Another chapter as I promised! Thank you for all of the reviews, everyone. Love love love to all! Please, enjoy this chapter, and tell me what you think-!

Now if you will excuse me... *runs away from angry Haldir* Sorry! I couldn't help myself, you're so fun to tease! *runrunrun*

Chapter 14

Ada,

I write to ask you if all is well. The trees have told me of your... displeasure, so I was worried about you. Legolas is alright, I am sure of it, there is no need to worry. I will make sure he will not leave us, or else I shall personally go after him and bring him back so we can strangle him together, Ada.

I miss you, Ada, and hope to see you soon, if possible. Please stay safe and well. May the Valar be with you,

Eruanna

Once she had sent the message by a bird, she began to absently wander the paths of the woods, bored and thinking, not really paying attention to where she was going. She walked for how long she didn't know, and where or in what direction she did not know either.

But she was abruptly drawn out of her thoughts by crashing into something and tumbling backwards onto her backside. Shaking her head, she looked up, dazed, to see Haldir blinking down at her as though shocked.

"Lady Eruanna-!" He bent as though to pick her up, and then paused, as though unsure of what to do. Despite herself, her face flashed with unguarded hurt for a brief moment, but Haldir had seen it.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just... I'm not sure what you want me to do..." He inwardly scolded himself for his awkwardness that just appeared whenever the elfling was around. Eruanna smiled forgivingly, albeit faint, and reached out shyly.

He picked her up and stood, shifting her awkwardly in his arms. Eruanna patiently bore the fumbles until he figured out how to properly hold her, feeling rather incompetent. It was a feeling he didn't often feel, and it made him feel rather stupid. Eruanna lay her head on his shoulder, eyes closing as was usual for her, and snuggling into him timidly.

Haldir stared down at her for a moment, feeling rather out of his depth. A pang of something foreign went through him at the sight of the little elfling curled trustingly in his arms as he marveled. Her skin was so white and she looked so fragile, a sigh raising her chest. A tiny smile curled her lips as though amused at his observances and he jerked his head up, stalking away and feeling heat crawl up his collar.

"My lady, why did you wander so far away?" He asked, not harshly.

She touched his mind and he accepted her readily. *I wasn't looking. I was thinking.* Was her somewhat sheepish answer. *M'sorry.* She whispered.

"It's alright, my lady, I only worry about your safety." He answered automatically, striding into the center of the city and heading to the main talan to report. He felt their connection fade as she slipped away, and kept his face blank as he climbed the talan stairs to the top.

Lord Celeborn was waiting, and he bowed, beginning his report. Only after he was done did he notice that his lord had a small smile on his lips.

"And were you planning to tell me, Haldir, how you come to hold my little kinsman?" Celeborn had an amused air about him, and Haldir fought the urge to blush, glancing down self-consciously and realizing that Eruanna was asleep, clutching a lock of his silver hair. He swallowed.

"Ahh... I was returning to report, my lord, when lady Eruanna... Ran into me. She had become lost in thought and didn't realize how far she had wandered, so I took the honor of escorting her back. I didn't realize she was asleep." He gave his lord a chagrined look as Celeborn threw back his head and laughed.

He came forwards and clapped a hand on Haldir's shoulder. "Well thank you, my son, for seeing her back safely." He kissed Haldir's brow fondly and took the sleeping child from his arms, although it took a bit of wrestling to get her fingers untangled from his hair. Haldir bowed with a rare smile.

"Yes, my lord. Thank you." And he left, reminiscing how the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood had adopted him and his brothers after their parents had sailed.

Meanwhile, Celeborn stroked the hair of the elfling and carried her into the talan, handing her to Galadriel as he told her the story. His wife laughed along with Celébrian as they all sat down for a short reprieve from work. Eruanna stirred at their laughter but didn't awake, instead choosing to grasp a lock of Galadriel's hair that fell across her arm and reposition herself. Her face pinched as though in distress, and Galadriel stroked the elfling's hair, humming.

"Her hair used to be just light, but ever since she came back from Thranduil's realm it has grown those golden strands of Glorfindel's. Even he doesn't known what to make of it." Celébrian noted, poking the needle through the hoop again.

Galadriel made to answer when suddenly she frowned and looked down at the elfling who was whimpering in her sleep, beginning to stir in distress.

Eruanna didn't know where she was, but wherever it was, it was hot. A shiver ran down her spine and darkness rapidly grew in the back of her mind. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead as she vaguely felt the sense of running. She tried to focus, and it seemed to work a little.

Her footsteps sounded loud in her ears- until she realized that they were not hers but those of someone else's. It was all a blur of color and sounds and feelings until suddenly a voice sounded in her mind loud and clear like the cracking of a whip. And terror penetrated her mind as her vision cleared and a sight met her eyes.

"You cannot pass. I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

It was Mithrandir, and he was facing- if Eruanna could have let out a scream of pure horror she would have. As it was she felt the feet that were not her own stumble, and hands went up to clutch the head that was not hers. There was a crack and a moment later a roar, but she couldn't see for the dark terror that consumed her eyes.

Her vision cleared for a brief moment and one last image was burned into her mind of Mithrandir clinging to the edge of a rock precipice, wild-eyed and disheveled. "Fly, you fools." He gasped, and let go. Screams echoed all about her as she felt it rapidly recede, although it seemed as though some part of her remained there.

There was a shift, and Eruanna found herself running with heavy feet, incredulity running through the mind that was not her own. Her thoughts were jumbled, thinking of how she was to lead when their best leader and comrade was gone. Grief overcame, and it all crumbled under her feet, everything going utterly black.

Eruanna sat up, screaming in her mind, thrashing wildly in horror and twisting in a violent effort to get away from the hands holding her down. They were orcs, her brother had died, she had to get away-

"Eruanna, penneth, daro, tolo calad!" A firm voice cut through her visions and she stopped fighting, tears running down her cheeks as she sobbed, feeling her heart break with such intensity that she gasped for air, struggling to sit up. The hands relaxed and she flew up, opening her eyes as she gagged. Something was thrust under her nose as she retched, shaking in misery.

Something in her mind tugged sharply and she vaguely registered it as her bond with Glorfindel. Weakly she sent a feeling of distress, a call for help before she felt sick again. Convulsions wracked her frame, making her let out a mental cry of pain as her mind and feä were bombarded with overwhelming grief and horror.

Something was draining her energy, and she searched her mind with what strength she had left, searching for the source. Her arm burned horribly as aches manifested themselves in her body. She hit upon the source of her pain- her bonds with Estel and Legolas. Both of them were glowing brightly, indicating contact.

She touched them and immediately realized that they were, in their horror, unconsciously and instinctively drawing on her for support, pooling their emotions into her. In their abject fear they had grasped the nearest source of comfort, which just so happened to be their bond with her, and therefore causing her unintended pain.

Now that she understood her feelings she accepted the contact, knowing that they needed help, just before everything went completely black.

LOTRLOTRLOTR

*Seler, come back to me.* A soft voice pleaded. She knew that voice. With an internal sigh, she swam for the surface of the darkness, breaking the murky waters and eyes snapping open. Instantly she regretted it as pain made her snap them shut with a whimper.

"Seler! What happened?" Someone was cradling her.

She reached out blindly with her mind, frantically grappling for Glorfindel. Immediately he gathered her mind into his as she poured across her emotions and pain. Glorfindel gasped and nearly doubled over.

"Glorfindel!" Someone else shouted, but he had already righted himself.

"Seler?" He asked in a strained voice. She let out another sob and let him enter her mind. He found the two glowing links and immediately understood. But she was careful not to let him see her memory of Gandalf.

"Glorfindel? What happened?" Lady Celébrian demanded. Glorfindel looked up, a stricken look on his face.

"Something has befallen the fellowship." He whispered. "They are nearby somewhere. In their horror Aragorn and Legolas have instinctively drawn on their bond with her for comfort since she is nearest." He explained, and immediately everyone paled at the implications.

"Oh the poor dear!" Celébrian cried.

"What has happened?" Galadriel asked calmly.

"I do not know." Glorfindel replied grimly, soothing Eruanna's mind with his and sending her back into sleep. She muffled a cry of relief and curled into him, a tear making its way down her face. Glorfindel grimaced.

"I think it's safe to believe that the fellowship will enter Lothlòrien." He concluded in a somewhat dry tone, as though realizing how obvious that sounded. They all exchanged grave looks, and Galadriel stirred.

"I will see to it that things are prepared for their arrival." She said firmly, and swept off. Celébrian followed after, concern etched on her face. Celeborn frowned and sat next to them, keenly watching the sleeping elfling cradled in Glorfindel's arms. Eruanna whimpered and turned, uneasy in sleep.

She woke up with a jolt, crying out mentally and sobbing, tears running down her cheeks as she clutched Glorfindel's robe. Glorfindel sighed, wrapping his arms around her gently and hushing her, murmuring into her ear.

"Shh seler, it's alright." He murmured.

*Ro, Ro!* She cried, and then ceased her calls for him as she swallowed a sob. Glorfindel frowned briefly, puzzled, and then let it go.

Eruanna felt a fierce desire for Elrohir. She wanted him! He was comforting. Glorfindel was too, of course, but when she felt sick it was always Elrohir that was the best. He knew how to rub her back in the right spot so that she didn't feel sick anymore, and he knew when she needed water or food. He fixed her hurts, so that the tears would stop coming. If only she could be with Elrohir!

But it was not to be. And she suddenly wondered, what would Ciaran think of her if he could see her now? She must be strong, so that he could be proud that she had acted as one worthy of the Sereg'wethrin guild! Of course she should cry, but there is a time when tears must cease as well, for the sake of the mind and the body.

With effort, she pulled herself together as Glorfindel continued to murmur softly, stroking her hair. With an exhausted, shaky sigh, she sank her head onto his chest and closed her eyes, falling into restful sleep to the sound of his humming.

Glorfindel sighed and wrapped her gently in a blanket that Celeborn handed him. "She said something?" The Sinda lord asked the Noldo lord.

"She was calling for Elrohir, though I know not why." Glorfindel replied, leaning back and pulling his fingers through his tangled hair. Celeborn frowned.

"Strange that she should call for him." He murmured. "I wonder why." And they were left to wonder exactly that as Eruanna dreamed on of a certain human...

LOTRLOTRLOTR

The grey glade was back. Eruanna staggered, feeling momentarily dizzy as emotion continued to pour across the two bonds. Slowly her vision cleared and she righted herself with a gasp to see Beör in front of her, looking concerned.

"Are you well?" He asked, steadying her and helping her to sit down. She gave him a strained smile.

*As well as I can be having two people drawing on our bond from sheer horror.* She replied, a bit of sarcasm seeping into her voice in an attempt to alleviate the grimness of the situation. Beör raised an eyebrow but otherwise said nothing. The pain slowly began to recede as Estel and Legolas mastered their emotions better.

Eruanna hadn't dared to shut the bonds since they would immediately know what had happened, and she didn't want that to happen for obvious reasons. She sighed in relief and turned her attention to the man who was waiting patiently for her to recover.

His blue-grey eyes were calm and soothing in their coolness, silver strands of hair glinting in the grayness of the twilight. She took a deep breath and centered herself, balancing her mind and feä carefully until the world was once more firm under her feet. Beör nodded, pleased.

"Very good." He murmured. "Now. Tell me, do you know where we are?" He nodded to their surroundings, and Eruanna looked around carefully. There was really nothing to see, nothing but the grayness of the twilight and the trees all around that ringed the glade. She frowned, thinking carefully.

*Well, if this is a dream anything is possible.* She mused. *And Beör is here, which means that this is either the past or perhaps... Perhaps a place between the past and present?* She guessed. Beör smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Not quite, but your reasoning is sound." He granted. "No, this is the fifth dimension," He answered, "a place where time does not exist and the past mingles with the present with no regard to age or race. One may appear as a child or an old hag, most likely depending on your own image of yourself." He added in a snort.

Despite herself, the thought struck Eruanna as humorous, and she burst into a bout of hysterical laughter; the events of the day, the stress of the week, and everything else catching up to her as she broke down in tears and hiccups all mingled with laughter.

She cried in relief that at least most of the fellowship was safe- for, after all, she had learned the hard way to be grateful for the smallest things- she cried from missing Elladan and Elrohir and Ciaran and Thranduil and Erestor; she cried out of frustration that she should dream now when things were going so horribly wrong; she cried for Olòrin who had fallen and left Arda; she cried from the pain her arm brought her with every single thing that went in the favor of the enemy; she laughed at the fact that she would see Estel and Legolas again soon; that she was breaking down in front of Beör, of all people, and that it had been his utterly ridiculous comment that had pushed her over the edge.

The flurry of emotions that had overwhelmed her finally whirled off along with her tears, leaving her dizzy but feeling much better in its wake. Beör had rubbed her back all throughout her breakdown and handed her a handkerchief as the tornado sped off in a cloud of dust and left behind the wreckage of a poor elfling. She smiled shakily at him and wiped her tears.

"My apologies for such a comment, although I think it did you some good, didn't it?" He asked amusedly. She laughed genuinely this time, although it was still thick with tears.

"Good thing I had my hankie. Mother would have thrown a fit if I hadn't had one. After all those years of hearing nothing but 'do you have a handkerchief?' I've taken to carrying one just to get her off of my case." Beör grumbled, and Eruanna burst into a new fit of laughter as he smiled in satisfaction at the success of his ruse to cheer up the elfling.

When they finally calmed down Beör sat back, hands folded in his lap. "Now, back to other matters." He raised a questioning eyebrow at Eruanna who nodded in reply.

"I know you have questions, and I hope you have thought about them carefully, because if you have any this is your last chance to ask them before you find the chest, and who knows how long that will take?" He said, and waited for her to reply. She nodded and thought carefully, deliberately picking her words.

*So if I find the chest then this sigil e-hered will unlock it, and I will find in it-?* She raised her own eyebrow.

"Well asked. As for that, the answer is that you will have to find out when you receive it." He smiled.

She sighed but accepted the answer, going on to the next question. *Why me? Why was I chosen?* She queried.

Beör frowned. "Who can tell? Why did I even make the sigil e-hered? Why did I make the chest? Why have I kept all of this a secret? Perhaps because I was ashamed of the guild, or perhaps because I saw that in the future it would be needed- or perhaps because higher hands have guided us to such an end." Was his enigmatic, thoughtful reply. Eruanna mulled over the answer and then went on.

*I have nothing to counter your reply,* she mused, *but another question- what exactly does it do?* She asked, looking to him. He smiled.

"The sigil was made with special properties which I will not get into now- for it would take too long- but allow me to give you a shorter discourse." He pursed his lips for a moment to gather his thoughts, and then plunged in.

"Firstly, the chest is the main import in all of this." He admitted. "The sigil is nothing but the key to the chest, and the key to the contents within. After you find the chest, the sigil will only serve for one more purpose before it is rendered completely useless. It is a fancied, albeit only, guide." Beör started, and Eruanna was hard pressed to keep up and absorb the steady flow of information.

"Secondly, the chest itself. Many of the guild have been adding things to the chest over the years. Even I am not completely sure what all is inside of it. But all of the items are things that will help you in your quest to become the greatest in the guild." Beör rattled on.

"Thirdly, the once you find the chest, all you must do is open it and then the contents will guide you through the rest." He finished.

It took a little bit for Eruanna to understand all of that, but then after she managed to absorb it she nodded slowly. *Yes.* She finally said. *I see now. Things are a little clearer to me now.* She thanked him.

Then she sighed. *I will try my best to find the chest.* She promised wearily.

"It will come to you in time." Beör comforted. "You have the sigil and you have accepted the offer- it shall come to you in one way or another."

Eruanna stirred slightly. *Does time here have an effect on time... Out there?* She asked.

"Yes and no. There is no time here, but 'out there' as you aptly put it, time passes relatively quickly. In fact, you have been here for several phases of the sun already." The elderly human replied. Eruanna blinked. She had almost forgotten how time was referred to in the Elder Days.

*I see.* Was all she managed, however. Beör chuckled.

"Now, our time together is up. Someone else calls for your attention." He winked. "Maybe we shall meet again. If we do not, then I say my farewell for the last time... Nàmiel." And he smiled at her mysteriously as a grey mist filtered into the edges of her vision and began to cut everything off.

Her last coherent thought before everything congealed, however, was befuddlement at the name that Beör called her. Was that supposed to be her new alias?

All foreign words are Sindarin unless otherwise stated.

Penneth: little one.

daro: stop, halt, desist.

tolo calad: come to the light/ come, light. Transliteration: come light.