The Music in My Heart
folder
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,774
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,774
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings book series and movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 22 Why
Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 22 (betaed)
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating:NC-17 for future chapters
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK); Slash, but mostly het.
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive:
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this fic. Thanks also to Lady Victoria for her comments and support.
Disclaimer: Any of the residents of Middle-earth and Aman that you recognize belong to Prof. Tolkien’s estate. The same is true about Middle-earth and Aman. I’m only visiting and admiring the “views”.
Summary: Sauron may be gone, but his legacy of evil still lingers. As Middle-earth faces the threat of another dark lord, a party of elves departs Aman on a mission for the Valar, a mission of mercy long delayed.
.
Chapter 22 --- Why?
“There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
Douglas Adams
*****
/Just as I think nothing is left that can shock me…/
Elrond closed the door to his chambers and sagged back against it, needing the solid bulk of the door to keep him standing. He had just returned from the dungeons where he and Celeborn had interrogated the four surviving men and Ermehtar. He was not sure what he had expected to learn. He had tried to imagine what have caused the younger elf to fall into the dark, but his assumptions had been a far cry from reality.
/I had thought some vice, a desire for power, greed, envy, but not love! Twisted love to be sure, for he was willing… able to kill to gain the one he claims to love. Or perhaps lust describes his obsession more appropriately./
Pushing away from the door, he moved into his sitting room shedding his outer robes as he went. Celeborn had preceded him and was sitting in a chair on the balcony staring at the nearby waterfall; staring at it, but not seeing it. /He is as overwhelmed as I am./
Stopping to pour them a glass of the chilled lemon water Lindir had left for them, he forced himself to join his friend so that they could discuss the information obtained from the interrogations. /Knowing why he chose to kill and that my son’s death would have been a ‘regrettable, but acceptable price’ to pay for his ultimate prize had been painful enough, but the motivation itself…!/
Placing the glasses in easy reach for both of them, Elrond took the chair to Celeborn’s right and joined his companion’s contemplation of the waterfall. /What if he had succeeded and killed all three including Elrohir? We would never have considered Ermehtar as a suspect. As captain of the guard, he would have been in charge of the investigation. Likely, he would have staged the scene to look like an unknown accomplice of the men was the killer and we would not have been the wiser… until it was too late! We would have wasted time and resources looking for this phantom, while adding yet more tension and distrust to the crowded confines of the Quarters… and among our elven guests./
“How to you wish to handle this information, mellon nin?”
The quiet inquiry startled Elrond from his tortured thoughts. Sadly, he admitted, “I am at a loss. We will have to tell the others for there is much we will have to do to repair the damage Ermehtar had done to our defenses, but how do we do that without also telling Seere? This will be devastating to her and her father. Ermehtar’s twisted obsession with her is bad enough, but that her uncle offered her as a reward only makes it worse.”
“Aye, she has been sorely betrayed in this and will likely add to her own pain by feeling guilty about his feelings.” Reaching for his glass of water, he took a sip before continuing. “I suggest we talk to Erestor first so that he might be prepared to comfort her when she is told. We will have to tell them… including Seere. She has the right to know.”
Sighing, Elrond nodded his head in agreement. He knew Celeborn was right, but his heart cried out to protect her from this pain. Sadly, he understood that the famed sanctuary of Imladris could offer no shelter from this news.
Forcing himself to his feet, he moved back into his sitting room. “If we must add to the grief of our family, I for one need something stronger than water before we face them. Shall I pour you a glass of miruvor too?”
*****
Shocked faces stared in his direction waiting for him to say something to make the nightmare go away or for him to announce it was all a sick joke. He had no such words to offer. Silence reigned for several long minutes as the truth sank into broken hearts.
“The man, Amdil, was his contact and could identity him as one of Lhach’s spies? Knowing you would employ truth potions to extract information from the five, he killed him to prevent his being questioned and implicating him. Roitar and I simply were in his way. Did I understand all this correctly, Ada?” Elrohir asked in a quite, stricken voice.
“You heard correctly, ion nin.”
Elladan added in a strained whisper, “He has been sending the enemy our plans all along and has been slowly undermining our defenses for months. We will have to review every action he has taken for the last year at least to begin to right the situation.”
“And in exchange for his betrayal, he was promised Seere, along with the realms of Lorien and Imladris? How could he have believed such a promise much less, think he could win her favor through treason and murder?” The shock and outrage in Legolas’s words made his normally silky voice rough and broken.
Celeborn interjected, “I think we must consider that Lhach used some type of enchantment to gain control over Ermehtar’s mind. This does not excuse anything he has done for he would have had to harbor the desire to have both Seere and the rule of these realms to be so committed, for I saw little regret or guilt in his attitude. His actions defy logical explanation of how he thought he would be allowed to enjoy his ill gotten gains.”
Studying Seere, he noted, “He has known you all your life, pen vuil. He had to know you would never forgive him for harming your family or forcing your hand. He is suffering from a mad delusion and I rejoice that he has not made some attempt to harm you before.”
He and Elrond exchanged worried looks at the lack of response to his comment on Seere’s part. Her eyes were glazed over and her face had lost all color. Erestor was seated beside her on the couch, her form tucked against his side in a protective embrace. She seemed oblivious to even that. Anxious brown eyes sought those of his friend, imploring the healer’s aid.
Elrond rose from his seat and moved around the table to kneel at the side of the dazed elleth. Taking the hand nearest him, he began to rub his thumb in a gentle caress along the back of her hand. Subtly, he offered small doses of calming energy through his fingertips trying to settle her torn emotions.
“Seere, do you remember my giving thanks this morning that Elrohir was spared, that we are not now grieving for his murder? I would now add to that a prayer of thanks that we discovered this threat before you could be harmed by his dark intentions. We rejoice that you are sitting here with us, safely at your Ada’s side.”
Sighing, he implored, “Seere, please listen.”
Getting no reaction, he reached up to cup her chin in his hand and lifted her gaze to meet his. Her lovely golden eyes had lost their luster and had turned a muddy yellow, brown. Tears were pooled along the bottom the lids and had begun to slide down her cheeks. Her lips moved, but her words were too softly spoken for him to hear.
Leaning forward, he caught her faint whisper. “Did I…?”
Wiping away the tears that dripped from her chin, he exclaimed, “Nay, tis not your fault, Seere. Whether it was enchantment, a sickness to his mind, or simply an evil born to his nature, he is the one that chose to meet with Lhach, not you. He is the one that made the bargain to betray those that held him dear, not you. And Ermehtar is the one who killed, took two lives to satisfy his ambitions. You did nothing, but be his friend. If not for the vision you shared with me, Elrohir would now be dead and we would have no clue that Ermehtar was the murderer.”
“Never feel you must take responsibility for actions not your own. You are not to blame for any of this and we are thankful that you are now safe from his intentions.” Seeing her eyes clinch shut, he nodded to Erestor, who pulled his grief stricken daughter fully into his arms and let her cry against his chest.
Elrond rose to his feet with a weary sigh. Walking to the balcony door, he opened it before motioning for the others to follow him and allow her a moment of privacy. Standing next to the railing, the wild beauty of the waterfalls again failed to capture his attention as the vision of Seere crying in her father’s arms tore at his already battered heart.
*****
Seere wondered the paths of the lower garden lost in her churning emotions. Guilt and sadness ate at her heart. /They say I am not responsible, but they do not know the truth. I must tell them what happened. Ai! I did not want to upset them, so I kept quite. What if I could have prevented this tragedy from happening!/
The long shadows of the late afternoon fell across her path, but she was blind to the growing darkness. Instinct had led her to her favorite hiding place from her childhood. Heartsick, she slid through the small opening in the rocks and descended into the hidden grotto behind the waterfall. As she had as an elfling, she climbed out of a split in the opposite wall onto a sheltered ledge hidden from view from the valley below. She needed time to think.
*****
Celeborn and Elrond entered the dining hall a few minutes before the meal was due to be served. While they knew protocol demanded their attendance at the main meal as a courtesy to their guests, it would also calm any remaining fears about the security of the realm, but both elf lords had little appetite for the food or the company.
Elrond had immediately sought out the members of his household to see who was present. All were in attendance except Seere. Erestor’s concerned expression drew them quickly to his side.
“Erestor, you looked concerned, mellon nin. Is Seere not joining us for dinner tonight?” Celeborn inquired.
Shaking his head, the Chief Counsellor replied, “I know not. I have not seen her since we left the study this afternoon. She did not answer when I stopped by her rooms on my way down. I assumed she would be here, but I can not find anyone that has seen her in the last few hours.”
“She has likely found a quiet place to think through all that has happened. We will all help locate her if she is not back in her rooms after the meal,” Celeborn offered.
Elrond and Erestor exchanged a look that shared concern over her whereabouts. A nagging fear touched Elrond’s heart as he suggested, “Erestor, if you would like to be excused from your duties this evening to seek Seere and assure yourself that she is alright, I would understand.”
Placing a supportive hand on the elder elf’s shoulder, he continued, “Have a servant bring a meal for you both to your chambers or study. I suspect Seere is deeply upset by these sad events and she would appreciate having her Ada’s care.”
A small smile touched Erestor’s face. “Rim hennaed, Elrond. I will do just that. Please offer apologies for both Seere and myself. Maer dú, Celeborn... Elrond.” (Many thanks, Elrond) (Good night)
“Let me know if I can be of any help, Muindor en´ ind nîn,” Elrond murmured as Erestor turned to leave. (Brother of my heart)
*****
Elrond stepped onto the patio outside the main library once he had seen Cirdan settled with Celeborn in a game of chess. The tension of the day had been draining and he needed some fresh air to clear his head before retiring for the night. He was just starting down the path to the rose garden when he heard someone call his name. Looking up, he saw Erestor signaling to him.
Sighing at the thought of yet more problems, he looked up at the sky as he waited for his friend to join him. The light from Ithil was broken frequently by dark clouds that whipping across the sky and only a few stars were visible. The night air was heavy with retained heat from the day and the wind was beginning to bend the branches of the trees.
/A storm is brewing. It looks like we may be in for a rough night if it continues to build in this manner. After I have spoken to Erestor, we will need to make sure the servants are securing the house for the storm./
The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps brought his gaze back to the harried face of his friend. Feeling his panic, he began, “Erestor, what has you...” only to have his friend break into his question with an agitated wave of his hand.
“Elrond, I can find no sign of Seere. I have checked her rooms twice and have looked in her favorite places in the house, but cannot find her. Lindir is helping me look, but there are so many out of the way places where she may be… it could take us hours to find her. With this storm brewing, I am worried she may have gone for a walk to think and lost tract of time. She can be quite oblivious to what is happening around her when she is upset or deep in thought.” His dark brown eyes had darkened to near black as his concerns for his daughter tumbled out.
Looking up to judge the progress of the approaching storm, Elrond reached out to grab Erestor by the shoulders to steady his friend. “Wait here for only a minute and I will ask Celeborn to organize the others to help us look.”
Running back up the path to the library door, he pulled off his formal robes and tossed them on the chair nearest him. “Celeborn? If you please, a storm is building and I would appreciate your help in seeing that the necessary precautions are completed.”
Once his friend had joined him by the door, he leaned in and, in a low voice, asked him to organize a search party to help locate the missing elleth, but asked that those enlisted be discrete so as not to alarm the guests. Having galvanized Celeborn to action, Elrond hurried back to join Erestor in searching the grounds.
*****
/I sensed something was wrong earlier at dinner and should have done more than send Erestor off alone. Now, it is growing late and the storm will break upon us within the coming hour./
“Seere? Do you hear me? Seere?” His voice echoed against the rocky face of the valley wall.
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky for several seconds. Counting until he heard the thunder, he realized the storm was moving faster than he had expected. Stopping to reorient himself, he studied the ledges around the waterfalls seeking the ones that were his favorites.
/For some reason, I feel she is around here, but I do not see any sign of her. Still, something is telling me this is where she would go to think in private. Think! I am forgetting something!/
Stepping closer to the rim of the path that lead to the top of the falls, he searched his mind for the elusive memory that instinct told him would lead him to Seere. Scanning the area near the middle of the falls, a flash of lightening mirrored a sudden flash of memory for the worried half-elf. /Of course! The grotto behind the falls that Ereinion found during one of his rambles the first time he visited Imladris. There is a sheltered ledge he liked so much. I have not been there since his death. It reminded me too much of him and then I forgot about it until now./
Scrambling up the steep path in the almost total dark, he looked about for the narrow opening in the cliff. /Where is it? I know it is in this spot, but… Ah, there it is! And, it looks like the moss on the rock has been disturbed recently!/
Taking a deep breath, Elrond slid his body through the tight space and stepped down into the huge cavern behind the falls. A sliver of light from the opposite side guided him across the space and out onto the sheltered ledge hidden from the valley below.
A relieved sigh slipped from his lips as he saw the missing elleth curled into a tight ball of misery along the back wall. When he received no response to his soft call, he moved over to kneel by her side. /She has been crying and has fallen asleep./
Gently, he reached down and touched her shoulder, troubled by the rigid set of the muscles underneath. “Seere? Wake up. We must return to the house immediately as a storm is coming.”
Sleep dazed eyes lifted to meet his. He was rocked by the fear shining from their golden depths. Realizing there was more to her reaction than the news of Ermehtar’s obsession, he resolved to find its cause once they were safely back at the house.
Pulling her to her feet, he guided her back into the grotto and out of the opening in the cliff. Keeping hold of her hand, he said, “We must run Seere if we are to make it back to the house before the storm breaks upon us. Come. We must hurry, pen velui.” (Lovely One)
With that, he began to run back down the slope toward the path along the river. He tightened his grip on her hand as the rain began to fall just as they reached the steepest part of the incline. Twenty feet from the bottom, a deer jumped out of the brush along the side of the path before bounding off into the dark.
Skidding on the wet rock lining the path, Elrond felt his feet fly out from under him. With an aborted shout, he plunged forward pulling Seere with him.
*****
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating:NC-17 for future chapters
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK); Slash, but mostly het.
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive:
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this fic. Thanks also to Lady Victoria for her comments and support.
Disclaimer: Any of the residents of Middle-earth and Aman that you recognize belong to Prof. Tolkien’s estate. The same is true about Middle-earth and Aman. I’m only visiting and admiring the “views”.
Summary: Sauron may be gone, but his legacy of evil still lingers. As Middle-earth faces the threat of another dark lord, a party of elves departs Aman on a mission for the Valar, a mission of mercy long delayed.
.
Chapter 22 --- Why?
“There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
Douglas Adams
*****
/Just as I think nothing is left that can shock me…/
Elrond closed the door to his chambers and sagged back against it, needing the solid bulk of the door to keep him standing. He had just returned from the dungeons where he and Celeborn had interrogated the four surviving men and Ermehtar. He was not sure what he had expected to learn. He had tried to imagine what have caused the younger elf to fall into the dark, but his assumptions had been a far cry from reality.
/I had thought some vice, a desire for power, greed, envy, but not love! Twisted love to be sure, for he was willing… able to kill to gain the one he claims to love. Or perhaps lust describes his obsession more appropriately./
Pushing away from the door, he moved into his sitting room shedding his outer robes as he went. Celeborn had preceded him and was sitting in a chair on the balcony staring at the nearby waterfall; staring at it, but not seeing it. /He is as overwhelmed as I am./
Stopping to pour them a glass of the chilled lemon water Lindir had left for them, he forced himself to join his friend so that they could discuss the information obtained from the interrogations. /Knowing why he chose to kill and that my son’s death would have been a ‘regrettable, but acceptable price’ to pay for his ultimate prize had been painful enough, but the motivation itself…!/
Placing the glasses in easy reach for both of them, Elrond took the chair to Celeborn’s right and joined his companion’s contemplation of the waterfall. /What if he had succeeded and killed all three including Elrohir? We would never have considered Ermehtar as a suspect. As captain of the guard, he would have been in charge of the investigation. Likely, he would have staged the scene to look like an unknown accomplice of the men was the killer and we would not have been the wiser… until it was too late! We would have wasted time and resources looking for this phantom, while adding yet more tension and distrust to the crowded confines of the Quarters… and among our elven guests./
“How to you wish to handle this information, mellon nin?”
The quiet inquiry startled Elrond from his tortured thoughts. Sadly, he admitted, “I am at a loss. We will have to tell the others for there is much we will have to do to repair the damage Ermehtar had done to our defenses, but how do we do that without also telling Seere? This will be devastating to her and her father. Ermehtar’s twisted obsession with her is bad enough, but that her uncle offered her as a reward only makes it worse.”
“Aye, she has been sorely betrayed in this and will likely add to her own pain by feeling guilty about his feelings.” Reaching for his glass of water, he took a sip before continuing. “I suggest we talk to Erestor first so that he might be prepared to comfort her when she is told. We will have to tell them… including Seere. She has the right to know.”
Sighing, Elrond nodded his head in agreement. He knew Celeborn was right, but his heart cried out to protect her from this pain. Sadly, he understood that the famed sanctuary of Imladris could offer no shelter from this news.
Forcing himself to his feet, he moved back into his sitting room. “If we must add to the grief of our family, I for one need something stronger than water before we face them. Shall I pour you a glass of miruvor too?”
*****
Shocked faces stared in his direction waiting for him to say something to make the nightmare go away or for him to announce it was all a sick joke. He had no such words to offer. Silence reigned for several long minutes as the truth sank into broken hearts.
“The man, Amdil, was his contact and could identity him as one of Lhach’s spies? Knowing you would employ truth potions to extract information from the five, he killed him to prevent his being questioned and implicating him. Roitar and I simply were in his way. Did I understand all this correctly, Ada?” Elrohir asked in a quite, stricken voice.
“You heard correctly, ion nin.”
Elladan added in a strained whisper, “He has been sending the enemy our plans all along and has been slowly undermining our defenses for months. We will have to review every action he has taken for the last year at least to begin to right the situation.”
“And in exchange for his betrayal, he was promised Seere, along with the realms of Lorien and Imladris? How could he have believed such a promise much less, think he could win her favor through treason and murder?” The shock and outrage in Legolas’s words made his normally silky voice rough and broken.
Celeborn interjected, “I think we must consider that Lhach used some type of enchantment to gain control over Ermehtar’s mind. This does not excuse anything he has done for he would have had to harbor the desire to have both Seere and the rule of these realms to be so committed, for I saw little regret or guilt in his attitude. His actions defy logical explanation of how he thought he would be allowed to enjoy his ill gotten gains.”
Studying Seere, he noted, “He has known you all your life, pen vuil. He had to know you would never forgive him for harming your family or forcing your hand. He is suffering from a mad delusion and I rejoice that he has not made some attempt to harm you before.”
He and Elrond exchanged worried looks at the lack of response to his comment on Seere’s part. Her eyes were glazed over and her face had lost all color. Erestor was seated beside her on the couch, her form tucked against his side in a protective embrace. She seemed oblivious to even that. Anxious brown eyes sought those of his friend, imploring the healer’s aid.
Elrond rose from his seat and moved around the table to kneel at the side of the dazed elleth. Taking the hand nearest him, he began to rub his thumb in a gentle caress along the back of her hand. Subtly, he offered small doses of calming energy through his fingertips trying to settle her torn emotions.
“Seere, do you remember my giving thanks this morning that Elrohir was spared, that we are not now grieving for his murder? I would now add to that a prayer of thanks that we discovered this threat before you could be harmed by his dark intentions. We rejoice that you are sitting here with us, safely at your Ada’s side.”
Sighing, he implored, “Seere, please listen.”
Getting no reaction, he reached up to cup her chin in his hand and lifted her gaze to meet his. Her lovely golden eyes had lost their luster and had turned a muddy yellow, brown. Tears were pooled along the bottom the lids and had begun to slide down her cheeks. Her lips moved, but her words were too softly spoken for him to hear.
Leaning forward, he caught her faint whisper. “Did I…?”
Wiping away the tears that dripped from her chin, he exclaimed, “Nay, tis not your fault, Seere. Whether it was enchantment, a sickness to his mind, or simply an evil born to his nature, he is the one that chose to meet with Lhach, not you. He is the one that made the bargain to betray those that held him dear, not you. And Ermehtar is the one who killed, took two lives to satisfy his ambitions. You did nothing, but be his friend. If not for the vision you shared with me, Elrohir would now be dead and we would have no clue that Ermehtar was the murderer.”
“Never feel you must take responsibility for actions not your own. You are not to blame for any of this and we are thankful that you are now safe from his intentions.” Seeing her eyes clinch shut, he nodded to Erestor, who pulled his grief stricken daughter fully into his arms and let her cry against his chest.
Elrond rose to his feet with a weary sigh. Walking to the balcony door, he opened it before motioning for the others to follow him and allow her a moment of privacy. Standing next to the railing, the wild beauty of the waterfalls again failed to capture his attention as the vision of Seere crying in her father’s arms tore at his already battered heart.
*****
Seere wondered the paths of the lower garden lost in her churning emotions. Guilt and sadness ate at her heart. /They say I am not responsible, but they do not know the truth. I must tell them what happened. Ai! I did not want to upset them, so I kept quite. What if I could have prevented this tragedy from happening!/
The long shadows of the late afternoon fell across her path, but she was blind to the growing darkness. Instinct had led her to her favorite hiding place from her childhood. Heartsick, she slid through the small opening in the rocks and descended into the hidden grotto behind the waterfall. As she had as an elfling, she climbed out of a split in the opposite wall onto a sheltered ledge hidden from view from the valley below. She needed time to think.
*****
Celeborn and Elrond entered the dining hall a few minutes before the meal was due to be served. While they knew protocol demanded their attendance at the main meal as a courtesy to their guests, it would also calm any remaining fears about the security of the realm, but both elf lords had little appetite for the food or the company.
Elrond had immediately sought out the members of his household to see who was present. All were in attendance except Seere. Erestor’s concerned expression drew them quickly to his side.
“Erestor, you looked concerned, mellon nin. Is Seere not joining us for dinner tonight?” Celeborn inquired.
Shaking his head, the Chief Counsellor replied, “I know not. I have not seen her since we left the study this afternoon. She did not answer when I stopped by her rooms on my way down. I assumed she would be here, but I can not find anyone that has seen her in the last few hours.”
“She has likely found a quiet place to think through all that has happened. We will all help locate her if she is not back in her rooms after the meal,” Celeborn offered.
Elrond and Erestor exchanged a look that shared concern over her whereabouts. A nagging fear touched Elrond’s heart as he suggested, “Erestor, if you would like to be excused from your duties this evening to seek Seere and assure yourself that she is alright, I would understand.”
Placing a supportive hand on the elder elf’s shoulder, he continued, “Have a servant bring a meal for you both to your chambers or study. I suspect Seere is deeply upset by these sad events and she would appreciate having her Ada’s care.”
A small smile touched Erestor’s face. “Rim hennaed, Elrond. I will do just that. Please offer apologies for both Seere and myself. Maer dú, Celeborn... Elrond.” (Many thanks, Elrond) (Good night)
“Let me know if I can be of any help, Muindor en´ ind nîn,” Elrond murmured as Erestor turned to leave. (Brother of my heart)
*****
Elrond stepped onto the patio outside the main library once he had seen Cirdan settled with Celeborn in a game of chess. The tension of the day had been draining and he needed some fresh air to clear his head before retiring for the night. He was just starting down the path to the rose garden when he heard someone call his name. Looking up, he saw Erestor signaling to him.
Sighing at the thought of yet more problems, he looked up at the sky as he waited for his friend to join him. The light from Ithil was broken frequently by dark clouds that whipping across the sky and only a few stars were visible. The night air was heavy with retained heat from the day and the wind was beginning to bend the branches of the trees.
/A storm is brewing. It looks like we may be in for a rough night if it continues to build in this manner. After I have spoken to Erestor, we will need to make sure the servants are securing the house for the storm./
The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps brought his gaze back to the harried face of his friend. Feeling his panic, he began, “Erestor, what has you...” only to have his friend break into his question with an agitated wave of his hand.
“Elrond, I can find no sign of Seere. I have checked her rooms twice and have looked in her favorite places in the house, but cannot find her. Lindir is helping me look, but there are so many out of the way places where she may be… it could take us hours to find her. With this storm brewing, I am worried she may have gone for a walk to think and lost tract of time. She can be quite oblivious to what is happening around her when she is upset or deep in thought.” His dark brown eyes had darkened to near black as his concerns for his daughter tumbled out.
Looking up to judge the progress of the approaching storm, Elrond reached out to grab Erestor by the shoulders to steady his friend. “Wait here for only a minute and I will ask Celeborn to organize the others to help us look.”
Running back up the path to the library door, he pulled off his formal robes and tossed them on the chair nearest him. “Celeborn? If you please, a storm is building and I would appreciate your help in seeing that the necessary precautions are completed.”
Once his friend had joined him by the door, he leaned in and, in a low voice, asked him to organize a search party to help locate the missing elleth, but asked that those enlisted be discrete so as not to alarm the guests. Having galvanized Celeborn to action, Elrond hurried back to join Erestor in searching the grounds.
*****
/I sensed something was wrong earlier at dinner and should have done more than send Erestor off alone. Now, it is growing late and the storm will break upon us within the coming hour./
“Seere? Do you hear me? Seere?” His voice echoed against the rocky face of the valley wall.
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky for several seconds. Counting until he heard the thunder, he realized the storm was moving faster than he had expected. Stopping to reorient himself, he studied the ledges around the waterfalls seeking the ones that were his favorites.
/For some reason, I feel she is around here, but I do not see any sign of her. Still, something is telling me this is where she would go to think in private. Think! I am forgetting something!/
Stepping closer to the rim of the path that lead to the top of the falls, he searched his mind for the elusive memory that instinct told him would lead him to Seere. Scanning the area near the middle of the falls, a flash of lightening mirrored a sudden flash of memory for the worried half-elf. /Of course! The grotto behind the falls that Ereinion found during one of his rambles the first time he visited Imladris. There is a sheltered ledge he liked so much. I have not been there since his death. It reminded me too much of him and then I forgot about it until now./
Scrambling up the steep path in the almost total dark, he looked about for the narrow opening in the cliff. /Where is it? I know it is in this spot, but… Ah, there it is! And, it looks like the moss on the rock has been disturbed recently!/
Taking a deep breath, Elrond slid his body through the tight space and stepped down into the huge cavern behind the falls. A sliver of light from the opposite side guided him across the space and out onto the sheltered ledge hidden from the valley below.
A relieved sigh slipped from his lips as he saw the missing elleth curled into a tight ball of misery along the back wall. When he received no response to his soft call, he moved over to kneel by her side. /She has been crying and has fallen asleep./
Gently, he reached down and touched her shoulder, troubled by the rigid set of the muscles underneath. “Seere? Wake up. We must return to the house immediately as a storm is coming.”
Sleep dazed eyes lifted to meet his. He was rocked by the fear shining from their golden depths. Realizing there was more to her reaction than the news of Ermehtar’s obsession, he resolved to find its cause once they were safely back at the house.
Pulling her to her feet, he guided her back into the grotto and out of the opening in the cliff. Keeping hold of her hand, he said, “We must run Seere if we are to make it back to the house before the storm breaks upon us. Come. We must hurry, pen velui.” (Lovely One)
With that, he began to run back down the slope toward the path along the river. He tightened his grip on her hand as the rain began to fall just as they reached the steepest part of the incline. Twenty feet from the bottom, a deer jumped out of the brush along the side of the path before bounding off into the dark.
Skidding on the wet rock lining the path, Elrond felt his feet fly out from under him. With an aborted shout, he plunged forward pulling Seere with him.
*****