*Author's note: Thanks so much to Espionage, my first reviewer! Don't
worry, Deidre will be happy in the end. Her sense of betrayal, however, is
nothing compared to what her aunt and uncle are going through, as we see in
this chapter.
*Disclaimer: See first chapter. Flames will rebound on their writers and Charlie the Naz-Bunny will come after you with her Killer Bunny Battle Cry of Doom.
Chapter Two: Pursuance
"You should go after her, my love," came Celebrian's voice. "She's never been out this long before."
It had been a week since Deidre had run away, and at first they had dismissed it, thinking she'd be back in a few days, like she had done in the past. Now she had been gone longer than ever, and Elrond had a suspicion that she wouldn't be coming back soon.
"How am I supposed to look for her if I don't even know where she is?" asked Elrond. "That rain three days ago washed away any tracks she could've left, and she could be anywhere by now!"
"Think about it, Elrond," Celebrian said softly. "Who are the people Deidre trusts more than anyone else? You know how close she is to my mother. She probably went to Lorien to hide out for a while. She's bound to have cooled off by now, she's not that obstinate."
"I'll leave with Glorfindel and some guards tomorrow morning," Elrond replied. "We'll go to Lorien and look for her."
**************************************************************************** ********************************************************************
Celebrian had underestimated her niece's stubbornness. As she rode toward her destination, she was only slightly less angry as she had been when she had fled Imladris. She spotted the eaves of Fangorn Forest on the horizon and smiled. No one would bother to look there, and even if they did, they wouldn't find her. She had never believed the stories about it, saying that there were killer trees and such that lurked in the forest, waiting to spring on unsuspecting travelers. Those were merely tales to frighten younglings, nothing more.
She dismounted; leading Swiftrun by her halter, until she found a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. A small offshoot of the Entwash trickled through the clearing, part of it widening into a spring just wide enough to bathe in. Here was where she would stay, she thought as she placed her bag in the bole of a tree to keep it safe. It was deep enough in the forest that no one would be able to detect her presence.
That night, as she lay under the stars wondering, she thought of a song:
The stars shine in the heavens, Like so many shimmering diamonds, Set against the dark cloak of the night sky. Is there a more fitting rainment, For Varda, Queen of the Stars?
The next morning she decided to look at the two bundles her grandmother had given her. One contained a dagger, with a red dragon on the scabbard. Inside was a short note that read : Dear Granddaughter. It is time that you should receive this. It was your father's, and he wished you to have it once you were older. Use it well.
The other package contained a leather-bound diary, its pages blank and its cover embossed with a rose, and another note. A note from her father. It told her how he was sad that he would not live to see her grow up, to become the adventurous and headstrong young maiden he knew she would turn out to be. How, as she read his letter, he and her mother were watching over her.
She cried at the thought of never knowing them, and recalled her flight to Lorien. She had urged Swiftrun on, stopping only when she absolutely had to, sleeping in the saddle, even. She had been too worried that Elrond would follow her, or worse, send her cousins to track her. Elladan and Elrohir already teased her for running away when she was extremely angry, this would just give them more reason to.
When she had arrived at the border of Lorien, she had been stopped by a scouting party, which had been puzzled as to why Galadriel's granddaughter would be traveling alone, and looking so travelworn. Deidre allowed a faint smile to come on her face as she remembered the scout's faces when she gave them a telling-off that was so icy it made a glacier seem like Orodruin. They had muttered that she was worse than The Lady, but let her through. From there, it had been a few hours ride to Caras Galadhon, and her grandparents.
She had known her grandparents would understand. Glorfindel always told her of the times he and Finrod had to go out and try to coax young Galadriel from her hiding place in the branches of a tree when she was mad. Deidre was the same way, save that she was almost impossible to track, and she could remain hidden even when the searchers were inches away, much to Elrond's frustration.
Deidre loved her grandparents more than anyone. When she was little, she used to beg them to tell her stories of long ago, or to help her with her archery. And she knew that no matter what, if she was sad or angry, her grandmother could make it better. That was why she had come to Lorien, at least to rest for a few days.
They had been surprised to see her alone, but once the story spilled out, with Deidre on the verge of tears, both from anger and tiredness, they understood. Galadriel had taken the young elf in her lap and comforted her, brushing Deidre's hair.
Once she had calmed down, Deidre found the courage to ask what her parents had been like, especially her father. Her grandmother had replied that Celebrandor had been tall, even as a young child, like Deidre, and that his eyes were gray, like his father's. He had golden hair, and was always eager to try new things. Deidre had not only inherited her father's height, but also his fine singing voice and his love of the stars. It comforted her to know that she was like him, even if she would never know him.
As Deidre lay against a tree trunk, absentmindedly braiding strands of grass, she thought how wonderful it felt, to be free. She was on her own time, free to do what she wished, when she wished, and no one even knew where she was. Her anger had begun to subside, but she had no intention of going back early. A thought crossed her mind, making her sit blot upright. What if Elrond was mad at her for running away? What if he didn't want her to come back? The more rational part of her mind argued that he was her uncle, and that he could definitely want her back, but she still wasn't sure. There were few things that intimidated Diedre, and Elrond angry was one of them, wether she was the target of his fury or not.
Instantly, she decided that if Elrond didn't want her back in Imladris, and after behaving like she had, even if she had more than a good reason, he had every right to deny her entry, she would stay in Lorien. Let him be on the receiving end of the iciness that only the Lady of Lorien and her eldest granddaughter could muster.
**************************************************************************** ********************************************************************
*Author's note: If someone could please help me with a name for Deidre's mother, it would be much appreciated. And kudos to my friend Alex S., for guessing that she would go to Fangorn. More of Elrond and Glorfindel's pursuit will be in the next chappie, as well as a new character.
*And yes, I'm aware that Galadriel was called Artanis when she lived in Valinor, but for the sake of not confusing my audience, I'm using her name like that.
*Also, the reason Deidre calls the queen of the stars Varda instead of Elbereth is because she has always preferred to use Quenya over Sindarin in her songs, and she understands that Varda will listen to an elf's song of praise, no matter if she is called Varda, or Elbereth, or Queen of the Frosty White Marshmallows(Okay, she might not be too crazy about that).
*Lastly, Glorfindel is approx. the same age as Finrod, Galadriel's brother. Why Glorfy is stuck as second-in-command to a youngster like Elronnd(no offense, I really like Elrond) while Galadriel is ruler of her own land, I have no clue, but more power to Galadriel.
*P.S. I will update as soon as I can, but I'm training for track, and that takes up a big chunk of my time, so if I'm a bit late, be patient with me, please.
*Disclaimer: See first chapter. Flames will rebound on their writers and Charlie the Naz-Bunny will come after you with her Killer Bunny Battle Cry of Doom.
Chapter Two: Pursuance
"You should go after her, my love," came Celebrian's voice. "She's never been out this long before."
It had been a week since Deidre had run away, and at first they had dismissed it, thinking she'd be back in a few days, like she had done in the past. Now she had been gone longer than ever, and Elrond had a suspicion that she wouldn't be coming back soon.
"How am I supposed to look for her if I don't even know where she is?" asked Elrond. "That rain three days ago washed away any tracks she could've left, and she could be anywhere by now!"
"Think about it, Elrond," Celebrian said softly. "Who are the people Deidre trusts more than anyone else? You know how close she is to my mother. She probably went to Lorien to hide out for a while. She's bound to have cooled off by now, she's not that obstinate."
"I'll leave with Glorfindel and some guards tomorrow morning," Elrond replied. "We'll go to Lorien and look for her."
**************************************************************************** ********************************************************************
Celebrian had underestimated her niece's stubbornness. As she rode toward her destination, she was only slightly less angry as she had been when she had fled Imladris. She spotted the eaves of Fangorn Forest on the horizon and smiled. No one would bother to look there, and even if they did, they wouldn't find her. She had never believed the stories about it, saying that there were killer trees and such that lurked in the forest, waiting to spring on unsuspecting travelers. Those were merely tales to frighten younglings, nothing more.
She dismounted; leading Swiftrun by her halter, until she found a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. A small offshoot of the Entwash trickled through the clearing, part of it widening into a spring just wide enough to bathe in. Here was where she would stay, she thought as she placed her bag in the bole of a tree to keep it safe. It was deep enough in the forest that no one would be able to detect her presence.
That night, as she lay under the stars wondering, she thought of a song:
The stars shine in the heavens, Like so many shimmering diamonds, Set against the dark cloak of the night sky. Is there a more fitting rainment, For Varda, Queen of the Stars?
The next morning she decided to look at the two bundles her grandmother had given her. One contained a dagger, with a red dragon on the scabbard. Inside was a short note that read : Dear Granddaughter. It is time that you should receive this. It was your father's, and he wished you to have it once you were older. Use it well.
The other package contained a leather-bound diary, its pages blank and its cover embossed with a rose, and another note. A note from her father. It told her how he was sad that he would not live to see her grow up, to become the adventurous and headstrong young maiden he knew she would turn out to be. How, as she read his letter, he and her mother were watching over her.
She cried at the thought of never knowing them, and recalled her flight to Lorien. She had urged Swiftrun on, stopping only when she absolutely had to, sleeping in the saddle, even. She had been too worried that Elrond would follow her, or worse, send her cousins to track her. Elladan and Elrohir already teased her for running away when she was extremely angry, this would just give them more reason to.
When she had arrived at the border of Lorien, she had been stopped by a scouting party, which had been puzzled as to why Galadriel's granddaughter would be traveling alone, and looking so travelworn. Deidre allowed a faint smile to come on her face as she remembered the scout's faces when she gave them a telling-off that was so icy it made a glacier seem like Orodruin. They had muttered that she was worse than The Lady, but let her through. From there, it had been a few hours ride to Caras Galadhon, and her grandparents.
She had known her grandparents would understand. Glorfindel always told her of the times he and Finrod had to go out and try to coax young Galadriel from her hiding place in the branches of a tree when she was mad. Deidre was the same way, save that she was almost impossible to track, and she could remain hidden even when the searchers were inches away, much to Elrond's frustration.
Deidre loved her grandparents more than anyone. When she was little, she used to beg them to tell her stories of long ago, or to help her with her archery. And she knew that no matter what, if she was sad or angry, her grandmother could make it better. That was why she had come to Lorien, at least to rest for a few days.
They had been surprised to see her alone, but once the story spilled out, with Deidre on the verge of tears, both from anger and tiredness, they understood. Galadriel had taken the young elf in her lap and comforted her, brushing Deidre's hair.
Once she had calmed down, Deidre found the courage to ask what her parents had been like, especially her father. Her grandmother had replied that Celebrandor had been tall, even as a young child, like Deidre, and that his eyes were gray, like his father's. He had golden hair, and was always eager to try new things. Deidre had not only inherited her father's height, but also his fine singing voice and his love of the stars. It comforted her to know that she was like him, even if she would never know him.
As Deidre lay against a tree trunk, absentmindedly braiding strands of grass, she thought how wonderful it felt, to be free. She was on her own time, free to do what she wished, when she wished, and no one even knew where she was. Her anger had begun to subside, but she had no intention of going back early. A thought crossed her mind, making her sit blot upright. What if Elrond was mad at her for running away? What if he didn't want her to come back? The more rational part of her mind argued that he was her uncle, and that he could definitely want her back, but she still wasn't sure. There were few things that intimidated Diedre, and Elrond angry was one of them, wether she was the target of his fury or not.
Instantly, she decided that if Elrond didn't want her back in Imladris, and after behaving like she had, even if she had more than a good reason, he had every right to deny her entry, she would stay in Lorien. Let him be on the receiving end of the iciness that only the Lady of Lorien and her eldest granddaughter could muster.
**************************************************************************** ********************************************************************
*Author's note: If someone could please help me with a name for Deidre's mother, it would be much appreciated. And kudos to my friend Alex S., for guessing that she would go to Fangorn. More of Elrond and Glorfindel's pursuit will be in the next chappie, as well as a new character.
*And yes, I'm aware that Galadriel was called Artanis when she lived in Valinor, but for the sake of not confusing my audience, I'm using her name like that.
*Also, the reason Deidre calls the queen of the stars Varda instead of Elbereth is because she has always preferred to use Quenya over Sindarin in her songs, and she understands that Varda will listen to an elf's song of praise, no matter if she is called Varda, or Elbereth, or Queen of the Frosty White Marshmallows(Okay, she might not be too crazy about that).
*Lastly, Glorfindel is approx. the same age as Finrod, Galadriel's brother. Why Glorfy is stuck as second-in-command to a youngster like Elronnd(no offense, I really like Elrond) while Galadriel is ruler of her own land, I have no clue, but more power to Galadriel.
*P.S. I will update as soon as I can, but I'm training for track, and that takes up a big chunk of my time, so if I'm a bit late, be patient with me, please.
