I felt a need to explain to friends (and followers) here who have noted my recent – not absence, but I've been on here much less than usual. I'll try to keep it short.
One of my closest friends, who a year ago recovered from a brain tumor, collapsed suddenly just three days ago. He was rushed to the hospital but died just hours later without recovering consciousness. The doctors found that the tumor had grown back without them noticing (did the tests not work? I don't know). The funeral is in two days and I can't go, since he actually lives all the way across the country, and I can't just up and go.
I apologize for not really…talking on here much, and posting sporadically. I suppose I'm just in…shock. I haven't really felt like talking to anyone, but I will try more. Anyways, go ahead and read on! (My actually rather short oneshot…)
It was dark when Elladan returned to the docks. The moon's light was glinting off the waves that lapped gently at the sand, and far, far across the dark water, a white sail could be seen as it vanished over the horizon.
He held a dagger in his hand, and his steel-grey eyes were cold and resolved as he stepped onto the bare sand, sharp-toed boots making their way silently over the soft ground. He stopped just at the edge of the rippling foam that was created by the splashing waves and stared hard across the ocean, starlight reflecting in his eyes.
"Hear me," he whispered suddenly, his mouth a tight line. His gaze sharpened into a glare as he looked at the water. "Oh great Ulmo, thou who saved my father's mother, show yourself."
The waves lapped gently at his feet in response.
He waited a long minute before he spoke again. "Show yourself!" he said, his voice a little louder. "Will you come forth only when it suits you? I call you – show yourself!"
There was another soft splash, and a wave came up a little further to wash over his boots, soaking them.
Elladan didn't care. He was angry, exhausted, and confused at the same time. He wanted answers.
But there was no response still, after another unsuccessful attempt of calling forth the Vala of the Seas.
He shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them, and there was a furious fire lit within, one that had only been seen once before…
"Then hear me now!" he suddenly roared, his voice echoing across the waters. "Curse you and all the Valar! Curse you for meddling in my family's life! Curse you all for tearing apart my ancestry, for ripping my family into pieces!"
There was a door slammed somewhere far back toward where the cottages were kept, but Elladan ignored it.
"I defy you!" he thundered, the night wind throwing back his onyx hair and setting his sharp eyes blazing in the moonlight. The dagger glinted in his hand. "You are the ones who didn't restrain Morgoth! Those foul creatures would not have been created if not for you!"
Behind him, frantic footsteps drummed out onto the dock and Elladan paid them no heed. He raised the dagger's sharp blade to the palm of his other hand and grinned, teeth flashing in an eerie smile as he laughed at the water. It had stilled, waves gone motionless, but he didn't notice, or didn't care.
"You've Doomed us already, why should it matter if you do it again to me?" He laughed again, wildly, and the dagger flashed once. Blood dripped from the blade when he threw it to the sand beside him, and his other hand was clenched tightly as dark liquid dribbled around his fist. "Hear me then, King of the Valar! Hear me, mighty Ilúvatar, you who I prayed to spare my mother! Hear me and mark my words!"
"No!" came a cry from behind him.
He wasn't distracted. "This I swear!" he called to the quietly listening water, the whispering wind, the blinking stars. "Upon my blood I call this oath – I will not leave these shores until the last of your brother's abominations have been wiped from Arda! Judge me, silent ones, but remain silent ye will!" He opened his palm and blood spurted from the open wound on his palm to fall into the water.
It sizzled when it met the cool waves, but vanished instantly. There was a rumble that shook the ground and almost brought Elladan to his knees, but he glared defiantly and regained his balance. He saw a glimpse of a shadowy figure across the water, but it was gone an instant later.
"Elladan!" he heard again, and someone skidded to a stop next to him. He turned, head held high and proud, and met eyes identical to his own, terrified and shocked in their disbelief.
"Elrohir," said Elladan, refusing to lower his gaze as he stared at his confused twin. "Did you need something?"
A few more doors opened high on the shore, lights flickering on and people peering out to see the identical figures on the beach. The tremor had awoken them, but that terrible, powerful voice had startled them, and more than a few were scared.
Elrohir looked hard at his proud brother, and then he saw in an instant the muted fire in his twin's fae. It was as if it had been dampened, though it burned as strongly as ever…in fact, perhaps longer. Something was different, though.
Elladan was not the same as he had been earlier. But then, would any of them be the same again after what had happened a year ago?
"I heard you," Elrohir finally said, his voice hushed.
"Yes." Elladan was unapologetic. "My Oath. Isn't it ironic? The first Oath caused harm to the elves, this one will to the…those foul creatures of Morgoth."
"No," whispered Elrohir after a moment, finally identifying that subdued, strangely continued flame in his brother's eyes. The younger twin felt a slow horror dawning upon him and he felt like pounding on Elladan's chest, sobbing heartbrokenly, or just wrapping up his unthinking brother in a fierce hug. "Oh no…Elladan, what have you done?"
And…I'm sorry for the terribly long A/N up there. Review, please!