On entering the east library, Elladan discovered what he had sought. An
unsuspecting Anólindë searching through endless books and parchment, some
of which were strewn across a nearing table.
"Anólindë. What is it that you seek so urgently?" his voice indicated an
undertone of humour, yet it demanded her attention. Her mouth moved for a
moment not spilling any words.
"I became restless milord. The weather does not permit as much freedom as I
favour... I came to... catch up on my reading." she uttered, closing a
nearby book to hide its content.
However, Elladan had already scanned the information even before alerting
her attention to his presence. His eyes examined her quizzically.
"Something troubles you?"
"No milord. Troubled I am not."
Elladan was not fooled by her answer. "The discussion you caught, should never have crossed your path." "I ask forgiveness. I should never of crossed its path. Or lingered to listen." "The past cannot be changed Anólindë." He approached closer to the table, his voice a little lower in tone. "Am I right in understanding that our words play on your mind even now." "I would not possess a conscious, or soul if it did not." She admitted freely. "Do not fear Elladan, I will not echo any words that were spoken at your Father's council this day. I am loyal to your Father, and his court, before I am anything else." "It was never doubted milady." he wavered his head slightly from side-to- side.
"Then if I may be so bold as to ask, what do you distrust?" There was a pause before Elladan gave his answer. "That you will withhold involvement in the matter." "And you, My Lord, would do the same? If you were asked, what you now ask of me?" "I will not lie to you Anólindë. I would not." "Then you must understand Elladan, that you cannot ask this of me!" "I must. If for nothing else, then for your safety." "Appreciation of your concern Elladan. But I am long past the age of guardianship that Lord Elrond has so graciously given in the past. I think it time that I see to my own protection."
"You misread my regard. My father, or indeed anyone else, has no understanding that you know of our council. It is only I, that warns you this." Elladan informed with sincerity, "But if you do not heed my warning, I have no other choice than to bestow my knowledge upon them. And I assure you, measures will be taken to ensure your protection." She thought for a short while, composing an answer. "Then I indeed have no other choice than to respect your wishes milord." Anólindë bowed her head. Elladan was momentarily puzzled by her answer, sure that it would take much more persuasion than he had exercised.
"Ahem!" an interrupting cough, and Legolas Greenleaf entered the room. "Forgive me. I did not mean to intrude." "No need. Our words here are done." He gave Anólindë a final look of authority. But Anólindë's eyes were upon the stranger that entered the room. Her brow furrowed as if recalling a distant memory, which was dismissed as quick as it has arrived. "A word with you My Lord?" Legolas requested. Anólindë excused her self at the prompt.
The two held silence until she was out of earshot. Elladan seemed quietly aggravated. "You hold affection for the maiden?" Legolas questioned informally. "As a brother would, a sister. That is all!" a chuckle laced his words, "Elrohir would have me shot otherwise!" "Anólindë's heart lies with his." Legolas nodded with understanding, his lips painting a grin. "And they bear a good match?" he enquired. "Indeed they do. Both as stubborn as each other!" he laughed "If I remember correctly, you have experienced Anólindë's stubbornness first hand." Legolas was clearly puzzled. "She was wandering the boarders of your woods - when she was but a young elf. Nearly three yén ago now." (Yén ~ 1 elven year ~114 human years) Legolas' confusion was suddenly resolved. "I do remember." he smiled casually. "She had a sharp tongue on her!" "...and still does on occasion."
An easy silence fell upon the conversation, "These books..." Legolas enquired examining the papers and such, sprawled over the nearby table. Elladan let out a humorous groan. "The lady in question; leaving a mess behind her!" he uttered attempting to close a book. Legolas stopped him, "The Jewel of the Dawn Shadow..." he voiced surveying the page, and looked up to meet Elladan's gaze with question. "She seeks knowledge of it?" Elladan read the perplexed look that fell upon Legolas' face. "Anólindë overheard our council." he voiced quietly, embarrassed at the disclosure of this secret. "But she harbours more reason to pursuit answers that you realise." "To what end?"
Anólindë's mother was once a highly regarded individual of Celebrian's court, and had been part of the escort that day when they were waylaid in the Redhorn Pass, journeying to Lorien. Sadly, her mother was a fatality as a result of the conflict, and never returned to her husband and child who remained within Imladris. And the Jewel, i Mírëllo i Áralómë, that she carried upon a band of silver - taken by Orcs. Anólindë's father was almost inconsolable with the realisation of his loss, and was soon bound for the grey havens, leaving his only daughter Anólindë, under the careful eye of Lord Elrond, until she was of-age. (elves come-of- age between the human years of 50 - 100)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun began to sink below the horizon, and cast an early dusk upon Rivendell. Elorhir walked the gardens - the air almost silent, as was his betrothed. "What are you thinking of A'maelamin?" "Nothing." Anólindë answered vacantly, running her fingers over the tall blades of grass that fringed the pathway. "Then it must be a very interesting 'nothing' to be so deep in thought as you are..." Anólindë carried on in silence as if she had not received a word, gazing emotionless into an empty space. "Eäradith walked these paths - my mother..." she sighed. "I'm sure that her spirit still watches over you Arwenamin." he assuered her. "You will live the days of your past again. She waits patiently in The Halls of Mandos..." "...untill the End of Days" Anólindë finished. "I fear that I will not have to wait as long." "What do you speak of?" Elorhir asked confused. "It calls to the dead, to the spirits does it not? ...Mírëllo i Áralómë." She looked up nervously to meet Elorhir's gaze. "The Jewel that belonged once in my mother's possession."
Elorhir stood motionless, in a stern silence. "I do not know what you speak of!" he eventually defended. "I am sorry." he abrubtly excused himself, leaving Anólindë alone in the fading light.
Elladan was not fooled by her answer. "The discussion you caught, should never have crossed your path." "I ask forgiveness. I should never of crossed its path. Or lingered to listen." "The past cannot be changed Anólindë." He approached closer to the table, his voice a little lower in tone. "Am I right in understanding that our words play on your mind even now." "I would not possess a conscious, or soul if it did not." She admitted freely. "Do not fear Elladan, I will not echo any words that were spoken at your Father's council this day. I am loyal to your Father, and his court, before I am anything else." "It was never doubted milady." he wavered his head slightly from side-to- side.
"Then if I may be so bold as to ask, what do you distrust?" There was a pause before Elladan gave his answer. "That you will withhold involvement in the matter." "And you, My Lord, would do the same? If you were asked, what you now ask of me?" "I will not lie to you Anólindë. I would not." "Then you must understand Elladan, that you cannot ask this of me!" "I must. If for nothing else, then for your safety." "Appreciation of your concern Elladan. But I am long past the age of guardianship that Lord Elrond has so graciously given in the past. I think it time that I see to my own protection."
"You misread my regard. My father, or indeed anyone else, has no understanding that you know of our council. It is only I, that warns you this." Elladan informed with sincerity, "But if you do not heed my warning, I have no other choice than to bestow my knowledge upon them. And I assure you, measures will be taken to ensure your protection." She thought for a short while, composing an answer. "Then I indeed have no other choice than to respect your wishes milord." Anólindë bowed her head. Elladan was momentarily puzzled by her answer, sure that it would take much more persuasion than he had exercised.
"Ahem!" an interrupting cough, and Legolas Greenleaf entered the room. "Forgive me. I did not mean to intrude." "No need. Our words here are done." He gave Anólindë a final look of authority. But Anólindë's eyes were upon the stranger that entered the room. Her brow furrowed as if recalling a distant memory, which was dismissed as quick as it has arrived. "A word with you My Lord?" Legolas requested. Anólindë excused her self at the prompt.
The two held silence until she was out of earshot. Elladan seemed quietly aggravated. "You hold affection for the maiden?" Legolas questioned informally. "As a brother would, a sister. That is all!" a chuckle laced his words, "Elrohir would have me shot otherwise!" "Anólindë's heart lies with his." Legolas nodded with understanding, his lips painting a grin. "And they bear a good match?" he enquired. "Indeed they do. Both as stubborn as each other!" he laughed "If I remember correctly, you have experienced Anólindë's stubbornness first hand." Legolas was clearly puzzled. "She was wandering the boarders of your woods - when she was but a young elf. Nearly three yén ago now." (Yén ~ 1 elven year ~114 human years) Legolas' confusion was suddenly resolved. "I do remember." he smiled casually. "She had a sharp tongue on her!" "...and still does on occasion."
An easy silence fell upon the conversation, "These books..." Legolas enquired examining the papers and such, sprawled over the nearby table. Elladan let out a humorous groan. "The lady in question; leaving a mess behind her!" he uttered attempting to close a book. Legolas stopped him, "The Jewel of the Dawn Shadow..." he voiced surveying the page, and looked up to meet Elladan's gaze with question. "She seeks knowledge of it?" Elladan read the perplexed look that fell upon Legolas' face. "Anólindë overheard our council." he voiced quietly, embarrassed at the disclosure of this secret. "But she harbours more reason to pursuit answers that you realise." "To what end?"
Anólindë's mother was once a highly regarded individual of Celebrian's court, and had been part of the escort that day when they were waylaid in the Redhorn Pass, journeying to Lorien. Sadly, her mother was a fatality as a result of the conflict, and never returned to her husband and child who remained within Imladris. And the Jewel, i Mírëllo i Áralómë, that she carried upon a band of silver - taken by Orcs. Anólindë's father was almost inconsolable with the realisation of his loss, and was soon bound for the grey havens, leaving his only daughter Anólindë, under the careful eye of Lord Elrond, until she was of-age. (elves come-of- age between the human years of 50 - 100)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun began to sink below the horizon, and cast an early dusk upon Rivendell. Elorhir walked the gardens - the air almost silent, as was his betrothed. "What are you thinking of A'maelamin?" "Nothing." Anólindë answered vacantly, running her fingers over the tall blades of grass that fringed the pathway. "Then it must be a very interesting 'nothing' to be so deep in thought as you are..." Anólindë carried on in silence as if she had not received a word, gazing emotionless into an empty space. "Eäradith walked these paths - my mother..." she sighed. "I'm sure that her spirit still watches over you Arwenamin." he assuered her. "You will live the days of your past again. She waits patiently in The Halls of Mandos..." "...untill the End of Days" Anólindë finished. "I fear that I will not have to wait as long." "What do you speak of?" Elorhir asked confused. "It calls to the dead, to the spirits does it not? ...Mírëllo i Áralómë." She looked up nervously to meet Elorhir's gaze. "The Jewel that belonged once in my mother's possession."
Elorhir stood motionless, in a stern silence. "I do not know what you speak of!" he eventually defended. "I am sorry." he abrubtly excused himself, leaving Anólindë alone in the fading light.
