Dragonfly: I hope this chapter clears some things up. Unfortunately the next wont be until the weekend. I hope you like this chappie.
Gwyn: Sorry it took later than I originally though to post this chapter, but I can tell you that the next one will be up this weekend. Life is just really full at the moment and I can't get good writing time. Sorry! Hope this one satisfies.
Faila Gamgee of Sandy Dow: hides behind her Elven archers If I don't write and die, then that means I cant post anymore.. or come to think of it, write anymore… and wouldn't that ruin the fun of the fanfic? Glad you evidently like it Jocelyn, hope this one keeps ya entertained. :D
Frodo: Thanks! Glad ya like it… thought it would be a nice twist to have a previous child in Rivendell. snerk Hope you enjoy this chappie as well.
Elenillor: blush Thanks! I always worry about emotions and portraying them right. I want to draw a reader in. :D Thanks again for your great comments! Keeps me going that does! Hope this chapter explains things and gives you an idea of what was going on.
Slg: I LOVE evil cliffies and use them quite frequently. One day someone will push me off one but until then… My readers and characters suffer. giggles
Starlight: I hope this was quick enough for you. Next posting wont be until the weekend though. I have A LOT to do and little time to do it in. Sorry. L Hope you like this chapter.. its supposed to clear things up.. though knowing me, it just made things more complicated. EG
Littlesaiyangirl: I hope you like this chapter as well. ~_-
Amlugwen: Elronds mad.. no just kidding! LOL All is explained, hopefully, in this chapter. Enjoy!
Supergurl15: yes, Elrond has gone completely insane...didnt you notice he's wearing the white robe with long sleeves that tie in the back ? Hope this chapter explains enough.. next one will be sometime during the weekend :D
Nikki: Sorry to leave ya hanging, but I LOVE cliffies. There isn't one in this chapter, so you can rest easy. The next update will be sometime during the weekend. Enjoy!
Vera: no sadly enough I don't know a whole lot about ME. I have all kinds of books, just about every one ever written by Tolkien but I have never gotten around to reading them. I skim through to get ideas and better knowledge of a certain place or behavior, but as to sit down and read thoroughly, I haven't done that. I know, shame on me. Thank you for your wonderful review. I hope you like this chapter as well. J
Hex of the unseelie: LOL Yeah, more Strider in this chappie, but no mysterious elf.. at least not yet. EG I like to keep my options open and my readers guessing.. you never know WHATS going to happen in my stories. :D Enjoy this chapter!
^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
The room was deadly silent for several minutes as elf and human stared at the Elven Lord now brimming with tears.
"Father?" Elrohir asked. "She is not your daughter. Arwen is in Lothlorien. You have made a mistake."
Elrond's hard stare bore down onto his son as his jaw set defiantly, "I know Arwen is in Lothlorien, do not think me a fool!"
Elladan looked at the stranger with suspicious eyes and said, "I have never recalled seeing her before." Elrohir shook his head in agreement at his twin's side.
Elrond glared at his sons with a look that clearly stated a loud tirade was forming.
Strider, hoping to break the tension stepped in, "How can she be your daughter?"
Elrond turned his penetrating stare to his human son, temporarily forgetting his twin's doubtful glares, "Because she is older than any of you. She is my first born daughter."
All eyes fell on Yarna, taking in her dirty disheveled look, her ratty clothing, her petite frame, and her tapered ears, which were more rounded than normal Elven peaks.
Yarna flinched from the stares and tried to hide herself further in the Princes' shadow.
"Father?" Elrohir started calmly, "What do you mean, your 'first daughter'?"
Elrond's face grew gray with sorrow, the lines of his face etched with deep unspoken pain. His anger at his son's questions and suspicions dying immediately as his gray-green eyes met those of Yarna's, and he smiled as he stared into their familiar depths.
"Many years ago, before I met your mother," Elrond glanced pointedly at his Elven twins, "I fell in love with a mortal woman."
Gasps of surprise issued from every person within the room, except for the woman crouching behind her Elven shield. The twins exchanged bewildered looks, turning their eyes upon their human brother who mirrored their sentiments.
Legolas stood with his mouth slightly agape shocked at what the Elven Lord just admitted.
Elrond continued, "Though I know that Elven kind shuns the union with mortals, I told myself that we would have eternity together. But humans are frail and," he sighed heavily, "mortal."
"I had hoped that what I felt would fade, knowing that such a love is doomed. But it did not. It increased, and as it increased, so did my heartache. I knew that she had limited time on Middle Earth, but I could not bring myself to admit that she would die, and I would have to watch her grow old as I remained unchanged."
"Much to my delight and pain, we had a daughter," Elrond's misty eyes searched Yarna's, "You look so much like your mother, you always have. The same face, the same presence, the same light that captured my heart."
Yarna only stared at the Elf Lord, unknowing what to say or do. She couldn't have been who he thought she was, but her heart pinged with guilt, not wanting to bear the burden of bad news.
"But if she is older than Elladan and Elrohir, then she has been gone for so long. How do you know that is your daughter?" Strider asked.
Elrond glanced at his human son and said, rather curtly. "Every parent knows their child. I can feel the same warmth her mother possessed. She is Amrungil. The Morning Star."
Yarna's eyes went wide at the news, "Morning Star?" She asked faintly.
Elrond smiled, nodding his head at Yarna, "Yes. Your mother loved the name. Said it was befitting for such a bright star. You were born into this world in the very early morning."
Yarna swallowed hard, gazing into the Elf's eyes. An unspoken conversation passed between them.
Elladan interrupted the vigil between the two, "Father, I think you have been mistaken."
"No," Elrond said with sly smile, "She is Amrungil, of this I am for certain."
The elves took in the small woman huddled at Legolas's side. With the coat gaping open, they could just make out a thin body, lithe like an elf, but her shortened height contradicted the assumption. Her head was barely up to Legolas's shoulder. If she was part Elven, then those characteristics would have shown, but all the Elven eyes deduced was a petite human woman.
"What happened Father?" Elrohir asked softly.
Elrond offered his hand to the woman, but she recoiled, withdrawing closer to the Legolas' side. With a frown he withdrew his hand and continued to explain his mysterious past, "Your mother took you to meet with her family, hoping that once they saw you, they would forget their hatred and be at peace with her decision. On the way she stopped at a village for shelter but was attacked by goblins. No one survived. Though no body was recovered, everyone believed you dead. But I have held out hope all these centuries."
Yarna shook her head, "No. I am not Amrungil. I can not be."
"It is you Amrungil, of that I am for certain," Elrond said gently.
Legolas seemed to come out of his state of semi-shock and spoke up, "Lord Elrond, how can all this be? If she is your daughter, then she would have Elven qualities. She is clearly human."
Elrond smiled at the Prince, knowing the reasoning behind his queries, "Amrungil looked exactly like her mother, completely human. But she aged most slowly, in Elven fashion and has the heightened senses of her kin. She is older than all of my sons, and even you Prince of Mirkwood."
Legolas watched the woman by his side with a confused look. His mind raged with the possibility that Yarna could very well be Lord Elronds' daughter, though unlikely it may seem, the Prince had encountered stranger situations and wasn't closed minded to such a possibility.
The doubt in the Princes' mind was soon doused as Yarna looked up at him. With a startled revelation, the Elf Prince realized what the Elf Lord spoke was true.
Yarna's eyes were the exact color and shape of the Elf Lords. Misty gray-green, infinite in their depths, laced with sorrow and heartache, delicately aged and layered with compassion mixed with grief. A truly Elven characteristic.
Strider watched the silent exchange between Elven royalty and the undeniable truth spoken in his adopted father's warm demeanor, "If she is your daughter, then why does she not remember you, father?"
Elrond turned to his human son, his face keeping the paternal gaze, "Because she was just a child when she was taken away. She has been raised by humans, lived among them, learned their ways, losing the identity she once had."
Legolas' eyes were still fixed upon Yarna, his brow drawn, "You said that over the years you have had many masters. I believed that you had many masters over the course of a few years, not over centuries. No wonder you were hostile and untrusting."
Yarna's voice was barely over a whisper but the Elves in the room heard her words loud and clear, "I was told I was cursed. I was to live long and serve until the time when the world fell into darkness and life would be no more."
"Masters?" Elrond's piercing gaze fell upon Yarna, interrupting any further explanation from her, "Masters? What do you mean?"
Yarna looked into familiar eyes,
her voice soft, "I have been a slave all my life. I lived to serve my master."
She opened up the leather coat fully, revealing her tattered clothing, caked in
dirt and stained with blood. Her legs were barely visible, covered in the
healing herb Legolas had wrapped them in before their journey up the mountain
side.
Elronds face grew weary with pain, "Oh my sweet daughter," he whispered as he advanced on Yarna and drew her into a tight hug, "Lye val sii alye'. U'uma o' san lle kuele tuulo amin."
Yarna trembled at the proximity of the Elf Lord, her mind racing and sending her into a panic. She looked over to Legolas for help, but he simple stood in awe.
Legolas mistook the look Yarna gave him and thought she wanted elaboration on what Elrond just spoke. He smiled, "We are now together. No one will take you away from me."
The explanation was not what Yarna wanted, but somehow, it calmed her. She felt the warmth in the arms wrapped around her, sheltering and nurturing, protecting her with their firm strength and promise of safety.
"Father, perhaps our guests would like to rest?" Elrohir asked awkwardly. He had never heard of a lost sister, but knew that whatever his father wished was a command, and that he and his brethren would have to learn to accept the new arrival.
Elrond withdrew from Yarna, his voice raspy with emotion, "Yes. Yes, you need food and rest. I can have Rettruil to see to your needs." He clapped his hands loudly and waited.
At the sound of the summons a tall, noble looking elf entered the room, "You require me, Lord Elrond?" His gaze swept the room quickly, his gaze finally landing on Yarna and his jaw dropped. His voice dropped to a mere whisper as he turned to the Elf Lord, "My Lord, your daughter has returned! Amrungil has returned home!"
Elladan, Elrohir and Aragorn all shared the same expression, eyes wide, jaws slackened at the confirmation that another elf had just provided.
Elrond smiled mysteriously and nodded his head, "Yes, she is home now Rettruil. Please take her to her room."
With a huge smile, Rettruil bowed low and gestured towards the door, "My Lady Amrungil, please follow me."
Yarna looked to Legolas, her expression wary, looking to the elf prince to aid her.
Legolas smiled and said quietly, "You will be safe. I will be along shortly. Nothing will happen to you while you are within these walls. I must speak with Lord Elrond. I promise, I will come shortly."
Yarna reluctantly agreed, stepping through the open door held by Rettruil.
Rettruil walked by Yarna's side, his voice joyous as the ringing of bells, "It is good to have you home with us at last, My Lady. You have been missed. I can not believe how much you have grown."
Yarna remained quiet, listening to the talkative elf beside her. When he quieted down Yarna asked, "Did you know my mother?"
"Oh yes My Lady. She was a beautiful human," catching his slip of the tongue, he reiterated. "She was a graceful, caring, generous woman. You do look so much like her, except your eyes. Your eyes mirror Lord Elronds' "
The two walked in silence down the hallowed halls of Rivendell.
Legolas waited until Yarna was gone from view, then turned to Lord Elrond with a look of concern, "She does not give her trust easily. I fear she will take time to become used to her surroundings."
Lord Elrond only nodded grimly and said absentmindedly. "What has happened to my elle Amrungil?"
"Lord Elrond, please forgive me, but the news I have is most important. It can not wait." Legolas pleaded.
Elrond wavered for a moment, then stared into the Princes' blue eyes, "My apologies, Legolas."
Legolas distractedly looked at the ranger by his side, and the elf twins standing a couple paces back from their father, "My father sent me to warn you that a shadow has emerged in the south, in Mordor. Our patrols have reported of increased orc activity, and a spreading shadow on the land, coming from Mount Doom. There are rumors that the Ring of Power is calling to its master once again."
Elrond's eyes reflected concern and worry over the news, "There has been unrest in Rivendell as well. A strange fear is creeping into our minds. One we do not know the source of."
"We have sensed it as well," Legolas said.
"Things are never still. The world is ever changing around us," Elrond said, going into his cryptical tone, "I fear Sauron has gained strength. His armies of orcs have multiplied, building themselves into a strong force that I fear we may not be able to defeat this time. The elves are diminishing, leaving these shores. We are not as powerful as we once were."
"What must be done?" Strider asked quickly.
Elrond gave his human son a soft smile, "The thing to do, is what we have done these past centuries. We will wait until the time is right, then join our forces to fight Sauron. The main weapon has yet to make itself known."
"The Ring of Power," Strider said, his voice barely over a whisper.
Elrond nodded, "I have heard that a creature in the tunnels of the Misty Mountains has kept it these past centuries."
"Perhaps he is using it to call Sauron and bring him back from whence he came?" Elladan asked.
Elrohir added, "Or maybe he realized what it is and is using it to build himself an army? Maybe he wishes to take the reign of power and fear that Sauron once had?"
Elrond waved his hand in the air, dismissing the twins' questions, "Speculation will do us no good. We should make decisions based on facts, not assumptions."
The twins exchange glances, then turned and stared at their father.
"Lord Elrond?" Legolas asked.
Elrond turned and regarded the Prince.
Legolas steeled himself up for asking his question, "What if the Ring has been indeed found and is being used for evil at this very moment?"
"Then I fear Middle Earth is doomed," Lord Elrond said heavily. "But I do not think we are in trouble yet. We must know more information before we proceed."
Legolas felt his stomach knot up in anticipation.
Elrond sighed, then said somewhat relived, "Before we gather our resources, let us take rest and solace. I am indebted to you Prince Legolas for bringing my daughter to me. I am anxious to speak to her."
Legolas' eyes shone suddenly, his voice becoming clear and direct to the Elven Lord, "I do not think that is a good idea at the moment!"
Elrond was taken aback and glared at the subordinate prince, "And why should I not see to my daughter, after she has clearly been injured and abused by Men?"
Legolas hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "I am sorry Lord Elrond. But first you must know the circumstances in which your daughter came to be returned to you. There are many things you must know."
Elrond looked sullen, his face showing his advanced years that should not have been apparent on an elf, "Very well."
Legolas remembered his promise to be at Yarna's side soon, and tried to give the Elven Lord some of her past, "I promised to be there for Yarna, or Amrungil, because she does not trust anyone. My Lord, when we met, she was imprisoned for murdering her former master that committed acts too horrible to repeat. She was to be executed, but the guards and her former masters used her for whatever enjoyment they could find. She was violated both in body and mind. She trusts no one and fears all things."
"She trusts you," Strider pointed out, though his heart sank at the news his friend was giving.
"She trusted me after several days. We were both tortured, and our wounds made us allies against those that harmed us," Legolas said.
"Tortured?" Elrond wavered slightly where he stood, his eyes becoming unfocused, his hand rubbing his temple.
Legolas felt icy dread fill his body, spiking out through every nerve of his being and using his blood as conduits, dousing him in a chilled silence that shrouded him, "She was violated by Men………. and Elf."
"What?!" Elladan and Elrohir shouted together.
"That's impossible!" Strider said as a matter of factly.
Legolas shook his head, "It is not Strider. Elves are capable of the same weaknesses as Man. Her master used her to barter with Elves, of their origin I do not know, the memories were too painful for her to recall in detail."
"She told you this?" Strider asked unbelievingly. "Why would she tell you this? If she did not trust people?"
Legolas distractedly ran his hands through his hair and sighed, "After our escape, she began to trust me more and confided in me," he turned to Elrond, his eyes pleading, "Please Lord Elrond; she is very afraid of this place and of your people. Allow me to help her adjust, trust those around her. Do not push her or I fear she will react the only way she knows how. She is especially fearful of Men."
The sentence hung in the air as the room remained silent. A slight harrumph was heard from Strider, knowing that he was singled out because of his origins.
Legolas interpreted the stubbornness and added, "She is mistrusting of all males, human and elven. She will take time to adjust."
Elrond nodded, though reluctantly, "Very well. I will order only she-elves to be near until she is ready to trust."
"Thank you My Lord. Now if you will excuse me, I have a promise to keep," Legolas bowed his head and quickly exited the room.
Elrond sat down heavily in the chair he had occupied earlier. "To have thought her dead… then have her returned, only to remain distant because she fears me…." Tears threaten to roll down his cheeks as he rested his head in his heads and whispered, "It is more than a father can bear."
Strider and his Elven brothers converged on the elder elf, offering their support in the eerie silence.
