[Beginning of the third age of Middle-Earth, the solar year 30 – Woods of Lorien]
Even in the cool breeze, the heat that radiated off her skin would not wane. Perspiration gathered at her brow as she took a few steps backward from the person she now faced. With the flick of her wrists, twin short swords with bone colored handles were twirled elegantly within her seemingly frail grasp. Her form alone was deceiving and it was dangerous to even for a second, consider her remotely harmless or weak. "Tolo, Elen!"
With her call, a slight grin curled her rose colored lips and a light seemed to shine in her eyes. Flicking the short blade in her right hand, she seemed to taunt her partner delicately. "You jest hiril nin! I am no fool!" At this Elen laughed with mirth and slowly shook his head. In his hand was an elegantly arched silver blade held at ready and twice the length of one of her own.
"For shame! You make me wait then?" Laughing as well, the two suddenly took elegant side steps as they made a circular path never looking away from one another. Each graceful movement looked like that of a large cat stalking it's prey.
"Never Lady Ithil! Though I will not hurry to my defeat!" A soft laughter that mimicked the sound of birds in song then broke from his lips as he suddenly lunged forward. It was not brash, for it was refined and eloquent like the steps of a dance. But equally so, Ithil parried the blow by first hitting his sword from the top with her left hand while side stepping to the right. After that, with lightning speed she then brought up her right arm hitting his sword from below knocking it from his grip. Playfully then, she spun about and finished the move by dipping down and swiping a leg against the back of his knees causing him to plummet to the forest floor.
Dropping to one knee at his side, the blunt of the blade in her left hand then came to rest just below his chin as she smiled down at him playfully. "You let me win Elen! I'm ashamed!"
Laughing yet again, but a tad breathless, Elen then shook his head while wiping the perspiration from his brow. "I did not, hiril nin! You knew I had no chance against you!" Shaking her head then, she withdrew the sword from him and quickly spun them in her hands before sheathing them at her back. "I thought you said those put you at a disadvantage!"
"They do Elen! I have a better defense but my attack is greatly hindered. But you are right… they are my favorite and I have strove to perfect their usage." Smiling at him brightly, she then offered him a hand, which he gladly accepted. Pulling him to his feet, the two then hugged in friendship. "I thank you for suggesting this. It has greatly improved my mood."
"I aim to please, hiril nin. But now I inquire, what has made your mood one of such sorrow?" Careful sapphire eyes then peered at the noble lady as she moved uncomfortably at his side. At first he considered taking the question back, but he knew she needed to get it out. So, instead he knelt to the ground and picked up his sword as though the question was of no consequence.
Ithil could only sigh as the blissful smile faded from her lips. Brushing inerrant strands of platinum from her face, she then looked up to the now clouding sky. "Have you ever loved someone Elen… and then lost them before you had a chance to even tell them how you felt?"
A curious look crossed Elen's face as he arched a golden brow in thought. "Well… Not really. Sûllaer and I knew that we loved one another the first time we beheld one another. But it did take us quite a time to confess." A sad look then touched his eyes as he transferred the gaze to her fully. "I know that I would have died of grief had something happened to take her away from me before I could. Did something happen to the one you cared about?"
Nodding slowly, Ithil then sank to the ground beneath the shade of a tree allowing her body a moment of rest. "It's a family disagreement of sorts. There's nothing I can do about it."
The dawning of realization suddenly hit Elen as he came to her side with wide eyes. "Lord Elrond?"
Jumping slightly at his quick discovery, Ithil merely gave him a grim look in reply. "Please don't say that so loud. What's done is done and any chance I had is lost. I trust you Elen. Other than Elrond and my family, you are the closest I've been to another…"
Furrowing his smooth brow in thought, the fair-haired elf finally sat upon the ground and dropped his head back against the tree. "You're giving up too easily Ithil. I know you love your sister and your parents, but why should you back down if by chance he may return your feelings? Sometimes it isn't wise to let family do something that hurts you."
Eyeing him curiously for a moment, Ithil noticed a look of displeasure and pain working it's way over her friend's face. "There's more to your words than you let show… Now you know my heart's grief, I would like to hear yours now as well. 'Tis only fair mellon nin. And I would like to help you."
Smiling softly, Elen ran a shaking hand through his long blonde locks before taking a deep breath. His tone made light of the burden in his heart. "It's really nothing hiril nin. My brother hasn't been in Lorien for centuries now… I haven't even seen my nephews but once in their lives. Haldir was nearly a hundred then and his infant brother Rúmil was only one. Haldir told me that he wished to stay in Lorien, but my brother said none of them would. He wanted nothing to do with Lothlorien. And with that said, he left and I've yet to see any of them again."
"Then your grief is from not knowing your nephews? Or due to your brother's dislike for the golden realm?" Resting a hand gently on his shoulder, she could feel him shuddering with a sigh.
"Both Lady Ithil. Both hurt me deeply… I know not even where they are. And it pains me to think that Haldir had asked me how hard it was to be a guardian of Lorien. And I fear he will never know." Frowning at his words, Ithil then hugged him gently speaking in a soft calming voice that sounded like a stream running down the majestic mountainside.
"Do not grieve so Elen… You will see them all again someday… You'll see. And just as my grief will pass someday, so will yours." Smiling softly then, she released him pleased to see him smile back. "Now, how about another round?"
"I accept!" Laughing once again, the two then jumped to their feet and elegantly unsheathed their weapons. It was far too easy for the both of them to lose their grief in any type of combat.
~*~
[Beginning of the third age, the solar year 109, Caras Galadon in Lothlorien]
"Cúrolend? Where are you?" Elen groaned softly as he searched the golden wood tirelessly and with little hope. It wasn't the first time he'd lost the little imp within the large city dwelling amid the sea of mellyrn. Sighing softly, he then slowed his pace as he threaded slightly trembling fingers through his flaxen hair. Today just was not a good day to lose his daughter in the excitement of the long awaited wedding. The wedding that he dreaded for the sake of his close friend…
Shaking his head at this, he thought of the lady Ithil who now sat perched in the limbs of trees at the outskirts of Lothlorien's borders. At the point in time, she was the March warden that watched over all of the movement that surrounded the mystical golden wood. And sadly, Elen had lost some of that greatly honored friendship as the years had passed. With every journey that Elrond made to Lorien, Ithil died a little more. The closer he became to Celebrian, the farther Ithil drew from life. She'd been wrong that day seventy-nine years ago. His nephews and brother had not returned and her grief only grew instead of lessened. "Balch na cuil…"
The soft whisper was lost in the gentle breeze, and the fair elf was sure that only the trees and the birds had heard the admission. But it wasn't so as an elf suddenly dropped from a lower branch of the tree he unwittingly stood beside. A flare of ebony trailed in the newcomer's wake as he gracefully landed upon the forest floor. Looking up with steel colored eyes hued with melancholy, Elen nearly choked and fell backward. "That's a weighty accusation you make mellon nin."
"H-hîr nin! I didn't know you were here!" Elen choked out his words as he hastily bowed to the much older elf now standing before him with a solemn expression.
"The formalities are not necessary. I hadn't meant to scare you. It just seemed to me that your heart is burdened nearly as much as mine own." The Peredhil smiled then sadly as Elen rose his eyes of cerulean upward to gaze upon the suddenly aged elf.
"I was… just trying to find my daughter…" Elen bit his lower lip as his eyes frantically searched the surrounding areas in hopes of finding a reason to get away from Elrond's piercing gray gaze.
"Then I would be happy to help you find her. You said her name was Cúrolend? Any reason you choose that?" Elrond smiled softly at his own musing as he waved a hand motioning for Elen to continue his search. "And I assume you know me, but I would be pleased to know your name as well."
Sighing in slight defeat, the blonde elf mutely nodded his head as he took blind steps forward. "I am Elen… and yes I did name her that for a reason. During the last alliance… Lady Ithil saved my life. And granted me the time I now have to enjoy the daughter I never would have known."
Elrond suddenly smiled broadly at this as he nodded his head. "Lady Ithil is quite the inspiration to many it seems. How fares the lovely lady of the night?"
Elen suddenly froze at this comment as he spun about to pin the high elven lord with a suspicious look. "Have you not seen her yourself? Surely you must have since you are soon to marry her sister, the lady Celebrian."
Arching a brow carefully at the accusation, Elrond felt a wave of anger suddenly emulate off of the younger elf before him. "No I have not seen her. At least not as I would wish to. We greet one another but more often than not she is on her way to resume her post." Shaking his head slowly, the dark haired elf then gave the blonde a pleading look. "Are you of close friendship with the lady?"
Tilting his head slightly, Elen tried to interpret this new information within the muddled confines of his mind. That's when realization dawned on him and his eyes widened. All this time, Ithil may not have had an unrequited love for the Peredhil. Opening his mouth to respond, he was cut short as a sudden streak of blonde flew toward them and instantly latched onto his arm. "ADA!!! You should see the beautiful decorations!!!"
Over enthusiastic but beautiful nonetheless, Cúrolend beamed up at her father with eyes of light tanzanite. Blinking away his shock as well as straightening from the impact, Elen finally smiled back and then looked up to Elrond apologetically. "I'm sorry Lord Elrond, it seems my daughter has found me. Cúrolend, this is Lord Elrond Peredhil of Imladris."
Once again, the young maiden of just fewer than one hundred and ten years beat the elder elf to any response they could give. "Mae govannen, hîr nin!" With a slight curtsy, the young girl then smiled at the dark haired lord.
Elrond could only laugh at her exuberance as he bowed in return while shaking his head. "You have the strength of heart of your name sake I must say pen-neth."
"You mean aunt Ithil?" Blinking at this, Cúrolend then smiled softly in appreciation. "A maiden could only hope to be compared to the Lady Ithil. I thank you Lord Elrond. She speaks often of you when she visits ada and I…"
This seemed to catch the elven lord by surprise as he blinked at the young elves. "Does she? Good I hope…" Laughing softly, Elen could easily read the uneasiness in the older elf's posture.
"All good I assure you hîr nin." It was Elen's turn to cut his daughter off as he suddenly grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Sending her a look that bade her be silent a moment, he then turned his attention back to the lord of Imladris. "Better than I'm sure you know. I pray though that you take not my word for it, but ask her yourself. She may not be willing, but you should anyway." Falling silent a moment, Elen tried quickly to think of some other words he could use to convey the weight of his words, but none came. To flat out tell Elrond how Ithil felt would be to betray her and that sin he could not bear. "Please excuse us hîr nin. Cúrolend and I need to prepare for the dinner tonight. Lady Ithil invited my family to join in the festivities. I do hope you don't mind."
Caught up in the moment and the cryptic notions being thrown at him, Elrond could only nod his head distractedly. "If you say so mellon nin. I look forward to seeing you both again. Namárië…"
"Namárië hîr nin." The two younger elves musically intoned in unison before turning to leave with a hurried gait.
"Na al-fair… I seemed to have missed something…" Elrond frowned deeply as the two blondes quickly retreated from his presence. "He never even told me why he believed life to be cruel." Shaking his head slowly, he managed to only blink as a gentle monotone voice filled his ears.
"That was Elen… brother of Halmir. He's not truly a descendant of those that live in Lorien and his brother detests him for remaining here. I am sure he has many reasons to believe life to be cruel Lord Elrond. For he even holds the secrets of my eldest daughter's heart as well. To hold more than your own grief in your heart is a heavy burden." Elrond turned slowly to meet the eyes of crystal blue that held not even a hint of feeling in their sparkling depths.
"You say all of this as though it is of no consequence my lady."
"One cannot change another. And I cannot change another's heart…" Leaving the statement unfinished, Elrond could come up with numerous ways to end the Lady Galadriel's statement. "Have you seen Celebrian today?"
"I left her presence not too long ago hiril nin. Are you seeking her out?" At the shake of her head, Elrond merely arched a brow in quiet contemplation. "Then may I be brave enough to ask why you inquired?"
"I just wished to know how your relationship has grown. You agreed to the marriage only if you were given the time to get to know her and hopefully fall in love with her. Now I boldly ask, have you achieved this?" No matter the depth of her question, Galadriel remained unfazed by it. No emotion betrayed her.
"We are very close…"
"Close?"
At her piercing gaze and question, Elrond had to look away. He knew in his heart he could easily love the lady Celebrian. She was beautiful, loving, and gentle of heart. There was nothing about her he could call a fault, except one, and it was not even something she had control over. "What would you have me say hiril nin?"
For some reason, the mystic lady showed a look of concern but it quickly faded as she looked to the people busying themselves with their preparations. "Your heart lies with other matters."
"You shouldn't read into my heart…" Elrond gave a mild glare in her direction before closing his eyes and sighing softly. "Where is Ithil? I think she isn't pleased with my marrying her sister…"
"Stay away from her Elrond… it's for the best." The tone she used was flat and undeniably 'set in stone' and not for him to question.
He wanted to ask her what right she had to say that to him, but he knew he couldn't speak that way to one so highly regarded among the Noldor and all of the elven race for that matter. She was one of the eldest and last remaining of those that had seen the light of the trees during the first age. And that fact alone forced his conscience to respect her. "Then you know how I feel about her?"
This was answered with silence, and when Elrond turned to gaze upon her he noticed the fading of the light that had once surrounded her. There was something like remorse written in her features like a ripple on the smooth surface of a lake. "I know many things…"
Something inside seemed to flare up within as the ebony haired elf gazed at the lady of the golden wood and for one split second he forgot all about rank and respect. "If you know so much why didn't you ask if my heart had another in mind? No? You'd rather force me to marry Lord Celeborn's beloved Celebrian than your beloved Ithil… I know your mind in this matter Lady Galadriel. You adore Ithil like none other and you'd rather her be alone for all the years to come than grant her hand to anyone in marriage." Glaring at the lady darkly, Elrond then spun about in his anger and started to march away. "If she turns against you I hope you won't be surprised. No one can hold their beloved children back forever, you're just lucky she doesn't love me in return!"
As his back faded from her view, Galadriel felt her heart sink and sorrow flooded into her eyes. She hadn't realized that anyone knew about her favoritism for Ithil. Nor that she had purposely proposed the marriage of Elrond to Celebrian in order to ensure that Ithil stay in Lothlorien. Celebrian had been strong and fair, kind of heart and utterly true to her father's joy, but she wasn't the one to lead the people that remained when Galadriel left endore. Ithil had strength and perseverance that none could rival. She also had all of her sister's traits and more only muted down and less noticeable.
Yes, Elrond was right. Lady Galadriel, daughter of Finarfin and granddaughter to the Lord Finwë, favored Ithil to a point that she would even deny her daughter's choice. What Elrond hadn't known was that Galadriel hadn't seen how he'd loved her daughter in return. That revelation was never realized until that moment. Either by her lack of vision, his careful hiding, or her unwillingness, it had remained unknown. And for that, her sweet beloved Ithil would pay.
~*~
All about her voices were cheerful and pleasant, for her guards were eager to return to their homes. She really couldn't blame them for they'd been out on patrol for nearly a week. Sighing softly, she turned her head to peer at the group of blonde and brunette elven males as they spoke of various topics ranging from their wives and children to prospective lovers and eventual engagement. But when their topic suddenly turned, Ithil felt her blood chill. "Today is Lady Celebrian's wedding is it not?"
"Aye, I believe so. Isn't she marrying the Peredhil?"
One of the blonde elves suddenly laughed at the innocent question. "Are you blind and deaf mellon nin? Who doesn't know that it's Lord Elrond of Imladris that marries our fair star?"
One of the brunettes suddenly sighed softly as he looked on ahead of them dreamily. "She is so fair! Like the first golden and silver lights of the dawn!" The others laughed and one nudged him in the shoulder playfully.
"That may very well be, but don't you have a lover that deserves your dreamy sigh more so than your obsession with Lady Celebrian's beauty?" The dark blonde suddenly snickered but cut short as one that looked similar to himself suddenly whispered a tad too loudly.
"Just as you have a wife and still think Lady Ithil the epitome of beauty?" This caused the others to suddenly upturn in laughter as Ithil turned a deep shade of crimson that greatly contrasted her silvery light locks.
"Do not pay them any heed hiril nin!" A sudden cheerful voice intoned in her ear causing her to drop her eyes to the ground. "They are just excited to be home."
"Aren't we all…" It was meant to be a light question, but rather it came as an unsteady observation instead.
"Hiril nin… Are you not eager to attend the wedding? Or is your melancholy due to your sister marrying and leaving from your care?" Many had pinned her grief to the assumption that she'd been against her sister marrying, and had the groom been any other it might have been true. But her grief still lie solely due to the loss of the one elf she loved.
"Tis a joyous occasion presented to us. You shouldn't worry your self over my predicament or foolish tendencies to grief." Giving them a gentle smile, they finally smiled in returned and resumed their pointless chatter.
"Daro!" All heads instantly snapped up to see a pair of silver blue eyes gleaming with mischief, as he stood tall in the midst of their path. Elrond seemed a bit amused by the look of sheer shock that swept over the only female elf's face that quickly faded into a look of dismay as her company began to laugh at Elrond's sudden display of youth they knew he had long lost. Bowing slightly still looking amused, the half-elf then smiled at the lady of Lorien. "I seek an audience with the fair March Warden of Lorien if it so pleases her to accept my request."
It was quite literally and rather blatantly an act of flirtatiousness that her men could not over look for they instantly began to chuckle under their breath and whisper. One comment in particular caused Ithil to flush of all color. "I think Lord Elrond is trying to win over both of the fair ladies of Lorien! How greedy he is!"
"Well, if he wishes to catch Lady Ithil's attention he surely has his work cut out for him! He is most assuredly doomed to failure of the worst kind! I pray he doesn't take her rejection too harshly! So many have tried and have quite miserably failed." Ithil knew it was all in good fun, but the truth of the situation hung heavily upon her and Elrond's behavior certainly didn't help matters in the least.
But instead of blushing as a woman would, Ithil suddenly hardened her gaze at the Lord of Imladris and arched a silvery brow cautiously. "You would assume the authority to tell me to halt Lord Elrond? Last time I checked, this was the Golden wood of Lothlorien and not the fair mountain valley of Imladris."
"Thennin ha na… But I figured I'd receive graver results if I put forth my best efforts." Smiling at the words of the elven warriors behind Ithil, Elrond feigned hurt and dismay. "I thank you all for your kind concern and good warnings and I am greatly grieved to know you all are most certainly correct." Feigning a look of complete dejection, Elrond then gazed back at Ithil with a touch of laughter deep in his eyes.
Things were getting far too out of hand. Joking or not, rumors would spread about this encounter, and being it was the day of her sister's wedding, it wasn't going to be looked upon very highly. Giving a sigh of defeat, she then slipped a hand through her hair in frustration before looking back at her utterly amused party. "Head on to the city, I will accept his request to hold conference." Everything was put into making the whole situation purely business alone. "And one more snicker out of any of you and I will surely put you rightfully in your place!" A smirk crossed her lips as the elves merely grinned in return to her comment. All knew she could hold well to her threats at any given time.
"If you insist hiril nin! But should we leave you with this noble lecher? Need you not a guard?" One of the blonde elves teased as he fought with all his might not to laugh.
"Be gone with all of you before I make good my threats!" At this all repose was lost as the elves ran laughing past her and the dark haired elven lord. "And if I hear any word of this I'll be sure to silence you all!" But her call was on deaf ears as the small group instantly began to laugh louder as they merrily continued on their way. "Why do I put up with this?"
"Because they care so deeply for their fair lady and rely upon you? You are far nobler than any lady I've ever met in all my centuries of life fair Arithil." Elrond spoke softly losing all hints of humor form his tone as his eyes locked on her frustrated form. His words seemed to only worsen that condition.
The endearing nickname alone seemed to make her insides come undone and she had to wrap an arm tightly about her abdomen, as her stomach seemed to fill with nervous twitching. "You are right fair Lord Peredhil, but you highly over state me."
"I think overstatement is unlikely hiril nin. Why have you been so adamantly avoiding me? We used to be such good friends. I miss that Ithil… What have I done wrong? Is it because I'm marrying your sister? Is that it? Are you angry that I'm taking Celebrian away from you? You should know I do not mean to do that in any way, shape, or form! Please look at me…" His voice began to waver as he hit a pleading note she'd never heard in his voice before.
Taking a shaken breath, she closed her eyes and reprimanded the stirring in her heart. She was stronger than this. Looking up at him slowly, she found a face so filled with misery and confusion that she gave a strangled sob of regret. "I hadn't meant to hurt you… Not at all! Not you…" Hands fell limply to her sides as she gazed up at him allowing her vision to drink in his sadness.
"Not I?" Elrond spoke so softly she could barely hear the simple question over the deafening beat of her heart.
"Nay… not you. Never you… But I can not say why, and if you care at all you will not ask me!" Eyes flashing in panic and pain, Ithil started to sway backward losing the strength in her knees as her grief caused her to fall into helpless pain. Eyes of silver blue then began to cloud as she watched the concern flood across his face. But concern was not all she saw on his face as she finally succumbed to the luring ache in her heart and began to fall backward. For just one instant, she saw the emotion she never thought she would see in his precious metal eyes.
Quickly catching her and pulling her into an embrace, Elrond looked down at her in utter disbelief. What could possibly bring her such grief? She was mere inches away from allowing her grief to seep her very life from her. "Sweet Arithil… I won't ask… Please…" The distant look in her eyes seemed to make his eyes cloud with unshed tears as he pleaded in a soft voice. "Come back from your grief."
Blinking once, then twice, Ithil's eyes began to clear as she looked up into his visage framed in the exotic dark colored hair. "Elrond… I… I…"
"Ithil?" Elrond looked up sharply to the sound of a worried voice coming from mere yards away only to find the cerulean eyes of Celebrian staring at her sister. "Is she all right?" Running forward, the startling beauty of the dawn urgently pulled her sister's suddenly weak form into her arms and sank to her knees cradling her close. "Muinthel lend? Enni pedo!"
Elrond stood beside them looking both thoughtful and concerned as he tried to figure out the emotions that had rippled over Ithil's face. Why had he made her suddenly spiral into grief? Unless… She did feel the same. But that was ridiculous, just as the other elves had said. Ithil couldn't possibly stoop to give her affections to another, not at this point. Or could she? But his thoughts were cut off as another worried voice broke into his mind. "Iell nin? Celebrian! Is she all right?"
Looking up slowly, Celebrian's tear stained face met with that of her father's light blue eyes. "Ada! She isn't moving! What's wrong with her?"
Pushing passed Elrond; Celeborn gave him a quick angry look before kneeling beside his two daughters. Gazing worriedly into the blank expression in his eldest daughters silvery eyes, he felt his heart sink. "She's falling into grief." Gently plucking the willowy form from Celebrian's arms he then stood and gave Elrond another hard gaze. "What happened?"
"I merely was speaking to her hîr nin. I don't know what happened." Something in the older blonde elf's eyes seemed to put Elrond on edge as he unconsciously took a step backward. There was something in those eyes that silently told the Peredhil to stay away from his eldest daughter. Far away…
~*~
In all rights, Celebrian felt her wedding was destroyed. But Elrond couldn't blame her, and he most certainly felt the same about the whole situation. It had taken hours just to get Ithil to wake up from her fall into darkness and it was a miracle that Mandos hadn't drawn her into his halls. Equally, Celeborn and Galadriel were extremely dismayed and the looks he received from them when they thought him not looking froze his heart.
Ithil had looked like a ghost sitting at her mother's side unmoving. Her lovely eyes of blue starlight looked so vacant and dead that his heart wanted to wrench out much-needed tears. But the wedding had to take place. Ithil's only request was that they didn't worry the people of Caras Galadon and carry on the ceremony. Why was it that selfless request hurt him so?
It had been a week since the wedding, and Elrond had decided it wise to just end the pursuit for Ithil's feelings. After all, he was now bound to Celebrian and she was an easy one to love. He had carefully buried all his feelings and passed off all thoughts of Ithil loving him in return as vain hopes and delusions. A desperate heart would cling to any hope, and so it was easily passed off as false hope.
Sitting under the tree that he'd first met Ithil beneath over a century before, Elrond found his eyes drawn to the moon suspended in the sea of sparkling stars. The night was amazingly clear and he knew that Elbereth was doing her best to cheer him with the beauty of her handiwork. Normally he loved the stars and their kindler, but tonight he felt completely and utterly forsaken.
"Nana always says, that everything happens for a reason. Even though it hurts, we must hold to the hope that one day things will take a turn for the better." The soft voice caused Elrond to turn toward it only to realize that the speaker stood on the other side of the tree he leaned against. It surprised him that he hadn't heard her approach. "The stars are brilliant this eve… A! Elbereth! Gilthoniel…" The soft almost worshiping sound of Ithil's voice washed over him, as he made no move to reply. "Sometimes it's easy to blame our problems on Illúvatar and the Valar… isn't it? But it isn't their fault…" Ithil gave a musical sigh as her outpour of emotion sounded as pure as that of a small elfling.
"You speak wisely…" He moved to face her but he felt a hand stop him.
"Do not look this way Elrond… not now. Hear me out." Withdrawing her hand from him, she then sighed as she shifted her weight totally against the tree that stood between them. He just looked so ethereal sitting there bathed in moonlight. "Adar and Nana don't know I've left my room, so I must be quick. You want to know… and I have to tell. But just because I confess, doesn't mean I expect anything except perhaps a lighter conscious and maybe less weight upon my grief." Pausing after this, Ithil took a deep breath while biting her lower lip. "Elrond Peredhil… son of Eärendil and now my brother through marriage. Since the day we met in this very place you stole something from me that was never meant to be stolen. Yet even still, I can not curse that day as I should."
Moving slightly in surprise, Elrond fought the urge to turn to her not wishing to move against her requests. "What is it Ithil? What have I stolen?"
"Orë nin…" The softly whispered words caught him by surprise as he suddenly turned only to see her no longer there and running lithely through the golden wood in direction of her room. Mouth agape, Elrond could only stare after her in complete shock. He was sure he'd heard that wrong. And even if he hadn't, it had to have been an illusion. Shaking his head slowly he then dropped his visage into the waiting cradle of his graceful hands.
"Orë… If so, then you stole mine as well…" Tears threatened and pricked at the back of his eyes as his mind swam with this most recent revelation. It had to have been an illusion. But then… "They knew…" Suddenly jolting his head upward, misted eyes stared blankly off into the shadowed veil of night in the forest. "Celeborn and Galadriel knew." It made so much sense now. The horrible conversation with Galadriel as well as the look he'd seen in Celeborn's eyes. It was all so clear. They knew and they'd still allowed Elrond to marry the daughter he hadn't loved.
No longer could he hold back the tears. The revelation made him choke in both anger and pain all at once. But now nothing could be done. He should have known that even Ithil had felt something in return to his feelings; duty bound her to remain silent. For her parents had arranged this marriage as a political tie and to her people, Ithil would remain forever loyal… And even in her grief, she wouldn't go against her parents.
Standing to his feet in a swift motion of anger and resolve, Elrond then made his way back to his and Celebrian's room. He no longer wished to stay in Lorien, and so help him, he'd leave with the first light of the dawn even if Celebrian didn't go with him. He couldn't bear to see Ithil again, and he couldn't rein his anger where her parents were concerned. This was all a horrid mistake and he wanted to forget as soon as possible.
~*~
Chapter Two:
Nîr Lantar – Falling Tears
Toro, Elen! – Come, Elen!
Cúrolend – cúron = crescent moon, lend = sweet so roughly it means 'sweet moon'
Balch na cuil – balch = cruel, na = is, cuil = life, so this roughly means 'Life is cruel'
Mae govannen – well met (greetings)
Pen-neth – young one
Na al-fair – it('s) not right… roughly I meant something isn't right
Daro! – Halt!
Muinthel lend – sweet sister
Enni pedo – speak to me
Orë nin – my heart (orë is actually Quenya)