Ecthelion

Ecthelion tightened his grip on the reins as he rode toward the village. Glorfindel was subdued at his side as the rest of the lords rode in front of them. He was a little anxious and hesitant to speak with Kiera, but he knew she would at least agree to see them. Though Glorfindel was the one who needed to apologize, he still felt horrible about how everything went down.

The rest of the lords had decided to join them as they needed to collect material and pay the guards. Maeglin was more than happy to come along to make sure he got his cut for his house. Ecthelion snorted when the prince shot Glorfindel an unimpressed look. He assumed Kiera had told Maeglin everything as the prince was giving them both the cold shoulder. Ecthelion didn't mind as it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Though the two did share a long glance, making Ecthelion turn away.

Rog's loud voice interrupted his thoughts, "so Glorfindel, what do you need to apologize to Kiera for?"

Glorfindel blushed, which made Rog's eyebrows raise. His friend coughed and replied, "I spoke to her out of anger. I regret my words deeply as they drove her to the mines. I need to speak with her, so she may know that I am deeply sorry."

Maeglin snorted and chimed in, "she is much too forgiving. I would never speak to you again if you spoke to me in that manner."

Before anyone could reply, Ecthelion interjected, "she confided in you?"

Maeglin looked back at him with a sharp glance, causing him to shiver. True to his namesake, the look the prince gave him chilled his bones.

"Of course," Maeglin replied smoothly. "Kiera confides in me as she trusts me. Since we started anew, I have grown fond of her. She is loyal, which is more than I can say for other humans."

"Hmm," Rog said next to Maeglin. "Have you taken her to your bed yet?"

Ecthelion choked on air as all the lords turned to look at him. Glorfindel met his eye, but the rest turned back to Maeglin, looking for an answer.

"If I ever did, I would never tell," Malegin smugly replied. "Although I heard you could not woo her into your bed. That must have been a blow to your ego."

Rog snorted, "no. In fact it turned me off from her quickly. What human woman wouldn't want a night with a handsome elf lord?"

"Someone who has standards," Maeglin quipped back. "Regardless I certainly enjoyed the show."

Rog turned back quickly to stare at the prince with a raised brow. "Slinking in the shadows again, I see?"

"No, merely standing in the hall listening," Maeglin shrugged.

Rog shot him a look but didn't comment. After a short pause, Rog struck up a conversation with Egalmoth about the Gates of Summer festival. Speaking of Kiera was all but forgotten by the rest, but not him. Ecthelion felt even more confused and conflicted. He was honest in the past when he spoke to Kiera. He wanted her to be happy and to have a good life in the city. Yet, there was a deep simmering in his stomach when they spoke about her. It didn't take long before he realized it was jealousy.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply as he now understood the feelings. It was an odd feeling for sure as he had not felt it in quite some time. It took a moment for his breathing to help before the feeling passed. Thankfully, the rest of the lords spoke of the festival the remaining way to the mines. Maeglin occasionally caught his eye, but Ecthelion met his stare with a blank look.

Arriving at the gates around midday, Eluon, Maeglin's head guard greeted them warmly. "Welcome my lords," he bowed low to them all. "I sent word ahead as you requested. Lady Kiera should be finishing up her rotation in the mines. Alion also has prepared the study with food and wine for the monthly accounting."

MAeglin nodded and turned his horse toward the gates when Eluon looked towards Egalmoth. "Forgive me my lord, but will Celebrimbor be returning for his rotation? He left the village late last night in a haste, and we have not heard from him since."

All eyes turned towards Egalmoth who looked confused. "Maeglin, did you not tell me that Celebrimbor accompanied you here yesterday for the start of his rotation."

"He did," Maeglin replied quietly with furred brows. "I cannot imagine what made him leave as he was adamant about coming here with Kiera. Very strange, but I will look into it when I return…."

"Eluon," a guard screeched as he came running towards them from the top of the wall. "The mortal, she's running."

"What?" Eluon looked at the guard with sheer confusion.

The guard caught his breath and finally took in who was all present. His eyes widened as he choked out, "the mortal woman. Kiera. She's running from the village. Towards the mountains. I sent some warning shots towards her and called for her to return. I did not wish to shoot her. I need an order."

All of the lords and Eluon were stunned. Ecthelion was the quickest as he gripped the rines of his horse tightly. "Where? Which direction."

"South east my lord. Towards the sloped peaks."

Without hesitation, Ecthelion urged Lossion on in a gallop and then to a full-blown run. Hooves pounded into the ground, echoing his racing heart as he made his way around the village walls. When they approached the end of the wall, near the mountains, a small group of guards were huddled together, looking out across the plains.

Glorfindel and Maeglin trailed after him as he finally turned his head and saw her. She was so far from him already, but he knew he could catch her before she made it to the gates. Before urging his horse on, he shouted at the group of guards.

"What happened?"

"We don't know my lord," one of them answered. "She slipped between our paths and took off running across the plains. She would not return with our pleas."

He didn't wait then as he turned Lossion towards her direction and pleaded with him to run as fast as he could. Ecthelion could hear nothing but the sound of his heartbeat in his chest and the pounding of hooves into the dirt.

Ecthelion urged Lossion to go faster, his heart pounding in his ears as he raced across the plains. He could see Kiera's form in the distance, her hair flying behind her as she ran. Why was she fleeing? What had happened to make her leave the safety of the village? Fear gripped his heart at the possibilities.

He could only that he could reach her in time before she got hurt. While the plains were safe, he could see the desperation in her movements. She ran as if she was being chased by the enemy and that thought alone scared him deep to his core. What could have possibly happened to make her flee?

He was halfway to her when his heart plummeted into his stomach. Kiera was not going to the gates. She turned and started to climb the mountain. Fear gripped him then, as she started the long and treacherous climb up the mountainside. Tears clung to his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, he was terrified. Almost as much as when he went to battle. That thought alone sent a shiver deep into his being and he begged his faithful stead to give him everything he had.

Lossion had complied and Ecthelion could feel the deep connection they shared as his horse ran far ahead of Glorfindel's and Maeglin's, leaving them behind. Ecthelion choked up as they galloped across the plains, eyes fixed on Kiera. She was moving so fast, with such determination that he had come to love. As he drew closer to the edge of the mountain, he watched her stumble a few times, but get right back up quickly and keep moving.

Finally, they had reached the edge, and Ecthelion flung himself from his horse as he called up to her. "Kiera! Stop!"

She ignored him as his feet began their trek up the mountain. Burning with the same determination as her, he climbed. All the while, screaming and calling out for her.

"Come back," Ecthelion cried as his voice carried across the wind. "Please, Kiera. Come back."

But she didn't stop. Instead, it almost seemed like she moved even faster. Ecthelion gritted his teeth, pushing and exerting all of his energy into pursuing her. He couldn't let her leave, couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her, and couldn't stomach the idea of never seeing her again.

He didn't allow himself to think the worst as he knew that would shatter him. Instead, he focused on the climb and screaming her name. When she reached the steep rocks, she finally paused and turned around to look at him.

Their eyes met and he whispered his name on his lips before he shouted to her, "please Kiera. Come back. Come back with me to the city. Please. I will protect you. I am begging you."

Whether she didn't hear him or was too fearful to return, she turned away from him and pulled herself up the jagged rocks. The fear gripped all the way through his body and down to his bones. One wrong step on those rocks and she would be gone. He prayed then.

"Please father, spare her," he cried out as he rushed up the mountain. "Spare her for me. I have never once prayed to you, but I am doing so now. Please, Father, save her. Do not let any harm come to her."

Just then, Kiera stumbled and fell forward. Ecthelion felt his world shift for just a few moments. Then, as quickly as the feeling came, Kiera pulled herself up and kept moving. He breathed out then, settling his beating heart until she turned to look at him once more. The sheer look of devastation, pain, and heartache that was on her face would torment him forever. He screamed out for her and begged her once again to turn back.

She didn't.

Then, the anger rose in him. It fueled him, urging him to get to her. He needed her to understand the pain she was causing him. He needed to understand why she would put him through this. Why she would flee and make the foolish mistake of climbing the mountain?

Anger burned hot within him just as much as his legs did as he climbed. While he was fueled with a burning energy, Kiera seemed to slow down. Thank the Valar, he cried as he watched her struggle to pull herself up the last of the boulders. Ecthelion was closer now and the gap between them was closing rapidly.

Kiera pulled herself up to the last rock onto the cliffside as he was right behind her. She turned to look at him one last time and they were so close now. "Kiera," he bellowed. "Come back. Please, I am begging you. Come back. Speak to me. Tell me what happened. Please, anything."

She turned from him again and disappeared from his view. his heart stopped as he screamed out in anguish as he pulled himself up the last few boulders. When he finally reached the cliffside, Kiera was nowhere to be seen. There was only one path to go and he took off at a run between the sloping peaks. Small rocks littered the landscape as they crunched beneath his feet. Then, the path narrowed to a small walkway, but he was fixated on the corner up ahead. She had to be there. Had to be just around the bend. His hands gripped the stone wall as he jogged across the small pathway before he turned the corner.

There she was. Alive and looking out across the valley below. Finally, as if being so close to her again, he could finally breathe. Then the anger took over. He grabbed her and spun her around to face him, " WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? THE KING IS GOING TO KILL YOU FOR THIS. YOU LEFT THE VILLAGE AND RAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TERRIFIED I WAS?"

Expecting tears or apologies, Ecthelion was shocked when she screamed right back at him. "BETTER TO TAKE MY CHANCES IN THE MOUNTAINS THAN TO BE EXECUTED BY THE KING. IF I AM GOING TO DIE IT IS GOING TO BE OUT HERE, IN THE WILDS TRYING TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. NOT THROWN OFF THE WALLS BY A DERANGED KING WHO THINKS I AM A SERVANT OF THE ENEMY."

Her words made his throat close up, but before he could process them, a dark shadow had loomed overhead. In an instant, he reached for his sword, but couldn't get there in time, before talons wrapped around them tightly. Ecthelion nearly screamed as they were carried over the edge of the mountain, but managed to hold it in as he understood what was happening. One of the eagles had come. His prayers had been answered, although a little too late.

The talons wrapped around them gently, but he pulled Kiera close. Partial because he was scared they might be dropped, but mostly because he needed her close. The eagle carried them high into the air and circled above the peak. When they soared over the other side of the mountain, Ecthelion glanced down and saw another eagle landing near Glorfindel and Maeglin. Kiera then let out a noise that was a mix between a relieved sigh and a laugh.

The eagle tilted his head down and said to them, "my father Thorondor, the lord of the eagles, wishes to speak with you. My brother is speaking to the elves. You will be brought back to the city by my father later."

Kiera sobbed out a strangled cry. Ecthelion could almost feel the relief in her cries and that made all the anger melt away. He was dreadfully worried about her. He finally had a few moments to take in her words. She feared that she would be killed. Celebrimbor had threatened her and he knew that wounded cut deep. Deep enough that she risked it all to flee. It made his heart stop and his breath catch, but then his anger shifted to Celebrimbor. He would kill him.

The anger bubbled under the surface as they circled down to a flat area atop the mountain peak. After a few small circles, the eagle set them down on a large cliff top. Ecthelion steadied her but then turned his attention to Thorondor. He bowed low as she did the same.

The eagle that carried them turned to face him. "I will return you to the city, where you will inform the king. My father wishes to speak to the mortal, but it is for her ears only. Speak now, and then we will depart."

He turned to face her instantly and cupped her face in his hands. Warmth blossomed in his chest as he asked her softly, "what happened? Why did you try and run? Is it because of what Glorfindel said? Or did something happen between you and Celebrimbor? Whatever it is, I promise you will not be executed. Not while I am still breathing."

The tears came down her face easily as she sniffed, "Celebrimbor and I got into a fight. He threatened to go back to the city and tell the king I was a servant of the enemy. Then I heard you all arrived and wanted to see me. I didn't want to believe it, but I was scared. Terrified actually, but I ran because I would rather take my chances out here. I will never be able to convince the king otherwise, and I took the chance that I had."

It was so very like her, yet she was unprepared. Knowing they would have more time later to talk, he gave her a soft, yet scolding look. "No weapons, no medical supplies, and very little food? Kiera, where were you planning to go? There is nothing out this way. The mountain ranges will take days to get over and orcs live in the caves along the mountainside. I understand you were terrified, but you terrified me. The thought of something happening to you…the thought of losing you…the thought of.." He choked up then as their eyes met.

He knew she knew. Or at least understood. And while they needed to have a conversation, now was not the time. He dropped his hands from her face and rested one of them on her shoulders while the other brushed away the tears.

"I am our arrival frightened you. Glorfindel and I were coming to speak to you about what happened a few nights ago. Rog, Egalmoth, and Maeglin heard we were going to the mines and decided to make the trip with us to collect material. I see now that all of us together would make you panic. None of us knew that Celebrimbor was back in the city, but I am sure he is angry at himself over his words. He will feel immensely guilty for causing you panic and making you run."

He pulled her in for a long hug as she grabbed onto him tightly. He hugged her tight as he told her, "I am sorry these past few days have been difficult. I promise I will not let anything happen to you. You are going to live a happy life in this city, I will make sure of it. I will tell the king what happened, and we will discuss more when you return. I want to speak with you more but now is not the time. I care about you and I love you, please don't try to run again."

Kiera nodded into his chest but then pulled away. Knowing it was his time to leave, he turned to look a the eagle. "Thank you for rescuing us. I am ready to go back to the city." The eagle didn't wait and grabbed him immediately.

They flew down the mountain at record speed with only the beating of wings. Ecthelion was lost in his thoughts and hardly paid much attention to the views as they soared through the valley to the city.

The Eagle deposited him at the western gate of the city. The location was perfect and he thanked the eagle as he flew away. Ecthelion knew instantly where he would go, though he had to keep his temper in check.

Hurrying into the city, instead of heading to the palace, he turned down the long street of the craftsmen. The walk to the house was quick and before he knew it, he was pounding on their front door. A few moments later, the door opened and one of the brothers greeted him.

"Yes," Harmon looked at him with a blank stare.

"Where is he?" Ecthelion fumed in a tone that signaled he would be answering no questions.

Harmon stared at him, long and hard. He noticed the softness of his face contrasted against his sharp cheekbones. His eyes though are what set him apart from the rest of the elves in the city. They were full of wisdom, pain, and a hint of something else he could not place.

"The mines. He left yesterday with Kiera."

They stared at one another. This was the most either of them had spoken to one another and Ecthelion knew that he would not get an honest answer from him. Just as if the roles were reversed, Ecthelion would do the same for Glorfindel.

Ecthelion merely huffed and turned away from the house as the door closed behind him with a snap. He sighed deeply as he closed his eyes. He needed the truth. Needed to hear what transpired between Kiera and Celebrimbor, which would cause her to fear for her life. He didn't think he would get an answer as he started the long walk back to the palace.

Before he reached the end of the street, a thought formed in his head. The idea was wild and he didn't know where it came from, but he had time to check. His feet moved on their own, winding up the steps to the wall. Guards gave him curious looks as he passed until he stood at the bottom of the winding staircase. His heart raced in his chest as he made his way, expecting it to be empty, he nearly died of shock when he found Celebrimbor there.

Ecthelion froze at the top of the stairs. Their eyes met and something shifted in him in an instant. The anger melted away just as it had early with Kiera. Looking at the elf now, Ecthelion saw the look of devastation, pain, and heartache on his face that mirrored Kiera's earlier. Whatever happened between the two of them, ripped them apart to their very souls.

"Come to kill me, have you?" Celebrimor asked him in a dead tone.

"No," Ecthelion mumbled. Feeling unsure and very caught off guard at that moment.

"Why are you here then?"

A simple question that Ecthelion knew the answer to easily. "You look like you could use a friend."

The words caught Celebrimbor off guard, his eyes widened as Ecthelion took a seat beside him on the ground. They stayed quiet for a while, neither one of them saying anything to the other. Minutes passed in silence as Celebrimbor hugged the small book in his hands.

Finally, Ecthelion started speaking. He told Celebrimbor everything that happened that day. About heading to the village, hearing about Kiera fleeing, chasing her up the mountain. Ecthelion confessed his feelings to Celebrimbor. The heartache and fear that gripped him the entire time and about how he couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

Celebrimbor for his part, remained completely quiet. Ever his father's son, the mask had fallen on his face, but Ecthelion saw the devastation in his eyes. The deep regret and self-loathing of what he had done out of anger. Ecthelion didn't speak a word about it, merely told the other elf the facts and about his own feelings. When he was done, he stood and turned to look at him.

"I am headed to the palace to speak with the king. Regardless of what happens next, no one will harm her as long as I still breathe. The king may kill me and her too, but I will pray for our Father for forgiveness and beg him to spare her for me. I would go to Mandos's halls happily and accept any punishment that the Valar see fit. I know the choice I would make and I believe yours would be the same."