The Music in My Heart

Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 27
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 and 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 27 --- To Put the World Right

“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.”
Confucius

*****

Elrond scanned the assembled elves as the last of the delegates took their place within the circle. The tragedies of the last two weeks had cast a pall over the Elven Convocation he was about to convene. Rumors and distrust had quickly cut through the thin layer of civility that had been present the first two weeks as the delegations gathered. Sadly, the cloud of doubt that hung over the events the night Ermehtar’s treason was uncovered had only built in the aftermath of Elrond and Seere’s injures.

Celeborn and Erestor had done their best to allay fears and reassure the visiting elves that the incident in the dungeons had been a regrettable tragedy, but nothing more than a drunken brawl that got out of control. While Imladris mourned its fallen, their message had been that the tragedy was no reason to delay the meeting, nor did it alter their collective objectives. As for the injuries to Lord Elrond and Lady Seere, those were simply the result of a fall down a rain-slicked hill. Erestor had pointed out one of the two was his daughter and he fully supported the convocation proceeding as planned.

Elrond joined dinner the evening after Seere regained consciousness in an attempt to relieve some fears. He did his best to answer all the questions that came his way for he had nothing to hide. It had been an accident, after all, with no dark overtones. While most of their guests had been relieved to see him, the air of unease had not entirely abated.

/I can at least walk on my own now even if my heart is heavy. An elven body always heals far faster than an elven fëa./

/Seere’s emotional state still worries me greatly, but healing these types of wounds takes time and patience. The general belief that Ermehtar died attempting to stop a drunken brawl gives me and mine an excuse for our obvious pain and depressed spirits. That takes some of the pressure off of her; she does not have to act as if nothing has happened. Her grief has lent a fragile air to her beauty and that has captured many hearts, including my own./

/Since telling Cirdan what happened, the leaders of each of the other elven realms now know what occurred in the dungeons. Glorfindel was correct that we had an obligation to tell him, even if no other; he is family. He also needs to consider the possibility of similarly placed spies at the Havens. Our collective security depends on honest communication and shared intelligence. If Ermehtar could be so corrupted…./

/In any case, now is not the time for hysteria and wild speculation among the rest of our brethren, so Cirdan’s support in publicly downplaying the matter is also helpful. Tis difficult enough in this atmosphere to keep up with what is real and what is unsubstantiated rumor, without the treason of Imladris’ captain of the guard adding fuel to the fire. That someone could actually believe uruk hai assassins or orcs are hiding in the gardens! Orcs hiding in my gardens indeed! /

*****

Once Cirdan had been told, an Elven Circle had been formed of the highest-ranking elves present in Imladris to judge the guilt of Ermehtar and the surviving four spies. The determination of Ermehtar’s guilt had required no effort on the Circle’s part as their defendant had proudly taken credit for his acts, laughing at their outrage over his attitude. He seemed to enjoy, even relish, the opportunity to tell his story before the small group of elves allowed to attend the Circle.

The news that Roitar had not been an unfortunate victim, but a premeditated target was a shock for some in attendance. Ermehtar’s crimes against the Lady Seere had horrified them all. As the former captain taunted them with his plans for the elleth, Glorfindel and Celeborn laid restraining hands on Erestor’s arms, offering silent support through the ordeal. Her great grandfather Cirdan, who had grown quite fond of her since his arrival, had been enraged to the point Haldir had moved to stand behind him to settle a comforting hand on the shipwright’s shoulder. Trembling with fury, Elrond had called a recess to allow tempers to cool before they interviewed the spies.

The elven guardians that were privy to the truth of his treason had watched with mounting disgust as their former captain offered a seemingly amused recitation of events. His attempted rape of one they held in high regard had incensed them. Any lingering hopes they might have had that he regretted his actions or that an enchantment had prevented him from realizing the wrong in what he was doing were ended. Their resolve and loyalty to the defense of Imladris was, if anything, hardened by his confessions.

In contrast to Ermehtar’s performance, the four humans had refused to admit their guilt and the lambe en' i'-dhaeraow potion was again administered. A modest amount of new information was gathered from the defendants before the Circle was asked to decide their guilt. To no one’s surprise, each was found guilty by unanimous vote. The four humans were sentenced to life terms to be served in the dungeons of Imladris.

Ermehtar, the confessed kinslayer, was to likewise be imprisoned until the current crisis in Arda was resolved. Once Middle-earth was again safe, he would be taken under heavy guard to the Havens for transport to Aman. There he would face the judgment of the Valar in the Ring of Doom. His final fate would rest with them.

*****

Coming back to the present, Elrond glanced to his left to study his Chief Counselor. He noted the weary droop to Erestor’s eyes, the sadness that haunted their depths. The strain of taking part in the Circle had taken its toll. In addition, the burden of overseeing many of the final arrangements for the Convocation had fallen onto his shoulders at a time he should have been free to care for his daughter. His diplomatic skills had been equal to the test of recent events and he had been instrumental in keeping harmony among the anxious delegates. Erestor’s heart had, however, not been in these tasks. He had spent every spare moment he could find on the balcony of his daughter’s rooms providing what comfort she would allow.

Seere sat behind her father among the junior members of the Imladrian delegation. She had not ventured far from the chaise on her balcony since she was released from the Healing House. Her father was the only one she had allowed to join her for more than brief, stilted visits. Her avoidance of those closest to her had hurt and illustrated the depth of her guilt and her lost faith in herself… and in others. The news of the guilty verdicts imposed by the Elven Circle had done little to ease her mind or spirit.

Her self-imposed isolation had been aided by the fact that her right ankle had been slow to heal and Azeriel had restricted her activities. The phrase “when she is on her feet again” became a common refrain in family discussions. The start of the convocation had allowed her father to insist she attend, as she was their hostess. The lost look on her face made him question if they had been right to do this.

/Of course, her emotional state has slowed her recovery. I see the pain clearly in her eyes. Erestor grieves for her, as do we all. We are all praying to the Valar to see the sparkle return to her eyes./

/Poor Glorfindel feels responsible for what Ermehtar did to Seere and is hovering over her now almost as much as Erestor, Celeborn, and the twins. I have forced myself to give her space and, hopefully, she will find some level of comfort in this situation. Ah, she must have felt my eyes upon her for she is now looking at me. I know I am the one she dreads seeing the most as I made her vulnerable by bringing the attack to light,/ he mused.

Tilting his head to the side, he offered the elleth an encouraging smile, a smile that betrayed more of his feelings than he realized. Seeing her eyes begin to shimmer with unshed tears, he looked away to allow her privacy to regain control of her emotions.

/We will talk again, Lirimaer. We must. Besides, I still want to know how we came to be under the steps of the pavilion. I feel you have quite a story to tell./

Seeing the last delegate take his seat, Elrond focused his full attention on the gathering before him. Taking a deep breath, he began, “Friends of old, my fellow Edhelrim of Middle-earth, I bid you welcome. We have been called here to answer the call of the Valar and of Eru Ilúvatar...”*

*****

Elrond lifted his hand to gratefully accept the glass of miruvor offered by one of the servants staffing the evening’s entertainment in the Hall of Fire. It had been a long and exhausting day, but it had not been without its success. The tired faces of his friends and family attested to all of this. The lovely music being provided by the minstrels wrapped the great room in a soothing blanket and the oppressive tension of the morning had begun to evaporate as the day wound to a close.

Lindir was leading his company in playing one of the elf lord’s favorite songs, a gentle blend of harp, lyre, and flute that caressed the senses. /If not for the need to maintain decorum, I would be very much tempted to retrieve my own harp and join the company. Perhaps I shall play my harp for myself awhile before I retire for the night./

A movement to his right drew his attention. Seere had risen from her seat between Erestor and Glorfindel. She leaned down to press a quick kiss to her father’s brow before moving to stand before him, a pronounced limp slowing her movement. “I beg your understanding for my leaving the performance so early, my lord, but it has been a long day and my ankle has grown painful from overuse. I will retire and wish you all good night.”

Reaching out to take her hand in his, Elrond rose with the intention of offering to assist her to her rooms. Before he could say anything, Azeriel stepped to her side and slipped her hand through the crook of Seere’s arm. “If your ankle is painful, I would like to examine it to make sure there is nothing more serious than overuse causing the pain.”

With that, the two elleths began to make their way out of the hall leaving a disgruntled elf lord to grind his teeth. /Ai! I wanted to walk her to her rooms! I have not had a chance to talk to her alone in over a week and I need to know how she is! She needs to talk to me… I can feel it, and I need to talk to her, too./

Sitting back in his throne-like chair, Elrond sighed in disappointment. A discrete chuckle to his right drew his eyes to those of Celeborn. /Now what does he find so funny?/

***

The second day of the Convocation had not gone as well as the first. While the first day had been noteworthy for the cooperative spirit that developed, the second day had been marked by the return of partisan squabbles. Old grievances had reemerged and the ancient animosity between the Noldor and the other delegations had once again threatened to divide the elven community. Elrond, Cirdan, and Celeborn had spent most of the day resolving these debates as the highest-ranking nobles present. As the day of debates ended, little progress had been made on the main issues before the assembly.

After five more days passed in a similar vein, something had to be done as the success of the Convocation was now in doubt. Legolas proposed that the main body of the convocation adjourn and allow a smaller committee, composed of one representative of each elven realm, to resolve the outstanding issues. As only two minor issues had been resolved, this meant an agreement on virtually all points. After a lengthy debate, Legolas’ proposal was eventually approved and each delegation retired to individual meeting rooms to resolve their own position on the issues. The committee was tasked with having its work completed within one week.

Elrond sighed in frustration that it had come to this, but was relieved that an end to the divisive debates was now at hand. As the committee would be composed of Legolas, Celeborn, Cirdan, and himself, an agreement on most of the issues was already complete with only final details to be resolved. A quick resolution was now needed to put a final end to all debate.

/We should be able to complete this matter well within our time allotment. Tis a good thing as the delegations of the other free peoples will be departing for Imladris within the next two days. Our elven peoples need to be united and resolved to our task, if we hope to unite the rest of Middle-earth against our common enemy./

Elrond studied the elves gathered in his study. They were exhausted and in need of some relief from the constant strain they had been under for longer than he cared to consider. Even the tireless Erestor appeared to have shrunk in size so deeply had he burrowed into the comfort of his chair, his shoulders slumped under the weight they carried. Celeborn had closed his eyes as he sat with his head reclined against the back of his chair obviously fighting a crushing headache.

/If those two are weary of the debate, I dare not speculate on the state of mind of my sons! A treat, a moment of carefree recreation is needed./

“The first order of business shall involve a request of you, Lindir. Please go to the kitchens and instruct them to prepare lunch baskets adequate to feed fifteen for the mid-day meal. Be sure they add several bottles of good wine to the baskets. Ask them to serve the lunch to the other three delegations in their meeting rooms, so that we will not be missed in the dining hall.” Elrond paused to gage the curiosity beginning to show on his family’s faces.

“Then ask Haldir, Rumil, Orophin, Legolas, Azeriel, Gimli, and Cirdan to join us in my study for a lunch meeting. Once you have them alone, suggest they change into casual attire before joining us. Then, you go do the same, mellon nin, and return here,” the Lord of Imladris instructed. (my friend)

As Lindir inclined his head and left to undertake his assignment, Elrond turned to the others scattered around the room. “Well? What are you waiting for --- written invitations?”

The twins exchanged puzzled looks that mirrored the expressions of the others around the room. “Did we miss something, Ada? I do not recall you telling us what it is you wish us to do?” Elladan inquired.

“Humm? I thought it obvious, but if I must… you all need to go and change into more comfortable attire. We will adjourn our meeting to a suitable glade by the river, and, since you needed instructions on the obvious, you and your twin will be responsible for gathering blankets… and towels, enough for any that might want to take a swim. Is that clear, ion nin?” Elrond grinned. (my son)

Seeing the smiles that slowly emerged on the faces of those he held most dear lightened his heart --- on all faces save one, Seere. Knowing she was trying to think of a way to avoid the gathering, Elrond added “As this is a meeting of the Imladrian Council and its closest allies, attendance is mandatory. So, off with you all and we will meet back here in twenty minutes.”

*****

With a satisfied sigh, Glorfindel set his empty plate aside and reached for his glass of wine. He leaned back against the tall oak at his back and surveyed his companions. /Thank goodness Elrond is such a wise elf! We needed this break! Even Erestor appears to have relaxed a little, though the same cannot be said for Seere. She needs to heal and we must all help her do that./

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elrond rise and move to sit beside her and her father. /Good. Elrond has seen how withdrawn she is and will continue the process of giving her the help she will need./

As a shadow fell across his legs, he looked up to see Haldir approach. The Lorien elf lowered himself to sit beside Glorfindel and offered to refill his wine glass from the bottle he was carrying. /He is truly a glorious elf. I so enjoy his company. It is a pleasure to spend time in the company of someone of like interests./ He did not know that similar thoughts were racing through Haldir’s mind. Neither noticed the pleased grins on the faces of their family as they discretely watched the pair.

*****

Erestor traded a worried frown with his friend over the bowed head of his daughter. Receiving a nod of acknowledgement from Elrond, he rose and moved over to join Celeborn and the younger Lorien brothers in conversation. Neither of the elder elves paid much attention to the topic of the discussion as their thoughts were focused on the silent pair across the glade.

*****

• A/N --- The Elven Circle is my creation and is based on the concept of the Ring of Doom. It seems to me they would have no option but to judge the fate of the mortals as they were barred from the Blessed Lands, but that Ermehtar would be handed over to the Valar for final judgment.
• A/N --- Yes, Elrond’s welcoming speech should sound familiar to those that saw Peter Jackson’s take on the Fellowship of the Ring, but the phrasing seemed appropriate court protocol. Besides, I love Hugo Weaving’s voice and writing these lines produced a wonderful mental echo; actually more of a purr!!! Sigh!