That night a dark cloud loomed over the Last Homely House that had nothing to do with the weather. Elrond stayed away from the dining hall, preferring the sanctuary of his rooms. Glorfindel wandered easily through the halls, though he was the only one to do so. Every one was still on edge about Faelon. With Erestor's arrest, tension increased ten fold and the elves divided in to two camps. Those for Erestor and those against him.
As Glorfindel watched the elves of Rivendell, he noted who was absent and who was present. He realized that Celebrian and Arwen had not come. He was not surprised, really, for the whole spectacle must rankle greatly with Celebrian who worried so much over image. Arwen would have been hurt and stunned by recent events and would be too upset to join with the others. Both Melpomaen and Saelbeth were absent and he was not surprised. He supposed they dined privately. Golrahir's absence narrowed his eyes as he considered his suspicions.
*~*
Elladan tucked in to the food brought earlier by Glorfindel. He had drawn, by default, the night shift. He watched Erestor, still lying still atop the bed. Once he had crept to the advisor and touched him lightly. The dark brown eyes blinked instantly into focus and he'd partially sat up. Elladan had encouraged him to eat, but Erestor had said he was not hungry.
Erestor did not sleep. He stared at the ceiling, wondering about the faceless enemy who had so easily and callously unraveled the thread of his life. He wondered how he would ever again face Lord Elrond, or even if the Noldor would ever forgive him. Or believe his innocence.
*~*
Saelbeth watched as Melpomaen wandered restlessly around the room. Since neither felt up to company, they had elected to bring a covered tray to Melpomaen's rooms. But Melpomaen refused to eat. Instead he wandered from the window to the door and back.
Saelbeth cleared his throat. "Melpomaen, please sit down. You are making me nervous."
"I can't help it," sighed the other. "I feel helpless and trapped. Like I'm waiting for something bad to happen."
The advisor went and put his arms around the librarian and kissed his ear. "I know, love, but fretting won't change anything."
Melpomaen twisted in Saelbeth's arms and embraced him. "I am glad you are here. I do not think I could endure this alone."
Saelbeth pulled away. "What do you mean?"
"All of this would be difficult to bear if you were not with me. I do not mean Erestor, though he is a part of it. I mean, all of it. Faelon, Erestor, everything. This is so frightening." Melpomaen ran his hands lightly over Saelbeth's tunic. "Are you not frightened?"
"Aye, I am. I do not know what is to become of all this. I do know that worrying will not help any more than not eating."
"I have no appetite." He unconsciously mimicked Erestor who lay on his bed just down the hall.
"Let me help you regain it," Saelbeth nuzzled his lover's neck.
Melpomaen tilted back his head so that his long hair spilled in waves down his back and his throat was exposed to Saelbeth's kisses. His hands slid over the smooth silk covering his lover's shoulders and he moaned softly as warm lips explored his flesh.
*~*
"Lady Arwen." Golrahir bowed as the door was opened and Arwen peered cautiously out at him. "I was worried about you."
"I am fine, thank you, Golrahir." Arwen felt a shiver go down her spine. Something was greatly amiss for her father's secretary to come uninvited to her quarters. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, my lady. I know how troublesome things have been of late and I worry so about Lord Elrond's family. I can't imagine the stress you have been placed under with the death of your father's lover and all that has transpired since."
Celebrian pressed closer to the wall and listened to Golrahir. Her throat felt dry and tight and her hands shook. She had come to Arwen's room to see if she needed any help in packing for their journey, as she wanted to leave Imladris as soon as possible. While she'd said they should be ready in two weeks, she felt the urge to flee much sooner. Glorfindel was sly and determined and it would not take him long to unravel the mystery of Faelon's death and, consequently, her own duplicity. She knew that her time in Imladris was drawing to a close and she could feel the changes coming. Soon, she knew, the fragile peace would be shattered. In a flurry of sudden resolve, Celebrian resolved that she would be the one to decide her own fate.
Arwen licked her dry lips. "Again, I thank you for your concern. You needn't worry, though, as mother and I will be leaving in a day or so for Lothlorien. She feels that the oppressive atmosphere here is unhealthy and we shall go and stay with Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel until the situation is sorted out."
Celebrian winced as her daughter gave away her secrets. She had not forbidden Arwen to speak of it, but now she wished she had.
"I did not know," Golrahir was surprised by the news. He had not thought Celebrian would turn tail and run. "I bid you safe journey, then, and leave you to your preparations." He stepped back and allowed Arwen to close the door on his face.
Arwen stepped away from the door with a frown and studied her mother. "Golrahir is behaving strangely."
"I would imagine it is the stress," Celebrian answered faintly. "I have much to do so I will leave you for now." She pushed away from the wall and clasped her daughter in a tight embrace. "I love you, my child."
Surprised, Arwen hugged her mother in return. "I love you, too."
Leaving her daughter's quarters, she went in
search of Glorfindel. She tried his rooms first but found them empty. Next
she went to his office, but he was not there. She turned to go to the dining
hall hoping to find him there. . (
"Good evening, my lady." He snuck up from behind her.
"Golrahir," she stiffened. "Do not sneak up on me again."
"My apologies. I understand that you will be leaving us soon." His voice was velvet smooth and held no hint of the irritation he felt.
"I am taking Arwen to Lothlorien to visit my parents."
"And is there something that Glorfindel can help you with?"
"He is my escort, of course." She held her chin high and hoped to bluff the secretary.
"I am?" Glorfindel rounded the corner and frowned. He read Celebrian's tension and something with Golrahir set his nerves on edge. "I was not aware that you were leaving for Lothlorien."
"The arrangements are still being made," she answered. "I plan to depart the day after tomorrow."
Golrahir smiled warmly. "I wish you well on your journey, Lady Celebrian. Lord Glorfindel, I bid you good evening."
Celebrian gave him a chilly stare before turning to the warrior. "Glorfindel, come with me."
"What? Where?" He was taken aback by her commanding tone.
She watched as Golrahir vanished around the corner. "I know who murdered Faelon," she hissed.
Glorfindel's blue eyes narrowed on the spot where
Golrahir had disappeared.
Around the corner, out of sight, but not hearing, Golrahir ground his teeth.
*~*
In Elrond's office, with the door securely bolted,
Celebrian paced the ornate carpet. Glorfindel stood with his back to the door
while Elrond seated himself behind his oversized desk.
"Well, Celebrian?" Elrond said at last in to the silence. "You
demanded this meeting, now I suggest you tell me why."
Celebrian stopped pacing and settled on the edge of her seat with her hands gripping the arms. "I believe I know who killed Faelon. I believe, also, that I know why."
Elrond's eyes narrowed on his wife and he noted with some satisfaction that she flinched and could not hold his gaze. "Speak."
Celebrian licked her lips and looked at Glorfindel, as if silently seeking his support. "Golrahir has been my confidante for quite some time."
"Golrahir?" Glorfindel could not help himself. He'd suspected Golrahir the whole while, simply for no other reason that he was the only one who stood to gain anything from Faelon's death and Erestor's arrest. He had never thought Celebrian was directly involved with Golrahir, though he was pretty certain she knew more than she let on.
"He is the one who told me that Erestor liked to watch as you and Faelon played your silly little games. He told me, also, that Erestor 'enjoyed' himself while he watched."
Elrond frowned. "Is this why you dislike him so?"
Celebrian's head bobbed in the affirmative. "That is not the only reason. As a secretary, Golrahir had limited access to the council workings. I had thought, I suppose we all assumed, that you would make Faelon your Chief Advisor, but you chose Erestor and brought him from Lindon instead. Had Faelon moved up, Saelbeth would have been made Chief Librarian rather than being promoted to Assistant Advisor. The door would have been open for Golrahir to move into the position Saelbeth now holds."
"A position you both desired that he should hold?" Elrond was beginning to understand the motives behind Celebrian's accusations against his Chief Advisor, but not Faelon's death.
"Yes. I should have been on your council, as a princess in my own right, but you never once asked me. You married me for the sake of heirs and I married you for position and, yes, I admit it, power. As you once said, my parents are still sometimes seen as the usurpers and I needed the influence of Rivendell for legitimacy. Golrahir was supposed to help me in that regard. Anyway, once you brought in Erestor, that hope vanished. Then Golrahir found out Erestor's nasty little secret and we used it, hoping to get him banished completely from court. "
"And did you kill my lover, Celebrian?" Elrond's voice was quiet, but not a calm quiet. Rather his voice promised violence, sure and swift.
Tears gathered in Celebrian's eyes. "Nay, Elrond, I would not commit murder. Not even Faelon deserved to die."
"You knew what he planned but let it happen anyway?" Elrond's voice dropped to a whisper and his dark brows drew close together.
"Again, I disavow any such knowledge. I suspected he would so something rash and foolish, but I did not suspect this. And before you ask, which I know you shall, I will tell you that he frightened me a little."
Elrond sniffed. "You brought a snake in to your bed and then worried that it might sink its fangs into your tender flesh?"
Celebrian dashed the tears from her face. "He was never in my bed, Elrond. Do not presume."
Elrond gave his wife such a cold stare that for a moment she was speechless. "You tell me that you conspired against one of my advisors with the secretary, but that you were not sharing more intimacies? Surely not even you would expect me to believe that, Celebrian."
"We had mutual goals," Celebrian weakly admitted.
"Was my downfall one of those goals?"
Celebrian's head wagged from side to side and her white blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. "Nay, you know I would not dare. However, at some point our desires digressed and we began going in separate directions. I wanted one thing and he wanted something else. Now, I no longer know anything."
"What makes you think he may have had a hand in Faelon's death?" Glorfindel finally interjected. He could not sit by and watch the couple tear each other to pieces when more pressing issues remained at hand.
Celebrian rewarded Glorfindel with a grateful smile. "I knew you would discover the truth Elrond and I also knew the consequences."
"You knew how I'd react, and you did this thing anyway? Celebrian, why?"
"As I have said, I wanted more than to be the mate of Lord Elrond of Imladris. I have always felt out of place in Rivendell, as if all the other elves peer down their noses at me. You and Faelon were so obviously in love and everyone in Rivendell knew it. I felt like everyone mocked me or talked about me behind my back."
"You know I would never have allowed that, Celebrian."
"How would you have known, Elrond? You spent your time in Faelon's room."
"You did not want me around you, Celebrian. You made yourself perfectly clear on that score. You did not want me to be a part of your life once Arwen was born."
"I did not want you in my bed, this is true. I am unable to participate in your games. They disgust me."
"We have gotten off subject." Glorfindel squirmed. "If you wish to continue this discussion, I should leave."
"No, Glorfindel. You are correct. Now is not the time. Besides, what is past is past. We cannot change what happened. Did you see Golrahir the night Faelon was murdered?"
"I saw him just before dinner."
"I sent him to alert Erestor to the time of our meeting to discuss your accusations." Elrond thought for a moment. "He had plenty of time. He might have known Erestor would be in the garden. Did he know Faelon would be?" He, too, thought back in time and wondered that he had not made the connection.
"Who is to say? Perhaps he asked Faelon to meet him or followed after the librarian? He could easily have removed Melpomaen's knife without the elf knowing. He'd been quite distracted." Glorfindel mused.
"Come, let us go in search of Golrahir and see what he has to say," Elrond rose from his chair and gave his wife a scathing look. "What do you propose, Celebrian?"
"What do you mean?" She played innocent to buy needed time.
"I do not think, once all this comes out, you will be comfortable in Imladris. Perhaps you should make permanent arrangements for your stay in Lothlorien?"
"You mean to banish me?"
"What would you have me to do, Celebrian? I would prefer you went quietly without a word of your involvement. If you choose to make a scene and plead your case, then all this shall be public. You've worried about scandal so long that I wonder how you would welcome it now?"
Celebrian bit her lip. "You are right, of course. I would not bring any shame to my family, especially Arwen. I will retire to the Golden Wood. What shall I tell them there?"
"Whatever you like, of course. All knew of my love for Faelon, just as everyone knew of my love for Gil-Galad. I have always been open with that. None will think less of you." A note of tenderness crept in to Elrond's voice and he laid a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Do you forgive me, Elrond?" She inquired in a small, tired voice.
"Of course I do. I love you, Celebrian, in my own fashion. I am sorry that it is not enough for you."
Celebrian turned and regally walked through the door with her head held high. Elrond sighed as she exited. "Where did I go wrong, Glorfindel?"
"You treated her as an object, I think. She is as great in her own way as Galadriel with a pride to match."
"Had she told me she desired to be on the council, I would have made room for her." Elrond followed in his wife's wake.
"Aye, I am sure you would have. Pity she did not trust you enough to ask." They walked silently to the main chambers, prepared to go straight to Golrahir's room.
Elrohir sat holding Arwen's hand. He'd only just discovered that she was going to Lothlorien and, while the ideas distressed him, he knew her departure was for the better. Too many unpleasant events had happened and they had begun to take their toll on everyone. He was glad, too, that Arwen would be removed from harm's way. After their search of Erestor's rooms, even he had begun to doubt the advisor's guilt.
"Golrahir came by a little while ago," Arwen continued, breaking in to her brother's musings.
"Father's secretary came here?"
Arwen nodded. "He wanted see if I was alright. Mother was here and she acted rather strangely."
"How strange?" Elrohir's stomach did a slow pitch and roll.
"When he knocked, she got a funny look on her face and then she rushed to stand behind the door. When I opened it, she remained hidden."
Suddenly, Elrohir got up and crossed to the door leading to the balcony and closed it securely. "What happened then?"
"Mother left in a hurry. I do not know where she went, but she claimed she had unfinished business." Arwen thought for a minute. "Odd, we had planned to depart within two weeks, but she changed her mind and said she wanted to leave within the next couple of days."
"After Erestor's arrest." Elrohir muttered with a frown.
*~*
Celebrian did not notice the shadow falling in her wake. She was too intent on her own inner turmoil. She had gambled foolishly and lost and now she was to be banished from her home. What was more, she had caused Elrond a great deal of pain. And she had to wonder at her own vindictiveness. When Elrond had turned to Faelon for physical love, she had felt scorned and she allowed her scorn to turn to hate and her hate to rage.
She pushed open the door to her private apartments and entered. Just as she was closing the door, an arm snaked around her shoulders and pressed her close against a firm chest.
"I wish you had not decided to develop a conscience, my lady," a voice whispered in her ear.
Celebrian screamed.
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