A shrill scream jarred Erestor from the bed and he was standing before he even realized he'd moved. In the sitting room, Elladan was also standing with his sword drawn as he stared at the guard on the balcony.
"That sounded like Mother," he said as he crossed to the door.
Erestor was at his side in an instant with the guard trailing behind.
In Arwen's room, Elrohir leaped up and pushed his sister behind him. "Stay in here and do not come out until Father or I tell you differently."
"Elrohir, that was Mother. I am coming with you."
Spinning around, Elrohir put his hand under her
chin. "Nay, you are staying here. I do not have time to argue with you,
Arwen. Remember, there is a murderer loose. Now stay put." Elrohir rushed
from the room and all but collided with Elladan and Erestor.
Glorfindel drew his sword and sprinted towards the screaming. Unarmed, Elrond
followed close behind. They met the twins at a juncture of two hallways with
Erestor right behind. For a moment, the five elves stood, ears straining.
"Was Golrahir informed of Celebrian's meeting with me concerning Faelon's death?" Elrond's almond eyes scanned the small group.
"Golrahir?" Elrohir echoed. "Nay, I have not seen him."
"He has not come to Erestor's rooms," echoed Elladan.
"Then he must have overheard," growled Glorfindel as he rushed for the doors to Celebrian's rooms and all quickly followed.
They all came to a sliding halt outside the wooden doors. A harsh voice could be heard within. Glorfindel stepped back for Elrond, who quickly turned the handle. The door refused to give to him and he motioned for this sons.
"We must break it down." He ordered.
The five elves lined themselves shoulder to shoulder and heaved themselves at the heavy portals. Beneath their combined weight and strength, the doors gave, coming loose from their hinges and splintering at the jambs.
"You ruined all our plans, Celebrian. Together we could have ruled Rivendell. Now I will be banished and you, as well. We'll be separated. How will I live without you?" Golrahir leaned over Celebrian, partially obstructing the view.
"Golrahir?" Elrond shouted and the elf turned at the sound of Elrond's command.
In his hands he held a bloody knife and there was blood on his sleeves and the front of his tunic. Behind him, Celebrian lay on her back among the pillows. Her dress was torn and bloodied and her smooth pale skin was torn and scratched.
"Do not compound your crimes, Golrahir. Step away." Elrond demanded, though his voice was soothing, as though speaking to an elfling.
Dark eyes widened and then narrowed. "I will not be taken." He growled.
"Then you shall die," shouted Elladan and he rushed forward with his hand raised. Elrohir followed and though Elrond reached out his long arms, he was unable to capture the wildcats come to their mother's rescue.
Golrahir turned quickly back to Celebrian and the knife rose high above his head. As the arc came down, Elladan's sword bit deep and Elrohir's sword thrust forward so that the secretary was hacked nearly in two and impaled at the same time. Celebrian managed a feeble scream and her eyes squinted tight. Golrahir clattered to the floor.
Elrond rushed to his wife's side and scooped her in to his strong arms. "Celebrian?"
"I am here, Elrond," she whispered softly.
Lord Elrond sent for his medicines while Glorfindel removed Celebrian to Elrond's rooms. The twins, their rage spent, gathered the secretary's remains. Erestor retreated deep into his silence and with hot water and soap retrieved from two servants, cleaned the room so that no trace of the violence remained. He ordered the bed linens and the mattress itself burned. The carpets, which only bore the blood of Golrahir, were taken and scrubbed and when they were later returned to Celebrian's rooms, turned so that no stains showed. Erestor himself knelt and with scrub brush in hand removed the last of the mess from the floor.
In the Last Homely House, there remained much speculation as to what happened; yet the Lord remained closeted away and his sons were sent out on patrol. Even Arwen was kept in the dark. And the following morning, Glorfindel took her and a few guards and rode to the Golden Wood, where he remained closeted with Celeborn and Galadriel for a day before returning to Rivendell.
As Chief Advisor, much fell to Erestor's shoulders and two days after the attack on Celebrian, he stood disconsolately outside Elrond's door. He carried in his hands a sheaf of papers that needed his lord's approval and he was loathe to intruded in to the place of sickness. He did not want to see Celebrian as she must be, scarred and wounded. Nor did he wish to see Elrond with the pain of his loss etched upon his features and the sorrow of so much gone wrong weighting his shoulders. The silence that had become so much a part of Erestor became like a shield and he draped it over himself as he knocked gently on the door.
When Elrond opened it, he bowed low. "Forgive the intrusion, my lord, but there are matters that cannot wait."
"Of course, come, Erestor." Elrond opened the door wide and bid the advisor to enter.
Erestor stood awkwardly. "I have taken certain liberties in dealing with Lady Celebrian's ordeal. I hope you do not mind." He held out the parchments in his hand and waited patiently for Elrond to take them.
Elrond took the papers and opened them, as if he expected them to bite. He had thought of nothing but Celebrian and Faelon and Golrahir for the past two days. His concern for his wife's reputation was foremost in his mind. Of course, Faelon's reputation was a problem. Having this terrible curse tied to Imladris could easily ruin everything he'd worked so hard to create. He had begun to feel trapped. That Erestor had taken such a task upon himself was a surprise, for no one else would have presumed. But, then, perhaps Erestor thought he was bound by honor or duty. Elrond's brows rose steadily as he read. "Brilliant. You think it will work?"
"Most certainly it will. I do not think anyone will doubt the word of Lord Elrond on the matter of his wife's attack. Besides, such things are never discussed openly."
"I owe you an apology. I did not fully believe Celebrian's story, but when she combined her tale with the fact that you watched Faelon and I, poor judgment won out. And then there was Faelon's murder."
Erestor's face colored and his eyes could not quite meet Elrond's. "The fault is mine. I intruded where I had no right, my lord. I knew what I was doing was wrong and I should have stopped."
"Why didn't you?" Elrond handed Erestor back the parchment.
The advisor folded the papers and dragged his fingers sharply along the creases. "I found the whole spectacle fascinating."
Elrond did not know quite what to answer and so changed the subject. "And this?" His hand waved towards the carefully penned parchments.
"This saves face and spares all of us humiliation. Especially Faelon's memory; I would not want my friend ridiculed for loving you." Erestor raised his eyes at last. "Lord Elrond, I would like to tender my resignation."
Gray eyes flickered up and down Erestor's tense body and read something there that he'd never noticed before. There was more to Erestor than his dark robes and his conservative demeanor. Surely he had his secrets, as an advisor he'd learned to deal with them and save his own sanity. The quiet strength and endurance was hidden behind a pleasant, if aloof, expression and mild eyes. "I would rather you did not."
"I feel it is necessary. I would like to sail to the Undying Lands."
"You never before expressed this desire. Why the change now? Is it the death of Faelon? You did love him, then? Golrahir got that much right."
"Nay, my lord. Faelon was my friend and nothing more. I admired him and, sometimes I envied him. Never did I hate him or wish him ill. I never imagined him dead." Erestor shuffled his feet. "I believe it is time for me to leave."
"After Celebrian is more fully healed, we can discuss this again. Right now, though, I have lost a secretary, a Chief Librarian and a wife. I do not have the resources to replenish so much at once."
"As you wish, my lord." Erestor bowed and left as silently as he'd come, his back straight and shoulders squared.
Elrond sat beside Celebrian and held her hand and talked softly to her, encouraging her to recover her strength and rejoin the living.
*~*
The twins met up with Glorfindel three weeks after his departure from Imladris. His visit in Lorien was one that had gone as well as to be expected considering the circumstances. He did not explain to Celeborn and Galadriel why the secretary had attacked Celebrian, he thought he'd leave that up to Elrond. His trip had been exhausting and he was glad to see the twins. They were angry still, and he could see it in the set of their shoulders and the deep rage smoldering behind their gray eyes. In that moment, they reminded Glorfindel so much of Elrond that he smiled.
They rode the rest of the way to the Last Homely House together. Though there was little communication, there was little need for it. Glorfindel had been a part of their lives since their birth and he knew them as well as they knew him. The silence was companionable and peaceful and the twins seemed to take comfort in the great warrior's presence. So that when they reached the great sprawling house, they were calm again and the rage that had simmered was now cooling.
Elrond met them on the stairs with his arms wide and a smile on his face. His features were smooth and he seemed easier. The twins rushed up the shallow stairs and embraced their father.
"How is she?" Inquired Elrohir.
"She recovers." Elrond held his sons close for a moment before releasing them. "Glorfindel, how did your trip go?"
"The Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood have agreed that Arwen should remain with them for a time and they will bow to your wishes in the handling of the 'debacle', as Lord Celeborn put it. They worry for their daughter's health, but trust that your skills will save her."
Elrond rubbed his hands together lightly. "I would like to assemble everyone to my private study as soon as possible. There is still much to be done."
By mid afternoon, Glorfindel and the twins were gathered in the private study, near Lord Elrond's rooms. Erestor perched like a black crow on a chair with his lap piled high with vellum and parchment. His long hair had been pulled back from his face and his features were gaunt.
The doors opened and everyone turned and there was a long pause as Celebrian, leaning heavily on Elrond for support, tottered in to the room. The elves rose respectfully and bowed. Her smile was gracious though wan, and her eyes would not meet anyone else's.
"Good afternoon." She said as she was helped to a chair near the fireplace. Her sons immediately sat beside her and she offered them each a hand to hold. They made no note of the chill of her skin or the fragility of her body.
"These last three weeks have been trying for all concerned and I thank you for attending me so quickly. While you were gone, Erestor has been hard at work. He has found a solution to the attack on Celebrian. As this was his idea, I believe he should be the one to share it." Elrond motioned to Erestor.
Awkwardly, the Chief Advisor shuffled aside his papers and rose on shaky legs. He cleared his throat. "Recent events leave us exposed to external forces," he began. He looked at Celebrian and changed tactics. "We cannot let it be known that Lady Celebrian was attacked by a member of Elrond's staff as this would create a great lapse in confidence from our allies and suggest to our enemies that Imladris has become weak. Therefore, I propose that we lay the blame for the attack on orcs."
Glorfindel's eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "You want people to believe there are orcs in Imladris?"
"As I said, we cannot let the outside world know that the secretary murdered Faelon and made an attempt on Lady Celebrian's life. Yet, Faelon and Golrahir are dead and the lady is obviously ill. Therefore, I propose that we tell everyone that Lady Celebrian was attacked on her way to Lothlorien by orcs and the Chief Librarian and secretary—who traveled in her company—were slain while trying to protect her. Of course, this makes Golrahir a bit of a hero, but that cannot be helped."
"You are truly a genius, Erestor," Glorfindel said delightedly. "You might be able to get away with it, too."
"Do you intend to go along with this, Mother?" Elladan asked.
"I have no choice. I brought some of this on myself, and I realize that because of me, Faelon is dead and Imladris stands on the brink of destruction. Because of my own actions, there are those who would assume that I had an affair with Golrahir and many would look down on me for it. This way, I keep my dignity. After I have spent time visiting with Arwen and my family, I will sail west."
"Mother, you can't." Elrohir squeezed his mother's hand tightly.
"My time in Middle Earth is at an end. I am weary and wish to go." She stared at the brown hands holding her pale ones. "I shall miss all of you terribly but a time will come when you, too, will set sail and I will see you again."
"Glorfindel, you and the twins shall escort Celebrian to Lothlorien and from there, to the Havens."
"To add weight to the accusation?"
"Of course."
Later that night, Glorfindel sat with Elrond enjoying mulled wine. "The strategy is brilliant."
"Indeed it is. I am pleased with Erestor .""Do you blame him for what happened?"
"No," Elrond stared down at his lap. "He believes I hold him responsible, I think." Elrond continued. "Or he believes he is not welcome in Imladris or that he has enemies here. I do not know for certain what he believes, for in truth the silence for which he was always known has become an impregnable fortress."
"He has given you some indication of his thoughts, or else you would not have concerns."
Elrond outlined the conversation with his advisor and waited for Glorfindel to add his thoughts to the mix.
For a while, Glorfindel sipped his wine and said nothing, not sure what to say. Erestor's secrets were his own. Even though Glorfindel felt that the Chief Advisor was making a huge mistake, he did not know if he could or should break that confidence. "Faelon's death hit him hard," he hedged at last.
"Aye, I know that. Even though he and Faelon quarreled, I believe that Erestor truly cared for his friend and mourns the loss. He did not intend harm."
"He could never intentionally harm you or
Faelon. I do not understand him, for certain, but I know him well enough to
know that he would rather perish than cause harm to those he loves."
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