Chapter 2

A light to rekindle.

Arondor returned with a tray of food and drink for Lady Celebrian, he had also asked Erestor what kinds of books the lady had been reading of late and the master of knowledge found him a few books about the different flowers that were growing on this side of the misty mountain. Many of whom did not exist in the land of Lorien where the lady had long lived until her marriage to the Lord of the last homely house.

"My lady?" Arondor said as she came into the healing ward seeing that the lady had not moved from her chair beside the injured elleth's bed. She seemed to be singing into her ear as if to help her heal or to just let her know she was safe. Witch, it was he did not know, for the daughter of Galadriel had learned much from her mother and her skill was still a mystery to him.

"Yes Arondor," She said as soon as she stopped singing but kept stroking her hand over the elleth's forehead. "I have some food, drink, and books for you my lady," He said as he put the tray down on the table and moved it over to Celebrian so she could easily reach it.

"Thank you." She said with a sad smile, her focus not on him but on the elleth. Of course, it would be as if she had not moved from her side except for her own bodily needs.

He bowed his head to her and was about to leave when he stopped slowly turning again. "My lady, may I ask. Do you think she will live?" She did not turn to him but said "She might. Her body is broken, but healing. I fear mostly for her heart and will to live. I fear she will fade before she can awake" His heart dropped. No elf could live with a broken heart of if their will to live faded. Thankfully the lord and lady were looking after her. It had to be enough.

Elrond and Lindir were going over matters of the valley and of Lindon. After the fall of Gil Galad, he was now the in facto regent of the elves that lived west of the misty mountain. Most of the tasks were simple enough. But his mind drifted to the elleth his wife had found. That and the growing darkness in the mountains and in the lands to the north. He knew not what was going on, but evil was returning to the north.

"My lord?"Lindir repeated himself, but Elrond was lost in his own mind. The house steward waited a bit before trying again "My lord Elrond?"this time the elf lord seemed to hear him. "Yes Lindir, how far had we come?"he said and looked down at the papers on his desk. "Here" Lindir pointed to "Seems our food stocks for both the valley and Lindon is at peak capacity before winter is coming. The harvests have had a very high yield, hunting parties have taken back much meat and the livestock farms seem to also have had a good year."

Elrond followed what Lindir said and the numbers did indeed look very good. It seemed there was no need to worry about food at least not during this winter or a long away until next summer. Lindir on the other hand saw that his lord was thinking of the elleth that had arrived weeks ago now. How could he not? "She will live my lord" He found himself saying without even meaning to. "She has the best healers of our people. There is no doubt in my heart she will wake up" Elrond turned and smiled at his friend and house steward. "Thank you Lindir, I wish I shared your belief in it" Little shocked at his Lord's lack of faith in his own skills. "It is not just belief my lord. I have seen your skill before and they are considerate. I do admit the sight of the elleth shocked me, but knowing she was being treated by yourself and the lady Celebrian eased my mind" Listening to his friend speaking Elrond made the signal for them to move and Lindir followed. "Her body is broken as you saw, but I mainly fear for her spirit and will to live. You as any of our kin know what happens if we lose it and I fear she is out of hope" Again Lindir was taken aback by his lord's words. "But my lord, this is an age of peace, of happiness of everything we have wanted. How can she lose her hope and will to live?" Elrond stopped for a moment. "I do not think she is from our world and the damage that was done to her was not accidental. That is why I fear she will not want to live."

Lindir did not respond, just thinking of the words Elrond had spoken. "You mean her kin did those injuries to her?" Elrond shook his head. "Not her kin, not our kind. But those that were meant to protect her where she lived. That or she had been taken by evil and tortured. But the way she tried to speak to Celebrian was not of a prisoner, but of someone who knew their abuser." They reached the hall of the healing ward and their conversation ended. Lindir had not visited Celebrian or the Elleth for weeks. Seeing one of their own kind like this and now hearing Lord Elrond believe it was done by someone who should protect her. His stomach turned and he excused himself.

Elrond now stood alone in the hall, taking a few deep breaths before he walked in slowly, seeing his lovely wife with all her kind, loving, caring qualities made his heart smile. But to her side was the elleth. Still, asleep, the healers of the ward had clearly changed the bandages and started working on her scars. He wanted her cleaned up and healed properly, both in mind and spirit.

"How is she?"He whispered not to disturb her. "Healing or her body is. But her light seems to me as if it is diminishing. Is there nothing more we can do?"Elrond sat down with them. "I fear not. All we can hope now is that we got her here in time. For her mind, I know not until she is awake."

"When do you think we can try and wake her husband?"

"Not until her bones have healed more, it is too much damage to simply wake her for our need to see how she is" Celebrian nodded. But said nothing. She knew he was right and they would just have to wait.

Twelve weeks then passed since her arrival. She was now finally at a place where Elrond was comfortable waking her up. She was nowhere fully healed, but enough to be kept awake. Thankfully she was not of the race of men or she would be dead, that he knew. The fact of her elven healing combined with his skill and that of Celebrian had saved her from dying, but only just. Looking over her ribs and other injuries he was satisfied with their choice to wake her. Slowly he started to sing to her and slowly she started to move, deep breaths as he and Celebrian looked over her.

I slowly started to open my eyes. I felt so disorientated and my body felt like it was hit by a truck. Moving made my arms and other parts burn. My eyes started to adjust and the room became clear, it was large and so pretty. The woodwork seemed out of a fairytale. It was so well done and so artistic. Looking down again I saw the woman who spoke that silver tongue I knew, but still did not understand. The angel, she was so beautiful. She was smiling and holding her hand on my cheek as I woke up. Who was she? Why did she smile at me like that? Where am I? At the same time, I felt safe having her touch me, but I also wanted to get away. I could not explain why. But the feeling was there. My flight response was in high gear the more she touched me.

Then another figure showed up. He was taller than her, with long black hair, and grey eyes. A timeless face, neither old nor young. He was smiling at me, why was he smiling at me?

"Welcome to Rivendell," He said in a strong voice, proud voice. I got spooked and my heart dropped. I was not safe after all; my mind had just sent me to my favorite world. The story that had been laid out for me in any book I picked up or shown any time I saw a TV... The only story that had kept me going for years. Tears started to form in my eyes as I blinked and started to move in despair. "No, no, no" was all I could say.

The two figures around me looked at me with worry, the woman spoke to him with that silver tongue. It had to be Sindarin. Or my brain's way of hearing it. They both reached for me with him doing the talking. "What is wrong? Are you in pain?" I shook my head before taking a breath hurting my ribs as I tried to respond. "I am about to die and my brain sent me here. You are all an illusion of a place I want to be. You are not real"

The other one bowed to me and said in a soft caring voice. "No child, we are not an illusion or a dream. You are in Rivendell and you are safe." Her voice was like silver in the air, even if it was heavily dialects with Sindarin I believed.

"That is not possible," I said as I cried. "You are a story, a book of characters. I am not saying you are not incredible, but you don't exist." Looking down at my body it was bandaged everywhere. He had never beaten me up like this or put the gun to my head. So this was the end. My mind shut down and made my last moments to be in Rivendell.

The man looked at me with a strange look. "You truly are…." I cut him off. "In Imladris. The last homely house east of the sea. You are Lord Elrond Half elven. This is the Lady Celebrian. Your brother. Elros was the first king of Numenor. You Lady Celebrian, are the daughter of the lady Galadriel and lord Celeborn. You lived for a time in Lorien with your mother before traveling here to find your father after Sauron invaded and destroyed Eregion and was beaten back by the combined forces of Elrond, Lindon, and Numenor. You traveled with your mother and father to Belfalas and lived there for many years until you returned to Lorien. You married Elrond in the year of 109 Third age." I took a break as the tears became too much and Celebrian just held me as I cried.

"How does she know all this?"She said to Elrond in Sindarin so I wouldn't understand them.

"I do not know. Her clothes are not from this world" He said.

Both of their faces were worried and sad, Elrond sat back down on his chair and tried to hold my hand, but as he reached for it I pulled away.

"I am sorry" I managed to say as I cried. Elrond shook his head "What for?". Taking a deep breath, I tried to look at him, but it was hard. "For pulling away when you tried to hold my hand. It is just a reflexing motion for me" He smiled at me and shook his head. "No child. You have nothing to be sorry for. You were very hurt when you arrived here and if not for your elven blood and our healing of you, you would not be here now"

My tear-filled eyes looked at him. "I am no elf… just human…" They gave each other a look and then back at me. "Have you not noticed your ears?" Celebrian said with Elrond adding. "You are not of the edain my child. Your blood is as elven as Celebrian. You have no connection to the race of men"

Looking at them both for a moment "I guess the dream changed me to be what I always wanted to be in the end." Elrond shook his head and reached for me with an asking look if he could touch. I just responded by nodding. "You have pointed ears and you always have had so" It sounded like a statement and I remembered my foster father's last words to me ("This is your OWN FAULT. You should have stayed in the damn basement doing as we told you. God damn freak with those fucking pointed ears.")

"He said I had pointed ears" I gasped and looked at them both "Yes" Elrond said "No not you Elrond. My Foster father when he was about to kill me." The moment I said it both Elrond and Celebrian's faces went into shock. "Your foster father did this to you?" I slowly nodded in shame "All of it?" I nodded again. "Well him and foster mom, but she mostly let him do it for her"

Elrond's face turned when I said it and he excused himself and went out the door. Looking at Celebrian I did not know what to say. She was still holding me and wasn't about to let go of me being in such a state. She spoke in the soft silver language again and one of the elves I had not seen hurried out after Elrond.

"I am sorry," I said looking at her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for child," She said. I did not understand how I was so comfortable having her close to me, but maybe it was because she was Elrond's wife or I just felt safe here. A feeling I truly did not understand.

The sun started to decline and darkness came outside the window. Celebrian did not move away from me at all. Elrond did return with food and sat down on the other side of my bed. No words were spoken at first, just hints that I needed to eat. He had clearly been shaken by what I had said about what happened just before I arrived in Celebrian's Garden.

They were looking at each other, but in a way like they were speaking without words. I could not stop looking at them before Celebrian turned to me.

"We are sorry child. But we never asked you your name." I looked at her as I bowed my head. "I can't really say I have a name. What names I had been mostly insults to get me to react and what I was called before them I remember not" It felt like everything I said made them sad, like my life was nothing but a sad story they had to listen to.

"Then we will find you a name that is fitting of you," Celebrian said looking at me first and then at Elrond. "Yes, we will." The elven lord said. "Do you have any wishes?" I just shook my head. Not being used to having much of a choice it was somewhat weird for them to give it to me. I took a few more bites of the food he had come with. It was the best food I had ever tried, even if I was scared to be too greedy and overeat. It didn't help that they said I should eat for the fear was in my head like it had been melted to my brain. But I tried to remember that this was not my foster parents.

Again they looked at each other, like they were talking, but not using words. It did frighten me as I grabbed onto Celebrian before she looked back down at me. It hurt bad, but I needed to hold her. "Elwen," She said while looking at me. "It means star maiden, it is fitting for you as the night when you arrived the stars were like a sea of their own on the sky" My eyes moved from her to Elrond and he spoke too "It is a fitting name for you, child. We will not let you go back." I was truly wowed they wanted to name me as if they knew I was here for real and meant to stay.

"Elwen," I said out loud several times. Thinking of how close it sounded to Arwen. My brain was a mess the rest of the evening. Where am I really in Rivendell? Was this real? I only hoped it was.

"Do you like the name, child?" Celebrian said as she was running her hand through my hair. Elrond sat there took waiting for my response and I smiled at them after a bit. "I do. But I am not sure I deserve such a thoughtful name" I responded to them both.

"You deserve the name, the food, healing, and love my dear Elwen."

Her smile was comforting, but even if I had never felt so much love I still felt alone. I knew nobody in this world for now. Well, that is not true, I somewhat knew Celebrian as we had spoken some, Elrond well not that much but I knew his name and face so it was a start

"You think I will stay here?" I finally blurted out "We have no doubt" Celebrian answered and as she spoke the window blew open and it had with it a rose that landed on my lap. A voice of neither Elrond nor Celebrian was in my head.

"This is real. You belong with them and not in the world we took you from. The servants of darkness sent you there. Returned you to your kin we have. Live now a happy life, protect those you can, and aid us to restore the world to the one's song" The voice died out and the wind died with it. The flower lay on my lap.

"Did you hear what the voice said?" I almost screamed. Both of them shook their head but told me to take it as a sign. Who we were I didn't know, but Elrond was sure it was a higher power at work, but he could not know. Celebrian said she would contact her mother and see if she could help explain it, but it would take time. Unless the lady showed herself to me...

Over the next few days and weeks I was given clothes and Celebrian took me for walks to test my strength and ability to move. The Garden she found me in, the stream where we could swim, and her very favorite place to stop at least twice on our walks. The kitchen. Always sneaking a bit of candy, cake, or other treats. She informed me Elrond shared our love of sweets and that the chefs and bakers always had something on hand if I wanted it when I was alone too.

We met several of the inhabitants of the valley on our walks. Erestor, Lindir, Glorfindel, Geleth, the tailor that made all the clothes they had given me and was now my personal tailor as well as that of Elrond, Celebrian, and Glorfindel. Apparently, I could just tell her what I needed and she would get it made for me. Their kindness was overall imagination. Meachon was the valleys Eregion smith. He offered to make me any kind of blade and armor if I had need of it and only come by his smithy to have it made. I thanked them all for their kindness and there were many others too that I met, but it would take time to remember all their names and wishes to get me anything of need.

There was a small bench by the water and I asked Celebrian if we could rest for a moment. When we sat down I took a deep breath before asking her. "My lady, why are they all so willing to make my clothes, blades, cakes, help me with scrips and reading, language training, and so forth?"

Her head tilted and she smiled. "Because you are one of our kind and you never called me my lady before, why do you so now?"

"How can I not? I've remembered how much like royalty you and Lord Elrond are. I am nothing but a commoner at best…" She raised her hand and smiled at me as she always did when I needed an explanation or just comfort. "there are many reasons for it Elwen, one I can't speak of yet. But we will soon when you are ready. For now, just know you are under my wing and that of Elrond"

"You know I dislike secrets," I said as I looked at her and she gave it a thought. "Come I will show you something," she said and dragged me after her back to the house, up the stairs past the general sleeping quarters and healing ward where I slept for now, and into a quiet area, where only a few servants in the hall bowing to Celebrian as she walked past them and greeted them back. We came to a locked door that she told me to open and I did while hesitating. The room was large. A big bed in the middle. A balcony with chairs looking out over the valley. A large empty wardrobe beside another door led into a bath, with a tub connected to it. It had everything, but warm water. That had to be heated and brought. It was well furnished with chairs and a sofa. Lots of storage and space to put every kind of thing.

"Why do you show me this?" I said in shock. It was such a nice room I doubt any room on earth could ever measure to it. Except for modern technology.

"Why?" She said as if I should have understood it by now. But she only smiled.

"This is your room Elwen. The room next door is mine and Elrond's."

My eyes felt like they were to pop out of my head, "You mean this is your part of the house?" She nodded and took my hand, "It is your part of the house too now, it's not as decorated as I'd like, but now you can set it to order as you like it.

She looked around somewhat apologetic for it not being all done. Rubbing her hands, a little her eyes fell back on me as I just fell down on the bed with her hurrying over me.

"Elwen are you fine? What happened?" She said like a worried mother seeing her child fall.

"I just… I can't… why am I getting it?" Celebrian looked at me smiling. "Because you need a place to live, to be loved, and to love others. This is our way to say welcome home."

I looked at her in shock "You mean…? My lady, I am sure I would be more fitting to live in the basement..." She gave me a laugh and a kiss on the forehead. "No you would not be fit of living there and do not make me spill everything, I am sure my husband wants to surprise you too with the other part of the gift. But it is not ready yet."

"It is more?" I almost screamed in disbelief as I felt her circle on my forehead.

"There is more, but it's not ready yet. When it is you will know. Come let's go and get some cake?"

All I could do was smile and she took it as a yes and we got out of the room, down the hall, and down two stares into the kitchen. There we found Elrond sneaking himself into some cake. Celebrian whispered to me "Great minds think alike" With a glimpse in her eye she said in a calm voice. "Elrond half-elven. You sneak down here again, without asking myself and Elwen to join you? Did I truly marry a man that would not share his cake with me?"

He stopped and turned slowly ever as graceful as I saw him. "Of course not my love," he said with a smile back at her. "I had only to test the quality of the cake before bringing it to my two favorite ladies in the valley."

It felt weird that he added me to it, but I guess he had bonded to me when I slept and he had been working on healing me.

"Test the quality, you know as well as we do it is perfect as always." She said and gave him a stare-down. I didn't speak up as it was very much between the two of them.

"Will you forgive me my love if I invite you and lovely Elwen for tea and two large slices of cheesecake?" He said with a hopeful smile.

"Well, I think that is a worthwhile reason to forgive him don't you think so Elwen?"

"I do," I said in a low tone, not very comfortable taking sides as it felt to me. We all sat down and enjoyed the amazing cake. With nice warm tea and I listened as Elrond and Celebrian spoke before Elrond looked at me and said that now I was healthy again he would like me to learn to speak our language. Learn to move as an elf, not only in a dancing way but for my own defense if need be on the road. I just nodded to it as to how could I say no to the elves that saved my life, healed me, and wanted to give me a room in their house. Not a dark cramp, wet, cold basement with an old shaggy bed to lay on.

"Thank you, my Lord and Lady." I said with a bowed head. "never before would I ever believe I would deserve my own room..." Elrond and Celebrian looked at me and smiled. "It is our pleasure Elwen, we want you to feel at home here and feel safe and free," both said and asked if I would like to learn the skills of our kin. "I would be happy to" was all I said. He and Celebrian smiled and we planned the schedule. I had become very connected to Celebrian and she wanted to come with me, morning classes were set with either Erestor, Elrond, or Glorfindel. Mid-day was with Celebrian and her duties of the lady of the valley and evening were meant for short classes before evening meal and bed.

It would be hectic to start with until I learned the basics and the schedule could be slowed down some or re-arranged, but for now, I was very happy Celebrian would stay with me all she could. Or just Elrond, when I was in classes with him and Celebrian, had to do her own duties.

Finally, I started to trust them that I would stay here and that it was in fact not a dream after all and I really felt the light in my heart was beginning to rekindle.