Chapter 2: Rage

Serethiel blinked one eye open, carefully. It was still dark out, but the small nightlight still sputtered in the corner of the room, illuminating it just enough that she could make out shapes. Next to her, Estel lay curled against her, one arm draped over her waist. Edging out from underneath the weight, she slid out of bed and stood looking at the balcony. The rain had stopped, but a breeze still blew through.

The young edain sighed; she didn't know what had woken her, but now that she was up she doubted that sleep would claim her again. Though it was still a few hours before dawn, restlessness plagued her and she found herself wanting something to do. Her mind drifted through the day's events, settling on the "failed" swim lesson. She froze for a split second, before springing into action. She could surprise Elladan by secretly practicing, and then when they had another lesson, she would be just as good as her brother, maybe even better.

She stopped in her hustle to find her swim clothes when Estel rolled slightly in the bed, obviously seeking her warmth. Carefully, she scrambled back to the stand next to him, smoothing his hair back. Apparently it was enough, for her twin rolled back over and fell back asleep.

Stepping back away from him, she grabbed her bundle of clothes and slid out the door. Entering the courtyard, she noticed that a little light still filtered out of her father's study. Shrugging off her curiosity about why there were still people awake, she clutched her cloak closer to her and began the trek down to the swim hole.

Serethiel was covered in mud by the time she arrived at the swim hole. The trail had been slick and dangerous and she had found herself on the ground many times. The river had swollen during the storm, leaving a much smaller area for Serethiel to move around in. She quickly shed her clothes down to the underclothes that she swam in. She slipped and slid down to the edge of the Bruinen. At its edge, the youngster carefully stepped into the water. It was cooler than before, but not so cold as to cause her to want to get back out. Rolling onto her back, she pushed off toward the center of the small pool. Once she felt she was far enough out, she rolled onto her stomach. Her breathing hitched slightly, and she panicked, bringing her head out of the water, gulping in lungs full of air. Once she was calm again, she put her face back in the water, slowly breathing out like Elladan had taught her. When her lungs were empty, she lifted her head and drew in another breathe, and returned to floating.

Feeling a bit braver, Serethiel scissored her legs, propelling her further from the bank. A smile broke across her face as she realized that she was swimming. While she had to be careful to breathe very deep or her have her chest seize up, she was still swimming, just like Estel. Striking out a little further, Serethiel decided to try something that she had seen the twins do. Taking a deep breath, the young edain curved her body, so she was under the water. Using her legs to kick, she went as far as she could before surfacing. When her head broke through, she found herself almost on the far bank. With one more breathe, she went back under and began striking out across the remaining part of the pool.

When she was almost ready to surface again, she felt a tug at her body. Trying to make the short distance to the surface, she found herself being spun around under the water. With flailing arms, she tried to struggle up to air, however, the more she struggled, the more she tumbled in the water. Soon, she wasn't sure which way was up. Abruptly, she found herself out of the eddy, but she was being pulled downstream. Using a last burst of strength, she pulled herself to the surface, drawing on last breathe of air before being drug back under the current. Overhead, lightning touched down on a ridge, casting a brief eerie glow on the valley.

Elrond stood at the window of his study, a glass of wine in hand. Elladan sat nearby, sprawled on one of the many couches in the room. Their talk of the two young edain had indeed lasted long into the night, long enough that the storm had quieted for a time; however, as the eye of it passed over the valley, the lord of Rivendell could see that more of the nature's rage was yet to come.

As if sensing his thoughts, the sky's opened up again, dropping more rain and a lone lightening strike. The accompanying thunder caused Elladan to jump, nearly falling on the floor. Somewhere in the house, a door was heard slamming open, followed by the sound of small footsteps.

Elrond turned, gracing his eldest with a small smile. Both knew that it was either Estel or Serethiel coming for solstice, probably having been wakened by the renewing of the storm.

Elladan rose as the study door opened up, and Estel came into view. Without a second glance, the dark haired boy flung himself into Elrond's arms, clinging tightly to his neck.

"Ada, Ser' is gone and I scared!" Estel said the words so quickly that Elrond had to stop and think about what he said. When realization dawned, he gripped the edain closer. By the couch, Elladan's eyes widened as his knees threatened to give out.

"Serethiel is gone? Where?" Elrond tried to stay calm for the boy's sake.

"I don't know. I woke up an' she was gone." Estel ran one hand across his running nose, sniffling as he spoke. Across the room, Elladan was composing himself, standing straight before addressing his father.

"I'll get Elrohir, we'll begin searching immediately." Without waiting for a word, the younger elf was out the door.

"Estel, let's get you back into bed, then I'll see about finding that wayward sister of yours." When the dark head that rested against the lord's shoulder nodded, Elrond moved out the door.

It was a rather disheveled Glorfindel who greeted Lord Elrond at his chamber doors.

"My lord?" The blond warrior blinked wearily at the lord of the valley.

"Estel is missing," Elrond's voice was so quiet and grave that Glorfindel nearly missed it. When the words finally sunk in, he spun on his heel, kicking the door closed behind him. Elrond could hear rustling around inside as Glorfindel searched for a clean tunic. Within moments, the door reopened, this time revealing a slightly more alert Glorfindel.

"I will gather search parties and begin investigating nearby areas." Without waiting for a reply, the warrior bowed slightly before hurrying down the hallway. Rubbing one hand over his dark brow, Elrond turned and followed; his footsteps less sure and leaden with the weight of a heavy heart.

Serethiel couldn't see anything. Well, that wasn't quite true; she could see when she carefully opened one eye. However, each time, only the grey and white swirl of the Bruinen could be seen in the short moment before the pounding water forced her eye closed again. As she forced herself into a roll, she managed to throw her head above water, taking in a huge gulp of air. Tumbling back under, she was forced to the bottom, her arm slamming in the rocky riverbed. Serethiel gasped, inhaling water, at the pain that suddenly exploded in her arm. Using her other hand, she tried to cover the cut on her right arm, although blood continued to run between her fingers. All too soon, her lungs began to burn from lack of oxygen and she found herself scrambling off the bottom of the river, where she had settled slightly in the calmer depths.

Clawing with her now one good hand, the young edain struggled back toward the surface. A weight crashed into her side, causing her to spin wildly. Reaching out, her hand connected with a large branch, which she quickly tried to cling to. Her injured right arm connected with a piece of the bark that broke off in her hand, causing her to jerk, almost losing her precarious hold. The river threatened to turn the whole branch, and Serethiel wrapped her legs around it, determine to hold on to her lifeline. As the waves overturned the log, she gulped on last precious breathe of air before once again being tossed into the churning water of the Bruinen.

Her tumbling travels down the river continued. Overhead, claps of thunder still sounded, if less often; wind and rain had lightened, but not stopped. The log that she clung to rolled and twisted. Too often she didn't know where she was in relation to air; she just hoped that the log would roll again.

As her breath ran out once again, the limb that she clung to found a narrow part of the river, either end of it slammed into the steep banks, and held fast. The impact jarred Serethiel into it, her back connecting solidly, pushing the air from her lungs and forcing a whimper from her mouth. The water stopped swirling slightly, allowing her to breathe, even as dark spots danced in her vision.

The young edain came aware slowly that the water was no longer swirling quite as quickly. With a small burst of energy, she tried to break free, her numb limbs fighting the water of the Bruinen to no avail. She could barely move, but she twisted around until she was facing the log, wrapping her arms around it. With that small movement, she gave up the battle to stay awake, and slowly drifted into blessed unconsciousness.

Elrond's robes billowed behind him as he stood on the steps of the Last Homely House. Glorfindel had assembled a search party, and they were riding out of the court yard, horse hoofs pounding on the stone. With a sigh, the elven lord turned around and drifted back into the now quiet house. He had given Estel a sleeping draught when the young boy had refused to calm down. It was for the better; if Serethiel was found by morning, the child wouldn't be able to see her until nearly noon while he patched her up. Estel might as well sleep during that time.

In the silence, the lord's footsteps came as close to echoing as an elf's ever did. No joyous laughter could be heard to cover it, no shouts from the practice fields. It was silent, it was as if doom were hanging over the valley, threatening her with its presence

'Valar save us all, doom is what it will be if we lose Serethiel. Her brother may be the hope of man, but she is the peace for Middle Earth. Without one, the other is lost…' A quick shake of his head dispelled those thoughts, 'Perhaps I should have made a draught for myself; it would have calmed me.' Elrond's mind whirled at the implications of losing such a precious being, he felt lost, wanting to go help his senchal find his beloved daughter, but the knowledge that he was needed in the valley to keep watch over her brother pulled him to remain within the stone walls which now seemed so confining.

As Elrond settled into a large chair in his study, the flash of nearby lightening crashed, along with the sound of cracking wood, loud enough to startle Elrond awake, the thunder was longer to follow, but even so, the crack of wood made the lord of the valley positive that more damage had been done nearby.

Serethiel became aware as a loud crack reached her ears. Still clinging to her precarious hold, she shifted slightly, jumping and nearly losing her hold when a crack of thunder sounded overhead. Whimpering, the young edain tried to pull herself out of the water further, only to find that the log rolled away from her and continued downstream, the movement jarring her injuries.

The log moved slower than before, allowing the weakened girl to keep a hold of it with her good left arm. Her right was still bleeding slowly and ached terribly. The swirling Bruinen had calmed, only gently shifting the log side to side. The roar of the falls could just be heard in the distance, when once again the log found a perch, one end in the bank, with Serethiel resting under it. Borrowing a little deeper into the soft silt of the bank, the young edain curled up and closed her tired eyes, unconsciousness claiming her once more. The sound of hoof prints never penetrated the fog, as Glorfindel and her brothers pounded past the tree, ignoring the downed limb, without a second glance, the dark haired edain blending into the bank, the bright red that was seeping from her arm was the only color that could be seen in the night.

TBC

edain human

Ada dad

Reviews:

childoftheking: Isn't sibling rivalry great? Don't worry Ser will get her share of triumphs and Estel his share of hurts. You gotta keep them even somehow.