Imladris Revisited

By: DLR 2002

Disclaimer: Characters owned by JRR Tolkien

Elrond/OFC

Rated: PG13 for a little necking.

Chapter 19

It was sometime after dawn when Culurien awoke, her head ached and her mouth tasted nasty.  She opened her eyes and looked around.  Elrond lay on the bed next to her, asleep.  They were both fully clothed.  They were in her room and it was cold, the fire having gone out.

Culurien slowly got out of the bed, trying to ignore the pounding in her head.  She peered into the ewer, water, thank goodness.  She washed her face and rinsed out her mouth.  She sat down in the chair and tried to sort out her thoughts. 

Memories came back to her and she did not know if they were real or dreams.  She wished Elrond would wake, but he lay there looking so peaceful, she did not want to go poke him.

Suddenly Culurien remembered the twins and her terrible mistake.  She recalled Arwen, yelling at them.  Then they were all there and she ran away, unable to face anyone.  She did not know how she got back to her room, her eyes being completely blinded with tears.  After that, all went blank.

Culurien stood and went to mix something for her headache.  She picked up a dirty goblet and smelled it, ugh, she thought.  She rinsed it and picked up a jar of white powder from the shelf, adding several spoonfuls to the water in the goblet.  She raised it to her lips and . . .

"Culurien!"  Elrond yelled suddenly and the goblet crashed to the floor.  Her hands went to her temples. 

"Do not yell so," she whispered.  "Whatever is your problem?"

Elrond was at her side in an instant.  "What do you think you are doing?"

"My head aches, I was mixing a remedy.  What is the matter with you?"

He picked up the goblet and smelled it.  His face cleared and he relaxed.

"I am sorry.  After last night, well . . ."

"What about last night?" she asked him, puzzled.

"You do not remember?"

"I remember quite clearly the afternoon," she said.  "Then I came back here and do not recall anything."  She paused.  "Except for mixing a headache remedy, as I did just now."     

Elrond stared at her, his voice sinking to a whisper.  "What did you say?"

Culurien stared back at him.  "A headache remedy, I mixed a headache remedy.  I have only just remembered."

His eyes were wide.  "When you left my study, you were extremely distraught."

"That is true," she agreed.

He continued talking, unblinking.  "Your eyelids were swollen; it must have been difficult to see."

"That is true as well."

"You had a headache."

Culurien became impatient.  "So I have stated and I have one still."

Elrond looked at her briefly.  His eyes flickered.  "Bear with me.  You went to the shelf, took down the powder . . ."

"That is the wrong one," she said.  "You have picked up the sleeping powder."

"You took down the powder," he repeated.  He opened the jar; it was nearly empty.  "You could not see," he whispered, "and you picked up the wrong jar."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, frowning.

He showed her the jar of sleeping powder.

She was puzzled.  "That should not be empty."

"You picked up the wrong jar," he repeated.  "You did not mix headache powder, you mixed sleeping powder."      

"That is ridiculous.  That amount of sleeping powder would have killed me."

Elrond stared at her, the empty jar still in his hand.  "It very nearly did."

"What are you talking about?" Culurien asked him again quietly, her face pale.

"You might have died last night if Arwen and I had not found you in time," he explained.  "We wondered if perhaps you were upset enough to . . . to . . ."  He could not go on.  "You were very upset."

She looked at him in disbelief.  "I did not try to kill myself."

"I realize that, now."

"You saved my life?" she asked.  He nodded.  "How?"

He handed her the jar containing the herb he had fed her last night.

"Ugh.  No wonder my mouth tastes terrible."

"I am so glad it was an accident," said Elrond softly.  Culurien came over to him and held him close.

"I would never leave you," she whispered.  "Never, not intentionally, not now, not ever."

Elrond hugged her tightly and fought back the tears that were filling his eyes.

"So close you came, so very close," he whispered.  They were quiet for several moments.

He then held her at arm's length, looking at her sternly.  "Do I need to remove these things from your room or will you practice more responsibility?"

She looked into his eyes.  "You may remove them.  I have no more need of them."

He smiled and pulled her tightly into his embrace once more.  There was a soft knock at the door, but they heard it not.

Arwen opened the door, looked at them, and then shut it again.  This time the knock was louder.  They parted, reluctantly.

Elrond sighed. "Come." 

Arwen entered, hesitating slightly.  Culurien looked at her with distress, for nothing had been explained to her yet.  Arwen walked up to her friend and gave her a hug.  Culurien embraced her as well and they both burst into tears.

"I am sorry," they said, almost at the same time.  They looked at each other, and then started laughing through the tears.

"I was not angry with you, I was angry with Adar for taking advantage of you."

"He has done nothing to incur your anger."

"That I now know," said Arwen.  "Which you would be aware of as well if you had stayed and maybe it would not have come to this."

Elrond cleared his throat.  "Actually, nothing has come to anything."

Arwen looked at him.  "Could you possibly repeat that, Ada and perhaps make sense this time?"

Culurien explained.  "I thought I was mixing headache powder, but I mixed sleeping powder.  They look similar.  They do not taste the same, but I suppose I was too upset to notice."

Arwen hugged her once more and sighed with relief.  "I am sorry.  We found you in this state, and after Lothlórien, I am afraid I just assumed . . . but I am so happy it was not true.  Because of my words, I thought I drove you to it."

"It was a most upsetting afternoon," said Culurien, "between my making a fool of myself to your brother, and you hearing what you heard." 

She turned to Elrond.  "Did I not say it would be better to tell her ourselves?"

"Did I not say she would not take it well?" he returned, "and she did not."

"But that could be in direct relation to the way in which she found out," argued Culurien.

"She would have drawn her own conclusions no matter what."

Arwen looked from one of them to the other.  "Show me your ring, Culurien," she said abruptly. 

Culurien started, surprised.  "Yes, certainly."  She drew out the chain. 

Arwen gasped.  "It is truly beautiful.  Why are you not wearing it on your finger?"

Culurien looked at Elrond.  "Well, I . . ."

"You should wear it," Arwen persisted.

Culurien looked at Elrond again

"It is my wish also you should wear it, Linariel," he said quietly.  "But you do as your heart tells you."

"But what will I say if I am asked?"

"You will tell them you are engaged to the Lord of Imladris," said Arwen, firmly.

Culurien went a little pale. "I cannot make that kind of announcement."

"No, indeed, you certainly cannot," agreed Elrond.

"Then you must do it, Adar," said Arwen, turning to him.

Elrond raised his eyebrows.  "Perhaps the job should fall to you, Undómiel, you feel so strongly about it."

"I would be happy to do so."

Elrond and Culurien looked at each other.  "There is no turning back now," he murmured.

"It is settled, then," said Arwen.  "Tonight at dinner."  She paused.  "What was it you said to my brother, by the way, I seem to be the only one not to know."

Elrond coughed.  "An omission that will continue."

"That returns us to the other problem,' Culurien said with a sigh.

He rubbed her shoulder.  "Perhaps if you were formally introduced, we could work that problem out."

"As long as we are taking the bull by the horns," Culurien smiled wryly, "we may as well continue."

"A good idea," said Arwen, leaving them.  "I will bring them back here."

Culurien and Elrond looked at each other again.  "Very decisive, is she not?" asked Culurien.

"She will make a good queen," agreed Elrond.

"Queen?" asked Culurien.  "Queen of what?"

"Queen of Gondor and Arnor," said Elrond quietly, "or in other words, most of Middle-earth."

"These are kingdoms of men," said Culurien.

"Indeed, yes."

She put her arms around him.  "What is it you see?"

"There are two roads," he said, sighing.  "The better one has Estel fulfilling his potential, defeating the Enemy and re-gaining the throne of Gondor.  Arwen will marry him and bring strength to the blood of Númenor once again.  The second road sees Estel perishing, unable to fulfill his quest and Arwen dying of grief."

"The first road seems preferable to me," said Culurien.

"Yes," Elrond agreed.  "At least Arwen will have happiness for a short while, the second road offers none."

Culurien frowned.  "How do you mean, 'short while?'"

"When I leave Middle-earth, Arwen will lose the grace of the Eldar."

"She will die?" asked Culurien, horrified.  "Why do you not stay longer, then?"

"I cannot increase Estel's life.  Better that she should die with him, than suffer without him."  He sighed again.  "Better for her if she had never met him, but I fear it was meant to be."

Culurien was silent.  "Can you foretell which road seems likely?"

"The first." 

"Why?"

"The throne of Gondor could not be regained until the One Ring was found and this has come to pass." 

She was puzzled.  "What is the 'One Ring?'"

"It is a tool of Sauron the Enemy.  The elves of Eregion made many magical rings with the aid of Sauron, who had gained their trust for a short while.  The culminations of their efforts were the Great Rings of Power, forged by Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor who created the silmarils."

Elrond closed his eyes and appeared to be caught up in a tumult of emotion of some kind.  He took a deep breath and continued.  "These rings were given to the three major races of Middle-earth, elves, men and dwarves.  Secretly, however, Sauron forged a master ring to control the others and all who hold these rings fall subject to his bidding."

"Those that hold the elven rings are bound to his will?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Nay, those alone are outside his power, for his dark hand never touched them.  Celebrimbor perceived the plot of Sauron, finally and hid the three away from him."

Culurien looked shrewdly at Elrond for a long moment.  "You are the keeper of one of these rings, are you not?"

He raised his eyes to look into hers.  "Yes.  On my hand I wear Vilya, the ring of the Air."

She looked at his hands.  "I see no magical ring.  They seem common and ordinary."

"Only another ring-bearer can see it for what it is," said he.  "You see an ordinary ring, mortal eyes see nothing."

"Through this you can see the One Ring?"

"I can feel the resurgence of its power," he responded.  "It is actively seeking the hand of its master."

"You said it was found.  Where is it?"

"I know not."  Elrond looked troubled.  "I know only that it stirs.  No powerful entity possesses it, certainly, or I should feel myself unmasked and vulnerable."

He looked into her eyes.  "This is not a subject for common talk, however.  You may speak of this only to me and only when we are alone."

Culurien put her hand over his.  They sat in silence until Arwen returned with her brothers.

Elrond stood as Elladan and Elrohir came into the room.  They had their eyes cast down and shuffled their feet uncomfortably.

Elrond cleared his throat.  "May I present Culurien, daughter of Helfelas of Eryn Galen* to my sons, Elladan and Elrohir." 

She curtsied and they made small bows.

"Culurien and I will make a public announcement of our engagement tonight."

"Actually, I am announcing," Arwen interrupted.            

Elrond looked sideways at her.  "Just so."

The twins stepped forward.  "Congratulations, Adar."  They each embraced him.  They turned to Culurien.  "Congratulations," Elladan said with a smile on his face, his eyes friendly, without judgment.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"That is all," Elrond said, dismissing everyone with a wave.  When they had left, he looked at Culurien.  "That was a good start.  Do you feel any better?"

Her cheeks dimpled.  "It does help to be official."

His arms went around her waist and he contemplated her for a moment.  "This has been a long morning already and the day has only just begun.  I know not what you care to do, but I feel the distinct need of a bath, then perhaps some breakfast."

"Then, after that, perhaps another bath?" Culurien pulled him close and kissed his neck.

"Indeed, yes.  One cannot take too many baths."  His mouth found her ear and her skin began to tingle.  Her hands reached under his shirt and caressed his chest.  They moved around to his lower back, exploring the curves of his hips and buttocks.

He pressed himself against her and she felt the strength of his desire through the soft fabric of his leggings.

"Perhaps the bath can wait, after all," he murmured, his mouth hotly exploring her neck and shoulder.

"Indeed, yes." She eyed the bed.  "Nap first, bath later."

"One cannot take too many naps," he agreed.

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*Greenwood  Forest (Mirkwood)