A/N
Well, I am not getting as many reviews as I had hoped (pouts) but the ones
I have gotten are great! Thanks to all who have reviewed.
Without further ado, I give you chapter 3. Sorry it has taken me so long to post it, but fanfic wasn't online for a while. Enjoy! And review please!
Chapter Two
Haldir was the last to the breakfast table, so he did indeed carry the bags. The look of adoration he received from Belil as she added her bag to his load made every ounce worth it.
At the lake, Estel watched the happy couples from the shade of a large boulder. Feelings of joy almost burst his heart, so happy was he to see the love his friends had found. Smiling he turned his thoughts inward and memories of the Lady Arwen took over. Settling back more comfortably, he placed his pipe stem more tightly between his teeth and hoped that the flying water would not reach him.
If the mood at the lake was light and carefree, the atmosphere in the study was the complete opposite.
The twins sat watching their father's advisor as he read the letter Elrond had received. They became increasingly alarmed with each second that passed as Glorfindel's face paled steadily. Elrohir snuck a peek at his father and a jolt of fear raced through his heart. He had never seen ada look more helpless of heart.
"Oh my." Glorfindel whispered, tearing his eyes off the letter and looking at the slumped shouldered form of his Lord. "What are we to do?"
Elrond sighed and rubbed his face. "We must get word to him as quickly as possible." Elrond visibly struggled to regain his composure as he looked toward his sons. "You must do this, my sons." Elrond's voice cracked. "Your grandmother, Galadriel, has forseen you on this quest." He crumpled even more as he whispered, "I do not want to send you on this one. Oh, valar, I do not want to."
Elladan rose from the chair, his brother on his heels. Both embraced their father, but it was the older one who spoke. "Ada, what can be so bad? What is it we must do?"
Estel ended up wetter than the water he was trying to avoid. Now the five friends were laying in the grass, drying glistening bodies when Legolas brought up the episode at breakfast. "I have never seen Lord Elrond so disturbed." He said. He looked to Haldir, concern written on his elven features. "Something in that letter has affected him greatly."
"I fear you are the bearer of some very bad news, nin mellon." Nilmandra said as she rolled over, propped herself up on an elbow and ran slim fingers through her quickly drying tresses.
"The Lady of Light was not in the greatest form when she sent me on with that letter. She warned me to be careful." The warrior sighed deeply. "Danger sang in my blood and I did not want my a'mael to come on this journey." He reached for Belil's hand and looked pointedly at the elf prince and Estel, "But keeping her from her fea seler is like keeping the two of you apart."
"We understand, mellonamin." (my friend) Estel spoke quietly, worry for his father in his very voice. "I think it would be wise to return to the house soon. I feel we may be needed." The rangers words echoed exactly what the elves had been feeling all morning, thus Estel had gotten a lot less wet than if nothing had been preying on the elves' minds. In silence, the companions headed back to the house with heavy hearts, fearing what they would find.
The room was dark. The only light to be found was coming from the palantir which illuminated the slim hands that commanded it.
"So, Galadries, you still live and you have felt my presence." A sneering voice broke the silence. The voice was neither deep nor high pitched, no hint of gender. "Your warning has come too late, Lady of Light, to be of any use now." With a wave of the pale hand, the seeing stone darkened and a disembodied voice cackled in the resulting darkness. "I fear your soul will crumble with guilt when I am done." The shuffeling of feet could be heard long before the knock on the door. "Enter." The voice said.
"You called for us, master." The orc said in his growly voice.
"Yes Virt." Came the reply. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes master. We will be ready to leave at dawn." The orc was nervous around his master. The evil radiating off the robed figure in front of him rivaled that of an entire orc army with wargs.
The cruel eyes turned on the human standing slightly behind the disgusting orc. If an orc was nervous of this being, a human man could be nothing but terrified.
"And you, Linyc, are your men ready?" The voice asked of him.
Linyc had to swallow a few time to be sure his voice would not betray him before he spoke. "Yes master, we will also be ready at dawn." A cold shiver ran down his spine. Linyc wished he had not answered the letter that had led him to this employ.
"Good. All is going as planned." The voice sounded pleased and both orc and man relaxed ever so slightly. Then the eyes narrowed on the two and the tension in the room intensified. "There is no room for error. You *must not* fail!"
The dark haired lord touched each of his sons' faces, pain at what he must do echoing in the depths of his eyes.
"My sons, lights of my life." Elrond started. "The mirror has shown your grandmother many things, but this is the first time I wish it never existed."
"Ada," Elrohir spoke. "Please tell us what you know." He pleaded with his father. Their hearts were breaking.
"I cannot tell you much." Elrond sighed, fighting the helpless feelings deep within his soul. "Galadries only saw that Mithrandir is in great peril from someone in his past, long before even I was born."
"Who, ada?" Elladan asked.
"I cannot utter the name, for that is one of the powers that this creature holds. It is safer if you do not know too much." Elrond walked to the window, gazing into the scene below where four elves and ahuman man sat on benches, talking quietly.
"What do you mean by this power?" The twins asked in unison, clearly puzzled. They had never known their father to withhold information from them, and definitely not information that could mean danger.
"Speaking this devils name aloud, or even writing it, can bring doom faster than you know." Elrond explained. But we do have a symbol for the name." The Lord of Imladris went back to his desk and fished through one of the drawers that was always kept locked. "Ahh, here it is." He said, unrolling a parchment that had to be several millennia old. The twins and Glorfindel leaned in closer to look at what was on the page. The writing was so ancient that the twins could not read it, but the symbol was as clear as the day it was drawn. What the boys saw was this:
"Remember this symbol my sons." Elrond said quietly. "This creature is so vain that this symbol is on every servant of it's evil." "Yes, ada." The murmered as they committed the drawing to memory. "But what must we do?" Elladan asked.
Elrond dug through another drawer and came up with a small , rolled parchment, tied and sealed. "You must take this to Mithrandir with all haste. He is in the small town of Morthond about a fortnights journey west of here." The Lord gave a few more directions to his serious sons before he sent them off to prepare to leave at dawn. When Glorfindel turned to leave also, Elrond spoke softly. "Glorfindel, a'mael mellon, please stay with me a moment longer." (beloved friend)
Glorfindel could hear the sound of his Lord's heart breaking in his voice. The trusted advisor asked no questions. He knew that Elrond would not send those dearest to his heart if it were not absolutely the only path open to him. Glorfindel also knew of the dangers that tore at this fathers heart. "Oh, yes," He thought as he stood silently and waited for his friend to speak, "I know that symbol very well." He had come too close to wearing it himself.
"What is going on in there?" Estel paced the parameters of the terrace. "They have been in there too long." The human son of Elrond only stated the obvious,but his friends understoon. They felt the same agitation. All five looked up expectantly asthey heard the slight sounds of elves approaching. Under normal circumstances, a human would never have heard the approach, but growing up with elves had honed the humans senses to strengths never known to man.
Estel rushed up to his brothers, his worry etched on their faces also. "Tell me what this was about." He commanded in his most serious tone.
Elladan grabbed his human brother by the shoulders and steered him to where the others were waiting with held breaths. "Lets sit with everyone so I will not have to explain this more than once." He said, voice grim.
"Gandalf? In trouble?" Legolas said. We have to help, Ell." He was shocked that the twins were not accepting his help.
"My grandmother's vision only showed myself and Ro." Elladan stated firmly.
"Well, I am going to talk to ada." Estel said and before anyone could stop him, he was gone. Six elves could only watch his retreating back with mouths agape.
Glorfindel could not stand the silence any longer and reached for his Lord. Elrond collapsed into the comforting arms of his friend. It only took a moment for Elrond to regain his composure and when he did, Glorfindel spoke. "I will go with them, my Lord, if you but allow it." Really, it was not a question, but a statement. Elrond knew his friend would go, permitted or not. Dark eyes set below famous brows filled with relief and a shaky smile was directed at Glorfindel. "If you wish, trusted friend." Inwardly, the Lord sighed. His sons would be safe with this elf.
Both elves turned at the timid knock on the door. Elrond inhaled a deep breath and firmly said, "Come in."
Estel opened the door and stepped inside the study.
"I was wondering what took you, my son." Elrond grinned at his adopted child.
Now that Estel was here to confront his father, he didn't know where to begin. "Ada?" was his pathetic attempt. He did not know what he would do if his father would not let him help.
Elrond just smiled, knowing full well why his youngest was in this room, and waited for him to find the words.
Estel took a deep breath and plunged right in, turning into the king his destiny held. "I'm going with them." He stated firmly.
Elrond smiled, much to the relief of the young human, with pride shining in his eyes, "Then pack your bags, son of my heart, they leave at dawn."
Night found Nilmandra and Legolas arguing, fierce, but quietly lest they wake someone.
"You are not going without me, and that is final." Nilmandra's nerves were frayed. They had been fighting for hours.
"No you are not." Her husband spoke just as fiercely.
"You cannot stop me, husband." Her glare was almost enough to rival that of Lord Elrond's.
Legolas sighed, this was going nowhere. He decided to try a different approach and prey on her love for him. "A'mael, I could not live if something were to happen to you." He said in a soft voice and pulled her into his arms. Nilmandra hugged him tightly to her for a moment, long enough to let his hopes soar that she would stay behind. Then she popped that bubble of hope as she spoke in his ear.
"I feel that way too, my love. I would rather die beside you." Then she pulled back and looked her prince in the eye. "I'm going." Legolas pulled her close again, forcing the air out of her lungs with his show of emotions.
"So be it." Was all he said. "Lets hope there are no ants." Nilmandra giggled to lighten the mood.
In the room across the hall, a similar scene was playing out. Belil was just as stubborn about going as was her husband about her staying within the safety of Imladris.
"You know I can fight. You have seen what I can do. Remember the trip to Mirkwood?" Belil was at the window, looking at the stars. She heard her husband sigh and come up behind her, but he did not touch. He was waiting for her to finish then he would say his peace. Belil spun around and grabbed Haldir by the hands, bringing their joined hands to her heart. "I do not want to spend one day without you. I'll be careful" Just as her warrior opened his mouth to speak, she giggled and said, "Besides, do you think Legolas will win this one? Would you leave me here alone?"
TBC
Without further ado, I give you chapter 3. Sorry it has taken me so long to post it, but fanfic wasn't online for a while. Enjoy! And review please!
Chapter Two
Haldir was the last to the breakfast table, so he did indeed carry the bags. The look of adoration he received from Belil as she added her bag to his load made every ounce worth it.
At the lake, Estel watched the happy couples from the shade of a large boulder. Feelings of joy almost burst his heart, so happy was he to see the love his friends had found. Smiling he turned his thoughts inward and memories of the Lady Arwen took over. Settling back more comfortably, he placed his pipe stem more tightly between his teeth and hoped that the flying water would not reach him.
If the mood at the lake was light and carefree, the atmosphere in the study was the complete opposite.
The twins sat watching their father's advisor as he read the letter Elrond had received. They became increasingly alarmed with each second that passed as Glorfindel's face paled steadily. Elrohir snuck a peek at his father and a jolt of fear raced through his heart. He had never seen ada look more helpless of heart.
"Oh my." Glorfindel whispered, tearing his eyes off the letter and looking at the slumped shouldered form of his Lord. "What are we to do?"
Elrond sighed and rubbed his face. "We must get word to him as quickly as possible." Elrond visibly struggled to regain his composure as he looked toward his sons. "You must do this, my sons." Elrond's voice cracked. "Your grandmother, Galadriel, has forseen you on this quest." He crumpled even more as he whispered, "I do not want to send you on this one. Oh, valar, I do not want to."
Elladan rose from the chair, his brother on his heels. Both embraced their father, but it was the older one who spoke. "Ada, what can be so bad? What is it we must do?"
Estel ended up wetter than the water he was trying to avoid. Now the five friends were laying in the grass, drying glistening bodies when Legolas brought up the episode at breakfast. "I have never seen Lord Elrond so disturbed." He said. He looked to Haldir, concern written on his elven features. "Something in that letter has affected him greatly."
"I fear you are the bearer of some very bad news, nin mellon." Nilmandra said as she rolled over, propped herself up on an elbow and ran slim fingers through her quickly drying tresses.
"The Lady of Light was not in the greatest form when she sent me on with that letter. She warned me to be careful." The warrior sighed deeply. "Danger sang in my blood and I did not want my a'mael to come on this journey." He reached for Belil's hand and looked pointedly at the elf prince and Estel, "But keeping her from her fea seler is like keeping the two of you apart."
"We understand, mellonamin." (my friend) Estel spoke quietly, worry for his father in his very voice. "I think it would be wise to return to the house soon. I feel we may be needed." The rangers words echoed exactly what the elves had been feeling all morning, thus Estel had gotten a lot less wet than if nothing had been preying on the elves' minds. In silence, the companions headed back to the house with heavy hearts, fearing what they would find.
The room was dark. The only light to be found was coming from the palantir which illuminated the slim hands that commanded it.
"So, Galadries, you still live and you have felt my presence." A sneering voice broke the silence. The voice was neither deep nor high pitched, no hint of gender. "Your warning has come too late, Lady of Light, to be of any use now." With a wave of the pale hand, the seeing stone darkened and a disembodied voice cackled in the resulting darkness. "I fear your soul will crumble with guilt when I am done." The shuffeling of feet could be heard long before the knock on the door. "Enter." The voice said.
"You called for us, master." The orc said in his growly voice.
"Yes Virt." Came the reply. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes master. We will be ready to leave at dawn." The orc was nervous around his master. The evil radiating off the robed figure in front of him rivaled that of an entire orc army with wargs.
The cruel eyes turned on the human standing slightly behind the disgusting orc. If an orc was nervous of this being, a human man could be nothing but terrified.
"And you, Linyc, are your men ready?" The voice asked of him.
Linyc had to swallow a few time to be sure his voice would not betray him before he spoke. "Yes master, we will also be ready at dawn." A cold shiver ran down his spine. Linyc wished he had not answered the letter that had led him to this employ.
"Good. All is going as planned." The voice sounded pleased and both orc and man relaxed ever so slightly. Then the eyes narrowed on the two and the tension in the room intensified. "There is no room for error. You *must not* fail!"
The dark haired lord touched each of his sons' faces, pain at what he must do echoing in the depths of his eyes.
"My sons, lights of my life." Elrond started. "The mirror has shown your grandmother many things, but this is the first time I wish it never existed."
"Ada," Elrohir spoke. "Please tell us what you know." He pleaded with his father. Their hearts were breaking.
"I cannot tell you much." Elrond sighed, fighting the helpless feelings deep within his soul. "Galadries only saw that Mithrandir is in great peril from someone in his past, long before even I was born."
"Who, ada?" Elladan asked.
"I cannot utter the name, for that is one of the powers that this creature holds. It is safer if you do not know too much." Elrond walked to the window, gazing into the scene below where four elves and ahuman man sat on benches, talking quietly.
"What do you mean by this power?" The twins asked in unison, clearly puzzled. They had never known their father to withhold information from them, and definitely not information that could mean danger.
"Speaking this devils name aloud, or even writing it, can bring doom faster than you know." Elrond explained. But we do have a symbol for the name." The Lord of Imladris went back to his desk and fished through one of the drawers that was always kept locked. "Ahh, here it is." He said, unrolling a parchment that had to be several millennia old. The twins and Glorfindel leaned in closer to look at what was on the page. The writing was so ancient that the twins could not read it, but the symbol was as clear as the day it was drawn. What the boys saw was this:
"Remember this symbol my sons." Elrond said quietly. "This creature is so vain that this symbol is on every servant of it's evil." "Yes, ada." The murmered as they committed the drawing to memory. "But what must we do?" Elladan asked.
Elrond dug through another drawer and came up with a small , rolled parchment, tied and sealed. "You must take this to Mithrandir with all haste. He is in the small town of Morthond about a fortnights journey west of here." The Lord gave a few more directions to his serious sons before he sent them off to prepare to leave at dawn. When Glorfindel turned to leave also, Elrond spoke softly. "Glorfindel, a'mael mellon, please stay with me a moment longer." (beloved friend)
Glorfindel could hear the sound of his Lord's heart breaking in his voice. The trusted advisor asked no questions. He knew that Elrond would not send those dearest to his heart if it were not absolutely the only path open to him. Glorfindel also knew of the dangers that tore at this fathers heart. "Oh, yes," He thought as he stood silently and waited for his friend to speak, "I know that symbol very well." He had come too close to wearing it himself.
"What is going on in there?" Estel paced the parameters of the terrace. "They have been in there too long." The human son of Elrond only stated the obvious,but his friends understoon. They felt the same agitation. All five looked up expectantly asthey heard the slight sounds of elves approaching. Under normal circumstances, a human would never have heard the approach, but growing up with elves had honed the humans senses to strengths never known to man.
Estel rushed up to his brothers, his worry etched on their faces also. "Tell me what this was about." He commanded in his most serious tone.
Elladan grabbed his human brother by the shoulders and steered him to where the others were waiting with held breaths. "Lets sit with everyone so I will not have to explain this more than once." He said, voice grim.
"Gandalf? In trouble?" Legolas said. We have to help, Ell." He was shocked that the twins were not accepting his help.
"My grandmother's vision only showed myself and Ro." Elladan stated firmly.
"Well, I am going to talk to ada." Estel said and before anyone could stop him, he was gone. Six elves could only watch his retreating back with mouths agape.
Glorfindel could not stand the silence any longer and reached for his Lord. Elrond collapsed into the comforting arms of his friend. It only took a moment for Elrond to regain his composure and when he did, Glorfindel spoke. "I will go with them, my Lord, if you but allow it." Really, it was not a question, but a statement. Elrond knew his friend would go, permitted or not. Dark eyes set below famous brows filled with relief and a shaky smile was directed at Glorfindel. "If you wish, trusted friend." Inwardly, the Lord sighed. His sons would be safe with this elf.
Both elves turned at the timid knock on the door. Elrond inhaled a deep breath and firmly said, "Come in."
Estel opened the door and stepped inside the study.
"I was wondering what took you, my son." Elrond grinned at his adopted child.
Now that Estel was here to confront his father, he didn't know where to begin. "Ada?" was his pathetic attempt. He did not know what he would do if his father would not let him help.
Elrond just smiled, knowing full well why his youngest was in this room, and waited for him to find the words.
Estel took a deep breath and plunged right in, turning into the king his destiny held. "I'm going with them." He stated firmly.
Elrond smiled, much to the relief of the young human, with pride shining in his eyes, "Then pack your bags, son of my heart, they leave at dawn."
Night found Nilmandra and Legolas arguing, fierce, but quietly lest they wake someone.
"You are not going without me, and that is final." Nilmandra's nerves were frayed. They had been fighting for hours.
"No you are not." Her husband spoke just as fiercely.
"You cannot stop me, husband." Her glare was almost enough to rival that of Lord Elrond's.
Legolas sighed, this was going nowhere. He decided to try a different approach and prey on her love for him. "A'mael, I could not live if something were to happen to you." He said in a soft voice and pulled her into his arms. Nilmandra hugged him tightly to her for a moment, long enough to let his hopes soar that she would stay behind. Then she popped that bubble of hope as she spoke in his ear.
"I feel that way too, my love. I would rather die beside you." Then she pulled back and looked her prince in the eye. "I'm going." Legolas pulled her close again, forcing the air out of her lungs with his show of emotions.
"So be it." Was all he said. "Lets hope there are no ants." Nilmandra giggled to lighten the mood.
In the room across the hall, a similar scene was playing out. Belil was just as stubborn about going as was her husband about her staying within the safety of Imladris.
"You know I can fight. You have seen what I can do. Remember the trip to Mirkwood?" Belil was at the window, looking at the stars. She heard her husband sigh and come up behind her, but he did not touch. He was waiting for her to finish then he would say his peace. Belil spun around and grabbed Haldir by the hands, bringing their joined hands to her heart. "I do not want to spend one day without you. I'll be careful" Just as her warrior opened his mouth to speak, she giggled and said, "Besides, do you think Legolas will win this one? Would you leave me here alone?"
TBC