Amnesia: By Jo March

Disclaimer: see first chapter

Summary: Elrond decides to take a walk in the woods, and he receives a nasty knock on the head. This blow results in sever amnesia. Will Elrond ever remember? How will his family take this news?

Chapter Five: Waking Up

Gandalf sat by the side of Elrond's bed puffing away at his pipe, waiting for morn to come. He looked around taking in all the details of the room. He had never actually looked at this room. He had of course been though many times on his way to Elrond's study, but it is amazing what you can see a thousand times, but never really see. The articulate craftsmanship of the elves was magnificent. He looked up at the ceiling and let his eyes wonder about the ornately designed work, then his gaze shifted to the tapestries. They were beautifully done; the colors shone, even in the dark, and projected little rays of colored light about the room. Then Gandalf looked over to Elrond's chest of drawers. He noticed the portrait of Celebrían, he was almost sure it had not been there before now. Hmm, how interesting. I never noticed that he had it hung it there. He misses her desperately. Still blaming himself for her leaving, I suspect. Something's will never change, I don't suppose. Gandalf continued on this train of thought till he could go no farther with it. His mind fell to silence. Rivendell was never really quite, in a sense. You almost hear the trees talking, the water giggling, and the stars.... The sky was never cloudy, and stars were brilliant. You could look up from any room and see them, for all the ceilings were made from a hard tempered glass that could not be broken. That was a good thing too. Elladan and Elrohir had been a handful, but Arwen... Oh, that little elf could get into more trouble that ten thousand boys. She could get away with it all too. She was her father's favorite, and she knew it. Gandalf's favorite prank of hers was probably the time she had rigged up a bucket of glue that would fall down when she let go of the rope she held. It had been meant for her brothers. It was getting dark, and Elrond was getting concerned about where his daughter had run off too. Everyone had already eaten diner, and Celebrian was sure she'd be in soon. Elrohir and Elladan were convinced she was plotting to revenge for the joke they had played on her the day before, but they didn't say so. After diner Elrond went out to find his daughter, and since it was so dark, Arwen mistook him for one of her brothers, and let go of the rope. Yes! Perfect aim, right on the head, oops!

"Arwen!", came the very angry voice of Elrond Peredhil. Arwen came down very slowly knowing that she was in big trouble. "Can you tell me why I am covered in glue?"

"It was for Elladan and Elrohir, sir. They played a mean prank on me yesterday and I...", her voice broke and she started to cry. Elrond couldn't take her hand to lead her back to the house so he put her in front of him and made her tell him all about what had happened. The boys ended up in more trouble than Arwen did, and she never let them forget it either. Gandalf chuckled at the fond memory, and many other before the night finally came to an end. Gandalf thought back to the first time he had met Elrond....

Elrond and Elros had just lost their mother, and had been found by Gil-galad, the great Elvish king of the day. Elrond was only a small child at the time and had suddenly been forced into a position of leadership over his younger brother. Elros quickly forgot about his real parents and excepted Gil-galad as his father immediately. Elrond, on the other hand, was quite and shy and never really accepted Gil-galad as his father; he preferred to be left alone with his books all day. Gandalf had been visiting Gil-galad and had heard all about Elwing's untimely death, or so it was thought at that time that she had died. It had turned dark quickly that night, and he was walking along a little path and suddenly tripped over a small body. Elrond had been sitting underneath a tree looking up at the star, which was now his father. He quickly jumped up and started apologizing all over himself. Gandalf and Elrond became good friends after that unfortunate accident. Gandalf had been there with Elrond during the Last Alliance between men and elves. He had been called away before the battle was finished and didn't witness Isildur cutting the Ring from Sauron's finger. He and Elrond had many talks during that time; he had come to know the first great kings of old better than any of the other Istari. He had gotten closer to Elrond than Gil-galad had ever been able too. Elrond had been able to confess many of his thoughts to Gandalf, and in return Gandalf had been able to teach him many useful things.

Ah, those good ol' days, back when the world was young, over three thousand years ago. To go back and not have a care in the world, not to have all the burdens that one has to bear these days. Gandalf looked over at his sleeping friend, and let out a heartfelt sigh. Elrond had lived a good life and had done much good for the people of Middle Earth, but after losing Celebrían he had seemed to grow weary easily and to not have as much patience as before. It had definitely taken its toll on him. Elladan and Elrohir have never forgotten their mother's torment by the Orc's. Elrohir was so much like his father, and Elladan tended to be like his uncle. Elrohir was a bookworm, and Elladan the prankster. Those two could get into so much trouble; usually Elladan was the root of the problem. Arwen had her grandmother's, Galadriel's, personality, and her father's spirit, though he wouldn't admit it.

Gandalf sank into deep thought about the Ring that Frodo was now in possession, and how Bilbo came to possess it. It's mine, I found it! It came to me. It's mine, my own, my precioussss. Precious, hmm, Gollum had called it that, their stories were similar, could it be? Now that the Ring of power had been found he had more work than before. Saruman must know soon if we are to forestall Sauron again. Gandalf sat there pondering about the Ring, and didn't noticed how light it had become. Arwen came in silently and put her hand gently on Gandalf's shoulder.

"Has he awoke yet?" She whispered. Arwen was light of heart, her brother had made a wonderful and sincere apology to everyone last night. They were all very happy and carefree, except that their father was not out of danger yet.

"Hmm? No not yet. Has isn't moved at all. May as well get something to eat."

"Will he be alright? I mean, do you think it would be wise to leave him hear alone?"

"I don't think that any harm will come to him. He his safe and no one in Rivendell would dare harm him. It would be suicidal to evoke the wrath of you and your brother's together."

Arwen let out a laugh that was crystal clear and could be hear though out Rivendell. "Alright, if you say so. You're getting to be like a Hobbit, always wanting to eat."

"Really?", Gandalf gave her a quick smile and they continued down the hallway till they came to the dining hall where they met up with Elladan and Elrohir. They kept going till they reached a terrace and sat down and they were served breakfast.

Elrond woke and slowly took in his surroundings, wondering where he was. It was like no place he had ever visited in all of Middle Earth. The craftsmanship of the room was magnificent, it looked ages old, but he couldn't think of a single place that was this old. It seemed very familiar, but yet so strange. It was like he had been here before in a dream or something. Maybe he had heard a story about such a place, or read a book that described somewhere such as this. He looked around again taking in all the details of the room; Elros would want to know all about this dream. There was a picture of a beautiful elf above the dresser, the ceiling was made of glass, there was a door that lead somewhere, there was chair next to the bed, and there was a closet with dull colored clothing in it. Elrond decided that he didn't like the clothing that much, it was all much to dull. Maybe someone had died and this person was in morning? The chamber had a funny smell to it, like smoke, yet it was a not a wood smoke smell, sort of like a, um, well, like the smell of burning grass with a few flowers put in with it. Elrond noticed that his arm was going asleep underneath him.

"Ow!", he shook his arm out and the blood started to flow again. "Can you feel pain in dreams? What if I'm not dreaming? Don't be ridiculous, how could you not be dreaming? Have you ever seen a place like this? No, but maybe I have been kidnapped of something like that. Sure, how likely is that? Why don't you just leave me alone? You're the one who is caring on a conversation with yourself. Shut up and go away, NOW!" Elrond was just finishing his conversation with himself as Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir, and Gandalf walked in.

A/N: Ha ha! I do not have to do a lot of changes for this chapter. Happy New Years!