Elerrina

To Love a Brother

"What were the Nazgul doing so close to Imladris?"

Elladan was the first to break the silence that had fallen inside the large bedchamber, his voice echoing loud in the still air. Every pair of eyes turned in his direction, and she could see in their eyes the same question that the elder twin had voiced. Her mind was suddenly brought back to reality, although part of her thoughts still remained lost on the images that had just crossed her mind.

"They should not have been there" Glorindel's voice made her suddenly remember his presence in the room. The golden haired warrior stood from the chair in the corner of the room and slowly walked to stand behind Elrohir.

"It is impossible to tell where the nine might wonder, but I do agree they should not have been there."

Lord Elrond's eyes turned to meet his Seneschal's wary blue ones as he spoke. Vilya whispered dully upon his hand, the faint glow like a dancing ghost inside its blue stone. The twins exchanged a worried stare before their silver eyes focused once again on their father.

"Ada, they dared to try crossing the Bruinen" said Elrohir in a low voice as his eyes stared deeply into his father's, worried and suspicious. Dark images flashed before her eyes as she suddenly remembered the black cloaked riders around her, the despairing cold, the body of water hitting everything around her, trapping her in a fast moving chaos of splashing water. Elladan's finger wrapping around hers was what brought her back to reality.

"They would have never done so unless they knew Elerrina had the ring." Continued the younger twin, now directing his gaze to his elder brother, exchanging another one of their stares.

"They could tell the ring was there. She used it." Elerrina froze again as the Elf-Lord's storm grey eyes turned in her direction, staring deeply into her green ones. "You saw them, did you not?"

Flashes of the cold, silvery white ghosts inside the dark cloaks crossed her mind: their empty, white eyes staring into her, past her body; their rotting bonelike fingers stretching out to her and Elladan. Cold shivers ran down her spine at the memory and she simply nodded her head, her eyes not leaving the Elf-Lord's powerful gaze. Out the corner of her eyes, she saw Elladan lower his gaze, looking down at his hands on his lap. Elrohir's eyes never left his brother.

"But did they see her?" Elrohir asked as his gaze traveled hesitantly from his twin to the Elf-Lord. Elladan's eyes snapped up to meet his father's gaze, silver eyes attentive, hopeful, as she felt him tighten his hold on her hand.

"I do not know" came Lord Elrond's answer, as his eyes focused on his elder son's pleading pair of liquid silver. "The elven rings were never touched by the enemy. The nine do not see the wielder of these rings, as they do with the rest of the rings. Nonetheless, the rings are powerful things, and they can sense them. The eye can sense them. There is a very dangerous chance of being seen when wielding a ring of power. I am sure they did know an elven ring was involved as soon as Elerrina wielded it. It is what made them attempt to cross the Bruinen. Had Elerrina been wearing the ring, wielding it as its master, I would be sure that the eye has seen her. However, that was not the case."

The Elf-Lord's eyes turned again in her direction and she felt once again frozen under the deep grey stare, a flash of hope rushing through her veins.

"They eye will be fixed on Imladris." Glorfindel's voice echoed through the bedchamber, making the Elf-Lord's silver eyes turn to face him. The Balrog Slayer's soft blue eyes were narrowed, worried and alert as he stared down at his lord. The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes seemed to communicate a deeper message than the spoken words. "They know a ring is kept in here"