After Ellawyn had bathed and her hair had been washed, she had changed into a light gown upon the insistence of her chambermaid. Ridela had insisted that she wear the proper clothing of a lady in Imladris to her meeting with the Lord Elrond and begrudgingly, Ellawyn had agreed. So now, as she walked down the corridor towards the Elf-Lord's study, the pale blue satin fabric brushed lightly on the polished marble floors. Despite her lack of fancy dresses at home, she found herself pleasantly surprised at the way the fabric accented her eyes and accentuated her figure. She could not remember the last time she had felt pretty, but she figured that she felt like that now. Clutching the fingers of her right hand in her left she came to a stop in front of the elegant wooden doors of the study. Hesitantly her fist lifted to knock lightly, and a second after she heard a muffled, "enter" from within. The door was swung open by a guard on her left, and she walked into the intimidating Elf's private study.

Upon entering the room, she was momentarily stunned as she glanced at her surroundings. A large oaken desk sat across from the doors and a grand library was positioned against the wall to its left. On the other side of the room was a grand fireplace, similar to the ones she had seen in the twin's rooms in the days prior. Fine, blue seats faced a long chaise perpendicular to the hearth, a small table between them checkered and housed small chess pieces seemingly made of glass. A fresh breeze blew in from what looked like the entrance to a balcony of some sort, equally blue curtains wicking in and out of the doorway against the floor. Her brief evaluation of the gorgeous room was interrupted when her eyes fell upon the regal figure stood between the desk and the curtains. He watched her with what looked like amusement before taking a tentative step towards her, motioning to one of the soft-looking chairs by the fireplace.

"Please, sit." He waved his arm delicately toward the chairs, a welcoming smile on his face. Obeying, Ellawyn strode over to the sitting area, taking a seat as Lord Elrond did the same on the chaise across from her.

"I would like to formally welcome you to my home, Ellawyn, and thank you for your swift delivery of Radagast's burden." She watched his deep blue eyes casually sweep over her, his ancient gaze making her feel nothing more than an elfling in his presence. Resisting the urge to fiddle with the seams of the seat cushion under her fingers, Ellawyn nodded, choosing her words carefully as to remain respectful to the mighty Elf Lord.

"It has been my pleasure to aid the White Counsel in any way I may be able to, My Lord Elrond." Cringing slightly at the heat of embarrassment in her ears. Dipping his head in acknowledgement and offering her a reassuring smile, he continued, "although that is not the matter with which I wish to speak to you about." At this, she felt her throat become dry.

"It has come to my attention that you wish to learn more of your heritage," he paused at this, his eyes searching her face as if looking for something. Ellawyn held his stare, either unable or unwilling to confirm his statement as she held her breath. She watched the apple of his throat bob as he swallowed and if she had not known better, she would have guessed that the Lord of Rivendell was nervous. As the silence persisted, the young elleth cleared her throat quietly, the tense air becoming unbearable.

"You know, My Lord? My parents… You knew them?" Elrond's eyes closed as he heaved a breath, only opening after what felt like hours.

"I fear I know them quite intimately, sweet child." Ellawyn's breath caught in her throat, eyes wide as saucers as she leant forward in her seat. Her hands clutched rough at the soft fabric of her dress skirts.

"You must understand that you were thought to be dead shortly after your birth and once it was revealed that you had lived… A decision was made to keep you ignorant of your identity until safer times." He sucked in a pained breath as Ellawyn's brow furrowed. Her family was alive then? They had known where she was and had neglected to recover her? The girl had assumed that tragedy had struck her and her family, cruelly ripping them from her. But to find out that she had been left orphaned by choice pulled at her heart more than she cared to admit. Did she even care to know her family if they had so carelessly tossed her aside? Yet, before she could react or think to say anything, Lord Elrond began to speak again.

"The elves had ceased having offspring shortly into the Third Age as the world began to grow dark. This made your arrival to this Middle Earth a blessing from the Valar, but also a terrible risk. I am so very sorry my dear Ellawyn." His voice sounded rough, strained, and he cast his eyes downward to his lap before meeting her eyes again.

"Four hundred and thirty two years ago my wife Celebrian was traveling from Lorien back to our home in Imladris after visiting her mother. Upon her journey she and her escort were ambushed by Orcs. Those who were not killed were held prisoner and tortured until my sons liberated them weeks later." His eyes had once again met hers, and she read immense pain within them. "Celebrian was one of those elves who survived after enduring weeks of torment at the hands of those vile creatures. She has since sailed as a result of the scars that riddled her mind, the trauma of losing the child that she carried.'' It seemed as though the Lord could read the empathy in Ellayn's eyes for the loss of his wife, but also the confusion in her eyes at the relation of the Lady's fate to her identity.

"She was your mother, Ellawyn."

Elrond studied the young Elleth's ashen face as he concluded his revelation. Her eyes stared blankly in the direction of his knees, eyebrows drawn together and her lips slightly parted. He waited patiently for her to give any sort of reaction, feeling his heart clench as his sharp ears picked up the increase of her breaths. Her hands, buried in the skirts of her dress, were continuously clenching and unclenching. Her fingers left wrinkles in the fine fabric. Minutes passed slowly as Elrond waited, hoping beyond hope that she would say something to him. He wished more than anything that he could depart from his seat of the chaise to kneel before her, pull her into his arms after waiting 432 years to do so. However, her body language told him that she was not ready to accept such comfort from her father. Never removing her eyes from their endless stare, Elrond watched in anxiety as her hands began shaking violently where she clutched her dress.

"They know?" Her voice was raw and quiet, the words coming out shakily as if all her breath had been stolen from her and Elrond shook his head quickly.

"No, Ellawyn. Elladan knew that he had a sister, but was led to believe that she was taken from him by the creatures that held his mother. Elrohir did not know of your existence until a few days ago, Arwen still does not know." It took immense effort for him to keep his voice even, soothing, despite internally wanting to break down in tears at the devastated look on her face. At this his daughter's eyes finally met him, his heart feeling as though it was shattering at the obvious resent and distrust that reflected through glassy eyes. She took a shaky breath before rising on unsteady feet, Elrond quickly mimicking her, standing unsure before her. Opening her mouth to say something, he watched as a flash of confusion and hurt crossed her face before she tensed her lips together. He decided that her next move was the worst possible reaction he could have received as she turned quickly on her heel and left him alone in his grand study.

Heavy footfalls echoed throughout the long winding corridors of Imladris, a frantic elleth clumsily rushing through the halls. Everything that had occurred over the past days connected in her mind. Gandalf's comment about the twin sons of Elrond having time for her, the quick friendship and ease she found speaking with Elrohir… She did not know where she was going at first, her room being in the opposite direction, but soon found herself standing at two very familiar doors. The private halls that housed the sons of Elrond's chambers. Ellawyn did not know why her panic had brought her here, why she barged unceremoniously into the first one she reached rather rudely without knocking. It was as if her brain needed to lay eyes upon her siblings to believe that they were real. As if the twins who had been strangers only days ago would look any different to her now that she knew of their relation to one another. The door slammed loudly against the wall as she stopped abruptly inside of the room her wild eyes found a figure sitting on the edge of the massive bed. The laces of his boot slipped from his slender fingers in surprise at her intrusion.

"Ellawyn?" Her head was shaking back and forth as she felt another wave of panic wash over her, his grey eyes looking concerned if not slightly frightened at the tension and fear that seemed to float in the air around her. As he began to stand, regret overwhelmed Ellawyn. Why had she come here? Turning to leave once again, her face collided roughly against a hard surface that had entered behind her. The other twin had joined them upon hearing the bang of the door against the wall, her nose colliding with his collarbone. Hands steadied her at her shoulders, tightening their grip as she tried to side step him.

"Ellawyn? What is going on?" She struggled uselessly against the firm grip of the older elf, wishing for nothing more than to make her escape. Faintly over the rushing of her ears she could hear the two ellons conversing with one another as she finally gave up struggling. Her eyes misted over, clouding her vision as she blinked them back while taking calming breaths.

"I do not wish to speak. I do- I don't know why I came here. I do not want to be here." She did not recognize her own voice as it choked out her words, trying desperately to portray some semblance of control. Slowly, she watched the twin in front of her move his eyes back to her, hunching over at the back to look into her eyes.

"We do not need to speak but," He sounded sad, his voice almost pleading with her, "please stay."

If Elladan had to guess, he would have said that the three siblings had sat outside on Elrohir's terrace for hours. The afternoon sun was now but a memory as the world turned a dusky blue in its absence. He and his brother had exchanged concerned glances every few minutes, neither of them knowing what to say or do to ease the shock and pain their baby sister was obviously feeling. Elrohir sat with his elbows resting on his knees against the terrace railing, his hands fidgeting restlessly between his knees. Ellawyn was perched with her knees drawn up at the far end of the blue chaise beside him. Only a mere foot of distance between them that felt as though it may have been miles. Her eyes stared, glazed and unblinking, ahead of her as her chin rested on her knees.

"I think she has fallen asleep," Elrohir whispered quietly from his seat on the ground. Elladan looked to his younger brother softly, "then hush and let her sleep." Despite the hurt and shock their sister was feeling, Elladan felt as though he and his brother had not felt whole until this very moment. Sitting in her company, watching over her as she slept the fear and confusion of the day away. His heart felt so full he almost feared it would burst with both his sorrow and his joy at their predicament. Just as he wandered deeper into his thoughts once more, his twin once again pulled him back to reality.

"We have missed out on so much of her life, brother." Elrohir had always been poor at whispering and he looked concerningly toward their sister, hoping he had not disturbed her. Meeting the identical eyes to his own, he gave a warning through the twitch of an eyebrow before softening his face.

"I know."

Ellawyn had not, in fact, been sleeping. Lost in her own thoughts of her new family before the two elves had caught her attention with their conversation. She was not sure if it was the shock wearing off or if it had been the heart wrenching honesty and despair in the soft voices of her brothers, but finally her tears began streaming silently down her face. While she knew that she was angry with Lord Elrond, her father, for deceiving her all these years, abandoning her, she was finding it increasingly difficult to hold the same sentiment over the twins that sat with her. They had not known of her, just like she had not known of them, she figured. How would her life be different if she had grown up with them, she wondered. Would they be her best friends? Her protectors? Would she have run to their rooms after having scary nightmares, or played outside with them when it snowed? No, she decided, because she was not angry with them, she was grieving the life and relationships she never had the opportunity to form with the sweet ellons that seemed to care so much for her already, despite only just meeting her. Without permission from her mind, her body rotated toward the twin beside her on the chaise, not caring which one, and wrapped her arms tightly around his chest. She pressed her cheek against his breast and closed her eyes so tight, she saw colors dancing on the backs of her eyelids. She felt him jump at her sudden movement, having thought her to be asleep. Arms raising in alarm away from his tensed body at first, before relaxing back into the chaise. She heard him sigh in what sounded like relief before she felt his arms wrap around her, one hand rubbing soothing circles lazily on her back. His other arm that wrapped around her held her close to him, as if worried she would melt like snow from his grasp. The embrace felt so comforting to Ellawyn's exhausted and troubled mind that she did not even notice as her body began to tremble once more and her silent tears turned into light sobs. Eyes closed, she focused on the steady beat of her brother's heart underneath her ear as her tears created a wet spot on the velvet material of Elladan's tunic. The chaise dipped on Ellawyn's other side as she felt another set of arms wrap around her and the twin that was holding her, chest pressed against her back so closely she worried she would not get enough air. Her sobs intensified, safely enveloped between them. When she finally did drift toward her dream paths, it was the most peaceful and protected she had felt in all of her four hundred and thirty two years.

When he felt the breathing of the elleth sandwiched between him and his brother even out, Elrohir lifted his head slowly from beside her pointed ear. His breath caught as he looked towards his older brother's face, seeing an emotion written clearly across it that he had not seen since the sailing of their mother. Elladan's eyes were shut, brows drawn together and his breathing was soft but slightly ragged, a lone tear hanging precariously from his brother's eyelashes. His hand continued to stroke Ellawyn's hair automatically. Elrohir would have thought he was despairing if not for the ghost of a smile on his lips. He decided against risking disturbing his siblings and slowly rose to his feet. As quietly as he could he retrieved a cream coloured, woolen knit blanket from the end of his bed before heading back to the terrace. Elladan's eyes opened, releasing the tear, as the blanket was laid gently over the pair still on the chaise. Offering him a small smile, Elrohir nodded his head toward the doorway to his chambers, silently signaling that he would be retiring in his bed. With an equally small twitch of his lips, the older twin nodded before turning his gaze down to the sleeping elleth still cradled against his chest. Elrohir paused for a moment before reentering the room, wishing to burn the image of love on his brother's face as he beheld their newfound little sister in his mind forever.