funny, they hadn't seemed that dark yesterday when she met him on the front steps.
Elrond looked her straight in the eye. "You have no dwelling nearby?", he asked smiling.
She didn't like the direction this conversation was taking. Then before she knew what she was saying, she had answered his question. "We used to have a house in the trollshaws. But it's gone now.", she said quietly. What was she saying? She didn't want anyone to know where the house was, what was left of it anyway. And Papa's grave was up there too. What had she done? The knot returned to her stomach with a vengeance.
"Such a pity.", commented Elrond. "I should like the chance to meet your relatives." He continued to maintain a casual attitude as he quietly drank his tea and looked around at his garden, obviously enjoying the sights and smells of the morning.
Sareei began to relax again. He didn't sound like he was going to push the subject. She was grateful for that. Most of the time she couldn't even think of her family without crying. The experience was still so strong in her memory that she felt that it had happened just yesterday.
"I wonder.....", said Elrond, almost to himself.
"Yes?", asked Sareei.
"Would your father and mother care to come for a visit? They would be most welcome in Rivendell." Elrond watched for her reaction. It wasn't long in coming.
Her jaw set firm, and her eyes went to her cup and stayed there. "My mother died the day I was born. I was raised by my father.", she said softly, still looking down.
"Ai, Sareei, I am so sorry. I did not know." He was silent for a moment. "Then your father perhaps........"
"He's gone.", Sareei's voice was a whisper now. Only Elrond's elven hearing caught the words.
"Again, I am sorry Sareei.", Elrond said kindly. "How long ago was this?", he asked gently.
Sareei swallowed hard before she could continue. "It was my nineteenth birthday.", she answered.
Her eyes were beginning to mist up. Elrond know she had had enough for one day. He dared not push too much. His questions would have to wait for another time.
"I am so sorry Sareei. Such memories must be very painful." He abruptly changed the subject. "Why don't you let me show you my garden. It is quite glorious this time of year." He walked around to her side of the table and offered her his arm.
Sareei nodded, grateful that the subject had changed. They began walking through the garden. Elrond would point out particularly lovely points of beauty to Sareei. He felt he had made quite some progress today. Sareei had told him something about her parents and revealed that the creature had murdered her father on her nineteenth birthday. Something that traumatic must have been very hard for her to admit. He spent the rest of the walk letting her mind rest, by focusing her attention on the beauty she saw in the garden. When he felt Sareei had returned to a more relaxed state, he left her sitting under a rose arbor by a pond filled with colorful water lilies. She sat quiet and relaxed, enjoying the swans that swam among the water lilies. He was satisfied she was in a better state of mind so he excused himself to go find Gandalf and report what he had learned. He would check on the house in the trollshaws later. A dangerous place to live indeed!, he thought to himself as he went in search of his friend.
************************************************************************
It was night in Khor Dulgi's castle. A man dressed in black was talking to several soldiers. He was dark; from his thick, curly shoulder length hair and short elegant beard, to his dark, arrogant eyes, down to his dark clothes and boots. His pale face was as handsome as an elf's and as cold as a wraith's. The aura of evil that surrounded him terrified his troops, a group of hoodlums and ex-assassins who would follow anyone for gold. Something that Khor Dulgi had an abundance of. It was rumored that his bloodlines went as far back as the witch king, but no one dared look too closely into that. He was notorious for his short temper and his appetite for cruelty for cruelty's sake. Just being near him was frightening enough and no one knew when he would decide to take his anger out on anyone near enough to kill. And right now he was livid.
"It's been three months!", he shout angrily. "Where is she?", he demanded.
"But my Lord.", one of the soldiers protested.
"No!", shouted Khor in a temper. "I'm tired of your excuses. I want the girl or I want your head! Understood?"
"Yes, my Lord.", the Captain paled.
"And, Captain.....", said Khor in a deadly quiet voice. " I reward generously for success. I'm equally generous with punishment for failure. "DON'T disappoint me."
"No, my Lord", said the Captain nervously. The soldiers hurried away.
Lokhi stepped out of the darkness. "A little rough on them weren't you, Uncle?'
"She humiliated me Lokhi.",said Khor angrily. "I'm not going to let her get away with that."
Lokhi smiled. "Are you sure you don't feel the tiniest bit of attraction? Hum?"
Khor stopped his pacing. The slightest smile passed over his lips. "She did have a lot of spirit, didn't she?", he admitted. " For a moment she reminded me of Arwen."
"Oh Uncle,", sighed Lokhi, sounding bored. "Why don't you give up on Arwen? Elrond would never let his daughter marry a human warlord."
Khor glared at Lokhi. "Having to cut a deal with the elves to get you back was distasteful enough. Don't make me sorry I bothered." The look in his dark eyes was deadly.
Lokhi paused, then continued, this time a little further away. "There are plenty of fish in the sea. This woman for instance. She is one of the few women that I know of besides Arwen who has actually had the courage to stand up to you."
"She does have quite a temper," agreed Khor. "Fire like that is rare in a woman."
"She might be amusing to keep around.....", Lokhi paused. "......as a pet? No.", he said. "She would probably be too much for you to handle. She really isn't afraid of you, is she?" He smiled at the anger in his Uncle's eyes.
"She will be after I'm done with her.", said Khor. Something in his voice made Lokhi shudder.
Khor Dulgi -- "black lord"
Lokhi -- "crooked"