Among the thorns

Disclaimer- I own nothing- at all!!!

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“Sit still”

Celebrian scolded the young elf as she shifted on the stool in front of her
dresser. Tanithia grinned as the woman braided her hair. She felt at peace
with Celebrian, it was a kindred feeling partnered with a homely feeling.
Celebrian smiled as she watched Tanithia, the huge grin on her face was
enough to make anyone around her happy.

The day before yesterday had been a monumental day for Tanithia; Lord Elrond
had pronounced her fit to train. Knowing just how eager the young elf was to
hold a sword once more, Celebrian offered to spar with her before Elladan
arrived.

The breeze made it’s way down the hall passing the two women as they
journeyed to the training grounds.

Both wore light clothes made of cotton for the sun was high that morning and
no doubt they would become very hot within a short space of time.

Celebrian wore breeches of dark red and a vest to match; flexible boots were
strapped to her calf.

Tanithia wore the colours that she was most used to, breeches of light blue
and a vest of white, black boots finished off her outfit.

Not only was the day for recovering lost confidence and gaining new freedom, it would also be an opportunity to see what strength the young elf had lost.

The sound of swords clashing violently echoed round the training ground as
the two women spared.

Tanithia ducked as Celebrian spun round and attacked. Elladan watched quietly
from the sidelines, making sure not to disturb them.

He watched their graceful move as they attacked and blocked each other,
their limbs locked in a graceful dance that he knew well himself; but he had
been ignorant of it’s deadly beauty. Perhaps the beauty of it was simply
that it was being performed, as he had never seen it before.

Every move was smooth and elegant as if well rehearsed.

He saw the confidence and care that his mother fought with and he saw the
confidence that Tanithia had. He frowned e wae watched her, her stance was
confident but her moves were somewhat hesitant, when she blocked an attack she
became fearful and retreated instead of standing her ground. Her footwork
betrayed everything. She was afraid of Celebrian but refused to give in to
it.

He watched as his mother blocked an attack only to be foiled when her
opponent attacked from a different direction.

With a fevered cry Celebrian blocked the attack and disarmed her, sending
the younger elf to the floor.

A grin graced both of their faces, both were happy to have been allowed the
freedom that sparing gave them. It was rare that either of them had been
given the chance to fight with another female; when the opportunity came
around it was not dismissed. There was something more…feral involved when
sparing with another female, there was an unspoken need for victory yet it
would not come at a high cost, neither of them would allow that.

In a fight, dignity was always the shield and should always be used wisely.

The two females embraced and talked animatedly at they made their way over
to where Elladan stood.

Elladan was almost shocked to see his mother behaving in such a way. He had
heard stories of her bravery and skill with a blade but had not realised
just how magnificent she was. She looked imposing he thought, her long
golden hair tied back in a high knot, her long sword at her hip and at her
call.

As a child Celebrian had been restless, her mother was kind and gentle with
her but she needed something more. Her father had been more understanding, but
he had refused to let her traith tth the Galadhrim, instead he taught her
himself. He had been a ruthless teacher, pushing her to her limits and
further. He had known what she was capable of and had worked his relationship
with her to his full advantage, letting her get away with nothing.

He taught her that with every action came a consequence.

She smiled at her son before kissing him on the cheek and exiting the room.

He stepped towards Tanithia who frowned and bit her lip as if disappointed
with something.

“There was a time when I would watch my make friends from the edges of a
training room, wishing that I could be with them…”

She stopped mid sentence and shook her head before jumping up and grinning
at him.

The light in her eyes was enough to tell him that she was more than ready
for this however he did not miss the tell tale sign of pain when she lifted
her sword arm.

“Are you sure you are well enough to do this?”

She nodded, knowing what he was referring to. She felt the pain, but it was
as good as an incentive as any and she was determined to return to her
former strength; already her arms ached and her legs were tiring. The pain
in her abdomen was steadily increasing and the warning from Elrond was
playing continually in her mind despite her best efforts to dismiss it.

With a weary eye Elladan circled her; his eyes looked not only for weakness
but injury. He needed an excuse to best her or to at least cut the session
short.

Taking the opportunity Elladan lunged and grabbed her wrist sending her down
the ground and pinning her beneath him.

For a moment she was back in the dark underneath an orc and terror filled
her. She turned her head and caught sight of the dark hair that moved in the
wind and she was filled with a playful anger.

Turning, she managed to escape his grasp and she flipped and landed on her
feet tackling him to the ground. Before he could move she clamped her knees
around his waist and as he rolled over she kicked out and he went sprawling
onto the floor.

Elladan flipped and caught her arms swiftly, holding her forcefully to his
chest.

“So tell me, what it going on between you and Elrohir?”

She stiffened and clenched her jaw, she did not feel the need to justify her
relationship with Elrohir to anyone.

“It isn’t romantic if that is what you mean”

She said as she spun and picked up her sword. Elladan raised an eyebrow but
met her attack with his own blade.

“Not yet”

she growled; irritated at the avoidance of the question he wanted to ask.

“Elladan if you have something to say then say it please”

She moved swiftly and narrowly avoided Elladan’ s blade.

“Very well”

He stopped his attack and made his way over to a bench. She sat down and
watched as Elladan paced for a moment,

“What are you are Elrohir doing?”

“What do you mean?”

He snorted and shook his head.

“Are you courting?”

Her heart jumped within her chest and all of a sudden. She let her mind
wander and everything became still; the sights and sounds of the training
yard disappeared and the sound of the water reached her ears, drowning out
the questions and the self doubt and her fear and replacing them with calm
and tranquillity.

She herself did not know what to make of her relationship with Elrohir and
she was too scared to find out. She doubted that she would ever court someone
or allow someone to court her ever again. After all what would stop them
from taking advantage of her as the orcs had done. The though of letting
somebody touch her in that way made her feel ill. At night when she lay alone she could still feel their claws all over her, touching her; if she listened closely she could still hear their taunts and their laughter.

“Tanithia?”

“Yes?”

She shook her head, unsure of the question that she was supposed to be answering.

Elladan frowned, afraid that he had said something that had brought up. Memories could be cherished or despised or angry or distressing. As he watched her battle her emotions her face became that of a child. The naked fear and vulnerability that replaced the hardened warrior showed him all he needed to know.

He kissed her forehead gently and left the room.

There she stayed, for an hour maybe two; time had no sway over her as she sat on the bench. Her thoughts took her to places that she did not wish to g.
.

She watched in her mind the first archery lesson that her father gave her. The bow was nearly bigger than her and her arrows would not co-operate with her. Each arrow she shot flew off into the forest and disappeared among the silver trees.

Images of her and her mother baking in the kitchen flooded her sense; she could smell the fresh baked bread and the sweet aroma of berries from the pie that still lay hot on the table.

Her mind betrayed her; it showed her long dead images of a time when the only thing that mattered was which bow she used or what colour dress she wore.

There was no going back and she had long since given up on what could have been. The complex girl that wanted so much was gone and in her place stood only a broken warrior.


Lady Celebrian walked the hallways; silently watching her sons talk quietly with one another. Tanithia was supposed to be with Elrohir at that moment in time and the lady was confident of the missing elf’s whereabouts.

Silently she entered the training room and stood for a few moments; watching the young elf who had been seduced by her own mind.

Tanithia raised her head; the scent of a musky perfume reached her and engulfed her as she sat, her eyes searched for the new presence in the room. She relaxed when she saw that it only Celebrian.

The lady glided across the floor and joined her on the bench.

“You missed your lesson with Elrohir”

Tanithia’ s eyes widened momentarily at the mention of Elrohir’ s name but she soon reigned herself in.

“I am sorry. I had some thinking to do”

Celebrian smiled and placed her hand over Tanithia’ s gently.

“And what did you have to think about?”

Tanithia looked at the older elf. She was confident that Celebrian would say nothing of the matter to any but her husband and that suited her fine, but she was somewhat embarrassed. She had not spoken of her feelings towards the rapes to anyone.

“Elladan asked me a question…about my relationship with Elrohir”

Celebrian smiled, knowing what was coming next.

“I didn’t know what to say. I like him, I love him…but not in a romantic way, I don’t wish to even consider what would happen if I ever allow myself to become involved that way”

“No, you are listening to your fear. Ignore it, do not let it speak. Never would an elf take advantage of you. You are free to love whom you will but do not let your fear rule your heart little one”

Tanithia smiled through tear filled eyes. Celebrian’ s words had hit her to the core and had settled within the darkest corners of her heart.

“Do you think he will be angry with me?”

“Who?”

“Elladan”

Celebrian grinned and laughed,

“I know my sons well and I know that they are protective of one another, but he will not be angry with you. In fact; he is most likely glad of your honesty”

A smile slid across her lips as she considered her options.

“Do you know where Elrohir is?”

Her intention was to find him and talk to him; there was much to be discussed and she needed to talk.

“He is in the furthest archery field”

Tanithia sprang up and ran to the door without a word; she stopped mid-step and ran back to the laughing woman on the bench. She threw here arms around Celebrian’ s neck and kissed her cheek,

“Thank you. Thank you so much”

She laughed before disappearing from the room in a blur. Her next destination, the furthest archery field.