What is wrong with FanFic? Last week it eats my formatting and this week it shows all my HTML codes! Argh!
Thoughts will be in Iitalics
Chapter 26
Thunder and Lightning
The being with the grey eyes was furious. First, his agent in the town of Naur had failed to kill the youngest elf twin, or any of the others for that matter, and secondly, the mercenaries he had sent to kill the ranger, his friend and his brothers had failed also, getting themselves killed in the process of failing. He stopped his pacing as a thought occurred to him. He smiled gruesomely. Perhaps there was a way. Though he could not see into the protected realm of Imladris, nor could he send any messengers in there to attack any of them directly, there might still be a way to get to that meddlesome she-elf.
"The protection of Imladris does not extend to the elements." He thought to himself. "Perhaps there is something else I could send."
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The Hall of Fire was busy celebrating the homecoming of the family of the Lord of Imladris, as well as their return to health, as in the case of the youngest son of the family, Estel. There was singing and feasting and much laughter and even Estel was enjoying himself, finally feeling well enough to be out of bed for the evening. Though his wrist and hand still wore their splint and he still had a slight headache from his healing skull fracture, the young man was still in high spirits, laughing and feasting along with the others.
Outside the Last Homely House, the fog, which still had not left the beautiful valley suddenly began to change. The formerly heavy mist started to rotate and move around the house and the elves and human within its walls. The wind grew in intensity, howling and throwing itself at the house, shaking the dwelling like a playing dog that worries a favorite toy.
Inside the house, the sounds of merriment died away, leaving those inside with an uneasy feeling, a feeling of some impending evil. Glorfindel had sought out his Lord and friend.
"The wind grows worse, my Lord. What do you make of it?" The blonde-haired elf looked at his long-time friend.
"Glorfindel, I know not what this is but I do not believe it is a natural wind."
"How so?"
"Do you see the fog?"
The Gondolin elf casually turned his head and looked through the windows to the outside. His eyes widened in surprise.
"The fog is no longer there!"
"Exactly. I have been aware of something happening for about the last hour." He absently laid his fingers over Vilya which he wore on his left hand. "Vilya is disturbed this night. It has pulsed to life twice since this wind started although it will not act without my wishing it so."
"Vilya has tried to act without you?" Glorfindel was surprised at this, for he had never heard of any of the three Elven rings acting on their own. "Then whatever this is must either be extremely dangerous or extremely evil.
"However," Elrond continued, "I advise caution. Until we can determine, for certain what devilry is about this night, I think it would be wise to wait before we take action."
"I agree. I shall circulate among our guests and see what I can do to calm them. Perhaps if their Lord were to do the same, it would put their hearts and mind at ease."
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The four elves and the human were sitting on the floor in front of the fire talking, laughing and joking. They were joined by two of the younger elves who lived in Rivendell.
"Díriel, Findor. I heard you two were back. How was your trip to Lórien?" Elladan clasped hands with the two newcomers.
"Fine, Elladan. My father's sister is doing well and is happy with her new husband." The tallest of the two elves, Findor, paused when he saw Anayah.
"So this is where you ended up, is it?"
"Hello Findor. Its nice to see you too." She responded dryly.
Legolas watched the exchange between the two, not liking the tone Findor took. Elrohir, always the diplomat, tried to steer things in a different direction.
"So, Findor, how about joining us for a glass of wine? It has been a long time since we have been able to visit."
"Thanks, El, I would like that. Besides, I am interested in hearing what little Miss Perfect has been up to."
Anayah blushed and dropped her eyes. Frowning, Elladan decided it was time to step in.
"Peace, Findor, you are a guest in this hall on this night and we are not here to argue or insult one another."
The elf bowed his head toward Elladan.
"My apologies, Lord Elladan. I do not wish to show disrespect to either you or your house."
It was not lost on any of the others that the dark-haired elf had not apologized to Anayah.
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Anayah had grown quiet, staring down at her hands, not paying attention to the conversation going on around her until she felt a hand laid on her arm and looked up into her brother's worried silver eyes.
"Are you ok? You have gotten awfully quiet."
"I am fine, Estel. Some things have been brought back to me that I would rather have remained forgotten."
"Do you want to talk bout it?"
She smiled at her brother. "No, that's ok. Tonight is not the night for talking of the past."
As she finished speaking, she looked up and saw Findor staring at her. She looked away, then excusing herself, got up and left.
The conversation picked up and time was spent reminiscing and laughing. Nobody thought it odd when Findor got up and excused himself, saying he was in desperate need of nourishment then left, supposedly to get a plate of food.
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Anayah sat alone in the sitting room thinking about Lórien - and Findor. That had been a disaster. Long had the elf sought her attentions and every time she had told him no. Then one night it happened. Anayah got up from her seat and went to the window, looking out into the night. She shuddered, thinking that if Haldir hadn't arrived on the scene, there was no telling how far it might have gone. Because of Findor's actions, he had been sent back to his father's people in Imladris. But that night had been one that neither elf had ever forgotten.
She turned, thinking of going back to her room when she felt hands on the back of her neck and her arm. She was slammed face first into the wall. For a few moments she saw bright sparkles of light then, she heard a voice whisper into her ear.
"Now, where were we, princess?"
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When some time had passed and Findor had still not returned, both Aragorn and Legolas started to get a bad feeling and it was not long until the twins did also. When the other Lórien elf was asked, he said he didn't know where his friend had gone. Aragorn looked over to where Anayah's guard for the evening was standing and locked eyes with Súrion. The Silvan elf nodded in acknowledgment and left the room.
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The Sitting Room was a battle zone and the condition of the room was not one in which Lord Elrond would have approved. Everywhere there were overturned chairs and books and papers. The two elves were circling around the couch, neither taking their eyes off of the other.
"Come on, little Miss Perfect, fight me why don't you? I hear you are pretty good at it - for a girl."
"No Findor, I cannot do that. This is my Ada's house and I will not show him or the house I live in such disrespect."
The male elf sneered. "Your Ada? There's a laugh. He's not your Ada, he is just an elf that said he would take you in because nobody else wanted you." When the she-elf didn't answer him, he continued. "Why do you think you were sent away from Lórien? Its because nobody wanted you. You don't act like a female elf or any other kind of elf for that matter - always going off on your own instead of settling down and getting married and having little elflings."
The two kept circling each other.
"Even your Grandmother thought you were an embarrassment."
Anayah froze and when she did, Findor seized the opportunity and leapt over the couch, tackling her to the ground. Twice he slammed her head into the floor as hard as he could then drew back his fist and slammed it into her face, stunning her. When he drew his fist back the second time, he never got a chance to land the blow for he suddenly found himself jerked away from the she-elf beneath him. The hands that had grabbed him, turned his body around until he was face to face with the biggest, angriest, silver-haired Silvan elf he had ever seen in his life, at least he thought he was the biggest until the next three elves walked into the room.
Then the room was full, as the twins, Legolas, and Aragorn arrived. They had seen the three remaining members of Anayah's guard leaving the Hall of Fire at a run and knowing that something was going on, had followed. Everyone was speaking at once.
"SILENCE!"
Everyone fell silent, even Findor, whose feet were still dangling off the floor and turned to see an angry Lord Elrond standing in the doorway of the room with Glorfindel by his side.
"What is going on here!"
Findor made a pitiful attempt to defend his actions.
"She tried to come on to me and when I said no, she attacked me."
Elrond looked at the Silvan elf.
"Súrion?"
"Lord Elrond, this little sack of horse droppings was attacking the Lady Anayah. She is back behind the couch ..."
When Súrion looked behind the couch, followed by a worried Elrond, the two were shocked. Anayah was no longer there. Just then a gust of wind caught the door to the balcony, slamming it open. Every elf in the room looked at each other worriedly for they knew that Anayah had left the Last Homely House and was now somewhere out there in the raging storm.
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Anayah angrily swiped at the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. She could have easily killed the little piece of garbage but she had not because she felt that to fight inside Lord Elrond's house, a house of peace, would have shown it and her Lord, the utmost disrespect.
She was so embarrassed. What must the others be thinking of her? Perhaps she already had the answer to that question. She didn't really belong in Imladris because the Peredhel family wasn't really hers, after all. Findor was right about one thing - she was an embarrassment to her grandparents as well as to Lord Elrond and his sons. Maybe they had been laughing at her all along, putting up with her for her Grandparents' sake. She staggered along in the high wind, trying desperately to keep her balance as she walked.
Aragorn was really her brother. There was no disputing the bloodline. But he was going to be a King some day. And he was going to be saddled with a sister that no man or elf wanted to be around. She would never allow that to happen because he did not need that kind of distraction, for what he was going to do as King of the reunited realms of Gondor and Arnor, was much too important.
The wind around her was picking up, becoming stronger and if she had been more alert, she would have noticed that it was now moving away from the house, following her as she tried to make her way to the stables. She saw the flash as the lightning hit the tree above her and heard the crack as the massive trunk was split in half and began to fall. But, there was no time for her to react as the whole thing came crashing down on her. All she felt was a massive blow, a tremendous pain and then blackness took her away from it all.
TBC
COMING NEXT: Alone: Aragorn went in the direction the falcon had disappeared in, closely followed by the four guards who were followed by the rest of the elves. They found Shakir sitting on a newly fallen tree, wings still spread.
They all stopped in shock for at the base of the tree, pierced through and pinned to the earth by a branch, all could see an all too pale hand and arm.
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Soccer-Bitch: Thanks for taking the time to read and review. Hope you enjoy this one as well.