Note: I'm sorry for a delay: I was occupied at university and I still have problems with internet, but I've finished translating it at last!

3. The after mass

It wasn't all that hard to comb the area, Berenion thought, inwardly shaking his head in disbelief. The rock with all it's ledges and small caves had really been the only possible place within miles where orcs, known for their intolerance toward the sunlight, could find a shelter during the day. Besides that, judging by the tracks, the orc that attacked the twins had been totally alone. He either was a scout that hadn't been able to return to his group before sunrise, an outcast or the only survivor of some kind of a fight. No one could tell that now. Not that anyone cared, too. However it was, the orc was alone and it was dead, that was all that mattered for now.

The elves had already started the fire around the orc's body, not wishing to leave it to rot. Berenion eyed the bloodied ground with a frown, shivering from the thought that part of it was elven, his glance stopping on the orc's sword. Fighting with disgust, he yanked the weapon out, preparing to toss it into the fire to join it's master, but stopped himself just in time. At first he couldn't tell what caught his eye. There was nothing significant in that weapon. It was crudely made and covered in rust, mud and dried blood. Wait! The captain's thought swam. Blood? But how? The elder of the twins was not wounded. The orc tried to grab him and they fell, how did that concerned a sword? It of course was possible that the orc didn't wipe the blood after some previous kill, yet the substance looked fresh… And elven.

Slowly, the pieces of a picture fell together and Berenion could only berate himself for previous inattentiveness. When they had come here in search for the twins, the orc was laying in a pose that suggested he tried to get up, leaning on his sword. Or to kill someone… The younger of the two brothers was sitting near his twin, his shirt soaked in blood… Ai, Elbereth! How? How could they missed it? Why didn't the young lord say something?

Grabbing the orc's sword tightly, he ran straight to his horse, calling for the rest of his party to join.

XXX

The door to the twins' room opened, revealing a rather anxious lord Elrond at the exact same moment that Glorfindel lifted Elrohir's shirt, staring at the ugly, obviously infected wound.

"What hap…", - the phrase was left unfinished as Elrond saw his son's injury.

Letting out an un-lordly curse, he leaned over the younger twin, probing the wound. His touch was as light as a kiss of wind, yet Elrohir whimpered slightly. Elrond's face paled.

"They were attacked by orc, you say", - he asked Glorfindel softly, gathering his son's semiconscious body in his arms.

"Yes. We found him just a few steps away from the twins".

"And he had a sword, I presume?"

"Yes…"

"The blade was poisoned, - Elrond said dryly and turned to the door. – Bring his shirt, please. The traces of the poison could have been left on the fabric. I need to determine what it was".

"Father? – asked Elrohir's quickly fainting voice. – Forgive us… please…"

Elrond sighed, cradling his child closer to his chest. He angrily blinked the tears away. Not now! Not here! He needed to concentrate. His sons needed him.

"It all would be well, Elrohir, - he managed to say without his voice wavering. – All would be well".

But his son was already unconscious.

XXX

"How is he?" – Glorfindel asked softly, coming to stand near Elrond.

The elf-lord was sitting behind the desk, Elrohir's dirt and blood covered shirt resting on his knees.

"I don't know, - he shook his head brokenly. – The poison had already spread through his system and I still can't figure out what it is. We washed the wound with athelas, yet it only bought us some time, and not much of it, too. If I won't find the antidote soon…"

He dropped his head into his hands, unable to keep his composure. He rarely let anyone see such an open display of emotions, Glorfindel being one of the few close enough persons to be present at such times.

"I can loose them both, Glorfindel, - Elrond said brokenly. – You know how close they are… If one should die, the other would soon follow".

"Let us not think about the worst outcome for now, - Glorfindel put a hand on his friend's shoulder, a bit taken aback by the fatalistic notes in usually so composed elf's voice. – I'm sure you'll find the cure. And to that belief I would hold even if you give up".

"Thank you, my friend", - Elrond smiled. The smile, however, was too faint and too pained.

"I'm sorry for not noticing something sooner. I still can't believe we overlooked it!"

"It wasn't your fault, - Elrond shook his head. – I don't know why Elrohir said nothing of his wound, but he himself made that choice. You did what you could. You found my boys and brought them home. For that I'm eternally thankful".

Glorfindel didn't know what to reply. Somehow it all seemed to look more like a failure in his eyes than a success. He was spared the answer as Berenion stormed into the room in full speed and not bothering to knock first.

"My lords!" – the warrior exclaimed, wielding some long package around madly.

"Captain?" - Glorfindel raised a brow, a bit stunned. It wasn't that Elrond was too strict in the matters of discipline – he was actually more softer than, for example, king Thranduil was, - but to enter the room thus wasn't something that any of the Imladris elves would even consider doing. In addition, captain Berenion was one of the most well-behaved elves Glorfindel met under this roof, and he had actually witnessed the warrior's childhood.

"Forgive me for interrupting so rudely, - Berenion bowed his head, actually blushing a bit. – The orc's sword that we found near the rock was blooded and covered in what I think is poison of some sort…"

"Where's a sword?" – Elrond jumped to his feet so instantly that Berenion blinked, his lord's movements being too fast and sudden not to startle him.

The warrior hold the package out, sensing trouble and Elrond all, but yanked it out forcefully.

"Thank you, captain, - Elrond's eyes were shining bright, as he feverishly unpacked the crude blade. – I'm sorry, but I have to insist that both of you leave. Imediately. I need to detect what poison it is and the time is running out".

Berenion bowed again, hurrying to leave the room. He felt like touching something forbidden and private, observing his liege in such a state of mind. Glorfindel followed closely, not wishing to interrupt either.

"Have you found anything else, captain?" – the golden haired elf-lord asked, coming to stop few steps away from the room.

"No, sir, - Berenion shook his head. – It seems that the young lords had found the only orc that was present within miles".

"Yes, that's something they would just do", - muttered Glorfindel.

"But they will get better, right?"

The warrior's voice was sincere and Glorfindel's grasped his forearm in reassurance.

" Thanks to you, Berenion, they just might be. Let's hope that lord Elrond will make an antidote in time".

"I'm glad I could be of any help. I sincerely hope that the young lords would get better soon".

"And I believe in it. Without them it is truly to peaceful and quiet around here".

XXX

Elladan had troubles opening his eyes. That was the first thought that made it's way to his numbed brain. Finally accomplishing the frustratingly hard task, the elf blinked at the bright sunlight that was falling through the half opened curtains. The sunlight? But how? His bed was standing to the side of the window and, anyway, why were his eyes closed in the first place? Not able to remember a thing, Elladan shook his head slightly, wanting to clear his mind and shoo away the heavy sleepiness that enveloped it. His head immediately responded with a sharp blinding pain that grew and spread like a forest fire through his whole body. Groaning, the elf redoubled his efforts to remember what had happened.

"Elladan?" – someone's gentle hand appeared at his forehead and a slightly blurred face appeared in his line of vision.

"Father? What… what happened?" – Elladan managed to ask, confused.

Elrond frowned, looking intently at his son.

"Don't you remember?" – he asked gently, hoping that he hadn't misjudged the intensity of Elladan's head injury.

The elder twin tried to battle the pain and remember the recent events once again. He and Elrohir as usual decided to take a walk outside the stronghold's grounds. The rock… Yes, they went to the lone rock which they had spotted during a hunting trip with Glorfindel few days prior. And yes, he was stupid enough to try and climb it.

"I started climbing the rock, - there was no point in hiding anything from his father now, besides Elrohir had probably already told him everything that had transpired. The question was probably only meant to detect the seriousness of his head injury. – There was an orc… and we fell down. I don't think I remember anything after that".

"It's alright, - Elrond said in a calming tone of voice. – You were found and brought back to Imladris".

"Why had I climbed up there? – Elrohir asked the air surrounding him, not really understanding what his father had just told him. – And El tried to talked me out of it! Why didn't I listen? – he missed the shadow that flew across his father's face at the mentioning of a younger twin, but had almost literally jumped up with a sudden thought. – Father, where's Elrohir?"

Elrond winced, pouring some potion into the goblet and handing to his distraught son. He cursed inwardly. What was he thinking, hoping that Elladan wouldn't notice his twin's absence in the room? Hell, Sauron would sooner forget about the One ring!

"He's in the next room", - Elrond said calmly when Elladan drank the potion.

"Why… not here? – the elder twin mumbled, already feeling extremely sleepy. But even in such a state he recognized that his father was hiding something from him. Something, concerning Elrohir. – Is he alright?"

"He was wounded? – Elrond admitted, not wishing to worry the young one further, but having no heart to lie to him. – The wound wasn't serious, yet the blade was poisoned. But now all is fine. I gave him the antidote and he sleeps. Worry not, he'll be up even sooner than you are".

Elladan wanted to say more, to ask something, but the potion was working just the way it meant to and he was swiftly drifting into sleep. Sighing softly, he finally closed his eyes and surrounded.

Elrond adjusted the blanket around his son's small form, careful not aggravate the wooden splints. He sometimes felt astonished of the twins' fierce protectiveness toward each other. Oh, that reminded him one thing: he really should have a serious talk with Elrohir when he gets better. The young one's desire to protect his brother was noble, but had almost cost him his life and that was something Elrond couldn't afford to have repeated.

Making sure that Elladan sleeped comfortably, or as comfortably as a person with a good amount of it's bones broken could, Elrond exited the room. And walked right into Glorfindel, who had obviously been waiting for him in the corridor.

"All is well, I hope?" – the golden haired warrior asked, slightly disturbed by his friend's thoughtful expression. The worry, however, was a usual occurrence of late in Imladris, mainly every time the twins turned up injured.

"Yes, Elladan woke up. He asked and I had to tell him about Elrohir".

"And?" – Glorfindel prompted.

"Guess who's the one to blame according to him?" – Elrond rubbed his forehead, wearily.

"Well, it was hard to expect anything else, after all, - shrugged Glorfindel. – Oh, by the way, I have something for you, - he offered his friend a small envelop and Elrond shuddered, recognizing his wife's elegant handwriting. – The messenger came a quarter of hour prior, but I didn't want to disturb you".

Elrond waved his hand dismissively. Then his gaze returned to the letter.

"I really don't know what I want more: to know that Celebrian is on her way here, or that she's staying at Lothlorien for some more. That way she might not kill me for all this".

"I think you'll find your answers in that letter, my friend, - Glorfindel laughed softly, pushing Elrond into the direction of an empty room. – Go rest a bit until you drop asleep right here – it won't be dignified, I think".

Elrond smiled.

"Can you please ask for Elrohir to be brought into Elladan's room? His fever is almost gone and I think he'll wake up soon enough. If they are together there would be less chances that they get themselves into further troubles. Besides, that way they'll have an opportunity to figure out who of them is to blame in what happened".

Glorfindel laughed again. No, the twins would probably never come to an agreement in that particular question. Not when they both got hurt.

XXX

The sun was slowly sliding toward the horizon, casting it's rays of yellow and red all around. Two small figures were sleeping peacefully on top of two beds, brought together. Elrond smiled at the tranquil scene. Elrohir grasped his twin's good arm and buried his nose in Elladan's shoulder.

"I think it all will end up well again, - said Glorfindel, smiling too. – An hour ago they were still arguing about who was more guilty. They must have grown really tired to sleep that deep".

Elrond smiled, shaking his head.

"I know it will. Elrohir would already be able to get up in a few days. As for Elladan, he'll need to stay in bed for over a week at the very least".

"It would be worse if he was a human", - Glorfindel pointed.

"They would be dead, if they were humans, - Elrond sighed. – But what in the name of One am I going to tell Celebrian, when she comes home to this?"

"I think, she'll understand. I mean no offense or disrespect, my lord, but you wife is much more kin in solving family problems".

Elrond frowned in mock fury at his friend's words, but Glorfindel ignored that gracefully, continuing.

"By the way, if the twins are so set on traveling, you may want to think about reestablishing diplomatic relations with Mirkwood elves".

Elrond looked at his friend with an almost superstitious horror.

"Do you think, Thranduil hasn't got enough problems on his own? I'm afraid after I send the twins there, the wood elves would never even consider having any relations with our realm. That would of course happen if my sons do not perish somewhere during the trip to king Thranduil's halls".

"Well, you have time to think over the idea", - Glorfindel smiled, shrugging and both elf lords burst into laughing. – Go get some sleep, Elrond, - said the golden haired warrior after calming down a bit. – And will look over your offspring".

Elrond looked gratefully at his friend and walked in the direction of his chambers. When the twins wake up, he'll need all his strength. Oh Elbereth! Now he knew the answer to his prior question. Celebrian, where are you?

The end?

Note: Well, that was supposed to be the last chapter, but some of my friends suggested that I should add another one. Initially I wanted to write a sequel, featuring the twins and Legolas, but then I realized, that the twins were probably older then Legolas was and so I got stuck. I have another story mentioning Legolas' brother, who was about the same age as Elrond's sons, so, perhaps I'll put him into story. Tell me, what you think, please.