VIII: Coda

Elladan looked out over the balcony of the flet belonging to Celeborn and Galadriel, enjoying the early evening breeze rustling through the mellyrn. He could see Celeborn and Elrond helping Elrohir up the stairs leading to the flet. The splint had been removed the day before and Elrond had begun giving his son exercises to help strengthen the injured leg. Nerves had been damaged, as the Lord of Imladris had feared, and were slow to repair themselves but Elrond was confident that his son would regain full use of his leg in time.

Watching his adar and daeradar with his twin Elladan reflected on all that had happened. They had remained in the glade for two days during which Elrond had kept Elrohir in healing sleep. A horse litter had been constructed and used to transport the ellon to Lórien, much to that young elf’s disgust and Elladan’s amusement. They had taken another two days of easy riding before reaching the borders of the Golden Wood.

It had been decided among the elders that they would not speak of what had happened with the twins until Elrohir was more on the mend. Celebrían had been appalled when Elrohir had begun weeping inconsolably upon waking up in the tent all because the twins had not reached Lórien on their own. It had taken some time before any could calm him and assure him that all was well and none thought the less of him or Elladan for failing to reach their goal.

Now a week later they were all gathered to hear the entire story. Elladan turned back into his daernaneth’s sitting room. Galadriel and Celebrían sat together embroidering the new tunics they had made for the twins. Elladan winced slightly. The tunics were in the soft green-grey of the Galadhrim, but were being trimmed in bright shades of wine-red and buttercup-yellow flowers that were in stark contrast to the usual blues and greens preferred by the elves of Lórien.

"When you wear these," Galadriel had said with a mischievous laugh when the twins had seen the tunics being embroidered, "it will remind you of your adventures."

"As if we needed any reminders," Elrohir had muttered to his twin and Elladan had heartily agreed.

Glorfindel lounged on a nearby settee with Thandir and Eluwen, both of whom looked slightly ill at ease in the company of the great lords and ladies of two Elven realms. The three were speaking softly to one another, sipping on wine. Just as Elladan found a seat next to his daernaneth, who smiled warmly at him before returning to her stitching, Elrohir came in with Elrond and Celeborn. His twin’s face was wreathed in a huge smile.

"I did it, ’Dan! I made it all the way to the bottom and back!"

Elladan grinned back. "I know. I saw you. Come and sit by me, brother."

Elrohir complied while Celeborn and Elrond found seats for themselves. They were nearly settled when a fair voice sounded from the doorway.

"Am I too late to hear of the adventures of your sons, Elrond?"

Elrond and the others immediately stood up. "My Lord Amroth, you are most welcome and no you are just in time."

The King of Lóthlorien entered with a smile as everyone bowed and he bade them to resume their seats even as he took the one that Celeborn offered him. Elladan watched the king under lowered lids. To see him you would never think that Amroth was Lord of the Golden Wood. He was dressed plainly in Lórien grey and had an unassuming air. His quiet manner put everyone at ease, especially the two Imladris scouts, but Elladan sensed the same hidden power that he now felt in his daeradar, a power he was only beginning to comprehend.

When all were finally seated, Galadriel looked around the company, her gaze penetrating, her fingers never stopping the flow of stitches she was making on Elrohir’s tunic.

"Now, who would like to start?"

They ended up taking turns. Elladan and Elrohir explained why they had chosen to change their intended route as they had. Celeborn raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at his son-in-law in amusement but did not interrupt. Thandir explained the orders Erestor had given them and the twins blushed several times in embarrassment when it was again gently pointed out to them that their survival wasn’t all from their own efforts. They all laughed at Eluwen’s description of the twins running before the bear cub, but turned several shades of white at the description of the attack by the goblins and how close the twins had been to dying. At that point Elrond described what had happened in Tharbad and the twins snickered when he got to the part about having to reprimand Glorfindel.

It was only when they came to that part of the tale describing the woods where Elrohir was injured that the talk slowed to a reluctant halt.

"What happened there, Daeradar?" Elladan finally asked. "The trees..." but he couldn’t finish the thought and Celeborn merely shook his head.

"I fear the true story will never be known, daerion nîn. I can only tell you that some time before the rising of Ithil and Anor a terrible wrong was committed under the dark of the stars. Some of the Avari dwelt in those woods at the time, but what happened to them, none can say. After the drowning of Beleriand, some of us began exploring the lands on either side of the Hithaeglir. When we found these woods the trees did not welcome us as they had elsewhere. They were, in fact, in deep shock and we could get little out of them except that both trees and elves had been betrayed, but by what or by whom we could never ascertain."

The silver-haired Elf-lord sighed. "The total indifference of the trees unnerved us and it was decided to leave them to themselves. We named the woods Eryn Dîn and Amroth forbade the elves to enter it. We hoped in time that they would heal, but an entire Age has passed and that has not happened."

"Perhaps it is time it did," Elrond said softly, the healer in him grieving at the depths of pain the trees must have felt to turn away from the elves.

Amroth nodded, speaking for the first time. "You are right, Elrond. It is time for the healing to begin. I will go to Eryn Dîn with Celeborn and the Galadhrim and we will seek to heal the wounds. Too long has that wood been silent. It is time for it to join in the Song once again."

There was silence for a while, then Elrohir shifted his healing leg to a more comfortable position and sighed. "I guess it was all for nothing, then. We should have just stayed in Imladris and saved ourselves the trouble."

Thandir shook his head. "No penneth. You must not think that. As I told Elladan, Eluwen and I have the greatest respect for you both. You faced each challenge with courage and wit and even humor. And do not think the dwarves of Azaghâl-dûm considered you with contempt. They were highly amused, of course, but they saw and admired your strengths, not your weaknesses, your courtesy under pressure, not the state of your clothing. You impressed them very much, knowing how young you were as we elves measure such things."

Elrond leaned over from where he was sitting and placed a comforting hand on Elrohir’s knee. "Thandir speaks truly, iôn nîn. We are all immensely proud of you both." Here Elrond paused, a twinkle in his eyes as he glanced at Celebrían, who returned his look with a smile of her own. "Of course, that is not to say that you won’t be punished for causing your naneth such distress as she suffered. I think it will be a few more years before I will allow you to patrol outside Imladris. In the meantime, I may send you back to Azaghâl-dûm and ask Lord Búri to instruct you in the proper way of finding your way through caves. You really need to learn to follow your noses."

The others laughed at that as the twins blushed.

"I still can’t believe Erestor sent these two along to keep an eye on the twins," Glorfindel said with a nod towards Thandir and Eluwen, both of whom squirmed somewhat under the scrutiny of their lord and lady. "Why didn’t you think of it, Elrond?"

The Lord of Imladris gave a wry laugh. "Because I already had half of Valandil’s troops on the look-out for my sons between the Bruinen and Tharbad. The worst that could have happened to them along that route was getting rained on."

"Did Erestor know about Valandil’s men?" Celeborn asked and Elrond nodded.

"Then why...?" Eluwen started to ask but Elrond just shook his head.

"We’ll have to wait until we return to Imladris to ask. I noticed that he was nowhere to be found when I learned that my sons had gone missing. I did not think of it at the time, being more concerned with leaving Imladris as quickly as possible. Now I wonder..."

"Perhaps he saw something..." Celebrían offered, and Elrond shrugged.

"I hope Lord Erestor won’t suffer too much on our account, my lord," Thandir said. "Eluwen and I were honored to be entrusted with your sons’ safety."

Elrond stood up and smiled warmly as he walked over to where the scouts sat, placing his hands on their shoulders. "You both have my deepest gratitude, Thandir, Eluwen. Whether it was a vision sent by the Valar or his own love of my sons that prompted Erestor to send you I cannot say. I only know that I will be forever grateful for him doing so. Though why he felt he could not confide in me..." Elrond shook his head resignedly as he looked at Glorfindel.

Glorfindel simply shrugged then turned to the twins with a grin. "Your adar has threatened to skin Erestor alive and leave him out to dry."

The twins glanced at their adar in surprise then looked at each other before turning back to their elders with identical mischievous grins. "Can we watch?" they asked in unison.

The laughter was long and loud and echoed throughout the Golden Woods as Eärendil sailed across the star-strewn night.

****

Eryn Dîn: Silent Woods.

Author's Note: If you are curious to know what happens to Erestor once everyone returns to Imladris, you may find out in my story Erestor in the Dock at http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5073&cid=20801.