Erestor pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat. He
was not sure what to think of this elf. He had become a mystery to him and he
was not sure he wanted to unravel him. Tears were streaming down the pale face
and he looked exhausted. Erestor knew he should let him rest but he had to know
and should Morcorban die, he would be left for uncountable years with out
knowing the truth.
Morcorban took a shuddering breath before turning to
look at Erestor. He felt ten times his age and all he wanted was to sleep
forever but he felt he owed Erestor something so he began. “It was a long long
time ago in a very far away place.”
Erestor frowned, “I did not ask for
a fairy tale.”
Morcorban smiled sadly, “It began as one so that is how I
shall begin. Now please do not interrupt me until I am done for my energy is
waning.”
Erestor frowned at being chastised but he wanted to know and if
he pushed too hard the elf might simply brush him off; he gave a nod and waited
for Morcorban to begin again.
“I was born just after Lindon was finished
and I lived a normal quiet life in its walls. I became an apprentice scribe when
I was just past my majority. I was shy and did not speak much and I worked or
studied through most of the celebrations and many gatherings. I never left the
borders of Lindon and never cared to know the rest of the world.
”My
master was Caladduath. He was a very wise and yet very free spirited. It did not
take him long to break down the walls that I had built and he helped me discover
more of the world around me and the pleasures it held. We became lovers and we
were to be bonded but that all changed one spring day. I no longer remember the
day or the date but only what happened.”
Erestor watched the elf he
seemed to slip away for a moment his eyes too wide, his breathing shallow.
Erestor did not think the elf would be able to continue when he seemed to snap
out of his dream and turned to him once more tears now flooding down his cheeks
like a river, his voice choked with his pain as he continued on.
“
Caladduath had decided that day we were going to go riding. I tried to talk him
out of it but he told me that I needed to get out more. I had spent all winter
in the library or in our chambers. I finally gave in and we rode out with a
light lunch and we had planned to return in the late afternoon. We rode for a
couple hours and then we laid out a blanket by a small creek. We made love and
ate and made love again. We swam and then we had lain back down to dry, our
mistake...
“We should have left then but instead we both fell asleep and
when we awoke it was dark. The most horrible smell I had ever experienced fill
the air and I could hear snarling and growling. The horses were terrified. I
started to scream when a hand covered my mouth and I was shushed and Caladduath
instructed me to dress quickly and as silently as possible. We both knew to wait
would be suicide and so we quietly headed off on foot as the horses would have
already been heard and our only hope was to try to get away quickly. As we were
running … ”
A tortured cry was torn from the injured elf’s body.
Morcorban gripped the sheets in his hands till Erestor thought he would rip
them. His eyes became distant as he slipped into the memory of what had happened
and Erestor knew it was no lie. There was nothing he could do for the elf so he
called to the guard. "Go Get Lord Elrond!" The guard started to argue but
Erestor would not hear it, "I said now!" The guard's eyes widened having never
heard the normally calm counselor raise his voice.
Morcorban looked
around he was running, his surroundings he recognized all too well. He knew
everything that would happen; he would relieve every mistake he had made in
those last moments before his life had been ripped apart and his heart shattered
into a million shards that cut him every minute of everyday for more years than
he cared to count.
He ran past the trees in the dark woods the branches
making way for him but he was not a warrior and the ground was rocky and it was
hard to travers. Llytheal, not Morcorban, looked towards the elf that mirrored
Erestor so closely they could have been father and son. Llytheal looked over his
shoulder to see the orcs closing in on them. And he tried to run faster,
Caladduath urging him on. He was not able to hear as his blood pounded in his
head, drowning out everything till the scream came and he turned to see his love
lying on the ground an arrow sticking out of his thigh. Llytheal ran towards the
older elf and Caladduath shook his head no and waved for him to continue on but
he could not. He would not leave his soon to be bonded mate to suffer at the
hands of those creatures so he ran back and tried to pick him up but the older
elf was too heavy for his thin frame and it did not take the orcs long to reach
them. Llytheal stood ready to fight with no weapon to defend himself. No sooner
had he risen than a metal clad fist struck out grasping him across the throat.
He knew this was it, he was to die and soon they would be in Mandos halls. That
was his last thought as darkness descended over him and he fell into merciful
darkness.
Lord Elrond was mixing a poultice to try to pull the poison
from the dark elf’s wounds when the guardian rushed in not even thinking to
knock. “Lord Elrond, Master Erestor has sent me to bring you right away. It is
urgent!”
Lord Elrond pointed to an assistant “Finish this quickly and
bring it to me.” He hurried out the door and down the hall.
Erestor
stared down at the still figure on the bed, the only sign that the elf lived was
shallow breathing and an occasional whimper that reminded him of a frightened
elfling. Despite all that Morcorban… Llytheal had done to him, he did not want
him to die; it seemed somehow unfair. If he really was Llytheal, it would
explain many mysteries that had haunted his family. Erestor shook his head
feeling tired. Suddenly he jumped as a hand touched his shoulder, he had been so
lost in thought that he had not heard his lord open the door.
Erestor
silently moved aside and let Lord Elrond examine the elf on the bed.
“Tell me what happened, Erestor?”
Erestor sighed and looked down
at the elf once more lying on the bed, “He slipped into a memory
.“
Elrond sighed. It was hard enough to heal an elf in such shape but one
who was starting to fade… Elrond shook his head and began to work, hoping he
could save the elf. “I will send for you Erestor.”
Erestor frowned and
shook his head, “I wish to stay .“
Elrond did not look up as he spoke,
concentrating on the job he was doing. “No.”
Erestor frowned, “No?”
Elrond shook his head, “No, it will be crowded and very messy. It is
best to contact you when we are done.” Erestor sighed but followed his lord’s
orders and headed for the library to wait once more.
