Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.
Chapter 4 – A great responsibility
Third Age 2552
It would be an understatement to say that Elrond was disturbed by the story Haldor shared with him. The Lord of Imladris had lived many ages and seen many things but Haldor's words made his blood run cold. The tale brought back terrible memories from Elrond's youth of hate and fear, of elf turning against elf.
Elrond's silent contemplation was interrupted by a soft knock at his door. "Come in."
The door opened and Arwen entered his study. Elrond's countenance did not brighten as it normally did at the sight of his youngest and dearest child. She walked to his side and when she reached him he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Arwen returned her father's embrace, concerned by its intensity. "Adar, what is wrong?" she asked softly, her head resting on his chest.
Elrond looked down into his daughter's eyes. The tiny traces of her mortal heritage were barely visible in her lovely face. The elves of Imladris saw her as one of their own and Elrond was grateful for that fact. No one in this realm orher mother's would let harm come to the Evenstar.
"Ada," she pulled away from his embrace, "tell me what is bothering you."
Elrond lifted a hand to brush a strand of hair over Arwen's shoulder. "I was just thinking…it is nothing for you to be concerned with."
"No," she raised an eyebrow at him, "then why have you sent for me?" Arwen took a seat in her favorite chair by the fire waiting for her father's response.
Elrond sat in the chair beside his daughter. "I was hoping you would take on an important responsibility for me, Arwen. Haldor will be returning to Mirkwood soon. Someone will need to be responsible for watching over Eruanna, for seeing to her education. If your mother were here…."
Elrond found himself unable to complete that thought. He closed his eyes and felt a small hand on his arm, offering him strength. It had been only mere decades since his wife had passed over the sea. The soothing presence of his daughter allowed him the strength to go on. "If your mother were here I know she would have seen to the child's care. I was hoping you would take on this great responsibility in her stead." Elrond looked to his daughter watching her lips curl into a smile.
"Ada, I'll be happy to help you both," Arwen smiled brightly. She was truly pleased to be given such an important task. She felt a deep well of concern for the young elleth and wished to help the child find happiness in Imladris.
"It is an enormous responsibility, the care of a young one," Elrond's expression turned serious. "You and your brothers were not always so pleasant to deal with."
Arwen laughed, "My brothers are still not pleasant to deal with!"
Elrond smiled inwardly at the joke Arwen made at her brothers' expense. "Yes, yes, they can be difficult sometimes, but that is part of their charm." Elrond found his daughter's humor infectious and could not help a small smile. "But truthfully, Arwen, I fear we may have much damage to undo before the child finds peace here."
Elrond found he could not tell Arwen what it was that brought Eruanna here, not yet. If in time it became necessary he would inform her, but right now he hoped he would not need to repeat that story. "She was not treated well by some of the elves in Mirkwood; we must help her feel safe here."
"Of course, adar."
Haldor and Eruanna embraced tightly in the courtyard where weeks earlier they had first met the Lord of Imladris. The pair was teary eyed as they said their goodbyes to one another. Haldor stayed as long as he could to ensure Eruanna was comfortable in her new home, but he knew this moment would inevitably come. As deep as his sadness ran at the loss of his granddaughter, some happiness blossomed in his heart. Haldor knew that in this place, with the Peredhel and his children, Eruanna would be understood; she would never be hated or feared.
Haldor released his hold on the tiny elleth and lifted her moist chin so he could see her eyes. "Now remember Eruanna, listen to Lady Arwen, I leave you in her care. Remember your manners; we don't want the House of Elrond thinking your grandmother did not know how to raise you properly."
Eruanna smiled at his words. Her grandmother had often said the same thing to her when they would go visiting friends and relatives. Eruanna would not let her grandparents down again. "I will remember grandfather, you will be proud of me."
"I am proud of you, child," Haldor hugged her once more and laid a kiss on the top of her head. He moved then to say his farewells to Lady Arwen and Lord Elrond.
He bowed to Arwen who reached out a hand to grasp his arm. "I leave her to you, Lady."
Arwen smiled, "I promise you Haldor your granddaughter will find happiness here. I will see to it." She laid a kiss on the ellon's cheek.
"Thank you, my Lady," Haldor bowed once more before turning to face Elrond.
"I do not know how to thank you, Lord Elrond. All that I have, anything you would ask of me, I would gladly do in return for your kindness." Haldor bowed low.
"Haldor," Elrond clasped the man's arm in friendship. "You owe me no debt. What would I be if I denied protection to my own kind? I know too well the difficulties the peredhil face. I will protect her, always."
Haldor found himself incapable of speech. The millennia of lies he'd been told about the being that stood before him washed away with his words. The Mirkwood elf had never met a more generous soul than Elrond. "Thank you," was all he was able to say before turning away. He hugged his granddaughter one last time before mounting his horse and turning the animal toward the trail that led them home.
Eruanna wiped the tears from her face as she followed the retreating form as far as her eyes could see him. When her grandfather passed out of her sight she turned towards the garden.
"Eruanna," Arwen called after her.
The elleth turned to her new guardians, "I…I'd like to be alone, if that's alright" she said quietly.
"Of course," Arwen responded, "I will call for you when dinner is ready."
"Thank you," Eruanna mumbled as she passed the trellis that led into the gardens.
Eruanna wandered for more than an hour through the maze of flowers that made up the house's gardens. It was not like the woods that surrounded her childhood home but the garden was certainly large enough to lose oneself in. She found a small glade with a large shade tree and sat herself between its large bulbous roots. The tree cradled her easily and it seemed as though the grass and the flowers and the tree as well, whispered for her to rest among them, assuring her that the garden would protect her. Eruanna yawned, she'd been unable to sleep the previous few nights with the knowledge that Haldor was leaving. She missed him already. Resting her head on the soft mossy trunk, she drifted off to sleep in the mortal fashion, her eyes closed- another reminder that she did not belong.
Lord Glorfindel walked swiftly along the paths of the garden looking for the missing child. She did not come to supper at the ringing of the dinner bell and when Lady Arwen called out to her across the gardens, there was no reply.
That is how Glorfindel had first encountered the Evenstar, her voice raised in panic.
"You must help me find her Glorfindel. What if she is injured? I should never have let her go into the garden alone." Arwen was on the verge of panic. Not hours had past since taking on the charge of guardian to the young elleth and already Arwen had lost her.
"Calm yourself, Arwen. We will find her. I will take the northern paths and you the southern." Glorfindel laid a reassuring hand on Arwen's shoulder.
Glorfindel was forced to smile as he left Arwen to search the garden. It had been many, many years since he'd been called upon to hunt down a wayward elfling. Lucky for Arwen, the elven Lord had an excellent memory for the children's hiding places and was certain that they would find the child in one of Elladan's, Elrohir's or Arwen's secret hideaways. That was why he sent Arwen to search the southern paths, remembering her fondness for that part of the garden.
Glorfindel spotted the child curled up against a mossy tree trunk. Her eyes were closed in sleep. It had been a few years since Glorfindel had been witness to this peculiar behavior. The last time had been during the journey to the Gray Havens with Celebrian. Glorfindel was always slightly disturbed at how his friend's eyes would close in sleep. Elrond assured him it was normal and that men slept with their eyes closed all the time. Glorfindel was forced to take Elrond's word as truth since he himself had never seen a mortal sleep. Seeing the child's slow and steady breathing, Glorfindel was forced to accept the fact that his friend had spoken true and that perhaps this method of sleeping was not so uncommon in Middle Earth.
Glorfindel walked silently toward the elleth's resting place. His footsteps were not quieted intentionally but rather were silent by the elf's nature and through years of training. If the elf Lord had thought better of it, he might have made some noise as he approached the sleeping elleth.
Glorfindel crouched down beside the child and laid a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. "Child, you must wake now."
Eruanna stirred at the movement and the sound of a deep male voice. Her eyes fluttered open and rested on the face of a large blond ellon crouched beside her. "Mae govannen, little one."
A wave of panic shot through Eruanna's not quite conscious form. She sat up quickly and pushing herself backwards, away from the ellon, struck the back of her head on the tree's enormous trunk.
Glorfindel backed away at the child's sudden and unexpected response to his presence. He watched as her breathing slowed and her eyes focused on him. She seemed to remember his face and he saw her neck flush from embarrassment.
"Lord Glorfindel," she said, more to convince herself of his identity than as an acknowledgement to him. "I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. I was the one who startled you, remember." He moved a bit closer to the child noting the increase in her heart rate as he did. "You hit your head, are you injured?" He reached out to touch her head but the child flinched as if in fear of being struck.
Glorfindel withdrew his hand and studied the strange elleth before him. The truth was, he new next to nothing about the peredhel that Elrond welcomed into his home not five weeks ago. He decided it would be best if he found Arwen, rather than frightening the child further.
"Stay here child. I will go find Arwen-she is looking for you in the southern part of the garden." Glorfindel watched her nod her understanding. He stood swiftly and took off in search of the Lady.
Glorfindel found Arwen and moved quickly to her side. "I have found her, come," he led her steadily to the place where the elleth waited.
"Is she alright?" Arwen's concern was evident in her voice and expression, but the elven Lord was not certain how to answer.
"She was sleeping when I came upon her," was his reply. When they came closer to where Glorfindel had left the child, he halted in his tracks. Arwen turned to see his concerned face staring down the path ahead of them.
"What is wrong?" Arwen asked.
He looked down at the elf maiden unsure of what to tell her. "I do not think I should come with you."
"Why?" Arwen grasped his hand urging him to speak.
"She was afraid of me," he paused remembering the elleth's strange behavior. "When I woke her, she was afraid."
Arwen shook her head. "She is new to this land. It is only to be expected that she should not feel entirely at ease." She smiled up at the older elf, "Besides, your mean face could frighten anyone."
Glorfindel shook his head, ignoring Arwen's stab at humor. "No Arwen, she did not see me when she awoke," he looked at Arwen with an expression demanding her understanding, "she saw another…and she was afraid."