The Undecided of Earendil
By- Larien
Chapter 9
Gemini969- Thanks for the review!
Kim- I'm sorry they didn't kiss. But read the a/n, i'm sure you'll be pleased! Thanks again for the review!
Legolaslover77- Don't worry, read A/n and you'll be happy, i hope. Thanks for the constant support.
Elvnchic9-Thanks for the review! Sorry about the cliffhangers You'll discover who it is soon enough, and I'm glad you asked about Sirdhem, for she is important. Can't tell you why just yet, but keep reading and you'll know! Lol. Thanks again for the review.
A/N- Sorry to all those who I've disappointed with the lack of the kiss, but it had to be done! (Just as a little foreshadow- I typed a chapter last night, that is romance up the wazoo, for all you romance extremes. For those who don't like it, it's an extra chapter for those who do and really isn't all that important to the over all plot. I'm not sure when I'll stick it in, but it's coming, so you can all relax.) Also thanks once again for the messages; it's nice to see the reactions everyone has. (As another hint, the faster and more messages I receive, the faster more chapters will be posted.) Thanks again, and now with the story!
The man that squirmed on the floor was large- his shoulders protruded from his thick neck, and his arms were very fine and etched with scars and veins protruding predominantly through out. His clothing was different from that that was worn by the elves in Rivendell- chain mail rattled underneath thick brown traveling clothes lined with fur. A leather belt tied at his waist was equipped with knifes, a sword, and a compass. His pants were a rough material with thick boots that tied up to his knees. He was without a doubt a traveler, but an armed traveler at that.
He looked up to Elrond with a mix of anger and uncertainty. His dark brown eyes showed small under bushy eyebrows and thick brown hair dangled ruthlessly everywhere. His lips parted through thick assortment of beard gasping for breath as he propped himself up on his hands, which were worn and large. His arms were exposed, except for the thick bands around the upper arm and thread tied around his wrists. A tattoo on his inner forearm was that of an eagle tearing at the eyes of a serpent and on his other forearm, Caniel winced at the deep claw marks running up his arm.
"Get up!" The elf Glorfindel commanded, nudging his heel with his bow. The other elf, Caniel did not know.
"Elf scum!" The man barked, spitting behind him. Glorfindel simply moved his leg out of the way.
"Who is this?" Elrond asked in a commanding voice.
"He refuses to give us his name, Lord Elrond." Glorfindel said. "He was found prowling our boarders, and when we asked for him he fled."
"I was hunting!" He shot at Glorfindel. "I'm a lost traveler and I was looking for food." He looked back to Elrond, his eyes blazing. "Is that so wrong?"
"No, but why then did you flee the elves?" Elrond asked sternly.
"I did not see them nor know who it was that called for me."
"We made ourselves visible to you." Glorfindel responded.
"I thought you were going to hurt me."
"Did we have reason to?"
The man grumbled in an unknown tongue to Caniel hanging his head. His fists were clenched at his sides, and one of his wounds had been reopened letting trail new blood to the floor.
"Release me." He said at last. "You have no need to keep me here."
"If it were all a misunderstanding I would." Elrond said. "But I still do not fully understand. You were out hunting when the elves called for you?"
"Yes."
"And you ran in fear that they would hurt you?"
"I feared that it was goblin scum, not elves."
"There are no goblins here!" Glorfindel said defensively. "Not within a hundred miles!"
"And when they made themselves visible, you continued to run?" Elrond silenced the offended elf.
"No, I stopped." The man grumbled.
" When we told him to come with us, he tried running again." The other elf said.
"Lies." He yelled, turning on the elves, which in a flash had drawn their bows and aimed carefully. "I did not run again." He lowered his voice.
"Then what did you call moving quickly in the other direction?" Glorfindel remarked.
"Why did you fear them so? And what is your name?"
"You don't need my name, and my fear is that of my own."
Elrond looked to Gandalf who raised his eyebrows. The situation did seem suspicious but to keep a man locked in a jail cell with no actual conviction was wrong. So Elrond tried again.
"We need not be enemies here. This very well may have just been a mistake. If so then I will gladly release you and even have these elves escort you to where it is you need to go. But I shall first like to know your name and the reason you did not so easily compile to their wishes."
"You elves think you're masters of all." He said through clenched teeth, glaring at Elrond. "You think you can just boss everyone around all the time don't you? You can't even let a man hunt in peace without taking him hostage and imprisoning him. Keep your noses out of business that is not your own."
Elrond sighed, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Be that as it may, the situation is too suspicious. For that reason, you are to be kept here. We shall provide you with shelter and food, but until you answer our questions, you are to be kept within Rivendell. Understood?"
The two elves nodded, and took his arms.
"I hope my children find some food on their own then." He scowled as he was being led out the door. "With my wife working to pay for the house, they'll have difficulty providing for themselves. Maybe some kind elves will imprison them too…"
Caniel looked to her brother as the door closed and Gandalf set his staff aside. She couldn't help but feel guilty at the decision her brother had made. The last words of the man had dug deep into her and she wondered if he was just a traveler. His appearance told so, but his attitude stated otherwise.
"Brother, do you think-"
"I know not, Caniel, what to think." Elrond cut her off, slouching in a chair. So often he gave the appearance of a worn man, weary with too many decisions. "Too many things have been arising as of late. Things that I cannot explain."
"Caniel, why don't you excuse us for some time. And if any more of these dreams or visions arise, do tell us immediately." Gandalf smiled quietly gesturing the door.
Given her brother's circumstances, she decided that it would be best to leave them alone, so she nodded and took her leave.
Elrond eyed him quietly.
"I need you to watch her. If I know my sister, these visions, should they continue, will not become known to us again. That's why I need you to keep an eye on her. She needs to be taken care of. There's no telling what these vision may lead her to do."
"She is very strong willed."
"And will not easily be persuaded, I understand this. But I think you can easily get her to open up. She will not think that you have any connection to us at all."
The other man sighed and looked out the window. "I do not know if I like this idea of spying on her."
"It is not spying." Elrond corrected, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're just informing us of all that is going on with her. For she is nervous now, and these strange happenings have made her weary of us. She feels she is a burden and therefore hesitates to reveal the information we need to know."
"You have the gift of foresight, can you not also see these happenings?" He asked.
"Not the ones she has told, and my sight has been distorted as of late. These concerns are diverting my attention making it almost difficult to see things that need to be seen."
The other man paced past Elrond and crossed his arms over his chest. He did not like the request; to him it seemed too much of an impeachment of privacy. But the argument stood to reason, and he had to admit that the circumstances were abnormal.
"You are asking me to go against all that I have been raised to respect." He said momentarily. "You are her brother. And a noble elf. I feel it wrong that you should stoop to something like this. And I…I am a respected warrior and elf. And friend to her. I do not want her discovering this and loosing that respect I have gained. I am not a spy."
"I'm not asking you to be." Elrond said. "I'm asking you to be a friend and help her. Help us. She needs someone to do this, for she cannot bring herself to do it. We need you to do this."
Elrond watched the elf quietly as he pondered the situation a moment longer, before nodding his approval slowly. Elrond could tell he still did not approve, but he was grateful to have him do it anyway.
"Thank you." Elrond said, patting him on the back. "You should find her in the stables, for she often spends this time there."
As the door closed, Elrond watched out his window as Legolas walked away, still obviously pondering the situation. His pace was slow and his eye kept to the ground below him. Sighing, Elrond took a glass and filled it with water before making his way to his daughter's house where he intended to have the same conversation.
Caniel approached the stable where the familiar scent of horse and hay filled her lungs. The usual stable boys were around, shoveling and picking as they did. As she passed they stopped to wipe their brows and nod politely then return to their work. Making her way inside the first barn, horses neighed quietly, some scrapping their hooves against the floor anxious for a ride. She let her fingers trail across the noses of some until at last she arrived at the stall where a beautiful white horse stood tall and proud. She was gorgeous and of the finest breed. Her body was muscular build but she was slim and graceful too. A simple riding horse with the energy of a racer. Caniel had picked her at birth and had named her Aníron. The horse upon recognizing Caniel's scent walked to the door and let her pet its' nose gently.
"Mea carnen, Aníron, mellon nín." Caniel said quietly opening the door and stepping next to the horse that moved aside reverently. "Ready for a ride?"
The horse neighed, exited, and pulled the string that hung loose over a hook, free and handed it to Caniel. She smiled and untied it from the horse then started to work at applying the saddle. The saddle itself was nothing short of extraordinary- silver with white vines etched around its sides. The stirrups too were silver, matching the silver plated hooks and clasps. The horse shimmered like a star when she was saddled and Caniel took great pride in the horse. Just as she was finishing, Aníron took a couple quick steps back, grunting and neighing nervously.
Caniel took the reins and touched the horse gently.
"Man le trasta, Aníron? Man cenich?" She asked. (What troubles you Aníron? What do you see?)
The horse only continued its frenzy into a corner and Caniel looked to outside the stall where upon her eyes were met with a larger, stronger standing black male horse. His décor was entirely in gold, his mane shimmering and long and his tail moving violently. The eyes were dark and mysterious and his build was that of a racer and a fighter. But on top was a gentler sight, cocky though in nature. Legolas smiled at Caniel, that same cocky smile, and rubbed the neck of his horse.
"What do you think?" Legolas asked.
"He's big." She said, stepping forward. "Beautiful, but big."
"He isn't mine, although he seems to have taken to me. I was looking for a horse in the stables back in Mirkwood for my journey here. They were just starting to break him in when I took him."
"You took him wild?" Caniel marveled. "Daring."
"Indeed. But he's settled quite a bit." Legolas shrugged.
"And his name?"
"I know not." Legolas sighed. "I cannot think of one, for his personalities are endless. Not that he needs one, he answers to a simple whistle when I need him."
Caniel stuck out her hand to touch the nose, but the horse grunted and threw back his head threateningly. Aníron didn't like the gesture and moved next to her master, letting out a warning buck and whinny, before eyeing the new horse cruelly.
"I don't think she likes him." Caniel laughed. "And I don't think he likes me."
"Sedho mellon nín, hodo, nuitho I 'ruith!" Legolas reprimanded the horse he rode who grunted some more, but settled anyway. "I'm sorry. He has yet to learn manners. And what is this horses name, who stands tall and fair as the lady who rides it?"
(Rest my friend, lie still, stop the wrath!)
"Her name is Aníron, and she is mine since her birth." Caniel said proudly stroking the horse soothingly.
"She approaches him as you me." Legolas laughed, watching the grim look the horse was giving his horse.
Caniel also laughed. "The horses are well suited to their masters."
"Well are we to sit and talk then? Or let us ride while the day is still fair." Legolas said nudging his horse forward and opening the stall for Caniel. "Will you join me?"
Caniel studied him for a second. "I will."
Straddling her horse, she nudged Aníron to follow behind Legolas' horse, to which she did not steadily take to doing. So the first chance she got, she trotted up next to Legolas, casting grunts in the direction of the other horse that, on his masters command, remained quiet and did nothing in return.
"He listens well." Caniel marveled.
"And yours has quite a temper." Legolas smiled.
"She is protective."
"Rightly so."
Caniel looked at him curiously as they made their way down a trail lined with trees that branched overhead like a giant canopy. "What does that mean?"
He shrugged. "Everyone should have a protector."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"My bow."
Caniel smiled and ducked a branch. The sun was warm and fresh on her face and the breeze whistled a lovely tune throughout the forest. Birds chirped their higher notes as squirrels jumped overhead causing leaves to rain around them. At one point during the ride, Legolas leaned over and picked something from a taller bush, to which Caniel couldn't see. Then he smelled the white flower before leaning and placing it in Caniel's hair, tucked behind her ear. She smiled, though her horse whinnied and moved farther away.
"It seems she's take a great disinterest in me as well." Legolas laughed.
"Honestly Aníron. Settle down." The horse tossed her head but moved back to her spot close to Legolas. Almost obnoxiously close to the point where their legs were touching. Legolas and Caniel laughed at her horses' stubbornness and the other horse simply whinnied, begging to show up Aníron. Smoothing out her red dress Caniel looked stunning on the horse that matched the flower placed in her hair. She did not ride sidesaddle for it was too lady-like. But the dress was gorgeous yet simple nonetheless and Legolas admired it for a moment, locking away the image for later viewing.
"I wanted to apologize." Legolas said suddenly.
"For what?"
"For last night. For what I almost did. It was not my place, and I'm sorry."
Caniel didn't know what to say. It was a sweet apology, but it hadn't since crossed her mind. Suddenly it became very awkward between them. Both thought back on the previous night, about their thoughts and actions. What they did do, wanted to do, and didn't do…both came to the same conclusion; that it would've been nice. But Legolas was keener on it. Caniel, on the other hand, felt stubborn and tried denying it.
"There is no need to apologize Legolas." She said finally.
"I just don't know what happened. That's not like me." He looked at her. "And I wanted you to know that."
"I think we were just caught up in the moment." She said carefully, watching her words. "The conversation led to one thing, which in turn led to another. Maybe it was just the air?"
They both shared a laugh, then another awkward silence.
"But there is no need to apologize." She repeated. Caniel didn't know why she kept saying it. Perhaps it was the part of her saying that it would've been nice and accepted. That it was something she wanted.
"Would you have taken it?" Legolas asked, abruptly.
"Excuse me?"
"Would you have gone through with it?"
Caniel choked on her air, baffled as to the question.
"I don't…I don't…I mean I just can't say…" She swallowed hard. "Why?"
Legolas shrugged. "I guess I'm just curious if you feel at all the same way I do."
"Which is?"
"That bond." He looked to her again. "I've felt a connection with you ever since we met. Maybe it's just me, or maybe there's truly something there. I just want to know if you feel it to?"
Caniel thought about this. Yes, ever since she saw him she was attracted to him for reasons she could not explain.
"I don't know." She said at last.
Legolas was not satisfied with the answer, but let it go anyway. He could tell she was hesitant and that her emotions were askew inside of her, but what was actually predominant he could not tell.
The rest of the ride went relatively quietly. They talked occasionally, about her studies and workings around Rivendell. About his travels and life in Mirkwood. At one point they even discussed life beyond Middle Earth and Valanor. But mostly they just enjoyed the ride sharing laughs at the weird cracks their horses pulled. Eventually they rounded the corner to head back to the stables, after about an hour of riding.
"Want to race back?" Legolas asked.
"What?" Caniel smiled looking to him. "A race?"
"Yes. Last one back has to make dinner tonight."
The devilish grin had crossed his face again and she was sucked into his charm. Not to mention showing off Aníron's skills as a racer was appealing to her as of now. Anything to impress the other elf.
"All right. Start cooking my lord."
And with that she raced off…