Chapter 24
Elrond watched her on the other side of the fire. The cold wind nipped at his uncovered face. He tugged his blanket closer to his body, never letting his eyes stray from her radiant face. Somehow, by a divine act of Eru, the two of them had ended up returning to Imladris alone. Elrond presumed it to rather be an act of the high king. Elrond finally closed his eyes, keeping his senses wide-awake at a 500-meter perimeter around them. His eyes opened again and he sighed.
*Curse my compassion.
~*~
Celebrían shivered again under her blanket. She curled further into her fetal position. She felt something warm drop over her and then gentle lips on her temple. She let one eye drift open. Elrond sat himself back by the fire, briskly rubbing his arms and warming his hands. He pulled a supply of arrow shafts and arrowheads from a bag and began fitting them together. Celebrían rose, letting the two blankets trail behind her.
Elrond's eyes flickered up when she sat beside him, letting the blankets fall around his shoulders also.
" I can share," she said softly.
Elrond shook his head, arranging the blanket around her shoulders securely.
" I will be fine."
" Blue is not a becoming skin color, Peredhel."
Elrond glanced at his hands with a sigh, before then glancing at her. She saw the indecision in his eyes as he conveyed what really bothered him.
*What if another traveling party comes upon us?
Celebrían shrugged, though she was encouraged by his protectiveness of her untouched honor.
" Then they can look for all I care. I believe Ereinion would like you movable and not frozen."
Elrond chuckled as he consented. Their heads fell on his balled up tunic. Celebrían pressed her back to his chest, relishing his body warmth. His arm crept around her waist protectively. Celebrían glanced back at him, her eyes caressing his peaceful countenance.
*Curse this stupid war. He would be mine now were it not for Sauron.
~*~
Glorfindel was waiting for them as soon as they entered Imladris. He wore an anxious expression.
" What was the outcome?"
Erestor appeared also with his newly pregnant wife close behind. Elrond dismounted, turning to help Celebrían, but she had already jumped off. He frowned slightly, but made no comment.
" In less than a month and a half, all the forces of the Elves and men shall be here. We will continue down the Anduin to Mordor."
The two lords looked grave.
" Erestor of course is exempt due to the laws of the Eldar," Glorfindel muttered.
Elrond chuckled a little.
" It is fine with me. I needed to set someone in my absence over Imladris and you are now that appointed one."
Erestor nodded, though his face showed his disappointment of being left behind. Elrond clapped his hands.
" We need to begin building a large place for the soldiers to stay for they will be here many days. Erestor, begin on the plans for that. Glorfindel, summon as many of the men as you can, even those old enough to be of some help. Celebrisse, please summon the women to begin crafting blankets and pillows. Oh and also someone please check the food rations so we can prepare for more if needed."
" What about me?" Celebrían tugged on his sleeve as he began to walk away.
Elrond merely motioned for her to follow him.
" I would ask for you to help me. There are families to arrive and I have no skill with that. What I have heard is that there will be some children and women. If my sources are right, one is with child."
Celebrían smiled.
" You wish me to act as the Lady of Imladris?"
Elrond shrugged.
" It has never had one before, but if you wish the temporary title, then by all means, I offer it."
Celebrían smiled.
" I accept it."
Elrond sent her a relieved smile.
" Good, or Erestor would not be happy with me stealing his wife."
Celebrían laughed, leaning up to steal a kiss. Elrond was thrown off guard for a moment, but quickly returned to earth. He took her hand, this time kissing it.
" I must go oversee this already. Wish you to watch?"
Celebrían nodded. And thus began the lady of Imladris' rule.
~*~
Erestor came running at Glorfindel's call. Glorfindel stood over Elrond, casting an ominous shadow over things. Erestor bent beside Elrond.
" What happened?"
Elrond gave a small shrug, jumping to his feet.
" Absolutely nothing. Everything is fine." He sent Glorfindel a silencing glance.
Erestor glanced at Glorfindel. Glorfindel crossed his arms, weathering Elrond's stormy look.
" He just fell about twenty feet."
Erestor shook his head.
" Come on, Elrond."
Elrond began to protest, but Erestor was firmly steering him towards the haven.
" See. You limp," Erestor said softly. " And, I believe that is blood trickling down on your neck."
" I will be fine, Erestor."
" Nonsense. This is indeed in need of being checked."
Elrond glanced back with an irritated look, firing it at Glorfindel. Glorfindel merely bowed slightly with a smile before going back to work.
~*~
Celebrían gave a small sigh as she continued mixing a serum Elrond had set her to this morning. He said it would be needed in the upcoming war. She had just sighed at the monotonous work. Erestor entered for the first time that day and Celebrían was instantly alert.
" What happened?"
She caught the blood staining the back of Elrond's shirt.
" Noth-" Elrond began.
" He fell about twenty feet, according to Glorfindel," Erestor interrupted. " Could you see to that gash on the back of his head, Celebrían?"
Elrond gave a small sigh, seeing it useless to argue.
" I have never been treated like a child until now," he mumbled.
Celebrían pressed the cool cloth to the back of his neck, causing him to arch away from it.
" Ow," Elrond sent the wall a fiery glare. " Let me be, you two. I can do this myself."
Neither listened to him. Elrond fidgeted as Celebrían continued. She placed a gentle kiss on his neck.
" I guess it is true what they say." Celebrían sent Erestor a humorous look.
" And what is that?" Elrond twisted so he could glance at her.
Celebrían sent him a mischievous smile.
" Healers are the worst to heal."
~*~
Elrond sat with a sigh in his study, his left ankle propped up. He restlessly glanced out the window at the finished building and then back at the offending foot.
*If I had not this Edain blood, I would have been able to finish it with the rest.
Two slender and slightly tanned arms fell around his neck, and onto his chest.
" Do not beat yourself up about it. All the Elves here know you take on a fair share of the work."
Elrond just shrugged.
" I am fine, but you and Erestor continue to coddle me like a child."
Celebrían knelt beside him.
" I do this because I love thee."
Elrond's eyes still stared at her, unconvinced. Celebrían stood, gently sitting in his lap. She wound her arms around his neck and then gently kissed his lips.
" What can I do to convince you?"
Elrond just sent her a small smile. Celebrían laid her head on his shoulder, content to listen to the steady heartbeat that she knew she would miss terribly. Their days together in Imladris were becoming numbered as news of Ereinion's troops drew closer.
~*~
The Edain were in instant awe from the moment they arrived at the well-concealed gate. Not one of them, save Elendil, had even seen it concealed within the trees. A beautiful dark haired Elf strode out to greet them, a mithril crown shining brilliantly in the sun.
" Elendil, mellon-nin. I am glad we meet again. Come along. Bid your soldier's haste for Elrond is waiting with a hot meal and bed for each."
Elendil nodded.
" May I introduce my sons first?"
Ereinion nodded, his eyes turning up and then just freezing. Close replicas of Elrond and Elros stood before him. Ereinion managed to catch arms with each.
" Elrond will be overjoyed to meet family," Ereinion turned back to Elendil, " Now, come, introductions shall all be done once inside the safety of Imladris' walls.
Elendil turned to his soldiers, his voice carrying to them all.
" Let us make haste to Imladris."
~*~
Ereinion smiled as he and Elendil crested the hill into the Valley of Imladris. Celeborn and Oropher's troops were to arrive just after them. Ereinion set his eyes forth to his heir standing tall before the opulence of Imladris. Ereinion squinted against the sun before grinning. A silvery haired maiden stood alongside Elrond, just as the lady of the house would.
*That trip alone back here must have accomplished far more than I believed.
" Elrond," Ereinion dismounted with a smile, " Little Celebrían."
" I am not little, Majesty, and you know it," Celebrían shot back with a smile.
Ereinion just sent her a warm smile. Only Elrond caught the worry in his eyes and the weariness under his strong façade.
" I trust all things are in order here in Imladris?" Ereinion asked softly.
" We have been building like mad men."
Celebrían caught him placing his still blistered hands behind his back so as to hide them from Ereinion. She shook her head slightly. If Elrond had not had Elvish blood in him, she suspected he would have fallen countless times to his death from the precarious beams and his condition would be far worse than the tiny limp he retained.
Ereinion glanced back over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows as if expecting Elrond to say something.
" Soldiers of the Alliance, let your hearts be lightened. Tonight you may sleep well and feast, forgetting that in two days we march," Elrond glanced at Glorfindel and Erestor.
The two and many other Elf-lords set to making the soldiers comfortable. Elendil and his family remained with the Elves.
" Elrond, meet the rest of Elendil's family," Ereinion said.
Elrond moved forward with a smile. Celebrían had already enchanted the women with her easy conversation. She moved forward with Elrond, holding one of the Edain children in her arms. The young child's eyes then turned to Elrond's extremely dark braids and decided they looked far more delectable then the silver ones. Elrond felt the tug and let his head go with it, motioning for Celebrían to hand him the child lest he lose part of his hair. Ereinion was near laughter. Elrond simply shrugged, not bothering to disentangle his tresses from the boy's hands.
" Welcome to Imladris. I hope it is acceptable during your…"
Elrond's words trailed off as he just stared at the two men. He tried to make his mouth work, but no words came. Celebrían even stopped talking, seeing his paleness.
" Elrond?"
Ereinion jumped in.
" This is lady Celebrían, daughter of Celeborn, whom shall be joining us shortly."
Elendil kissed her hand.
" I saw you at the Council and now I see why you were admitted. I never knew that lord Elrond had wed."
At that Elrond came back to his senses.
" Nay, we are not wed."
Celebrían sent the men an impish grin, her eyes sparkling for just a moment.
" Yet she means to have his hand," Elendil whispered to Ereinion.
Ereinion nodded. Elrond stepped forward to the sons. Ereinion frowned. He had detected the limp.
" You two resemble my brother unlike any other of his descendents."
" I am Anárion, the eldest."
" And I Isildur."
Elrond caught arms with both. His eyes lingered on Anárion and then Isildur. Elrond then smiled.
" Do not linger here on Imladris' threshold. Please come inside."
~*~
Ereinion found Elrond in his study. Ereinion placed two hands on the hard oak with a loud thud. Elrond jumped and then winced when he put pressure on his left foot.
" What happened?"
Ereinion reached across, turning over Elrond's hands and assessing the blisters. Elrond pulled his hand back defensively.
" I am not a child, Highness."
Ereinion raised his eyebrows.
" I saw the bandage peeking from under your collar and I noted the limp. What happened?"
Elrond looked at his hands.
" I fell." Elrond looked up quickly. " But it was nothing grave. I simply twisted an ankle. Erestor says it shall be healed by the time we march."
Ereinion stood, beginning to pace. Elrond stood also.
" You cannot ban me from going. I am your Vice-Regent and the head healer. If you leave me behind, then you will lose much of your force."
Ereinion raised his eyebrows.
" Is that a threat, Elrond? I thought you were above those."
Elrond slowly folded his body to fit back into his chair.
" Nay, Ereinion. I am merely stating that I will be going with you."
Ereinion just shook his head.
" If you see fit."
Elrond glanced up, hearing the haggardness and trepidation in Ereinion's voice.
" Your dreams haunt you," Elrond perceived.
Ereinion ran a hand over the back of his neck with a nod.
" I remember my predecessors and I wonder if their fate is mine."
Elrond's brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to reply. Glorfindel stuck his head in at that inopportune moment.
" Ereinion, Elendil is looking for you. He seems to have something heavy on his mind."
Ereinion quickly followed the golden haired lord. Elrond felt his vision go and let the farsightedness carry him away.
~*~
Elrond sought to be alone. He found a bench and then propped his elbows on his thighs, placing his head in his hands.
*Neither of the Sons of Elendil shall last beyond the war. I see death in Anárion's eyes; death for one so young. In Isildur, I see a strength that can bring good and evil. I know not what lies for him, but it is great. His name shall roll off the tongues of men.
Elrond sought to ignore his other vision. He covered his face as it assaulted his senses.
Darkness. It was as black as a night without stars or Ithil. Battle cries were heard all around, but Elrond's eyes were fixed upon a fight. Elendil sailed and fell to his death against a rock wall. Elrond could not move as Gil-galad continued his fight. In this moment, he was indeed Gil-galad, for he shone with the glory of the Elves. Elrond was suddenly pushed forward so that Sauron's pungent smell filled his nostrils. It that moment, Sauron drove his mace deep into Ereinion.
Elrond's head jerked up before looking down at the flower offered to him. Elrond took it with a smile, knowing the toddler would not understand Elvish by now. The little boy climbed up into his lap, beginning to babble in his own language. Elrond let him, looking where the boy pointed and listening intently. The boy gave a soft squeal as he pointed to the Gil-Estel that lingered, bathing them in stardust.
" It is beautiful, is it not?"
Celebrían sat beside him.
" Where have you been?"
Elrond shrugged.
" Here. I cannot escape my nightmares."
" Tell me them."
The little boy scampered away, hearing his father's voice. Elrond rose, tugging on Celebrían's hand.
She followed him into the confines of the woods. She came up close to him, brushing his hair behind his ears.
" Tell me your nightmares."
" They all die, except me."
Her brow furrowed. His looked up fleetingly.
" I have seen deaths of many. Many I will ignore and prevent."
" Who?"
Celebrían had never seen him so torn up over death. She watched him slide down to sit against a tree. His hands covered his face. She bent before him, placing her hands on his knees.
" Elendil dies," Elrond whispered, " As will Anárion."
" That is not what eats you up," Celebrían perceived.
He shook his head.
" I have seen Ereinion fall also."