Fidelity

                                                  by Lily Frost

              Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it.

                                                  --Mark Twain

Prelude

              A scream rang out into the soft, dark night; blood curdling and shrill. The cry of sheer panic rose in volume before it was cut off abruptly and resounded off the outside walls like a whisper. Lights flickered on in windows as candles were lit within the rooms, their warm glow permeating the cold air. Men and elves awoke slowly, blinking the sleep from their eyes and wondering what that sound was, or if there had been one at all.

              Along the pathway that led to the gardens of Rivendell ran a figure, an elven guard with long, black hair and hazy blue, almond-shaped eyes. He was younger than most, and cursing himself for falling asleep on his watch. Rivendell was mostly tranquil, especially this late at night, and no creatures paid heed to his speeding along the pathway, feet beating on the worn mosaic of bricks. The guard, Celioril, was following the source of the scream that had arisen moments ago, his mind whirling as he tried to figure out what was ammis. What could be amiss? The job of guard duty, within the city, was just for in case of an emergency from the outside, orcs leaking through the forest wardens and hunters, or some other such thing.

              Suddenly, Celioril came to a halt, nearly falling forward. He was near the East wall, and there, with his elven sight, he saw something. A pair of grey eyes flashed in the darkness, reflecting the moonlight clearly, and a low hiss sounded. He could barely see the figure, for it was so dark and crouched in the shadow of the wall. But he could see enough to tell that the figure was long-limbed and pale skinned, with dark hair and an elven frame. It was crouched over another form, lying motionless on the ground like a pile of gathered fruit -- a beige dress, a gleam of red. Red -- Celioril started -- this was blood, smeared across an unmoving figure on the ground. A word came to his mind, sitting on his tongue like venom, and then coming to his lips in a whisper: murder!

              Setting his eyes on the creature, Celioril’s hand slowly reached towards his sword hilt, resting there as he gathered the courage to unsheathe it. His breath came in ragged gasps and his heart thundered in his ears. The sword came from the sheath with a metallic scrapping sound, but he stopped midway as the upright tensed and made towards the wall with slow, lithesome movements.

              “Hullo! Is anyone there?” Cried a voice from behind Celioril. The distant beating of boots along the pathway came nearer and the figure looked to the sound.

              “What has happened?” Came another voice.

              “I think there has been a murder!” Celioril cried back, but even with those words he saw the figure jump onto the brick wall, gripping the stone with strong fingers, and clamouring up it. It stood on the wall and looked down; the approaching guards now catching up with Celioril and all three staring at it, swords unsheathed. For a moment, the eyes gleamed and they all saw the same thing, though what they decided it was afterwards was different. The two guards who had come afterwards thought it was a monster, some creature that had come to their forests to haunt it, and one decided he had seen a werewolf. Celioril, though, was convinced this was, or had been, an elf of their own kin without doubt. Whatever the case, further inspection of the body didn't make anything more clear except that this had indeed been a murder.

              The guard sighed, drawing his cloak over the dead human's face even as their captain approached. He shook his head sadly and together they explained what they had seen.

- - -

              Elsewhere, deep in the night, a pale hand removed from it's neck a necklace with a pendant holding a large, triangular, red jewel and spoke, the voice sounding as if it had to reassure itself, "You did not belong here."

  - - -

To be continued…

- - -

- - -

Fidelity

By Lily Frost

Chapter I: Broken Peace

              "So there is nothing else you can tell us?" Elrond asked gently, facing the three guards across the table, "Nothing else you saw?"

              They shook their heads and diverted their gazes, uncomfortable under such close scrutiny, but obviously not withholding any information. The murder was strange, and not the first though he had tried to keep that fact under cover until they knew more. Behind Elrond on either side stood his sons, and seated also across from the guards was the female captain, Bregelwen, his advisor, Erestor, and Elebrin, an elf who had witnessed the first of these deaths and the only to have also had a clear look at the murderer. There had been three of them, all humans, and the first had been a close ranger friend who had been staying with Elebrin in Rivendell. He was intent on finding his friends murderer, and would not be removed from the room. One problem about their leads, and indeed the most confusing part of all of this, was that none of the descriptions matched, though all had been killed in the same manner, a slit at the side of the neck after a strike to the head. They had all been allowed to bleed to death -- the slow drain of their life had made quite a mess to clean up, and made the cover up of this latest case, which had taken place in a rather public place, difficult.

              Erestor sighed deeply and rubbed at his temples; it was his opinion that the people of Rivendell should know about this so that they may be able to protect themselves, but to this all the others were opposed -- not just yet, said Elrond, and maybe when we know more, said Elrohir.

              "You are dismissed," Elrond told the guards and their captain, "and please, remember what you have been told of keeping this secret!"

              They all stood and nodded, making a respectful gesture before leaving.

              "What are we going to do, adar?" Elladan cried, "Murders in Rivendell!"

              "I settled this valley as a place of peace, a refuge from the woes of the rest of the world, and I am deeply grieved to see it broken as such, to see these things leaking in." Elrond said, "Yet what is it that we may be able to do besides wait for other clues to present themselves?"

              "Wait for another murder you mean." Elladan said distastefully.

              "Not necessarily." Elrond amended, speaking slowly for his head spun a little, "We wait for anything that might be related to this, keep our eyes and ears open to all, in case they let something slip that would be related to what has transpired. Our murderer obviously does not like humans, and probably is opposed to allowing them to stay in Rivendell. Many elves here also are, including yourself Elladan, I heard you say once."

              "Opposed to some of the ones that had come with the rangers, ones little better than bandits if I recall."

              "We have all heard this before..." Elrohir groaned.

              "I have not." Said Elebrin, sounding interested.

              Elrohir grinned, glad to have an audience, "A few years ago Elladan was convinced that two swarthy men who had come with the rangers were stealing from the armoury and coming too close to his lady at the time. He got into a little tussle with them, but they left before he could prove anything."

              "They were evil men, ada." He turned to Elrond, "I know that you close your doors to none who come empty handed with no ill intent, but these were not the sort that you would want here. They behaved nicely enough, but they spoke ill of you behind your back."

              Elrond shook his head, the age-old argument coming back to life and back to haunt him, as most of them did. He did not think there was any situation which could not provoke some argument between his sons, so he allowed them to continue arguing, getting involved as little as possible.

              “Ada, please, make Elrohir see rightly… we cannot allow people like that in!”

              “I am not going to get involved in this, Elladan. Maybe you were justified, maybe you were not, but we cannot just cast off men because they look a little rough.”

              “You are too afraid to make the murders public.” Elladan said sharply. “You are afraid that the people will think you have let someone evil in.”

              “I fear that they will think that, yes, and that innocents may be accused.”

             “Always, ada, you do not act early enough, you think to much. Another murder will happen, and it will be the direct result of your timidity!”

             “You are too brash!” Elrond stood up, shouting at Elladan. “How dare you accuse me of such!”

             “But you are!” Elladan insisted, standing up.

             “I will not accept such words in my own home. Elladan, I am lord here, and your father, and you will not speak as such to me.”

             “Enough!” Elrohir stood up, coming between Elladan and their father. “Enough of this. We are all troubled, and it is nearly dawn. We were caught unawares of this, and it has shattered our security. But rather than argue, we must stand together and be vigilant.”

             “The last thing we need is to panic or cause panic.” Bregelwen agreed, inclining her head. “So tell none, understood?” She asked the guards, who all nodded.

             Elladan left, lead out by Elrohir, and Elrond turned to the guards too, “Also, this… ah… disagreement should be kept to this room, if you please.”

             “Yes M’lord.” They all replied.

             “Thank you.”

             They dispersed, the guards and Bregelwen, and then Elebrin, leaving Elrond with Erestor sitting next to him still.

- - -

             Elrohir tumbled onto his bed with a yawn, talking off-handedly to Elladan, “You know, I was having a very nice dream before we were woken up for this.”

             “Oh?”

             “Mhmm.”

             “Did it involve a lady?”

             “Indeed.”

             “Whom?”

             “I think that I am not going to tell you...”

             A pillow hit Elrohir squarely in the face just before he drifted into elven dreams again, intent on a nap before having to face the rest of the day. Maybe an idea as to the culprit of the murder would come to him while he rested.

- - -

             The swirl of voices returned in the night, in memory, when it was the darkest.

             …Sirion,

             First age…

              Metal clashed and there were shouts, yells, coming from all directions. I cowered beneath the table, hiding.

              “The havens of Sirion are under attack – hide your children and those who cannot fight, and all else arm yourselves and join us outside! Gondolindrim, stand proud!”

              “Is it Morgoth?”

              “They are elves! Elves are attacking us!”

              “It is the sons of Feanor!”

              “They know the Silmaril is here!”

- - -

              Elrond sighed and shook his head, absolutely unable to shake away the feeling of dizziness that had overcome him. He had managed to get Erestor to give him a few minutes worth of peace, but there was a headache tingling at his temples, not permitting him to think clearly. And he needed to be able to think clearly now of all times. A wave of nausea passed over Elrond and he had the sudden, nagging, thought that perhaps this was not a normal headache, before he fell into darkness.

- - -

To be continued…

- - -

- - -

Fidelity

by Lily Frost

Chapter II: More Misfortunes

             Morning dawned bright and cold with winter's chill fading still, but spring's brilliant sunlight slowly seeping in. Elladan was woken up, after barely resting two hours, by a frazzled Erestor. He was not frantic - they had never seen Erestor frantic - but he was obviously distressed when he shook Elladan, his voice betraying his posture. "Quickly Elladan, wake up. You must hurry to your father's chamber."

             "Wha-why, Erestor? What's wrong?"

             "I cannot wake Elrond. You go to him, I will get Elrohir and then try to find a healer, Sero, I think. He has studied mortals for centuries and would know if it were an illness that those with mortal-blood are subject to."

             Elladan rose quickly, dressing in his clothes from the night before has he spoke to Erestor, "I was thinking Ecetince, she is by far the best with poisons."

             "Oh. Sure, why not both?"

             "If you say so." Elladan said, hurrying to his father's chamber and leaving Erestor to wake Elrohir.

             When he arrived there, Elrond was indeed sleeping, it seemed, with his eyes tightly closed in the manner of mortals; but there was a rigidness to his posture that alarmed Elladan. He felt for a pulse, and it was there; steady, but slow, like his breathing.

             "Ada, ada, you need to wake up." Elladan said, shaking Elrond's shoulders, not as gently as Erestor would have done. Elrond did not respond. Elladan lifted the eyelids, but there was no response, and the skin temperature felt normal, though perhaps a little cool. Figuring it was all he could do, Elladan pulled a spare blanket from the foot of the bed and spread it over Elrond just as Elrohir, soon followed by Erestor and the two healers, Ecetince and Sero, came rushing in.

             Sero immeadietly went about examining Elrond; pressing his head against his chest to listen to his breathing... he did not seem to be ill. Elrohir tried to wake him up by lifting his arms and letting them drop and lightly blowing on his ears, even prodding at him.

             "He is unresponsive and cool to the touch... but he breathes easily." Elladan explained to Ecetince. "He did not seem ill at all yesterday."

             "But he will not wake?" She asked.

             Elladan shook his head.

             "Apparently not." Elrohir added, giving up on his prodding.

             "Hm." She pursed her lips, a line forming between her eyes as she seemed to think. "If this were poisoning it could be either some mild sleeping potion, or something very serious."

             "And why would someone want to poison Elrond?" Asked Sero.

             Elladan and Elrohir glanced to Erestor, as if asking for permission. He shrugged, allowing them to make the decision; they were afterall Elrond's heirs.

             "I am sure some residents have heard of it already. But there has been a number of strange murders recently." Elladan told him and Ecetince.

             "We have heard of these, yes. They are connected?"

             "They were all very grotesque and involved the killing of humans." Elrohir said. "So we believe they were done by the same person or party."

             "That is awful." Sero said.

             "It is." Elrohir agreed.

             "Please, we are trying to keep this hushed so that there is not panic." Erestor said, giving them meaningful looks. "But we have also advised all non-resident humans and those with relatives nearby to leave for a short while."

             Sero opened his mouth to speak, but just then Glorfindel burst into the chamber, his hair a golden flurry and his expression distressed. "Lord Elrond! You must come at once, there has been another mur--" He paused mid-sentence and looked quizically about the room. "What is amiss here?"

             "We cannot awake Lord Elrond... it may be poisoning."

             "Ai!" Glorfindel cried. "This is very bad. And another murder - Elladan, Elrohir, go at once to the East corridor. It is Nardia..."

             "Nardia? Oh no, Glorfindel, say it is not so..." Elrohir begged, thinking of the darling little human girl he had become close to.

             But the look in Glorfindel's eyes told him it was so, and so Elladan grasped Elrohir's hand in his own and pulled him along the corridor's of the Last Homely House towards their destination.

- - -

             Outside the door to the room, Elrohir pressed himself against the wall. From within the room he could hear Nadia's mother weeping and a muffled male voice comforting her.

             "Elladan, I cannot go in there. I cannot look upon her... she was but a child. Can you do it? Please?"

             The pleading in Elrohir's voice and in his eyes made Elladan's heart break a bit and he squeezed his twin's arm to reassure him. "Very well. I will... examine the body and talk to her parents."

             "Thank you." Was all that Elrohir could say.

             "Go back to Ada. I will join you as when I can."

             Elrohir nodded, and, bent with grief, left. With a deep breath Elladan pushed the door and entered.

             "Lord Elladan. I am so glad you are here." Elebrin said, with Melren, Nardia's mother, clutching him tightly. Her infant son, Denil, was sitting on the bed looking upset, though he was too young to truly understand and perhaps was just sensing what his mother was feeling. "I came as soon as I had heard, thinking to prevent the spread of panic and rumour."

             "We were going to leave tomorrow..." Melren sobbed. "To Bree. She was so excited."

             "Melren, we are so sorry about this. We are doing all we can to find out who has done commited these appalling deeds."

             "Deeds?"

             "There have been more murders. Certainly you have heard of at least two. There have been four... five now."

             "I see."

             "We need more clues as to who did this. May I look at the body?" Elladan asked, as gently as possible.

             "Under the sheet over there." Melren said, pointing in the corner.

             Lifting the sheet just enough to see beneath it, Elladan peered at the scene before him and had to drop it quickly to keep himself from vomiting. She had been murdered like the others, with her throat slit and her blood left to soak into the bed beneath her. The head was tilted back and twisted sideways at a grotesque angle. It may have been while she was asleep, but what a horrible thing to do! And two murders in one day, then. This was getting out of hand.

             "This happened during the night?"

             "Yes." Elebrin answered for Melren who could only nod.

             "And did you happen to glimpse the murderer?"

             "No." Elebrin answered again, having already heard the story. "It was nearly morning... she was still warm when Melren tried to wake her up."

             "I see."

             "Where is Lord Elrond?" Elebrin asked.

             "I... meet us in his study at noon, please. You too, Melren, unless you want to leave Rivendell still. Would you like an escort?"

             "I have already offered to bring her outside of our borders as far as possible." Elebrin said. "But she may wish to wait in leaving."

             She nodded, lifting Denil into her arms and trying to soothe her son.

             "There will be someone here to help you with the body very soon."

             "Thank you." Her voice was a whisper.

             "And again, my deepest sympathy. She was a lovely child. My brother was very close to her and always talked about her. You have one more, though, so be strong. I am sure that after your husband are already familiar with grief."

             "I have no husband." Melren said cooly. "Nardia and Denil's father left them."

             "Then may you be blessed with as much happiness as you have been burdened grief." Elladan said, the old blessing coming almost automatically in the empty space in the conversation while he contemplated what she was implying. Quietly, he left.

- - -

             To be continued...

- - -

Author's Notes: I'm really, really, really sorry about the delay! School got in the way, as did other stories and a rather nasty writer's block, but I'm back now. This chapter's a little longer, but not too well-edited, so I'm sorry for any typos, but I wanted to get it out.

Elvish:

Ecetince -- from Greek name for hyacith flower, hyacinthe, meaning broad-blade or 'ecet' in Quenya, with diminiutive ending

Sero -- from 'sere', meaning peace in Quenya

- - -

Fidelity

by Lily Frost

- - -

Chapter III: A Promise Made

Elladan nearly collapsed into his brothers arms when he arrived back in Elrond’s chamber. They were alone besides Elrond, who hadn’t moved at all in the time Elladan had been gone, and Sero, who was quietly tending Elrond. He was coaxing him to drink water by rubbing his throat, and seemed to disassociate himself from their dialogue.

“’Ro?” Elladan sobbed, “Please, I need you to swear something to me.”

“What is it?”

“If I ever, for whatever reason, do something as horrible as this - kill someone in such a gruesome manner, without due reason - please take my life.” Elladan’s implored, “I could not live with this on my conscience.”

“But ‘Dan... I could never raise my sword to yo--”

“Please, please... swear to me you will. I would not be myself anymore.”

Elrohir looked at his brother, working this through his head. He swallowed, and said, “I swear it, but only if you will do the same to me... should I ever take leave of my senses and become a threat.”

“Thank you.” Elladan rested his head on Elrohir’s shoulder, feeling relieved. Elrohir stroked his twin’s hair, his thoughts dark. Who could it be, and why?

Just then, the door to the room burst open and Arwen swept in, her travel-stained cloak furrowing behind her like a blue bird’s wings. “Ada!” She cried, and threw herself onto Elrond, touching him and kissing him, trying to wake him up.

“Arwen!” Elladan cried in surprise, “Why are you here already?”

“I was due back in three days, but I met a messenger on my way here, and he told me that there had been murders, so I hurried back and made it in two days. What is wrong with Ada?”

“We are not sure.” Elrohir squeezed her hand. “It looks like poisoning, but we are not certain.”

“Poisoning? By who? And why?”

“Ai, if only we knew, dear sister.” Elrohir shook his head, “We have had many murders of late, and all of humans. It may be someone who does not approve of humans living in Rivendell.”

“But that is preposterous! Any travellers, of any race, that bear no weapon against us, have always been welcome here.”

Elrohir shrugged. “I cannot think of any other reason they would have.”

“So what do we do?” Her sweet mouth was turned down into a frown, and her eyes were starting to water. Neither twin liked seeing their sister like this.

“We have doubled the guard, and many of the humans have left, for the time being. Rivendell is no longer a safe haven for them...”

“Sero?” Ecetince poked her head into the door. “Oh, you are all here! I am looking for a book, and Master Erestor and all the elves in the library do not know where it is. It is called ‘Rare Poisons of Harad’.”

“I have that one.” Elladan said, “It is on my desk in my chamber, shall I fetch it now?”

“Please do. I wish to look through it to see if I can find a poison that would cause these symptoms.”

Elladan left the room, and the others were left to continue the vigil over Elrond. Arwen’s turn was first, resting her head on the bedspread, still in her travel-stained garb.

- - -

And again, every night now, the memories return. Again I am in Sirion, and it is the First age still…

From beneath the table I watch as they drag my mother into the room by her hair, brutally yanking those golden locks I loved to play with when she carried me about. The men - human men that had aligned themselves with Feanor - forced her to the ground, and she saw me, but they did not. Her eyes were wide and she put a finger to her lips, telling me to be quiet, and then she slipped a red pendant into my hand.

Wordlessly, I hid it in my tunic and then shuffled deeper beneath the table just as she was dragged up again, and then flung into the wall. I heard the sickening crack of breaking bones and splintering wood as she struck the wall, and then I closed my eyes, trying desperately not to cry and alert them of my presence.

- - -

To be continued...