Chapter Five
The traveling band from Lasgalen arrived late in the evening. Elrond himself came out to meet them.
"Is Gandalf with you?"
Legolas leapt down from his horse lightly. "No. Any word from Estel?"
Elrond smiled slightly at the young elf. "No. Not that that worries me..."
Legolas laughed. "My father keeps telling me that every time I am from his sight, he worries."
Elrond smiled sadly. "Yes, once they've wormed their way into your heart, you are stuck with the worries that something might hurt them... Elladan and Elrohir have not yet arrived either, and I-"
The gates to Rivendell swung open again. The procession from Lothlorien had arrived.
Arwen fell off her horse into her father's waiting arms. "Ada!"
"Arwen, my daughter!"
Then, Arwen remembered her duty. "Father, I bear news from the Realms of the Lady of the Wood." She curtsied as deeply as her riding gear and sword would allow.
Elrond stood up straight. "I would hear these tidings in my study then." With that, he turned and approached the house.
Legolas watched as Arwen paused and beckoned to a couple of the other elves. Two of them immediately fell in step behind her. He had only seen the Rivendell and wood elves, but these were Noldor elves- male and female. One, he noted, was obviously a warrior, but the other- the female- was dressed in the manner of- well, he couldn't decide. She wore garments similar to the warrior, but of a much finer cloth, like that of court dress, and the belt of a healer. He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling that he knew them from somewhere. He turned back to his horse and led it to the stables.
Lorintal and Umbothel had watched all this in silence. As soon as Legolas turned towards the stables, they followed Elrond and the others.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Once in Elrond's study, Arwen began recounting the tale. As she began to explain the first orc attack, Elrond held up his hand.
"Come in."
The door opened slightly. "Excuse me, Lord Elrond," Umbothel began, "but-"
Lorintal screeched and threw herself at the female Noldor elf.
Elrond sighed. "Have a seat. You have as much a right to hear this as anyone. And Lorintal, please relinquish your hold on Nileth. Continue, my daughter."
`~`~`*`~`~`
The tale was completed without too many interruptions, thankfully in Elrond's eyes. Lorintal's tears at Callórë's death were the biggest intrusion suffered.
"Once the Ringbearer arrives, we will hold a Council on what to do. Until then, each of you needs to rest."
"Ada," Arwen interrupted, "who is watching for Aragorn?"
Elrond rolled his eyes, he should have known this was coming. "Glorfindel is watching the Wilds for him."
"May I-?"
"Perhaps in a day or so, daughter." AN: I am kinda sorta following the book. Glorfindel, or rather his horse, rescues Frodo, not Arwen. Sorry :)
`~`~`*`~`~`
"How long have they been in there?" Legolas asked, pacing back and forth in one of Elrond's many halls.
"Two hours-"
"And twenty-two minutes." Elladan finished.
Legolas sighed and resumed his pacing.
"If you are so desperate to speak with Ada, go knock on the door and ask for him." Elrohir pointed out.
"That's exactly what I'm going to do." With that, Legolas strode to the door to Elrond's study.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Lord Elrond had dismissed the gathering, but as soon as they could, Nileth and Haldir had returned to ask him questions about the Ring and other important matters.
"Sir, I feel that-"
A knock resounded on the door.
"Come in."
Legolas stepped inside. "Milord, I was wondering-" He broke off upon seeing the two Noldor elves. "I beg your pardon, Lord Elrond. I did not realize-"
"Of course you did." Elrond said irritably. "Well, come on, Legolas, what can I do for you?"
Legolas could not make his mouth obey his brain. He shook his head.
Elrond smiled briefly but then his face became rather grave.
"Milord, what is wrong?"
Elrond looked at the female. "This is Callorë's younger brother, Legolas. Legolas, this is Nileth, the granddaughter of Gilgalad and Bearer of the stars. Legolas," he turned to look into Legolas's eyes, "Callorë was helping to escort the Lothlorien caravan here. The caravan was attacked by orcs, and Callorë was killed."
Legolas shook his head. "That cannot be. He was to return with me to Lasgalen, and-" he whirled on Nileth. "You wore the bags of a healer. How could you not save him?"
Nileth's eyes filled with tears. "I tried, but, by the time he was found-"
Legolas frowned. "By the time he was found? Where was he?"
The male elf stepped forward. "Legolas, you may not remember me, but I am Haldir, a friend of your brother's. He was with me at the beginning of the attack, but we were soon separated, searching for Nileth-"
Legolas sat down hard in an overstuffed chair, his head in his hands. "Callorë..."
Elrond led the other two elves out to give Legolas privacy.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Two nights later, a dirty, exhausted Mithrandir arrived, refusing to discuss what he had gone through. Two weeks later, the Ringbearer, called Frodo Baggins, arrived, wounded by a morgul blade...
`~`~`*`~`~`
"Lady Arwen," a messenger burst into the private sitting room of the elven princess. "Lord Elrond requires you and Lady Nileth in the sickroom above the terrace immediately!"
The two elven maids collected their herbs and ran to assist the elf lord. All through the night, they slaved over the wounded hobbit. Finally, the danger passed and Frodo was moved to a recovery room.
Arwen had no sooner slumped into a chair in the hall to sleep than Aragorn made his way to check on Frodo.
"Shhh..." Nileth walked up behind the gawking Ranger. "She and Lord Elrond have not rested in two days since the young hobbit arrived."
Aragorn jumped at the sight of Nileth. "What are *you* doing here?"
Nileth smiled. "Relax, Aragorn. I won't seek revenge for that prank you pulled back in Lothlorien. That was at least twenty or thirty years ago. But in answer to your question, Galadriel has decided to marry me off to the crown prince of Mirkwood-"
"Legolas? Poor Legolas."
Nileth punched Aragorn lightly on the arm. "Hey, I was young, and you weren't much better!"
"Truce?"
"Truce."
Aww. Peace between Nileth and Aragorn. And I finally have everyone but Boromir at Rivendell. (Don't worry that won't take long.) I'm almost ready for the Journey to begin!
The traveling band from Lasgalen arrived late in the evening. Elrond himself came out to meet them.
"Is Gandalf with you?"
Legolas leapt down from his horse lightly. "No. Any word from Estel?"
Elrond smiled slightly at the young elf. "No. Not that that worries me..."
Legolas laughed. "My father keeps telling me that every time I am from his sight, he worries."
Elrond smiled sadly. "Yes, once they've wormed their way into your heart, you are stuck with the worries that something might hurt them... Elladan and Elrohir have not yet arrived either, and I-"
The gates to Rivendell swung open again. The procession from Lothlorien had arrived.
Arwen fell off her horse into her father's waiting arms. "Ada!"
"Arwen, my daughter!"
Then, Arwen remembered her duty. "Father, I bear news from the Realms of the Lady of the Wood." She curtsied as deeply as her riding gear and sword would allow.
Elrond stood up straight. "I would hear these tidings in my study then." With that, he turned and approached the house.
Legolas watched as Arwen paused and beckoned to a couple of the other elves. Two of them immediately fell in step behind her. He had only seen the Rivendell and wood elves, but these were Noldor elves- male and female. One, he noted, was obviously a warrior, but the other- the female- was dressed in the manner of- well, he couldn't decide. She wore garments similar to the warrior, but of a much finer cloth, like that of court dress, and the belt of a healer. He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling that he knew them from somewhere. He turned back to his horse and led it to the stables.
Lorintal and Umbothel had watched all this in silence. As soon as Legolas turned towards the stables, they followed Elrond and the others.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Once in Elrond's study, Arwen began recounting the tale. As she began to explain the first orc attack, Elrond held up his hand.
"Come in."
The door opened slightly. "Excuse me, Lord Elrond," Umbothel began, "but-"
Lorintal screeched and threw herself at the female Noldor elf.
Elrond sighed. "Have a seat. You have as much a right to hear this as anyone. And Lorintal, please relinquish your hold on Nileth. Continue, my daughter."
`~`~`*`~`~`
The tale was completed without too many interruptions, thankfully in Elrond's eyes. Lorintal's tears at Callórë's death were the biggest intrusion suffered.
"Once the Ringbearer arrives, we will hold a Council on what to do. Until then, each of you needs to rest."
"Ada," Arwen interrupted, "who is watching for Aragorn?"
Elrond rolled his eyes, he should have known this was coming. "Glorfindel is watching the Wilds for him."
"May I-?"
"Perhaps in a day or so, daughter." AN: I am kinda sorta following the book. Glorfindel, or rather his horse, rescues Frodo, not Arwen. Sorry :)
`~`~`*`~`~`
"How long have they been in there?" Legolas asked, pacing back and forth in one of Elrond's many halls.
"Two hours-"
"And twenty-two minutes." Elladan finished.
Legolas sighed and resumed his pacing.
"If you are so desperate to speak with Ada, go knock on the door and ask for him." Elrohir pointed out.
"That's exactly what I'm going to do." With that, Legolas strode to the door to Elrond's study.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Lord Elrond had dismissed the gathering, but as soon as they could, Nileth and Haldir had returned to ask him questions about the Ring and other important matters.
"Sir, I feel that-"
A knock resounded on the door.
"Come in."
Legolas stepped inside. "Milord, I was wondering-" He broke off upon seeing the two Noldor elves. "I beg your pardon, Lord Elrond. I did not realize-"
"Of course you did." Elrond said irritably. "Well, come on, Legolas, what can I do for you?"
Legolas could not make his mouth obey his brain. He shook his head.
Elrond smiled briefly but then his face became rather grave.
"Milord, what is wrong?"
Elrond looked at the female. "This is Callorë's younger brother, Legolas. Legolas, this is Nileth, the granddaughter of Gilgalad and Bearer of the stars. Legolas," he turned to look into Legolas's eyes, "Callorë was helping to escort the Lothlorien caravan here. The caravan was attacked by orcs, and Callorë was killed."
Legolas shook his head. "That cannot be. He was to return with me to Lasgalen, and-" he whirled on Nileth. "You wore the bags of a healer. How could you not save him?"
Nileth's eyes filled with tears. "I tried, but, by the time he was found-"
Legolas frowned. "By the time he was found? Where was he?"
The male elf stepped forward. "Legolas, you may not remember me, but I am Haldir, a friend of your brother's. He was with me at the beginning of the attack, but we were soon separated, searching for Nileth-"
Legolas sat down hard in an overstuffed chair, his head in his hands. "Callorë..."
Elrond led the other two elves out to give Legolas privacy.
`~`~`*`~`~`
Two nights later, a dirty, exhausted Mithrandir arrived, refusing to discuss what he had gone through. Two weeks later, the Ringbearer, called Frodo Baggins, arrived, wounded by a morgul blade...
`~`~`*`~`~`
"Lady Arwen," a messenger burst into the private sitting room of the elven princess. "Lord Elrond requires you and Lady Nileth in the sickroom above the terrace immediately!"
The two elven maids collected their herbs and ran to assist the elf lord. All through the night, they slaved over the wounded hobbit. Finally, the danger passed and Frodo was moved to a recovery room.
Arwen had no sooner slumped into a chair in the hall to sleep than Aragorn made his way to check on Frodo.
"Shhh..." Nileth walked up behind the gawking Ranger. "She and Lord Elrond have not rested in two days since the young hobbit arrived."
Aragorn jumped at the sight of Nileth. "What are *you* doing here?"
Nileth smiled. "Relax, Aragorn. I won't seek revenge for that prank you pulled back in Lothlorien. That was at least twenty or thirty years ago. But in answer to your question, Galadriel has decided to marry me off to the crown prince of Mirkwood-"
"Legolas? Poor Legolas."
Nileth punched Aragorn lightly on the arm. "Hey, I was young, and you weren't much better!"
"Truce?"
"Truce."
Aww. Peace between Nileth and Aragorn. And I finally have everyone but Boromir at Rivendell. (Don't worry that won't take long.) I'm almost ready for the Journey to begin!