Darkness Falls
By Starfish of the Elves
Disclaimer: I own the young girl mentioned. Other than that, I own nothing.
*
One Nazgûl horse had survived the assault of the Bruinen. It lay, trying to gather strength to find its master.
A very young Elven girl walked along the river's shore, looking for shining stones polished by the water.
She saw the horse, lying spread-eagled on the shore. Knowing that something was wrong, she raced back to Imladris, running with such single-mindedness that she did not see Elrohir.
He eyed her as she bowed, his merry grey eyes laughing at the rushed Elfling. "What is your hurry, milady?" he asked.
She took a deep breath. "Lord Elrohir, there is a big black horse by the river and it is hurt and it needs a healer like Lord Elrond or someone…"
Elrohir's eyes hardened and his face was grim. He had heard what had happened at the Bruinen River; his sister had told him about how Glorfindel had rescued the Halfling.
Calmly, he said, "Why not go wait by the horse? Keep it quiet until I come." The girl nodded and ran off.
At the river, the girl knelt by the horse, stroking it and staring at its wide, rolling eyes, foaming mouth, oddly bent legs and cracked hooves.
Elrohir came quietly behind her and knelt by the horse as well, laying his bow beside him. His long, elegant fingers danced lightly over the black horse, but it jumped at his touch. "Bred and raised in Mordor," he murmured, rolling the 'r's in Mordor like his father. "A servant of the Enemy." He turned to the girl. "Return to Imladris, child."
When he saw that she was gone, he rose and stepped back, fitting an arrow to his bow and silently begging forgiveness, though he could not explain why he needed forgiven.
A single arrow sizzled through the air.
His deed done, Elrohir shook his head, pondering the irony of his name.
Star horse lord.
*
