Chapter 16

xxxxxxxxxxxx-passage of time

italics - thoughts or memories

(Elenna)

"My Lady you asked to see me?" I said, rising from a curtsey.

I was in the grand talan of the Lord and Lady. It has been twenty years of the sun since the fateful night that the Lady revealed to me my true identity, yet sometimes, it was still hard to think of them as grandmother and grandsire.

"Yes child." smiled the Lady. "come, sit." She gestured to the chairs behind her. I sat down in one and she in the other.

"Where is Haldir?" she asked.

"He is outside, milady, waiting for me." I replied. I had the distinctive feeling that she already knew that.

"Go and bring him in," she said. "I would talk to him as well." I nodded and rose to leave the talan.

I appeared in the wide doorway, Haldir was standing on the platform before the grand stairway that led into the talan.

"Haldir." I called. He looked up.

"Are you finished so fast?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No." I replied, "The Lady asks to see you as well."

He nodded, and followed me as I turned and disappeared back into the talan.

We appeared back into the large chamber to see the Lady standing once again, waiting for us.

"Please, sit." She said, graciously gesturing to the chairs with an elegant hand. We sat and the Lady did also. We looked curiously at the Lady when she did not begin to speak, but sat patiently until at last she spoke.

"How goes the guard at the borders, Haldir?" she asked, turning to him.

"The fences are quiet, milady." He replied. "There has not been an orc near in months."

She nodded at this. She remained quiet for another moment. Then she said "I have sent an envoy to Elrond in Imladris. I am sending you to live there for a time, Elenna." We both looked at her in surprise at this.

"To… Imladris, milady?" I asked. She nodded. "To Imladris."

"I am sending Haldir with you." She continued. "You will not be parted from him."

"My lady, I will be needed here." Haldir protested, though reluctant of the idea of my separation from him. The Lady smiled at him.

"Your brothers will be in charge while you are away, you need not fear of it." She said reassuringly. Haldir did not seem convinced.

"They will manage fine, Haldir." The Lady said, sensing his doubts. "Have faith in them." Haldir nodded reluctantly.

"How long will we be gone for?" I asked.

"I will send for you when the time comes." She replied. Haldir seemed horrified at the prospect of leaving Rumil and Orophin in charge of the guard of Lothlorien for an indefinite period of time. "You will leave for Imladris in a fortnight." She finished. We bowed to the Lady. "As you wish, milady." I said.

"I wish to speak to Elenna alone, Haldir." She said to my husband. "I will not keep her for long." Haldir bowed again to the Lady and left the talan.

When Haldir had disappeared through the doorway, the Lady turned to me again.

"Celebrían wishes to see you." She said to me. "Lady Celebrían?" I asked in surprise. "Yes child." She answered. "She was very fond of you when you were young."

"I had thought of all people, she would not want to see me." I said softly, looking away. "because……"

"Because you will remind her of your mother?" she finished for me. I nodded hesitantly. The Lady smiled kindly at me.

"Dear Elenna, do not let such thoughts into your mind." She said, turning me back to face her with a gentle hand. "My daughter loved her sister above all people that walk this earth, how could she not love her daughter?"

I did not answer. In my heart I had doubts that the Lady Celebrían would truly want to send for me. I would only bring her the grief of the memory. I would be living reminder to her of my mother, the sister she had loved so much and mourned so bitterly. Truly how could anyone want that?

All these long years I spent in Lothlorien, I have often wondered of Imladris and my kin that dwell there; the land of my birth and my cousin whom I played with as a child. But in truth I was a bit reluctant to go there. I had almost no memory of that place, I had not stepped foot in there in nigh a thousand years. Who would still remember me? Who would welcome me? I know not of the place or its people.

I sighed.

"Milady, I would but stay here in this wood." I said finally. "It is my home."

"Imladris was your home also." She said. Then seeing my continued reluctance she said warmly. "We are all your family, child. We will always welcome you. You must trust me, and you must trust in your mother's sister."

I pondered this for awhile, but the Lady's words had filled me with such love and faith, that finally I was convinced.

"I will go to Imladris," I said, "If it is your wish, milady." At this she smiled at me and I could not help but return it.

"Be joyful and glad, dear Elenna." She said. "I have only ever wished that for you, ever since you came to me."

"I am……grandmother." I said sincerely. "I am happy for all that has befallen me here in this beautiful wood. I am happy that I have found you. This, in my mind, is a place most precious to me, for here I have found happiness."

"Then I am glad." She said. Her smiled reflected in her azure eyes. She leaned close and dropped a light kiss on my forehead.

"Go now, lest you keep Haldir waiting." She said. I bowed to her and left the grand chamber.

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I walked beside Haldir in silence as we traipsed our way back down and out of the city. He did not question me to my conversation with the Lady and I said nothing. We simply walked on without a word, in a silent mutual agreement not to talk about it. We passed unseen through the city by the secret paths that only we know of. Haldir knew of my morbid aversion of people.

Since that night of the feast, I had not shown myself again, for now, even more than before, I was made known to the people of Caras Galadhon, and I wanted the attention not at all. The few that saw me mostly were the Lord and Lady, the guards of my company, and occasionally Nimloth, but she I had not seen in many a month now.I was not often in the city long. Much of my time was spent in the Northern Fences of Lothlorien, and at others, I lived with Haldir in our talan far out in its outskirts.

It was my mother's talan.

Yes, I have found it, there far out in the outskirts of the forest. My mother's talan, where she had lived the years she spent in Lothlorien, in the peace of the Golden Wood. It was built between the bowers of two towering mellyrn, encased in its lush silver-green leaves, situated in a little hollow of the wood with a quiet stream running by underneath it. It was so peaceful and serene.

I had fallen in love with it at once. After I had consulted with the Lady, we had gone to live there in the border of the woods. It was much closer to the Fences anyhow, and Haldir liked that he could keep an eye on the workings of the guard even while he was off duty. Our disappearance from the city of Caras Galadhon however, according to Rumil, had given rise to the speculation that Haldir, so diligent was he in his office, has set up permanent post at the Fences of Lothlorien. This, of course, was ridiculous and we had many a good laugh about it.

Haldir did take his duty very seriously, but he had a good measure for himself and never stayed too long. There were times when we did guard duty separately and one would be at the borders while the other was resting, but since the talan was so close to the borders, it mattered not.

Days when it was my time of rest, I visited the borders at night and brought all the company some better food other than their usual rations, of which they were very thankful for. It was a time of peace in Lothlorien and there was no real threat to its security, the guards often grew idle and bored. Still, they guarded the Fences most diligently, as Haldir put it, to prevent anyone as the likes of me slip in again. He had not completely forgotten about that yet.

As the guards had their meal, we would sit off to the side and talk for awhile, or just sit in silence in each other's company. He would hold me and I would lay my head against him and listen to the beating of his heart.

I could not think of how I could have lived without him before, for I can not live without him now. There were still times when my longing for the woods came upon me and I would leave him for days on my own under the starry sky, but there always came a time when the stars could gave me no more comfort and I would return to him. He understood and did not stop me, but always welcomed me back with kind words and a joke or two about my flightiness, which he found oddly amusing.

"Still ever the stray little bird you are Ranaew." He would say laughing. I would only smile and murmur my thoughts of him into his ear and he would laugh again at my audaciousness.

They were days of joy and peace, ones I would never forget, even if the darkness did ever come over this earth and all the world was covered in shadow. They would forever remain untainted in my memory, until the day came that I should take ship into the utmost West and pass away from the circles of Eä forever. Like a dream, the years passed by me like the wind upon the water, peaceful and quiet. No evil came to the woods of Lothlorien.

But now I was leaving it, the home that I delighted in, leaving to go to Imladris and to my mother's sister. I know not when I shall return, nor even when I shall see it again. I fixed every tree and flower into my memory, the forest of my home.

"Elenna."

I jolted out of my thoughts. We had returned to our talan and were standing under the tree of its lodging. Haldir was lightly nudging my arm. I gathered up all the wanderings of my mind and we went in.

(Haldir)

We rode on towards Imladris, silent on our journey. Our last two weeks in Lothlorien had passed us by quickly, as time always does when you await something that you did not want to come to pass. So at last we bid farewell to the Golden Wood (not after I had given strict instructions to my brothers again, just so they will not forget) and set off on our journey west across the mountains. So it is that we ride on now, some three days journey away from Lothlorien, silently riding.

Not a single word has passed Elenna's lips since that day we returned from our visit to the Lady's talan. I was growing ever more concerned for her. It was not unusual for Elenna to go days without speaking, but it has been two weeks since she had spoken, and not even at her worst spells of silences had she gone without speaking for two and some odd weeks. I could not sense her thoughts at all, for it was like a great silence had come upon her being, like a great icy shroud that encompassed her. No sliver of warmth passed through it. It was frightening.

When I had tried to talk to her she would only nod or shake her head, any question that required a longer answer she would not say anything to, she wrapped herself in the folds of her grey cloak and kept her silence. So at last I gave up all futile attempts and we continued on in silence.

We passed north east of the Hithaeglir, on the west banks of the Anduin, through the Dimrill Dale and past the Sîr Ninglor, ever keeping the looming precipices of the snowy mountains to our left. We took the High Pass through the mountains and descended down west of the mountains, following the Bruinen to the hidden dale of the Last Homely House east of the sea.

After rounding one more bend in the perpetual cliffs, we found ourselves looking down into the lush green valley of Imladris. White falls spilled down the sides of the cliffs, raising mists in which the late afternoon sunshine shone through in many colored rainbows. It was lovely.

"It is even more beautiful than I remember." came a soft voice beside me.

I looked to where Elenna rode beside me on her grey mare. She had spoken at last, after more than three weeks of her unnatural silence.

"You speak Elenna." I said, rather unbelievingly. I had gotten used to the silence so much that I could hardly believe my ears, and thought maybe it a figment of my imagination. She nodded slightly.

"You have worried me so Elenna!" I exclaimed. "It is most unnatural even for you to stay silent for so long."

"It was most unnatural for me to be so talkative." She said, "I have spent years in the wild not talking a single word at all. Three weeks is hardly a long time."

"Well, I suppose if you put it that way…" I said. I had not thought about that.

"I'm sorry I worried you Haldir." She said, this time a bit more gently. "I was not in the mood for talking at all these few weeks, I had much to think upon."

"I understand Elenna." I replied. She gave me a small smile within the heavy folds of her cloak, hiding her so that I could hardly see her face. Nonetheless I nodded my head.

We followed the path down into the valley. Twilight was falling as we left the high cliffs for the shelter of the warm valley. Green trees, beeches and oaks, rose around us. Tall waving grass grew on the embankments of a small stream trickling past the road, where fireflies flitted here and there. A sort of sleepy sensation fell upon us, as the sun set behind the looming cliffs of the valley, now looking so distant above us. Lights shone in the windows of the high house on the hill. Then, we heard voices singing in a small dell in the trees just before us. The sound drifted towards us on the lazy breeze.

O! What are you doing?

And where are you going?

Your horses need shoeing!

The river is flowing!

O! tra-la-la-lally

here down in the valley!

I had a distinctive feeling I knew those voices.


O! What are you seeking

And where are you making?

The faggots are reeking,

The bannocks are baking!

O! tril-li-li-lolly

the valley is jolly,

ha! ha!

I was certain now that there were two voices that sounded very much alike. I had very bad feeling about this.


O! Will you be staying,

Or will you be flying?

Your horses are straying!

The daylight is dying!

To fly would be folly,

To stay would be jolly

And listen and hark

Till the end of the dark

to our tune

ha! ha!

What an absolutely ridiculous song, I thought. Hilarious laughter broke out from the trees just in front of us, as if they had heard my thought.

"You might as well come out." I said rather crossly to trees. It had been tiring coming across the mountains, even for me, and I was in no mood for merrymaking. Laughter came again, there was more rustling of leaves and branches. Then out of the trees dropped two identical dark heads, sporting identical grins on their cheery faces.

"Well now, if it isn't Haldir of Lorien." Said the dark head on my left. "What brings the great Warden of Lorien to our humble valley?"

"I suspect its important business." The dark head on my right said in a rather loud whisper to its twin. "Too important for the likes of us to know anyways."

"After all, we are insufferable, horrid, creepy, nosy, good-for-nothing miscreants, are we not Haldir?" the other twin said, cracking a wide smile while reciting back to me the very words I had once said to them the time they had spirited away all my clothing whilst I was washing in the river. I scowled at them. Elenna, however, let out a mirthful shriek of laughter. The twins turned to her at once.

"Ah! And what's this? A mysterious stranger on a horse! Cloaked! Laughing like a girl! Why what new mischief is this Haldir?" they exclaimed, "You must tell us."

"But then," said the twin on the left, gravely. "I suppose that is important business too, is it not Haldir?" Elenna was still chuckling and I suspect she was grinning under her cloak.

"You are quite right." I said stiffly to them. "Now get along you two. I will speak to you at the house tonight." With another burst of laughter they disappeared into the woods again, singing another ridiculous song they went. The voices faded away in the distance. Elenna was still chuckling quietly to herself under her cloak.

"I don't see what is so funny." I said dryly, as we continued along the path to the lighted house growing ever the more nearer.

"Why, it is the expression on your face!" she said, bursting into laughter once again, "That is why they liked taunting you anyways, it would be worth it just to see that hilarious expression on your face!"

Her laughter rang out like tinkling wind chimes among the trees. Her merry laughter soon infected me too, for no one could stay long angry in the homely valley of Imladris. I found that I had begun chuckling softly too and a smiled stayed on my face all the way to the house on the hill.

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We arrived into the courtyard of the house of Elrond, the hooves of our weary horses clattering on the cobbled pavement. On the stone steps leading up into the house stood the Lord himself, and the Lady Celebrían beside him, in a mantle of starry blue, while the lights of the house behind them twinkled invitingly. It would appear they had known about our arrival by the word of those two twin terrors we had the ill fortune of meeting down in the valley. Lord Elrond held out his arms in welcome.

"Well met, Haldir of Lorien." He said, "You bring a most welcome guest."

We both bowed low to the Lord and Lady of Imladris, Elenna being still hidden in her grey cloak.

"Do come in," said the Lady Celebrían, "Here, there is food and drink for weary travellers."

I thanked them and we followed them into the brightly lit house.

We were led past wide, airy halls lit by orange lanterns, the view of the valley in twilight stretched out below us. At last we came into a room with a roaring hearth and a small table that was laid out with delectable food.

"We shall have many a talk later," said the Lord Elrond, "but for now, eat, drink. You are wearied from your travels."

We nodded our thanks to them. The Lady Celebrían smiled warmly at us. Then they left to room, leaving us to our supper.

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The food had been delicious, worthy of the finest feast, and the wine was the rich cordial of Imladris. When we had ate and drunk our fill, I sank down into one of the soft chairs in the room. Elenna, who had finally shed her grey cloak, settled herself by the merrily crackling fire with her arms wrapped around her knees, staring into its bright flames, seemingly lost in thought again.

"What are you thinking about, Ranaew?" I asked lazily from my chair. She raised her head to look at me, her silver eyes shining in the firelight.

"Memories." She said. "This house brings back many things from my past."

I rose from my chair, taking myself to where she sat by the hearth and sat down beside her.

"And are those good memories?" I asked. She smiled.

"Wonderful ones." She whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Then that is good." I said softly in her ear, my breath rustling her dark hair slightly. I held her close to me, and we sat together there by the warmth of the fire.

Thus we remained, until finally, the Lord and Lady of the house came again. We did not hear them come in, we were so weary and tired from our journey, and I suspect the fine cordial we had was also in the working. We had almost fallen asleep there in front of the fire, with Elenna in my arms, but we awoke (if that can be said since we were not sleeping) to the sound of their voices.

"Well, this is a sight the Lady Galadriel had not warned us of."

It was Lord Elrond's voice that had jerked us out of our reverie. We rose immediately and bowed to them. How long they were in the room before Lord Elrond spoke, we did not know, but now they stood before us smiling kindly.

"Let me have a look at you, child." The Lady Celebrían said to Elenna. Elenna timidly moved forward and Lady Celebrían took her face in her gentle hands. After a moment or two she dropped her hands.

"Naneth was right, you do look so much like her." She said finally. Lord Elrond nodded his head in agreement.

"You are welcome to our house, Elenna, daughter of Aranwë." He said, "Your father was a good friend of mine." He smiled warmly to her. Elenna dropped a small curtsey.

"You are very much welcome to us, sister-daughter." The Lady Celebrían added.

Then, the Lord and Lady turned to me.

"We thank you for bring our niece safely to us, Haldir." Lord Elrond said, "She is most dear to us." I bowed.

"She is to me too." I said rather quietly at this, but they heard me nonetheless.

"Is that so, my friend?" Lord Elrond said, quirking an eyebrow. He exchanged glances with the Lady. "That is most interesting."

Somehow, I felt slightly uncomfortable at this and drew my gaze elsewhere. It was then Elenna spoke in her soft voice.

"Haldir is my lord and husband." she said quietly, "Did grandmother not tell you?"

I looked up at this. Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían looked rather taken aback. I guess that that was not the case. Ah, the Lady does seem to like her little jokes. I found that Elenna had moved back to my side.

"I am sorry, my friend, we were too quick to speak." Lord Elrond said to me, but I shook my head.

"It should be me who should apologize, milord." I said, "If I had known Elenna then to be who she was, I would have asked for her hand in marriage as is fitting for her people. But as it was, I had wedded her in the way of the Silvan. I hope you will not think too badly of me, milord, milady."

But the Lord and Lady smiled.

"There is no need for your apology, Haldir." Lady Celebrían said. "It is we who should be glad for you and for dear Elenna. It would be our honour to name you as our kinsman."

Suddenly, two dark figures hurled into the room, accidentally crashing into the small table where sat the remains of our supper.

"Ouch!" said one of them. "Why did you push me?"

"Did not!" the other retorted. "You were the one who did the pushing!" They were then silenced by Lord Elrond clearing his throat.

"I take it you have been listening outside the door then, Elladan, Elrohir?" he said with another quirk of his eyebrow. The twins were suddenly looking very docile.

"We meet again." Elenna said to them smiling. The twins brightened up.

"And who is this lovely vision?" the one on the left (which I presume was Elrohir) said.

"Elenna, May I introduce you to these two abominable creatures who are our sons." Lord Elrond said rather wryly. "Elladan, the elder, on your right, and Elrohir on your left."

She curtsied to them and they bowed back.

"Elladan, Elrohir, this is your cousin Elenna." He said to the twins. "She has just arrived from Lothlorien. Mind that you do not terrorize her too much."

"Don't worry adar." They said, looking at me with gleaming eyes. "We shan't." But Lord Elrond was quick to catch that.

"You will not disturb Haldir either." He said sternly. The twins looked crestfallen.

"Well, we shall leave you four here to get acquainted." The Lord and Lady said, turning to leave. "We will send our daughter along presently. We bid you goodnight, Elenna, Haldir."

We bowed once again to them and they left the room.

"So we are cousins then?" said, Elrohir (presuming – he was the talkative one.) "That is wonderful!" He was roughly kicked then by Elladan.

"Fool! Do you not remember little Elenna?" he exclaimed. "Many a jolly chase she and our dear sister had led adar on when they were both little wee elflings."

"Oh yes…I remember." Elrohir said. Elenna chuckled.

"You two are worse than my brothers." I said sardonically. They both smiled wickedly.

"Why we consider that a high compliment, Haldir," Elrohir said. "We all know of the wily tact of the famous brothers of the March Warden of Lothlorien, seeing that they had to grow up with one such as him."

I scoffed, but then laughed. "It is good to see you again, dear friends." I said, clapping them both on the back in turn.

"You too, Haldir." They said to me, smiling.

"Now, what all this we heard adar and naneth speaking about when Elladan pushed me so ungracefully into the room?" Elrohir said.

"Hey!" protested Elladan. "Speak for yourself!"

"I thought you too were good at eavesdropping." I said.

"We are." They said in unison. "Well, we did hear a good lot of naneth calling you kinsman, and weddings and such. But we didn't really understand it." Elladan said. "you see, we only just got back, being away out by the river again, so we only heard the last part of it."

"And not much of that either, because Elladan was pushing me." Elrohir put in.

"I was not!"

"Was too!"

"So what was all that about, Haldir?" Elladan asked, ignoring a very annoyed Elrohir.

"Well," I said hesitantly, "we were just talking about Elenna's…marriage…to me." Two pairs of eyebrows shot up.

"What?" Elrohir said faintly, "You must be kidding me Haldir. It is not like you……"

"I don't think he's joking, brother." Elladan said, nudging his twin.

"Well, I suppose so." Elrohir replied darkly, "Haldir was never one to joke." Then he suddenly turned to Elenna.

"Whatever possessed you to marry him cousin?" he said exasperatedly. "And we were just starting to like you." Elenna chuckled again.

"Whatever did you see in him?" he continued, this time unbelievingly. Elenna let out a laugh.

"Well I didn't expect you to see anything in him," she said smiling, "You're an ellon after all." Elrohir opened his mouth in surprise at this, but could not say anything.

Elladan laughed. "You're beat brother." He said, "She's got a point you know."

"Right you are." He said weakly. Then, turning to Elenna, he said. "I think we shall really like you, dear cousin. You have spirit." Elenna only smiled.

"But did you have to marry him?" he blurted out, "Now we're related to him too!" He threw up his hands in exasperation. Elenna laughed.

"Haldir may not yet have to be our kinsmen, brother." Elladan said to his twin, his eyes again flashing with a wicked idea. "For is it not said that those who steal the daughters of the Noldor and wed them without gift or leave do not gain kinship with their kin? We have hope yet Elrohir."

Elrohir brightened immensely. "Yes… it is so…" he said thoughtfully. Then as one they both turned to me.

"We conclude that we are not related to you after all, Haldir." They said in unison.

"Thank goodness." I muttered. Elenna was looking highly amused.

"The Lady may not agree with you, cousins." She said, smiling. The twins looked at her.

"Why ever not, sweet little sister?" they said indignantly. "For has not this – elf – not wed you without gift or leave from our naneth your mother's sister or even the Lord and Lady themselves? He is no different than that dark elf who took Aredhel Ar-Feiniel to wife." They both folded their arms across their chest and grinned evilly at me.

The twins were taking this joke a little too far. For the second time today I began to feel uncomfortable, but it was Elenna who answered them.

"Peace, cousins." She said softly, "Haldir is not such a person, that you should compare him to Eöl of Nan Elmoth."

"But do we not speak truly?" Elladan answered, "Has he not taken you to wife without gift or leave?"

Elenna was not smiling now. Indeed she looked rather pale and her mouth clenched. She glanced at the twins with a look that made even them cower. I do not know how to describe it but it was like a cold heat was coming from her, though her face was serene and calm as it always was.

"Speak not of what you do not know." She said in a voice so quiet that it was barely audible, but we heard her clear enough.

Elladan and Elrohir swallowed. There was a cold silence.

"I'm sorry, Elenna." Said Elladan finally, "we overstepped ourselves. We only meant it as a joke."

Elrohir nodded in agreement, though even he seemed a bit frightened by the display Elenna had just but put on.

"It is I who must apologize, Elladan, Elrohir." I said, "You do speak truly. But I meant no dishonor to Lady Elenna."

The twins relaxed and the awkward tension dissipated.

"We were teasing Haldir." They said smiling. "We are most pleased to call you kinsman, indeed that means that Orophin and Rumil are kin too! That is wonderful!"

"Now we shall have even more cause to band against you." Elrohir said, Elladan nodded his head fervently

"Valar help me. I shall never sleep again." I said darkly. The twins laughed and Elenna smiled again, in her serene way.

"I'm sorry, Haldir." Elladan said, when he recovered himself. "We did take our joke a little too far, we were wrong to say that."

"It is nothing." I said, nodding at him.

"Forgive us Elenna." Elrohir said again to her. Elenna nodded and smiled.

At this time, the Lady Arwen chose to make her entrance.

"Terrorizing the guests, brothers?" she said smiling, stepping into the room towards us. She was dressed in a rich burgundy dress, a circlet of silver upon her brow.

"Hardly, sister." They answered. "Our dear cousin is more than enough a match for us." This turned her gaze to Elenna.

"Elenna." She whispered. "Is that really you?" She moved towards Elenna and gathered her hands in her own, looking expectantly into her face.

Elenna nodded shyly. "Lady Arwen." she said quietly, dropping a small curtsey but was stopped by Lady Arwen.

"Oh little sister, do you not remember me?" she said, searching her eyes. Elenna looked warily back at her. Lady Arwen smiled and to my surprise, Elenna smiled back.

"Dearest Lena," She said passionately, "how I missed you!" She embraced Elenna, then moved back again. They stood smiling widely at each other.

"I think we should leave them to their little reunion." I said quietly on the side to Elladan and Elrohir. They nodded silently and we slipped from the room.

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"How goes things these days?" I asked Elladan and Elrohir, as we strolled down the open hallways, the valley below us lit by silver moonlight.

"All is well." Elladan replied, "The orcs are quiet, there is peace."

"As is with Lothlorien." I said nodding. "The orcs seem to have retreated back into the mountains and have not moved out again."

"Who keeps the borders now?" Elrohir asked curiously, "with you here in Imladris."

"My brothers." I replied. They nodded.

"I do not think the orcs will stay quiet for long." Elladan said. "This silence is most unnatural." Elrohir and I agreed.

"There is some evil stirring yet in Dol Goldur, though it dares not move out against us." I said. "This peace will not last for much longer."

Elladan and Elrohir nodded. "We will keep watch." Elrohir replied. "but we must move in secrecy, and draw not attention to our preparations."

I nodded.

"We wait."

Notes:

Aredhel Ar-Feiniel was called the White Lady of the Noldor or the White Lady of Gondolin. She is always attired in either silver or white. She is cousin to Galadriel, her father was Fingolfin, elder brother to Finarfin, father of Galadriel.

Eöl of Nan Elmoth was of the Moriquendi (Dark Elves) who lived in Beleriand in the Elder Days. He was a great smith that lived in the forest of Nan Elmoth east of the forest of Doriath, realm of Thingol and Melian. He was rather a dark character and disliked the Noldor for coming out of the West and taking over the land. When Aredhel left Gondolin to seek the sons of Fëanor (her cousins), she was separated from her escort and was lost in the Nan Elmoth.Eöl, seeing her, desired her and set enchantments in the woods around her, drawing her to him. She stayed with him and bore him a son.

The words quoted by Elladan ("those who steal the daughters of the Noldor……") was said by Curufin, fifth son of Fëanor, to Eöl, when Eöl met him and his brother Celegorm while pursuing Aredhel and his son who were fleeing from him to Gondolin.

The full text, p.157 of the Silmarillion (Chapter 16: of Maeglin)
(And Eöl answered: 'Then, lord, perhaps you will give me leave to go, and discover the truth of this matter.'
'You have my leave, but not my love,' said Curufin. 'The sooner you depart from my land the better it will please me.'
Then Eöl mounted his horse, saying: 'It is good, Lord Curufin, to find a kinsman thus kindly at need. I will remember it when I return.'
Then Curufin looked darkly upon Eöl. 'Do not flaunt the title of your wife before me,' he said. 'For those who steal the daughters of the Noldor and wed them without gift or leave do not gain kinship with their kin. I have given you leave to go. Take it, and be gone. By the laws of the Eldar I may not slay you this time. And this counsel I add: return now to your dwelling in the darkness of Nan Elmoth, for my heart warns me that if you now pursue those who love you no more, never will you return hither.' Then Eöl rode off in haste, and he was filled with hatred of all the Noldor, for he perceived now that Maeglin and Aredhel were fleeing to Gondolin.)

And we come to Rivendell (or Imladris in those days)! The song that Elladan and Elrohir sings is originaly from the Hobbit. It was such a silly song and I could so totally imagine the twins singing that. So there it is. I hope you liked it ... so review:)