The ElvenKing [A thranduil fanfiction]

Chapter 22

Imladris T.H 2058

          After everything that had happened last night, I only managed a few hours of sleep before I fled the confinement of my room. I found my way back to Elrond's study in the early morning hours before dawn. I sought to complete the task I had been given before Thranduil arrived because it required my focus on a whole other level.

I managed to finish transcribing the whole document within an hour after sunrise where Elrond joined me in the study. He didn't register my presence at first because I hadn't looked up from my task. I had been completely engaged in the task, making sure there were no mistakes. I had made a few but they had already been corrected.

The soft smile that had emerged on my lips, while watching Elrond rummage around for something, vanished when I accidentally startled him. The soft jolt that rattled his entire body before he chuckled, was unlike him. "You startled me, Elarinya." He chuckled and held a hand to his chest while resting the other against the desk he usually occupied. We shared a small laugh before he sat down in the chair behind the desk. I collected my work and went to him.

"I have finished the task you gave me." I said after I had put the pieces of paper down in front of him. The lord of Imladris were this morning only dressed in a purple tunic, hair void of any adornments but two small braids that were gathered on the back of his head. He suddenly seemed younger, and I wondered if it was because he was exhausted. Still, Elrond seemed impressed that I was already done when he lifted the first piece of paper and held it up against the morning light. His eyes skimmed the page before he did the same with another page.

"This is splendidly done." Elrond approved. He was impressed by my work, that much were clear while he admired my writing. It was something I had always taken pride in. Elrond nodded while gathering the different pieces of paper again. He put them aside with a soft, kind smile. "Le fael." Elrond lowered his chin, grateful I had completed the task before I left Imaldris.

I surrendered a step backwards, intending to leave the study because Elrond seemed to need the solitude more than I had done this morning when I first came here. "Elarinya, wait." Elrond kept me from leaving and I turned back to him with a worried expression. "Have you decided to return with Thranduil and the others to Greenwood." His question startled me, enough so that I had difficulties finding my words at first.

I swallowed anxiously because the expression I were met with did not bode well. There had been a reason behind him asking. "What have you seen?" I asked, already knowing why he had asked that question in the first place. "Hir nin, Elrond." I begged when he refused to look at me. Elrond exhaled deeply, sounding utterly defeated while he lent heavily against the back of his chair, elbow on the arm rest and chin on his hand. "Annin—Hir nin, Elrond"

"Nothing is certain." Elrond finally caved and gave in. The pained expression that contorted his usual kind features were heart wrenching. "The future is a precarious thing. I have seen Greenwood prosper with you by Thranduil's side—but I have also seen what will happen if you abandon him now. Still, there is one thing that never changes, no matter what I see." Elrond paused and decisively met my gaze. "Death. There is always death, in every future I explore, someone will die." He rasped.