开云体育

Okay, this is where the story really begins.? If you remember, near the end of the prologue Estel asks Elrond if they had returned.? Elrond answered and stated that it had been three weeks since they left.? Chapter one begins four weeks before that, so it's a total of about 7 weeks prior to that last scene.

I hope that clears up any confusion.

One other thing, even though this is movieverse, and pre PJ's Hobbit, I have Erestor instead of Lindir.

Anywho,

Enjoy!

Seven weeks earlier

?

“Master Elrond,” an elf with long brown straight hair stepped quickly into the room.? The space before him was in multi levels and decorated with paintings and sculptures.? Desks, tables, and chairs were placed in various areas for anyone to use.? Books were readily available for anyone to peruse.

?

At this point there was a lone figure seated near the fireplace.? He had long raven black hair that was casually knotted to keep the strands from tangling, and out of the figure’s face.? His ears parted the strands.? The upper tips were pointed denoting that he was a member of the Eldar, an elf.? The clothing he wore was sumptuous in its color and texture.? This particular elf could easily intimidate the most stalwart of the household, not to mention others that visited on a regular basis.? Setting the book down in his lap, he gave his intruder a steady gaze.? “Be at peace, Glénduil.”

?

Glénduil paused, trying to catch his breath, before speaking, “I am sorry Master Elrond, but a rider from Lórien has come.? He states that your services as a healer are in dire need.”

?

Before Glénduil had even finished, Elrond was on his feet and on his way out of the room.

?

“My lord, he is heading towards the Halls of Healing and will meet you there,” Glénduil hurried to keep up with Elrond’s quick pace.

?

Elrond only paused when he reached the Halls.? Coming from the direction of the stables was another elf.? His skin coloring was naturally pale and had a crown of pale blond hair.? He was dressed in the colors and symbols of a warden of Lothlórien and carried his burden wrapped in a blood stained gray cloak with gentle ease.

?

The two moved into the Halls.? The elves and elleths that were already gathered looked with both interest and worry.? Individuals that carried burdens as such would normally loose the injured one.? Hopefully this would not be the case.

?

The first empty room was their destination.? Once inside, Elrond moved to the side giving the warden more than enough room to place his burden gently down on the bed.? “Master Elrond,” he stood and backed away, “My brothers are following.? They should be more more than a day behind.”

?

“骋辞辞诲.”? Elrond nodded as he removed the wine-dark heavy outer cloak he wore.? Once divested he turned his full attention to the form on the bed.? With gentle hands he slowly unwrapped the cloak revealing a badly injured elleth.? The light shining from the window caught her thick black hair and made them shimmer with a slight bluish glow.? Her pale skin was a mixture of her natural coloring and the blood loss she received from her injuries.

?

“I need both salve and bandages,” Elrond ordered.? He turned to see his newest apprentice darting into the hall, then rested his eyes on the Lorién elf.? Placing a hand on his shoulder, he kept his voice low, “Rúmil, I want you to wait outside.”

?

Rúmil stood there for several minutes before backing up.? From what Elrond saw it was obvious that he wanted to make sure the elleth would be taken care of.

?

“She is not so far gone that I cannot help her,” Elrond kept his voice low, and full of kindness.? He squeezed Rúmil’s shoulder.? It was obvious that Rúmil wished to stay, but eventually nodded and left the room.? Elrond wanted to give the elleth the dignity she deserved, though most of her ruined clothing had to be removed and discarded so he could heal her.

?

Now alone Elrond turned back to his current patient and began the examination to see what he could do initially to help this particular elleth.? As he bound his long hair in a leather strip, effectively pulling the dark strands out of the way, his apprentice appeared once more.? She had both bandages and salve in hand and placed the objects on a nearby table.? Her hair was also bound.

?

Placing a cool hand on her forehead told Elrond that she had developed a fever.? At the gentle touch she let out a quiet moan that quickly increased into cries of pain while she began writhing.

?

Not knowing her mental state Elrond turned to his apprentice, “Tiniwen, get me some of the sleeping draught, quickly.”

?

Tiniwen turned to one of the tables nestled against the wall.? This had cups of various herbs and other salves.? She went through all of them to find what she was looking for and brought the cup over.? From there she helped the elleth to drink the mixture while Elrond tried to hold her down to keep her from hurting herself more than she already was.? Her thrashing movements only made her bleed even more.

?

As soon as the draught finally worked, Elrond began cleaning her wounds once more.? Broken bones were on his mind at the moment.? He soon found one of the long bones in her right lower arm was fractured.? It needed to be set to heal properly.? Until that time he needed to make sure that the lacerations and puncture wounds were taken care of.? At this point he didn’t have the time to heal her outright, so he made sure that she would be comfortable.

?

The elleth’s arms took the brunt of whatever it was that attacked her.? Those lacerations were deep enough for him to see muscle tendons and parts of her bones.? She had attempted to protect herself with her arms and paid a hefty price for her actions.? It was obvious to Elrond that Rúmil and his brothers had cleaned her wounds as best they could with what they had on hand.

?

When Elrond was finished, he had Tiniwen bind up all her wounds and then place her right arm in a split to keep her arm from moving and give the bone a chance to mend properly.? The elleth was then dressed in an extra soft sleeping gown, taken from his daughter Arwen’s chambers.

?

The whole process took some time and when Elrond finally emerged into the outer chambers, he found Rúmil still waiting there.? “I do not want her disturbed.”

?

Tiniwen came out, with a heavy outer-cloak in hand.? She gave it to Elrond before curtesying and then leaving the area.? It was then Elrond noticed that her own tunic was blood stained.? He looked down to find his was also.?? It’s to be expected, he mused.

?

“But,” the younger ellon looked to the door and then back to Elrond.? “I’ll just sit with her.”

?

“How long has it been since you had decent rest?”? Elrond looked the warden over with a critical eye.

?

“I rested while you were taking care of her,” it came out as a huff.

?

“That is not enough, Rúmil.? I told you earlier that she is not so far gone that I cannot help her.”? Taking the warden’s arm, Elrond guided him out of the hall and into the family area of the Last Homely House.? “It is obvious that you are weary and travel-stained.? You may join us for dinner after you have rested and cleaned yourself.? At that point you can tell us what happened.”

?

Rúmil looked as if he were going to protest, then shook his head.? With a nod and slight bow, the younger elf disappeared into the room he was always given when he was in Imladris.?

?

Now alone Elrond went to his own private chambers and changed into a fresh tunic.? Reemerging, he went back to the study.? The previous events were not expected, which bothered him.? Why did Celeborn and Galadriel send some of the Galadhon in his direction?? It was obvious in his mind that he didn’t need or ask for them, and he received no indication that the two were wanting to discuss anything with him.? The only viable option was that they were sending a message by courier.? Elrond sighed as he reached for the book he had been reading earlier.

?

Elrond ran his fingers over the leather that encased the parchment.? The book was something he had written a long time ago.? He had no idea why he was reading it once again.? Events were moving, pushing him in a direction he did not want to go.? He set the book down so he could reach over to a small side table close by that held a half-filled glass decanter and several small goblets.? Uncapping the decanter he poured some of the dark liquid into a goblet.? After setting everything back in its place he picked up the goblet and sipped at the sweet wine.

?

“Master Elrond?”

?

Elrond placed the goblet down and turned to see who had entered.? Glénduil stood in the doorway, tray of food in hand.? “I have brought you lunch.”

?

“Thank you,” Elrond rose to his feet, goblet still in hand, and moved over to another small table.? This one was big enough to hold the tray and then some.

?

The servant placed the tray on a nearby table and then transfered the dishes the table.? He then took the now empty tray and moved back several paces.

?

“That will be all.”? Elrond let a smile cross his face as he dismissed Glénduil.? The meal would give him time to think more about what just happened.

?

Silence reigned in the study for several minutes while he ate until the door burst open revealing a small child.? “础诲补!”

?

The 7-year-old launched himself towards Elrond and landed in a heap on his lap.? Not very dignified, considering the child was an adan and the last of the line of the Númenórean kings, but he was only seven.

?

“础诲补谤?”

?

Elrond looked up.? Standing just inside the door was another individual, but not a servant.? He was tall and had long dark hair.? It was one of his twin sons.? They were identical in almost every way, even their voices were similar.? Sometimes it took him a moment to figure out which one he was.

?

“If he’s bothering you, I can take him for a while.”

?

Elrond smiled, then shook his head.? Just by the younger ellon’s words, he knew it was Elladan.? “He is not bothering me at all.? You should know that I always have time for my children.”? Elrond looked down at the child in his lap, “Estel, why don’t you go play in the gardens.? I need to talk to you brother.? He can join you later when we’re finished.”

?

Estel nodded and slid off Elrond’s lap.? In a flash he was out of the room and running towards the gardens, a patter of feet following him.

?

“And no running in the house,” Elrond called after the retreating form.

?

“Yes, Ada!” echoed an answer.

?

Elrond shook his head.

?

Elladan grinned while looking towards the door.? The grin dropped as he turned his attention back to Elrond.? “What was it you were wanting to tell me.”

?

Pushing back from the table gave Elrond the room to stand up.? He moved over to the fireplace and turned around.? “A rider from Lórien arrived today.? He carried with him an injured elleth.”

?

“Yrchs,” Elladan hissed while turning around to leave.

?

“Elladan,” Elrond narrowed his eyes.? “Until there is confirmation, you and your brother will not leave.”

?

This stopped Elladan, at least for now.? He turned back around, “Then why are you telling me this?”

?

“Because her injuries look to be consistent with wargs.”

?

“Where wargs are, orcs are not far behind.”

?

“True, but there will be two more riders from Lórien coming.? Celeborn and Galadriel sent them here for some reason.? We will find out more information when they have arrived.”

?

Elladan perked up, “Who did she send?”

?

“Rúmil arrived with the elleth; his brothers should be here by tomorrow morning at the latest.”? Elrond moved across the room and placed a hand on Elladan’s shoulder.? “And do not pester him for any information.? He has not rested for most of the journey here.”

?

Elladan frowned.? “I understand,” he sighed.? After another moment he continued, “Are you still wanting me to start Estel’s training?”

?

Elrond let another smile cross his face.? “Yes, I do believe it is time for him to begin learning the ways of the Rangers.”

?

Elladan nodded and excused himself from the study.? When the door closed Elrond sighed and sank down on the couch near the fireplace.

?

“Master Elrond?”

?

Elrond looked up and found his senior adviser standing beside the table that contained his forgotten lunch.

?

“Forgive me, Erestor, for my mind was occupied.”

?

“You do understand it is not good to go without lunch.? You need to keep your mind sharp.”

?

The words were the same that Celebrían often told him when she still resided in Imladris.? The old mental and emotional pain over losing her bloomed fresh once again.? Without realizing it, he bowed his head and curled his fingers around his tunic and over his heart.

?

“贰濒谤辞苍诲?”

?

He looked up seeing Erestor.? The older elf had a concerned look on his face as he moved swiftly over to the couch.

?

“It still pains me greatly, Erestor, yet I cannot give myself permission to fade.”? He shook his head, “Too many things need to be done before I can rest.”

?

“Then you can rest in the Undying Lands.”

?

“It has been five hundred years, Erestor.? Five hundred long years since I gazed upon her face.”

?

“Then you must hold out until everything is finished.”? Erestor grasped one of Elrond’s arms and drew the elf-lord to his feet.? At that point Elrond allowed himself to be brought back over to the table.? “You do need to eat.? All will be well in the end.”

?

Elrond shook his head as he sat down.? “What would I do without you, Erestor?”

?

“Most likely starve,” Erestor picked up and handed him a fork.? “Now eat.”

?

Elrond wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn’t.? There would be no getting out of this until he finished his lunch.? When he was finally finished, he looked back up.? “Erestor, I wish to be alone for a while.”

?

Erestor nodded.? “I will send Glénduil to clean the table.”? It was obvious even to Elrond that he didn’t want him to be alone with his current mindset.

?

“As you wish,” Erestor bowed his head and left the room, his footsteps quiet.? There were muffled voices and then a few moments later Glénduil appeared and retrieved the plates.? Before leaving, the servant looked over his shoulder, a concerned look on his face before he finally left, leaving the room silent once more.

TBC...

Loved this! Can't wait for the next chapter!

Kristen