When the Snow Falls Red
Chapter 23: Valandil Awakens
Don't own.
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A few days later…He had been putting it off. He didn't want to confront his children. He didn't want to explain everything to them. He didn't want to do anything. But he knew he had to. The strength of the family depended on the one conversation.
The day was growing to a close. The sun was setting behind the trees. Thranduil paced his bedroom, every once in a while stopping to look out the window. He sighed. "It has to be done." Thranduil said aloud to no one. He turned to his door and reached for the handle, then drew his hand back. He didn't want to do it. He took a deep breath and reached for the handle again, but before he could open the door, it was pushed open from the other side. He stepped back and allowed the door to open, and on the other side he found his eldest son, Aranel.
"Sorry to bother you Ada, but I was wondering if I could ask you something." He said. Thranduil tried to smile, but nothing came.
"Sit." He said, motioning to his giant bed. He was about to join him on the bed when there came a voice from the door.
"Ada? Legolas and I need to talk to you." Thranduil turned and saw Náessë and Legolas standing in the doorway. He sighed.
"Come in, come in. Sit on the bed." He instructed. His children nodded and sat down on the bed. Thranduil stood beside it. "I think I know what you are all wondering about." Thranduil said. His children looked at him. "About Eärendir." He said. The three of them nodded. "It's true that Eärendir was Aranel's twin brother. Your Naneth and I thought that it would cause problems, and as much as we didn't want to, we had to send one away. It ended up being Eärendir. We sent him to a colony of ours on the outside of the forest to the east. He was to grow up there in peace, never knowing where he came from. I guess there were too many rumors for him not to know. So he came back. He wanted revenge. He wanted to kill us all. That's why he captured Aranel, hurt Náessë, and tried to blame it all on Legolas. He had a deep hatred for us all, and frankly, I don't really blame him for hating me, but what he did to you was uncalled for. I'm sorry." He explained.
The three of them looked at each other. Náessë was nearly in tears. "So you mean, I killed my brother?" she asked. Thranduil closed his eyes, and said nothing. Legolas looked to his sister and put his arms around her.
"Don't worry Náessë. He tried to kill us all. He didn't deserve to live." He said, trying to console his sister. Náessë said nothing.
"I guess it was for the best." Aranel said. Thranduil looked at him. "Everything. That he was sent away, and that he… passed on." It was obvious that Aranel didn't mean a word of it. It was after all, his brother. "Náessë," He said, turning to his sister. "I don't want you to blame yourself. You did a good thing."
Náessë stood up from the bed and left the bedroom. The three of them looked after her as she left, and said nothing.
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Náessë wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and continued to wander the halls of the palace. Her wanderings led her to the Hall of Healing. She went inside. It was quiet. Saeros was still sleeping. Órelindë was nowhere to be seen. Uruviel was sitting in a chair near Saeros, reading the little book that Náessë gave to her.
Uruviel looked up when she heard someone enter the room. She smiled. "Good evening Princess." She said with a smile. Náessë smiled back and moved further into the room. She went to Saeros's side and looked down at him. His glazed eyes showed that he was in a deep sleep. Náessë reached down and took one of his hands.
"Uruviel, I have done something terrible." Náessë blurted out. It was strange that she felt the urge to tell Uruviel everything, but she felt that she could trust this younger elf.
"What do you mean, Princess?" She asked.
"I killed my own brother. Eärendir… he was Aranel's twin, and I killed him, back in the cave." Náessë said, looking down at Saeros's face. Uruviel rose from the chair and moved around to Náessë's side.
"We have more in common than you know." Uruviel said. Náessë looked at her quickly.
"What?" Náessë asked, confused. Urubviel quickly told her what happened at the river many, many years ago.
"I too was the reason that my little brother died." She said, hanging her head. "That's why I became a healer. I thought that it would somehow help me to forgive myself if I helped others." Uruviel looked up at Náessë. The elven princess smiled down at Uruviel, then drew the younger elf into her arms.
"Thank you." She said quietly. "I know what I have to do." Náessë said. She kissed Uruviel's forehead, then left the room, in search of Órelindë.
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Lólindir was sitting beside Valandil while Elrond went to get some sleep. He had been awake without sleep for a long time, so Lólindir said he would watch over him for a while.
While he sat there, he heard rustling. He looked up, and saw the Valandil was moving. He stood up from the chair. Slowly, Valandil's eyes opened. Lólindir gasped in surprise.
"Valandil…" Lólindir whispered. Valandil blinked his eyes and they focused on Lólindir.
"Lólindir? What am I doing here?" he asked, reaching up and rubbing his head.
"We are in Rivendell sir. You were terribly injured, and no one thought you were going to live. Órelindë said that you were beyond her skill. So I rode here with you to Rivendell, and Lord Elrond has been nursing you back to health." He said. Valandil smiled.
"It's good to hear you talk at last." Valandil said. "But I feel weary. I think I'll go back to sleep." He said. Lólindir was about to protest, but as he watched, he saw that Valandil fell into normal elven sleep, eyes open. He breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps he would be alright after all.
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In the morning, Legolas rose as the sun was rising. He heard commotion outside his room. Still in his night clothes, he stepped into the hall to see the Loríen elves walking through the hall, talking. Legolas spotted Haldir. He called to him and the elf came to him.
"Where are you going?" Legolas asked.
"Lady Galadriel has decided that it is time for us to return home. Órelindë says I am well enough to make the journey home, and that I would recover better being at home." Haldir explained.
"When are you leaving?"
"In a little while." Haldir answered.
"Alright. I'll get dressed and come to say good bye." Legolas said. Haldir nodded, and continued on his way.
A little while later, the royal family, Órelindë, Uruviel, Finwë, and the three soldiers were standing outside the palace as Galadriel, Celeborn and Haldir mounted their horses.
"Farewell!" They called to them, and they said it back. Legolas saw something pass between Haldir and Náessë, but he was unaware as to what it was. All he did know was that they were both smiling.
At that, the Loríen elves turned from the palace and began their journey back home.
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So I'm thinking that there will probably be about two or three more chapters. Not many. The story is finally coming to an end.
Later all-
Blue September Rain