Chapter 3
Erestor grabbed another fresh sheet of parchment. This was his third attempt at writing the official record for the library, but one of the curves in a letter was slightly off and Erestor wanted to correct it. Ever since he was very small, the Advisor had been detail orientated almost to a fault. His scripts had to be perfect, every one, no matter their import. Even basic memos and communications were sometimes given numerous run-throughs.
So engrossed was he in his work that he did not hear the soft footsteps of someone approaching.
"Erestor!"
The Advisor almost stabbed the pen through the paper but was lucky enough to have stilled his arm. The twins loved playing with their old tutor, even though they were full-grown, because Erestor could be fun when bothered while working.
"Elladan, is there something you need?" The older twin frowned; unfortunately, their tutor was also one of the few elves that could easily tell them apart.
"No, teacher, I've just come to see what you are doing."
It was Erestor's turn to frown; his young students never visited anyone 'just to see what they were doing'.
"What do you expect, young one? I am working. Don't you also have some task to perform?" The dark elf kept his eyes open for this one's twin, he knew Elrohir had to be around here somewhere if Elladan was standing in front of him.
Elladan smiled, "No, I have finished my training for the morning and was going to get some lunch. Would you like to come?"
"No, thank you. I've got some items I'm right in the middle of and would like to see them finished before stopping." To the Advisor, it felt as if he had just sat down, how was it lunchtime already?
Elrond's son sat on the edge of the desk, "I only came to ask you because the cooks have been spending all morning in the fields, the raspberries are ripe and I know they're your favorite." Erestor's eyes lifted, that wonderful little fruit was his most loved food and only in season for a short amount of time. It was one of the few things that could make him rise from his desk, that and perhaps Imladris catching on fire, but he would still have to think about getting up.
Staring down at his half finished work, he decided, against his better judgment, to go with Elladan.
"Where is your brother?"
"I don't know, do you think we always spend every moment together? I have my own life to live, as does he. Now, let's go."
******
The final journey was laid out before her. Perhaps, finally, she would be able to go there with piece of mind, with a sense that she had completed her greatest task.
From the moment she saw him in Imladris she knew who he was. She could never mistake their son for any other elf. Upon his mother's death she had vowed to protect him and she had lost him in a day. After one day alone he was swept from her and taken into the Lord's care. It was but days later when she learned he had died. It was said that he had died from an orc attack on the Lord's chambers, but it was widely whispered in dark corners that he had died alone in the woods. Cast off by Cirdan for reasons unknown.
She did not doubt those rumors for one moment. She knew he had killed the child, murdered him at the first opportunity. She would never find out he had not, that it was all an accident drawn out of desperation and fear of a new Lord threatened by a doubt and a flicker of things past.
The note with no name that she had sent Erestor, she could only hope it would open up the great question in his eyes once more and make him ready for what he was about to be told. Telling Cirdan the child lived was beginning a great spiral that would lead to their meeting and the final telling of the truth.
The elven midwife boarded the ship with a smile. Maybe one day she would see her lady's son again and she could tell him of his wonderful birth on that stormy day.
******
This year, the raspberries had been especially sweet and Erestor returned to his work actually in a very pleasant mood. For but a few passing moments, the thought of who he really was had retreated into the back of his mind.
First, he looked around the study, checking on his scrolls and books. Elrohir had to have come through here.
They all appeared to be in their correct places.
'So, they are growing sneakier.' He thought to himself. Looking in his desk, he found no critters, snakes, or anything else that shouldn't be there. 'Perhaps they only wish to make me paranoid, maybe they're watching me and enjoying my futile search.' His thoughts raced.
Finally, he sat down at his desk and grabbed another sheet of parchment. A memo to the structural engineers pertaining to a problem with the retaining wall on the east side needed immediate attention. Picking up his quill, he began to form the beautiful letters of his immaculate handwriting.
He stopped.
He wrote a few more words before stopping again.
Sighing he sat back.
Grabbing another piece of parchment he wrote a memo to go to his Lord before all others.
It needed to be explained why all of Imladris' communications this day were in pink ink.
******
Urging his horse faster, Cirdan could only see his destination, his redemption, in front of him. What he would do now may not forgive his past sins, but might only put a little peace into his shattered heart. Such evil there was around him, it clung like a cold fog forever blurring the outlook to the rest of his life. Perhaps now, some of that fog would burn off in a light of confession. Telling the one who had been betrayed so many times by him all that had happened.
He was so drawn up in his thoughts he almost ran over a figure in front of him on the road. The horse reared back and Cirdan swore that being had appeared out of thin air.
"Please move!" The elf begged of his intruder.
A white hood was lowered and Cirdan gasped in surprise.
"Surprised to see me, old friend?"
"Mithrandir!" Cirdan exclaimed, "Why are you here? Please, do not prevent me my task." He jumped from his horse to stride purposefully to the Wizard.
The White Wizard gave Cirdan the questioning look for which he was famous, "Stop you?" He inquired, "No, Cirdan, I am here to aide you with your quest."