Part Thirty-Two
When he awoke at dawn, Lord Elrond of Imladris found that he was alone by the embers
of the fire, aside from his advisor, Erestor, who still lay sleeping on the ground beside him.
He sat up and stretched his body, expecting to feel stiffness, but there was none. He felt as
well-rested as he would have from a night spent in a feather-bed in his own palace. Elrond
took in a deep breath. The air was sweet and clean, without a taint to it. He had expected
a malodorous scent from the corpses of the orcs. Elrond was eager to dispose of them and
purify the Stream of Nimrodel once more.
There was also a smell of something cooking. That would be Thranduil's doing. Elrond
had to admit to himself that the King of Mirkwood had surprised him with this hidden
talent. Thranduil's brash and jovial manner irritated Elrond to no end, and at times he
thought that there was little below the brassy blond surface. Times like these reminded him
that there was more to Thranduil than met the eye, and even had he not shown it at all,
there was always the fact that he had raised a fine elf like Legolas. Elrond's opinion of the
young elf was very high. Legolas only needed a little more experience in the ways of the
world. He was slightly naïve and sheltered to Elrond's eye.
Elrond wondered vaguely where the others were, but he felt no worry for any of them
except his daughter. It came back to him then, the words spoken in the middle of the
night. Did Arwen truly wish to marry Rúmil? Had he himself given permission? At the
time, it had seemed a wise idea but in the clear light of morning it was difficult to think
just why that was. But yes, there it was. He did not think Arwen and Rúmil truly loved
each other. The threat of a wedding would bring them to their senses.
Why were they not here next to the fire? Should he go to look for them, or send Erestor?
Would he be sorry if he discovered what he feared to be the truth? Arwen was almost two
thousand years old now, and if she wished to take a lover, Elrond would have found
himself a hypocrite to disallow it. However, she was still his little girl and the thought
galled him.
He had always imagined it would be Haldir, he supposed. Then again, Haldir was far too
principled to lie with Arwen on a whim. Coupling with her would have been a bond for
Haldir. Elrond imagined it was a bond between him and Legolas, for he had no doubt that
this was what the two of them were off doing. Why had it not been so between Haldir and
himself, Elrond wondered?
It had been nearly fifty years since the last time Haldir had come to Imladris and they had
lain together. What a sweet relief of the tension and worries of their duties they had
provided for each other… but there was no love between them, and what affection there
was had been tempered by the differences in their station. Thinking back on it, Elrond was
not sure why Haldir had given himself to him at all. In those early dawn moments, he
knew it was over between them. Haldir would be his lover no more. There was no sadness
in this revelation, but a tempered echo of something which had once been precious but had
lost its meaning.
Elrond stood up and shook out his clothing. It hung perfectly on his tall, lean body, and
was without wrinkles. He smiled to himself, secretly pleased. He ran a hand over the dark
hair which fell to his waist and satisfied himself that it was not in disarray. Leaving Erestor
still asleep, Elrond slipped through the wood to the edge of the stream. As he emerged
from the trees he blinked at the sight before him.
Amroth and Orophin lay sleeping by the bank of the stream, tangled together beneath
Orophin's cloak. Elrond could only assume they wore nothing beneath it as their clothing
was scattered around them on the ground. Amroth had taken the young Galadhrim for a
lover! Elrond shook his head. How dare he? He had thought Amroth above this. Orophin
did not understand that Amroth's time in this world was limited. He was going to be
devastated by this romance.
Elrond's right hand clenched into a fist. He had truly begun to like the lost king, had begun
to think him noble -- had even believed that he loved Nimrodel as well as Elrond did
himself, despite their conflicting visions in Galadriel's mirror. They had shared much
conversation over the past few days and Elrond had enjoyed the exchange of words
greatly. There were few elves he could speak to in this manner, and certainly no others on
this trip, save perhaps Erestor, with whom Elrond had spoken every day for the past six
millennia and had exhausted every possible topic of conversation. Haldir was preoccupied
with Legolas, Thranduil only enjoyed speaking about killing monsters and his jewel
collection, and the rest of them were children.
Why did this seem like such a betrayal? No, not of himself, but of Nimrodel. Amroth had
willingly thrown away his own life rather than live without her, but now, resurrected for
the purpose of finding her and coming close to doing so, he lay with another? Elrond
could only see this as a very poor choice.
"Odd, isn't it?" Thranduil said quietly from beside him.
Elrond turned slowly, not letting the Elvenking see what a start he had given the Lord of
Imladris. He had been thrown completely off of his guard by the sight of the lovers
entwined by the stream and not had a hint of Thranduil's approach.
"I suppose it is not such a surprise," Elrond said slowly. "The desire has been between
them since Amroth first awoke… and Orophin does not give himself lightly, so--"
"Not them!" said Thranduil, laughing softly. "Really Elrond, think you never of anything
but love-making? I meant the orcs."
"What orcs?" Elrond replied automatically, ruffled by Thranduil's insinuation.
"Exactly."
"Thranduil--"
"There are no bodies," Thranduil said.
Elrond blinked slowly. He trained his gaze across the river, where there had been dozens
of fallen orcs last night, and he scanned the stream that he and Thranduil had knocked
others into. Across the river Elrond could see the trampled remains of yesterday's camp
site and a few scattered arrows, but no corpses. He smiled slowly and felt a lightness in his
heart.
"This is the doing of Nimrodel."
"Come now, Elrond," Thranduil said with disbelief in his tone. "Do you mean to say your
mysterious lost Elven-maid came in the night while we were asleep and took away all the
dead orcs?"
"You were asleep?" Elrond arched an eyebrow at Thranduil. "I thought you only
succumbed to dreaming when vast quantities of wine forced you to it."
Thranduil laughed again. "I had no dreams, only a small amount of rest. I confess I did not
mean to sleep, yet it overcame me for a few hours. It seems to have done the same to our
watch."
"This is a place of healing, of purity," Elrond said softly.
"This is a place of deep magic, but it is a magic of light, not of darkness. Darkness I know
much of, as it sits over most of the Mirkwood like a shadow. I do not feel that shadow
here," Thranduil said, surprising Elrond with his understanding. "Yet I must confess that
find it incredulous that the bodies could have disappeared."
Elrond smiled slightly. "Who are we to question the ways of Nimrodel?"
"She is not a deity, Elrond. She was a maid who disappeared, probably slaughtered by
orcs or Dwarves in the mountain passes. I side with Amroth on this -- she is lost."
A curl of anger loosed itself in Elrond's belly. "I do not know how you can say that,
Thranduil, when you can see for yourself that the bodies have indeed disappeared."
Thranduil shrugged dismissively. "I can only hope that none of our own company has
disappeared. Let us gather everyone for a morning meal, and to begin the hunt for this
maid. I find that I am as eager as you are to have the answers."
Elrond doubted this, but he nodded as it was easier than arguing with Thranduil. He
looked again on the sleeping elves and shook his head in disapproval. "I thought better of
Amroth."
"Why should this bother you?" Thranduil asked mildly. "Orophin is no kin of yours. I
should be more concerned with what his brother is doing, were I you."
"Haldir?"
"I meant Rúmil. Really, Elrond, you are addle-pated this morning."
"And you are insufferably rude," Elrond snapped.
Thranduil chuckled. "You are not the first to call me so."
"Nor shall I be the last, I imagine," Elrond said, sighing.
"Go back to the fire, Elrond. Wake your advisor and have some breakfast. I will rouse
Amroth and Orophin and find the rest of our company," Thranduil said gently.
It was good to have some of the burden of responsibility lifted from his shoulders. Elrond
nodded. "Thank you."
He turned and went back to the fire. Erestor was awake, and had been joined by Legolas,
Haldir, Rúmil, and Arwen. They were already parceling out the breakfast, which smelled
even better having been removed from the fire. Legolas had a hole in the sleeve of his
tunic, but he appeared to be chipper and in good health. Haldir seemed relaxed and mild.
Arwen and Rúmil looked at Elrond with alarm in their eyes, but he simply smiled at them
and inclined his head.
"Have you saved me some breakfast?" he asked. Let the children relax. He had to trust
Arwen to make her own decisions.
Erestor immediately jumped up to give him a large leaf filled with a mixture of meat and
herbs wrapped in a thin layer of bread. Elrond sat down and took a bite. He wondered if
Thranduil would give him the recipe, or laugh at him for asking. He chewed slowly. The
group was largely silent, but everyone seemed alert and well-rested.
"How do you feel, Legolas?" Elrond said after a few moments.
"I am fine, Lord Elrond," Legolas said, smiling. "Haldir took excellent care of me."
"I would bet that he did," Arwen sneered. Elrond gave her a sharp look and she went back
to her food.
"Look," said Legolas, ignoring the taunt. He rolled up his sleeve. The wound was
completely gone. Not even the trace of a scar remained. Elrond got up to examine the
prince's arm more closely.
"I am surprised as well," said Haldir in a low voice. "It was deep and bleeding quite freely
last night. I applied a poultice and this morning it was healed. I should have thought it
would take at least two days."
"The bodies of the orcs are gone," Elrond said casually to Haldir. The Marchwarden
frowned.
"The magic of this place runs deeper than even I have expected," he said. "But tell me,
Lord Elrond, is the lady you seek here herself? What course do we take today?"
"I think we should head towards Fangorn," said Amroth as he emerged into the clearing
with Orophin by his side and Thranduil sauntering behind them.
Elrond turned to meet his eye coldly. "We have not examined this place deeply enough."
"We have been here long enough to see that she is not here," Amroth said. He and
Orophin sat down by the fire.
"Ah, how did the food turn out? Legolas?" said Thranduil as his son offered him a portion.
"It is excellent as always, Father," Legolas said loyally, but he was telling the truth, Elrond
thought.
"I believe she is here," said Elrond, sitting down next to Erestor.
"Then we should search this area," Erestor replied logically.
Amroth shook his head. "It will do little good. We will waste time."
"It has already been a good number of centuries since she was lost," Thranduil
commented. "Surely one more day will not hurt."
"One day and one night more is all I ask," Elrond said. "If we discover no more, I will
agree to move on, towards Fangorn."
"Very well," said Amroth. "How do you propose that we proceed?"
"Half of us will search the left bank of the stream and the edge of the field, half the right
and the wood," Elrond proposed. "And if we find nothing by nightfall, we will camp all
together at the edge of the water."
Amroth nodded. "As you wish. How do you propose to split us? Shall you and I hunt
together or separately? I believe no one will disagree if I say that this expedition was
formed as much on your behalf as on my own."
Elrond felt a coldness towards Amroth rising inside him again. "I would have with me
Erestor, Arwen, and Haldir."
"We are an odd number, Father," Arwen said. "Let Rúmil come with us as well."
"Or take Legolas," Thranduil said casually.
"I would not be unfair to Amroth," said Elrond. "Let him choose his three companions,
and then the last elf may search with whom he pleases."
Everyone turned towards Amroth, who seemed to be considering the situation deeply. "I
will have Thranduil, Rúmil and Orophin with me," he said. "Let Legolas decide for himself
which group to follow."
"I will go with Lord Elrond," Legolas said quickly.
"Has anyone objections to this arrangement?" Elrond asked, looking around the gathered
group. Arwen was frowning, but she did not speak out again. Thranduil and Orophin
looked pleased, at the least.
"Very well," said Amroth. "Let us away, then. My group will take the far side of the
stream, near the field."
Elrond nodded. He preferred the wooded side himself. He knew exactly to which spot he
meant to go first -- the place where he had last seen Nimrodel.
