A Mother's Daughter Through and Through
Adriana stirred groggily and moaned as she felt the many hurts and sores from the past few weeks of traveling and fighting. She kept her eyes closed as she thought for a few moments about where she was. She felt a very soft bed and blankets as they pressed against her…she felt the scratchy roughness of a new sleeping gown as it moved against her skin, she heard birds singing and a quiet humming…and finally she smelled—her nose wrinkled slightly—the scent of a pipe was so familiar…
Her eyes snapped open and she nearly leapt off the bed, "Gandalf!" Adriana exclaimed as she focused on the familiar gray-clothed figure. His blue eyes twinkled merrily, though in the depths a great sadness seemed to lurk, and he nodded his head while reaching a hand out to steady her for she had once again begun to get dizzy.
"Easy now, dear Adriana. You've put us all through quite a scare; it is 2 o'clock on October the 23rd if you care to know. Elrond healed you but he's afraid that there might be minor scarring." Adria reached to her side and felt a thick bandage even through the fabric of the gown.
She sighed but then looked up her eyes slightly accusing, "Gandalf, I realize you were at a meeting with Saruman but why…?" she allowed her question to fade away as she waited for an answer.
Gandalf's eyes grew dark, "He is no longer with us…he has gone over to Sauron and I was briefly held…hostage." He bitterly smiled at the less-than-adequate term and Adriana winced in horror, "The eagles eventually aided my escape and I came here with all haste and now you have arrived also. There are some hobbits that I believe wanted to see you and Aragorn said he wanted to speak with you as well."
Adriana tilted her head at the very short…and non-descriptive…story of Saruman's betrayal but brightened when she heard of the hobbits, "They are all well then?" Gandalf nodded once while smiling and Adriana gingerly emerged from the bed and gathered the clothes at the foot of the bed to her chest with one hand. "I will get ready then and will see them presently. The meeting is to be held soon I'd imagine?" She queried softly as she changed behind a screen. Emerging she saw that this time the nod seemed to be forced and the smile was gone.
Gandalf sighed, "Adriana you've done much. The ring is evil and I thank you for bearing such a burden and helping me aid the hobbits on their journey. You got them here safely." He hugged her close for a moment and she complied and then stepped away and began to pull her hair back into a ponytail even as she winced. She hadn't gotten all of the hobbits here safely and the last foot of the journey was under Aragorn's care and watch.
She raised a hand to her hair for a moment and brought it in front of her eyes. "Gandalf," Adria began hesitantly as she twined the tips of it through her fingers, "I…I helped Arwen with the calling of the river horses. Can I…Can I possibly be a part of this family?" Gandalf met her eyes, aged human eyes holding the wise blue eyes of an elf for a long interminable moment.
The reply when it came was quiet, "That is not for me to answer." Suddenly the door flew open and hit the neighboring wall with a thud. A few moments later three small explosions hit Adria in the side and catapulted her onto the bed. She was breathless (and senseless) for a few moments before she blinked and returned the hugs of the hobbits.
"Brave friends, how was your journey? Did Aragorn keep you safe?" Merry and Pippin opened their mouths to reply and Sam was shaking his head emphatically when a voice answered her question from the doorway.
"Of course, I did. You've kept your promise as well Adria. Arwen has said that she wants to talk to you." Adriana looked up from the bed and her surrounding hobbits towards the figure that was leaning against the door way smiling slightly. Adriana nodded her head once.
"I suppose by and by that that is what you wanted to see me about?" Aragorn nodded and then came further into the room and clasped her shoulder again while quietly speaking a thank you in Elvish. Then he was leaning down and giving her hug and just as quickly he was gone. Adriana glanced at the door where Aragorn had disappeared through and then as a thought hit her she peered around for Gandalf…but he had disappeared just as Aragorn had.
Adriana stalked through the hallways her blue-black dress trailing against the cobbled floor. She sighed and ran a hand through her crow-wing hair as her eyes narrowed in thought. She had just left a very friendly reunion with Frodo and the rest of her small friends when she had decided that she ought to leave them to their own thoughts…for awhile at least. For some reason Adria grew more and more worried as the time passed. She passed an open door-way and then stopped. She could hear voices.
After ascertaining that Gandalf was indeed in the room she ventured in and cleared her throat. She smiled slightly as her guess was proven right and she met Elrond's eyes pointedly, "If you please, Lord Elrond. I have matters that I must discuss with you. Gandalf refused to divulge any information and I believe that you are the one most capable of answering my questions."
Elrond glanced at abrupt nature somewhat surprised but then heaved a sigh, she was just like three other fiery she-elves that he knew—one his own daughter, the other his wife, and finally his…sister.
Elrond met her gaze and nodded, "You are wondering why you were able to claim the protection that is only a birthright of Rivendell Elves." A blunt statement but Adria favored him with an even more to the point answer.
"That is so, who am I?"
He reached out and caressed her face lightly; she met his gaze unwaveringly despite how the sudden touch had gotten her a tad nervous. However, she saw his eyes and how they were focused on times not of the present.
"My sister was much like you, the same eyes and stubborn brow, the same suppressed excitement visible in every line of the body. She was so overjoyed to hear that she was to have a child. You were born one windy stormy evening, and she was so very, very happy. She glowed. Soon after a passing border skirmish called her away, she was a warrior through and through you see, and no one else could answer the call. I…I was with my own pregnant wife who was just having Arwen. We had spoken before about how there would soon be two princesses of Rivendell because we were determined to raise you together, just as her and I were. She…she never came back from that battle. It was said that through her bravery many of the elves were saved that shouldn't have survived but that didn't change how I felt. I was heartbroken, my sister and I were very close even as we grew older. We weren't like many of the elf-children in that respect, the ages passed and only seemed to push us closer together instead of farther apart."
He paused for a moment his face a mixture of pain and love. Gandalf was edging away towards the window but Adria was held spell-bound as she heard the tale of this woman-warrior…her mother, "Your mother was very brave but after she died I couldn't bear the pain. Seeing you each day brought back relief and agony in turns…you were so alike. My wife died soon after leaving me with Arwen and you Adriana. For awhile I kept the two of you together, determined to keep to the promise that my sister and I had made. Over time though, it grew harder. Being a ruler kept me away from you two longer and longer and finally one stormy night I sent you to live with the King and Queen of Ered Luin. I knew that you would be well-looked after and I wanted you to grow up with a mother figure…even as I knew Arwen would not. It was a terrible parting…the winds and rain were pouring and howling and the two of you refused to be parted. That night was the worst but many other nights following were bad. Arwen wouldn't cease crying, correspondence between the King and Queen confirmed that neither would you, though at first it seemed that your temper as lulled from the Eagle's flight."
Elrond stopped again and Adriana quickly wiped away her eyes. Through-out the story she had been awakened to who she really was, images had assaulted her of her mother, the service of remembrance for her, the two little Elvish babies playing together, the storm, the door opening… Adriana shook her head to clear it of the images and sought something that was real. She sank into chair that happened to be near her and rested her forehead on her hands. She closed her eyes and breathed deep. Elrond's voice broke through her meditating, "These many years have passed and it seems Fate had something else planned for you because you were allowed to meet Arwen, thought at the time neither of you realized your blood ties, and grow close to her. Each time you came to Rivendell with young Liawing, you the stoic guardian, brought me a fresh wave of regret and pain. You are truly your mother's daughter, Adriana. I hope…" here Elrond trailed off but then continued while offering his hand, "I hope that you can forgive me for taking you away from your family. These years I'm able to look back and realize the wrong that I had done in a few months of pain and hardship. You two shouldn't have been parted and you should have grown up here with Arwen as a princess."
Adriana was quiet for a moment. She lifted her head and met Elrond's gaze again but her eyes were pensive. She thought of the love and laughter that she had had growing up in Ered Luin, of the companionship of her cousins (though of a different sort than her and Arwen), of the steadfast acceptance of such a wild Elf, she even thought of the many arguments, scolding, and punishments that had happened and then she smiled. Adria grasped Elrond's hand and then rose in a whisper of silk.
"Lord Elrond… Uncle," she added a teasing smile, "there is nothing to forgive. In Ered Luin I had family and friends and ties to elves just as I would have had here. As it was I ended up having family and friends here too. If I am my mother's daughter and you would know more than I, than you should also know what this adventure has granted to my existence. So, thank-you from the bottom of my heart, you have given me an adventure even as you have returned me to my family. As I have my answers now, I believe I will go for a ride. Good day, Uncle Elrond and Gandalf." She swept out of the room leaving Elrond to stare at her retreating figure. He tiredly smiled, as just for a moment her figure disappeared and in its place was another elf smiling and waving as she left her brother to attend to royal matters, Adriana was definitely her mother's daughter.
He laughed slightly and then turned to Gandalf and joined him at the terrace. "Is she always that mischievous?" Gandalf joined in the laughter.
"She's generally much worse," he paused as he saw the hobbits having their reunion and grew silent and thoughtful. He glanced at Elrond and noted much of the same expression. Terrible times were brewing far too fast. Measures would have to be taken and indeed some had already been put into motion. A meeting was to be held later that afternoon, Gandalf remembered suddenly, he hoped fervently that it would be part of the solution that they so desperately needed.