A/N This story is dedicated to Lydwina Marie. I hope you enjoy this one-shot featuring your favorite twin! Also, thank you for helping me with the title. *hugs* I also want to thank MistressOfImladris for helping me with the plot.
A BIG thank you to the following people who took the time to review: KimicThranduilion, Eyrntar, Sonicscrewdriversinmiddleearth, quarterhorseranch, Pip the Dark Lord of All, The Enchanted Stream, Guest, Raider-K, EluredandElurin, Jesus' girl 4ever, Lydwina Marie, MistressOfImladris and White Ithiliel. You all rock!
Also, a huge thank you to nanold for following, it means a lot to me
Elladan and Elrohir were on their way back from one of their patrols. They had been gone for several weeks and were happy to be going home finally. As the two laughed, a group of Orcs caught them off guard. As usual, one of the twins would always manage to become injured but normally, the wound was just a mere scratch, and they would not need to worry about it. However, that was not to be the case this time. During their skirmish, one of the Orcs had nicked Elladan on his forearm. After they had managed to kill every last Orc Elrohir had looked over his brother's wound and assured him it would be all right that it was just a small cut.
Several days later, Elladan had begun not feeling very well and had even started hallucinating. When Elrohir had examined the wound again, he was shocked to discover the wound indeed was poisoned, and he immediately started packing Athelas on it while pouring out as much of his energy into his brother as he could. Things started looking as if they were going to be all right for Elladan's fever broke, and the poison had stopped spreading.
They were almost to the borders when Elladan's health took an unexpected turn for the worse. Doubling over, he fell off his horse and began writhing in pain screaming. "Elladan?!" Elrohir cried out instantly jumping off his horse rushing over to his brother's side. "Talk to me, where does it hurt?" Elrohir fought back his tears as he watched his twin continue screaming, his face contorting in excruciating pain and fear.
Something was not right. The poison should not still be affecting his brother like this. As Elrohir came closer, he slowly knelt and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and probed his mind trying to find out what was wrong while at the same time seeking to calm him. "Muindor, please tell me what is wrong. Let me help you," he said. But Elladan did not seem to hear him. Instead, he appeared to become more agitated and scared and started lashing out at him.
"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" Elladan yelled at his brother grabbing his hunting knife pointing it at Elrohir.
"Elladan, it is me Elrohir, your Ro. Don't you recognize me? Elrohir asked. What was going on that was making his brother not even recognize him? As Elrohir attempted one last time to calm his brother, Elladan rose to his knees and lunged at him driving his dagger deep into Elrohir's chest.
Elrohir gasped as he felt the cold, rugged steel drive deep into his chest. Staggering back, he looked at his brother tears streaming down his face as his life slowly drained from him. It was only as Elrohir tried speaking that Elladan's eyes cleared and he was no longer lashing out. Elladan screamed and rushed over to his brother's side pulling the dagger out of his chest. Elrohir started coughing up blood, his breaths coming in short gasps. Looking Elladan's eyes, Elrohir smiled as he grabbed hold of one of the hands of his twin and squeezed it tightly.
"Ro, please, don't die on me. Please, I am so sorry, I…" he begged his little brother still refusing to believe what was happening right before his eyes.
"Tis okay Dan. There is nothing to forgive. You did not know what you were doing. You must stay strong for me. Remember that even if I am not here, we will never be apart." His breaths were now slowing, and Elrohir could barely keep his eyes open.
Elladan refused to let his brother go and attempted to wrap his brother's fëa with his, but it was too late. With one final breath, Elrohir's eyes closed and his hand fell to the ground. Elladan looked at his brother with a look of complete horror on his face. What had he just done? Bending down, he shook his little brother trying desperately to wake him, hoping this was all just a nightmare. "Ro, please wake up! I'm sorry!" he cried, his voice getting louder with every word. But Elrohir would not wake up, nor would he move. He was dead.
Many days had passed since the passing of Elrohir. When the twins had failed to show up on their expected return date, Glorfindel had set out to find them at the request of Elrond. Not even a day had gone by when Glorfindel had found Elladan hunched over what appeared to be a body. Fear racing through his mind Glorfindel rushed over to the eldest twin and gasped at what he saw. There lying lifeless on the ground in a pool of blood was Elrohir and on top of him barely moving was Elladan. As he looked around to see what might have caused the death of Elrohir, he saw nothing but Elladan and their horses still standing guard nearby.
Glorfindel dismounted Asfaloth and knelt down taking Elladan in his arms. At first glance he thought that he was dead as well for his face was pale and his lips a slight tint of blue but when Glorfindel had felt for a pulse he managed to find one albeit a slow one. Barking an order at one of the other guards to pick up Elrohir the group raced home. When they had arrived later the next day, Elrond was horrified at what he saw. What had happened that had caused the life of his youngest son and why was his eldest barely hanging onto life himself?
Elrond had ordered Glorfindel to bring Elladan to his room and also to bring Elrohir's body too. When they reached the room and had placed Elladan and Elrohir on his bed, Elrond examined both bodies starting with his youngest. "It appears that Elrohir died from a stab wound to his chest. He drowned in his blood. But I see no signs of a struggle."
"Elrond, we found Elladan's hunting knife next to Elrohir's body. I think it was what was used to kill Elrohir," Glorfindel whispered still not taking his eyes off the twins.
Elrond could not believe it. His son killed his brother? "That cannot be true. Elladan would never hurt his brother."
"We found no other bodies out there, and as you said, there were no signs of a struggle. Perhaps something happened to Elladan that caused him to attack his brother?"
Elrond turned his attention to his eldest who was now struggling himself to breathe. Without his twin with him, he was fading quickly. As he examined Elladan's body, he came across the cut on his forearm that still showed some signs of poison, but it did not appear to be enough to warrant his son in attacking his brother. Elrond probed his son's mind for answers and quickly discovered what had happened. Pulling back, the dark-haired elf bit back a muffled cry.
"Elrond, what is it?" Glorfindel asked concerned.
"Elladan… he was in pain. He mistook his brother for an attacker, and as Elrohir tried to help him, he attacked him. Oh, my poor sons!" he cried clutching his heart in pain.
Glorfindel paled and found the room starting to spin. If this was true, then he knew that Elladan would soon join his brother in the Halls of Mandos soon. He was aware that the only chance he would have at surviving was if he sailed to Valinor.
Elrond seemed to know this as well, and after a few minutes, he turned to face his friend. "Glorfindel, we do not have much time. If Elladan is to survive, then we must quickly make our way to the Havens. Elladan's only chance of living is to make his way to Valinor."
Glorfindel nodded and left at once to pack supplies for the trip to the Havens. He had no idea if Elrond would join them. There was nothing left for him here. They had already defeated Sauron, so it would not surprise him if he departed as well. When he came back an hour later, he found Elrond ready to go. "I will be joining my son Glorfindel. If you wish to join us, you may, but I will not be coming back."
"I already had a feeling you would say that. My job was to protect you and your family. If you leave there is no sense for me to remain behind either, so I will join you."
Elrond smiled softly. Since they could not bring Elrohir with them, they had decided to burn Elrohir's body in Rivendell near his and Elladan's favorite tree. Afterward, he was mounted on his mare with Elladan in front of him, and they were soon on their way.
The trip to the Havens was quiet other than the occasional sound of Elladan whimpering and his father attempting to soothe him. On more than one occasion, they had to stop for Elladan would start gasping for air. Many times Glorfindel thought that Elladan would not survive the journey to Valinor, but by the grace of the Valar, they had managed to make it to Lindon and were soon on a ship to Valinor.
Elladan had no idea how long he had been asleep, all he knew was that he did not want ever to wake up. He could hear his father beg him to please hold on and not to give up, but the last thing he wanted to do was live. After all, he murdered his twin! But try as he might, his father would not let him give in nor would his mother or Glorfindel.
As he slept on and as he felt his body slowly giving out on him, he could feel a strange sensation. No, it was not strange, it was familiar. Elladan tried to think where he had felt this feeling before but his mind clouded over, and he could not remember. Whatever it was, it was soothing and made him feel safe, and he settled into a deeper sleep allowing the presence to envelop him tighter. Soon, he began to hear a soft voice inside his head, one that he had not heard for what seemed like ages calling out to him. "Wake up Dan. Come back to me."
Dan? The only person to call him that was Elrohir, but he was dead so that couldn't be him. "Dan, brother, do not let go. Open your eye and look at me." There the voice was again. Not able to ignore the voice any longer, Elladan slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a strange room and staring at him with a worried look on his face was Elrohir!? "Ro?!" Elladan exclaimed not believing his eyes.
Elrohir laughed. "Yes, it is me. Oh, you had me so worried, I thought you were going to die."
"But what happened? Where am I and how are you still alive? I saw you die… I killed you." he said tears beginning to fill his eyes.
Elrohir frowned. "Yes, I was dead, but it was not your fault. You had no idea what you were doing. I will not get into details for that matters not. What is important is that you are back and nothing is ever going to separate us again."
Elladan was still confused. "But if you died then how is it you are still here?"
"I was released from Mandos Halls shortly after Ada and Glorfindel brought you overseas. When Glorfindel found us, you were barely alive. Ada said that you were fading from grief and that the only way to save you was to sail. But when you arrived, you were too far gone, so I was released early for whatever reason, and I have been by your side ever since."
Elladan was trying to take everything in, but his head hurt to think. It didn't matter, what did matter was his brother was here with him. Whether it was in Imladris or Valinor, it didn't matter. "I am so sorry Ro. Please forgive me."
Elrohir smiled and caressed his brother's cheek. "Oh, Dan. As I said, there is nothing to forgive."
Elladan leaned over and enveloped his brother in a hug and soon the two were both in tears neither of them wanting to let the other go. They knew that outside the rest of his family was waiting to see both of them including their beloved mother, but at the moment the two were content to just be with one another. After all, it was not every day that you were reunited with your reborn twin.