Happy birthday to me! Here's your present, keeping in faith with the traditions of the Hobbits of the Shire! So sorry for the delay!

When Elrond Met Thranduil

Elros sat in the mud of one of the many gardens within Minas Anor's walls. He ignored the cold rain that fell on him, ignored the warm tears that spilled down his cheeks, and ignored the tree behind him that tried to reach for him to offer comfort. He was in shock. How could his sweet Gwyddia be so cold? How could he be so stupid as to have believed her?

~Flashback, arriving at Gwyddia's home~

"Gwyddia! You're back!" A lanky young man ran to Gwyddia's pony, lifting her off and twirling her around. "My love, you've returned!"

Gwyddia laughed and hugged the man, kissing his nose. "Oh Mim! I've missed you so much!"

Elros leaned over to Rosalyn. "Who's he?"

Rosalyn was glaring at the couple furiously. "Mim was Gwyddia's fiancée, but she swore they had broken up! When did they get back together?"

Elros turned back to Mim, shocked. Fiancee!? But . . . what about him?

~Forward several hours~

Elros pressed the cup to the servant's door leading into Gwyddia's room and listened through it. Inside, Rosalyn and Gwyddia were talking about Mim.

"Isn't he just amazing? Daddy says I can have a summer wedding. Just imagine, Rosalyn! I can be wed surrounded by flowers! Fresh flowers! My gown will of course be stunning, the best ever seen. Maybe the elves could make it! Didn't you just love their styles and designs?"

"Well, yes, but what about Elros?"

"What about him?"

"I thought you loved him, Gwyddia! He thought you loved him!"

"Elros is Daddy's elven ambassador, isn't he? I was just flirting with him! He's fun to be with, yes, and I know he won't begrudge me my happiness. I'm glad he came back here with us. Minas Anor would have been so stuffy compared to beautiful Rivendell, don't you think? Elros is a way of keeping a bit of that elven charm with me wherever I go!"

"Gwyddia, elves can die of a broken heart!"
"So? If Elros goes off and dies, then Elrond can come. Elrond and Thranduil! Oh Rosy, just imagine the fun they'd be! They'd love it here!"

Elros couldn't stand to hear anymore. He fled, choking back a choked cry. How could Gwyddia have done this to him?

~End flashback~

Rosalyn found Elros in the garden several hours later. The rain had stopped, but he hadn't moved. He was staring off into space, a dazed, vacant expression in his eyes. Rosalyn sighed and knelt beside him, ignoring the mud under her skirt. "Elros?" She shook his shoulder gently. "Elros?"

Elros blinked and looked at her. His dark eyes were full of pain and betrayal. "Why, Rosy? Why did she . . ."

Rosalyn hugged Elros, rocking him as he sobbed into her shoulder. "Oh Elros, please don't die! Gwyddia's not worth your life! You deserve so much better then her! Please don't die!"

"I can't," Elros whispered. "You need to be immortal to die of a broken heart."

Rosalyn gasped, pulling Elros away from her. "What do you mean by that!? You're not immortal!? But I thought all elves . . ."

"I'm a half-elf, Rosy," Elros muttered, unable to meat her eyes. "I can choose to be mortal or immortal."

"And you chose mortality," Rosalyn stated.

"I didn't want to stay young as she grew old and died."

"Can you take it back?"

Elros laughed harshly. "Take it back? I had to call to the Valar themselves to give it away! Do you honestly think they'll let me take it back?"

Rosalyn hugged Elros again. "I'm so sorry, Elros. I should have told you about Mim. I really thought they'd finally broken up for good though. I thought Gwyddia honestly loved you!"

Elros let Rosalyn hold him, wishing for all the world that it was Elrond or Gil-galad who was there instead, trying to encourage him and lift his spirits. This is what you get for messing with the Valar, he thought glumly. I should have known it wouldn't work out.

Several years later

"I don't know, Rosy . . . I don't think I could . . ."

"Oh come on, Elros! Don't tell me you honestly think Elrond still hates you!"

"Elves live forever, Rosy. Elves can afford to hold grudges for centuries."

Rosalyn shook her head fiercely. "Elros, Elrond is your brother! I saw how strong the bond between you was! He's not going to throw that away by hating you for the rest of your life!"

Elros bit his lip and looked behind him. "It's not too late to turn back. I could just send another envoy to Gil-galad . . ."

"You'll do no such thing." Rosalyn planted her hands on her hips and glared at Elros. "For three years now you and Elrond have been ignoring each other. Someone has to have the balls to step forward and apologize."

"But why me?" Elros whined, worrying his lip.

"Because you're the oldest and the one who started all of this. Now leave your lip alone."

Rosalyn had helped Elros get over Gwyddia and introduced him to the world of men over the past few years. With every passing day the two grew closer together. After learning what Elros had done for Gwyddia, Rosalyn had returned to her lady and laid out the facts. Gwyddia thought it was very sweet that Elros made such a great sacrifice for her, but also that it was a very stupid thing to do and he should have known better then to trust her. Rosalyn, furious, had packed up and left. She refused to be a lady-in-waiting for such a spoiled brat. However, after leaving, Rosalyn had no where to go. Elros found her sitting in the city, fuming at herself for being so stupid as to leave without making arrangements first. He offered to share his rooms with her. Although reluctant to return to Gwyddia's home, where Elros lived, Rosalyn had no other options, so she accepted.

Now the two were headed back to the Last Homely House. Keladron had permitted Elros to take a much-deserved vacation, but it was Rosalyn's idea to return. She believed that if any true progress was going to be made with Elros, he first had to patch things up with Elrond. From what she knew of Elrond, that wasn't going to be easy, but it was worth a try.

No guards stepped from the trees to meet them as they passed into the borders of Rivendell. They obviously recognized Elros and permitted him and his guest to pass without any delay. Rosalyn swore she saw elven-bright eyes peering out at them and could almost catch snippets of whispered conversation. They may not be stopped, but guards were watching them, probably ensuring their safety.

As Rivendell came into view, the voice of a flute rose over the falls. Drawing even closer, they heard a grief-laden voice singing.

"I had a dream - of the wide open prairie
I had a dream - of the pale morning sky
I had a dream - that we flew on golden wings
And we were the same - just the same - you and I
Follow your heart - little child of the west wind
Follow the voice - that's calling you home
Follow your dreams - but always, remember me
I am your brother - under the sun

We are like birds of a feather
We are two hearts joined together
We will be forever as one
My brother under the sun

Wherever you hear - the wind in the canyon
Wherever you see - the buffalo run
Wherever you go - I'll be there beside you
Because you are my brother - my brother under the sun."

Rosalyn recognized the voice at the same time Elros did. She turned to him with a smile. "It seems like, in your case, Elrond gets over his grudges quickly. He misses you. Badly. But he wants you to be happy too."

"He couldn't have picked a better song for this time," Elros murmured, leaping off of his horse. "I'll be back, why don't you go up to the House?"

"I'll be waiting!" Rosalyn laughed. "I'll tell Gilly you've come home."

"Yes," Elros whispered. "Home."

As an added birthday treat . . . I FINALLY FINISHED INTERLUDE! It's up at Infinity Base. Try this, pub46.ezboard.com/binfinitybase. Scroll down until you reach the forum SpiderFanatic. Click. Enter. Interlude should be on top. Click. Enter. Read. Review if you want to. Membership is free, but you don't have to be a member to read. If you can't get to it, drop me a line somehow and I'll email it to you, if you give me your email address.

Maybe I should consider Library of Moria.

Oh, I almost forgot. There is a huge, ASTRONOMICAL mistake in the timeline. I'm sorry. I never meant for that to happen. Please forgive me? I'm making this an AU, to explain that mistake.

~sighs~ And I wanted it to be real ME timeline too. Darn it.

~Crawler

THE SONG IS NOT MINE!  I almost forgot that too.  It's by Bryan Adams, and it's from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron.