At the Mercy of a Burning Coal

Disclaimer; Me no owning nothing. I talk nonsensical babble. It fun. Try at ownie riskie.
Note: All is not as it appears. Good gracious me, quite some math I had to do for this chapter! I hate math!

Indeed, the year seemed to be passing slowly. Autumn came and went, as did winter. It was spring, and the fair roses of Imladris were blooming once more. As did other things…

Lathwen smiled as she walked in the garden with Lily. They were two seasons older, and that wasn’t much. Half a year is all. They hadn’t heard anything or any bit of gossip about Glorfindel and his whereabouts or anyone of the like…because, yes, now the Outlaw Maiden’s mortal leaders could understand most elvish! Occasionally a word would come up that they didn’t know, but all they had to do was ask and it’s meaning would be explained.

“Apparently Beinion had asked Edhelwen permission to court her! Isn’t that wonderful Bess?” Lily said excitedly. Lathwen gasped, “What did she say?” Lily grinned, “She granted him permission!” Lathwen gave a whoop of excitement and clapped her hands. Lily laughed, but suddenly grew grim.

“Which reminds me Bessie…I overheard something quite disturbing yesterday.” Lathwen frowned, “What? Is something wrong?” Lily hesitated, “Depends on your definition of ‘wrong’. I overheard Erestor and Lord Elrond talking…they mentioned us…the Outlaw Maiden’s.”

Lathwen grew suspicious but was silent, waiting for Lily to go on. “They mentioned that someone wanted contact with us…but that person, whoever it was, couldn’t come here for some reason or another. And he refused to talk to anyone of us through a letter…he said in person.”

“Glorfindel.” Lathwen growled, her brows knit together. Lily shook her head, “That was my thought to…but it’s not him Lathwen…his name is…Eothain? He says he knows you…” Lathwen gasped, “By the Valar! Eothain! Sorry Lily…I have to go…”

With that, she lifted her skirts and fled down the path of the garden to Lord Elrond’s room.

***
Lathwen was in Lord Elrond’s room and had just questioned him about Eothain. Lord Elrond nodded, “I see Lily has been eavesdropping…” Lathwen bristled, “Not so! Or at least, not intentionally…and she only did it once my lord! Because she heard our names being mentioned!”

Lord Elrond nodded, “Very well then…you truly wish to know what is going on?” Lathwen nodded emphatically. Lord Elrond heaved a sigh, “Very well…Lathwen Alanessa…you are in danger.” Lathwen snorted, “I realize that my lord…people don’t take to kindly to disobedient women you know.” Elrond shook his head, “No Lathwen…I mean *you* and you alone are in very grave danger.”

Lathwen swallowed, “What do you mean exactly?” She asked carefully. Lord Elrond sighed, “Lathwen…how much do you know about your parents?” Lathwen blinked and laughed nervously, “About as much as any child knows…my father’s name was Thalbarad and my mother’s name was Lireal. My father was a blacksmith and my mother, a seamstress who was once in the court of Lady Eowyn…why do you ask?”

Lord Elrond sighed once more. He stood and walked to the window, Lathwen’s eyes training on him. “I was hoping you would know more about your parents which may help us figure this out…but that seems impossible. Lathwen…there is something you should know.” Lathwen’s eyes went wide but she nodded.

Elrond frowned, “There is a threat to your existence…someone wants you dead, Lathwen.” (Real nice way to break it to her)

Lathwen rubbed her forehead. “I’ve suspected it for a while now, it comes as no surprise.” She said in a shaky voice. “Those men on horseback with their bows aimed for Lily and I. When we were past here at the time...we had already left. But after…” Lathwen frowned and shook her head. “Lord Elrond…after Lily and I left, did anyone come here? Any travelers or such?”

Lord Elrond nodded, puzzled. “Soon after a group of rangers came, looking for Eothain who had just left. A group of elves from Lorien came in with reports from their lord and lady also.” Lathwen frowned, “And Eothain wants to speak with me…” She said slowly.

Lord Elrond caught onto her train of thought, “No Lathwen…it cannot be Eothain. He has a good heart and soul…I saw it.” Lathwen frowned deeper still, but nodded at Elrond’s words. She suspected Eothain. The ranger who had given her the map. And she had actually trusted him. She had told him that she would make it up to him. Curse her trusting nature.

But Elrond had said…

No. It was Eothain. Perhaps his heart and soul changed *after* he had left, therefore Lord Elrond couldn’t have possibly seen if he had gone bad or not.

Aha. So that was it. The new rule of thumb for the Outlaw Maiden’s was going to be: Stay away from rangers’!

Lathwen rose, still frowning…and took her leave. She had to speak with her girls.

***
Explaining it all to them wasn’t the hard part…tearing Edhelwen away from Beinion was. Eventually, they got it through her brain that it was urgent…life and death situation…literally.

After Lathwen had explained it all in a rather fast way…there was silence as the Outlaw Maiden’s contemplated the danger their leader was in. They feared for her…and they would protect her in any way possible.

Nestariel was the first to speak, “Lathwen…it cannot be Eothain…I suggest looking in the library for information on your parents since Lord Elrond seemed to think that they were key. Or Eothain and the rangers. We should look them up to.” Lathwen scoffed, “How in the name of the Valar would my parents end up in a *book*?”

Nestariel answered, “Because they could have been part of something important which is why someone’s out to get you…understand?” Lathwen raised an eyebrow but nodded, “Sure okay…so say they are in a book. How do I know which one?”

Edhelwen laughed, “There are certain sections for different types of books Bessie. Don’t worry though…we’ll all help you.” Lathwen sighed, “I do not think that them being in any book is possible…but I’ll go just to humor you.” Edhelwen smiled and sprang up from the chair, “Onward to the library then girls’!”

***
They had been searching for an hour, and even with the advice of Erestor, they hadn’t succeeded in finding anything yet. They all had a pile of books by their side as they skimmed the chapters and pages, trying to find something about a ranger named Thalbarad, and a Lady of Eowyn’s court named Lireal.

Lathwen was in the middle of a certain book…and had found nothing so far except buckets of dust. She tucked a flyaway behind her ear and yawned. She skimmed the page, her finger tracing her progress. She muttered out loud, “…deceit. Then the lady had the help of…” Wait. Lathwen went up to the beginning of the paragraph.

She read the whole page and turned white as a sheet. She made a series of strangled gasps, causing Lily to turn in worry. “What’s wrong Bessie?” She asked, making Edhelwen and Nestariel turn also.

“Dear Valar!” Lathwen said in a faint voice, “I’m a half-elf!”

The group’s reaction was priceless. Erestor dropped the books he had in his hands, Lily’s eyes were as wide and as round as teacups, her mouth so wide you could see the back of her throat. (Dramatization there…)

Edhelwen choked on the wine she had been sipping, spilling it on the floor. Nestariel pounded her friend’s back a little to hard, causing Edhelwen to tip over slightly…the heavy book on her lap sliding down to the floor where the corner hit Nestariel’s toe.

Nestariel cried out and picked up the book, placing it on a nearby chair. She winced and brought her foot up to rub her toe.

“Eh?” Lily said dazedly. Lathwen shook her head in amazement. “My mother was an elf! DEAR VALAR! I’M A HALF-ELF!” She shouted to the ceiling, the shock hitting her full force.

Erestor shook his head, “Then why are your ears round…like mortals.” At Lathwen’s glare he amended, “Like humans…humans.” Lathwen answered, “It says here that my parents had dealings with Gandalf…Mithrandir…who in Arda is he?”

“One of the wizards…a Maia.” Erestor answered, seeming to have an answer for everything.

Lathwen shook her head and went on, “Because my mother, with the help of my father, had uncovered a plot to dispose of Lord Théoden…she made a blood-oath and swore not to tell for my sake. The men…they had dealings with the Witch King…and they threatened to murder me if she or my father told.”

Lathwen frowned, “Lord Théoden is King…this being the year 3001 in the third age. He has a nephew, Eomer, and a niece, Eowyn. Lord Eomer is 10…and Lady Eowyn is 6. I am 8 years older than Eomer and 12 years older than Eowyn.”

Nestariel snorted, “You said your mother was part of Lady Eowyn’s court? She’s but a child!” Erestor said gently, “It is their way.” Nestariel shrugged and motioned for Lathwen to go on.

Lathwen took a deep breath. “Eothain helped my mother and father flee to safety…my father mostly because *he* hadn’t sworn any blood-oath and was free to tell. But he didn’t to keep my mother and me safe. Anyway…they went to Bree where they disguised themselves and were safe…until the day when I was outside near the creek…something happened to them. It doesn’t say how they died though! I was thirteen when they died…that was 5 years ago!”

Erestor, looking interested said, “Bree you say? So that’s where you’re from. We’ve been wondering for quite some time.” Lathwen sighed at her mistake, but decided that it didn’t matter.

“And then Gandalf comes in…the…the Maia. The wizard. My parents asked him, begged him really to disguise me as a human…a full-blooded human. Gandalf apparently knew very much…and he did so, ‘for the good of the future’ he said. What in Arda was he doing in Bree though, it doesn’t say.”

Lathwen hesitantly reached up and felt her ears. Rounded. Normal. Human. She closed the book. Edhelwen, who had been listening to all this rather quietly said, “So…perhaps your parents death and the threat on your life has something to do with those men who were friends of the Witch King.”

Lathwen shivered and said with a false cheeriness, “Lovely. Peachy in fact. I’m being hunted by the Witch King. Great. I’m fine with that…CURSE IT!”

Lathwen continued to go on for quite a while, ranting about fate and the Valar and curses. Finally, she threw the book down and stalked off, leaving the others to wonder at her strange behavior.

Erestor looked at the others, “Perhaps she needs some time to get used to it.” He suggested. Nestariel sighed, “A lot of time apparently.”