I own nothing of Lord of the rings or any of the texts of Tolkien. I only own the characters I create. Elvish in ithics. Hopefully, someone of you will enjoy it as I'm still a very novice writer if I can call myself that. Won't be 100% lore correct. But I will be as respectful as I can.
toThe elfling from a distant past.
During a horrible rainstorm that washed over all of Eriador, Elrond and his newlywed wife Celebrian were resting in the hall of fire with the inhabitants of Imladris. There had been lots of food, merry songs, and dances earlier, but now everyone rested and listened to whoever would tell a tale.
"I am so happy," Elrond said, looking down on his wife, that rested on him.
"I am so happy as well, my love", Celebrian responded.
Elrond held her tight to him as the musicians played in the background a happy story from ages past. The rain could also be heard as it was in no way holding back. Winds cast as well, even down in the valley defended by the high rock formations around them.
"I wish this evening could last forever," Celebrian said as she took another sip of the wine she had brought from Lorien.
"So do I, but it would hinder us from enjoying many other happy moments in our life together," The ever-wise elf Lord said.
"It would, my love. But I still want this moment to last at least a few hundred years. Would you not?" She asked him questionably while looking up at him.
"I would. For I waited long to meet you again after you departed with your mother and father for belfalas." He said with a smile. "I hope we will never be parted like that again" as he leaned down and kissed her. For she was the love of his life and had finally returned to him and become his wife.
"It was hard for me to leave with them, but I have returned now and will not leave you like that again. Even if being the Lady of Imladris will be new to me, and I miss my kin in Lorien, I know this is where I belong. With you" They looked at each other, and love radiated from them. He knew she had given up on the life she had for him, and he was ever grateful. But it was not like they wouldn't visit them or have them come to Imladris.
"I know it was hard for you, my love." He said, looking at her beautiful eyes and smile. "I am ever grateful for it, my love, and they are always welcome here and for you to visit them as well."
"I know my husband. But for now, my place is here with you. To get to know your people and to be worthy of being their lady." She said.
"They love you as I do. It is not like I have taken a wife from an unknown land….." before Elrond could finish what he was telling her, the doors to the hall of fire were ripped open, and in came a soaked Glorfindel with something in his arms.
"Glorfindel, what is this haste? You are soaking wet! Could you not have changed before charging in?"
The hall got quiet- Everyone was looking at Glorfindel.
"I would, my friend. But this one needs your aid!" He said with a hurried tone as he laid down an elfling on the bench as Elrond and Celebrian rushed over.
She was bloodied, bruised, and unconscious. In her right hand was a small knife.
"Where did you find her?" Elrond asked as he looked her over with Celebrian
"About a league from the river. A pack of orcs had made camp there after assaulting a group of elves a bit south. They had been caught in the storm, and the orcs took advantage," Glorfindel said with a sad tone.
"Orc scum is getting bold, attacking everyone on the road," One of the guards said angrily.
"Enough, Caenir," Glorfindel said strictly to the warrior. "This is not the time or place for it."
Elrond and Celebrian were already picking up the elfling and hurrying off to the healing wards of the house.
"She feels like ice," Celebrian said. Trying to determine what wounds the elfling had received from the orcs
"and wet to the bone", Elrond added as they ran. Glorfindel had overtaken them and got everyone to make way for them.
At the healing wing, Elrond laid the elfling down on the table, removing the soaked cloak from her, and at that moment, her eyes opened up, they were the scared eyes of someone that had been hurt badly, and at that moment, she tried to use her knife on them. But she could barely move, and Elrond and Celebrian made sure she knew them as elves too and that she was safe, and as soon as she had woken, she was unconscious again.
"I think it's best we take the knife for safekeeping until she has healed and isn't so disorientated," Elrond said as he took the knife and looked at the ancient blade. "This is from Gondolin," he said to himself and put it in the drawer of the treatment table. Celebrian nodded.
"Was she the only survivor?" Elrond asked. Glorfindel couldn't answer him. Only nod for the sight that he saw that night was something he would never ever forget, as brutal a sight as he saw during the fall of Gondolin. No matter how much he would try.
Elrond looked at his friend as he did not respond to him except for the nod, and he saw the tears from the golden-haired elf.
"Halthor. Would you please get Lord Glorfindel to his room and send up warm food and drink for him? I will come by as soon as I am done here."
"Yes, My Lord," the elf said and he lead Glorfindel out of the room.
"I have never seen Glorfindel in such a state", Elrond commented to his wife.
"He was clearly shaken by what he saw", Celebrian commented as she got the little elfling out of the wet cloths and dried her off as Elrond kept examining her.
"She has wounds all over," Elrond said in disbelief. "I need bandages, hot water, and Athelas" The healers and aids in the room all responded, "Yes, My Lord."
They all worked for hours on the girl and made sure she stayed unconscious. There were many cuts, some deep and others shallow. More than a few bruised bones and some broken ribs. But overall, the elfling had been lucky. Or as lucky as being abused by orcs and possibly seeing her family die a horrible death.
When all was done, they sat down as they had laid her in a bed for the injured and hurt in the main hall of the healing wing of the last homely house.
"You are exhausted, my love," Celebrian said as she looked at her husband. "You need to eat something and get some rest. The other healers can take over now" He looked at her and nodded carefully. Looking over at the little elfling resting finally in several layers of warm sheets and clothes.
"I need to see to Glorfindel. He seemed badly shaken." Celebrian looked at him and knew she couldn't talk him out of it.
"Very well. But we will send for food and drink to be delivered to his room as we walk there," Celebrian stated with a firm tone. She knew Elrond could be stubborn. But so could she when need be.
"You do not need to come. You should go to our room and rest," He said as he felt her chin and kissed her forehead. "No, I need to come. You are no less tired than I am, and I did not marry you just for the easy days, but for every day." She responded and took his hand, and gave him a kiss on the lips.
So they sent for food and drink to be delivered to Glorfindels room and went there in silence. Knocking on his door, they waited and then got a low voice, "enter".
"How are you feeling?" Both of them asked, worried for their friend.
"I am better now. I was just shaken by the view I saw. How is the elfling? Is she going to be fine? Please say she is?" They sat down with him, and both nodded. "Yes, she will be fine. Most of the wounds were shallow, but still, the amount made it threatening to her." Elrond said. "You got her to him just in time. She woke for a short moment when we removed the wet cloak you put around her but passed out just moments later," Celebrian added.
"That is well," Glorfindel said in relief. "We got to save one at least". He said as he nodded. "Orcs are getting bold, travelling past Gondor to pillage and attack our lands." Elrond looked at his friend and sighed. "I fear the orcs are not from Mordor. Gondor has watched all over the mountains and the gate. I fear they come from the north of here." Celebrian and Glorfindel looked at Elrond. Slightly horrified by his statement.
"I cannot say for sure. But a shadow has been growing in my heart for months now. But none of our scouts has seen any as of yet." Elrond said in sadness.
"I will take more scouts and travel north tomorrow, we need to know if the orcs have made a stronghold in the north" Glorfindel stated firmly.
"Scouts will be sent," Elrond said. "But you will not lead them, my friend. You need time to rest as you just returned. Others must take some of the burdens and not force it all on you."
Glorfindel was about to protest, but Celebrian stopped him. "You know he is right, Glorfindel. You can't wear yourself out." He looked at her and knew his friend had found a good wife. She was supportive and loving to him and even stood up for him when he needed it.
"I will rest as my Lord and Lady commands," Glorfindel said with a smile. With that, Elrond and Celebrian's food had arrived, too, and they all ate together before they bid Glorfindel good night. Or good morning, as it turned out to be, as the morning was creeping up on them all.
It was late morning when Elrond and Celebrian woke up. A simple cold breakfast was left for them in their main room and they ate some before checking on the girl Glorfindel had rescued last night.
"I hope she is doing well," Celebrian said as she held her husband's arm, walking down the halls to the healing wing.
"As do I," Said Elrond, a little worried for the girl. "Her body will heal, but her mind… I fear for it. She has been through an ordeal few can say they have."
"she will need a safe house and a family to grow up with" Celebrian stated as they came up on the door to the healing wing and slowly entered. The little elfling was still asleep, and the healers that had stayed with her said she had slept all night. Even if the sleep had been poor and she had moved a lot and screamed some. But they managed to calm her down.
"It is to be expected" Elrond stated as Celebrian made her way over to the bed and put her hand on the elflings forehead. "It is, but none so young should ever see such horrors or be that injured." She commented on the whole situation.
"No. But sadly so is this world. For the strength of men failed us when we needed it the most." Elrond said in sadness. "If not for that, we would be at peace now, and orcs wouldn't roam around pillaging, killing as they will…" He knew that he could not change what happened in Orodruin, with Isildur taking the ring instead of destroying it. But he wished he had at this moment. He really wished it hard.
"You could have done nothing to change what happened that day or stop what happened to her anymore," His wife said sternly to him. "What is done is done," She said sternly and turned towards the elfling. Feeling her moving and Celebrian sat down by her, whispering in her ear. "You are safe little one. I am Celebrian of Imladris. Rest now and I will watch over you as you heal" With her words whispered to the girl, she calmed down and continued to sleep.
She was not a healer like Elrond, but she would do what she could to help this poor elfling girl to feel safe and heal if nothing else. Elrond smiled and as Glorfindel came up and asked him how she was doing, he said that she had moved some, but not fully woken yet.
"I just hope she won't give in to grief from this. It would make it even more tragic than it is." Glorfindel said, standing beside his friend and Lord.
"Hope is all we can do now. Her body is healing, but for now, that is all we know." Elrond said. "Have you sent out the scouts to the north?" He added.
"Yes, they left early this morning, and I have sent words to Arnor about the situation. They will need to know if their northeastern border is in danger," Glorfindel said.
"Indeed they will. Hopefully, we can stop this situation if there is one. I do hope it was just a random orc band, but I fear not." Elrond said thoughtfully as he looked at his wife sitting with the elfling and singing to her.
"I think we should double the guard around the valley itself too. Just to be sure nothing will happen." Glorfindel said.
"Give the order. I will go and get the tailor for the girl. She will need clothes for when she wakes up that fit her." Elrond said, and Celebrian nodded to it as she kept singing to the girl. Glorfindel nodded and said he could send the tailor to the, but Elrond declined. He needed some air to think, and a walk would do him good.
Celebrian wanted to stay with the girl if she woke up, so he left her with the wounded elfling. The rain and slowed down, and it was a mere drizzle now, so he took the shortcut from the house and over the garden.
Hoping his fear was not warranted. But in his heart. He knew that war was coming to the northern lands again.