Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the following story with the exception of Celebrían's handmaid and Legymir. The rest all belong to the genius Tolkien. Also, no money is/was made off this composition.
Rating - G
Genre - General
Author - ZOYA
Email - russian_countess@yahoo.com
Summary - Watching his sons grow, Elrond realises they aren't the same at all - the differences are easily visible behind the identical expressions on each face. Hence the comparison 'black' and 'white'.
-BLACK AND WHITE -
Chapter One - LITTLE RAYS OF SUNSHINE -
Elrond, Lord of Imladris, watched as the rain fell, first in tiny splotches on the dust, each drop rejoicing in its own resiliency, then coming down in torrents, turning the fine red mud on the paths to a thick mixture which flowed like a river.
Below him, several Elflings shrieked as the sky let loose several torrents of water, enjoying the sensation of cold drops running down their backs. The Lord sighed and looked towards the battlefields, where numerous warriors were hastily covering the umpteen targets, before rushing for shelter.
The rain covered the Last Homely House with a dull grey mist, blocking the sun from brightening the skies, and engulfing the whole of Rivendell with blackness.
"Another dreary day, Peredhil," said a calm voice from behind him.
Elrond turned towards the fair-haired Elf surrounded by a few hundred documents.
"Aye, Glorfindel, and another day without the sun," said Elrond bitterly. He stepped over a pile of manuscripts and settled down in his favourite armchair.
Glorfindel smiled at Elrond comfortingly. "The rain will cease, Elrond, and the light will return."
A sudden gust of wind blew through the library and Elrond shivered. "Celebrían's room will be chilled," he said softly.
Glorfindel raised himself from the floor and approached his companion. "The Lady will not succumb to the Shadow that looms over us," he replied to the previous statement.
Elrond tiredly picked up a manuscript and scanned through it. "I worry for her health," he said, the anxiety present in his tone.
Glorfindel laid a hand on Elrond's back and looked him in the eye. "She is with child, Peredhil," he said.
Elrond picked up another document and filed it. "But for how long?"
Glorfindel stoked the fire vigourously. "She has faith in your skills, Elrond. You must have faith in her."
Elrond leaned against the back of his chair and looked away. "She is too weak, Glorfindel," he said, the voice barely above a whisper.
Glorfindel looked at the rain lashing against the windows. "She is strong of spirit, Peredhil."
Thunder boomed and Elrond looked even more dejected.
*
Glorfindel followed Legymir into the armoury, tutting at the damage.
"We did what we could, my Lord," said the archer, climbing onto a nearby table to avoid getting wet.
The room was flooded, and the Elf from Gondolin noticed the many losses.
"How much have we lost?" asked Glorfindel, wondering how he was going to report this disaster to Elrond.
"More that two hundred bows, and quite a few swords. Lord Elrond's training sword was lost as well," said Legymir. He offered his superior a hand onto the table, and Glorfindel wryly refused it.
"Call out as many of the archers as you can and move the remaining weapons to higher ground," he gesticulated.
Legymir bowed, and jumped back into the water, splashing Glorfindel considerably.
Glorfindel walked through the flooding water, and made his way towards the end of the room, taking in the full damage for the first time.
A tiny sword floating nearby caught his attention and he quickly stooped and picked it up, cutting his finger in the process. Peredhil's first sword.
"Start by taking the shields," called a voice, and Glorfindel nearly dropped the blade into the churning water again.
Several marksmen entered, and soon the process of saving all possible weapons was in progress.
Glorfindel looked towards Elrond's study. A small light flickering in the distance helped him locate the room. A determined expression dawned upon his usually tranquil features.
"Do what you must," he ordered Legymir and the other Elves, before striding towards Elrond's room. This overworking had to stop.
*
A low fire crackled and hissed merrily, warming the lushly fitted room with its glow. The silence was only broken by the steady patter of raindrops as Elrond worked fervently in the confines of his study. For the past few days, he had taken to working endlessly to escape the troubles weighing heavily on his mind. The torrent had worsened, and several of his scouts had already reported heavy flooding along the Bruinen.
Elrond picked up a heavy volume and thumbed through it until he found the required page - a beautifully illustrated map adourned the composition, and he settled down to another long bout of translating, relishing the silence. For several minutes, he worked quietly, writing down the translations. Then, the tiredness got the better of him. Words swam in front of him, and Elrond blinked twice. Seconds later, he was slumbering peacefully, using the book as a pillow.
The door opened cautiously, and a face wise beyond its years peered around it.
Glorfindel smiled softly at the sleeping Elf before him. "Idh eithel, Peredhil," he murmured, before shutting the door quietly.
*
"Hír nin!"
Elrond opened one eye blearily.
" Hír nin!"
There came the cry, more insistent this time.
"My Lord!"
Elrond sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as the door burst open and Sólia, Celebrían's handmaid entered.
"My Lady is in pain!" she gasped.
Elrond was instantly awake. He quickly got up and followed the distraught maid to his wife's room.
"Lago, Hír nin!" Sólia urged, and picked up speed.
Elrond proceeded as fast as his robes would permit him.
*
Glorfindel was already pacing outside the room when Elrond appeared round the corner. He advanced upon him hurriedly.
"Symir is with her," he said.
Elrond looked at the numerous guards barring the corridor. "I wish to see Celebrían," he said firmly and pushed his way towards the carved doors.
A nearby sentry blocked his way. "I am sorry, my Lord. Symir does not wish for company."
Elrond's voice was drowned out by the crash of thunder. "She is my wife!" he bellowed.
Glorfindel restrained him. "Be still, Elrond. Celebrían will be well."
A strangled scream issued from the room, and Elrond tried again to move towards the room.
"Peredhil!" said Glorfindel sternly.
"She is my wife!" repeated Elrond, and struggled against Glorfindel's grasp. It was all the Elf could do to prevent Elrond from removing himself from his hold. "I am a healer myself! I can assist!" ranted Elrond, and his captor flinched as the sound pounded his ears.
"Calm yourself, Elrond," said Glorfindel sharply.
Elrond ignored him and violently shoved Glorfindel into the wall. The fair-haired Elf saw tiny stars darting in front of him, before his regained his composure.
"Elrond!" he said loudly, and grabbed hold of the mentioned Elf's sleeve.
Another scream punctuated the stiff atmosphere, and Elrond struggled even more.
" Celebrían!" he said, and darted past Glorfindel.
The guards managed to hinder the Lord, and Glorfindel caught hold of him again.
"Symir will not let her pass into Shadow, Elrond. He will not let you down," said the Elf silently, pulling Elrond away. He signalled to Sólia who nodded and disappeared.
Glorfindel led Elrond into the nearest room, and pushed him into the plush armchair by the fire.
"Elrond, you must relax your nerves," he said softly.
Elrond looked at Glorfindel, pain lining his face.
"I cannot," he whispered. " Celebrían is hurt."
Glorfindel patted his arm sympathetically.
Sólia entered with a steaming goblet and Glorfindel lifted the cup. "Súth, Peredhil," he said soothingly.
Elrond sipped the cup without resistance, and Glorfindel sighed in relief when the Lord fell back in his chair and slept soundly. He would wake in an hour or so.
*
The darkness was closing on him, and he knew it. But then again, what was the flicker he had just seen? Elrond strained his eyes as the flicker came once more.
"Ya naa tanya?" he shouted into the gloom.
Silent footfalls caught his attention and he pursued them. The light glowed brighter and brighter.
" Ai vanta ennas?" he called again. The steady rhythm of the footsteps quickened.
Elrond followed. The light grew brighter and brighter till it was almost blinding him. He shielded his eyes from the harsh light, and shied away from its heat. He moved backwards, as the light approached him.
"Peredhil!" a strong voice echoed though his mind.
His arm was caught in a strong grip, and the Lord twisted and flailed.
*
"Elrond!"
The latter's eyes opened, and he looked at Glorfindel.
"I had a dream," he muttered.
Glorfindel nodded in understanding. "All is well, my Lord. Celebrían is awake," he said.
Elrond was nearly out the door before the statement was finished, and Glorfindel chuckled.
"Though, Peredhil, you may get twice of what you bargained for," he said after him, wondering how Elrond would take the news.
Elrond looked at Glorfindel. "One child is not something I fear, Glorfindel," he said excitedly, and then he was gone.
Glorfindel's smile widened considerably. "For once, you will sleep peacefully when the moon waxes and wanes, mellon nin," he said to the empty room.
*
Elrond gently eased open the door and entered quietly, smiling widely despite the gray atmosphere outside.
He tiptoed towards Celebrían's bed, and nearly jumped out of his skin when a dainty voice pierced the silence.
"There is no need to move so cautiously, Elrond," said Celebrían in amusement.
Elrond looked at his wife, lying on the bed, and covered with blankets of all sizes.
On the vast bed, she looked so fragile, like a child, with her long hair turning up in delicate curls. Her tired face was illuminated by occasional flashes of lighting, but the gray eyes shone brightly, and twinkled with joy.
"I was not permitted entrance," said Elrond.
Celebrían inclined her head slightly. "Aye, that is so, for I wished not for your pain."
Symir coughed slightly and moved towards Elrond.
Elrond smiled at Celebrían, and raised his eyebrows at her. "A girl?"
The daughter of the Lady of Light shook her head. "Boys," she whispered.
Elrond's eyebrows disappeared from sight, under his mane of hair. "Boys?" he repeated. Plural?
"Congratulations, Hír nin," Symir said quietly and placed two tiny bundles in Elrond's arms.
"Two?" asked Elrond weakly, looking at Celebrían's warm smile.
Symir confirmed the statement with a grin, and bowed himself from their presence.
"Two?" said Elrond and sat by the bed, his knees unable to take his full weight all of a sudden. He looked at the two bundled babies in his arms.
Celebrían laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes, Peredhil," she teased, and gently took one child from him.
"This shall be mine," she informed him, a merry twinkle in her eye.
Elrond looked at the other twin, which yawned and gurgled happily. "What are their names?"
Celebrían looked thoughtful for a minute, then a smile beautified her face. "This shall be my Elladan," she said softly. She beamed at Elrond. "The other's name shall be of your choice."
Elrond smiled at the tiny bundle in his arms, and bit back tears. "He shall be my Elrohir." Elrond paused, then embraced his wife. "One for each of us."
Celebrían's eyes fluttered and she lay back, cuddling Elrohir to her chest, the hint of a smile on her lips.
"I must rest, Peredhil," said the Lady quietly and closed her eyes.
Elrond lightly kissed her forehead and placed the younger twin beside Celebrían. "May the Valar bless us, meleth nin," he whispered into her hair before looking at his sons.
The Lord of Imladris watched his tiny family with unhidden pride, and memorised the blissful scene.
The light was growing, and the Shadow was fading from his mind.
*
Beyond the dark cover of clouds, and the gray mist, a tiny ray of sunlight peeped out.
*
*Translations:
Idh eithel, Peredhil - Rest well, Peredhil
Hír nin - My Lord
Lago, Hír nin! - Hurry, my Lord!
Súth, Peredhil - Drink, Peredhil
Ai vanta ennas? - Who goes there?
Mellon nin - my friend
Meleth nin - my Love
*
Good? Bad?
I would dearly love to hear any feedback from all of you who read the story, be it constructive criticism or praise.
Either way, a review would definitely brighten my mood………and for those who guessed, yes, it's very rainy weather in Malaysia right now.
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