I neither created, nor own Middle Earth, Imladris, the Misty Mountains, Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, Erestor, Estel/Aragorn, Legolas, nor Glorfindel. Tolkien did, and I am eternally grateful. I did create Mellolaes and Cuilbron, however.
This piece is for entertainment purposes only. So please read and be entertained.
Days went by. Mellolaes went over the bottles she and Estel had filled with Cuilbron. Then she let Estel show them off alone to Cuilbron, Erestor, and his ada. Like his littlest son, The Lord of Imladris needed distraction and cheering. However, when Mellolaes walked Estel to his lessons with Erestor, she made a point of greeting the Steward with a smile and cheerful voice.
Erestor's eyes would narrow. Then he'd return her greeting with an even tone and civil words. In his mind, though, he wondered at the abrupt change in the elleth.
Being so reticent toward change himself, the elleth's behavior toward him did not so much puzzle as arouse suspicion in Erestor. Legolas, like Elladan, had been known to pull a prank every century or so. Their guest would then say it was his Silvaness coming out. His even more Silvan sister and friends who visited their valley far less often had played just as many pranks in it. What did Estel's nurse have in mind for him?
Erestor began cautiously opening every drawer, test-tasting everything he ate and drank, and taking other like precautions. Mellolaes saw him so little she never noticed him doing such things. Some of the servants did see and guessed. They found it funny enough to laugh at when neither nurse nor steward would overhear. The Balrog Slayer laughed loudest. He had no intention of enlightening his fellow Noldo to the true reason for the Silvan's change in attitude toward him. Elrond barely noticed any of this. His mind was on other things.
One day his mind was taken to another place entirely.
He sat at his desk staring at papers. Somehow, straightening little matters could distract from greater ones, which could not be straightened. Or so he thought.
In a moment, he saw other than what lay before his eyes. Sunlight fell upon grass tufts and trees growing from a mountainside emerald against the grey stone. A path wound up the mountain. Red drops were splattered in its dust. Their trail seemed to end at a cave entrance. Then he saw into the cave and realized the drops continued. They finally ceased at a lean, bowed back with a dark braid hanging down it. A hand, glowing softly, clutched another exactly like it save the latter was greyer in color. To the left of this a face nearly as grey was turned to his view. Slack in unconsciousness it faced him, well-known and well-loved.
Suddenly, Elrond's own room returned to his view. He was standing and gasping, even sweating. His heart pumped fast for an ellon. He knew what he had seen. He knew what he must do. May the Valar be merciful.
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God Bless
ScribeofHeroes