Trust in Faith Alone
The Children of Elrond

Chapter Four

(Elladan)
Arwen! The sudden call startles me. But there is no one around. And I did not hear it with my ears - only with my mind.

I must be hallucinating. I close my eyes again and curl up tighter, my hair forming a curtain about my face. There is peace all around me in the pine grove, but it is anything but peace in my mind.

A sudden wave of numbing cold and panic hits me, then it is gone swift as it came.

What is happening? The feeling is not my own, though it feels familiar.

Am I going mad? It is a likely possibility, with all the strain and wear that has been pressed upon me. Suddenly my mind seems to stop. A white mist shrouds my vision, and when it clears I no longer see the dark pines where I sit. I am looking out on northern valley. It is dark night, the moon is pale and wan, and no stars come to lighten the shadows. As I watch, dark, silent shapes come toward Imladris from the north. At first I cannot make out what they are, but soon I realize that they are wolves. No, wargs. Great wargs of the Misty Mountains. They enter the valley silently, disappearing in the shadows and I can see them no more. With a start I am released from the vision.

Yes, it is a vision. Dark have been my dream of late, and darker still the visions. I received ada's gift of foresight, if gift it be. Naught but a curse it has been to me all the long years, showing horror after horror. But knowing what will occur does not help when the actual event comes to pass. If anything it makes it worse, knowing that I could have done something to thwart it. Yet I never do, I never tell anyone about my visions. I never have. No one knows about this gift I have. And I intend to keep it this way.

I draw a shuddering breath. All the turmoil has placed upon me fatigue as I have never known. I feel so weary... so weary of being me and everything about me. Weary of life...

Perhaps the wear of mortal lands is telling on me. But I did not feel this way until just today - No, I should not act on impulse.

Then again, perhaps it will be better if I forsake these lands.

Perhaps it will be better if I take the other road...

Perhaps...

(Elrohir)
Light is flickering before my vision. I blink and open my eyes. At first I can't remember what happened, but then suddenly everything comes back.

Arwen!

I sit up quickly, and feel a twinge of pain my head. Momentarily disoriented, I blink a few times and see that I'm lying on my bed in my room. Many candles are alight and lessen the darkness. That must be the light I saw - or rather felt.

Ada is pacing at the door, but when he sees me sitting up he hurries over with a look of concern mingled with relief. Strange how ada always manages to mix the most complicated emotions together...

"Elrohir, how do you feel?"

Aside from the throbbing in my head, I feel perfectly normal - albeit a bit disoriented still. "I'm fine," I reply. "Ada, what happened? Where is Arwen?"

I watch as his faces grows dark. This can't be good...

"You were knocked unconscious when the river threw you against a submerged rock. It was lucky Glorfindel found you so soon, or you might have been lost."

So far this doesn't sound too promising.

"Indil had gone out for a walk, and she saw you and Arwen. Glorfindel, Lasduin and I came when we heard her crying for help. The maiden was wise to do so, or we may not have come at all, and the worst may have happened."

I'm in debt of my brother's would-be-bride, the last person I want to be in debt of. Not good.

"As for Arwen, she had been swept much further downstream than you. Glorfindel has gone in search of her, but he has not yet returned."

Definitely not good...

I look out the window and see that it's pretty far into the night, but from the position of the moon not yet midnight. When did Arwen fall into the stream? It was around dusk...it has been much too long and Glorfindel has not come back. I can feel myself start to panic. Why hasn't Glorfindel come back? It's hard to believe that he has not yet found Arwen. What if something has happened to him? What if something has happened to Arwen? What if-

My disturbing what ifs are abruptly cut off when a knock sounds at the door. Ada gives me a stern glance telling me to stay, and he goes to see who it is.

I hope hard as I can that it's Glorfindel, come back to say that he had found Arwen and that all is well.

Please, please, please...

The door opens and my hope slips down a rabbit hole. It's not Glorfindel. It's Erestor. I wonder why he is here...

"Erestor?"

The councilor looks scared. Now I'm really curious as to why he's here. Erestor's not scared of many things, and ada's certainly not on that short list. He coughs and clear his throat. Apparently he doesn't know how to start. Ada raises an eyebrow.

Erestor finally beings. "Er, Lord Glorfindel just returned...and he says he wishes to speak to you. Alone." At ada's questioning look, Erestor shrugs.

Ada contemplates this for a split second. "Ask him to come to my study."

Erestor bows, more stiffly than usual, and scurries away.

My heart is pounding. Glorfindel's come back! He must have found Arwen! He wouldn't return without doing what he set out to do, this much about Glorfindel I know as a fact. Ada leaves the room and shut the door behind him. I listen for him to walk a fair distance away before getting out of bed, throwing on some clothes and sneaking off after him to the study. Taking a leave out of Arwen's book, I enter by a small entrance little used and hide among some bookshelves in a shadowy corner. Ada is already there, of course, pacing before his desk. From my vantage point I can see and clearly hear everything that goes on, but can't be seen myself.

Glorfindel comes in a short time. I notice that he's walking slower than usual and he has a very, very grave look on his face. Where's Arwen? Did something happen to her? I'm starting to panic again as Glorfindel approaches ada holding a bundle of something in his hands.

"Glorfindel," ada greets him. His tone is strained, I can tell he's about to be driven crazy from waiting. Glorfindel does not respond.

To my great surprise, and apparently to ada's also, he drops down on one knee before ada. Now I'm really alarmed. Never before have I seen Glorfindel do such a thing! My mind screams. Where is Arwen? What has happened to her?!

Ada takes a step back in surprise and alarm. "What is the meaning of this Glorfindel? I bid you, stand!"
Glorfindel remains kneeling. He does not look up at ada. "You will not ask me to stand once I tell you the news I bear my Lord," he said softly. "I rode Asfaloth for much distance along the river, until we came upon faint tracks leading up to where an old path runs among the beeches. I had much hope, thinking it must be Arwen. I followed the trail into the beeches cloaking the valley. I was attacked by a warg then-"

I nearly choke on a breath, and I hear ada gasp in surprise. "Wargs!"

"Yes, wargs have somehow entered the valley. I slew the beast, but in its thick fur I found caught there ragged locks of dark elven hair..."

I see ada take another step back in shock. My mind whirls. Elven hair. Arwen. No, no! It cannot be.
Glorfindel continues his tale. I feel my heart pounding louder and louder, and my head can hardly comprehend what he is saying. A clearing, warg paw prints, elven blood. No, this can't be really happening. I must be delirious. Arwen is fine. She is returning home now...No, she is not harmed, she is not...I somehow manage to force myself to listen to what Glorfindel is saying. My heart beats furiously.
"There, I also found..." He faltered. Ada's face is pale and he is trembling. I am frozen with horror and shock, and my blood is chilled. Glorfindel risked a glance up at ada, and quickly lowers his head again. He places the bundle he brought before ada without a word.

I watch as ada stares at the bundle. I now recognize that it is made up of Glorfindel's cloak. Ada slowly bends down and picks up the bundle with shaking hands. I watch as he unties it and slowly, slowly unwraps it layer by layer. His movements are agonizingly slow.

Just when I feel I can't take it any longer, the last layer is unfolded. My world seems to freeze for a single moment. What is in there?

Ada stares at the cloak and its contents. His face is deathly pale and he is shaking badly. He steadies himself against his desk. "No..." his voice is barely a whisper. "No..." His hands tremble so much that something falls from the cloak he holds.

Glorfindel bows his head.

A ragged lock of raven-black hair drops to the ground, and a shred of blue silk. Bloodstained blue silk. The blue silk of Arwen's dress.

My heart stops. I feel my blood run colder than ice.

No...

Vision fades into darkness, and I feel the world tilting. Then all is dark again.

(N/A)
"No..."

Glorfindel bowed his head as one who is condemned. Elrond dropped the cloak. It falls to the floor with a soft rustle.

"My lord."

Elrond looked at Glorfindel, disbelief and sorrow mingled in his eyes. "No..."

Suddenly, a faint noise is heard from a dark corner. Elrond turns quickly. "Who intrudes?" he said. His voice did not tremble, but was filled with quiet power. There was no answer.

Elrond strode over to the corner slowly. Glorfindel got up and silently followed. As they came upon the bookshelves, Glorfindel thought he saw a shadow move in a corner of his vision. But he soon forgot about it at what he saw next.

"Elrohir!" Glorfindel gasped. Indeed, it was Elrohir. He was lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, unconscious. Elrond's expression did not change, though some inscrutable emotion flickered in his eyes.
"Get him back to his room Glorfindel." There was authority in Elrond's voice, and Glorfindel does what he is told without another word.

Elrond watched him leave with Elrohir, then also exits and makes for the gardens. He needed time to be alone and think.

---scene shift---

Walking through the gardens, Indil occupied herself by killing time. The night was getting old, and she could hear faint music coming from a garden on the other side of the house. Most residents of Imladris were gathered there for music and singing, but Indil was in no mood for such light-heartedness. For one thing, her fate still lay heavy on her mind, and now also she worried for Arwen Undomiel. Though she had never met the maiden, Indil had a kind heart and could not bear to think that anything awful had happened to her. That was the other reason she was walking in this particular garden, for it overlooked the main entrance and she would be able to see Lord Glorfindel when he returned - hopefully with Arwen.

However, so far there had been no sign of the elven lord, and Indil was getting worried. She continued to pace about the gardens, her eyes continuously wandering to the front gate. She wondered why she was killing time, as that would only bring her closer to her certain fate. At least it had been put off for one night, she thought gloomily. The reason Indil did not know, but Elrond had spoken to her parents earlier, and they in turn had informed her that she would not be meeting Elladan that evening. For this she felt a certain amount of gratitude toward fate, but not much.

Her thoughts on fate were suddenly interrupted as she saw a fair haired elf ride in through the front gate. Glorfindel! He was back! He had passed too quickly for Indil to see if Arwen was with him, but she felt certain that he had found her.

Now what do I do? she thought desperately.

Follow him her mind answered. And she did. At least, she took the way that she thought he was be going, and hurried inside.

She walked and looked everywhere, but couldn't find him. After some time of this, she gave up. Luck and fate seemed to be both against her, and what could she do against such forces? Just then, Indil passed a doorway and stopped. She had come upon a small, little used entrance to Elrond's study, and Elrond was standing before his desk pacing. Then she saw Glorfindel enter. Luck was with her! She slipped inside silent as a shadow, intending to hide among the bookcases right at the door. She jumped when she saw another figure standing there, but with his back turned. She saw it was Elrohir, but had no time to think more about this as someone came up behind her and clapped a hand over her mouth. Turning her head around in fright, she saw Erestor, whom she recognized from earlier. He bade her to be silent and drew her behind a different section of the bookshelves, where neither Elrond nor Elrohir could see them. Why are you hiding here? she wanted to ask Erestor, but decided against it as she had no reason to be doing the same thing. Instead, she peered out between the shelves and listened to what Elrond and Glorfindel were saying.

Glorfindel was kneeling, to her surprise. Elrond bid him stand, but he did not.

"You will not ask me to stand once I tell you the news I bear my Lord," he replied softly. What did he mean? A sudden dread filled her mind as she listened to his tale. With each word her anxiety grew, until she was scarcely breathing. She watched Elrond pick up the bundle, and she saw his face grow pale as death. A dark clump of something fell from his trembling hands, and Indil strained her eyes to see what it was. When she did she did not understand, though her heart told her what she did not want to know: Arwen was gone. Behind her Erestor drew in a sharp breath, and she suddenly heard a faint thud from where Elrohir had been standing.

"Who intrudes?" came the sharp voice of Elrond. Indil shrank further back into the shadows as he and Glorfindel came over.

She heard a gasp from Glorfindel. "Elrohir!" Piecing what information she had together, Indil gathered that Elrohir had most likely fallen unconscious at the dreadful news. She hardly dared to breath until Glorfindel and Elrond were gone, taking Elrohir with them.

Erestor quickly left, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Indil also slipped away. She went back outside to the gardens, not wanting to see anyone after what she had just heard.

Indil walked alone beneath the starlit night. It seemed the world had lost something in the way of balance, darkness and grief was no longer in harmony with light and joy, all was drowned in deep shadow. Her sorrow was a grey veil before her eyes, hiding the what she longed to see once more.

(Elladan)
The stars seem brighter than usual. Strange, I would have expected them to be dim, as I usually find them in sorrow. But piercingly bright are the heavenly jewels, their light shimmering through the pine needles as threads of silver. How pretty...

It is night. That would mean they have arrived. It would also mean I should not be here. But still I am.

I do not want to go back.

I do not intend to.

I wonder what will happen if I forsake these lands, and take the other road. Will I miss what I leave behind?
What is there left for me if I stay? All the world seems dim and grey, it is all fading into a twilight. A twilight of despair. A darkest of nights without a star.

But what of my family...the ones I love? I cannot seem to remember them, too dark is the despair in my mind. Too deep is the bitterness that has built up in the long years. No one cares for me any longer. And I no longer care for them.

I will take the other road. My choice is made. I will forsake these lands...Forever.