BACK FROM THE DEAD

 

Elrond was pacing the floor of his study. His patrols had reported that a messenger was heading toward Rivendell at full speed. Now the messenger was inside, and being helped. Elrond was anxious for news, near the harbors, elves had been fighting battles with orcs that had gotten out of hand. Already many squads had gone, and this last time, Luna had been summoned to fight. Luna left, promising to come back, unharmed, and he would hold her to the promise. He would never forget the day she left. All of Rivendell came out to see her off. She had kissed her love, his son, Elrohir, hugged Legolas, Kerowyn, Lindir, Elladan, Linwe, and Sanariam. He had seen the packet of herbs Linwe had given her, and the brotherly-sisterly hugs she had exchanged with Elladan and Legolas. Finally, she came to Elrond, and gave him a hug, and smiled. “You are such a father to me, ever since you saved me from the beast.” She had said. Then they all watched, waving and smiling through their tears, as Luna rode to the battle. How brave she was.

There was a knock on the door, and Elrond answered. It was the messenger. Handing Elrond the letter, he bowed and left. Elrond started to open the letter, his hands were shaking. Finally, the seal was broken, and the letter unfolded on his desk. The letter was from Glorfindel, and it had been sent two days ago.

My Lord Elrond,

All is won on the battlefield. The loss of Eldar life was few, and most was from the golden wood, so the healers will not have to worry. Victory is ours, once more.

However, victory always takes its price. Luna was the one elf from Rivendell who fell. Elrond, she was injured, and surrounded, she managed to kill most of her opposition, but they kept coming. The other warriors and I were trying to get to her, but there were so many. Before we had even made and indent in the ring around Luna, she was down, her horse killed. They dragged her away from the field, and blocked us away, so we could not get there to help her. By the time we had won the battle, it was too late, and Luna is in the Halls of Mandos, even as you read this letter. Luna fought bravely, and led the elves in a quick battle. Take heart, Elrond, if she had to choose, dying in battle was the way Luna would have chosen to die.

I am heading back to Rivendell with her body. I shall be there a day after this letter at the earliest, if my messenger did not hurry.

Glorfindel

Elrond set the letter down and buried his face in his hands. Luna…dead? But he had seen her a week ago, and she had been alive, and full of life. Elrond got up from his desk and looked outside the massive window. There were her friends, all sitting on the patio, watching the birds in the trees. They were waiting for Luna, how would they react if she did not come, or if Glorfindel came, and they saw her lifeless shell. How could he tell them though? How would he soften the news? Elrond squared his shoulders, and left the study. The look on his face made servants melt out of his path. Elrond was angry at the world, angry at Valar, for taking one of his family.

Outside, the friends sat, waiting Luna’s arrival. “Do you think she’ll arrive injured?” Kerowyn asked. Everyone laughed. The running joke was that no matter where anyone of the friends went, they would get hurt somehow.

“I don’t know….probably not, not with Glorfy around.” Elladan laughed. Glorfindel had a soft spot for the two women, Kerowyn and Luna. It had to do with the fact that he had helped them adjust to life in the last homely house when they were younglings. He especially had a soft spot for Luna, for when he first met her; she was nursing a wounded shoulder, and was smiling and laughing through the pain. He trained both girls in the art of archery, and of sword work. However, Luna was the greater warrior; her fights for her life started all of that. The friends were remembering one particularly funny incident, namely, when Lindir had asked Kerowyn to wed.

Elrond walked into the healing wings and motioned for Linwe and Sanariam to follow him. The two exchanged puzzled looks and left, following Elrond down to the gardens. He walked quickly, and slightly off pace from his normal stately pace. Linwe and Sanariam nearly had to run to keep up with him. They made their way through the winding halls of the Homely House, out into the garden, where Luna’s friends were gathered. Everyone fell silent when they saw Elrond, Linwe, and Sanariam approach. Linwe sat down on a wicker chair, and smoothed her skirt, and Sanariam stood to the left of Elladan. Elrond cleared his throat.

“I….I have some news—bad news.” He said, anguish written in his eyes. “Luna-she—she is in Mando’s halls…she died in battle.” The tears were falling freely down his face. “Glorfindel wrote me…they won the battle, but she died, one of three elves that died. The other two came from the Golden Wood.” His voice shook. Elrond could no longer look anyone in the eyes. Without a word, he nodded and took his leave of them, letting them grieve in their own company.

Kerowyn’s first coherent thought was of rage. Then the full force of the news hit her, and her eyes filled with tears, which poured down her cheeks. She turned and buried her face into Lindirs shoulder, and he absently patted her back. Elrohir had turned away, to hide the tears that poured down his own face. Legolas had gone silent, grief evident upon his fair face. Linwe stood there a minute, before fleeing to her healing rooms, her place of salvation. Elladan stood up, and in an unemotional, detached sort of way, observed the various reactions. Sanariam had sat down, and wrung her hands. Elladan turned away and walked toward the main gate. There was a commotion there. Glorfindel was home, and with him, the body of their dearest Luna.

“Glorfy” Elladan’s voice broke. Glorfindel walked over to him, and pulled him into a hug.

“She died the way she would have chosen, penneth, in battle, away from those she loved, so not to cause them pain. He motioned the wagon behind him, carrying a coffin, a gift from the Golden Wood. They heard a gasp from behind them and they turned. There was Kerowyn, with tears streaming down her face, and anguish marring her fair features.

She rushed to Glorfindel. She beat her hands on his chest, knowing it would not hurt him.

“Why did you let her die? How? Why did you let her die?” Glorfindel stood there, and accepted her torment. Kerowyn was doing the same thing, speaking his very thoughts. He didn’t notice when Lindir and Legolas pulled her away from him, and led Kerowyn to the healing wings for something like poppy. Elladan stood still.

Glorfindel turned on his heel and fled to Elronds office where he would tell him of everything that had happened on the battle field.