Melting a Heart of Ice

Triina’s arm healed enough for Lord Elrond to allow her to bathe and change into some clean clothes before going to the meeting. She finished just with just enough time to make it there on time, but was unable to let her men know she was all right herself. Lord Elrond had promised to let them know, and she would see Lyle at the meeting since he was representing her father, and she was representing her mother.

As soon as she arrived to the circle of men, one in particular caught her gaze. With reddish hair, a cocky smirk, and body language that showed her from the start she probably wouldn’t like him, though in front of Lord Elrond, she would never show her disrespect for him, she respected him too much for that.

“A woman?” he questioned, making her regret agreeing to wear one of Arwen’s dresses, and letting her pull her hair back in the typical fashion for a female elf. “Yes, a woman. Is that a problem, My Lord?” she questioned, regretting her comment the second Lord Elrond’s eyes met hers. “I apologize for my tongue, My Lord. I have a tendency to be rash.” She sighed, hating the fact he already thought he was better than she was, and she had to apologize to him just now.

Lord Elrond motioned for her to take her seat, which was beside Lyle who was as displeased with her little outburst as he was. As Lord Elrond spoke of a great evil and terrible enemy that they all had to face together or they would surely die, she let her mind wander. Ignoring him completely after a while as she listened to the fountains and other bodies of water that was close to them.

Her thoughts were shattered when she felt that dark presence again, but stronger than ever, as a small creature that she could have sworn was a child with his size and innocence placed a small golden ring on the pedestal in the center of their circle. “The One Ring.” She muttered.

Once again she was unable to pay much attention to the meeting, though Lord Elrond knew she was able to grasp what was happening around her. The darkness surrounding the ring seemed to make the waters around her rage, especially the water from her home, that was cased within the ring being held by the elf not far from her. She had to keep herself calm, to keep the waters from reacting to her emotions. The last time she was so close to such evil, she nearly drowned herself and everyone around her. It wasn’t so much the evil itself, but the temptation it was posing to the others around her. Lyle, and the red headed man more than anyone. She could feel it, as if it were whispering in her ear from all of them. Another trait of her family, and another rare ability among her people; she could sense the emotions of others.

Secretly she lowered her eyes and focused on keeping calm. Legolas’ eyes, she knew, were focused on her. Lord Elrond would glance to her every so often as he spoke. A few chairs from her an old wizard sat, also looking over to her now and then. They could sense that something was wrong with her, but only Lord Elrond knew what it was.

She had to struggle not to pass out when the waters raged around them in a way only she could hear, when the wizard stood and said some sort of spell. The sky above them darkened as the one who questioned her right to attend the meeting tried to touch the ring. She realized at once that it was what her people called the “Dark Tongue”, or “Death Language”, and knew now why they feared it so.

Suddenly an argument erupted around her, and even more she had to block it out, or risk joining only to silence them. Again, the last time she gave in to those urges, she nearly killed someone. She knew they were arguing over destroying the ring, and whether or not it should be used as a weapon against Sauron. She didn’t expect the dwarf to jump up and try to smash the ring with his axe.

As soon as the axe and ring made contact, the weapon’s head shattered, and the ring sent out a pulse that very few of them seemed to feel, and out of those few it was strongest for her. She felt as though it would knock her from her chair, and took a sharp gasp as it went through her. In the chaos around her though, only Lord Elrond noticed.

She was fully alert through the rest of the meeting, or rather the argument, hanging on every word spoken. She learned that the ranger across from her was also Aragorn, the rightful king to Gondor, and Boromir, the man who originally voiced his disapproval with her attending the meeting, was the son of Gondor’s steward.

The men were fighting now over who would take and destroy the ring, each race refusing to see the others have it. Until the childlike creature, whom she learned was a hobbit named Frodo, once again stood up, announcing over them that he would take it. Upon announcing that he didn’t know the way, others around the circle volunteered to assist him, and by the end of the meeting, She, Legolas, the dwarf who broke his axe on the ring Gimli, Boromir, Aragorn, the wizard Gandalf, and Lyle were stood around him.

Before Lord Elrond could say anything about their decision, another hobbit ran from the bushes behind them to stand at his side. “Mr. Frodo’s not goin’ anywhere without me.” He announced firmly. “Apparently, even when he is summoned to a secret council meeting, and you are not.” Lord Elrond voiced, lightly amused. Suddenly another two ran out from behind some pillars and announced that they were coming too.

Even as Lord Elrond announced that they be the Fellowship of the Ring, she wasn’t paying much attention. And after the meeting was over with, and she was sitting at the side of a small creek, manipulating the water, he confronted her about it.

“If you are going to protect Frodo, and the ring, you will have to be more alert and mindful of the goings on around you.” He said firmly as he stood behind her.

“And I will. Do you know how difficult it is to drown out so many voices? The ring speaks, Lord Elrond, I’m not sure if you can hear it, but it speaks. And the temptation surrounding it speaks. To listen to you, to the arguing men, dwarfs, elves, hobbits… temptations, evil rings… If I weren’t blocking most of it out I would have either collapsed, or ended up joining their argument, trying to make them stop yelling.” She sighed heavily, there was no defending herself against him; there never had been.

“Look at me, Triina.”

She threw the water she was playing with back into the creek with a splash, and stood up to face him.

“I want you to be careful, this is not an obligation. You must go no farther than your own choosing.”

“You have no need to worry about me, Lord Elrond. I promise you I will return here when the ring is destroyed; I still have much to learn from you, and many lessons are needed to learn it.” She smiled.

He nodded and motioned for her to walk with him. Over the years they had become very close, and he saw her as family, though neither of them really knew how the other felt towards them. She spent more time with him than her own father after Til’Arin was unable to send visitors to her father to teach her. Unlike her father, Lord Elrond never insulted her or her mother, ignored her, or forced her to withstand brutal training matches, just to keep her quiet and out of his way; the point of those were to keep her in the infirmary or her room, and out of his hair.

As she got older, her father wanted less to do with her. She became more of an inconvenience on him, because of her needs. Lord Elrond though, was always kind to her, and always ready to answer her questions and offer advice. Arwen had also become like a sister to her, although she was the overbearing, older sister, who wanted to see her find love, and make sure she was always looking her best.

“Please don’t jump in this time.” he sighed, already knowing what she was thinking as they made their way to a small covered bridge. “Oh but Lord Elrond, the waters here are always so kind to me.” She laughed lightly.

“Yes, I know, that is why I’ve brought you here. I’ve noticed in your time here this is where you come to think, though you tend to hide under the bridge itself, rather than stand where we are now.”

“Oh, I see. So what is it I’m learning to do now?” she questioned, knowing she was about to receive another lesson in her special water abilities. “Rain.” Someone answered simply from behind her, startling her in the process. She turned around quickly, and had Elrond not grabbed her arm she would have hit Gandalf in the face. “I apologize for frightening you, in these difficult times I should have known better.” He smiled. “No, I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn’t be so quick to attack, especially in a place I know is safe.” She sighed. Gandalf nodded and turned to Lord Elrond to have him begin the lesson.

“As Gandalf here has brought to my attention, your people, the Til’Arin, have more than control over just pre-existing bodies of water. You can also create it, making it rain on command.” He explained.

“You’re mistaken, My Lord. Not all Til’Arin are able to change the weather, as not all Til’Arin are able to freeze it. Only the very strong are able to do such things, and the very strong are only pure blooded. Keep in mind, although I am the daughter of Sillis Arrine, I am still a half breed.” She interrupted.

“Half breed or not, you still poses such powers, Sillis Triina. You have already used them.” Gandalf pointed out.

“When?”

“While fighting the army of orcs, just days ago. Until your desperate need for rain, the weather was clear and dry. And the moment you were finished, the storm ended, did it not?”

Her eyes went wide and for a moment her lungs refused to draw breath, “So that is why I was so exhausted after the fight.” She muttered. “Yes, after adding that fact to how much energy you used to defeat so many opponents.” Lord Elrond explained. “Now try it again.” Gandalf instructed. They weren’t giving her time to think, but then again, she would be leaving with the Fellowship in the morning, there wasn’t much time for thinking was there?

She looked at the sky and silently asked it to rain, but nothing happened. She shook her head and ordered it to rain, and again nothing. “I can’t do this under this bridge, you know that.” She sighed, facing Lord Elrond. “Stand where you must, but remember that is my daughter’s dress.” He replied, reminding her that Arwen might not appreciate her soaking the clothes she lent her by going into the river below the bridge.

She nodded and walked down by the water, kneeling down the way she was by the creek when he found her. She dipped her fingers into the water, and removed them, letting the water drip like rain onto her other hand. “What was I thinking before, when it rained?” she asked herself quietly, continuing to play in the water, “Oh right, don’t die.” She smirked, rolling her eyes and remembering that Lord Elrond was still watching.

She was determined to make it rain, because he wanted her to. To make him proud, she would do anything. In her life, there were very few who she needed approval from, very few who she needed to be proud of her, and he was one of them. Focusing all of her energy on the clouds, she demanded the water held within them come to her. And it did more than she expected.

The once white puffs turned to thick dark shadows, and sent a merciless downpour over all of Rivendell. Both Lord Elrond and Gandalf applauded her as she quickly took cover on the covered bridge with them. “Well done Triina.” Gandalf praised. “Thank you.” She smiled happily. “I have far more confidence in you now, than I ever have. I must admit I didn’t expect you to conjure a light shower, let alone such a storm as this.” Lord Elrond smiled. “Thank you.” She grinned.

“Now dismiss it.” He ordered with a grin of his own. “Oh… I… hmm.” She frowned, looking back at the rain as many elves ran for cover in their houses, and others watched in curiosity as the sudden shower continued. “I don’t need it anymore, so it should go away,” she muttered to herself, once again forgetting the two who watched her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and when she opened them, the rain was gone and the sky was once again blue. Leaving nearly everyone in Rivendell confused. “I believe she has this ability under control, Master Elrond.” Gandalf smiled. “It would seem so.” He chuckled as she clapped her hands in childish excitement.

“Is that all?” she asked. “Until you return, yes.” He nodded.

“Then may I train with your men again? I still want to try those fighting knives the elves use.”

“I would prefer you rest before such a long journey.”

“I will rest, tonight, after the sun sets, at night when I usually sleep.”

“No, you won’t.”

She sighed heavily, she should’ve known he knew her better than that.

“Yes, I’ll allow you to train with them. But don’t overwork yourself.”

“Thank you, you know I’m more responsible than that.” She smiled and quickly left to find Lyle, and get her own clothes back; she wasn’t even going to think about asking one of the elfin commanders’ permission to train with his men, while wearing Arwen’s dress.

“Lyle, there you are! Where are my things, you insisted on carrying them for me, remember?” she asked cheerfully as soon as she found him and his brother Thellen talking casually in the room they had been given. “In your bag, right beside the door.” He answered lazily. “Thank you.” She sighed, when they were alone, he was one of the most caring people in her life, but if his brother or her father were around, he dismissed her as much as King Radill and nearly everyone else in her life.

After changing into her own clothes, which were simple brown leggings, white shirt, and brown boots, she took her hair down from the way Arwen had done it, and put it in it’s usual long braid. As soon as all of that was done, she took Arwen’s dress and returned it to her.

“You have always been the one to fight, haven’t you?” Arwen asked with a smile as the two of them walked out to the training grounds together. It wasn’t unusual for her to watch Triina fight the elfin soldiers, nor was it unusual for her to walk her to the healers afterward.

“And you haven’t? From what I’ve heard, you took Frodo and faced multiple wraiths that were hunting him. Not only that, but I’ve personally seen your training as well, My Lady.”

“Must you call me that? You know as well as I that you’re a sister in my eyes.”

“Yes I must, because I see you as my sister as well. And you would be my older sister, so as the younger it is my duty to find small things to vex you.” She smirked before going into a three-on-one sword match.

Of course the elves outmatched her, and she did withstand a few cuts here and there, but according to the overseeing commander, she did quite well in the first match. She continued fighting though, harder and harder, eventually taking everything she felt for Lyle for dismissing her out in her next match.

A second sword was thrown to her and she fought with two blades, and now against six elves. She smiled wickedly when the commander joined as a seventh. She knew him well, and had trained with him many, many times. He knew her limitations, and she knew he would push them harder than ever with her upcoming journey.

She didn’t know at what point the other elves backed off, leaving the two of them to fight each other. She also didn’t know when the small audience gathered around where Arwen sat to watch either. She glanced up for no more than a second and saw Lord Elrond watching with a blank expression. That distracted her, because she didn’t want a blank expression, she wanted a pleased expression. She wanted him to be pleased with her skill.

She lost her footing and fell, but rolled out of her opponent’s way and stood up before he could strike. Though now she was fighting once again with one sword, and was unable to reach her other. It wasn’t long before he was able to disarm her completely in her distraction, as she tried to reach the other blade. Now the fight was on for real. Leaving her to oppose two swords, with bare hands.

She noticed that Boromir had also joined the small group, along with Legolas and Aragorn as well. But what caught her eye, was that Boromir was armed, and his sword was in her reach. She glanced over to him, to see him smirking at her disposition. She ducked under her opponent’s sword and glanced up at Lord Elrond, then to Boromir’s sword, and back again as if asking for permission, but by the time she had received his nod both Boromir and her match had moved. No one else was armed, and now she couldn’t get his sword, so she had to think of a better plan.

“Of course,” she muttered flatly. “Of course what?” the commander questioned. “Of course, I should have thought of this… earlier… since we are on the training… ground and, the… other… soldiers here are armed, and… I am not… and, you, are showing, no… mercy!” she answered, jumping, rolling, and dodging his blows through her explanation, causing her to break and grunt throughout.

He stopped and looked curiously at her for only a second before going back to trying to defeat her, but that one second was all she needed. She now had a bow, and it was drawn and had it’s arrow touching his nose when he turned to strike. “Very good, but you’ve forgotten two things.” He said.

“What?”

He smirked and swept her feet out from under her, and put his own sword at her throat, “You shouldn’t stand with your feet so close together while holding a bow like that, you’ll have no balance. Also, you left your entire midsection unguarded, I could have run you through easily had this been a real fight.”

“I’ll remember that, thank you.” She grunted as he pulled her to her feet. “Go and recover. You’re done here.” He ordered. She nodded her respect and returned the bow and arrow to the elf she had taken them from before collecting her own weapons and walking over to the group of onlookers.

Boromir had lost interest in the fight and left, and Arwen and Aragorn were both missing, no doubt gone off together, leaving only Legolas and Lord Elrond. “Impressive, you have indeed improved since your last visit here.” He smiled approvingly. “Thank you, very much.” She breathed, still winded from the merciless training. “You should hold pride in your skill, most women cannot fight like that.” Legolas stated, still in mild awe. “And thank you, as well.” She smiled, cutting her arm behind her back to keep herself from blushing, though Lord Elrond noticed it and ordered that she follow him.

“You are indeed battling many emotions.” He stated as they sat in her room while she once again encased her injuries in ice. “I have no idea what you’re referring to.” she lied.

“You know perfectly well what I am referring to, Triina. Your hatred for your father is growing, and I’ve noticed that when I have watched the last few times you’ve trained with my men, you have pushed yourself to dangerous extents, refusing to stop at points where even my highest commanders would have stood down. And only moments ago, when Legolas complimented you, you punished yourself for your feelings towards him. Why?”

“What explanations do you want? Of course my hatred for my father is growing, he treats me as if I’m nothing to him! Because I am nothing to him! I am nothing more than an inconvenience on him and the bastard child he regrets ever taking in!

“And of course I refuse to surrender when you watch my training here! Why wouldn’t I? If I have met anyone worth impressing, it has been you. If there is anyone who makes me want to try harder, it’s you! I don’t care that you don’t see me this way, but you are the closest thing to a father I have ever known! Even growing up having my own father, with whom my mother conceived me, you are the closest I have known! What reason would I have to not fight until my collapse, to show you that I am not as weak as my own father thinks I am? He has not once watched me train, when you have a thousand times over.” She explained, now letting her tears roll down the sides of her face. She felt no shame for it; he had seen her cry many times.

“And Legolas?”

“I did that to prevent myself from feeling for him. I cannot have those emotions, for anyone!”

“Why is this? Are you not deserving of happiness?”

“I have a heart of ice, Lord Elrond, I cannot feel such love. I’ve refused many times and this will be no different. As the days pass, so will these feelings, and eventually I will feel nothing more than friendship towards him, maybe even less.”

“Do you think that by feeling love, you are somehow weaker than if you were to live your life alone?”

“No. I have seen what love does to people in war, though. They die, they die for each other, and they leave each other in agony for the rest of their lives.”

Elrond knew now why she was refusing to allow herself such emotions; she was afraid. He sat beside her with his hand over hers as she silently cried, regretting her confession to how she saw him. “Triina, I understand your fears. No living thing wants to feel the loss of a loved one. But rejecting any love shown towards you is not the answer.” He sighed.

“It has to be, there is no other way. Once, I had accepted love, and only received heartache in the end.”

“Yes, I remember that well. He did not love you as you thought , and left you in tears. I have seen though what would be if you were to give Legolas a chance, and I strongly advise it.”

“And what did you see?”

“Happiness, Triina. In my vision you held a smile unlike any I have seen from you.”

“My smile would not persuade you to ask this of me, Lord Elrond. I know you too well. What else did you see?”

“I cannot say. There are some things we are meant to find for ourselves. I can only point you in the proper direction.”

“How strongly do you feel I should give Legolas this chance?” she asked after a long pause. Her voice was shaking, and just above a whisper, but in the silence of her room it seemed to echo around them. “If it weren’t for this vision, I would protest your decision to accompany the Fellowship.” He admitted honestly.

She took a very deep breath and nodded, looking up at him with eyes that held the most fear he had seen from her, “I can’t promise, My Lord, that I can do this, but I will try.” She whispered, unsure of her decision still. “That is all I ask, Triina.” He smiled and shocked her with his loving embrace. “And do not doubt that I care for you. Over the years you have become as a child to me, and I would see you no other way.” He muttered to her.

That was all she could take. First came a whimper as she clung to him tighter, struggling not to break. Then the first sob followed by the others she could no longer contain. She didn’t leave her room again for the rest of the night. After Lord Elrond left her, she was asleep nearly as soon as her door was closed.