Kiera

The sky was still a light blue when she blinked awake. It took her a moment to come back to herself as she still felt faint. Celebrimbor's face came into view above hers and she saw the concerned look reflected at her. He helped her sit up, but she felt extremely dizzy and moved too fast.

Celebrimbor steadied her, but he didn't give her a second before he questioned her. "He dies. You know something about the future of this world and Ecthelion dies, doesn't he?"

She failed to keep a neutral look on her face and Celebrimbor saw the answer in her eyes. His mouth dropped in horror as he squeezed her arms tightly. "What else do you know? How do you know? Did Lord Ulmo tell you something? Did the Valar or Eru tell you things when they brought you to this world?"

Kiera didn't know how to answer him, but he shook her hard as he cried out, "by the Valar, Kiera, tell me. I promise to listen, but I have to know. You have been keeping secrets and I have seen the looks on your faces. I have…"

A loud bell rang out across the plains and they both turned to look towards the village. Shaken out of the questioning, Kiera tried to stand but rose too quickly and got dizzy. Celebrimbor steadied her and helped her walk to the gate. His gaze never left her face, making her gulp. She turned away from him which made him squeeze her arm in response.

"We are not done discussing this," he told her firmly. "We will have dinner and then you and I are going to have a long talk in private."

Kiera opted to not say anything because she didn't know what to say. They walked back through the village, spotting the mine works coming out of a large stone archway in the side of the mountain. They all looked dirty and tired, as they trailed after them into the house. The workers climbed the stairs, while Celebrimbor pulled her into the dining hall and deposited her into a chair. He sat across from her and shot her an unimpressed look.

Helpers fitted in and around the tables, dropping off water, food, and bread. Kiera took a long drink of water to avoid his stares as workers slowly joined them at the table. Once all the food arrived, conversations started around the room, and she began to eat.

A few people spoke to Celebrimbor, but she focused on eating, hoping to delay the inevitable. He knew what she was doing as he watched her the entire time as she pushed the last bits of food around her plate. Once her plate was empty, she took a long drink of water and then sipped on some wine. Celebrimbor was not having it anymore and rose quickly from the table. He latched onto her arm and hauled her away from the table. A few people raised their brows at him but did not comment.

Celebrimbor was unbothered by their stares as he pulled her out into the hall. He frog-marched her up the stairs and down the hall to their rooms. The furious look on his face was one she had never seen before as he pulled her into his room and locked the door behind them. Kiera sat on his bed as he pulled up a chair close to her.

Finally, he said to her, "spit it out. Tell me what you know and how you know it."

Kiera rolled her eyes as she huffed, "It's fucking insane. You wouldn't believe me even if I did tell you, and you would probably think I'm crazy."

Annoyance flitted across his face as he threw his hands up in the air, "You are from another world. You came to this city with the blessing of Lord Ulmo and were brought to this world by the one himself. Do you understand how insane that is in itself? I don't care how you came upon the knowledge, just as long as you share it. I can't help you if you keep everything to yourself, but there is nothing you could tell me to make me think you are crazy."

"I just don't know everything, all right," Kiera cried out in frustration. "I know bits and pieces and the major things I can remember. Do you have any idea how hard this has been since I came to this world? This is a story in my world. Written by a man 50 years ago, it's not supposed to be real yet here I am."

Kiera sighed and ran a hand through her hair. This was not a conversation she had ever wanted to have, at least, not like this. "It's a long story," she began slowly. "Back in my world, there were these books written by a man named Tolkien. They were fantasy stories about elves, dwarves, and hobbits. This place" she swung her arms wide all around herself, "it was all fictional. Just a made-up place from someone's imagination."

She paused, trying to figure out how to explain it. Celebrimbor sat quietly, watching her intently. "My grandmother loved them. Ever since I was little, she would read me the tales of this world. Mostly stories from the later ages, but as I grew older, she gave me more books of this age. I read them a long time ago, but it is hard to remember. However, one of the stories was about the fall of Gondolin."

Celebrimbor sucked in his breath but remained quiet to allow her to speak.

"Anyway, in the books there were stories about Gondolin - about its founding and its fall. Stories about the different lords and ladies, including..." She trailed off, not wanting to say Ecthelion's name.

"Ecthelion" Celebrimbor supplied quietly. "And the rest I assume? Maeglin, Glorfindel, Rog, the king."

Kiera nodded, unable to voice her thoughts. However, Celebrimbor looked at her with a strange look on his face. "you know how the story ends."

That was enough for her to burst into tears. The weight of carrying the burden alone had finally gotten to her. It was all coming down on her and in an instant the floodgates opened. Without a word, Celebrimbor moved to sit beside her and comforted her as she cried.

After a long while, the tears subsided and she dried her eyes on a rag Celebrimbor offered her. It was quiet between them for a moment until Celebrimbor spoke.

"You said stories of this world and this age," he said softly as he stared at her with a burning gaze. "Stories of my family?"

Kiera panicked then as she felt all the blood drain out from her face. She shook her head no and refused to look at him.

Celebrimbor moved closer to her in an instant. "My family," he cried out desperately. "Tell me what happens to my family."

Kiera bit out a yell of frustration, "knowing will only make it worse. You can't change anything and even if you could, it might mess up everything. It is a huge burden, and you have no idea how desperately I want to change things, but I don't know all the details. Even if I did, I could make things worse."

He stared at her in horror, but then just as the shock wore off, the determination set in. Celebrimbor moved quickly from the bed to his dresser, where his sketchbook and quill were. He snatched them up and sat back on the bed with a fiery look in his eye.

"Tell me everything," he demanded. "Everything you remember about these stories. I want to hear everything you know about my family and leave nothing out. Don't you dare keep anything from me, or I will leave right now and tell the king you are the spy of the enemy."

His words sent a punch to her gut. Beyond shocked, she whispered, "so that's it, huh? You threaten to have me killed unless I tell you all that I know."

The realization of what he just said to her finally sunk in as she blurted out, "I was wrong about you. You are just like your father."

The sheer look of horror spread across Celebrimbor's face, but Kiera couldn't look at him anymore. Fleeing his bedroom, she raced across the hall to her room and locked the door behind her. The tears came easily, as she flung herself into her bed and pillow to muffle the sounds.

Life seemed to knock her down again and she didn't even bother to try and fight the feelings this time. She was too exhausted, as she cried out late into the evening. After a few hours, the tears had all but dried up as it hurt to cry. Eventually, she passed out, welcoming the darkness.

—-

A loud knock jolted her awake, and beyond the door, a voice called out, "it is time for you to get up for work."

She recognized the voice as the handmaiden's and heard her shuffle across the hall to knock on Celebrimbor's door. The same fear from the night before came back with a fury as she wondered desperately if he went through with his threat. Throwing the covers off, she crept towards the door, straining to catch any sound from across the hall. Minutes passed in tense silence, fueling her panic as she contemplated her options.

Without much else to do, Kiera knew the only way to tell would be to see if he was waiting for her at breakfast. Dressing quickly, she gathered fresh clothes and supplies for her bath as she left her room. She found the hallway eerily quiet, adding to her nerves. Descending to the main floor, she made her way toward the door leading to the hot springs, her mind racing about what lay ahead.

A long hallway stretched towards a small outbuilding, its wooden stalls lined up neatly. Signs dangled from some doors, their messages obscured in the dim light. Choosing an unoccupied stall, she entered, the familiarity of the setup reminiscent of the guard bathhouse at the gates. Inside, a simple arrangement greeted her: a bench, a table bearing a mirror, and towels hung from hooks. Beyond, a pool enclosed by wooden screens.

Without hesitation, she stripped her clothes and splashed herself in the hot water, its warmth soothing her tense muscles. Glass jars filled with various soaps lined the edge of the pool, and she wasted no time in washing up. When she was clean and smelling good, she stepped out and wrapped herself in the warm towels. Getting dressed in record speed, Kiera fled the bathhouse, eager to find Celebrimbor and the morning meal.

Racing back to the house, she paused at the edge of the dining hall and stole a quick glance inside. Her heart plummeted in her chest when she realized that Celebrimbor was nowhere to be found. A hard lump formed in her throat, making it hard to swallow and breathe.

Darting up the stairs, she dropped off her clothes in her room before pausing in the hallway, her steps cautious as she approached Celebrimbor's room. Pressing her ear against the door, she strained to hear any sound from within but was met with silence. With trembling hands, she tested the doorknob, finding it unlocked. Swallowing hard, she pushed the door open slightly, peering into the room. It was empty. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she swung the door fully open, revealing the room bare of belongings.

"No," she choked out, as she leaned against the door frame, struggling to control her beating heart. Would he really do it? The question echoed relentlessly in her mind, each time, driving a quick stab to her heart. However, she couldn't do much of anything at the moment as she needed to get to work.

Repressing her panicky feelings, Kiera breathed out deeply and pushed the thoughts from her mind. There was no use dwelling on them now, as she stumbled down the hall in a daze and down the stairs. She entered the dining hall, taking a seat at an empty table. Despite her efforts to eat, every bite tasted like ash and dust in her mouth, and she ate enough to give her energy for the day.

As she finished her meal, Alion approached, his presence pulling her back the moment. Although, his words pierced through the haze of her thoughts. "Celebrimbor left last night," he informed her matter-of-factly. "He said he had to get back to the city for something important. I'm not sure if he told you, but I'll help you get started today. Are you ready?"

She swallowed down the heavy sobs as she nodded. Forcing a small smile, she fell into step beside him as they left the dining hall along with the other workers, their footsteps echoing on the road leading to the mine entrance.

Pausing at the threshold, she admired the craftsmanship of the archway, hoping to distract herself from her thoughts. She traced the intricate designs with her fingertips, but then the rush of emotions came flooding back and she dropped her hand. Entering the mine, she was greeted by the vastness of the caverns overhead. Alion led the way past a line of mine carts, his voice breaking through her thoughts. "You'll add your material to the carts at the end of the day," he explained, gesturing towards the carts. "One of the workers will push it to the entrance."

He continued, guiding her towards the small gemstone area of the mine. "We mostly mine ore here," he informed her, "but there's a small section dedicated to gold, silver, and gemstones. It should be easier for you to work in that area than with the ore."

They proceeded through the dark tunnel lit by a string of blue lanterns attached to the walls. Curious about them, she remembered Celebrimbor talking about them and she hastily blinked away her tears. As they delved deeper into the mine, the sight of hundreds of elves already working, greeted her. Many of the tunnels were already empty as they wound deeper and deeper into the mine.

While they didn't explore every cavern or tunnel, one stood out—a makeshift bathroom, its long wooden stalls offering a semblance of privacy in the cavern. A solitary sink, piled with a few towels and bars of soap, was all that was needed.

With the tour concluded, it was time to work.

Alion guided her down the long hallway, veering off into a narrower tunnel where a handful of elves were already working hard on their tasks. Despite the small cavern and dark room, her eyes noticed the gleam of rubies embedded in the stone.

Equipped with a hammer, pickaxe, and bucket, Alion directed her to a designated spot. "This is where you'll be working," he explained, gesturing towards the small area with veins of rubies branching out across the cavern wall. "Your task is to break the rocks into smaller chunks. If you find any rubies, collect them in the bucket. The smiths will extract the stones later. Once your bucket is full, deposit its contents into the mine cart. Take your time and be careful not to injure yourself or others," he cautioned. "If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. Otherwise, it tends to be relatively quiet here."

Accepting the tools from Alion, he told her that he only expected one bucket from her a day, but if she did more, that would be great. Grateful for the help and an outline of the job, Alion left and she got right to work.

The pickaxe felt heavy in her hands, but she dropped her bucket and planted her feet in front of the wall. She swung, knocking off a small section of the wall. Kiera smiled, as it wasn't that hard of work. Just tedious. Over and over she swung, until she found a good rhythm, tediously smashing the rocks and gems from the wall. When her pile grew at her feet, she sorted through the rocks and dumped any chunks with gems into the bucket.

As the morning wore on, her thoughts crept back to the night before and Celebimbor. Swinging the axe, she turned her emotions towards her work as she blinked away the tears. The onslaught of emotions of anger, frustration, and disappointment was hard to swallow. When she couldn't hold it in anymore, she finally cried, uncaring that others were nearby.

The tears came easily, and her soft cries filled her ears. Wiping the snot on the back of her hand, she knew that it was just better to let it all out. Kiera worked and worked, dumping buckets into the cart and filling it up again as the morning flew past. She felt better than she had in a long time as having work to do gave her a sense of purpose and accomplishment as she had filled the bucket up three times. When she was on her fourth bucket, the bell sounded overhead, signaling the end of the workday.

Dumping her last bucket into the cart, Kiera followed the trail of miners as they navigated the caverns. Some nodded to her as they walked, but most ignored her. After dropping off the tools at the entrance, she passed the second group of workers as they made their way into the mine. Emerging from the dark caverns into the bright sunlight took a little getting used to. She blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust, but then sighed at the warmth from the sun.

However, her happiness was short-lived as her mind went right back to Celebrimbor. Her throat closed up as she realized that whatever happened was bound to be this afternoon or evening. Taking a deep breath, she made her way back to the house, determined to face whatever came her way.

Following the rest of the workers into the house, she joined the rest in the dining hall for a light lunch. The food still tasted dull to her, but she forced herself to eat until she was full. Gulping down the last of her water, she rose from the table, wondering what to do next. Before she could think, Alion came walking towards her.

"Lady Kiera. Prince Maeglin, Lord Rog, Lord Egalmonth, Lord Ecthelion, and Lord Glorfindel are on their way to the village and are requesting to speak with you. They should be here momentarily as they are almost to the gates. I will come to get you from your room when they arrive."

Her heart shattered in her chest and she couldn't move or breathe. Alion didn't seem to notice as he swept from the hall. The unexpected visit of some of the lords made her heart plummet into her stomach. Celebrimbor did it. He turned her in and now they were coming for her. The realization filled her with a sense of dread.

Racing to her room, her mind spun on a million miles a minute as she contemplated her choices. Leaving seemed like the only option because if she stayed, Kiera knew that the kill would have her killed. The roads were treacherous, and she couldn't get back through the main gates. Remembering Voronwë's words to her during the arrival to Gondolin, the idea formed in her head. A small flicker of hope filled her and in a split second, she made up her mind.

Throwing the door open to her room, she emptied her pack and quickly sorted through the items. Anything worthless to the journey was thrown aside. Instead, she packed up two extra sets of clothes, her phone and charger, and some of her new jewelry as well as her jewelry from home. Within minutes, she was packed and ready to leave.

Leaving her room, she peeked outside in the hall before stepping out. Thankfully, it was deserted as she moved stealthily down to the main floor. After sneaking around some corners, she ended up at the door to the kitchen. Opening it slightly, she thanked the gods that it was empty. She rushed into the pantry and quickly grabbed some food. Lembas bread, dried meats, and some nuts were stuffed into her bag. There was also a small jar of strawberries which she took too.

Unsure of where to go next, she left the kitchen and wandered down the hallway, looking for an exterior door. After spotting one at the end of a small hallway, she pushed it open and found herself at the side of the main house, in a small garden. Behind the garden was the main wall to the city and she ran over to it and started to look for stairs going up. It didn't take long before she spotted a set, but also a guard walking along the wall.

After waiting for him to pass, she bolted up the stairs to the top of the wall. Determined to put as much distance between herself and the village before the lords came, Kiera made the risky decision to jump down from the wall. Lowering herself to the edge, she held on with her hands as she swung her body over the wall. Then with a deep breath, she let go.

The ground came up fast and she groaned as her feet burned when they hit the ground. Shaking off the feeling, and heart pounding with each breath, she took off running at full speed to the mountainside. Kiera broke into a sprint as the distant shouts grew louder behind her. Her pack bounced on her back as the shouts and yells from the guards to come back mixed in with her breathing. Then, the first arrow came.

It sailed passed her with a zing sound as it embedded itself into the dirt. The next one came closer and just as quick as the first. The whistling of the arrows reminded her of her training and she zigzagged across the field like Glorfindel had taught her. Eventually, the arrows stopped and she turned back to look. The guards were huddled together at the wall, but none of them were following her.

Relieved, she pushed herself harder, eyes fixed on the mountain peak. As she approached the bottom of the mountain, her breaths were coming in ragged and she needed a break to catch her breath. Taking in deep breaths, she glanced behind her and felt the blood drain from her face. A small group of people on horseback were making their way towards her from the wall.

Looking up at the rocky terrain ahead of her, she only had one choice, so she started to climb. Grateful for her morning runs, she pushed herself up the mountain as the yelling was getting closer from behind her. Kiera didn't want to look back, but when she made it a good distance, she glanced behind. To her horror, the group on horseback was fast approaching at an alarming speed. She drowned out their words and shouts as she pushed herself to the breaking point. It was life and death for her. There would be no escape if she was taken back into the city. The king would kill her and she had a dark foreboding feeling that even Ecthelion couldn't save her.

The tears burned in her vision, but she brushed the tears from her cheek and kept going. She was never going to give up, nor was she going to go down without a fight. It was at that moment that she realized her mistake as she brought no weapons with her. The fear sunk in then, but she didn't let it consume her. She'd think of something even if she needed to tumble down the mountain with one of the lords, kicking and screaming.

Looking up from her grief, she noticed she had climbed almost halfway. She paused for a moment as she looked behind her. They were still a good distance between them, but one elf was further ahead than the rest. Based on the screaming and the pleading to come back, she knew it was Ecthelion. Ignoring the yells, she pushed forward, her neck craning to see the break in the peaks.

Climbing up the mountain, her mind thought about the plan for the future. About finding her way to the Havens, and possibly sailing for Valinor or speaking to Ulmo. Yet, the real place she wanted to go was home. Home. Kiera wanted to go home more than ever. This world would never be her home. She had no family here and there was a high possibility that even if she did make it to the Havens, no elf would marry her. The darkness settled in as she realized that she would never have a family of her own either. The grief nearly consumed her, until she heard Ecthelion's voice loud and clear behind her. Begging her to come back. It tore her heart into two as she would miss him most of all.

She prayed to the one for him. To have a good life someday and to hopefully find someone to love and be loved in return. He had shown her such kindness that she could never repay. Perhaps she would even see him again someday in the Havens.

Then she thought about all of her friends. Tuor, Voronwë, Hanniel, Cadweth, Harmon, Echrodon, Maeglin, and even Celebrimbor. She prayed to the one for him as well. She hoped that he found peace someday and would forgive his family.

After she had finished praying, she tripped on a rock and landed hard on her knee. That was a sign if she ever knew it, however, she couldn't stop and she hauled herself up even though her legs were burning. Looking back again, she could see Ecthelion much closer to her than the others, the look of determination on his face. Their eyes met and he screamed out to her to come back. With one last sad look at him, she turned and began the final trek up the mountain.