The Price of Pride

Warning: Implied rape


Elvish translations

Meleth – my love
Pen-neth – young one
N'uma – no
Minno – enter ethrethril – lover (female)
Uma – yes
Mir nín – my treasure
Naon sí – I am here


Chapter 19


Fanya ran as if the Witchking himself was behind us. Never before or
since have I experienced anything like it. He knew where we were going and he went, needing no direction from me. I hung on and let him run, spending my time trying to imagine what could possibly have caused Elrond to farspeak my father unintentionally. The outburst that caused it must have been incredibly powerful. My father was
convinced from whatever he heard, that something was wrong. I could imagine only a few things that might upset Elrond to such a degree. None of them were good. Elbereth, I prayed, let Arwen be safe.

Fanya brought me to Imladris in half the usual time. The sight that greeted my arrival was as bad as my worst fears. Every Elf in the courtyard was armed, though they appeared to be arriving rather than leaving. I caught sight of Glorfindel across the mass of bodies. I knew him to be an Elf-lord of great power, but I had never seen that power unleashed. Now he glowed with it, radiating fury and light. Erestor appeared beside him at that moment. I could not hear what they said, but Glorfindel's face grew darker and the pulsing light surrounding him took on a new intensity. "Replenish your supplies,"
he said to his soldier. "We ride again within the hour." The soldiers dispersed quickly, lng mng me alone with the two Elf-lords.

Only then did they notice me. "You have chosen a dark time to come, Legolas," Erestor observed.

"My father sent me. He said something was wrong and that Arwen would need me. What is going on?" I asked them both.

Erestor looked at Glorfindel. "Go, meleth. Bathe and rest before you ride out again. I will explain." Glorfindel strode inside as Erestor turned to me. "Come, pen-neth. We will talk inside."

"I have never seen Imladris like this, Erestor. What has happened?"

"Nothing good, I assure you," Erestor replied, ushering me into his study. "Lady Celebrian was returning from Lórien and was abducted by Orcs. Elrond swears she is still alive. Every soldier in Imladris and Lórien is hunting for her now."

"If Lord Elrond will ask, my father will send soldiers as well."

"You are kind to offer, but there is too much anger between them."

"N'uma, Erestor," I insisted. "My father gave me a message for Lord Elrond. He said to tell him, `All emnity aside. Whatever Elrond needs, if I can help, I will.' I do not know why my father and Elrond stopped being friends, Erestor, and I do not need to know, but I do know that my father was serious. He said Elrond farspoke him,
something that has not happened since the Last Alliance. He sent me because he knew something was wrong, though he knew not what. He will help, if only Elrond will ask."

"I will tell him, Legolas, but I cannot make him ask. In his current state of mind, he is aware of almost nothing. All his energy is bent on maintaining his link with his wife, with trying to support her and find her. Even when she sleeps, he does not, for fear of losing the tenuous contact that remains."

"What of Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir? How are they?" I asked, concerned now for my friends and my lover, hearing what state their father was in.

"The twins were out hunting when the attack occurred. They have only just returned and will go with Glorfindel's patrol when they ride out. The twins can also sense their mother and hope to be able to track her that way. Arwen has taken to her rooms. You should go to her."

"I will. Just answer me this. Can you farspeak my father if Elrond agrees? I have not the talent, though I can hear his voice if he calls me."

"Let me speak to Elrond first. Time enough to worry about the rest later. Arwen needs you."

Those three simple words drove me out of Erestor's study at a run. I paused only to knock at Arwen's door.

"Minno," I heard her say softly.

"Arwen?" I called as I entered her darkened rooms. The curtains were closed and she had no candles lit. "Melethril? Where are you?"

I heard a sob from the direction of the fireplace. "Legolas?" she whispered. "Is that you?"

"Uma, mir nín. Naon sí." I went to her side and gathered her against me. I stroked her face, feeling the dampness left by her tears. "Naon sí," I repeated.

"How…?" she asked, hiccoughing through her tears.

"My father sent me. He knew you needed me. Just hold on to me, mir nín. Hold on tight." Elbereth! How I wished I could tell her what I felt, could let my love comfort her! She clung to me, letting her tears flow. I could barely follow what she was saying, but I understood enough to realize that, like her father and brothers, she had enough of a link with her mother to feel Celebrian's suffering, though not as keenly as Elrond did.

"Why do they not find her?" she asked me angrily at one point.

"Elladan and Elrohir are riding out with Glorfindel's patrol," I told her. "They will be able to find her. Have faith in your brothers, mir nín."

"I want to go!" she exclaimed.

I knew Elrond would never permit that, not with his wife already in danger. "I know," I told her. "I want to go as well." I hoped that taking this tack would convince her to stay in Imladris. "Your mother has always been kind to me. But we have to stay here and help your father. Erestor cannot do everything by himself, not with Glorfindel gone and your father upset. You must take care of your father while I help Erestor. That way, your mother will have a house to come back to when your brothers find her." I did not say if. I only barely dared to think it. I did not want Arwenginigining a world without her mother. I knew the pain of such a world and did not want it for my beloved even in her mind. "Can you do that, Arwen? Do you have the strength to stay behind and help in other ways?" I was being unfair, really, playing that card. I knew Arwen too well. She could stand anything but b cal called weak.

"Of course I have the strength," she snapped. "What needs to be done?"

"First, we need to take care of you. Then we will take care of Imladris," I said, moving to the window and opening the curtains to let in a little daylight. "Do you want a bath, or do you just want to wash your face?" I asked.

She considered my suggestions for a moment. Finally, she rose and answered. "I will just wash my face. I have neglected my duties too long. The bath can wait until tonight." She went to the bathroom to wash her face and comb hai hair. I braided it for her quickly when she returned, practical braids, not the usual lover's braids we both
wore when we were together. Now was not the time for such displays.

"Where do we start?" I asked, seeing the return of my usual, competent lover.

"We need to check with the healers first," she decided, "to make sure they have whatever they need for when…" She trailed off.

"Healers first, then what?" I prompted, to take her mind away from her dark thoughts and back to practical matters.

"Then Erestor," she said. "He will know what else needs to be done."

I followed Arwen to the ers,ers, to Erestor, and to her father. For three days, I haunted her steps, comforting her when she cried. Supporting her when the pain through the link increased. Holding her at night when she tried to sleep, hoping that my presence would calm her. On the third day after my arrival in Imladris, she suddenly collapsed in my arms.

"Arwen? What is it, mir nín?"

"They have found her. She is free," Arwen whispered before losing
consciousness.