Still don't own anything of Lord of the rings or Tolkien's works. Only the characters I create. Won't follow the lore 100%, but whatever changes I make will be done as respectfully as I can. I love the world of middle earth.
Days of Healing
Days had passed since the storm full night when Glorfindel had rushed into the hall of fire with a wounded elfling in his arms. Her body was healing, but her mind was still struggling. Sleep was never calm, her breath desperate as the nightmares of a burning Gondolin ever woke her in fear and tears.
Celebrian and Elrond had stayed with her ever since the tailor left and only had taken short breaks themselves to sleep, eat, and their roles as Lord and Lady of the valley. But ever a servant or healer came to bring back one of them, especially Celebrian, as the girl had taken to her and was the only elf that truly managed to calm her down.
"You poor sweet thing," Celebrian said as her hand stroked over the elflings forehead. "Is there truly nothing we may do to help her, my love?" She pleaded to Elrond, standing beside her.
"She has been through a grave ordeal. But her mind is healing even if it does not seem to." He leaned down over the elfling. Chanting his elven magic and all his wisdom of the mind told him it was the right way to treat her. But he had never seen such a horrible case of fear and darkness.
Celebrian looked at him with worry in her eyes. "she has not slept a whole night. Barely eaten or had any water. I fear we might lose her not to her wounds, but to lack of her needs being filled" Elrond just nodded with his grave face and finished his chant when her eyes sprung open, and he barely got away as she sat up in the bed screaming.
"Demons, darkness, fire everywhere. Where is my guardian? Please let me see her, please I need her. Balrog, balrogs everywhere, burning us. They hunt us down." Celebrian looked at him with fear in his eyes as he got one of the servants to run off and find Glorfindel.
When he arrived at the healing ward the elfling was being held by Celebrian, crying. Shaking. Elrond saw him enter and walked over to him. "She describes the fall of Gondolin, the fires, and the destruction of the city. I was hoping you could talk to her about the people's escape and you defeating the balrog hunting them." Glorfindel didn't want to remember that day, but seeing the elfling in such distress made him walk over and sit down beside the bed. The elfling holding onto Celebrian for her dear life only glanced at him to make sure he was not a threat.
"Hello, little one. My name is Glorfindel. I am the one that found you and brought you to this valley." She didn't respond, just carefully looked at him as she did not let Celebrian go. "I hear that you have not been able to sleep without seeing demons, and what worse is?" She nodded slowly but did not say anything. "Dark monsters with horns, and wings but not yet able to fly and fire in their mouths with dark mists around them?" Her eyes widened. "A Balrog?" Glorfindel finally said. Carefully she nodded to him. "You... seen... it... too?" she managed to stutter out. "I have. I even met it in battle over the city as our people fled" She turned her face toward him, giving him a long stare. "You did?" a long pause came. "Yes, you really did, but how are you here? None can fight a balrog and live!" She outed in disbelief, looking at him. "It is a terrible enemy and not easy to overcome. Even when willing to give one's life to do so, victory is not assured." He answered with grief on his face. "But you are here," the elfling said and looked at Celebrian, Elrond, some of the healers, and back at Glorfindel. "I am, but I died fighting it. But I was deemed worthy to return to Arda. To keep protecting our people", she looked at him still. Now with wonder in her eyes. "You saved me too?" He nodded at her "I and my warriors did" her hopes being lighted as she stared harder at him. "You saved my guardian too?" Glorfindel' s face got dark. "None, but you were alive when we arrived." Tears started to appear in her eyes, and disbelief set in. "She was dressed in blue and red, she has long golden hair like you, please say she is alive. Please." He shook his head as the elfling started to cry harder and harder. "I saw none matching your description. I am so sorry little one" But he got no response as she turned and cried into Celebrian's shoulder.
His heart broke, and so did the heart of everyone that could hear her cries that day, and he could not sit still and wait. "My friend," he said, looking at Elrond. "I need to go back out and see if I can find the guardian she described" Elrond looked at him and at Celebrian, she nodded at him, and he agreed. "Very well. But take a sizeable patrol." Glorfindel nodded, and "I will, thank you. My Lady," He said and looked at Celebrian before he ran out the door. With that, Elrond moved over to the elflings bed and sat down beside his wife and held them both. The girl reached around him too, and let out a long wet cry, for her world was in ruins. All she knew was gone.
Sleep finally took her after her cry, and the darkness in her mind started to lift, and they could leave the room for a while. Neither of them spoke as both of them were deep in thought as they made their way into the gardens of the valley. Life and beauty were all around them. Birds singing, flowers rising up after being beaten down by rain, and a squirrel family sitting up in the tree looking down at the elven couple.
"You think as I do, husband?" Celebrian finally said, looking over at Elrond.
"That we should take her in?" He looked back at her as he answered her.
"Yes, that is what I was thinking." She responded. No explanation was needed from either of them. She had taken to them both, and she had nothing in this world. She was still young, but not a child of their kin either. But not yet half the way to adulthood. She would need guidance, family, and teachings. They could provide all for her. Not to replace all she had lost, for they would not want to forget those she had loved. But to guide, aid, and love her as those before them had done.
"Then it is settled," Celebrian said, smiling at Elrond as she grabbed his arm. Of all their choices in life, this had been one of the easy kind.
"It is," Elrond said as he took a deep breath before kissing his wife's forehead.
Their walk took them around the valley and back towards the house after they left the garden. Stopping by a few workshops to get everything the elfling would need to be made. Everyone was eager to do it as the word of her arrival had spread to everyone over the past few days. After all, both the lord and lady of the valley had been unavailable, for everyone was very rare. The elves that had come with Celebrian from Lorien had chosen to stay with their lady as most of them had family in Imladris and stayed on as her servants. All of them had been worried about her as the few times she had been out of the healing ward, her face was filled with sorrow. But thankfully, she returned from the walk with her smile back on her lips.
That evening they returned to her bed in the healing ward and brought with them dinner for themselves and her. Not many words were spoken at first, but she was finally trying to eat. Something that had worried both of them and the other healers.
"I was wondering" Celebrian started to say "the last days have been so worrisome I am unsure if I ever caught your name, sweet one" Looking over at the elfling that was chewing her food and looked back at her. "I don't remember much,"said the elfling. "But my name is Aethel," the girl said. Celebrian smiled as she said her name and took another bite, as did Elrond. Finally, it seemed she was getting better and speaking, even if just a little. "It is very nice to meet you, Aethel. I am not sure you remember, but I am Celebrian, and this is my husband, Elrond." Elrond nodded to her and smiled as Aethel's eyes grew wide. "As in… ohh," she said, trying to move, but her body was too weak to really do much more than eat, and the tray holding her food started to slip, and Elrond grabbed it. "Stay still, little one," He said in a caring way to her. But she could not stop saying how sorry she was for not greeting them properly "The healers spoke of you, but I did not make the connection as being those caring for me, please forgive me, my lord, my lady."
Both of them looked at her trying to calm her down again, but she was stubborn and wanted to give them a proper elven greeting. Even if her body did not comply at all. "There is nothing to forgive," Elrond said as he took the tray of food and sat it on the nightstand beside her bed. "Nothing at all" Celebrian added. "But I…" Aethel tried to say, but both of them denied it all the more and with that, they placed the food tray back on her lap as they continued to eat. Over the next few days, she kept recovering, and Celebrian stayed with her. Elrond had to go back to being more of the lord he was. But still, he dropped by whenever he could.
Glorfindel and his patrol returned after 5 days of hard riding and looking over the area where the orcs had ambushed the elves. None matched the elflings description, and they looked everywhere. As far as the outer lines of the skirmish area and then a good league to make sure. As he returned, he was informed of how she was doing and her name. But he could not get himself to meet her right now. Her cries still haunted him, and he needed rest after the last few days of hard riding and the disappointment of not finding any clue as to where her guardian could be.
About seven days passed until Elrond deemed her healthy enough to leave the healing wing and be moved into her new quarters in the main house down the family wing on the second floor. It was well decorated with the Heraldry of the Noldor, a large bed, closets, and a chest of drawers. A small table with four chairs and large windows and a balcony with a great view out over the valley. Far on the inside of the room was a door into a washing room with a tub, mirror towels, and everything she would need for her washing and general sanitary needs.
"This room is…" Aethel tried to say, looking over everything with wonder. She was tall, taller than she had seemed when Glorfindel had carried and even when she was confined to bed. Still, she was shorter than Elrond and about the same as Celebrian. Her hair is redly long and full. Her brows were thin, following the shape of her eyes well. Her eyes are dark blue. Her skin was fair yet almost glowing gold in the light from the windows. Her form is thin yet in an hourglass shape. "wonderful. I am sure I do not deserve it. But I have nothing to repay your generosity with" Both Elrond and Celebrian had been taken off guard by her looks and were in a mere trance when she spoke to them.
"We are happy you like it. It is still not yet complete, and if you want changes, please let us know," Both of them said to her. Seeing her look over the room so curiously and feel the wood and sheets of her bed and take in the view. "You are so gracious, my lord and lady," Aethel said and bowed her head to them as they walked up to her.
"If we may, Aethel we do have some questions if you feel up to it?" Elrond said and pointed his arm towards the table and chairs. "Of course" Aethel responded.
"Little do we know of you except your name and that you are of Gondolin it sounded like," Celebrian said.
"Yes, my lady. I am of Gondolin. I was taken in by my Guardian, Lady Eriswen, my mother's cousin," Aethel responded.
"Did your mother and father live elsewhere or?" Elrond asked very curiously. "No, my lord," Aethel responded. "They did after I was born, and I was taken to Gondolin by friends of my parents. I never knew them, and lady Eriswen my aunt, was gracious enough to take me in." Elrond nodded and looked at Celebrian and back at Aethel.
"When we looked you over for wounds to heal, I saw several scars and older wounds, poorly healed and untreated. They seemed to me. May I ask how you got them?" Elrond said.
Aethel looked at them with shame in her eyes. "Yes, my lord." She responded, taking a deep breath. "That is correction and let down scars from my aunt Eriswen." Her whole body withdrew some before Elrond and Celebrian could respond, "Aethel, you mean she beat you?" Celebrian said with shock in her voice. Aethel could do nothing but nod.
"If you rather move me to a lesser room or even basement, I would fully understand it. A disobedient elf does not deserve such a room." Aethel could do nothing but look into the table. She did not dare look them in the eyes as she spoke anymore. Both Elrond and Celebrian sat there in disbelief at what they heard. But neither let it show.
"No, Aethel, this is your room, and we would not take it from you. But how is it you ask for your aunt when she did such horrible things to you?" Elrond said as Celebrian added, "None should be punished like that no matter what they did wrong." Aethel looked up for a short moment. Like she was scared to catch their eyes. "I am so very sorry, my lord, my lady. I do not understand. Any elf that speaks out of turn eats too much at celebrations or is a disappointment to her family deserves such punishments" They could not believe what they heard Aethel elf deserved such punishments for speaking or eating hardly at a celebration event or for being a disappointment. What could she have done that was so horrible?
Both of them grabbed her hands and told her to look at them.
"Aethel. None should be treated as such for the things you say. None of you understand me?" Elrond said with a firm but kind tone. Aethel looked up at him with a very confused look as Celebrian squeezed her hand in a reassuring way. "My husband is right, Aethel. None should be treated as you have been, and none will again." The more they assured her, the more confused she seemed, but she tried to nod in agreement with them. Even if she did not wholly believe them.
"May I ask Aethel, why did your aunt call you a disappointment?" Celebrian said. Her curiosity taking the better of her.
"Yes, my lady." Aethel took another deep breath. All of this seemed so surreal to her, and what strange lord and lady would disagree with her aunt? "I wanted to serve in the guard of the city, even when we knew it would be attacked. But my aunt saw it as a foolish wish and not for a lady to want. Seeing how scared I was when they came, I see how foolish it truly was…" Aethel cut herself off, and she started to get a big lump in her throat.
"That is not foolish or disappointing," Elrond said as he could not hold his tongue any longer. "Any person that is willing to fight for his or her people should be encouraged to do so and be honoured for it. Your aunt could clearly not see so, and if I ever meet her, she will get the full opinion I have of her" He clearly disagreed with everything this so-called aunt had done to her, but beating her for such a thing as wanting to defend her city and people? For speaking out of turn? For eating well and properly at a celebration. No, this so-called lady would not be welcome or able to take Aethel with her if she ever had the misfortune to come to Imladris.
Both Aethel and Celebrian were stunned. Aethel by his outburst and how he took down any defence she had of her aunt and Celebrian in pride of her husband taking such a firm stand against what Aethel's aunt had done. Celebrian took his hand and squeezed it hard with a smile that could only mean proud of you, my dear husband.
As she turned to Aethel, she smiled and took a breath for herself. "Aethel, my husband and I have spoken about you living with us in this room, as you have understood, but we also spoke about taking you in and being to you as family. Not as you being our ward. But daughter." As Celebrian spoke, Aethel's face went from shame, to shock to one of disbelief. "My lady, my lord, I cannot. I have not deserved it or any of what you have done for me. It would be a shame to steal such a position with you." They both guessed it would be a negative reaction to what they wished after hearing about her life so far. But they would not give in to her mistreatment speaking for her.
"It is not shameful to take a place with us that we offer free and without any reservation," Elrond said with a smile. Still not letting go of her hand.
"If we did not mean it, we would not have offered it. Or made it clear that it is not a position with reservations for you to retain it and not lose it." Celebrian added.
"All we ask is that you get healthy, keep talking to us so we can help you heal, and when you are ready, start learning a role that you want, and we will not force you into one that doesn't appeal to you or suit you," Elrond added with Celebrian nodding.
"You have lived in a very dark place with your aunt and that is not what we are offering you. You reached out to us after Glorfindel brought you here, and this is us reaching back to you Aethel." Celebrian added.
"You do not need to say yes or no now. Or any other answer you would wish to give. When you are ready, we will be happy to hear it." Elrond said again to his wife in agreement.
Aethel only nodded to their comments, as it was shocking to hear such a caring statement from someone wanting to her to be family. Even if she did not know them, she clearly had made an impression, and she did feel safe with them around her. Still shocked that the Lord and Lady had taken time to sit by her bed and hold her whenever she needed it or comfort her when she had cried and feed her when she herself had been too weak.
"Thank you" was all Aethel could say as her eyes filled with tears, and Elrond and Celebrian stood up and came over, hugging her as she cried yet again.