Chapter 12: Many Misunderstandings
Cleff sat silently on a wooden, elf-fashioned chair outside Elrond's bedroom, where the elves are observing Frodo. (Think of it this way… Middle Earth, Elven ER. Hee hee.) She has been informed that the young wounded hobbit will be in a fine stature, but Cleff never felt so sure. Cleff just sat there, gaping at a round, crystal ball lying on an elven table. She never felt… so empty and guilty before. I made Ash stab Frodo… I made myself ride Asfaloth instead of Glorfindel or Arwen…I made myself face circumstances that may change the legend of the One Ring and destroy Middle Earth forever… I made myself fail for Frodo might die…
"T'wasssss meant to be…" A friend's foul words that could change history… and life forever… "Oh jeez… Tolkien's gonna kill me," Cleff felt herself mutter under her breath.
"My lady," a soft smooth voice startled Cleff suddenly. "Would you wish to have some elven tea?" A fair laden elven maiden bent down to her, with a charming little smile, offering her some elven Earl Grey Tea. Cleff was flabber gasted. She never talked face to face with an elf before… except for the elf hunters who caught up with her, Frodo and Asfaloth, not to mention, Lady Arwen. "N-no… thank you…" she stuttered with a sheepish smile. The maiden seemed to have understood, as she smiled back warmly, and walked away. Cleff never felt so embarrassed.
Time passed by, hours, minutes, seconds. By the strike of noon, two male elves gathered near the nearest balcony from Elrond's room, whispering to each other. One went wide eyed and whispered back words that startled, alarmed and excited Cleff…
Hobbits? Here? Rivendell? How could… brought Lady Arwen with them… with a Ranger too… looking for the Cliffhanger… A child? The two elves turned to Cleff's direction, who was still poised to the chair. She slowly returned her gaze to the wooden fashioned door to Elrond's room, but keeping her ear poised to the two elves' conversation. The two finished, looked at Cleff, and when she met their gaze, much to her surprise, they bowed to her and left.
Cleff just sat there, looking at the spot where the two elves has been, looking funnily at the door. Strider, Arwen… Shea and the hobbits are here! Then I must go find them- Suddenly, the door to Elrond's room burst open, and there stood the elf maiden who talked to her earlier, beckoning to her. "Lady Clefe," she spoke melodiously. "Lord Elrond calls for you."
Cleff blinked, as the Lady stood back to let her in. "Thank you," she muttered softly and smiled, as she went throught he door. The lady went out and closed the door.
It was cool and light in Elrond's room. Light was streaming from an open balcony, and a wide silk bed stood in the middle… with a sleeping figure lying in it – Frodo. Lying in deep slumber, dreaming peacefully. Cleff let out a small sigh and approached the bed. Thank heavens the little one made it – "And I suppose, you have to come to claim the legend of the Ring, don't you Cliffhanger."
Cleff quickly spun around. There was Elrond, standing and leaning on the wooden door, watching her all the time. He had a stern face, of wisdom and experience. He approached her with a stern glare, and Cleff was sure she was in it this time. "Your wisdom and preference is strong enough, Master Clefe… but wisdom it ain't to control a book that surrounds the barrier of time and space." He spoke slowly and a bit… harshly.
"Fate is not to play around with… especially whe one's life is placed on the line…" Elrond pointed at his bed, where Frodo is recovering through sleep. "Cliffhangers weren't made to play with the legend." Cleff bowed her head, as Elrond circled her like a vulture, then approached the balcony, facing the sun with his keen, strong elven eyes.
"I have no trust in words." Cleff suddenly felt her lips move and speak. "I cannot trust this legend burdened upon me. Chosen at the least moment. And my ally has fallen into the hands of the enemy." Cleff looked bitterly at Frodo's still battered and tortured face from the pain he suffered from the Morgul blade, but through his peacefulness and the expression on his face, Cleff was somehow comforted. "Indeed my abilities have failed me."
Elrond returned his gaze at her, more caring and open now. He moved towards her, his hands upon his back, speaking, "It is not your ability that weakens you, my young Cliffhanger, somehow fate still plays with your destiny… a source have told me that another Cliffhanger will rise… but this child is still hiding away in the darkness…"
Ash! Cleff thought. She turned and faced Elrond. "Which source?" Cleff asked. Elrond smiled, and looked at a dark part of the room, where it is untouched by the light, upon a rocking chair, there sat a dark, grey figure, smoking a pipe, his head covered by a pointy dark blue hat… "Gandalf!"
Gandalf stood up and walked towards the light, his face enlightening, a smile approaching. "Well met, young Cliffhanger. You do have the right of choice when it comes to fleeing Isengard," Gandalf said with a chuckle, as Elrond walked back into the balcony with a hidden smile, letting Gandalf and a surprised Cleff talk.
Cleff's weary face broke into a smile as she moved towards Gandalf and hugged the old wizard. "I never thought you would return…" she mustered as Gandalf peered into her weary eyes. "Sadly, my heart has failed me Gandalf…" Cleff reached out to her eyes and wiped away a tear. Gandalf clasped her shoulder tight, comforting her, as he sat down the edge of Elrond's bed where Frodo is still peacefully sleeping. "My friendship has failed my quest of recovering this legend…" her gaze moved towards the Book, lying a top a wooden table, beside Elrond's bed.
Gandalf sighed too and looked down. "Yes, betrayal." Cleff looked up at him, her eyes still wet with a bit of tears, her face suddenly contorting with confusion. "Betrayal is like a black hole, compressing in an empty space of the universe. Two stars join each other in impact, one weak, one stable. Both share a beautiful company, but it shall soon collapse, as one falls into an empty pit, succumbing to it's own powers… and soon drags the other… into a miserable dark space… falling into deep depression and angst…" Gandalf spoke, the lyre of the quote sinking deep into Cleff's empty mind and heavy heart. Elrond, upon hearing this, bent down his head in the sunshine. "Yes, dear Cleff," said Gandalf, his eyes getting misty. "That is betrayal."
Cleff looked down at Gandalf, who was sitting on the bed, her heart even heavier. Saruman and Ashley… joined forces to destroy my destiny and Gandalf's company… Cleff thought bitterly. It was an awkward moment of silence, between an Istari and a Cliffhanger… till Frodo started moaning and stirring. Cleff spun around, as Frodo struggled to sit up, squinting and clutching his wounded shoulder.
"Gandalf…" he whispered, as the old wizard smiled and spoke, huffing on his pipe. "It is the 24th of October, if you should know, Frodo Baggins…" Frodo looked up at Gandalf, flabber-gasted. "I…we didn't catch up with you in the Prancing Pony…" he whispered, gazing quietly at a guilt-stricken Cleff trying to hide behind Gandalf to no avail…
The wizard was silent. He kept on huffing on his pipe, a flashback of events… his betrayal with the wizard Saruman… his escape by using the elements of nature… as Frodo peered into his eyes, looking for traces of an answer. Cleff on the other hand was guilt-stricken with heart break, relating so much of losing a friend, justlike Gandalf's… on the peak of Isengard…
"I was… delayed." And that was an answer. Frodo looked away and nodded, greatfully smiling that he was alive surrounded by the faithful wizard. He noticed a young girl stepping out of the darkness, looking up at him with those misty blue eyes guilt-striken with pain and suffering… "Cleff!" Frodo smiled weakly.
Cleff was in panic. "Oh Frodo, I am so sorry, I didn't know… I wasn't there… wasn't there as I promised… I should have stayed down, away from the peak of Weathertop… so you wouldn't have been stabbed… I can't control her-" Frodo sighed and weakly raised his hand to silence Cleff. And she did.
Frodo smiled weakly and spoke the words Cleff wouldn't imagine… "I understand Cleff… you should have told me how hard to lose a friendship to a Black Rider like the one who threatened to kill me…" Frodo spoke, touching his wound, trying hard to smoothen away to look of deep guilt in Cleff's face… "You knew? You heard us…?" Cleff mustered, only to no avail as Frodo just nodded. "I could tell."
Cleff never felt so relieved before. She dashed quickly to Frodo's side and tried not to hurt his shoulder as she hugged him for the first time… "I am so sorry…" she still mustered. "I understand…" Frodo said assuringly, pating her on the shoulder. "I-" Before she could speak another world, a hard metal pan hit Cleff on the head, as Sam dashed in the room trying to protect Frodo's shoulder from squeezing.
"Mr Frodo! Is your shoulder all right?!!" Sam asked in panic, glaring a bit at a flabber-gasted Cleff who loomed over Sam, rubbing her head. "I didn't mean to Master Cleff… I was just afraid Mr. Frodo's shoulders might bleed again…" Frodo and Gandalf laughed as Cleff sighed and ruffled Sam's hair. "Its all right Sam!!! I am in a good situation here!!! Oh Sam!!!" Frodo and Sam launched each other into a great hug as Gandalf and Cleff's laughter chorused. Suddenly, a small annoying figure with blonde hair went right into the room and pulled Sam off Frodo. "Off my Ringbearer, you nasty hobbit!!!" Sam seeing this went misty eyed… "Why me, dear old Shea…"
It was Shea, who started crying over a flabber-gasted Frodo and an aghast Cleff and Gandalf. "Oh Frodo, I never thought you would survive… after a wretched girl would run you off to Rivendell without asking my permission!!!" Shea glared at Cleff. "Not a big deal, dear old Shea," to their surprise, Frodo spoke. "Dear Cleff owes me my life for she saved mine, and what a fine task to do… somehow I do approve grateful of your concern, sweet old Shea…" And at that moment, Shea and Frodo's eyes locked.
Sam cowered and cried, Gandalf's and Cleff's jaws dropped. "What the hell are you two…" Cleff mustered as Sam whimpered. Frodo and Shea were kissing distance… and it was unappropriate for this to happen!!! As you see here, Sam is attracted to Shea, Merry and Pippin are flirting with Shea… and it may be unfortunate for Frodo to fall for Shea!!! "Dear Cleff… who is that lady?" Gandalf asked, drowning in sweatdrops. "Certainly not a Cliffhanger…" Cleff growled, as she grabbed Sam's ALMIGHTY PAN OF – nevermind, and slammed it on Shea's head.
"What are you doing?!!! You wretched…" Frodo looked as if he was snapped back into reality as he looked up at a flaming Cleff, having a bullsession with Shea. "Who are you calling wretched, Cliffe? You're the one who almost got my sweetie Frodo killed!!!" Cleff turned into a sickly shade of green, as Gandalf justs at there saying "What am I, chopped liver?!!"
"Aaarrrghhhhh!!!! Shut up you menace!!!" Cleff growled as she chased Shea out of the room with Sam's ALMIGHT PAN – can someone stop me!!! Sam quickly ran to Frodo's aid waving his hands in front of him, as Frodo stared into a space, still dreaming… "She is a nice lady…" Gandalf took two aspirins out of his hat, swallowed it and fell unconscious.
And you would swear somewhere in England, Tolkien turns in his grave. 0_0
A/N: Yeah, too much fracas in Rivendell. More fracas coming up in the next chapter… Many Resolutions, which covers Strider and Arwen's romance, Shea and Frodo's unfortunate romance (don't worry!!! There is always Cleff, Sam, Merry and Pippin to destroy it!!!) and the council of Elrond. So, see you then!!! And please review. Oh yeah, Zephyr? Don't worry, Shea may be a hobbit magnet, but she isn't going to stay that way. *wink* But sometimes you need an overprotective scale to protect the four hobbits, don't you think? Nah. They could take care of themselves. *lol!!!* Reviews greatly appreciated!!!
