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Elrond stood from his hunched position over his desk and gave a stretch, his spine popped all the way down and he gave a satisfied groan. Gil-Galad, yelped, his eyes blown wide as he stared at his herald, Elrond stared back with his own wide eyes. Gil-Galad's face furrowed into a concerned frown as he stood and was at Elrond's side in three quick steps "Elrond! Why didn't you say you were hurt!" he cried as he check the half elf over for any visible injuries, Elrond frowned "I'm not hurt, whatever has given you that thought?" he asked, his back popped that was all. Gil-Galad fretted and clucked over him like a hen "Oh my dear herald! You do not need to hide your wounds!" he said as he ushered him to sit down "A back should never crack like that! Ai! to think you've been working in such a condition! What happened!?" he practically wailed. His poor herald! How had he not noticed?
Elrond looked at him, a sudden sense of understanding lighting his eyes, "Oh." then he snorted, Gil-Galad watched him in horror as he started chuckling, then giggling, and then he started to laugh. Tears streamed from his eyes as he cackled, "Oh! Ah ha ha! My King I'- snort I'm in perfect health! Ha! My lord, I am half man- giggle The joints of the Edain creak and pop when they have been in the same position for a long time! I assure you I am perfectly fine! I forget that full elves bodies do not creak as mine does!" he laughed wiping a tear from his eye as he caught his breath.
Gil-Galad stared in horror his mouth agape as he floundered for words "Their joints crack?" was all he could say, Elrond giggled and nodded "When they sit too long yes, some can even pop them whenever they want to. Me being on of the ones that can." and proceeded to demonstrate said piece of information by cracking his knuckles, the king paled and looked nauseated at the sound "You're not in pain?" "No I'm not." he breathed a sigh of relief and went back to desk and sank into his chair. Elrond went back to his paperwork as if he had not just caused the king the greatest fright he has had in years.
"Elrond?"
"Yes, my king?"
"Can you pop you hands at the next council meeting when they get annoying?"
"Gladly my king."
Elrond sneezed, Maglor jumped. He whirled around just in time to see the half elf sneeze again followed swiftly by his brother, they coughed and sneezed again, their cheeks were flushed and eyes glassy. He let out a horrified gasp and scooped up the twins, raced back inside and wrapped them up in a pile of blankets. He left only when they had drifted off into a fitful sleep, then he ran to his brother's office
"Ai! Matimo! The twins! The twins!" he wailed when he threw the doors open, Maedhros looked up at him "What's wrong?" he asked concern bleeding into his voice, Maglor cried and begged his brother to strike him down "They're dying! I've corrupted them and their little bodies could not handle it! They're feverish and coughing! Ai! Brother strike me down, let me atone for my sins against them!" he wailed. His brother paled and he ran from the room as if Morgoth himself was behind him. He shouted for a healer as he raced to the twins room and let out a cry as he looked at the two little bodies who had red cheeks and sweaty pale skin.
Elrond coughed and opened his eyes and looked up at the tear stained faces of his foster fathers, "Atto? Atya?" he asked, his voice raspy and throat sore. They looked at him teary eyed "Oh! my dear Elrond! I'm sorry!" Maglor cried, Elrond was even more confused "Why? I'm just sick." he said as if was the most normal thing ever, Maedhros frowned "What do mean? Sick?" he asked, Elrond frowned "Nanna said that it was normal, men get sick all the time." he said. "You're not dying?" Maglor's hopeful voice shook, and he shook his head, "The little one is right my lords. They'll be fine in a few days. They just need rest." the healer, well used to the humans among them, said from the door.
Despite all the reassurances that had been given by the twins and healer alike, the two lords refused the leave the children's side and fretted until they were back to full health. They never got used to it...
All he wanted was a peaceful nap in the garden...really that was all...and all was well until Lindir's shriek woke him with a start, and he saw the young minstrel go tearing off "Ai! Ai! The lord is dead!" he cried, Elrond sat confused at what could possibly cause such an outburst. And soon he was surrounded by a worried Celebrian, Glorfindel, and a swarm of healers. "I'm alright! I'm alright!" he cried as he was hugged and clucked over "My lord your eyes were closed!" Lindir wailed, ah, that was why, nobody had seen him sleep before. "I'm truly alright! I'm part man! And men sleep with their eyes closed! I apologize, I did not think to warn you Lindir, I sleep in the way men do." He explained. Lindir looked like he'd faint on the spot, and for the rest of the day he followed Elrond like a shadow, just to be safe.
It was then that the whole of Rivendel was given the announcement that the lord of Rivendel slept with his eyes closed and that he was just resting and was in fact not dead.
The foreign dignitary shook in his boots. He had been told that the lord of the valley was kind and polite, and had not a mean bone in his body, they were wrong! He was terrifying! One word...one wrong word had turned the kind and venerable lord into this fey and terrible creature that now towered over him. Elrond's hair that was normally so tame was whipping about as it would if there was a harsh wind and the very air around them seemed to crackle with anger and power, and the trees bowed to the lord as if they shared his anger, as if they were willing to remove the annoyance from his sight at once, he was truly terrifying and resembled more of a nightmare than an elf. Elrond stared down at the dignitary with glowing eyes and growled, it was safe to say that the comment was taken back and the dignitary had apologized profusely before he fled.
Elrond looked over at his guard captain with a confused look "Did I say something that scared him?" he asked, Glorfindel smirked and held back a laugh "I haven't the faintest idea, my lord."
Celebrian laughed in delight as she followed the trail of flowers through the valley, he was happy then. She followed the trails of daisies, larkspur, and roses and other various wildflowers out of the city and into the forest, following the trail as she grew closer to her husband, and when she did she watched as he danced in and out of trees, his voice carrying the joy he felt and with each step a new bunch of flowers bloomed behind him. She made herself known to him as she joined him in his song and smiled when she saw that it wasn't just his smile that bloomed, the whole area had brightened, the leaves greener, the flowers brighter, the wind sweeter, the valley bloomed with him and celebrated his joy and peace. "My lady starlight, My heart's greatest love! Whose beauty rivals that of Varda herself! Whose eyes shine brighter than stars and diamonds, and hair purer than mithril! Ai! what a lucky elf am I. Indeed!" he sang, more flowers bloomed "A gift! A gift is she! For thy fair lady to let me call her mine is a gift indeed! The sweetest gift indeed She has bestowed upon me!" he sang of her beauty and of his love for her and of his luck and joy and of how bespotted he was with her. She laughed and came closer "You're happy to see me, I would dare to guess!" she laughed and danced around him.
Elrond threw his head back and laughed "Indeed I am! What gave my joy away!" more flowers popped up, "My greatest of loves! You're blooming! I simply followed the trail!" Celebrian laughed as she stooped to pluck a flower and tuck it behind his ear. "I can not help but let my love for thee bloom!" he laughed.
He glowed, not like the elves who had once seen the two trees, he glowed like a star and oh! if he was not the most beautiful star Celebrian had ever seen. His hair was black as night and little stars flickered around him as if Varda herself had draped the night sky over him like a shawl. His silver-grey eyes shone like the purest of mithril and sparkled with a youthful mischief despite the thousands of year of life he had seen. The beauty that was this creature, this being was surely one of Eru's greatest works
Oh, How his eyes enchanted her! Those bright silver pools alight with the stars and when they met her own from across the way she new she was gone.
The next time she saw him it was midday and gods he was even more beautiful in the sunshine. His raven hair reflected in the light in a shine of purple and blue and green, a raven's wing it was indeed, and if she thought it beautiful loose and unbraided and unadorned, she could not begin to describe how gorgeous it was braided and twisted into a complex Noldorian style and the starlit diamonds and richly colored gems woven in shimmered with every move. And his smile! Oh! his smile, it was brighter than the sun, and when he smiled she discovered that he had dimples, dimples! She didn't know it was possible for such beauty to exist until now. He was like the warmth of the sun after a snowfall, warm and gentle and well welcomed and well loved, and when that smile was turned to her she knew that she would want no other than he.
Lindir had never heard such a voice in all his life, it was sweeter than honey and clearer than the rivers, and he felt it wash over him like a wave of calm and joy as the voice sang "Oh! Joy! Oh a Joy! It is to welcome thee! Welcome! Welcome to the valley! Weary and worn ye may be! But, weary no longer shall ye be! Welcome!" it sang, It came from everywhere and then nowhere at the same time, it was as if the earth itself welcomed him. The young minstrel listened to the voice as it echoed throughout the valley as it sang its welcome and joy and peace and it beckoned him deeper, and he felt his weariness fall away the further he went, he could not help but to let out a laugh and sing along with the honey sweet voice. He wound up at the stairs of the great house feeling weary no longer and his heart had been lifted from it's sorrows.
The lord of the house greeted him with a kind smile and Lindir was struck with the recognition of the voice, It was the Voice of the valley! It was him with the honey sweet voice that had welcomed Lindir into his home. The lord expressed his joy for another who valued song as he did and welcomed the minstrel into his home and gave him a place among them.
Lindir knew well the power song could hold, Eru sang the world into existence, Luthian swayed Namo with her song, and Maglor Fell-Voiced used it to kill, but never had he seen song be used in the way Elrond used it. He used it to heal, to grow things, to welcome, and to protect. Lindir remembered the first time he had watched the lord sing a wound back together, he watched as flesh bent to the power and will and healing Elrond had woven into the song. Elrond sang safety and protection to the valley and it did as he willed, Elrond sang of growth and plants grew, Elrond sang and the world bowed to his will and answered to it willingly and joyfully. It was often that the lord's voice echoed over the valley "Peace! Peace and Joy and happiness to thee! Let thy heart be lifted and sing with me!" he would sing and his people sang back, their voices filled with joy and love for their lord.