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To Fall And Rise Again
Gil-Galad held out his hand, frustration growing within him with each passing second. “Give them to me.”
“High King… Sauron has not yet amassed that degree of power. These Rings may be how he attains it. They must be destroyed” Elrond replied in exasperation. How is the King unable to foresee the threat that these rings might pose? Even if Sauron's hands never touched them, these rings are no doubt part of his plans, part of something terrible yet to come. And if it means leaving Middle-Earth forever, it would be so much the better option than to slowly fall to Sauron's corrupted web of lies.
“That decision is far above your privilege, one you endanger with each moment you refuse to obey. The Rings, Elrond.”
The young Peredhel felt cornered, he saw the desperation of his King and Galadriel in their eyes as they slowly inched forward towards him. Elrond backed himself to the edge of the waterfall, so close that the roar of the water was deafening.
“It is a command from your King. I will not utter it again.”
Elrond turned his head to stare at the cliff. He felt like an ambushed animal caught in a trap.
“Dúro di!” Galadriel replied in desperation.
“Man i chîl peded annin?” Elrond snapped back. How dare she make such a suggestion while she was the one who disobeyed the King by jumping off the ship that was supposed to carry her to Valinor. Not only did she deny Aman's light but she managed to ally herself with our greatest foe which led to this current situation to begin with. Her actions might have doomed all of Middle-Earth! And for what? For ambitions that seem to doom all those from Feanor's bloodline.
“It is the only way. Obey him!”
“Ú-belin cared han” Elrond spoke while placing his right foot on the edge of the waterfall, toes sticking out over the edge. “Istalye Ú-belin cared han.” His last words were spoken much more softly as if in defeat to himself. If both his King and dear friend won't listen to him, then he might need to take a desperate action. Just like his mother before him, it almost seemed like destiny to sacrifice his life to keep powerful jewelry out of the hands of the Elves.
The guards behind Gil-Galad moved in on him swiftly as he heard the King reply, “Seize him!”
Elrond locked eyes with Galadriel for the last time. Her face paled and was full of dread as it dawned on her what he was about to do. “Elrond No!”He turned to the cliff's edge one last time and leaped.
It seems as if time had stopped in its tracks, the wind ceased to blow and the birds grew quiet around them as both Gil-Galad and Galadriel watched on in horror as Elrond jumped off the waterfall's edge. The High King tried to stop his wayward herald but he was too slow, he could only stare on in complete dismay how his herald disappeared in the vapors of the fall.
“Find him! Find the Rings!” The guards around the King immediately moved to make their way down the cliff together with Galadriel and Gil-Galad. The urgency was visible in their steps as the King tried his best not to dash down the hill at top speed. Surely it would improve his chances of finding Elrond but he didn't want to look that desperate towards his people. Please, in the name of Eru let him survive this fall. Ereinion thought on his way down.
By some miracle of the Valar, Elrond survived the jump but he hit the water so hard that he lost consciousness. The river carried him downstream for a short distance until he washed up on shore. As his body felt solid ground again beneath him, he woke up with a start. Elrond gently sat up hunched over and coughed up water he inhaled during the tumult of his harsh landing. Every body part felt sore, a sharp pain soared from his shoulder which forced him to lay flat down on the river bed again with a pained groan. He rarely felt so helpless as he did now.
The Peredhel was soaked and shivering but he knew there was no time to lose. The King's guards were probably looking for him right now and if he doesn't hurry, all of Lindon will be looking for him in every nook and cranny as if he were a common criminal. His left hand moved towards the pouch still safely hidden inside his wet tunic. The Rings are safe for now at least. The movement of his arm however sent shooting stabs of pain up his shoulder which made his eyes water. He found it increasingly difficult to just not scream out in agony and wait for help.
In the far distance he heard footsteps and shouting. “Find him! The river couldn't have carried him far!”
“No...no...no..” He cried out softly as he made an attempt to sit up again. This time he succeeded in sitting upright without the pain threatening to make him black out. Slowly, the Half-Elf crawled towards a nearby bush to hide himself from the search party. Every movement he made was agony, his left shoulder kept shooting sharp pains that made his task nearly impossible without passing out from the agony of a broken and probably dislocated shoulder.. There seems to be something wrong with his ankle as well as a deep ache traveled from his foot up to his knee. He cursed as darkness threatened to overtake his vision.
Images of his mother flooded his mind once more. Elwing perched up on a cliff not unlike himself just a few moments ago. Was history about to repeat itself again? He remembered begging her not to jump just like Galadriel did only minutes ago. But somehow he was still alive and he knew there was only one person in the vicinity who could help him. Cirdan the shipwright would surely share his mistrust in these Rings, he would know how to dispose of these cursed objects.
The guards moved in closer on him but it didn't matter anymore to Elrond as he lost consciousness again. The physical exertion of hiding himself underneath a bush only aggravated his injuries to the point the pain became unbearable. His body shut down to protect his mind against the pain.
The timing couldn't have been worse as unfortunately for the young Peredhel, the blue colour of his cloak and tunic stuck out like a sore thumb beneath the bushes and it didn't take long for one of the King's guards to spot his hiding place.
“Tiro!, there he is!” The guard shouted. His alert drew the other guards together with the King and Galadriel towards Elrond.
As soon as Galadriel saw the teal colour peeking behind some bushes, she ran towards him at full speed fearing the worst.
“Elrond!” She called out. There was no reply. Colour drained from her face as she knelt down next to the seemingly lifeless form of her dear friend.
“Elrond?' Her hand reached out to touch his shoulder. The act sent agonizing waves of pain throughout his body, enough to snap him out of his temporary unconsciousness. His eyes flew open and before he could stop himself, the pain made him let out a harrowing cry of distress. His cries echoed along the shore of the river, spurring Ereinion and his guards to move faster.
King Gil-Galad joined the party and looked on in fury and massive concern at his wayward herald who continued to disobey his orders. “Look at you now fôf. If you would have just given me the rings as I commanded you to do, this...this would never have happened. You wouldn't have got hurt.”
Galadriel turned her head towards the King and hissed. “Elrond is injured, he needs to go to the healers immediately. Berating him now will only do more harm!”
“I will decide what happens.” The King snapped back. His worry now pressed to the back of his mind as his anger for the disobedience of his trusted friends, who were squabbling like children only moments ago, resurfaced. “Now first, give me the rings!”
Elrond's eyes moved wildly around before settling on his King. The pain in his shoulder was still unbearable but his hand moved towards the pouch containing the cursed jewelry. Galadriel intervened in an attempt to appease the already angry King. She brushed his hand aside and carefully extricated the pouch from his tunic ignoring his weak protests before tossing it towards the High King.
“No..Please don't do this..” he stammered on the ground, still completely soaked wet as his body began to shiver, whether out of shock or from cold, he could not tell. “The rings...they are not safe! You mustn't use them...please... My King.. you need to listen to me now!”
“Dinen!” The King shouted in reply. “I have had enough of your disobedience. I will not let the folly of my herald doom all of Middle-Earth! Guards, take him to the healers, tomorrow I will decide what to do with you.” And with that, the King turned around and made his way back up to Lindon with the pouch of Rings hanging uncomfortably from his belt. At least he is still alive, he thought to himself. The fool yet lives and all will be fine. There is only the matter of upholding the law. Surely such an act of treason against him couldn't go unpunished, it would make him look weak and weakness wasn't a luxury he could afford right now, definitely not with Sauron lurking nearby.
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Elrond was brought to the healing chambers with care as Galadriel supervised the guards that carried the Peredhel with the utmost caution. Despite the rash words of the King, she forced the guards to treat him as a fallen comrade rather than a prisoner to be dragged to jail. Her threatening gaze was enough for the guards to delicately carry the injured Peredhel to the healers.
The Half-Elf was carefully placed on a bed in one of the healing chambers as the healer took a look at the unfortunate Peredhel. The healer removed his wet tunic in order to take a look at the dislocated shoulder. Putting it back into place surely wasn't going to be a comfortable experience, and perhaps it was a fitting punishment in itself to satisfy the King's need to justify his treason.
Elrond knew what was about to happen and gritted his teeth. “Just do it quickly please.” He braced himself for the coming agony as the healer carefully grabbed his arm and stretched it out. Galadriel sat down on the bed at the opposite side and placed her arms on his chest and other shoulder to hold him down.
“It will be alright my dear friend.” She whispered as she nodded to the healer. Elrond's eyes fixed on Galadriel, he was about to say something but before the words left his mouth, the healer yanked harshly on his arm and with a soft 'plop' the shoulder was put back into place. If the pain in his shoulder was bad before when he was still laying washed ashore on the river's edge, it was nothing compared to the complete barrage of pure torment that coursed throughout his entire body. He screamed in agony and his body tried to escape the confines of the bed. Galadriel's hands however pressed him firmly down again. “Shhh...it's alright now.”
She was right, only seconds after the shock, the pain was already starting to eb away, transforming into a dull ache that was manageable, His head fell back on the bed and with a sigh he closed his eyes. “I will bind your wounds and give you a strong tea to give you some rest to heal.” The healer told him. The words barely registered in his mind as all his thoughts now focused on his King who was now in possession of the Rings that were already threatening to drive a wedge in between them. Tears started to form in his eyes but he didn't want to let Galadriel see him break down and cry just like that. The healer carefully bandaged him up and the tea made him fall asleep in seconds, a blessing as it prevented Galadriel from seeing him weep right in front of her.
The day passed in a haze and come morning, the King arrived at the healing chamber. Even though it seemed only a few hours have passed, much has changed. For once, there was a shiny blue light on one of the fingers of the King. While the Peredhel was being treated for his injuries, Gil-Galad inspected the Rings and put one on. The change was profound, the tree restored itself and the future of the Elves in Middle-Earth seemed secured, for now at least.
“You are a stubborn fool, did you know that.” The King spoke to his Herald as he approached the bed on which he laid to rest. “Your actions nearly doomed us all.”
Elrond's eyes opened instantly as he heard his King speak. Tears immediately formed in the corners of his eyes as he looked at Gil-Galad standing right next to him. The poor Half-Elf looked quite pathetic in his current condition with a bandaged lower leg and chest and with his arm in a sling. His breathing was quite shallow as taking deep breaths hurt his body. Even though he inhaled some water, the healer that tended to him was quite certain that it didn't pose any risk to his health anymore but he was still under the careful watch of the healers.
“What am I to do with you now Elrond.” The King continued ignoring the desperate pleading look of his Herald below him. “A King must always set the example for his people. And if his people don't follow, then what use is having a King?”
Footsteps behind Ereinion broke his chain of thoughts as he turned around to see who the intruder was. Galadriel entered the chamber in haste. At the sight of her sobbing friend, she rushed over to the bed and sat on the edge. “Elrond mellon-nin...Are you alright?” She asked tenderly as she grabbed one of his hands. The Peredhel sniffed before quickly pulling his hand back from her grip.
“Galadriel!” The King boomed behind her. “Do not interrupt our meeting. Leave now, I will speak to you later.
Galadriel's head snapped towards the King.”You have your Rings, the tree is restored! Let us leave this terrible day behind.”
“Do not interfere with my command.” The King sighed. How is it that his two most trusted people happen to be the two most disobedient of his people. His fingers rubbed the temples of his head as he carefully sought a good reply. “You know I can't just let this slip. Trust me, I wish I could, seeing you hurt breaks my heart but examples must be set.”
“No!” Galadriel yelled. For a split moment she thought her King was about to sentence her dear friend to death for high treason. “Look at him, he has suffered enough already!” Galadriel's eyes shone as if they were on fire. It was clear she was prepared to defend her friend damn the consequences.
“My King, please don't do this.” Elrond begged. The sight of his crying and pleading Herald was almost enough to make Ereinion break down as well weeping at the sight of Elrond in distress. He however quickly composed himself before the others could see any signs of the deep worry he was trying to bury down.
“Ten lashes will do, considering your injuries. Let that be a reminder to obey your King. You will keep your position as my Herald but never ever do something so stupid again. The sentence is to be carried out this afternoon and let that be the end of this nonsense.” And with that the King turned and marched out of the room before either Galadriel or Elrond's response could change his mind. It hurt Gil-Galad deep to his core to give this command but he truly felt like he had no other choice.
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Come noon, two guards entered the healing chamber with the task to fetch the young Peredhel. Galadriel was still sitting next to his bed on a chair but leaped up as soon as she saw the soldiers entering the room. “You can not be serious, Elrond is in no condition to walk, this order...this judgment, it's madness!”
“I'm very sorry Lady Galadriel, I'm only following orders.” One of the soldiers replied. They approached the bed and hoisted Elrond up by his arms. The Half-Elf did not put up any resistance as he just let himself be guided towards the exit of the room. He looked back at Galadriel behind him standing frozen in place, clearly occupied with a silent battle in her head whether to intervene or not. Elrond didn't wish for her to get into trouble either, at least not anymore than she already was, “Please don't follow me, you don't need to see this.”
He couldn't see her reaction, only a stifled gasp as he was escorted towards the council hall. It was mercifully quiet outside, the short journey went mostly unnoticed by any possible bystanders. Elrond thought it was an odd choice to carry out his sentence within this chamber which was usually reserved for discussing battle strategies. That is not how punishments were usually given out in the rare occasion that it happened.
The Guards escorted Elrond inside the council hall and carefully lowered him on one of the chairs alligned to the great table. “Thank you, you may leave now.” Ereinion told the guards while briefly holding his hand up. The guards nodded, made a small bow and walked out of the room.
“What is the meaning of this?” Elrond asked uncertainly. This definitely did not look like a place for a flogging. His eyes darted around, checking every corner for a possible clue to explain the situation but he could not find one. His gaze settled back on his King who seemed deeply occupied with something. If Elrond wasn't feeling so apprehensive right now, he would have believed that his King looked downright worried. It was an unsettling sight.
Ereinion looked up from the disorganized clutter of papers strewn around the table. “I have been pondering Galadriel's words this morning. I do not wish for these Rings to divide us anymore than it already has.” The King rubbed his hands along his face while a quiet sigh escaped his mouth. Elrond had to admit to himself, Ereinion looked quite awful. The King's eyes had a slight reddish look to them, as if someone skipped sleep or cried for a while. “I have spoken with Cirdan on this matter after I left you earlier this day.”
Elrond was about to reply but Ereinion raised his hand to shush him. “I know what you must think of me right now. Trust me, it was never my intention to see you get hurt. It is also for this reason that I will suspend your sentence as I agree with Galadriel's assessment that you have suffered enough. I do truly hope you have learned your lesson with this. The tree is restored so we no longer have to leave Sauron's foes to their fate. In a matter of fact, I have a task for you to perform.”
Elrond could barely hide his immense feeling of relief having been pardoned by his King. But still, the Rings hang like a sour thought in his mind. He wanted to confront his King, his friend, about the dangers he posed by wearing that blue rock on his finger. But he didn't want to break this newly formed peace between them so instead he replied; “Thank you my King. I am deeply grateful for your mercy. What is this task that you wish for me to do?”
“I see the doubt in your eyes Elrond.” The King replied. He knew the Peredhel's eyes remained focused on the ring on his finger. “Cirdan believes these Rings will aid us in our time of need. Sauron has never touched them, nor was he part of their creation. You should speak with him if that is what it takes to ease your mind.”
Elrond sighed. “I....I do trust you. I just don't trust these Rings.”
“I know that. And your concerns have been noted. About this task that I have for you. As soon as you have recovered enough, I want for you to depart to Eregion with five of our bravest Elves. You will lead this company of Elves on the road towards Ost-in-Edhil and warn Celebrimbor of the threat that Sauron poses towards him and the city.”
Elrond nodded. This was a task he could do, a task that he wanted to do. “Who will be part of this company?” he asked curiously.
“That is completely your decision to make. My only demand is that you take Galadriel with you. But I ask of you to keep a careful eye on her. She once considered Sauron as her friend and even an ally. I am afraid that there is still a connection between the two which leaves her vulnerable to his deceptions. Yet at the same time this strange association between them might prove useful as well. It might make it easier to figure out his plans and stop him.”
“I will make sure that our black foe won't harm Galadriel anymore.” Elrond replied with a new wave of confidence surging through his mind. “I won't disappoint you.”
Gil-Galad smiled in agreement. “Don't worry about disappointing me. If you fail, it would be a disappointment for our entire species and of all Middle-Earth. Now go and get some rest, heal and prepare for the journey. And if you find Galadriel on your way back, tell her to report to me immediately. No doubt she's already lurking outside this very room. She's fiercely loyal to you did you know? I'm sure that if I carried out your sentence, she would have rebelled instantly.”
Elrond frowned. He didn't want to think about the possible scenario in which Galadriel did interfere with his sentence if it was carried out. What would have happened then? Would they both become outcasts exiled by their own kind? No...there is no time for such dark thoughts, he needed to prepare himself for the upcoming task.
As if on cue the guards, who previously escorted Elrond to the King, entered the room again and carefully escorted the injured Half-Elf back to the healing chambers. Gil-Galad's instincts proved to be correct as Galadriel was anxiously waiting right outside of the room. She also had a look of confusion on her face. Surely the King wouldn't allow a flogging to happen right inside the council chamber. Elrond didn't seem to be in any form of distress and no concerning sounds were heard while she waited outside the doors.
“Elrond!” she called out falling in pace with the guards helping him walk, supporting the Peredhel by holding his arms around their shoulder. “Elrond, are you alright? What happened in there?” Her calls sounded frantic.
“I'm alright Galadriel.” Elrond replied with a small smile. “No truly...I am fine. Don't worry about me. The King wishes to speak to you right now.”
Galadriel's worry turned into complete confusion. “Why? Are you sure that you are alright? I swear to you if that oaf....”
“Galadriel!” Elrond interrupted before she said anything that she would regret soon. “Please trust me when I tell you that I am alright. The King wishes to speak to you and if you are done with that, come seek me out as we have a lot to discuss.” Galadriel looked uncertain but nodded. She turned her feet and walked back to the council chamber. As she disappeared out of sight, Elrond already started to think of names to accompany them on their journey to Eregion. As soon as he could walk by himself again, he would need to visit his dear friend Camnir, the cartographer.