At the Mercy of a Burning Coal

Disclaimer; The usual. You know…I don’t own anything except Lathwen, Lily, Eothain, and the like? What? You’ve never read my disclaimers?! I suggest you do…they can be quite interesting.

One of Lord Adrian’s guards, Gideon, shifted nervously as the cold wind blew toward them. They were near Weathertop…still searching for her. The devious demon girl who’d run off with her uncle’s money and belongings. Or so the lord had said.

Personally, Gideon didn’t believe a word Lord Adrian spoke…but then again, he was only a guard who was trying to earn a living for his family. He had no say in the matter…when you were a guard, you had no opinion. You had no choices.

Gideon’s head snapped up as one of his captain’s cried out, “There she is! I see her!” The cry was soon taken up by all of the others to. Gideon shaded his eyes with a hand and looked toward Weathertop.

Atop the large hill was a figure on a horse. They couldn’t see very well because it was dusk, but they could see that the figure had long hair that blew and waved in the breeze. They saw the outline of arrows and a quiver on the figure’s back, and a bow in its hand.

They knew it was Lathwen. They all knew it, and yet, no one made a move to go towards her. You see, Lathwen appeared on the hill at the very same time every day…and the guards knew it. They saw her appear and disappear, but they never tried to stop her.

That decision was made partly out of fear, partly out of justice. They saw how Lord Adrian had treated the girl…and they all didn’t think it was right. As guards, they were trained to fight and have no opinion, but their underlying sense of mercy won over.

Every day they saw her…every day they went back to Lord Adrian and reported that no one and nothing had been seen. They were lying…and doing so skating on thin ice. But they were lying for the right thing…and still getting paid while doing so.

It seemed like a good deal to them…of course, it would stay that way unless some sneak decided to tattle on them. If that were the case…that sneak was in big trouble.

***
Lathwen sighed as she walked down the corridors to Lord Elrond’s study. The warrior maidens had come here about a week ago, and Lord Elrond didn’t have any free rooms close to each other, so they were spread out. It had taken the Outlaw Maiden’s a few days to settle in…and they had been relaxing ever since. They were even wearing dresses instead of their tunic and legging’s.

Their favorite occupation together was, you guessed it…cards! Lathwen and Lily didn’t participate in that very often, they walked around the gardens, talking about random things while the elf-maidens played their game on the stone benches.

They had fit right in of course…and only a few knew of their real identities. Those precious few being Lord Elrond, Erestor, Beinion, and Arwen Undomiel…Lord Elrond’s beautiful daughter. (Lathwen and Lily always felt humbled in her presence…and not only because of her beauty, but because of her kindness and compassion toward anyone…not only her race.)

Perhaps that was because only those four knew the common tongue which Lathwen and Lily spoke. Those two visitors had yet to learn a decent amount of elvish in which they could converse with other inhabitants.

The past few days they had managed to get ideas of what another was saying through hand motions…but that wasn’t enough most times. Nestariel and Edhelwen had no problem with talking to the Imladris elves of course…their dialects might have been slightly different, but that didn’t hinder them at all.

All in all…they were happy where they were. Everyone was getting along just fine. (That’s gonna change real soon) Edhelwen had been getting along well with Beinion…which Nestariel, Lily, and Lathwen always smiled at. They weren’t idiots…they could see when friendships went a little further…except in the case of Glorfindel and Lathwen.

Anyway, Lathwen was going to speak with Lord Elrond about studying…learning the elvish language. She was also interested in becoming a healer…but she would ask that later, after she and the others had mastered elvish.

As she walked down the halls, she marveled at the workmanship of the tapestries and carvings she saw. Everything here was ethereal. Though she had been here once before…she hadn’t gotten a chance to see all of it.

Lathwen frowned…Lily had found out that her father had left after she and Lathwen had gone on their journey. Lathwen had the hunch that her father hadn’t cared…he only wanted money, not his daughter. Men.

That reminded Lathwen of what Glorfindel had said, sparking her fury. He had cornered her, made her feel weak and helpless…she did not like that feeling at all. Lathwen smirked grimly. That elven lord wouldn’t get another chance to do anything of the sort to her or her girls’. She would make sure of it.

She sighed…where was he right now? Fighting somewhere? Golden hair flashing, glittering in the sun—

Lathwen frowned and forcefully slammed that thought out of her head. What was wrong with her? After all of the things he had done to her, she was still worried about his safety! Lathwen mentally slapped herself and blamed it on her ability to forgive and forget.

She had reached Elrond’s study now, and the doors were slightly open, which was a sign that the Lord had time to speak with anyone who needed him. He wasn’t that busy today apparently.

Lathwen knocked twice, and lightly. Lord Elrond had told her once that she had a signature knock…hers was different than say, Erestor’s, or Lily’s. Lathwen was somewhat amazed that he could tell the person by their knock, but then again, she supposed anyone could do it if they listened closely.

“Enter.” Came the lordly voice of Elrond. Lathwen smiled and opened the door a bit more. She stepped inside softly and closed the door behind her. Elrond was sitting at his desk…a mountain of paper work on the floor beside him, a glass of wine in his hand, and his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles.

Lathwen grinned upon seeing this, causing Lord Elrond to smile back. “I hope you aren’t busy my lord.” Lathwen said. Elrond shook his head and motioned to the chair in front of his desk. Lathwen walked over and sat down smoothly, sitting in a ladylike way, which was unusual for her.

Lord Elrond asked, “Wine?” Lathwen shook her head, “No thank you Lord Elrond.” She went on, “I’ve come to ask a favor of you for me and my girls’.” Lord Elrond raised and eyebrow and sipped his wine. Lathwen continued, “We’d all…well, Lily and I would like it if we could learn elvish. It’s getting tiresome not understanding…besides, we both think it’s a beautiful language.”

Lord Elrond lifted both eyebrows, “Of course. Why ever would I stop you?” Lathwen shrugged, “No reason…but we needed someone to teach us.” Lord Elrond set down his wine glass and leaned forward onto his desk, fingers touching to make little steeples. “If you ask Erestor, I am sure he’ll be able to arrange a time when he can teach both of you.”

Lathwen smiled and answered, “Thank you so much Lord Elrond! I’ve always lamented my lack of knowledge…” Elrond gave her a grin and picked up his wine glass again. Lathwen stood and curtsied, “Than you my lord.” Lord Elrond nodded regally and took a sip of his wine.

Lathwen raced out of his study, down the hallway, and to Lily’s room where she didn’t bother knocking, but opened the door up instantly and jumped onto Lily’s bed where she was sitting, reading.

“GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT?!” Lily, looking slightly disturbed answered hesitantly, “Er…someone you hate died.” Lathwen snorted, “Sure. But on a more serious note…you and I are taking elvish lessons with Erestor!” Lily nodded, “What time? When?” Lathwen sat down next to her friend, “Oh yeah, that’s right…I have to ask him about that.”

Lily yawned and got up, “I’ll do it…I haven’t been out of this room for a while…you go do something else and I’ll report back as soon as I can.” Lathwen saluted Lily with a smirk, “Fine with me captain.” Lily rolled her eyes…was Lathwen overexcited or what?

Lathwen then bounced out of the room and down the hall, wanting to go to the gardens. She passed Lord Elrond’s study again, but paused as she heard puzzled voices within.

“—if they’re all here.” That was Erestor…she was sure of it. “All of them? Of course…why wouldn’t they be?” She heard the rustling of material when Erestor shrugged, “I do not know. To tell you the truth, his message seemed a bit strained. Perhaps something happened.”

Lord Elrond sighed, “Whatever it is, they most likely will not tell us.” Erestor added, “Or maybe he found something out pertaining to them.”
“All of them?”
“Perhaps only her…he wanted contact, but that is impossible considering…”

Lathwen shrugged inwardly and continued on her way. As a visitor, she had never seen Imladris in a hectic stage. But then again, she’d never been allowed to hear the problems and such. Lathwen felt an inkling of pity, but pushed it away. Lord Elrond would do what he thought best for Imladris and its inhabitants…the Outlaw Maiden’s needn’t interfere.

She briefly touched the circlet that had been her mother’s…was she doing the right thing? Coming here and imposing on Lord Elrond’s hospitality with her girls and all? Was she doing the right thing staying away from the home that they had worked so hard on?

Lathwen swallowed but forced herself to think about the next question. Was she doing the right thing, staying away from Glorfindel and the others? Of course she was…

Lathwen was surprised that she felt a bit of self-doubt. Quickly she thought of the many reasons she had decided to stay away…

/Reason Number 1: He doesn’t love me. Number 2: I don’t love him. Number 3: He’s annoying. Number 4: He’s a big selfish prig who thinks I can take care of his problems…not that the twins are problems or anything. Number 5: He needs to stop stalking me…stupid elf. I gave him his forsaken daggers back! What more does he want? Number 6: He’s not going to gain anything from courting me except a whole bunch of sarcasm. And even if we did love each other and ended up getting married…I’m mortal. I’d wither away and die, and he’s be left with a broken heart. We wouldn’t want to be cruel to him, now would we?/

But she already had been cruel to him. She could’ve rejected him in a politer way…but no, the brilliant Lathwen decided to break his heart the hard way. Of course, he’d broken the actual information to her in a hard and improper way to…it was just payback, right?

Lathwen shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts among the colorful gardens and streams in Imladris. She sighed…of course it wasn’t just treatment. It was the wrong thing to do. She frowned, “Honestly, that elf always gets me into trouble I tell you…one more reason to stay away.”

Bah…what’s the point in trying to convince herself when she wasn’t sure? Stupid elf…if they ever met again, she’d give him the worst verbal beating of his life.

Lathwen stopped suddenly when she realized that they weren’t going to see each other again. They had vowed never to lay eyes on each other again. Lathwen snorted, “I’ll hire his mother to do it for me.” (I know that was somewhat random)

Lathwen bent down to smell the roses, which seemed to always bloom in great profusion there. Her favorites were the red and white striped ones…those were beautiful. Her mother had grown them outside of their cottage on trellises. They had been beautiful come spring…but they always died so quickly, unlike the ones here.

“Hopefully everything lasts longer here.” Lathwen whispered. She had only just been hit with the full force of what had been implied. She was mortal. She was going to die sooner or later along with Lily.

Lathwen sighed, she was going to end up like her parents maybe…dead in the place she loved most. “Tanglewood. Home.” She whispered and sat down slowly underneath a slim tree that was near a stone bench.

How long would she live? How long would it be until she got old and wrinkled? She was only eighteen now…but years passed by quickly. On the summer solstice she would turn nineteen years. She would have seen nineteen winters and summers by then. Life seemed to be going by slowly now, but she had no doubt that in the future it would pass through her fingers like grains of sand, and she wouldn’t be able to stop it.