Chapter 3:  the sun is spreading no warmth

The King of Gondor followed the Elves up back up into the more comfortable regions of the tower. He had released his guards from their duty much to their dismay.

Despite being nearly as tall as the Elf-lord’s son Aragorn reached the top step of the entrance platform some time later.

Having been a healer nearly all of his life made Aragorn curious to learn why the woman still lived. Why she had not long since heeded the call of Mandos was a miracle to him. While Elves were able to choose to die, most Men had no such ability and had to wait for a merciful release.

His heart had constricted at the sight of the poor Elf. Aragorn had seen many a dead human down here, yet an imprisoned Elf made his gut clench even more. These eternal beings were not made to be imprisoned.

Glorfindel had spread a cloak on the ground and placed the still living body on top of it. Elrond was kneeling next to the councillor after he had retrieved his healing pack from the wagon. Yet again he hesitated even to touch the woman. Aragorn frowned at his foster father’s hesitation. Did the Elf perceive something that was hidden to his mortal eyes?

Elladan was erecting a tarpaulin to shield the woman from the sun. Then the young elf was knelt opposite his father to assist him.

Aragorn was undecided whether to stay or return to his men, in the end his curiosity won out. However, he felt excluded for some indefinable reason. After all these years in the company of elves there were still moments he could not have been more distant from them. This was such a moment.

Meanwhile, the healer had wetted a sponge with water that Elladan had brought from the near river Isen and was carefully cleaning the grime from the woman’s body. The more the healer removed the dirt the more it became visible how mistreated this woman’s flesh was.

Aragorn was unable to glimpse any part of her skin, which was undamaged. He could make out scars, cuts, bruises, and swellings under the skin. Aragorn was not sure that he wanted to learn the cause. After watching for a while, Aragorn had to give his foster father credit – this Elf would never recover.

Carefully the new King of Gondor watched the faces of the Elves kneeling around the woman. His foster father’s face was expressionless, yet Aragorn knew that it was due to intense concentration. He knew that his foster father would do anything to help the elf-woman if he would see only the tiniest glimmer of hope.

Glorfindel´s face expressed anger, almost fury. Aragorn’s frown deepened. At whom was this directed? Saruman? He knew the warrior better than that. The Istari had brought so much sorrow to uncounted beings that this strong emotion was misplaced. The fate of this elf-woman was surely more than sad, yet she was only another victim in a long saga of unending sorrow. Elladan´s face was blank. Aragorn was hard pressed to guess what the older twin was thinking.

Not more then an hour had passed when the elves stopped their treatment. The body of the woman was washed, bruises and cuts treated, and broken bones set. Elrond had wrapped the fragile body in a long linen shirt Glorfindel had handed him. The haggard form looked forlorn in the much too wide garment so Elrond tied the lose ends in a soft knot over the she-elf’s knees.

Then he rose and stretched his long legs. Elladan was covering the pale Elf with another cloak, yet despite the warm temperatures Aragorn doubted that this body could be warmed up again.

Glorfindel looked irritated at the Elf-lord. Obviously, he was expecting something more from the healer in addition to carrying out the basic treatments. In one fluid motion, he rose also.

“Elrond,” he called and Aragorn cringed. He knew this tone. The warrior was highly irritated. The King of Gondor followed the beckoning of his foster brother and sat next to the elf under the canvas. Elladan was watching over their patient.

With a furrowed brow, Aragorn watched the Elf-lords he had known all his life. The rigid posture of his foster father heralded a confrontation. Before Glorfindel could open his mouth, Elrond turned around and fixed his advisor with a stern glare.

“Glorfindel, I know what you want to say and my answer is no!” the healer said in a low voice, but only people who knew him recognized the irritation in his tone.

Aragorn inhaled sharply. Again he was reminded how quickly these eternal beings could be misjudged because of their beautiful appearance and their noble bearing. Just now, Aragorn did not want to be the target of the warrior´s anger. And the retort was not slow to come.

The healer was raising an annoyed eyebrow when the warrior stepped closer.

“You do certainly not know what I want to say. Why are you not helping her further?” Glorfindel said in a low tone. “Wherever is the problem?”

For a short moment Aragorn expected that his foster father would turn away without retorting, yet after s short look into his direction the healer faced the warrior again.

“Glorfindel open your eyes and look at her. Nothing what I or everyone else could do would reverse what has been done to her.”

Glorfindel however did not back down.

“She still alive, Elrond. What’s the reason for this? Can you tell me that? Are you afraid to fail again?”

Despite the sun, still streaming down on the area around the tower the temperature dropped suddenly. Elladan had sprung up and taken up a rigid stance.

Aragorn held his breath. He carefully watched his foster father’s reaction.

“You forget your position, Commander,” the healer warned with an icy expression. Aragorn swallowed. Glorfindel had clearly crossed a line.

For long moments, the two elves glared at one another until Glorfindel turned and strode back toward them. Without saying a word, he knelt down and caressed the cheek of the woman gently, almost lovingly. Elladan wetted his lips and raised an eyebrow in surprise. After relaxing his stance, he sat down again.

Aragorn exhaled slowly. After so many years, the fate of the Lady Celebrían was still a sore point.

“I am sorry, Elrond. I did not mean that as it sounded,” Glorfindel suddenly said. Though he spoke the apology very quietly, Aragorn was sure Elrond had heard it. The healer took a deep breath. He nodded in acceptance.

After some moments, the healer strode over too and knelt down again.

“She has not improved,” Elladan said but Aragorn was sure that an entirely different message was transferred between father and son. The healer answered with a nod and Elladan inclined his head. Aragorn recognized that Glorfindel did not meet the older twin’s eyes.

“Glorfindel,” Elrond suddenly said while the warrior kept his gaze directed at the woman.

“Why she is till alive is a miracle to me. Yet I would not call it living. Her heart is still beating and she is breathing, yes, but nothing more. Why she has not long heeded the call of Mandos I do not know either, yet when I examined her I perceived some…..”

Three heads snapped into the healer’s direction.

“What have you learned?” Glorfindel demanded the remorseful tone from before forgotten.

“It appears that a spell has been forced upon her. A spell which is hindering her spirit from finding rest into the Blessed Realm,” Elrond explained in a low tone.

“Is this possible?” Aragorn asked, again looking at the sunken face.

Elrond shook his head. “I have never heard of such a possibility but with an Istari involved…..”

“Then the crime done to her is much greater than I imagined,” Glorfindel said and the angry gleam had returned to his eyes.

Elrond narrowed his eyes. Why was the warrior so taken with this woman? Aragorn was sure that no words had been uttered, yet the warrior gazed at the healer.

“I do not know, Elrond. Something is special about her. She’s not from around here or from this time. It’s almost as if I know her…from long ago….”

Elrond did say nothing. Glorfindel was one of the best warriors he had ever known and could be merciless in battle, yet there were times when he reacted very emotionally, sometimes uncomprehendingly and sometimes the healer was at a loss to understand the motives of the ancient Elf at all. When Glorfindel said he assumed her not from here then he did surely not mean the tower and its near surroundings.

He counted this Elf to the best friends and companions and his skills as a councillor were unquestioned, yet Glorfindel could be very annoying when caught in bygone memories or when he experienced something which reminded him of his life before his rebirth.

“She’s is of my kin,” the warrior said abruptly, not looking at anyone as his gaze still directed at the closed eyes of the woman.

Aragorn looked up in surprise. The woman was tall and when healthy she must have been beautiful. Even now, her features looked noble. The curiously still full blond hair cascaded down her meagre shoulders…..

Gorfindel shrugged his shoulders at the questioning and gazed at the two Peredhil who were looking at him.

“I do not know but I’m sure she is of Vanya descent.”

Now even the healer was taking a closer look at the face of the she-elf. Yet the many years of imprisonment, bereft of sun and wind, the years living in utter darkness had let the skin wither, the once rosy hue and flawless appearance, which was common among the fair folk had vanished. To guess of which elven race she once descended from was pure speculation.

Seeing the healer’s frown and doubts the warrior rose and strode away with stiff strides. Elrond nodded toward his sons and rose too. Elladan would resume his watch over their patient; Aragorn excused himself to check if his men required his presence.

He was curious to learn what had happened and was still happening to this mysterious Elf, yet he had a mission to accomplish. He was now a King of Men and as much as he was still drawn to the elves, who had raised him he had now new responsibilities to focus upon.

Elrond had meanwhile reached his friend and for long moments, the elves stood in companionable silence looking over the desolate place their thoughts far away.

“Elrond, I cannot deny how my heart is speaking to me. This woman is surrounded by a secret and for a reason I cannot yet fathom I’m drawn to her fate. I cannot say more at this moment.”

Glorfindel stopped, not looking at the healer who stood just a step behind him. Long moments the Lord of Imladris said nothing but when nothing more was forthcoming from his councillor he took a deep breath.

“Glorfindel, I’m also concerned over the fate of this woman but your hopes that she will recover are vain. Even if the unlikely happens and she awakens, she will forever be disabled. All her muscles, bones, and sinews are so badly damaged that she will never be able to walk, to sit or to stretch out. This would be no life. She would only suffer. You should not wish for her to awaken from this nightmare. She would be condemned to life her live in misery. And this I’m saying to you as a friend, not as a healer.”

Glorfindel turned and looked at his friend and Lord.

“I know, Elrond, yet I will not abandon her.”

Without a further word, the warrior turned and strode back to the canvas where Elladan was still sitting. When the councillor sat down the older twin arose. Glorfindel nodded is appreciation to be granted some time alone with the woman.

Elrond looked at the dark clouds gathering in the sky. This was a most troubling development. Was some spell still working long after the Istari´s departure, or was the great warrior simply overwhelmed with pity and hoping for things that would never happen?

In any case, the Lord of Imladis would watch this process intently and then decide how to proceed. As heart wrenching the fate of this she elf might be he would not bring any potential danger knowingly or unknowingly into his valley.

To be continued……………