Chapter 20
"Just hold on!" Orophin called to his brothers, jumping from his horse as another one of the beasts hurled itself at the animal. "The bridge is not far!"
"They are too many!" Latent fear colouted Haldir's eyes, "Where have they come from?"
"To the bridge, I say!" Orophin repeated, "If the tales are right, they are afraid to cross water!"
He ran, ignoring his mare's tortured whinny and the claws scraping over the forest soil. The earth seemed to shake beneath him as he threw himself onto the bridge. He fell, turned and stared directly into two burning, green eyes. Tiny flames escaped from the creature's nostrils as it hissed at the elf. Orophin shuddered, dazedly drawing an arrow. He had been right, a tiny voice in his mind said somewhere, they really were afraid of water.
"Rumil! Haldir!" Pain flared up in his right ankle as he lept to his feet. His first arrow hit the creature's eye and he stumbled backwards. An enraged whirlwind of claws and feet tried to get at him tried to reach him without having to enter the bridge. "To me! The bridge is safe!" His next arrow ended the wretched creature's life, another arrow attached itself to his bow, as if it had a will of its own. Panting, shivering he realeased arrow after arrow, aiming for the eyes, the throat and the scales he assumed to be the softest. One of the creatures was leaping towards Rumil. His heart missed a beat as he saw them go down, registered somehow that the creature had managed to bury both, Rumil and his horse under is dark grey weight. The earth shuddered under the impact, leaves were whirled into the air.
"No!" Orophin's arrow slit the throat of the creature that had almost reached Haldir as the marchwarden stopped, drew his knives and jumped to the ground. The creaure Haldir was facing now, was the only one left, but also the biggest of the pack. A split tongue uncurled from between its fangs, testing the air as if the sniff out the new prey. Blood-stained scales twisted, as the muscles beneath them tightened, prepared for attack.
Orophin did not even hear Haldir's cry as he released his last arrow, watching in horror as the beast crashed to the ground. Helplessly he stared at the scene before him. His and Rumil's horses lay motionless among the fallen bodies of the beast, their red blood mingling with the thick, black and steaming liquid that oozed from their attackers. He could see neither of his brothers. Sheer power of will held him upright as he limped from the bridge, scanning the area around him in panic. The wood was still thick but opened towards the bridge. At least he could be sure that no more of the creatures were laying in wait for them.
"Haldir!" A heavy weight lifted itself from his heart as he saw his brother lean against the creature he had just slain. Haldir's eyes were shadowed and his hair plastered to his head with black blood. "Where is Rumil?"
"I don't know," Haldir paused, releasing a tortured breath, "I haven't seen him since that thing jumped him."
Cold fear twisted around their hearts as they turned to where the carcass of one of the beast had crushed their brother's horse beneath it. Already darkening blood and broken bones were all they could see beneath the creature.
xxxGTLxxx
"And so it has begun..." Galadriel whispered, stepping back from the mirror. "The enemy is almost upon us..."
"Galadriel?" Celeborn gulped painfully, "Did I not ask you to stay away from the mirror? We do not know who controls it. You promised me to stay away from it."
"I cannot," Galadriel shook her head, "Can't you see? That's exactly what he wants. He told me to stay away from the miror, because he still has to learn how to use it and I cannot allow that to happen."
"Are you so sure?" Celeborn gently drew Galadriel away from the mirror, deep lines of worry etched into his brow. She did not even notice being pulled away.
"No." She whispered, leaning into the embrace Celeborn offered her, "But I can hope. It's the only thing I can do. Hope when all hope is lost."
Celeborn tightened his hold on her, gently rocking her, as one would rock a child. "Maybe we should sail to the west after all," he whispered against her hair, not even surprised that she didn't answer. She rarely had clear moments these days. And even her lucid moments were filled with visions of doom and death. It was almost as if she was becoming part of the mirror; as if the visions she could see in the silvery water were flooding her life and taking control of her thoughts. He did not know what to do anymore. Silently he led her back to their talans, wondering whether Orophin and his brothers were already close to Gondor. Hopefully they would reach the white city soon, he desperately needed some answers. And he had still not heard from the messenger he had sent to Imladris some weeks ago after Galadriel's first strange reaction to her mirror.
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Elrohir's face was more than just serious as he sat down on his brother's desk, resolutely taking the stack of parchments from Elladan's hands.
"I am working, Elrohir," Elladan said, finally looking up at his brother. "That list has to be completed."
"You are working too much," Elrohir put the parchments aside, reaching for his brother's hands. Pain flashed through his eyes as Elladan drew back. "Please tell me what darkens your mood so much melamin (my love)," he said. " I can barely remember the last time I saw you smile."
"Are you not worried for our father?" Elladan leaned back into the chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Have you never wondered how he is faring? Wounded and all alone in Mirkwood?"
Elrohir sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thranduil may not like the Noldor but he would never hurt another elf."
"But what if he conveniently forgot to tell his healers to treat Adar's (father's) wounds?" Elladan's eyes were clouded with worry.
"We have had this discussion before," Elrohir reminded his brother. "And we both know that you tend to worry too much."
"Aye, we do," Elladan smiled sadly. "But what about Bellmaethorion? There is always that strange tension between him and Erestor."
"Dan," this time Elladan allowed his brother's touch. "You are worrying again. An Bellmaethorion won't stay forever."
"Are you sure?" Elladan squeezed Elrohir's hand. "Just this morn Glorfindel told me that Bellmaethorion got engaged to Lindir."
"He told you what?"
"Bellmaethorion and Lindir are engaged."
"Sweet Elbereth," Elrohir shook his head. "If there really is some sort of history between Erestor and Bellmaethorion then this may turn out to be a real problem."
"Now you are the one who's worrying."
"Aye, I am." Elrohir grinned at his twin. "Are you willing to abandon work for today?"
"Elrohir raised his eyebrows. "And do what instead?"
"Oh," Elrohir smiled mischieviously. "I may have prepared something."
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Dark wings scraped over cold stone and earth as the creature moved cautiously around in its tiny cell. The time was getting closer. It could feel it, could sense it in the uneasiness of its guardians, could smell it on the foul winds that sometimes reached the underground city. Soon.
Soon the time would come when it would hear and heed its true master's call. Soon it would be able to run the wildernerness and the woods again. And to hunt. Nostrils flared as its green eyes glimmered ominiously. It could almost taste the blood of its prey. But not quite yet. It had been patient for millenia, had waited for ages till the day would come when its master allowed to hunt down the prey he had been made for. It had been made to hunt the only creature on Arda that could destroy it. But it knew that it would not fail. It never had.
A soft growl crawled along the rocky walls, echoing hollowly in the almost emtpy caves. Spiders hurried from the unearthly sound. The hunt was near.
xxxGTLxxx
"Erestor?"
The black-haired advisor sighed, closing his eyes in denial as the worried voice once more drew his thoughts away from the work that was waiting to be done.
"Yes Glorfindel?" He did not even turn around and instead just stared at the stack of correspondance he should be sorting.
"Are you alright? You have been even more quiet today than you usually are." Glorfindel's warm hands settled on his shoulders. "Is it something I can help you with?"
"Nay melamin (my love)," the usually stern advisor smiled sadly. "You cannot. I am merely tired. My sleep has been restless lately."
"And will there ever be a problem I can help you with?"
Erestor froze at Glorfindel's bitter voice. "What are you hinting at?"
"I am hinting at the fact," Glorfindel walked around the table and glared down at Erestor. "That you are always depressed or worried by something and that no matter what you always claim that I cannot help you." He paused for a moment. "Nor anyone else. Why are you afraid of allowing others to support you, to care for you?" His azure eyes sought the advisor's gaze. "I love you Erestor, but sometimes all these mysteries are too much for me to bear. Why won't you share your troubles with me? You agreed to accept my suit, as far as you could and you claim to love me in some way. Am I not worthy of sharing your burdens as well as your joy?"
A heavy silence sufocated the room before Eresto finally answered. "Are you quite finished?"
"Erestor?" Glorfindel planted his hands firmly on the table. "Why won't you look at me? All I want is to be part of your life, to get to really know you. Why are you so uncomfortable with that?"
"I am not uncomfortable with that." The advisor's fingers interlaced themselves, tangled into a tense knot. "It is just that there are certain secrets in my past which I cannot share with you. I cannot bear talking about them. To anyone," he added almost as an afterthought.
"So this is what you will tell me whenever things get too personal for you?" The bitterness had found its way back into the seneschal's voice.
"Yes," Erestor whispered, still refusing to look at Glorfindel.
Only when the door had shut behind the blond elf Erestor finally lifted his gaze. His dark eyes were swimming with tears.
"I told you," he whispered sadly to the now-emtpy room. "I told you that it has to be this way, that I have to be alone. It is my curse to carry this burden alone." Erestor hung his head. He knew that his secrets were dark enough to drive every one away from him.
xxxGTLxxx
Erestor's eyes were still moist with tears as he onced more caressed the parchment in his fingers. It was time. He had always known, had always feared that this day might come and now, that he had to take the final step, he was almost unable to. He had always tried to distance himself from others, no matter how much they meant to him, but Glorfindel had managed to tear down this walls. And with what? With nothing else than love and kindness.
"Goodbye, my love..." Erestor whispered sadly, his voice almost breaking. At least he had been allowed to finally get to know love. It was more than he had ever hoped for. More than he could have dared to hope after he had been bound to Barak. For a short time he had almost been happy. An eerie quiet hung in the empty room as Erestor left his office, taking the quickest path to the Bruinen. There was only one place where he dared to do what he was planning. And he had to get there as soon as possible. Before someone stopped him.
xxxGTLxxx
"Where have you left Erestor?" Lindir asked as he saw Glorfindel standing alone in the hallmof fire. "You two seemed to have been joined by the hip for the last few days?"
"I could ask the same thing about you and Bellmaethorion." Glorfindel sighed, helplessly laying a hand onto the minstrel's arm. "I am at a loss, Lindir," he admitted finally. "Erestor has many issues, as you already know, and he refuses to talk to me."
"You have to give him time, meldir." Lindir patted the seneschal's hand, swiftly leading the bloind towards the door. "Come with me."
"Where are we going?" Glorfindel stopped. "I was waiting for Erestor."
"The meal is already over Glorfindel," Lindir pulled the blond another step forward. "Do you really think that Erestor will still come here? If he was hungry now he would go to the kitchen."
"You are right." Glorfindel frowned again. "Are we going there?"
"No." Lindir's silver hair caught the last red-golden rays of the setting sun as he shook his head. "We are going outside. We have to talk and I do not wish to be disturbed."
"Talk? But.. what
about?"
"Erestor."
