Only Time

Ch. 24 ~ Half-Elven

As soon as I stopped sobbing in my aunt's arms, I knew what I had to do as did she. I had to return home to Rivendell at once. She helped me get up off the floor and held my hands in her own as she kissed the top of my head.

"Hurry back as soon as you can. Now that the dye has been cast; things will happen very fast and we do not know where they will lead. But if you want to see your beloved, you must hurry back. Do what you need back home first."

"I shall. Thank you, aunt Galadriel for everything."

Though I was never expected to do it, I dropped a short curtsy in her direction as my way of honoring her and ran back to my quarters and gathered up the belongings I would need for the journey back. As I was looking around the room, I saw that Altherial had been delivered back to me in perfect condition. It had not taken that long to clean her up and she was otherwise unscathed. I was glad; I was a little worried that my tantrum with the orcs had damaged her somehow. I finished getting ready and ran down toward the stables where a clean and fresh Sunset was neighing impatiently. He sensed that I was ready to go and he wanted to go as well.

After mounting my steed, waving to Haldir, and the honor guard who as always would escort me to the gate, I pushed Sunset to almost the limit for as fast as he could go. And surprisingly, he never seemed to be out of breath. No matter how much I pushed him, he would just go faster and faster. We arrived back in Rivendell in record time. Which made me wonder about him again and remembering the reminder I made for myself to research more on Sunset when I got back home, I slowed down at the gate as the horn blew welcoming me home. We trotted through the opening and toward the stable where I jumped off of him and handed him over to the caretaker whose face said it all.

I did not bother going to my wing but had my satchel over my shoulder as I walked swiftly through the woods and past my mother's waterfall, glancing at it only briefly as it twinkled away at me. I went straight to my uncle's wing for I had a feeling I would find him there and sure enough, there he stood on his balcony with his back to me. The emotion radiating from him was raw. I knew he would never show that to his sons or Arwen but I was a different story. I steeled myself as I approached him. He turned toward me then and the look in his eyes made me catch my breath. I had never seen him like that; the sorrow seemed to have aged him even though it was merely an illusion.

Lord Elrond of Rivendell, my uncle, my guiding light, seemed to have lost his spark when his daughter gave hers away. Tears sparkled in his eyes that he would never dare spill in front of anyone but somehow my presence let his emotions bubble to the surface.

"Why are you here?" He asked me in an almost unrecognizable voice as if seeing me for the first time.

"Am I not welcome in my own home?" I replied softly.

My answer was the last straw. He grunted like a wounded animal and weaved as I ran up just in time to catch him before he collapsed and sobbing, buried his head in my arms. I had never seen my uncle weep before. I knew even as my own eyes filled with tears that I had to be strong. For him, for her, even for myself.

"Shh uncle, it will be alright. You shall see."

Then I did what only came naturally to me, I closed my eyes and let the light of Earendil surround him and heal his wounded heart and soul. If I was going to have an inheritance as powerful as that, might as well use it to help my own kin in their greatest time of pain.

It was a bit of time before he collected himself but I was not in any rush. Once I had spoken with him and made sure he was alright then I would go see Arwen. One priority at a time. I loved my uncle very much and knew how much his only daughter meant to him. So to have her choose mortality was a huge blow. Being half-elven had its benefits and restrictions. We immortals only had one path to go without a choice but elves like Arwen, could choose mortality though it was one thing I never understood. But with her there was so much at work; she had fallen in love with a mortal man; a future king of men of Middle-Earth. It was my job, those of us fighting for the greater good, and the job of the ring bearer to make sure the king got to his throne and my beloved cousin lived the happiest mortal life afforded to her. My mind came back to the present when I heard my uncle whisper: