Disclaimer: I don't own Legolas or Elrohir. Or anything else Lord of the Rings

Summery: Celebrian set sail after being tortured by orcs, but what about her family let behind Elrohir, Legolas fic

AN: This takes place after Celebrian was found and brought home, but
before she sets sail. I'm thinking of doing more vignettes's on this
event or possibly a fic. What do you think?

The Lake




One of the twins stared out at the lake. His arms were hugging his legs close to his chest and even though it wasn't cold, he shivered.

You slid up behind him; he didn't turn around or say anything, just stared straight ahead. You dropped cross-legged next to him, and he turned to look at you.

His face had tear streaks down them –dried tracks that seemed permanently embedded into him. His eyes were dulled; with no spark, none of the love for life that had been there, and there was a /deadness/ behind the horrible overwhelming grief. There was anger, too, grief and a terrible overwhelming fear. Fear that she would die, fear that she would live... this was El without his stoic mask.

He turned away- back to looking at the lake and beyond the lake to something only he could see- and you were almost relived because then you didn't have to see the pain and nothingness inside his eyes.

"I'm Elrohir." Said the twin, still focused out beyond the lake. You just nodded, and looked out to the lake also. But you knew you didn't see the things that your friend saw.

You saw the glimmer on sunset on rippling waves and the green trees across the lake bending with the breeze; a lazy duck paddling under the arched bride that crossed the lake where it narrowed and the fish that swam toward the two sitting at the lake edge. You saw the tarn and all it's peacefulness.

But you knew that was not what Elrohir saw and so you didn't comment. You could have said something insightful that might get him out of this sad daze. Maybe something about the nice calm lake and 'how was he feeling, on this fine day?'

But you didn't ask because it wasn't a fine day, for El and you knew El wasn't. Wasn't feeling, that is, so he would have just said fine and lied anyway.

You went over almost all possible conversations, silently in your head, and finally decided that it was impossible to hold a conversation, unless it was a one-sided one and opted to remain silent.

You both sat in silence for some minutes, hours, you didn't quite know how long, but all too soon sun was almost set and then you cleared your throat.

"It'll be supper soon."

But neither moved and El didn't make any indication that he heard, he was thinking that deep. So you sat silent, again. And then you wondered what he /did/ see, out beyond the horizon.

Did he see her broken body crumpled in the mud, battered and bloody? Did he hear the dull pitter of the rain, the orc-ish roars and her hoarse tired breathing? Did he hear her scream that hopeless moan, see her flinch as he, her own beloved son, gently clasp her arm? Did he remember her looking at him- mother's eyes filled with only that desperate hateful fear?

Was he remembering Celebrian?

The sun set and pulled any remaining color with it and then the lake seemed cold and dark and not cheerful at all.

"I'm going to get revenge, you know." Elrohir said. He didn't look at you- couldn't look at you, really, but spoke in clear tones that you knew he wasn't just talking to himself and in such a tone that you knew he really meant it.

"I know." You told him and you really did know. "I'll help."

Elrohir looked over at you, finally drawing his sad empty eyes away from the lake to stare into your worried ones, searching for something. He seemed to find it and startled you by leaping to his feet.

"Suppertime" El said, and he extended hand down to help you up.

He sounded almost cheerful and normal and when you stared up at him, his eyes were not sad, but bright and that awful /deadness/ was gone, and there was a faint smile on his lips.

You wondered what he had been thinking about, to get such a change, even if it was only an outside change. At least El cared enough to smile for you.

That faint upturn on his face developed into a full mocking grin and you knew your own face was smiling in return as you were hauled to your feet.

And then you sprinted off, calling "Race you!" over your shoulder, hoping, waiting, straining to hear El's banter and to have him yell and laugh like normal and not to turn around and see him standing there alone next to the dark cold lake...

"Cheater! You are such a cheater! Argh! Just wait till I catch you! You sissy Silvin!"

You could have jumped for joy at hearing Elrohir's indignant calls, peeved at you in an utterly normal unhappy way that you could understand, but you kept running.

And then his feet were pounding next to you, gaining slowly and then he tackled you to the ground and you both rolled the rest of the way down the hill toward Imladris, bickering and laughing the whole way.

It was good to have your friend back.