Title: Until We Reach Valinor
Chapter 32: Too Late
...
Celin's reception at the school was everything Legolas had feared and hoped it would be. Elano had acted as though he hadn't even noticed Celin had returned, refusing to acknowledge him. It had hurt Celin, and disappointed Legolas a little, but it was a price they were both willing to accept for Elano's being spared from death. Celin had been horrified when he had learned how close Elano had come to fading, and had broken down in the privacy of Legolas's study. Legolas had comforted him to the best of his ability, and assured him that Elano was fine now, relating to him how Miriel had managed to save the day. The knowledge that his former friend at least had someone to hold onto now was some comfort to Celin.
The older students who had known him best and for the longest for the most part accepted him back with a sensitivity which made him proud of them, and it made him realize that they were all indeed growing up. The newer students were less warm. Some, like Doroth, who Legolas had decided would never learn, had been rude and refused to be taught by Celin. Legolas had put a stop such behaviour at once, with a sharp scolding and a gigantic list of chores which swiftly turned his insolence into grudging civility.
Celin, too, quickly learnt how to discipline the first years when he needed to, and Legolas's pride knew no bounds every time he thought about the Elfling's progress. Although Celin was more subdued now, and laughed less than he used to, the change suited him. He had lost his innocence, but lost it gracefully.
As the school year drew to a close, the preparations for the graduation began. It was, again, a busy time of year, and all the students were on edge. They didn't bother him as much as they had the previous year with doubts and questions, preferring to turn to each other and to Celin. Legolas didn't mind very much; he had long since accepted that he would be treated differently now that he was not only their teacher but their King. And truth be told, it was something of a relief because it left him with more time with his children.
As their teacher, he knew he could not judge their performances, so he arranged for three high-ranking soldiers to judge the students for the graduation. Since the school had achieved a great deal of fame over the past year, he also decided to make the event open to the public. He was proud of his oldest students, and wanted them to finish their school life in a blaze of glory. Besides, Gondor's finest and richest would be present for the occasion as well, as their sons and daughters made up part of the student body this year. The occasion seemed to call for some grandeur.
Of course, this put even more pressure than usual on the students, who went about with harried expressions and spent almost all their time practicing for the graduation. The second years gave a great deal of advice to their juniors, not all of it either called upon or good; and occasionally irritated them when they adopted a superior or condescending attitude.
"First year is very easy compared to second year," Legolas overheard Pilinel saying dismissively to a first year a fortnight before the graduation. "You don't have anything to complain about. Do you know, we have to hit moving targets while on horseback? Nothing in your course compares to that!"
The first year, already on edge from the ever-looming graduation, exploded like volcanoes. "That isn't exactly helpful, you know!"
"When you were in first year I'm sure you didn't find anything easy!"
After overhearing a number of such exchanges, Legolas began to wonder if the pressure was beginning to be a bit too much, but Alanna told him not to worry about it. "They can stand a little sharpness from each other once in awhile, for children forgive more easily than adults do," she said. "Besides, when they leave these four walls they'll have to face the realities of the world. A little extra pressure won't hurt them. In fact, they might even perform better!"
With classes suspended to give the children time to prepare, Legolas and Alanna had more time to spare than usual, and they spent most of it with their children, who were growing more as every day went by.
"They're getting heavy, aren't they?" Alanna asked, adjusting Rilian on her hip as she walked alongside Legolas.
The latter paused. "Do you want me to take him?" he asked.
"And who would carry Miriel if you did that, pray?" Alanna retorted.
"I could carry them both," Legolas said.
Alanna burst out laughing. "I'd like to see you try! They squirm so much you'd probably drop them in seconds."
"I'll have you know I've scaled beasts the size of which you couldn't even imagine-"
"But have you ever tried to carry both of them at the same time?" she interrupted.
"No." His eyes widened. "Alanna, you didn't!"
"Don't worry, I made sure I was standing over the bed just in case," she said, serious now. "I wouldn't take such chances with my children, not with how clumsy I can be."
"I was only teasing, Alanna," Legolas said, troubled that she had taken him to heart. "I know better than to think-"
"I know that," she said, smiling at him to show that she hadn't been hurt. "But it doesn't hurt to be careful."
...
"That went well, didn't it?" Alanna asked Legolas in an undertone during the post-graduation celebration.
"Yes, yes it did," Legolas said. "Surprisingly well. I never expected so many of the first years to show so much calibre."
The second years, needless to say, had done as well as he had expected them to. Celin had once again been at the top of the class, and almost all the others had also scored well. All in all, he was very pleased with the others.
"I'm going to miss Linnor and the others next year," Alanna commented. "I've grown so used to them that- Rilian! Don't put that in your mouth!"
"Yes, I know what you mean," Legolas said, grimacing at whatever it was his son had been about to ingest. He stole a look at Miriel, and heaved a sigh of relief to see that she was still gurgling contentedly to Elano, who was, as usual, watching her.
"Thank the Valar Celin will remain next year," he said. "Otherwise I really don't know what I'd do."
"Oh Valar," she said suddenly. "Is that Doroth's father? He looks just like him!"
"Yes, I think so," said Legolas with a grimace. "And he doesn't look too pleased, either. I suppose his son has been complaining to him about all the great 'injustices' I've done him this year."
"Aragorn's talking to him, look; he'll smooth things over," Alanna reassured him.
"I think I had better go and speak to him, just the same," Legolas said, rising.
Alanna stood as well. "I'm finished eating, so I think I'll take Rilian and Miriel for a little walk in the gardens. I'm sure Elano wouldn't mind accompanying me."
"Is the celebration getting a little too much for you?" he asked knowingly.
"Too many people," she said ruefully, and then grinned. "I did grow up all alone in an isolated castle, you know, and would have been rotting there still if you hadn't braved all dangers and rescued me."
"Yes, we're both straight out of one of your fairy-tales," he said dryly, and then gestured to Doroth's father. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a rather irate parent to placate."
They parted ways.
...
"Ma'am?" Elano's tentative voice ruptured the silence.
"Yes?" she asked, but she was focussed on Rilian, not really listening.
"Do you ever..." he began, but stopped, apparently tongue-tied.
She focussed her full attention on him. "What is it, Elano?"
He flushed. "Do you ever mind that I spend so much time with Miriel? I take her away from you so much, that..."
She looked at him closely. "I would be lying if I said I don't miss her," she said, choosing her words carefully. "But I don't begrudge you the time you spend with her, and neither does Legolas." She smiled at him. "We named her for your sister, and she saved your life. That makes her yours, almost as much as she's ours."
"Would you like to hold her?" he asked. "I could hold Rilian. I don't spend nearly enough time with him."
"Alright," Alanna agreed at once. She never passed up an opportunity to spend time with Miriel.
She sat down on a stone seat on the side of the garden path and put Rilian down in her lap, so that she had both hands free to take Miriel from Elano. Elano, in turn, gathered Rilian up into his arms expertly. The child fussed a little at first, but soon settled under the influence of Elano's soothing murmurs.
"You're wonderful with children," Alanna remarked.
"Thank you, ma'am."
Miriel took hold of one of her fingers, and she smiled down at her, with an affectionate murmur of, "Dearest."
Rilian made a gurgling noise, arms stretching out his short arms towards a butterfly that had just flown past. Elano smiled in amusement. "What is it, Rilian? Is it a butterfly? Butter-fly. Do you want to catch it? Butterfly!"
He moved away, laughing at the baby's antics, and soon disappeared around the corner.
Alanna watched him go with a smile, marvelling at the change in him. It was such a pleasure to see him smile and laugh again, and only Miriel and Rilian seem to bring it out in him. She turned her attention to Miriel. The child was in high spirits, and gurgled happily, clutching her mother's finger tightly in one tiny hand and trying to put it in her mouth.
"Miriel," she scolded gently, although she still allowed the child to nibble at her finger. "I'll never survive when you start teething," she sighed.
Something rustled in front of her, but she didn't look up, thinking it was Elano. "Did you manage to catch the butterfly?"
But it wasn't Elano's voice that responded. "I'm afraid not," said a hard, cold awfully familiar voice, and her head jerked up in alarm and disbelief. "But I think I caught something better."
"Aradhel?" Her heart leapt into her mouth, and she jumped up and moved backwards, putting the stone seat between them. "What are you doing here?!" she tried to sound furious, rather than afraid, as befitting the wife of a monarch. "Legolas forbade you to come anywhere near me under pain of exile, when he finds out you-"
"Ah, but he also opened the graduation ceremony to the general public," Aradhel interrupted coolly. "I merely had to immerse myself in a large group of people as they entered. The guard did not even notice." A cruel, mocking expression descended on his features. "One has to wonder whether he cares for you as much as he would have the world believe. His defences were laughably easy to breach. After the threats I made, I would have thought he would have done more to ensure your safety. Perhaps he secretly wanted me to kill you?"
Alanna froze. "You...you wouldn't," she said, her voice shaking. Miriel began to fuss in her arms, and she gripped her more tightly. "You aren't that cruel."
"No, as it happens, I am not," the man said in that same, cold, cruel tone.
Alanna relaxed slightly. The ridiculously arrogant Elf was only full of empty threats...that thought screeched to a halt when the man suddenly bared his teeth at her.
"I am far, far crueller, slut," he said, a feral look in his eyes, and drew his sword in a flash.
Frozen with fear, she could only scream as the sword flew towards her head.
...
"And I assure you, my Lord, we are not giving him a severer chastisement than we give others-" He stopped, suddenly alert, as a faint echo of a scream, almost inaudible, reached his ears. Cold fear settled in his stomach when he realized it had come from the gardens.
Alanna.
He took off at a sprint.
...
Elano nearly dropped Rilian as a terrified scream shattered the air, coming from where he had left Alanna not a minute ago. For one split second, he stood still, and then he turned and began to sprint back to where he had left her. There was always a chance that a spider or some other insect had crawled onto her dress and frightened her, but she was Legolas's wife, and he wasn't about to leave it up to chance.
He stopped suddenly, registering that Rilian was still in his arms. Ripping off his cloak, he threw the cloth roughly onto the ground, placed the baby onto it, and sprinted onward, cringing as the sound of the child's wailing filled the air. Valar, he couldn't believe he was leaving the Crown Prince on the floor in the middle of the royal gardens, but he was not about to go charging headlong into a potentially dangerous situation with an infant in his arms.
As he ran, he drew the sheathed knife he always kept on his person's at Legolas's insistence. He was glad of it now, even though the feeling of its cold, smooth hilt in his hand filled him with revulsion. He swallowed hard, praying that he wouldn't have to use it.
Please let it just be a spider...
He burst around the corner and let out an inarticulate cry at the sight that met his eyes. Alanna was lying lifeless on the floor, and Miriel was lying next to her, her head miraculously cushioned by one of Alanna's lax arms, wailing for all she was worth. An Elf he did not recognize was standing over them with a sword in his hand.
"No!" Elano shouted, running forward.
The Elf raised his sword above his head...but he wasn't aiming it at Alanna.
"No!" Elano screamed as the sword began its fatal descent towards Miriel.
On pure instinct, he let fly the knife in his hand, aiming to kill...but he knew it was already too late.
...
TBC...
Yes, I know, it was a very, very cruel cliffie. Had to have one though, right?
And I did warn you the story was going to become very dark. I couldn't have had Alanna and Legolas just blissfully happy forever, could I?