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Disclaimer: I do not own the character or places associated with the Lord of the Rings or Middle Earth. They are the creations of J. R. R. Tolkien and the property of Tolkien Enterprises.
Any
master of battle should always take stock of his friends as well as his enemies.
Knowing both can, in time, be profitable.
~
Anonymous
*************
“I do not care, bring it down,” Malen snapped at the group of humans.
Incompetent race, she cursed to herself. She was an elf with an elf’s hearing and they had the gall to point out to her that what she had ordered them to do would make noise. If all was well there would be no other elves or humans around close enough to hear it as long as the bumbling group was not too careless. Leaving instructions with them for what to do after they finished here the maiden turned and sprinted towards Rivendell. She must get back there before that nosy she elf ruined her plan.
***********
Glullyn was part of the group of bumbling men. The swordsman had come up to the group and they had not known he was against them. His insides just wouldn’t let him attack without giving them fair warning he was there to disarm them or fight them if he had to when the elf maid had shown up. He had never seen this one before and knew right away this was the one the Lord’s sons were looking for. Keeping his mouth shut the mercenary had learned what she was there for and decided to play along because apparently she had Elladan’s brother, of which he couldn’t remember his name, and the boy. He hated this kind of deceiving men, about which side he was leaning on, but it had paid off and he knew where the two were.
What had happened to Elladan and the prince?
And what to do now?
************
Legolas stood bowstring taunt and pointed strait at the blonde haired man while he waited for Elladan to return. He didn’t want to speak to the despicable human, so the elf just glared coldly at the man like only an elf could. Whether Vocyn got the point or was simply not inclined to conversation the elf did not know and was glad the human was quiet for once. Legolas kept straining his hearing to listen for signs of the dark-haired elf’s return. What was taking him so long? Estel could not have gone far. Legolas had been relieved when the other elf had appeared, not because he was fearful of the human, but because he gave Legolas the sort of protective older brother feel even though he was not really. Being an only child the twins had been the closest people he had to brothers he supposed. The longer the other elf took the more anxious the blonde elf grew.
Finally he caught sight of Elladan as he drew close to them. He was not surprised he did not hear him approach; the dark-haired elf had grown up here after all. Legolas’ relief lasted until he noticed the elf was alone.
“How long ago was it that Estel left you?” Elladan asked before Legolas could say anything.
“It could not have been more than half an hour ago,” Legolas replied.
Elladan clenched his jaw to keep his cool.
“What is wrong?” Legolas asked.
Elladan took a deep breath before he answered the other elf.
“I could not find Estel,” he said simply.
“That can not be. He could not have gone far as he was.”
“I know that!” Elladan said irritably.
“I apologize,” he said almost immediately, “I do not mean to take it out on you.”
Legolas nodded in acceptance and turned his glare back at the thief.
“Now what are we to do?”
“We will continue ahead as planned and hope Estel has made it back faster than we have expected,” Elladan answered.
“He won’t be there,” Vocyn said casually.
“Why is that?” Elladan asked coming to stand in front of the human.
“Just a hunch.”
“Just a hunch?” Elladan asked quietly.
In the blink of an eye the dark-haired elf grabbed the thief and slammed him into the nearest tree.
“I want to know everything right now or I will forget etiquette and batter it out of you,” the elf hissed.
Legolas stood stunned momentarily. He had never seen Elladan lose his temper like this and never with such hostility.
“Elladan,” he said quietly.
The dark-haired elf did not pay any attention to him and he and the thief glared at each other.
“Elladan!” he said more forcefully.
Elladan dropped the human suddenly and stepped away.
“Very well, let us go then,” the dark-haired elf said, starting ahead without looking back at the younger elf.
“You can take him back to Rivendell and I will look around for Estel,” Legolas suggested.
Elladan froze. Didn’t anyone learn from the last time they split up? He asked mentally.
“I do not think we should separate,” he said out loud.
“But I have a feeling Estel is still out here somewhere,” Legolas protested.
Elladan sighed. He knew Legolas was right. He knew Aragorn could not have beaten them back in his condition. The dark-haired elf almost shouted in frustration. Would nothing go their way? Like the last time he knew it to be a mistake, but once again he found himself agreeing to the idea for lack of any better suggestions.
“Very well, but I will look for him, you take the thief back.”
“But…”
Elladan held up a hand to stay the other elf’s protest.
“It will be alright. Your head wound should be tended and I cannot go back yet anyway.”
Legolas wanted to ask why, but something in the other elf’s tone led him to believe he would not be persuaded. The dark-haired elf tone also brooked no argument either. Legolas dearly wanted to stay out here and look, for he felt responsible for the ranger’s seemingly disappearance, but it was not his place to demand such a thing.
With a heavy heart Legolas silently nodded his head to the dark-haired elf. He stopped momentarily as he passed Elladan and the older elf gave him a reassuring smile.
“I will be back as soon as I may,” Legolas promised.
The two shared one more look and then Elladan took off in the opposite direction.
Legolas watched him go and wondered if any of them would see each other again.
*************
Elladan, to others, was very protective of the people he cared for. He felt compelled to find his younger brother, but Estel was not the only reason he could not leave. Elrohir was still somewhere out here as well and after the brief feeling he had experienced earlier he could not go without finding out what happened to his twin. He was going to find his two brothers if it was the last thing he ever did. He only hoped in the process he would either find this other person and get the antidote or that back in Rivendell Glorfindel and Mithrandir would be successful.
*************
Aragorn was trapped in his own confusing world of darkness and the ranger was terrified.
Either he was blind, unconscious, or dead.
What an odd feeling it was to lie on the ground, at least he thought he was anyway, and wonder if you were alive or dead. How could it be that hard to know whether you were conscious or not? He shifted his weight and a burning pain went from his neck all the way down to his toes and he knew that it was too painful to be dead.
Well at least he was still alive, whether he was sane or not was a different story.
It took the confused ranger a long time, but eventually he found out the reason for his ‘blindness.’ His eyes were closed.
With every once of willpower he possessed the ranger opened his eyes slightly. The movement was as tedious as trying to swim upstream and it made his head throb painfully. A pain that only grew with time until it threatened to drag him back down and he almost wished it would. For some reason he knew that would mean death or worse if he succumbed to the urge and fought to regain his wits. With some semblance of it anyway the ranger looked around forcing his numbed body to move. It occurred to him then that even though he had opened his eyes he still could not see. The feeling was overwhelmingly disorienting. There seemed to be no up or down, no left or right.
Rolling painfully slow onto his back Aragorn caught sight of a faint light. Focusing his attention on it he realized it was not a light at all, but a form with a slight glow. His heart skipped a beat. He recognized the familiar form and it could only be one of two people. The ranger pushed himself up to his elbows, but just barely. It took a good while before his world calmed down enough for him to be able to move again. Half crawling and half dragging himself, he made his painful way over to one of his brothers. When he was above the figure he could plainly see that it was Elrohir lying there.
“Elrohir,” the ranger said as loud as his pain filled body could would allow.
The dark-haired elf did not stir and the ranger became worried. What had been happening back at the camp?
“Muindor,” he forced louder while shaking the still form gently. //brother//
Elrohir’s eyes fluttered open briefly before he shut them again. Memories flooded back and his eyes flew back open and the dark-haired elf shot up. A very stupid move he decided after a combination of light-headedness and pain swept through him. Elrohir closed his eyes again and waited for the feeling to pass. After a brief pause the elf looked up and it finally set that they were in a dark place, probably a cave of some sort, and that his little brother was sitting in front of him. Had he been recapture as well? Elrohir cursed himself for having no wits as soon as he thought that. Estel would not be here if he hadn’t.
“What happened?” Elrohir asked the human.
“I don’t know.”
Elrohir could tell by the strained voice that something was not right. Straining his eyes against the darkness he tried to look his brother over, but it was just too dark to make out more than outlines.
“What is the matter? Are you injured?”
Aragorn’s condition answered the question for him as a particularly violent stab of pain throbbed through his head. The ranger grabbed at his head with one hand and he nearly swooned. Elrohir reached out and grabbed his brother before he fell over. The action made him clench his jaw in pain as it threatened to open his wound. The ranger’s skin felt hot to the touch even through the clothing.
“Estel what is wrong? Answer me,” he said steadily.
“I’m sorry brother,” Aragorn answered quietly.
“What ever for? What is wrong with you?”
“Someone will have to choose…it’s all my fault.”
Estel’s speech was very strained now and the words seemed hard to come by. Elrohir was getting extremely worried now. What was wrong with his little brother and why would it be his fault?
“Estel listen to me. I do not understand. What has happened to you? What choice?”
Aragorn took a deep breath as he attempted to recover. His brother’s comforting presence was already helping to clear his mind somewhat.
“I am so sorry,” he said again.
“Would you stop saying that and tell me what is wrong!” Elrohir said more harshly than he had intended.
The tone helped to focus the ranger’s mind and he collected himself enough to explain what had happened.
“Legolas and I or I was caught. Vocyn was going to kill me. I knew Legolas would try to stop him so I stood up and was stabbed in the shoulder with the dagger and a pretty elf showed up.”
Elrohir stared blankly at the human for a moment. He was pretty sure he could decipher that. He had been around Aragorn when he was a child and had a lot smaller vocabulary after all. He was just out of practice. Legolas and Estel were taken by surprise and it would seem Vocyn threatened Aragorn. He did something brash, like usual, to keep his friend from being hurt and was stabbed in the shoulder. He guessed the pretty elf was the one that brought him here and since Laurelin had been with him it must have been her accomplice. Very well, he got the point, but what was wrong with his brother now? And where was Legolas?
“You must be injured more than that Estel. Did something happen after the other elf showed up?”
“No, she was nice to me, although I don’t know why we ended up here.”
“Do you know where here is?” Elrohir asked.
“Not exactly.”
Elrohir sighed. This was worse than trying to talk to Elladan and this conversation was becoming very stressful. But, he decided to try again.
“Alright. You are warm to the touch brother. What has happened to you?”
“I’m sorry Elrohir. It was the dagger, it was coated.”
Finally some sort of answer! The boy had been poison and it was baffling his thoughts. What could do such a strange thing? Elrohir’s worry only increased.
“With what Estel? What was the dagger coated with?”
“It was Rathrae Elrohir,” the ranger said so quietly that even Elrohir’s elven ears could barely hear it.
Elrohir’s breath caught in his throat. That could not be, that just simply could not be.
Could it?
It could be, he knew. Laurelin said there was only enough for one antidote, but enough Rathrae to do more harm. She had tried to warn them about this before.
What were they to do now? And where was everyone? More of, where were they?
Elrohir had to force his breathing to calm down so he could be strong for his brother. Now he knew what Estel had said about a choice and why he was apologizing.
“It will be all right Estel,” he said soothingly as he placed a hand on the ranger’s shoulder.
“We will worry about getting out of here first. Stay here a moment.”
Elrohir rose stiffly from where he was and tried to look around. He was glad no one could see him groping foolishly around in the dark trying to find a wall. His elven eyes could only penetrate the gloom minimally, affording him to see outlines when they were very close and probably only because of his own faint glow. As the elf was looking in one direction the wall to his side found him first and he knocked into it with a thud. The jolt sent a blaze through his injured chest. Cursing out loud he started to follow the wall around until he heard soft laughter.
“And what is so funny?” he asked tersely.
Even through Aragorn’s muffled mind he could still picture Elrohir smacking into a wall, getting angry, and cursing at it.
“Nothing,” he answered.
Elrohir continued to follow the wall mumbling about the line of men and how one might end right here. Wherever here was, Elrohir sighed. This blind feeling process was very frustrating for he knew they were fighting against time, not only for his father, but for Estel as well.
How they were going to cure them both he had no idea.
*************
Laurelin clenched the ring hard in her hand as she ran along trying to find the young prince. How had things gotten this complicated? And the biggest thought on her mind right now was, did she trust her oselle to take care of Elrohir? Why this doubt came to her she did not know. Len had never lied to her before and she had no reason to believe she would now. So why the doubt all of a sudden? It could be that Malen thought it was in her best interest to not keep a complication such as Elrohir alive. If that was the case then that made sense.
No, she stopped and mentally screamed at herself. This was not the time to doubt either her oselle or herself. It would only cause more trouble. During her pause Laurelin caught the sound of speech nearby. She strained her hearing to listen. The voice barely echoed to her, but she recognized it immediately. That could not be. What had been going on while she dealt with Elrohir? Clenching the ring harder in frustration the she elf took to the trees and crept as quietly as she could towards the voice.
****************
“I warn you assassin,” Legolas hissed the word, “if you do not stop your chattering I shall end it for you.”
“Come now Master elf, you can’t tell me your not in the slightest interested in how it would have turned out had one of those annoying twins not shown up?”
In all honesty the elf was slightly curious, but the important thing was to get help for Estel and Elrond. He knew what the human was trying to accomplish and would not be baited.
“It is a trivial matter because the moment has come and passed. Now we will make the rest of this journey in silence.”
Vocyn shrugged indifferently and gave a wry smile. Even if the elf would never admit to it he knew the answer. The right time and opportunity, he reminded himself.
Legolas was just about to start again when a strange tingle ran through him. Not again, he cursed their luck. The elf spun around to face behind him.
“I know you are out there. Come into the open,” he called to the trees beyond.
A form dropped silently down from the canopy a few yards away and he got his first look at Laurelin that night. It really was a shame, he thought. She had always been so kind to him and it was hard to relate the maid in front of him with the actions he knew she had done this night.
Vocyn smiled inwardly when Emlin appeared near them. Here was his opportunity now.
Emlin had to hide her surprise at seeing Vocyn here being escorted by the prince. What was going on in the forest tonight?
“You must come back with me Legolas,” Emlin said firmly.
“I am afraid I cannot do that. You will have to stop me if you wish for me not to go on.”
“Perhaps this will change your mind.”
The golden haired maid tossed the ring to Legolas who deftly caught it. He recognized the ring immediately.
“How did you come by this?” he asked calmly masking his anger.
“That is not important. What is important is that was taken form the human a short while ago and if you wish for no further harm to come to him then you will accompany me back,” Emlin said boldly.
Legolas’ heart sunk through the ground. The ring could only have come from Aragorn’s hand in the time between now and when he left Legolas, so she must have found him. That was why Elladan could not find Estel. Legolas sighed. What choice did he have?
“What would you have me do?” he asked trying to sound confident that all would be well.
“Hand over you weapons and come with me back to the camp.”
Vocyn walked past the elf to Emlin.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again my lady,” he said smiling.
“I wish I could say the same,” she glared icily back.
“What are you doing here?” she asked coolly.
“The elf and I were in the middle of something when one of those bothersome twins showed up and interrupted us.”
“What?” Emlin looked at the thief sharply.
“The other twin showed up and caught you? Are you sure?”
“Very,” he answered absentmindedly rubbing his sore nose; “I won’t forget either of them for a long time.”
Emlin bit her tongue to hold back the string of un lady like curses. The news meant Elladan was free and apparently still around here somewhere, looking for Elrohir no doubt. What about the men back at the camp? How had he gotten free? It was obvious Malen did not know about this either. Great, she clenched her fist in anger, now what to do? The camp might not be secure anymore for it seemed almost ever elf in Imladris knew about it by now, so she couldn’t really go back there. The only solution was to take the prince to the same holding place as Elrohir and the ranger.
*****************
Unknowingly Elladan and Malentuilinn had past very close to each other and never heard a thing. This was Elladan’s home and Malen had a gift for silence. The whole affair might have come to a sudden crashing end right there, but the two elves never meet.
Who Elladan did spot was Laurelin moving through the trees. She was too caught up in her doubt at the moment to notice him and, again, this was his home. He followed silently behind her to where she intercepted Legolas and Vocyn. Elladan heard it all. She had Estel, and if Estel was there so might Elrohir. Had she not been so preoccupied with her thoughts the she elf might have felt his watchful presence, but luck afforded Elladan the only favor the group had received so far.
**************
Elrohir was quickly tiring himself out feeling around the cave wall. He had found the entrance and to his dismay it was blocked. Upon further inspection he found that the back of the cave extended inward. Leaving his younger brother there the dark-haired elf explored farther into the ever heavy gloom. The tunnel was rough and jagged rocks jutted out in places, but it appeared to go on for who knew how long. Should they take it? Anything was preferable to sitting in the absolute dark and just waiting for nothing to happen. Of course someone might find them. Legolas was still out there somewhere, hopefully back at Rivendell and there was always a chance Elladan might escape from the camp. That seemed the most unlikely possibility though. Elrohir worried about what kind of retribution might have been taken out on his brother for his freedom.
Elrohir shook his head. That was not the issue now. He had to get Estel out of here and get help. Time was running out and he had not the time to wonder about everything and everyone that was out of his control. His energy as it was was already running down from just the simple act of walking and his chest was stiff and sore. There was no way Estel was going anywhere without support and Elrohir seriously wondered if he could handle that task for long, but worry or not it had to be done.
The elf heard a loud scuffle from behind him and quickly hurried back to the chamber. He arrived back to find his brother at the tunnel entrance and knelt down beside him, hissing at the flare it caused his wound.
“Estel what are you doing? Are you alright?” he rasped out.
“Whether I am alright… or not… remains to be seen, but I… was looking for you.”
“It is alright Estel I was simple scouting ahead. There is a tunnel and it appears to go on for some distance. Where it goes, for how long, or if it will lead out I do not know, but I do not think we have any other options. Can you walk?”
“Do I have… a choice?”
Elrohir saw Aragorn’s attempt to lighten the situation and was appreciative.
“Come on, I will help you.”
Elrohir helped the human to stand and let the ranger lean heavily on him. The gesture was extremely painful and threatened to tear the wound open, but there was no other alternative. The dark-haired elf prayed to the Valar for the strength to get the pair out of there and for everyone’s safety tonight.
************
Malen was nearing Rivendell when the winds picked up again. The first surge whipped her off her feet and flung her into a tree. The impact stunned her and she lay there for a long while before she recovered her wits.
Despite her now bruised body a smile came to the maid’s fair face and she laughed right there still on the ground. The burst were getting violent now and she knew what that meant. Elrond’s time was running down. Still chuckling to herself the golden haired beauty pushed up off the ground, air blowing in the air, and continued on. Nothing was going to help the Lord of Rivendell now! Elrond would perish soon, and then she would slay all of the young ones, and soak up the anguish it would cause. He was going to know defeat as she had! With another thrilled laugh she speed up her pace.
Only one more complication to check on.
************
Legolas, Vocyn, and Laurelin were also caught off guard. The two elves managed to grabbed a hold of something and remain on their feet, but the human was flung to the ground. Vocyn smacked into he ground with a disgruntled grunt. Huffing in frustration the thief picked himself off the ground and had to hold his now bleeding nose. At least it wasn’t one of the two dark-haired elves this time, he thought. Of course, it boiled down to their father’s fault so it was still kind of the same.
“Are you coming human?” Laurelin asked coolly.
Holding his nose with one hand the human gestured for the elf to continue with the other.
“Lead on my lady.”
Legolas had not missed how violent the wind was becoming in the valley. The burst were damaging now and there was a constant strong breeze remaining after this one. The elf had a feeling that continuous breeze would gain in strength just as the burst were and he worried about the safety of the valley and everyone back in Imladris.
***************
Elladan barely saved himself from being torn from the canopy. The familiar sensation that had warned him about the bursts before had not happened and he wondered at its absence. Was it because the winds refused to die down completely this time or was it because his father’s presence was becoming too weak? Fortunately he did not have time to ponder it right now as the small party started walking again.
************
Back in the Last Homely Home Glorfindel was wondering the same thing. There had been no warning this time and it disturbed him greatly. The golden haired elf expressed this thought to the wizard.
“I do not know,” Gandalf said looking thoughtful, “what I do know is that our time is running down. I am torn as whether to take the ring from Elrond or not. As I have said I believe it is doing him a great deal of good, but I now believe Rivendell may be in danger from it.”
“I agree, but as you said before he is its keeper and we do not have the right to take such a thing until absolutely necessary.”
Gandalf nodded silently in agreement and turned his gaze out the window. The wizard’s eyes were focused on the east and to Glorfindel he appeared to look almost longingly in that direction. The elf knew not to ask for he would receive and answer when the wizard was ready to tell it.
************
Far off in the east an air of hope and strength came. Born on the wind with all the swiftness and grace that an elf or magic could provide and traveling at a speed no mortal could possibly accomplish.
***********
Gandalf had a feeling she was approaching, but, by the second bit of luck tonight, no one else in the forest tonight was aware of that fact. There were obvious traitors somewhere in Rivendell, so he did not even mention the fact out loud to Glorfindel in hopes that it would stay that way. He was not even sure if it would be in time.