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Celebrian, Wife to Elrond and the Heir of Sauron

Fireweilder

In Dwinordene, In Lorien

Seldom have walked the feet of men

Few mortal eyes have seen the light

That lies there ever, long and bright

Galadriel Galadriel!

Clear is the water of your well

White is the star on your white hand

Unmarred, unstained is leaf and land

In Dwinordene, In Lorien

More fair than the thoughts of mortal man!

For ten days has the Elves sang from the valley of Rivendell, as if to draw their mistress, Celebrian, back from her journey to her homeland of Lothlorien. No news has reached them since her departure, for good or evil. Elrond thought this to be unusual for his wife to do, but tried to think nothing of it.

Straining his far seeing eyes across the land, he looked toward Redhorn Pass, where she should have been passing today. As the sun crept slowly over the mountains, Elrond thought he saw its rays reflect of a blade of steel and shadows moving slowly across the Pass. It despaired in his heart to see it but he knew that whatever terror could befall his wife would have to be dealt out by her hand. Only the eagles could overtake her now.

Taking his eyes from the Pass, he turned his eyes to the East, the land of terror. He had long felt as if the evil was indeed returned from the destroyed land of Numenor. Elrond felt no desire to even strain his eyes to look into the land, but he felt as if he had no choice but to find the land being brought closer to his face. He saw the mountain of terror and even the foundations of the Dark Lord's tower. He saw the tower, Minas Ithil, gleaming like a spiked jewel in darkness. He had always called the tower by its former name since the resent name tasted like bittersweet honey on his lips.

Allowing the song of the elves to wash the memories out from his mind, his mind shifted to the small white figure standing in hi doorframe. For days had Arwen been comforting her brother from his constant sorrow with no a veil.

"How is he, Arwen? Does still he weep for some nameless fear?" asked Elrond, crossing swiftly to his daughter, "Will he still stay in darkness so he cannot relive the light?"

Arwen looked up slowly to meet her father's face. For the past ten days, her brother's sobs have allowed her little to no sleep. Now every movement she made had to be slow and planned to use up as little energy as possible.

"Father, he fears the light because he has seen it," was her response before she fell forward, grappling with the front of Elrond's robes and sliding slowly to the floor. Elrond slowly pulled her hands from his chest and carefully took her up in his arms. He placed her gently on the wooden bench outside where the voices of the elves would be there when she awoke.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"What evil makes one weep so that the sun refuses his face and the moon shins with new tears? 'Tis no common for such sorrow to over come a kin for such long times. Reveal to me what this burden is and start to live again as one of the ageless son of the eldern should."

"True. It is a burden to known truth when lies give less sorrow, but it is only my burden to bear, father. No, I can not let the light spread to cause only more darkness," said Elrohir, still not daring to look straight into his father's eyes. But Elrond needed only his sorrow laid voice to tell him what it was laden with.

"Ten days since your mother's departure have you wept for. I guess that sorrow is following her departure?" asked Elrond, even as if he already knew the answer.

Elrohir had had sleepless nights but still had kept his own personal horror to himself. But when faced with hi knowing father, he found he could keep it no longer. He turned to face Elrond with fresh sorrow laid on his face.

"Whispers that manage to gallop to Rivendell should not always be push aside as nothing. Not when they travel from keener and older minds then mine. Thirteen days ago, the wind lord, Gwaihir, flew to me in haste, telling me of a new evil lurking in Redhorn Pass. He trusted me to deliver the message to you. He told of Orcs in the Pass, refusing departure and entrance from and to Eriador."

Elrond felt as if he knew the rest of the tale, so he allowed the sorrow to be felt on his heart.

"No one can pass through the Pass now. I would have told but the joy on her face troubled my heart. I thought she might make it soon enough…"

Elrohir now turned and rose form his seat. He walked slowly, as his sister had done, for he too had gotten little sleep in the past ten days. He managed to walk to the open aired balcony before collapsing against the railing. Elrond, as if walking through thick fog, hardly let the gasps of his son reach his ears. He now felt darkness filling the room, as if the sun was never to shine again. Elrohir managed to cry out to his silent father before sinking in to sleep.

"Father, can at least a forgiveness be granted to my foolishness. My ignorance to the warning's importance."

"No." said Elrond, looking toward his son with the light gone from his eyes. Elrohir fell into sleep before he noticed Elrond get up. The failure he now felt consumed Elrohir after hearing his father's response and felt as he could now give up.

Elrond slowly walked to the door but felt as if he should not leave his son with the horrors of failure on him. He did forgive him but he felt as if it was not Elrohir who need to be forgiven. Elrond turned back to gather his son on the balcony and brought his back to his bed.

"You do not deserve forgiveness for the fault can only be mine. My ignorance of you was our failure. Now only I can remember it. That is my gift to you."

Placing his long white hand over Elrohir's eyes and the other gripping the back of his neck, Elrond made sure the memory swept clear of his son's memory. He felt Elrohir stir in his sleep but soon was still as a new sleep swept over his mind.

Thus the information of Gwaihir passed from Elrohir's remembrance.