MASSIVE DISCLAIMER: I got the idea, really the whole opening scene from
another fanfic I read some time ago. To the author of that story, I mean
no offensive nor do I wish to steal any of your credit. I have taken the
fic in a completely different direction and while I did get the idea from
that story, mine is quite different. If that author has any type of
problems or feels uncomfortable with this story being posted in addition to
theirs, please tell me and I will remove it from this archive. Again, no
copyright infringement is intended towards either JRR Tolkin or the
original author. Now, onward to angst and um. adventure, okay really just
angst
Target Practice
Chapter 1 - Perfect Aim
The arrows flew with deathly accuracy towards Estel. Although he had been well prepared for this eventuality now that it was actually occurring he felt cold fear tighten in his stomach. Trying to remember everything that his brothers had taught him, he moved. His sword cut through the first arrow then he bent his whole body in supreme effort to avoid the second at the same time completely forgetting about the third arrow in flight. However, not a moment too soon, a flash of light blinded Estel as Elladan deflected the last arrow. Estel regained his normal stance and studied his brother beside him. Elladan sheathed his white sword and nodded across the way to Elrohir.
"Well done, little brother, well done. There are few indeed who could avoid one of Elrohir's shots, let alone two." Elladan was smiling brightly.
Estel began to shake his head. "I should have deflected all three, I moved too slow."
Elrohir's voice rang out now, clear and true as he nimbly bounded his way towards them. "You will learn in time, you are still young yet, dear Estel."
Estel sighed and held back a wince of pain. He didn't want to mention that he hadn't actually entirely avoided the second arrow. It was bad enough that he had completely missed the third.
Elladan noticed his hesitation. "Would you like to try again?"
Before Estel could respond a voice, raw with fury, cut him off. "Absolutely not!" Elrond stood before them, positively radiating angry. He studied them for a moment as if trying to find a reason for the madness he beheld and when he could not he found his voice once again. "Explain yourselves now."
The twins remained silent, fearful in the face of their father's anger. Sighing softly to himself and trying to ease the sudden tension, Elrohir murmured, "I knew we should have gone farther away."
It did not have the desired affect. Elrond spun on the twin with all the wild fury of a wolf. "You think this is funny? You think this is a game?"
Jumping now to his brother's defense, Elladan spoke up. "It was a training exercise. One I would like to point out, both Elrohir and myself have been through." Elladan's words were strong but even he was having problems meeting his father's stormy eyes. "I am in charge of Estel's training am I not?"
Elrond pulled Estel away from where he stood with the twins and made to walk away. "No longer."
Elladan's own anger rose fast. "You can't do that!"
Elrond spun back suddenly, face to face with his son. Their collective fury crackled and sparked between them. "I can and I will. You were firing arrows at him, have you taken leave of your senses?"
Elrohir spoke up now, trying again to tone down the levels of heated rage that was enveloping his father and brother. Or at least to share the blame. "I was the one-"
Still his twin cut him off, not even aware he had spoken. "It was safe!" Elladan's voice rang out loudly now. "I was there to protect him should his concentration lapse."
Estel shuttered at these words. Oh please let him have not noticed, oh please oh please.
"Safe!?" Elrond's voice too had risen in volume. In fact, it was the most upset Estel could remember seeing him. "You call this safe? Look at his arm and then you tell me he was safe."
Estel closed his eyes and exhaled. Of course Elrond had noticed, he ALWAYS noticed when he failed.
Elrohir inhaled sharply, causing Elladan to shoot a look of concern his way. He saw his twin's face lit up with fear and apprehension. Elladan then refocused his attention on Estel, now dreading the words Elrond had spoken and saw the telltale blood dripping steadily down his little brother's arm. Bitter shame overtook him and he realized that all of his father's anger was completely justified. He bowed his head, sensing but not seeing his twin drop his bow. Shock settled upon them both.
"I thought I could-"
"You were wrong Elladan. What if he hadn't avoided it at all? Then he would now lay dead all because of your arrogance!" Elrond's words stung at the twin's hearts. It was true then, how closely they had come to killing Estel.
"I'm sorry." It was all Elladan could think to do. The pain welled up inside of him, cutting its way through his body, twisting his thoughts as he tried to make sense of this new terrible truth. "I was trying to keep him from harm."
"That's your answer? You almost killed your own brother and you are justifying your stupidity to me?"
Elladan, however along with his grief, had not yet let go of his anger. "What else would you have me do? Estel must know how to defend himself. Orc arrows fly just as straight."
Elrond snarled. "I will take over his training as you clearly are not fit to continue it."
Terrible rage flew through Elladan now eradicating any type of rationality he may have had. "And you are? As I recall 'twas you that trained mother and look how that turned out!"
Elrond stuck him so hard and so fast that for a moment no one could fully understand what had happened. Then time froze. Elladan stood still, his head turned from the force of the blow, daring not even to breath. Elrond too could not move, struggling to comprehend what he had just done. Never before had he hit one of his own children. Never in anger, never at all, until this day.
He reached forward to touch Elladan's face, to see how badly he had hurt him but Elladan flinched away, a mix of fear and shame played on his features. Elrohir came up beside his twin craning his neck to meet his brother's eyes. Holding their connection he spoke to their father in a quiet voice.
"Perhaps you should tend to Estel's wound. I will stay with Elladan."
Elrond looked down at Estel who's blood still colored the ground. "Come with me." Together they walked back toward the towers of Rivendell. Estel looked back over his shoulder and caught the mournful gaze of his twin brothers. The only difference between them now was a bright red mark on the side of Elladan's face.
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It had been some while now since Elrond had left and Elladan still refused to speak. Elrohir had been waiting for some time, trying to let Elladan find his own way to put into words how he felt but Elrohir was losing his patience, which was not a trait he was known for to begin with. Finally not able to stand the silence anymore, Elrohir approached his twin and tried to look in his eyes. Elladan would not let him. Now thoroughly frustrated, he reached for his brother's face and found his arm caught in a tight hold. The two twins stood immobile for a short time, Elladan fighting for control and Elrohir growing more upset watching his twin's distress. This had to end. Elrohir pulled his arm out of Elladan's hold and backed away.
"I didn't mean to-" Elladan stuttered, unsure and nervous. Elrohir had backed away so quickly.
"It's alright, I know why you did." Elrohir was just simply pleased that his brother was speaking at all. He dropped his voice. "Does it hurt you?"
Elladan tilted his head, the confusion apparent on his face once again. He shook his head fractionally, and turned away.
"Elladan, look at me."
Elladan stood still with his back to Elrohir. His shoulders started to shake, rhythmically at first then more and more violently. Elrohir gripped him from behind, holding on tightly, trying to ease his suffering. This was killing them both.
In a broken voice, Elladan murmured, "I'm so sorry. Oh what have I done? I'm sorry."
His words cut Elrohir deeper than any blade could. He felt raw fear digging itself into his chest. It became more difficult to breath, each intake was such a terrible effort. "It wasn't you."
Elladan's sobs were lessening and he started turning his attention to his twin as his suffering lighted slightly. "It wasn't- what are you talking about?" His eyes were bright red with tears, mirroring the sharp mark still emblazed on his face.
"I'm to blame. I tried to say it before but I couldn't get through. I was the one who deserved to be-"
"No." Elladan's voice was sharp, more so then he had intended and at the look of alarm on his brother's face, he made a great effort to calm down. Forcing his voice to a normal level he continued. "No, Elrohir. Father was right. It was my duty to keep Estel safe and in that I failed. No blame rests with you." His eyes grew determined if still haunted.
"It was I that fired the arrows. I agreed to the exercise." Elrohir would not let go his guilt, his grief held him so tightly now that no words of reason would get in. Not even from his twin whom he trusted like no other.
"I was in charge. I thought it was safe when it was not." Elladan's eyes grew fiery with anguish. "And my face still burns with the truth of it."
Elrohir meet his twin's feverish eyes with his own, in silent agreement except for one detail. Without a word he suddenly dashed off, toward the glimmering Elven refuge. Elladan gave chase fearing the truth, trying to reject it even though he could see the decision was already made. He could sense it in Elrohir with every fiber of his being, he would have known of it in the pitch black a thousand miles away. Elrohir was going to try to take the blame off his brother's shoulders and on to his own.
Target Practice
Chapter 1 - Perfect Aim
The arrows flew with deathly accuracy towards Estel. Although he had been well prepared for this eventuality now that it was actually occurring he felt cold fear tighten in his stomach. Trying to remember everything that his brothers had taught him, he moved. His sword cut through the first arrow then he bent his whole body in supreme effort to avoid the second at the same time completely forgetting about the third arrow in flight. However, not a moment too soon, a flash of light blinded Estel as Elladan deflected the last arrow. Estel regained his normal stance and studied his brother beside him. Elladan sheathed his white sword and nodded across the way to Elrohir.
"Well done, little brother, well done. There are few indeed who could avoid one of Elrohir's shots, let alone two." Elladan was smiling brightly.
Estel began to shake his head. "I should have deflected all three, I moved too slow."
Elrohir's voice rang out now, clear and true as he nimbly bounded his way towards them. "You will learn in time, you are still young yet, dear Estel."
Estel sighed and held back a wince of pain. He didn't want to mention that he hadn't actually entirely avoided the second arrow. It was bad enough that he had completely missed the third.
Elladan noticed his hesitation. "Would you like to try again?"
Before Estel could respond a voice, raw with fury, cut him off. "Absolutely not!" Elrond stood before them, positively radiating angry. He studied them for a moment as if trying to find a reason for the madness he beheld and when he could not he found his voice once again. "Explain yourselves now."
The twins remained silent, fearful in the face of their father's anger. Sighing softly to himself and trying to ease the sudden tension, Elrohir murmured, "I knew we should have gone farther away."
It did not have the desired affect. Elrond spun on the twin with all the wild fury of a wolf. "You think this is funny? You think this is a game?"
Jumping now to his brother's defense, Elladan spoke up. "It was a training exercise. One I would like to point out, both Elrohir and myself have been through." Elladan's words were strong but even he was having problems meeting his father's stormy eyes. "I am in charge of Estel's training am I not?"
Elrond pulled Estel away from where he stood with the twins and made to walk away. "No longer."
Elladan's own anger rose fast. "You can't do that!"
Elrond spun back suddenly, face to face with his son. Their collective fury crackled and sparked between them. "I can and I will. You were firing arrows at him, have you taken leave of your senses?"
Elrohir spoke up now, trying again to tone down the levels of heated rage that was enveloping his father and brother. Or at least to share the blame. "I was the one-"
Still his twin cut him off, not even aware he had spoken. "It was safe!" Elladan's voice rang out loudly now. "I was there to protect him should his concentration lapse."
Estel shuttered at these words. Oh please let him have not noticed, oh please oh please.
"Safe!?" Elrond's voice too had risen in volume. In fact, it was the most upset Estel could remember seeing him. "You call this safe? Look at his arm and then you tell me he was safe."
Estel closed his eyes and exhaled. Of course Elrond had noticed, he ALWAYS noticed when he failed.
Elrohir inhaled sharply, causing Elladan to shoot a look of concern his way. He saw his twin's face lit up with fear and apprehension. Elladan then refocused his attention on Estel, now dreading the words Elrond had spoken and saw the telltale blood dripping steadily down his little brother's arm. Bitter shame overtook him and he realized that all of his father's anger was completely justified. He bowed his head, sensing but not seeing his twin drop his bow. Shock settled upon them both.
"I thought I could-"
"You were wrong Elladan. What if he hadn't avoided it at all? Then he would now lay dead all because of your arrogance!" Elrond's words stung at the twin's hearts. It was true then, how closely they had come to killing Estel.
"I'm sorry." It was all Elladan could think to do. The pain welled up inside of him, cutting its way through his body, twisting his thoughts as he tried to make sense of this new terrible truth. "I was trying to keep him from harm."
"That's your answer? You almost killed your own brother and you are justifying your stupidity to me?"
Elladan, however along with his grief, had not yet let go of his anger. "What else would you have me do? Estel must know how to defend himself. Orc arrows fly just as straight."
Elrond snarled. "I will take over his training as you clearly are not fit to continue it."
Terrible rage flew through Elladan now eradicating any type of rationality he may have had. "And you are? As I recall 'twas you that trained mother and look how that turned out!"
Elrond stuck him so hard and so fast that for a moment no one could fully understand what had happened. Then time froze. Elladan stood still, his head turned from the force of the blow, daring not even to breath. Elrond too could not move, struggling to comprehend what he had just done. Never before had he hit one of his own children. Never in anger, never at all, until this day.
He reached forward to touch Elladan's face, to see how badly he had hurt him but Elladan flinched away, a mix of fear and shame played on his features. Elrohir came up beside his twin craning his neck to meet his brother's eyes. Holding their connection he spoke to their father in a quiet voice.
"Perhaps you should tend to Estel's wound. I will stay with Elladan."
Elrond looked down at Estel who's blood still colored the ground. "Come with me." Together they walked back toward the towers of Rivendell. Estel looked back over his shoulder and caught the mournful gaze of his twin brothers. The only difference between them now was a bright red mark on the side of Elladan's face.
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It had been some while now since Elrond had left and Elladan still refused to speak. Elrohir had been waiting for some time, trying to let Elladan find his own way to put into words how he felt but Elrohir was losing his patience, which was not a trait he was known for to begin with. Finally not able to stand the silence anymore, Elrohir approached his twin and tried to look in his eyes. Elladan would not let him. Now thoroughly frustrated, he reached for his brother's face and found his arm caught in a tight hold. The two twins stood immobile for a short time, Elladan fighting for control and Elrohir growing more upset watching his twin's distress. This had to end. Elrohir pulled his arm out of Elladan's hold and backed away.
"I didn't mean to-" Elladan stuttered, unsure and nervous. Elrohir had backed away so quickly.
"It's alright, I know why you did." Elrohir was just simply pleased that his brother was speaking at all. He dropped his voice. "Does it hurt you?"
Elladan tilted his head, the confusion apparent on his face once again. He shook his head fractionally, and turned away.
"Elladan, look at me."
Elladan stood still with his back to Elrohir. His shoulders started to shake, rhythmically at first then more and more violently. Elrohir gripped him from behind, holding on tightly, trying to ease his suffering. This was killing them both.
In a broken voice, Elladan murmured, "I'm so sorry. Oh what have I done? I'm sorry."
His words cut Elrohir deeper than any blade could. He felt raw fear digging itself into his chest. It became more difficult to breath, each intake was such a terrible effort. "It wasn't you."
Elladan's sobs were lessening and he started turning his attention to his twin as his suffering lighted slightly. "It wasn't- what are you talking about?" His eyes were bright red with tears, mirroring the sharp mark still emblazed on his face.
"I'm to blame. I tried to say it before but I couldn't get through. I was the one who deserved to be-"
"No." Elladan's voice was sharp, more so then he had intended and at the look of alarm on his brother's face, he made a great effort to calm down. Forcing his voice to a normal level he continued. "No, Elrohir. Father was right. It was my duty to keep Estel safe and in that I failed. No blame rests with you." His eyes grew determined if still haunted.
"It was I that fired the arrows. I agreed to the exercise." Elrohir would not let go his guilt, his grief held him so tightly now that no words of reason would get in. Not even from his twin whom he trusted like no other.
"I was in charge. I thought it was safe when it was not." Elladan's eyes grew fiery with anguish. "And my face still burns with the truth of it."
Elrohir meet his twin's feverish eyes with his own, in silent agreement except for one detail. Without a word he suddenly dashed off, toward the glimmering Elven refuge. Elladan gave chase fearing the truth, trying to reject it even though he could see the decision was already made. He could sense it in Elrohir with every fiber of his being, he would have known of it in the pitch black a thousand miles away. Elrohir was going to try to take the blame off his brother's shoulders and on to his own.