A/N This was a challenge given to me by my good friend MistressOfImladris. We have decided to give one another writing challenges to help keep us writing. If any of you have a challenge or a request, feel free to PM me.
It had been a long ride home, and all Elrohir wanted to do was take a bath and go to sleep. But his father had told him when he had barely gotten off his horse that they had company and he was expected to be present at tonight's meal.
"Company? Who would be visiting us at this time of year?" Elrohir inquired tiredly.
Elrond walked back up to the Last Homely House and stopped just at the stairs leading inside. "Thorin Oakenshield and his company. They were passing through our borders and are in need of our assistance."
Both twins gave a look of horror. "Dwarves?! You want me to help entertain a group of passing dwarves? Father, I just returned from a month-long patrol. Can someone else not "entertain" them for the time being?" Elrohir said exasperatedly.
Elrond glared at his youngest son with disbelief. "Elrohir Peredhel! I thought your mother and I raised you better than that. You will be down for dinner tonight, and I expect you to be more civil than you just were. Do I make myself clear?
Elrohir bowed his head in shame. "Forgive me, father. I was not thinking."
"Clearly not," Elrond said coolly. "Now, go and change. Dinner will be in just under an hour."
Bowing their heads in respect, the two left solemnly to prepare for tonight's dinner. Following his twin to their bedroom, Elrohir huffed angrily. "I cannot believe we have to help keep a bunch of smelly dwarves' company."
Elladan tried to keep his displeasure out of his voice, but he too shared the same thoughts as his brother. "Elrohir, I do not like it any more than you do, but we are the sons of the Lord of Imladris, and therefore it is our duty to be present when guests arrive."
Elrohir mumbled something under his breath before walking into the shared bedroom. Elladan rolled his eyes impatiently. He knew whenever his brother was in one of these moods; it did no good to try and reason with him. He just hoped for both their sakes, he would keep his mouth closed or their father would have more than just words with them.
A little less than half an hour later, both Elladan and Elrohir emerged from their rooms and were walking towards Elrond's Hall when they heard a bunch of muffled laughing. Both of them had given one another a curious glance before they continued walking towards the sound.
As they came closer, they heard a gruff voice which no doubt belonged to a dwarf snicker. "Take a look at that painting, won't you? I wonder if this was before or after the attack?"
When Elladan and Elrohir arrived, they saw a regal looking dwarf – whom they could only guess was Thorin – looking at a mural of their mother. Feeling their blood begin to boil they quietly walked over to them as Thorin continued to insult their mother.
"You know, I wonder if she had been so mutilated when she was found that she became a half-orc herself! Then this place would have been governed by a Peredhel and a Peredyrch!" Thorin began laughing completely unaware they were being watched by two outraged raven-haired twins.
Thorin heard the sound of a ferocious scream, and before he knew what had hit him, he found himself knocked backward. Thorin tried to free himself from the grips of his attacker, but it was no use. All he could do was try and cover his face as it was repeatedly punched over and over.
Elrohir had no idea what came over him. When he had heard Thorin insult his mother like that, he felt all sense of self-control leave him. It was as if someone or something else had taken control of him and he could not stop himself. Unable to even find any words he just continued punching Thorin over and over even after the dwarf was knocked unconscious.
Elladan tried to grab his brother, but he was stuck in place in complete shock. He had seen his brother get angry before but never to the extent like this. The only time he had ever lost total control was when they had found their mother after she had been attacked and even then, it was nothing like this. Elladan would have stayed like this if he had not heard several voices yelling at him to stop his brother. "You! Don't just stand there, do something!"
Coming out of his stupor, Elladan rushed over to his brother screaming his name. "Elrohir! Stop this now, or you will kill him!" Elladan tried grabbing his brother but found himself being knocked backward himself. "One of you go get some help!" he screamed at the other dwarves.
Two of the dwarves ran to find some help while Elladan tried to restrain his brother with the aid of several other dwarves. Moments later, Elladan heard the voice of his father rushing over followed by Glorfindel and Erestor. "Elrohir, stop this at once now!" Elrond ordered grabbing his son and pulling him off the severely beaten and bloody Thorin.
It was only when Elrond had shaken him that Elrohir came to his senses and with a tear-stained face collapsed to the ground. Elrond knelt beside him and took him into his arms. "Glorfindel, take Thorin to the infirmary at once, I will follow."
Glorfindel quickly picked up Thorin and made off to the healing ward. When he had left, Elrond looked at both of his sons with a face void of any expression. "What happened? Speak!" he thundered causing Elladan to jump.
"We were walking to dinner when we heard Thorin talking about mother," Elladan answered not looking at his father.
Behind him, Elrond heard the shuffling of feet and turned to see several upset and embarrassed dwarves. "What on Arda could they have said that would have gotten your brother so angry as to bludgeon Thorin?"
Elladan had hesitated for a moment before he answered. "He stated he wondered if mother had been so mutilated by orcs when she was found that she had become a half-orc herself."
Elrond could not believe what he just heard. Surely his sons had misheard them. Looking back at the other dwarves and seeing the look of shame on their faces he realized Elladan spoke the truth. Taking several deep breaths, he stood to his feet. "I consider myself to be very patient and forgiving, but this act is beyond forgiving. I welcome you to my home and offer my services to you, and this is how you repay me? I want you to return to your rooms and do not come out. I will tend to Thorin, and when he has recovered enough to travel, I want you to leave at once." When he turned around to face them, Balin and the others shook.
They had heard of Elrond's fury when provoked. Balin bowed his head and without one word he motioned for the others to follow him. When they had left, Elrond knelt and picked up Elrohir who was in shock. Taking him to his room, he told Elladan to remain with him.
"Will Elrohir be alright?" Elladan asked holding his brother's hand.
"In time, yes. He is just in shock right now. I must tend to Thorin. Stay here until I come back," Elrond said as he turned to leave.
"Father, we are sorry. I… I don't know why I just stood there and let Elrohir attack Thorin… I."
Elrond held his hand up to quiet his eldest. "It is alright, my son. I understand. You were provoked and what Elrohir did was very out of character for him. I am not saying what he did was right because it was not, but what Thorin did was even more inexcusable, and he has no one to blame for his attack but himself."
Elladan lowered his head and returned his attention back to his brother who was now in a deep sleep. When his father left, Elladan no longer could hold back his tears and cried until he had fallen asleep next to his brother.
Word had gotten around about what Thorin had said about the Lady Celebrían, and it was a good thing the other dwarves were in their rooms or Elrond might have had more dwarves to tend to. As it was, he was preoccupied with tending to Thorin who had regained consciousness a day later. Elrond could not even trust himself to talk to him let alone look at him for fear of saying something he would later regret.
Fortunately for Thorin, he only had a mild concussion, bruises, and a broken nose. But that was nothing compared to the shame he felt for what he had said about Lord Elrond's wife. Thorin would have apologized, but the looks that Elrond was giving along with the occasional rough touch made him keep his mouth closed.
Later that night as Elrond was busy attending to other duties, Glorfindel made an unannounced visit. Thorin could tell he didn't come to see how he was doing by the look in his blue eyes. "Don't think for a moment I have come to bring you well wishes dwarf." As he rounded on Thorin, he had to force himself to not lash out at him physically himself. "I come to tell you; you are lucky it was not I who had attacked you that day, for if it was, I could assure you; you would not be breathing right now. But I also come bearing a warning for you," Glorfindel grabbed Thorin by his shirt and raised him up to look at him, "if you ever make another remark like you did or show yourself around here again, I promise you I will not hold back." Slamming him back down on the bed, Glorfindel left.
Several days later, Thorin was well enough to leave. Knowing if they left during the day, they would more than likely face outraged and hostile elves, Elrond had ordered them to leave at night. As the sun was setting, Elrond met the group of dwarves at the gate. "I hope this has served as a lesson to you Thorin Oakenshield, that words not watched can be just as lethal as a sword. Next time you are a guest at someone's home, may you show more respect than you did here." Not waiting for a response, Elrond turned and left.
As Thorin and Company turned to leave, Thorin looked up towards the house to see Elladan and Elrohir glaring down at him before they vanished from sight.