When Glorfindel returned it was to find the House of Elrond on its very ear.

The inestimable Túrcala was overseeing a group of Elves washing linens. Her dark hair was piled in a messy bun and she was calling out orders while sweeping the entryway. Glorfindel bowed roguishly to the giggling Elves and then pressed a loud kiss to Túrcala's cheek.

"Away with you rogue," she mock scolded, but her eyes twinkled with joy at seeing him returned unharmed. "You're distracting my workers."

She aimed this comment to the washers who all giggled again, but returned to their work. Glorfindel turned his full attention on the unsung leader of Elrond's home. There was little that went unnoticed by her and he often used her as a source of information. Now she stopped her sweeping and leaned on the broom, her lips quirked in a little half smile.

"The walls are still standing," Glorfindel observed, a cheerful smile doing little to mask the concern in his eyes.

"Barely," Túrcala said dryly. "Your Lady Silnar has resumed living out of her offices and the Lord Elrond has been as surly as a bear."

"Do you know why they fought?" He asked, ignoring the lack of subtlety at her reference to Silnar.

Túrcala began to sweep again. "Rumors abound, but I do believe it had to do with a song that the Lady Silnar sang in the Hall of Fire one evening. The Lord Elrond was not there, but I suppose he heard of it. I will be just as pleased when it all settles again. All anyone can whisper about is the mystery of their relationship and I've too much to do what with the Lady Galadriel arriving soon and the Lords of Lothlórien and Greenwood following."

"I will see to it that they settle things," Glorfindel assured her. "I am going to visit with Elrond right now."

She snorted indelicately and then rubbed the back of her hand across her brow. "Good luck with that my lord. You will need it."

Glorfindel bowed once more with flourish and then made his way to Elrond's study. It was empty and after trying several different places he finally found the Half-Elf ensconced in his Healing room. He was checking his stores and marking paperwork. Although he seemed engrossed, Elrond sensed Glorfindel the moment the Elf entered and he looked up with a relieved smile.

"I am glad to see you returned safely. Have you come to report?"

"Among other things," his friend returned with a slightly sour twist to his lips. "That will do to begin our conversation."

Elrond looked at him suspiciously, but asked, "Well, were they orcs or not?"

"It was a small band of orcs. They have been eradicated."

The Lord of Imladris gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you my friend, your diligence once more keeps us safe."

"Your diligence has done little but enflame relations between you and Silnar," Glorfindel said bluntly, taking a seat on the stool across from his friend. "I have just heard the latest encounter has fueled the gossipmongers nearly the entire time I have been away."

Elrond looked at him in exasperation and set aside his pen and paper. "I would give half of Imladris to learn just where you get your information."

"You most certainly would not," Glorfindel returned with a touch of his old humor. He sobered a moment later though and looked gravely at Elrond. "What has happened? I merely suggested you smooth everything over not begin the next Last Battle."

A heavy sigh was released from Elrond's lungs. "There is too much water under our bridge, Glorfindel. I realize you are an irreparable optimist, but there are some relationships that cannot be mended."

"I refuse to believe it," he argued, settling his hands firmly on the counter and pressing his face close to Elrond's. "She practically raised you, Elrond; you owe her more than that."

Glorfindel realized he had gone too far by the sudden fury in his friend's eyes. "This discussion is finished."

Knowing he had pushed too much forced Glorfindel to apologize. "Forgive me, friend. I am sure you have your reasons. I will speak with you later this evening."

Elrond watched him depart; part of him wanting to call his friend back and explain to him sheer pain he had dealt with at being abandoned, not once, but twice by those he called family. The words remained locked inside, however, as they had been for much of his lifetime and would, if he had anything to do with it, stay there. Not wanting to remain in the healing room, he left and returned to his office to bury himself in paperwork. It was his only escape whenever the memories became too much.

For days Silnar felt hollow inside. She drifted through the hours like a wraith, consumed with a myriad of emotions she had long suppressed. Anger, fear, grief, but mostly guilt…guilt at the way she had handled her relationship with Elrond and the intervening years that had separated them. Maybe Glorfindel was right at how foolish they all were allowing the past to create this chasm between them. It had seemed so insurmountable, but maybe that was her fear preventing her from finally reconciling. It should be so easy and yet she never seemed to find the words.

Eventually she found her way to the House of Healing. Inside the room was silent; the solitude a balm as it had been so many centuries ago. Silnar ran her hands along the cool stone of a counter and then over the neat row of jars filled with pastes and creams. Each one was meticulously labeled in the neat handwriting that she had taught him. He had been a patient, diligent student, which was why she had chosen to school him in the arts of healing. Elros had been too impatient and so…active as a child that Maglor had eventually taken him into hand with the training of a sword. While Elrond had participated as well, most his time was spent with her in the rooms of Healing.

She moved on from the counter and straightened the coverlet of one of the empty beds. He had been such an apt student and so very eager to learn. His intelligence had astounded her and his natural gift amazing. She used to tell him there would come a day when he would surpass her own knowledge. He had never believed her, and it had been such a delight the day he had. She had never been more proud.

And then they had sent them away. It had been Maedhros' idea…a way to repair relationships with the other Elves. She had watched them ride away with their escort to the home of Círdan and their King, Gil-galad, heart breaking into pieces. The twins had thought it a grand adventure, not realizing that it was to be permanent and that they would never see their foster family alive and together again. Only she remained now of that strange parental unit they had made.

Her work was piling up. There were urgent matters needing her attention and yet, she could not force her mind to concentrate. She had come here, hoping to find some peace, some form of solace, but all she had were bittersweet memories. In retrospect, it all seemed like one lovely grand failure. In front of an old oak table clearly meant for work, Silnar observed the countless stains that had seeped into the wood. Daintily stroking the implements used to make the salves and pastes Elrond used in his treatments, she picked up a mortar and pestle. She recognized them as the very ones she had used to instruct her eager pupil. They were old, worn, and clearly used. It made her smile softly to see he had kept them. Perhaps there was hope for them after all.

Almost whimsically, Silnar gathered together various materials stored in cabinets and on counters, setting them up on the table. During the war she'd had assistants to mix her salves so it had been some time since she had needed or wanted to indulge in the messy work. Like an old story, the movements flowed and she lost herself to the simple, scrupulous procedure. Time stood still and silently her mouth formed old words…

"Gently now, grind the herbs slowly but firmly to allow for a thorough blend."

Elrond's child hands seemed small as they gripped the pestle. Silnar was holding the mortar steady to allow for ease of mixing. His dark hair was pulled back away from his face and his lower lip puckered out in concentration. He glanced up quickly and she smiled in approval. "Excellent, now, we shall transfer the crushed herbs into this jar. Careful…"

Very seriously Elrond scraped the herbs into the jar and then shook it slightly to disperse them as evenly as possible. "Is that right?"

"Of course, it is absolutely correct. Next we fill the jar with oil." She handed him the vial and watched in approval as he carefully poured it. "Perfect. Now, what is our next step?"

He nibbled his lip for a moment and then his eyes lit up. "We have to heat the mixture, right?"

"Yes, we will heat the jar for approximately 3 hours."

Elrond sighed. "I guess we have to watch it, right?"

Silnar laughed softly. "Yes, my little one, part of being a healer is preparing the tools of your trade. At times the preparation is long and tedious, but necessary."

"I can do it," he said stoutly. "I want to do it!"

The door to the Healing room opened and the dark head of Elros peeked around the frame. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Silnar said, and opened her arms to receive his fierce hug. He smelled of dirt and sunshine and little boy. "Now, what brings you here?"

"It's time for lessons," he said cheerfully and broke her embrace to take Elrond's hand. "Maglor is waiting and he's getting impatient."

Elrond looked from his brother to the jar of herbs and oil and then to Silnar's warm, smiling face. "I can't today. I have to make my salve."

Lips pouting at being denied, Elros turned to Silnar. "Oh please, Silnar, please say Elrond can come take his lesson! Maglor said it's very important we learn to defend our homes against the evil one and how can we learn if we have to stay here cooped up in a room…"

"Cease, please, cease your babbling," she said her eyes dancing with laughter. "Elrond may be excused for his lesson."

Yelping with glee, Elros yanked his brother behind him as he rushed for the door. Elrond glanced back briefly, but then turned his full attention on Elros and the eagerness with which his brother chattered about the day's upcoming lesson. Silnar walked to the door and watched them run down the hall until they turned the corner and disappeared. Hugging herself tightly she returned to the heating mixture sadly thinking how very quickly elflings grew…

"You are not surprised I kept it."

Silnar looked up from her work to see Elrond's dark gray eyes watching her carefully. As an elfling, his emotions had been spread across his face for the world to see…as an adult he was a closed book and immutable as stone. "You have never been one to waste anything."

She returned her attention to her work, but sensed him moving closer. His clothes whispered with his steps and then he was next to her, observing the slight tremble of her usually steady hands. "You taught me that."

"I seem to have taught you much over the years…including the bitterness of betrayal."

Elrond's hands clenched briefly and then he relaxed. "Yes, well, I suppose it is a lesson we all must learn."

Silnar laughed bitterly and set aside her nearly completed salve. "That lesson should not have to come from parents…it should never come from parents."

"Then I have been doubly betrayed," Elrond murmured. "First by my real parents and then by those who adopted me."

"Is that what you believe? That your mother abandoned you? That I abandoned you?"

He shrugged the movement incongruous with his usual elegant form. "She chose a jewel over her sons. Over me. She promised that she would always take care of us. That she would always be there. You said the same. I used to sit at my window for hours. It faced the courtyard so I could see visitors arriving before anyone else. I would wait for you, but you never came. No one could tell me where you were or why you did not visit. Why did you not write? Were we that much of a burden?"

Shock robbed her temporarily of speech and she sat with a soft thump on the stool behind her. It seemed his wounds ran deeper then she had ever imagined. All this time she had thought it merely because of Elros. How could she have been so stupid? "Y-you were never a burden, Elrond! I loved every moment I spent with you and Elros. Maglor told me it would make things difficult if I tried to keep in contact, and that it would confuse you. He said you were still too young to understand political motivations."

"That is…odd," Elrond finally said after several minutes of thick silence. "As Maglor wrote us constantly. We each received a letter a week, sometimes two."

Betrayal sliced her heart to ribbons and her face paled to near white. She had known that Maglor was jealous of her relationship with the boys, but she had never thought he would go so far. It seemed the Oath had poisoned him after all, just not in the way any had suspected. "For that I have no answer."

"I see. Very well then." He turned to go, but Silnar's voice forced him to pause.

"Why did you greet me so happily when we were reunited? After the battle, when I saw you with your father, you seemed so pleased to see me."

"At the time I believed in second chances."

He walked away and Silnar waited for him to leave before she ran from the room. Tearing wildly out the door that led to outside, she fairly flew over rock and pebble. Past the gardens and deep into the wild of the surrounding woods she ran until her chest heaved for air and she collapsed into a near lifeless pile of arms and legs. Her hands clenched at the grass and dirt, digging deeply in with her fingernails. She sobbed helplessly into the ground, water spilling from her eyes and down her cheeks. Her body quaked with the rush of her emotions: anger at Maglor, herself, and the circumstances that had brought her here. It was a mistake to stay here in Imladris. How had she ever thought that she could live peacefully with Elrond? How horrible of a person was she that she had not realized the damage she would create by ignoring the children who had learned to depend on her? Was it possible to be that much of a failure? Curling into a ball, Silnar let the pain inside spread, her punishment for her own cruelty and she drifted in a sea of emptiness forgetting utterly where and when she was…

Elrond was a gangly youth, all elbows and knees. He seemed too thin for his frame and had adopted an annoying habit of tripping over his feet. It was galling especially as his brother had retained his grace and ease throughout their adolescence. Silnar often spent extra time with him, and tried her best to ease his awkwardness. He would grow into his body someday and oh, what a day that would be! The ladies would be chasing him from sunup to sundown. At present, however, such thoughts of the future were of little condolence. She was not surprised to find him hiding in the library reading an old volume of the healing arts.

"Have you not read that one a hundred times?" She asked, and took a seat across from him. The book was laying flat on the table and his head was propped in one hand, eyes scanning the well known text. Those dark gray orbs looked up from the pages and met her cool blue ones. Today they resembled a storm ravaged sky and she assumed he had embarrassed himself again.

"I tripped in front of Isilmë."

"That is not so terrible," Silnar soothed with a touch of her hand against his cheek. Elrond backed away from her and crossed his arms. She masked her hurt with a look of concern.

"It is terrible if you are carrying a pot of burn paste and manage to dump the entire contents on her new dress," he grumbled bitterly. "Her gown is ruined and worst of all she called me a clumsy Orc. Now I will never be able to tell her how I feel."

Silnar barely masked her laughter at the situation and wished she could remember her adolescence. She was at a complete loss as how to handle a ruffled male ego. Maglor would have handled this beautifully, but he had been distant as of late. She had no desire to bother him.

"I'm sure it will all blow over," she finally said. "No one is perfect, Elrond, and if Isilmë is a truly nice elleth she will forgive you."

He huffed. "Well I'm not going to give her the chance. I'm going to hide here forever!"

"How will you eat?" Silnar asked sensibly. Practical was not what Elrond needed at the moment, however, evidenced by the red creeping up from his collar.

"Who cares? I don't care! No one understands me!" He yelled, and, completely forgetting his promise to never leave the library, Elrond stormed away…

"…but it is going to snow. There might be a blizzard."

"That is why we have cloaks," Maedhros said, his dark eyes flashing. Silnar swallowed her fear having dealt with his temper often enough in the past.

"They are still too young. Neither one of them is yet 50."

Maglor looked up from his contemplation of the fire, sadness rimming his eyes, but his features carefully blank. "They are close enough to their majority. It will be safer for them in Sirion and…Maedhros is correct it will help to soothe relations between us and the other Elves."

"Relations that you soured in the first place with that thrice-damned Oath," Silnar shouted shocking both of the brothers into momentary silence. She took a deep breath and asked in a much more calm tone, "How will you explain it to them?"

"We will tell them it is customary to foster with other families. Our home here is far too secluded at any rate and they will benefit from being around Elves closer to their age. As much as it despairs me to say so, Ereinion and Círdan will be excellent mentors for both boys," Maedhros said firmly, the subject was closed as far as he was concerned. "You have had ample time to mother them, Silnar, it is time to let go. They will soon be grown and must learn to care for themselves."

Silnar sighed and wrapped her arms protectively around her middle. "Very well, then, I can see when I am outvoted. Besides, there is nothing stopping me from accompanying them."

"No," Maedhros said harshly. "They go with an escort who will then return here. Gil-galad and Círdan have no wish for any of our household to remain with them, but the boys."

Gaping at him in shock, Silnar's teeth clenched together. "You…you…you Orc! You made him think that I had a hand in your destruction of Elwing's home! I had nothing to do with that and you know it. How could you?"

Maedhros smirked and set aside the pen he had been writing with as she yelled. "I did no such thing, but I certainly did not disabuse him of any notions he might have possibly had."

"Oh, Maedhros," Maglor said in disapproval.

"All that I have done to help you, all our years of friendship, and I am but a means to an end," Silnar said in defeat. "Why then did you even ask me to come?"

"I did not wish for you to dwell with us," Maedhros said coldly. "Maglor requested your presence. I have tolerated it for his sake, but once the boys move on I expect you to as well."

Silnar stared at this stranger whom she had once counted a dear friend. In his dark eyes there remained nothing but his dedication to his Oath. The countless years and wars had deprived him of family, friends, and hope. All that was left was his desire for revenge and the completion of his task. She turned her sad gaze to Maglor, who though unhappy, made no move to gainsay his brother. That had ever been his way and while he might hesitantly try to sway Maedhros he usually capitulated to the elder's whims.

Without a goodbye, she turned and left the study. She was not surprised to hear Maglor follow, but his words did.

"I know that Maedhros has no tact, Silnar, but he speaks with truth. It is perhaps best if you return to Galadriel."

"I see," Silnar replied stiffly. It was difficult to believe these were Elves she counted as friends.

"It is also best, I think, if we do not write the boys while they are gone," he added tentatively.

This caused her to swirl and face him, her eyes wide with shock. "How can you even suggest that?"

"It will only confuse them, Silnar. They must make Sirion their home and they must understand once and for all that we were their captors not their friends."

Speechless, she struggled for words, for air, for any response. Shaking her head, red hair flying with the movement, Silnar turned away from him. Biting her knuckle to keep from groaning, she wondered why she had even woken this morning. How could her life have changed so irrevocably in the span of an hour?

"I was not their captor," she finally forced out. "But by remaining here when I could have secreted them away makes me as much a sinner as you. I will do as you ask."

He said something in response, but the dull roaring in her ears made it difficult to understand and she strode away. Her gait was swift and angry and it was a miracle she managed to return to her rooms without attracting attention…

"…can see the sea someday? I should very much like to hear the waves. It is difficult for me to remember, Silnar…"

…The horses were impatient to begin, waving their heads, manes flying in the breeze. "I am going to meet a real King, Silnar," Elros crowed with joy. "Do you think he will let me hold Aeglos?"

"I hope Círdan has a big library," Elrond said anxiously. "Do you think he can continue my training to be a healer…"

"Where did you find her?" Elrond asked as he quietly tended to the feverish patient. He masked his uncertainty with movement having never dealt with illness in an Elf. They were to have been impervious from such maladies and yet here she lay, incoherent and burning to the touch.

"In the woods," Glorfindel said shortly. He was tense and angry, probably with both of them having rightly assumed she had run from an argument. "She was muttering something about Isilmë?"

Elrond started and his eyebrows puckered. "Isilmë? Now there is a name I have not heard in years. She was talking of her?"

Glorfindel nodded, blonde hair waving with the movement. His braids were falling out and there was a scratch on his cheek from his uncharacteristic run through the trees. He had been nearly crazy with fear and worry after bringing back the limp form of Silnar and Elrond could hardly remember a time when the unflappable warrior had been so distraught. "Do you know of whom she speaks?"

He was quiet for a moment as he bathed her sweating brow and then said, "She was a young elleth I fancied as a youth. I was rather taken with her and made quite a fool of myself. Silnar never really approved of her. She thought her vain and selfish."

"She was probably right," Glorfindel grumbled and then moved away from the bed. He stood before a tightly latched window, staring at the distant stars. They glimmered and winked, the familiar constellations bringing no comfort tonight, and he wished for a brief insane moment that he was in Tirion with his family. Closing his eyes against stars and wishes, he thrust his mind back into reality and returned to Elrond's side.

"I do not want to know why I found Silnar in the woods delirious with grief, but I want you to fix it, now."

"I am trying," Elrond said gruffly. "I have never dealt with anything like this."

Glorfindel cut a hand through the air interrupting the healer's words. "I meant fix this mess between you two. No more hedging, no more arguments, no more avoidance. You are both acting like children and frankly, I am tired of it. I do not care what old wounds have festered over the years…grow up."

With that the warrior turned on his heel and strode out of the Healing room. Elrond watched him exit, shocked at the harsh truth of his words. It was galling to be told by a giant child to grow up. He looked back down at the tossing Silnar and whispered soothing words. He ran his hands over her face and across her head, imparting some of his strength. Her restlessness ceased and she seemed slightly cooler to the touch. It was going to be a long night and he only hoped he could succeed once more in pulling her from Mandos' door.

Light suffused her surroundings, warm and gentle, soothing and comforting. All of her worries drifted away with nary a thought and she reveled in the calm serenity. Her name, her home, her friends…none of it mattered anymore. She was at true peace and she had no desire to leave.

Sweet child of mine, blossom of my heart, I wish that you could remain, but your task has not even begun.

The voice was familiar…a memory from her childhood. It reminded her of home…her true home.

You must return to them my darling one. Someday we will be reunited this I promise.

Silnar slowly opened her eyes, revealing the smooth contours of the ceiling of the room of Healing. She was swathed in sheets and blankets and struggled weakly to move them. Her skin felt clammy and sticky, making her ache for a warm bath and answers as to what had happened. She finally pushed aside her covers and gradually stood. Her legs felt like rubber and she gripped the bedpost for a moment to get her bearings. Memories of her flight into the woods filtered back and she felt her face bloom red in embarrassment. So much for mending fences. Glorfindel was probably furious. She swallowed hard. Glorfindel was in a chair. Near her bed.

His eyes were unfocused in sleep and she assumed from his rumpled clothing and messy hair that he had been there for some time. He had probably tried to remain awake until sheer exhaustion won. How long had she been sleeping? She released the bedpost and attempted a few steps. The whisper of her nightgown had him jolting awake and she felt guilty for disturbing him. His blue-gray eyes focused and then took in her sheepish face.

"You are awake? Are you sure you are well enough to stand?" He came to his feet and rushed to her side, his warm hands encompassing her cheeks. "Your skin feels normal again."

"Normal? What do you mean?"

"You had a-a fever, Elrond said. He could not explain it. He said it was something men developed. It is no matter, you are well again."

"A fever? Impossible! I have dealt with fevers plenty of times on Númenor. I could not possibly have a fever."

Glorfindel shrugged one shoulder almost carelessly. "What does it matter so long as you are well?"

"I…I am afraid that once more Elrond and I parted on terrible terms. I am beginning to think reconciliation is impossible. Perhaps it would be best if I left."

"And where would you go?" Glorfindel demanded.

Silnar gave him a wan smile. "There are plenty of places. Galadriel has asked me often to visit her in Lothlórien and I have been meaning to visit Valandil."

"You have a duty here," he argued. "You have responsibilities now. Will you abandon them?"

Before she could respond her eyes left his and settled on the familiar form of Elrond hovering in the doorway. Glorfindel turned as well and gestured for the Master of Imladris to join them.

"I am glad to see you up and about," Elrond began as he approached. "Though you might have been a tad hasty in leaving your bed so soon."

Silnar gave him a slightly disgusted look but refrained from commenting. Glorfindel shot her a warning glance and then said, "Perhaps now would be a good time to continue any previous discussions that might have ended roughly?"

"No," Silnar said firmly. "I am taking a long awaited bath and relaxing in the privacy of my room. Anything else will merely have to wait."

There was a hesitant knock on the doors to the room and the three Elves turned to see a hesitant elleth peeking inwards. Glorfindel immediately smiled to put her at ease. "What is it, Linndúlin?"

"Forgive me for the intrusion my lords, my lady, but the Lady Galadriel from Lothlórien has arrived. She is asking for the Lady Silnar."

"Thank you, Linndúlin," Silnar said. "Please see that she is given rooms. I will be with her shortly."

The elleth left and Silnar sighed. "Galadriel arrived sooner then I thought. If you will both excuse me I must bathe and greet her."

She left before either Elf could protest and hurried to her rooms. Galadriel's arrival was a boon unlooked for and she was grateful she had made all haste.