13 Goodbye

The day after, Frances woke early at the sound of chirping birds bundling at the window because of the cold wind. Dark nightmares had plagued her mind, and she felt sickened by the content of her imagination. Dressing up in a woolen dress and fur boots after refreshing her face with icy water, she passed quickly through the kitchen to grab a bit of elven bread and took off for the mountains. Her thick elven cloak was welcome in the icy wind, and the sky was grayish, smelling of snow. Her thoughts were wandering again to the terrible nightmares, and she shuddered in the cold morning. She definitely needed a break to process all this knowledge that had suddenly turned from theoretical to very practical. Was she ready for middle earth and its foulness? As doubts plagued her mind, the frozen lake came into view and she smiled through the little flakes that had started falling down during her ascension.

Soon enough she was circling again on the ice, her hair securely fastened in a tight braid, and all nasty thoughts left her mind for a while. Circling and twirling around, Frances enjoyed every moment of her shameless escapade from her studies until two familiar elven figures appeared behind a line of tree. As the twins stepped on the ice and safely made their way to her, their balance unhindered, she darted off in her direction.

Both twins had debated about the sense of coming up to seek out the young lady, but her quick escape from the morning had hinted them to do so. It was not unusual for her to run away and disappear like this, but still they felt like they needed to bid her adieu. The reception they would get however was still unsure. Estel was still angry. From Frances, they knew next to nothing. She seemed to have been deeply affected by the orc's savagery and the death of her mount. The girl was sometimes so oversensitive that they wondered how she had managed to travel up to weather top and attacked the Nazgûls. She had been ignorant of their nature, but still it was a mighty deed for someone so inexperienced with weapons.

The twins braced for impact, ready to take her anger. Yet, the young woman's progress in their direction seemed far from wary.

She stopped in a twirling motion in front of them and both elves raised an eyebrow.

- "Hello mischievous twins, how fare you on this freaking cold day?"

Her tone was lighter, nightmares forgotten. Elladan slightly bowed, his tone very formal.

- "We fare well, thank you my lady…"

- "… What about you?", Elrohir finished.

The young woman took a few instants before answering this question, her eyes switching to the rocky mountains before getting back to the two worried faces of the twins.

- "Well, alive I am so I guess that this will have to do"

A thick silence followed during which Frances wondered if she could pry about the meeting with their father, but from they grim faces she bit her tongue instead. Still, she couldn't shake the sight of their beautiful features, deformed by fury. How she wanted to ask, but she felt in no position to make such enquiries. Tentative friends they were… not enough to delve into past hurts.

Elves were in general used to silence, their numerous years of existence slowly replacing the need to talk by simple observation. However, the twins were not used to hers, she that had opened like a shell during the past weeks. Her facial expression did not indicate any forwardness, but surprisingly enough there was no anger directed towards them either. About to greet her goodbye and break the new of their departure, Elladan was interrupted by his brother who could not contain his curiosity anymore.

- "Are you not angry at us?"

Gritting his teeth in displeasure, the older elf nonetheless waited for the answer. Frances seemed to seek an appropriate answer to this very sensitive question, but even the truth seemed to elude her. Eventually, she found a way to express her feelings honestly.

- "I didn't get time to be angry. I hid, baited and climbed right back into that tree and you were back. Had I been tortured raped and killed like those foul creatures wanted to…"

The twins' faced contorted in pain, one reflecting the other with perfect symmetry

- "… I would probably be angry to death, no pun intended"

As the elves fidgeted uneasily over the icy ground, the young lady decided to take the matter in her own hands and extended both of her hands in their direction. Lifting a skeptical eyebrow, Elladan hesitated for a second before realizing that his brother had already seized the young lady's gloved tiny hand and pulled her a bit closer. Shaking his head in disbelief, the older brother imitated his twin, deploring that he would not behave with more decorum. Her gloved hand was really little in his palm, but her grip was firm, and when he leveled his gaze to hers he could only find determination and curiosity. She was stronger that she looked.

- "Now, she said, I am not angry at both of you, but I am curious, and …"

Frances paused then, as if unsure whether she could voice her thoughs.

- "And?..."

- "Honestly I'm also a bit frightened"

This revelation struck them speechless, but quite surely, Elladan after Elrohir, both started to remember how ruthless they had been on this day. Surely it would have been folly to think that she had missed the expression of their faces and the hatred that had burnt in their eyes before setting off for an orc massacre. She was, for a human, quite perceptive of elven moods, and responsive too. It was so strange that she would admit her fear while still holding their hands tight. This demonstration of faith melted Elladan's heart to the core, and a quick peek at his twin indicated the same reaction by his side.

- "How afraid are you?", he asked in a low voice.

Frances suddenly shuddered, and the eldest twin pulled her to his side, wrapping his arm above her shoulder to share his body warmth. With her skates, the young woman was taller and could fit in the crook of his arm. A brotherly embrace that surprised his twin just as much as himself.

- "When I saw the look on your face, I was frightened enough to turn my mare away and gallop back to Imladris."

- "So you would run away from us?"

Elrohir freed his hand suddenly, feeling betrayed but knowing well that he deserved whichever wrath she could launch at him. She shook her head slowly while leaving Elladan's side and started to fidget on her skates. She couldn't help it, gliding helped her focus.

- "I would not run away from you, even if you freaked me out this day. I will not turn my back on you, even if believe me, I have seen weird things in my past. It is just unsettling… this rage, this fury upon your face. Believe me, you were far from being yourself. However, trust is always earned, and all I wish is to understand, even if I reckon this is a lot to ask…"

- "We are not often asked such explanations", started Elladan

- "Since everybody of Rivendell knows of our hate of orcs, a few newcomers have ever witnessed our hunting parties", finished Elrohir

Frances watched them, a sparkle shining in her eyes. They did not seem offended, just very awkward with the subject.

- "Then will you talk to me?"

- "Yes we will…", both voices stated at the same time

And thus, they recounted the sad tale of their mother's abduction by the orcs, a thousand years ago. They did not elaborate the tortures she had to endure – Frances' face had blanched considerably - before they found her and rescued her from her kidnappers. But they did not hide Celebrian's sorrow and spiritual wounds that would not heal, and of her passing to the west such a long time ago.

The hard, leveled tone in which Elladan spoke was a testimony of the many years that had passed since the event came to darken their lives, but still, even if their faces were now perfectly controlled, the fury could not be extinguished in their eyes.

As they walked down the path under the now heavy snowing, the twins also informed her that they were to depart in the evening. This though saddened the young woman, but still she could not find the strength to oppose lord Elrond. He probably had more intelligence in this than she had, and even if this quick decision seemed close enough to a punishment, there probably was a greater reason to it. The trio shared a last meal together, talking about cheerful things to ease the pain of the separation, and then Frances accompanied them under the cold wind to the gates of the city. There she found Lord Elrond, who seemed less than surprised to see her, as well as Arwen and Estel. Lord Glorfindel also stood by the gates, his face serious. Many elven words were whispered which Frances didn't understand. And when the twins bid her goodbye with a deep bow, the young lady could not help but rush forward and embrace both twins within her arms. The sight was pretty amazing given the fact that she was much smaller than they, and that her arms barely reached up behind their neck to hold them close. However, their responding gesture formed a gentle but powerful hug.

They had barely known each other for a few weeks, but the bound they were sharing went beyond measure for such little time. Somehow, the young lady had managed to penetrate their wary hearts, and this deed alone had Lord Elrond smiling beyond the fear and angst to send his sons on such perilous mission. Arwen, usually so leveled and correct, surprised them all by joining in the collective hug. For an instant, lord Elrond saw the carefree faces of all his children laughing again like in old times, but soon enough the twins had detangled themselves from the ladies, and mounted their horses. One last wave to their father and foster brother, and they were gone.

The lady Arwen exchanged a meaningful look with Estel, but then she grabbed Frances' hand and led her to her own room. Both women spent the evening together, talking about the twins and what fate might lie ahead, and for the first time they laid their hearts bare. Arwen revealed the the love that had blossomed between herself and Estel, her foster brother, and Frances told her about Charlie. Frances was dumbfounded to realize how trustful the elf maiden was to her, especially since they were not close. Frances never sought Arwen's company, being far too intimidated by the Evenstar. How wrong she had been to shun such friendship !

Arwen was the evening star of her people, but her heart was as beautiful as her soul. This evening taught Frances how sweet and open the daughter of Elrond could be, and very soon she realized how lonely she felt amongst her people. Being the youngest of her siblings, and revered like Elbereth, Arwen did not really have many occasions to talk about her love for a forsaken human ranger. When her brothers were absent, she longed for Lothlórien where some of her friends dwelt. The life of the Eldar was considered sacred amongst the first born, and renouncing to one's immortality was only granted to those of the line of Elrond – the Peredhil - therefore, no one could understand what Arwen was going through with this choice.

Talking to Frances eased the pain; it was unexpected to find more understanding in the young human's words than in any speeches she had had before. Frances' natural empathy allowed her to step in the elf's shoes, and even if she could not feel the angst by herself, the distress that radiated from Arwen found an echo in the depth of her heart. Now that the elleth had shared her thoughts, Frances started to understand why she considered forsaking her immortality. Poor Elrond. Poor twins… Arwen and Aragorn's love was a bittersweet one, as beautiful and sad as Romeo and Juliet. So Frances crossed her fingers, hoping that, despite the war, despite it all, they would enjoy many years of happiness together to counterbalance the grief of losing one's family.