In Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Whether To Now?

Both Elrond and Amarie had missed the evening meal. Only Erestor seemed aware that something was amiss. Sitting alone at the table Elrond and his immediate staff usually occupied for their meals, he puzzled over Elrond’s actions at the workshops and when he returned to the main house. Erestor found himself pushing his food around on his plate and gazing absently out the window at the thundering waterfall nearby. A movement at the entrance door caught his attention. Sadi stood there searching until she located Erestor. She obviously wanted to approach him, but hesitated to interrupt his meal.

He stood and called to her, “Lady Saeldae, won’t you join me?”

Relieved she crossed to the table, “If I am not intruding I would be most grateful to do so.”

“Please sit down, have you eaten?”

“No, my lord.”

He signalled to one of the house elfs’ and gestured indicating the need for food and drink, Nodding the house elf moved to collect the necessary items.

“My lord, please, just call me Sadi. I haven’t used Saeldae for several millennium. I have almost forgotten that is me.”

“Only if you agree to call me Erestor. I hope we can be friends.”

“Agreed.”

They smiled at one another as the house elf brought Sadi’s dinner.

Once the elf had departed, Sadi looked at her companion worriedly, “Erestor, were you with Lord Elrond this afternoon when he toured the workshops?”

He nodded.

“Can you tell me what happened? Amarie won’t talk about it and she has locked herself in her room.”

He sat there considering the afternoon’s activity, “I am not sure, they both were extremely formal almost to the point of being painful.”

He paused thoughtfully, “It was like they had met a ghost. After we left Elrond didn’t say a word and went straight up to his rooms and hasn’t emerged yet. He didn’t send down for dinner either.”

Sadi pushed her plate away and slumped in her chair. “This could be a disaster.”

He looked at her with a little smile, “I am not so sure.”

She looked up at him in astonishment. Erestor poured himself a glass of wine and looked at Sadi questioningly. She nodded and held out her glass.

“What do you know about Elrond’s life?” he asked pouring the wine.

“What a strange question.”

“Humor me.”

“Well, I know of his parentage, the history leading up to the founding of Imladris and some of what has gone on since then.

“What about him personally?”

She hesitated, “His twin brother chose to be counted among the race of men. He married the Lady Celebrian and they had the two ellons and the one elleth. His lady wife went to the Western Lands a long time ago to heal her injuries from that horrible orc attack leaving him and their young ones here. As lord of Imladris he is admired for his wisdom and knowledge.” She stopped. “ I don’t feel we should be discussing his personal life.”

“I understand, but I think such knowledge may be pertinent to this situation. One thing you didn’t mention was the fact that his marriage was political and when the Lady left she had asked for dissolution of it. He wasn’t happy about it but he granted it. Since that time he never showed any real interest in elleths. An occasional flirtation yes, but nothing serious.”

“You think he is attracted to Amarie?”

“I’m not yet sure, but he was intensely interested in her letters, and took a very deep personal interest in the relocation of your people, He seldom gets that involved in projects of this kind. What puzzles me is her reaction as well. I will have to think about this some more.”

Sadi frowned. “What do you mean, her reaction?”

“It wasn’t just her reaction this afternoon,” he paused looking at her very seriously. “I must ask you to respect my confidence and hers. Will you agree to not mention any of this discussion to anyone, particularly Amarie?”

Sadi frowned, “I am not sure…..”

Erestor sighed, “I understand your reluctance, Amarie is like your own child but she did ask me not to discuss it with anyone. I do not want to either but it may be pertinent to our discussion.”

Sighing deeply, Sadi agreed.

Erestor continued, “ During the tapestry tour she saw a picture of Elrond and his family and had a very strong reaction to it. She claimed it was just seeing her grandparents work, but at the time I didn’t think that was the real reason, I think she was shocked to see the likeness of Elrond and for some reason it terrified her.”

Sadi looked at him dumfounded. “To the best of my knowledge she has never met Lord Elrond, nor has he met her. But even if they had why should she be frightened?”

He shook his head, “I don’t believe they have met before either, but nonetheless, both were greatly unsettled this afternoon.”

Both sat there considering this for some time.

Sadi stared into her glass of wine, “She may not be remotely interested in him. If he is attracted to her, what would that do to the workshops staying here? And what about his family, his young ones, the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn? Oh by the Valar, what a mess.”

Erestor reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Don’t look for trouble just yet. If he is, in fact, attracted to her and she is not to him, he will simply distance himself from any contact with her and the workshops. He would conduct any necessary dealings through me. As for the family, that might be a problem. The twins and Arwen would be happy for him to find someone that would make him happy. The Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn are very fond of him but I suspect their reaction would be based on whether they liked the individual elleth herself.”

Sadi sat slumped in her chair staring at her glass of wine, “What can we do?”

Erestor leaned closer and grinned, “Well I suggest we………”


Ellons – male elves
Elleth – female elf
Elleths – female elves
Imladris - Rivendell