The Light Between Our Scars | Adar x Galadriel | Rings of Power

Chapter 6: Reunited Again

Galadriel felt a presence behind her at the edge of the woods and quickly stood up, turning in its direction. Her face lit up, glimpsing the armor of Elrond shimmering under the warm sunlight. She ran towards him and grabbed his hands, smiling brightly. "Elrond!" She greeted him, feeling a warm comfort in her heart to finally see a familiar face after all the darkness.

"Galadriel, my friend!" He exclaimed, squeezing her hands back and smiling. "What a joy it is to see you again! I'm so glad my little trick with the pin worked and you're safe, here, in front of me!" He smiled back at her.

Elrond's face looked so different. He appeared exhausted, the blood and dirt of the battle still on his armor. What a difference to the Elrond that greeted her in Lindon months ago.

Galadriel didn't look the same either. Her armor was covered by Adar's blood, her face overwrought from recent events. They looked at each other for a moment, bursting with happiness despite all.

Elrond was the first to break the brief silence "Belanor told me you wanted to talk with me. Why didn't you come to the camp with him? We're starting to settle there, and we have to set up protections and defenses. You will be needed!".

Galadriel lowered her gaze, a shadow falling on her face, then looked at him again. "Many things have happened since you gave me that pin, Elrond. Incomprehensible things". She moved aside, unveiling Adar's body under the tree not far behind her.

"Galadriel! Is he...?" Elrond was astonished.

"Yes, he is Adar. He's suffering terribly, because he sacrificed himself to save my life against Sauron and had been stabbed with Morgoth's Crown" she responded, then continued with a tone of urgency in her voice, "He has changed, Elrond. I can't tell you everything now, but I think he deserves to be saved. Are there Healers in the camp?".

Her friend looked back at her with a worried expression on his face, "Yes there are, Galadriel. But I don't think...".

"Please, Elrond" she interrupted him "will you talk about this with Gil-Galad? Put your diplomatic art to use. Adar needs to be healed soon; it's a matter of hours for him. Tell the King that I have..." She cautiously pulled out of the armor Nenya and the nine rings Celebrimbor gave her and showed them to him.

He gasped, raising the rings to his eye level and observing them carefully. "Nenya! You've been able to take it from him! I thought I'd lost it forever!".

"I haven't taken it from Adar, Elrond" Galadriel specified, "The ring completely healed him, and yet he voluntarily took it off and gave it back to me, to fight Sauron together. Now you understand why I think he deserves to be healed?".

Elrond frowned, still shaken and confused by what he had just heard.

A sudden shout made both gasp. Adar sat up, showing a surprising strength. Galadriel felt chills running through her spine: his eyes were entirely black, no white was visible in them, and his face was horribly contracted in pain. He stared at them for a second, then fell again on his back, gasping. She ran beside him but couldn't help him in any way. She looked back at Elrond, interrogatively.

The Elf's expression was still doubtful, but he nodded. "I'll be back soon" he said, rushing back to the Elven camp.

After what seemed an eternity - during which Galadriel continued to try, in vain, to give Adar some relief - she heard movements behind her and saw Gil-Galad in person, preceded by Elrond, a young girl with a bag, and four fully armed soldiers. They all showed signs of the battle of Eregion on their faces and armor, including the King of the Elves. She stood up, nervously watching Gil-Galad approaching her. She had made many mistakes lately, and she was unsure how he would react to her request to help Adar.