Light Within The Darkness 11

Light Within The Darkness

Part 11

Posted: July 11, 2008
Title: Light Within The Darkness
Author: Zilah

*****

The very breath of my life,
That's what you are.
My beautiful angel, always
Always I cherish you,
With devotion and happiness,
Love that fills my heart with joy
And gives me wings to fly.

*

It took all Elrond's will power to get up when the morning finally came. His mind was in complete turmoil; his body still hummed with satisfaction, but his heart wept. Legolas had left only a few moments ago, but Elrond already missed his mate terribly. He shuddered; would he ever again see his beloved?

Numbly, he started to dress himself. He still had no idea how to tell the Lord and Lady that there would be no wedding. How could he tell to them that their beloved and cherished daughter was nothing but vile slut?

"What a fool I was for thinking she could ever take your place in my heart! I don't deserve you, aen nín, but this I swear: I won't let anyone hurt you anymore," Elrond thought to himself, glancing at Anar rising on the horizon. After a long, time he finally turned and left to the Great Hall. He would take whatever there was coming. For Legolas' sake.

* * * *

Legolas stepped through the shining door right after the Vala and stopped, surprised. He had come to the Mirkwood caves, and he saw familiar walls of the big library around him. He quickly scanned the room with his gaze, but there was no sign of Irmo, nor did he see anything else unusual.

He turned around and stared at the door he had come through, but found that it had disappeared into thin air as if it never existed. Tears blinded Legolas' eyesight; would he see his beloved ever again?

* * * *

Celeborn had managed to creep from the room he shared with Galadriel. He needed to warn Elrond, and this was his only chance. His heart pounding, Celeborn sneaked through the corridors that were thankfully empty, and finally managed to find his way to the Elrond's rooms. He breathed deeply and knocked.

Elrond was almost at the door, when he suddenly heard a knock. Who needed to meet him this early? After a moment's hesitation, he opened the door and found himself staring at Lord Celeborn's shocked face.

"What has happened, Híren (My Lord) Why..." Elrond began, but Celeborn shushed him and stepped hurriedly in the room.

"By the Valar, Elrond! What have you done? Don't you realize that she will know within seconds that you are already bound? She will turn all of Arda upside down and hunt down your mate. There is no place where he could be safe from her wrath," Celeborn whispered miserably.

"But how... how did you know..." Elrond stuttered, his cheeks flaming. He felt exposed and vulnerable under the ancient elf's piercing gaze. This Celeborn was totally different from the silent and distant Lord he had come to know.

"It doesn't matter! We have no time for this. Just tell me that you have sent that sweet elf away. That way we have at least few days left," Celeborn begged.

"Legolas is safe. Master Irmo came to pick him and he is probably at his home by now," Elrond said, feeling very confused. Celeborn sighed with relief.

"That is good to hear. Maybe there is some hope left, if the Valar themselves are with us."

"Why do you care, Híren? Shouldn't you be furious? I was supposed to marry your daughter, and now I ruined everything," Elrond asked suspiciously.

"You did, but it is obvious that the marriage between you and my daughter would have been a terrible mistake. You love another and Celebrían... I doubt she is capable of loving anyone anymore. She is now like her mother," Celeborn said bitterly.

"I... I'm sorry to hear that, Híren," Elrond offered quietly, not knowing what else he could have said. It seemed that the Lord and Lady didn’t have a happy marriage either. A wave of relief washed through him, but he felt also compassion to the elder elf. Celeborn now seemed old and tired, as if all the life had left him.

"Come, Elrond, it is time to go. Just remember that Galadriel is dangerous and she will not take this twist well. You have to be extremely careful with her. Don't mention Legolas or his family if you want to keep them safe," Celeborn added, before he opened the door. He had made his decision; he would stand beside Elrond and face Galadriel's wrath with him no matter what. He had nothing to lose anymore, but Elrond and that sweet little prince deserved their happiness. And, if he died while trying to do that... The Halls of Námo would only be a relief from his unbearable life.

Elrond followed the elder elf, confused but determined to sort things out.

* * * *

The two elves were unaware that their every word was listened to by the two Vala. Silent figures didn't utter a word but still there was a vivid conversation between them.

//I have strained their connection as much as I can, but he must do the rest himself. All our hope rests upon his shoulders now.//

//But is he strong enough to free himself from the bond? It had been placed many millennia ago and without it he would have faded a long time ago.//

//He is not alone. Not anymore.//

Irmo thought of the incredible soul that was meant to love the ancient elf, before Galadriel had ruined everything and trapped Celeborn into loveless bond. For countless years she had resided in the Halls of Waiting, because Valar had been unable to find anyone worthy to give birth to her. But now their longing had come near to the end.

Together they watched, as Elrond and Celeborn left to the Great Hall. The moment of truth was near.

* * * *

Even from afar they could see that Galadriel was furious. She stood at the door of the Great Hall and shot her piercing gaze towards Elrond and Celeborn.

"Where in Arda have you been? You must understand that I won't accept this kind of behavior, Celeborn," Galadriel said coldly.

"You don't own me, Galadriel. And I am not your slave, even if you try to treat me like one," Celeborn answered with a quiet voice, but they could see new authority in it. Even Galadriel silenced for a moment, but then her face paled with fury.

"How you dare to talk to me like this? Have you forgotten your lesson?" She hissed, her eyes burning dangerously, but Celeborn was unmoved.

"Maybe I just remembered it. I have had enough of your filthy plotting and manipulation, and I will do everything I can to stop them," he said steadily. Inwardly, Celeborn was frightened but he refused to give up now. Would he dare to try...

Galadriel raised her hand and Celeborn cast off the rest of his hesitation. He let his fëa reach out, testing the strength of the bond between him and Galadriel. At his great shock, he found it greatly weakened. Without stopping to think, he gathered all his strength to break it.

Elrond stood in shock, and watched the events like a nightmare. He couldn't do or say anything, as the older couple argued. His heart ached, because he now realized what Celeborn was trying; the ancient elf had drawn Galadriel's attention and her wrath to himself, to protect him. Elrond didn't dare break the ominous silence that had now fallen between the couple; his heart warned that disturbing Celeborn would be dangerous. Elrond flinched as the silence finally broke, and Galadriel attacked Celeborn, screaming at him.

"What did you do? How did you do that? It isn't possible..." the Lady raged. She didn't feel the usual aura of strength around her that was so familiar for her. For many millennia she had used Celeborn's power for her own purposes. But now, the feeling was gone and as much as she tried to reach it, only frightening emptiness was left.

"I thought so too, but your power is gone, Galadriel. Accept it," Celeborn growled, struggling to breathe. He tried to push Galadriel farther away, but the Lady hadn’t completely given up yet. Before Celeborn realized what was happening, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw Galadriel's favorite dagger pushed straight into his heart.

"Die then because you are now useless," Galadriel whispered to him, but Celeborn smiled. He was finally free.

Elrond watched, horrified as Celeborn suddenly began to sway and then fell. He made haste to support to the elder elf and carefully placed him on the ground. His anger rose when he saw what Galadriel had done. He was just about to command the guards to take away the kinslayer, but stopped as three figures suddenly appeared from nothingness.

"Master Námo...Irmo... what are you doing here?" Elrond asked, though he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer. He could see that Celeborn was dying, and Námo was the Vala of the Dead. Tears of guilt burned in his eyes, when he realized that his own mistakes had caused this situation. It was his fault that Celeborn was laying on the ground mortally wounded. How he ever could face his beloved Legolas? How could he look him in the eyes when he was responsible of this noble elf's death?

"Saes, don't do this!" He begged, but Námo only stared at him wilfully. Without a word the Vala came and lifted the dying elf in his arms.

"My Lord Námo. I have waited for so long. Have I finally found peace?" Celeborn breathed weakly.

"You will find peace, my child. Your waiting is over," the Vala said quietly, and in the next moment they both disappeared into thin air.

* * * *

"That was your last vile deed, kinslayer. Now you will pay for your wickedness," Irmo said coldly to Galadriel. The former Lady now seemed smaller and weaker, but still refused to give up. She stood tall, her eyes flaming and warned anyone to come near. No one spoke. Elrond scanned the Hall with his gaze, frantically trying to think the way to defeat Galadriel. He gasped, surprised as he suddenly saw movement in the right corner of the Hall. Then he saw an arrow coming with frightening speed, directly hitting Galadriel. He stared, shocked as Celebrían stepped into the Hall, a bow in her hand. She walked slowly towards her mother who now lay on the ground, crying out with pain.

"What... how... what does this means, Celebrían?" Elrond stuttered. He couldn't believe what he had seen before his very eyes. It was hard to understand that Lady Galadriel had stabbed her husband, but even more difficult was to believe that the daughter had really shot her own mother.

"What did you mean by this, Bri? Wasn't I good enough to you? You were about to marry the next King of the Noldor!" Galadriel raged, but now her voice began to weaken. It was obvious that the Lady had very little time left. Elrond gasped, as he heard about Galadriel's plan for him. Now he understood why the Lady was so eager to see her daughter married with him. Galadriel craved power, and it seemed that she was ready to anything to gain it.

"What did I mean, dear mother? You, of all people ask me that?" Celebrían hissed mockingly, looking at the Vala who still stood in the room.

"Your crimes are so grave that you have no place in the Halls of Waiting, Galadriel. You killed Celeborn's mate and then kept him as a prisoner for many millennia. That cursed bond didn't let him fade, even if he begged it from us several times. You drugged him so that you would get a child from him, otherwise he would never have touched you. You abused your husband, and later your daughter, who resembled her father more than you. You killed her lover, and then tried to force her into loveless marriage. You tried to get her back by blackmailing, even if her own wish was to die and to follow her lover. Did you really think that we would watch your foul deeds forever?" Irmo spoke harshly.

"So you found a suitable punishment for me! You turned my own daughter against me. Are you happy now, Celebrían? You will live the rest of your life with the knowledge that you killed your own mother," Galadriel breathed, her face distorting with pain. Her hands clutched the arrow that had perforated her body, but couldn't move it.

"You are wrong, mother. I have done nothing to you. I loved you, but you paid my loyalty back by killing my soulmate. What kind of a mother can do such things?" The unfamiliar voice suddenly said. Elrond turned towards the voice and saw that Námo was back, and he had brought two elves with him. He stared, his mouth agape, when he saw the elleth who had spoken. She was exactly like...

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you?" Elrond asked, confused. The elleth turned to look at him, smiling sadly.

"I am Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. And this is my beloved husband, Veryan," she said, glancing at the tall, auburn-haired and green-eyed ellon that stood beside her.

"But... who... how this is possible? Who has been here in your place then? Who are you?" Elrond stuttered, looking frantically at both ellyth. They were exactly like twins, but when Elrond looked further, he began to see many differences. The real Celebrían was sweet and shy elleth, very different from her mother. But the other one seemed arrogant and heartless. Elrond stirred from his recession, when Galadriel screamed that she had been cheated.

"You had no right to take her from me! She was my daughter, and I had every right to do with her as I pleased!" Galadriel shot at Námo, who only stared back at her coldly.

"You have no rights over anyone, Galadriel. You never had. You have destroyed many lives and the time for payback has finally come," The Vala said, and raised his hand. They watched, horrified, how the wound on Galadriel chest suddenly burst into flames and soon she was encircled into magical fire. It was terrifying sight to behold; Galadriel screamed and squirmed but Námo was pitiless. No one knew how long the process took, but finally the former Noldorian Lady was only a little heap of ash on their feet.

*****

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