Against all odds

Chapter one Departure

In the centre of the beautiful realm that was Lothlorien lay the city Caras Galadhon.

Although the elves residing there slept and lived high up in the strong, sturdy and golden mallorn trees, daily activity was placed below, at the foot of the same trees.

Just some hours after lunch, many elves were going about their business, picking up on gossip along the way.

There wasn’t anything Lorien elves liked to do better than to gossip.

In the centre of this village lay the royal tree. House of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
They had guests this day.

Lord Elrond Peredhel of Imladris had come over with his sons to discuss the continued danger of rampaging Orcs and Uruks.

The discussions were ended last week and Glorfindel had hasted back home, Erestor had been taking care of things alone.

But Elrond had agreed to stay a little longer. He had relented for his sons.It has been long since they had been here last.

He knew they would follow him home, but he didn’t want to rob them of their grandparents so soon.

So he had stayed when Glorfindel asked him to join him on his way home.

He longed for home.

He stood on the balcony, edge of the talan is more likely, and pierced the sky.

He wondered how things were going, if they could handle everything, and if his counsellor and seneschal weren’t driving each other mad.

For some weird reason the two of them didn’t get along and if Elrond or the twins weren’t there to suss things one wrong word could quickly burn the house down.

Closing his eyes he could almost smell his realm.

He sighed longingly.

He really wanted to be home, but he would wait a while before venturing home.

Elladan and Elrohir were extremely happy, they hadn’t been for years.

Here they had a piece of their mother. Not to mention their occasional lovers. Nothing lasting, Elrond had noted, but he couldn’t care less.
And even though Celeborn and Galadriel often hinted he should find some mates for them, he never did. He never forced them in this case, he wanted them to take their time, wanted to save them making the mistake he had.

Even though his marriage with Celebrain had given him much joy and three beautiful children, it had also been the biggest mistake in his entire life.
And that was saying a lot.

He chuckled at his own wordings. Even though he had only met the Hobbit once, he still sounded like him. He often caught himself using the sentences the Hobbit was so fond of. ‘Now that’s an eye-opener, if ever I’ve seen one’, ‘and that’s saying a lot’ and ‘if you get me’ were much used phrases by that little one.

Sam. The one who saved the quest. Not many knew of the horrors that one had to face, always at Frodo’s side. Without Sam Frodo never would have made it to Mordor and without Sam’s clear headed thinking the ring would have gone to the enemy. And without Sam they would not be here still.

But what was the use of still remaining?

More millennia of silent suffering and torture.

Sometimes he wondered if he had made the wrong choice.

He hadn’t understand Elros’ choice to become human.

Not until he had wasted everything, thrown away his happiness for the sake of the future. He knew Aragorn would have been lost had it not been for his love for Arwen. His daughter. Because she -had- to be born, he had to give up his life. At least that’s how it sometimes felt to him. And to think he never realised until it was too late.

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Galadriel was watching him from the shadows of his own room.

She saw how he got lost in his thoughts. She saw his sadness and longing.

It accompanied the Half-Elf wherever he went.

She had hoped her daughter would have been able to change that, but the years in which Elrond had dutiful courted Celebrain never seemed to end.

When she saw both possible futures in her mirror, she knew they had to wed, and fast. Otherwise the worst would become reality.

Elrond had tried to stall, as usual, but this time she had not relented. The wedding -had- to be. Their children -had- to be born.

She knew Celebrain would be happy, the Half-Elf practically was her life, so she had no real problems with the marriage. Even now, she still had no problems about forcing this upon him.

But she felt responsible for this sadness and longing.

Although it had always been there, she had seen it grow bigger and stronger on the wedding day.

What was it Elrond longed for? How could shee hie him happy?

Celeborn often assured her it was about Elros. He had been Elrond’s twin and after seeing the tight bond between Elladan and Elrohir Celeborn understood there must be a piece of Elrond that had died with his twin. That was responsible for the sadness and longing. Elrond missed and longed for his twin.

But Galadriel had a hard time believing it. Especially when she remembered the wedding.

She walked closer to her son-in-law who still hadn’t acknowledged her presence.

She could now see he was staring into the direction of his realm.

“You long for your home?”

Elrond, startled out of his reverie, jumped and twirled ‘round. “Galadriel, I did not hear you? You mustn’t startle me so, lest I fall down.”

“Still not used to the banister less balconies of our talans?”

“I never will get used to them. I am a town elf, Galadriel. Not a wood elf.”

“Which is why you long for home, I suppose. Why do you not go then?”

Elrond’s eyes became longing and were filled with love at the suggestion. They darkened immediately. “Elladan and Elrohir. They would only follow me and they seem happy here. Happier than I’ve seen them in a long time.”

“Still, I think it better if you went. It won’t do any of us any good if you were to stay here and become grouchy. You least of all. Go, I shall tell your sons an urgent matter forced you home.”

“I had forgotten what a deceiver you can be.”

“Where’s the deceit, Elrond. Something urgent is forcing you home. Your happiness.” With that she turned, hoping Elrond would take her advice and hurry home.

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They stopped a moment to look back at the wonder that was Lorien.

It would be a long time before any of them would see it again.

Elrond had taken Galadriel’s advice to heart and had taken the remainder of his guards and set for home.

He knew Elladan and Elrohir were highly capable of taking care of themselves. They hadn’t survived all these centuries of orchunting for nothing.

He just hoped they could forgive him for not waiting any longer. He could not stand to be so far away anymore.

He forced his horse to go top speed. He wanted to get home as fast as possible.

At this speed it would only take them a few hours.

The closer they got to their destination, the harder his heart pounded.

Suddenly the heard a roaring thunder not far away.

He looked above, the sky was clear blue.

He sped on.

But the guards looked beyond.

They saw a heavy thunderstorm coming their way. It was travelling top speed, it would be on top of them in no time.

They had slowed down to find shelter.

They trusted their lord to have done the same.

But he hadn’t.

Elrond sped up even more and was already out of hearing when his guards noticed and called him to stop.

All he heard was the pounding in his chest, all he felt was his own heart, all he saw was the border bridge.

He did not see the thunder spilt the tree before him, he did not see or heard it fall and he did not notice himself being thrown of the horse as it made an emergency stop. A stop that makes his rider fly through the air and land a few feet further.

Elrond didn’t notice any of it until his body made hard contact with the rocky soil.

He got up and found out he had injured his left arm. Broken or strained, he was unsure now, but he did not care.

Walking back to the horse, head still in Imladris, he did not see a rather dangerous looking rock sticking out.

He tripped and rolled down. He registered several of his body parts being hit in the process and when his head was smashed against a rock he lost consciousness.

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The soldiers were petrified to see their lord take a skydive through the air and land hardly on to the stones.

When he got up they released relieved sigh and small cheers.

They had to get to him now.

Making to move they saw the tragedy unfold.

Their lord tripped and fell and rolled on down the rocky hill.

They ran towards the site.

The thunder had now completely surrounded them.

If their lord made any sounds they could not hear it now.

They strained their eyes, praying for some sign.

After hours of searching they still hadn’t found anything. Not one trace of their lord, dead or alive.

They had to move on and get help.

End chapter one
TBC