Chapter 6
Glorfindel strode through the silent haven. Elves regarded him with awe and respect as he floated by, still dressed in his traveling gear.
" Where is Galadriel?"
Orodlin raised his head a bit higher.
" She is unable to rule at the moment. I am afraid you will have to do with me. Celeborn too is nursing wounds."
Glorfindel crossed his arms.
" It has come to my attention that the woods south burned to the ground. It is well known that that is the direction in which his Majesty and his herald, Elrond, took for their hunt." Glorfindel leaned in. " I request an immediate answer as to why a search party has not been sent out."
Orodlin moved away from the golden haired warrior with a slight smirk.
" I do not think it is necessary, lord Glorfindel. His Majesty and his new herald should be competent enough to survive that."
Glorfindel reached to pull the sneering lord to face him. Immediately two Elves stepped between them.
" I see my guard is necessary to protect me from people like you. People who would use force to coerce the weak into joining their cause."
Glorfindel's eyes narrowed.
" What about the search party?"
Orodlin picked a piece of dirt from beneath his nails as he turned.
" If they have not returned in a week, then I will issue a search party."
Glorfindel pressed his lips together, containing his anger and walked away. Orodlin smirked slightly.
*You soft hearted Balrog-Slayer. Woe to you if you try to stand between my throne and me. You will find it a horrible end.
~*~
Celebhiril sat beside Galadriel's bed, holding the comatose woman's hand. Tears cascaded down her already pale cheeks, carving even paler paths.
" Celebhiril?"
She turned and then rose, burying her face in her brother's arms.
" Glorfindel."
The head of the House of the Golden Flower ran his thumbs over her cheeks, erasing the tears. He then lifted her hand pointing out the betrothal ring.
" Why the tears, 'Hiril?"
She shook her head, laying it against his chest.
" He cried out to me and then it fell away. Something terrible terrible has happened out there. I know it."
Glorfindel's face darkened and he tipped up her chin.
" To whom?"
Her lips trembled.
" Ereinion."
~*~
Elrond threw himself into the waves, pulling his shirt over his head in an effort to clean off the grime. Ereinion watched from the shoreline before turning to glance behind them at the blackened earth.
" We cannot walk all the way back to Lindon, Elrond. My feet are about to fall off."
Elrond stood with a slight smile.
" Let us see if our bad luck has finally been broken."
He let out a piercing whistle that echoed through the area.
Immediately, two neighs responded to it. One dark, one light horse appeared, galloping through the surf. Elrond helped Ereinion to his feet.
" If you can manage the pain, then this is the quickest way to get home." Elrond said, grabbing onto the horses' reins.
Ereinion held out a hand to his horse. The steed pushed his nose into Ereinion's palm with a nicker.
" Well done, boy." Ereinion murmured.
Elrond looked towards Lindon.
" A day of riding at most, Ereinion."
Ereinion sighed, before bidding his horse to its knees. He mounted then, closing his eyes at the pain.
" Hopefully I will survive."
Elrond mounted himself with a smile.
" I will make sure you do not die."
Ereinion patted his horse's neck.
*That is a comforting thought…
~*~
Celeborn's eyes fluttered open. He stared up at the white ceiling in confusion.
*This is not my room…
He turned his throbbing head slowly. His wife lay as pale as death on another bed nearby. He sat up, ignoring his reeling vision and pulled himself to the chair beside her bed. He took her hand.
" Galadriel? Artanis? Nerwen?" He whispered, running another hand over her cheek.
She was as cold as the pale winter dawn. He leaned back, running a hand over his mouth before submitting to his grief.
~*~
Orodlin turned his eyes to the beautiful light brown haired she Elf sitting beside Glorfindel. She wore a betrothal ring, Orodlin noted.
*Binding her to a dead Elf. Those Elves should show up soon with the tokens of death.
He took a sip of his wine.
*Victory already is a sweet vintage craving to be tasted.
His eyes turned down to her again.
*With both her love and brother out of the way, she will have no one. She shall remain by my side.
He swirled his wine glass, catching her gaze. He lifted it to her.
Celebhiril turned her head away, ignoring him. She had never cared for the pompous Elf, though he entertained his ego by thinking otherwise. Glorfindel leaned in.
" What bothers thee?"
She waved a hand.
" Orodlin needs his ego popped as usual." She tilted her head. "And Ereinion will refuse to give me his head as a wedding present."
Glorfindel chuckled, casting a glance back at the Elf.
" Ereinion will be home soon and all will return to normal."
She squeezed his hand.
" You always are right."
A beaten and battered Elf burst into the Dining Hall. He crawled forward, ignoring helping hands. With dying breaths, he gasped:
" His majesty is dead."
A moment later he was dead and no other information could he divulge to them. A silver ring and the Peredhil charm tumbled from his cold fingers onto the floor. Celebhiril was the first one by his side, picking up the ring and charm. She strode to where Orodlin sat.
" I demand that there be a search party sent out with the delivery of this ill tokens."
Murmurs went around, agreeing with her. Orodlin inclined his head.
" Perhaps, lady, but if the King is indeed dead, then the search would be fruitless."
Celebhiril threw a glass of water in his face.
" You sicken me! His Majesty could be lying ill somewhere, mistaken for dead and you are not worried? Heaven forbid he be dead and we left with you as our King!"
Orodlin rose, grasping her wrist. The metallic sound of a sword being drawn attracted all attention. Glorfindel strode forward, seething under his calm exterior.
" Never, ever touch my sister again, Orodlin, or you will answer to my sword!"
Orodlin held up his hands peaceably.
" Forgive me." He said apologetically. " I am so lost in my own disbelief that I am not thinking straight. Of course we will search for Ereinion. He is my cousin." Orodlin faked suppressed emotion. "I just…I cannot believe he could be dead. This with my Aunt, and now he… This is happening so quickly."
The Elves were moved to compassion, all save Glorfindel and Celebhiril. She rubbed her wrist with fiery eyes before stalking away, the ring and charm still in her hands. Orodlin watched her go.
*For your actions tonight, lady, you will pay with your life.
~*~
Their going was slow. Ereinion lapsed between consciousness and unconsciousness. Elrond rubbed his eyes wearily, settling in for yet another long watch. Ereinion tapped his shoulder.
" I can take it tonight."
Elrond began to protest, but then thought better of it. He hurled himself at the ground, asleep before he even hit it. Ereinion scooted towards the Elf, making sure he could awake Elrond at a moment's notice. He then turned his eyes upward. An overhang of gray covered his beloved stars and constellations, but the Gil-Estel shone dimly through still.
Ereinion sighed.
*There is so much I do not understand. Why were we attacked? Why does anyone want to kill me? And who?
He shook his head.
*What if that someone is nearby?
His eyes involuntarily traveled to his companion. The half-elven looked utterly innocent in the dim light. Ereinion shook his head again, dispelling any false notions from his mind.
*Elrond would never betray me.
His thoughts rolled on to Celebhiril.
*I wish to have her here; to have her to hold and whisper that it will all be all right.
Pain rocketed up his arm. His bit his lip to stifle his cry. He glanced at the rising light, not realizing how the time had flown. He rolled his neck, nudging Elrond awake.
*It is useless to try and think this out with my muddled mind. Galadriel will answer everything when I return.
~*~
Orodlin was actually a bit frightened for his own life. Two eyes bored into his with hatred that rivaled his own for Ereinion. He was pressed into the wall harshly.
" You killed her. You killed your own aunt! What kind of being are you?"
*So she is dead already? That stuff is more potent than I thought…
Orodlin relaxed, seeing his guards approaching swiftly. Celeborn pushed Orodlin harder, threatening to strangle the Elf then and there.
" You poisoned her and would have killed me also, had not I suspected something."
" Celeborn?"
Celebhiril was a sight for Orodlin's frightened soul. Tears of joy streamed down her face.
" She is awake, Celeborn. She is awake and asking for you."
Celeborn turned, completely forgetting about Orodlin.
" Really?"
Celebhiril nodded, her face beaming with joy.
" Yes, really."
Orodlin sent her a thankful smile as Celeborn ran off.
" Thank you, Celebhiril. I believe you just saved my life."
She morphed back into a cold unfeeling ice princess.
" It would do me little pain to see Celeborn gut you like a pig. I know you did as Celeborn accused." She lifted her head frostily. " And I have already sent my brother to fetch the wine bottle and glasses for testing."
*The glasses…Oh Mandos, the glasses were not changed…
She regained his attention when she waved a finger in his face.
" And I know you have something to do with Ereinion's delay."
Orodlin shook his head with an innocent gesture.
" With all this evidence pointing to me, it would seem that way, I agree. I believe I am being set up for this. Perchance you are the culprit, not I."