Chapter Five: Shadow of Dreams
I tossed and turned in my bed that night. Thinking of things long past, things I didn't understand. I dreamt, and my dreams were troubled.
*I saw Celebrimbor, my father, standing before a young woman with a child in her arms. She was to make her passage alone, in secret so that none could tell the Darkness where she went.
He kneeled before Tarahawen, taking his hand in hers.
"My dearest, dearest love." He whispered, "Be silent and be swift, for all our sakes."
"But what of us love?" Tarahawen said, her voice troubled, "What will become of us?"
"I will send for you when the danger has passed." He replied, removing a small bundle from his cloak and handing it to his lover. "Take this with you to the Havens, and if things go awry, give this to Lhunrothien when she has reached maturity."
A solitary tear trickled down Tarahawen's face but she appeared resolved. She took the package from Celebrimbor but looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Go, now." Celebrimbor glanced around the darkness, "It will be explained to her in time and we have already tarried too long."
With that, Celebrimbor rose and kissed Tarahawen gently. Celebrimbor turned back towards Hollin and disappeared into the blackness of night, Tarahawen lingered for a moment longer before turning away from her home and into the wilderness.
Suddenly I was standing in the forge at Eregion as the Orcs burst in. The Elves fought bravely but were cut down one by one. I watched as Celebrimbor, brandishing a hammer and red hot poker unleashed his fury on the Orcs of Sauron. He cut through them two at a time, swiftly taking them to the ground. I saw one particularly large Orc come out behind him, but Celebrimbor did not hear my call as the Orc drew back his blade, preparing to strike.*
"Lhunrothien!" a voice called as I was wretched from my dreams, "My lady, the Lord Elrond wishes to see you."
I opened my eyes and looked around the chamber. It was still dark out and a young elf stood at the door to my room with a light. Slowly, I brought myself to climb out of bed.
"Am I to go immediately?" I asked sleepily.
"He requested that you dress before hand." The Elf smiled as I walked to my wardrobe and removed dark green pants and a tunic. I slipped them over my undergarments before following the Elf out of the room and down the corridor. He led me to where Elrond stood with the young maiden I had seen him with in the garden that day and several other Lords of the house in a wide arched entrance.
"Lady Lhunrothien," he said, "it is imperative you go to Lothlorien to hide the Elven ring there."
"At this hour?" I asked
"By the time you reach the borders of Imladris it will be day." Elrond replied, gesturing to the assembled company. "Here is your escort."
I looked at the Lords assembled. No doubt they were good fighters but I had not yet gained complete control over my abilities and it would be a great burden for me if I traveled with them.
"My lord, I must kindly decline any escort, as I did when I left Mithlond." I said hesitantly, "I cannot yet completely control my Empathic abilities and I would find it a great burden."
Elrond looked at me, his dark eyes reading mine. Finally he said "I am sorry Lhunrothien but more danger fills the world every day. It would be most unsafe for you to venture out on your own. I am surprised that Círdan would let you journey forth alone from the Havens, but I know not his reasons, only mine."
"Besides," The Elven maid spoke for the first time, "I return to my home in the Golden Wood. These lords are to be my escort and I insist that you escort me as well."
I realised that I had been fooled by none other then Celebrían of the Wood. I also took a closer look at the Lords around me. Glorfindel was there but Gil-galad was not, I was glad of this, I was not yet ready to face him after our encounter in the garden. I didn't recognize any of the other tall Elves. Slowly my gaze drifted back to Elrond.
"Will you not be coming with us Lord?" I asked
"No." He replied, "There are matters of the utmost urgency that require my attention here in Imladris. But I will journey henceforth to Lorien before too long."
I nodded, "Then I will go if I am allowed to retrieve my weapons."
"It has already been done," Elrond smiled as my weapons were brought forth. My knives were tied around my waist and Círdan's quiver was strapped across my back. The oval jewel of Laughter was once again around my neck and Arawing on my finger. I took my long bow in my left hand and looked up at Elrond.
"Alright." I said to all present, though my gaze never left Elrond's, "I am ready."
"Good." He said but then quieter to only me he said "In Lothlorien you may find answers to the questions you seek."
With that seven set forth from Rivendell before the sun had fully risen. Glorfindel and I leading with Celebrían, and an Elf who introduced himself as Iaralata close behind. The young Noldor called Luinrhos followed with Vanaweth and his brother Haedo bringing up the rear. As we climbed up a low hill on the way out of the valley I glanced behind the company to the First Homely House and couldn't help thinking I was fleeing a relationship with the High King of the Noldor.
I tossed and turned in my bed that night. Thinking of things long past, things I didn't understand. I dreamt, and my dreams were troubled.
*I saw Celebrimbor, my father, standing before a young woman with a child in her arms. She was to make her passage alone, in secret so that none could tell the Darkness where she went.
He kneeled before Tarahawen, taking his hand in hers.
"My dearest, dearest love." He whispered, "Be silent and be swift, for all our sakes."
"But what of us love?" Tarahawen said, her voice troubled, "What will become of us?"
"I will send for you when the danger has passed." He replied, removing a small bundle from his cloak and handing it to his lover. "Take this with you to the Havens, and if things go awry, give this to Lhunrothien when she has reached maturity."
A solitary tear trickled down Tarahawen's face but she appeared resolved. She took the package from Celebrimbor but looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Go, now." Celebrimbor glanced around the darkness, "It will be explained to her in time and we have already tarried too long."
With that, Celebrimbor rose and kissed Tarahawen gently. Celebrimbor turned back towards Hollin and disappeared into the blackness of night, Tarahawen lingered for a moment longer before turning away from her home and into the wilderness.
Suddenly I was standing in the forge at Eregion as the Orcs burst in. The Elves fought bravely but were cut down one by one. I watched as Celebrimbor, brandishing a hammer and red hot poker unleashed his fury on the Orcs of Sauron. He cut through them two at a time, swiftly taking them to the ground. I saw one particularly large Orc come out behind him, but Celebrimbor did not hear my call as the Orc drew back his blade, preparing to strike.*
"Lhunrothien!" a voice called as I was wretched from my dreams, "My lady, the Lord Elrond wishes to see you."
I opened my eyes and looked around the chamber. It was still dark out and a young elf stood at the door to my room with a light. Slowly, I brought myself to climb out of bed.
"Am I to go immediately?" I asked sleepily.
"He requested that you dress before hand." The Elf smiled as I walked to my wardrobe and removed dark green pants and a tunic. I slipped them over my undergarments before following the Elf out of the room and down the corridor. He led me to where Elrond stood with the young maiden I had seen him with in the garden that day and several other Lords of the house in a wide arched entrance.
"Lady Lhunrothien," he said, "it is imperative you go to Lothlorien to hide the Elven ring there."
"At this hour?" I asked
"By the time you reach the borders of Imladris it will be day." Elrond replied, gesturing to the assembled company. "Here is your escort."
I looked at the Lords assembled. No doubt they were good fighters but I had not yet gained complete control over my abilities and it would be a great burden for me if I traveled with them.
"My lord, I must kindly decline any escort, as I did when I left Mithlond." I said hesitantly, "I cannot yet completely control my Empathic abilities and I would find it a great burden."
Elrond looked at me, his dark eyes reading mine. Finally he said "I am sorry Lhunrothien but more danger fills the world every day. It would be most unsafe for you to venture out on your own. I am surprised that Círdan would let you journey forth alone from the Havens, but I know not his reasons, only mine."
"Besides," The Elven maid spoke for the first time, "I return to my home in the Golden Wood. These lords are to be my escort and I insist that you escort me as well."
I realised that I had been fooled by none other then Celebrían of the Wood. I also took a closer look at the Lords around me. Glorfindel was there but Gil-galad was not, I was glad of this, I was not yet ready to face him after our encounter in the garden. I didn't recognize any of the other tall Elves. Slowly my gaze drifted back to Elrond.
"Will you not be coming with us Lord?" I asked
"No." He replied, "There are matters of the utmost urgency that require my attention here in Imladris. But I will journey henceforth to Lorien before too long."
I nodded, "Then I will go if I am allowed to retrieve my weapons."
"It has already been done," Elrond smiled as my weapons were brought forth. My knives were tied around my waist and Círdan's quiver was strapped across my back. The oval jewel of Laughter was once again around my neck and Arawing on my finger. I took my long bow in my left hand and looked up at Elrond.
"Alright." I said to all present, though my gaze never left Elrond's, "I am ready."
"Good." He said but then quieter to only me he said "In Lothlorien you may find answers to the questions you seek."
With that seven set forth from Rivendell before the sun had fully risen. Glorfindel and I leading with Celebrían, and an Elf who introduced himself as Iaralata close behind. The young Noldor called Luinrhos followed with Vanaweth and his brother Haedo bringing up the rear. As we climbed up a low hill on the way out of the valley I glanced behind the company to the First Homely House and couldn't help thinking I was fleeing a relationship with the High King of the Noldor.