Chapter One: Dreams
Orcs were everywhere.
Two elves were in the midst of them. They spun around, taking down orc after orc with speed and grace. The elves looked like mirror images of each other, both in appearances and in their fighting styles. All of a sudden, a high, long scream was heard from the cave near them. Both of the elves whirled and began to run toward the cave fear on their faces as they ran. As they ran one of the orcs put an arrow on his bow and aimed at the younger of the elves. The older elf sensing that something was wrong turned to see an arrow headed toward the younger elf.
Elladan sat up in bed with a strangled cry. As he sat there trying to pull himself back into reality, a figure in the bed next to him looked up.
"'Dan?" a voice asked sleepily, "What's going on?"
Elladan turned to the elf next to him and said, "Nothing Elrohir, everything is okay."
By now the elf next to him, Elrohir was sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Did you have a nightmare again 'Dan?" he said worriedly.
Elladan sighed, Elrohir would not go back to sleep if he did not answer him. "Yes I did, and before you ask it was the same one."
"Okay," Elrohir yawned, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Elladan answered the same way he did all the time, "Maybe later, go back to sleep 'Ro. I will be fine." Elrohir looked at him knowing that he would not be able to get him to ever talk, then turned over. Elladan waited until Elrohir had fallen back asleep before he got out of bed and walked to his Fathers study.
Elladan walked down the hall to his fathers study. Once he got there he stopped and took a deep breath, 'Why am I doing this.' He asked himself. 'You haven't done this since naneth died, and that was hard enough then, why start again now.' With that thought he started to turn away and go back to his room when all of a sudden the door opened and his father, Lord Elrond of Rivendell, opened the door and looked out. Elladan started, not expecting his father to know that he was there.
"Elladan?" His father asked, "Is something wrong?"
Elladan looked at his father and then said, "No, nothing is wrong." Then he walked away as Elrond looked on after him.
Elrond watched as his son walked back to his room. He wondered what was going on Elladan never came to him for advice; at least he had not since his mother died. He sighed, what would have got Elladan so worked up that he would even consider coming to Elrond? He sighed again, walking back to his desk, 'Maybe Elladan will be more willing to talk in the morning.' He thought.
Time passes
Elrond yawned and looked out his window at the moon it was well after midnight. Glorfindel would be in his study soon demanding that he get some sleep if he did not leave his study soon. He put away the reports he had been studying and walked toward his bedroom. As he passed the library, he noticed that there was a light on in the room.
'Odd,' he thought 'Erestor never leaves the light on in the library.'
He pushed open the door and looked around. To his surprise, he saw Elladan sleeping on the couch in the middle of the library. He went over to wake him up or take him to his room when Elladan started to move in his sleep.
Elrond stopped and watched his son toss and turn on the small couch. All of a sudden Elladan started to mumble and whimper. Then, before Elrond could hear what he was saying, Elladan sat up with a cry,
"Elrohir!"
Elrond started, but then reached over to comfort his eldest. "Shh Elladan! Its okay nothing has happened."
"Ada?" came Elladan's whimpered reply.
"Yes ion nin I am here." Elrond started to rub Elladan's back hoping to calm him down. He noticed that Elladan clung to him like a frightened child. "Tell me what is wrong child."
Elladan sniffed but was to unnerved to even think about not telling about his dream.
As Elladan related his dream and as he finished, said, "The funny thing was that it looked so much like what happened when we found Naneth."
"What part Ion?" Elrond asked curious.
"Where we hear the scream and we turn and run to the cave. The only part that is different is the fact that Elrohir has a arrow aimed at his head."
Elrond sighed he was puzzled. Was it just a dream? Or was it something more? Just then, he realized that Elladan was quickly falling asleep in his father's arms. "Elladan?"
"What?" Elladan said raising his head a bit.
"Where do you want to sleep tonight? Your room or your brothers?"
Elladan hesitated for a minute then asked, "Could I sleep with you Ada?"
Elrond stared at him for a minute, but quickly said, "If you want to ion nin." Swiftly Elrond lifted Elladan into his arms and started to walk down the halls toward his room. Once arriving he laid Elladan onto the bed, and then he walked out to check on his other son. When he arrived at the room his sons slept in and opened the door, he was not surprised to find Elrohir sitting up in bed and looking at him as he walked in.
"Ada," Elrohir said, "Where is Elladan?"
"Your brother is in my room sleeping?"
Elrohir looked shocked, "Is he okay? What's wrong with him?"
Elrond held up a hand to stem the flow of questions he was sure was coming. "Your brother is fine, just a bit shaken up by a dream that he had."
Elrohir shook his head, "I bet it was that dream that he has had for like a month now."
Elrond looked at his son surprised, "He has had this before?"
"Well I can't be sure that it is the same one because he never told me about it. But yes, he has been having dreams lately. He sleeps in here a lot, or if he sleeps in the other room he will come in and watch me."
Elrond frowned pondering this; Elladan had been having this dream for over a month? Why hadn't he known sooner? Al of a sudden he heard Elrohir mutter under his breath,
"That is strange."
"What is strange ion nin?"
"Elladan had that dream two times tonight if you actually saw him wake up from the dream. He had it earlier, maybe an hour or so ago, and left after waking up."
Elrond thought about that, that would be around the time Elladan came to his study then left. "All right," he said "thank you for the information Elrohir. Do you want to come and sleep with me and your brother?" He knew Elrohir wanted to but hesitated to say yes.
"Alright Ada, that would be nice."