A/N: My muse has recently whacked me in the head with a very large and
blunt object: The Wanderer's Staff. And so, I present for you (you may pay
in reviews, thank you!) chapter three.
Disclaimer: All Tolkien's. Besides, if you sue, I can only pay you in books. And I won't let them go without a fight. And I know my local poisons . . .
Cheers!
Sunsong
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~
It was night. I leaned on my room's balcony and looked out the window, towards the west. There were no stars, but Rivendell was almost bright enough that I could practically see the clouds, the moon was obscured by a translucent veil of darkness. None would bother me tonight and I was alone and in possession of particularly horrible liquor. I am not proud of what I did next, with that particularly horrible liquor.
***
Celebrian had awakened and managed to cleanse herself of poison. I had had to reopen her wound to let it drain, but at least it was healing cleanly. Her body was healing well; it was her mind and heart I worried for.
"Celebrian, eat." I would say at breakfast. Rivendell was a hum of chatter around the long dining table. Elves were talking, laughing- and one was attempting to recite limericks. Judging from the expressions of his friends, I would need to find some paperwork to occupy me during that particular presentation.
"I have. Thank you."
"Not enough. You hardly pick at your food. You must eat; I did not expend my strength so to have you die."
She shook her head, "Perhaps- perhaps I am full." She rose as if to leave; I did not let her go alone and stood up from the great table with her. The talk ceased for a moment, then the Eldar determinedly resumed the chatter, in their efforts to ignore us making me, at least, feel more noticed than before.
We walked down corridors and through rooms. Celebrian striding ahead, her head down, arms crossed, at quite a speed for one in such long skirts; I doing my best to keep up, for I would not lose her. She turned left, left again, right, broke into a dodging run. It would open up her wound again. For all I had pledged not to touch her, I ran after her and seized her arm.
She whirled- and punched me in the face. I let go instantly. Celebrian looked up at me. "Elrond?"
I saw confusion in her eyes. Blue they were, but changed colors with her moods. Now, they were so deep a sapphire as to seem black. "Yes," I said. "'Tis I, Elrond."
"Oh," she whispered. And crumpled to the ground, sobbing. I bent down, unthinking, but,
"Don't TOUCH ME! Leave me alone. Just, leave me."
I let her run to her rooms. I had much to think on- and not only a black eye. I thought I understood why she had punched me, but why had she run? Were she mortal, I could understand. Perhaps- perhaps I did. I seized my robes in both hands and chased after her. Once again, afraid. And hoping dearly that my surmise would not prove true.
****
The alcohol was good. Numbing. I did not have to think about the West. About- I stifled the thought. Work was what I needed. Tomorrow I would see Erestor about the paperwork. But tonight . . . the barrel of mead was only half-emptied.
Disclaimer: All Tolkien's. Besides, if you sue, I can only pay you in books. And I won't let them go without a fight. And I know my local poisons . . .
Cheers!
Sunsong
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~
It was night. I leaned on my room's balcony and looked out the window, towards the west. There were no stars, but Rivendell was almost bright enough that I could practically see the clouds, the moon was obscured by a translucent veil of darkness. None would bother me tonight and I was alone and in possession of particularly horrible liquor. I am not proud of what I did next, with that particularly horrible liquor.
***
Celebrian had awakened and managed to cleanse herself of poison. I had had to reopen her wound to let it drain, but at least it was healing cleanly. Her body was healing well; it was her mind and heart I worried for.
"Celebrian, eat." I would say at breakfast. Rivendell was a hum of chatter around the long dining table. Elves were talking, laughing- and one was attempting to recite limericks. Judging from the expressions of his friends, I would need to find some paperwork to occupy me during that particular presentation.
"I have. Thank you."
"Not enough. You hardly pick at your food. You must eat; I did not expend my strength so to have you die."
She shook her head, "Perhaps- perhaps I am full." She rose as if to leave; I did not let her go alone and stood up from the great table with her. The talk ceased for a moment, then the Eldar determinedly resumed the chatter, in their efforts to ignore us making me, at least, feel more noticed than before.
We walked down corridors and through rooms. Celebrian striding ahead, her head down, arms crossed, at quite a speed for one in such long skirts; I doing my best to keep up, for I would not lose her. She turned left, left again, right, broke into a dodging run. It would open up her wound again. For all I had pledged not to touch her, I ran after her and seized her arm.
She whirled- and punched me in the face. I let go instantly. Celebrian looked up at me. "Elrond?"
I saw confusion in her eyes. Blue they were, but changed colors with her moods. Now, they were so deep a sapphire as to seem black. "Yes," I said. "'Tis I, Elrond."
"Oh," she whispered. And crumpled to the ground, sobbing. I bent down, unthinking, but,
"Don't TOUCH ME! Leave me alone. Just, leave me."
I let her run to her rooms. I had much to think on- and not only a black eye. I thought I understood why she had punched me, but why had she run? Were she mortal, I could understand. Perhaps- perhaps I did. I seized my robes in both hands and chased after her. Once again, afraid. And hoping dearly that my surmise would not prove true.
****
The alcohol was good. Numbing. I did not have to think about the West. About- I stifled the thought. Work was what I needed. Tomorrow I would see Erestor about the paperwork. But tonight . . . the barrel of mead was only half-emptied.