Disclaimer: I own no Tolkien characters. Yes, I completely stole the idea for this story from Captain America, both "The First Avenger" and "Winter Soldier". For clarity's sake, Elladan is my Cap equivalent, Elrohir is Bucky, Lindir is Dr. Zol, & Estel is kind of Peggy (but please do not think this is slash, because it isn't!). As for Elrond, I believe his role is rather self-explanatory. Enjoy, and as always I truly appreciate comments and constructive criticism!
4. Altercations
Three Months Later
"Where have you been?" Grodd accused his leader, the Carnelian Orc, in the foul Black Speech of their evil kind.
"I was detained by those nasty elves in Rivendell and have been unable to escape until now." He gave his subservient a hard stare, daring him to probe for any more information.
Grodd decided to give his report, knowing he would never learn how his master came to be captured by the elves, much less how he escaped. It definitely had not been the dread twins, or else Carnelian never would have returned except perhaps in chopped up pieces. "Master, we have had few travellers through here to capture. There is a dwarf we saved for you…" He dreaded the coming reprimand and torture for laziness.
"What? Can I not leave you alone and get anything from you? It is the wheel for you!" He grabbed the frightened snaga by the ear and pulled him to the torture chamber, where the dwarf lay on the rack.
Exactly how I would do it! the Red Skull congratulated him.
Shoving Grodd at his faithful torturers, he surveyed the scared and broken figure. "What was your business in the Misty Mountains, dwarf scum?" He switched to the common tongue, knowing the foul creature was unlikely to understand Black Speech.
The small, bearded man looked at him, eyes wide as he beheld the infamous Carnelian Orc. "I was going to see my kin in Moria but got lost!" he squeaked out.
The Orc leader saw the truth in his eyes and his own brown ones turned hard. "Give him five more hours, then summon me. I shall let this one go and warn his kin. It is more fun to war with those who expect you than those who do not."
"Right away, Master," an orc replied as he ran over to crank up the rack to a higher level. The dwarf shrieked in pain as his muscles were overstretched and his joints popped out of place, and the Carnelian Orc laughed. Seeing people in pain sent a pleasant shiver through his body, like diving into a cool pool on a hot summer day. Such times made him feel his true person, the Red Skull of Middle Earth. When the man was seemingly killed in another world called Earth, he came to Arda and found Carnelian the perfect one to take over the planet. The Red Skull failed to take over Earth and assured the Red Orc that he would not rest until one universe or another was under his rule.
He went to his quarters and attempted to put back into place everything that had gone awry since he had been detained so long. Sighing, he shook his head at the incompetence and stupidity of his minions. If Lord Sauron ever found out about this complete lack of adequacy amongst his followers, he would have all their heads. Then he chuckled to himself. The Dark Lord had no idea one of his own "followers" planned to dispose of him and take his place.
Elladan, Elrohir, and Estel traversed through the wooded Misty Mountains on yet another orc hunt. The air grew cooler and a light breeze announced it would be a chilly night. Noticing the clouds holding pink and purple tints that quickly faded into night time grey, they set about to find a good place to camp. Estel made a fire ring and started a small fire while the twins hunted for some supper. He had just settled down with his pipe when they appeared, grinning and bearing two pheasants.
"Not as good as chicken, but it will do in a pinch!" Elladan commented as Elrohir brought forth some edible vegetation. These they formed into a tasty stew.
As they munched, Estel finally asked his friends something that had bothered him for several years now. Something he had pondered and studied many long nights as he tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. "Why are you two so determined to kill this Carnelian Orc? I know he did something to your mother, but that has been quite a while ago. Surely he is dead by now." After all, that was closing in on 1,500 years ago. How long did orcs live anyway?
The elves glanced at each other, sombre expressions on their faces. They had told the young Dúnedain the bare minimum about their mother, but both knew now was the time to explain.
"I hope you are one for long stories, for this shall take a while."
"I'm listening."
Elladan recounted the tale with some aid from Elrohir. But none of them knew the full story.
Flashback to Celebrían's capture many years ago at Redhorn Pass-What really happened...
Dark, beady eyes watched the travellers as they crossed the Redhorn Pass through the Misty Mountains towards Rivendell. The Carnelian Orc crouched as all awaited his signal to attack. "Now!" he hissed.
His minions charged from their hiding places and attacked the surprised party. Elladan, Elrohir, and the escorts from Lothlórien drew their weapons and fought. Celebrían drew her own weapon and attempted to slay an orc but they expertly headed her off from her companions, trapping her against a rock ledge.
A large orc growled at her as he grabbed her leg and she let out a terrified scream. "We have you now, my pretty," he leered as he snatched her off her horse and carried her under the mountains.
The male elves fought and killed the rest of the orcs, then looked around. "Where is Naneth?" Elladan asked.
Elrohir peered around in the dark and spotted a form disappear under the ground. "Elladan, come with me over here. Everyone else, split up and look around in different directions." The twins ran to where he thought he'd seen the form and looked around. However, the orcs had sealed the opening behind them. The men searched for a long time, wasting precious minutes in the dark.
Meanwhile, Celebrían had been escorted roughly into a torture chamber, where she lay on the rack. Her joints shot pain through her entire body as the villains stretched her arms and legs in an unnatural position and to their maximum reach. A few minutes later, she sensed the presence of the Carnelian Orc as he stepped into the room and stalked over to her, his face contorted into a menacing glare as he peered at her in her prone state. "Please, let me go! What harm have I ever done to you?" she pleaded.
"My dear, do you not know who I am?" Carnelian pressed.
Suddenly, that night a few weeks ago dawned on her. She had been curled comfortably in Elrond's arms and woke up to discover something red on his forehead. "Elrond, Meleth, wake up!" She had shaken his shoulder until he roused.
"What's wrong?"
"Your head is bleeding! Can you not feel it? What happened?"
Horrified, he had reached up to feel his forehead. "Please, go get Lindir!"
"But I want to stay with you! Will you not let me wrap it up for you?"
"No! Please, just go, and do not come back until he tells you that you may return."
She had kissed him, a worried look in her eyes. "Alright. But not one second after he has finished!" She had rushed off and soon Lindir entered the room.
"Milord?"
"Lindir! Quick! The glue!"
The elf's eyes had widened. "You…Lady Celebrían did not find out, did she?"
"Not yet, but it was too close for comfort. You must see that I have better glue! I shall have to have you start checking my head every night."
"Yes, Lord Elrond." Lindir patiently glued the mask back in place and tied linen strips around his head. Celebrían had returned and snuggled up with her husband, believing him to be slightly ill and none the wiser for the misadventure.
It all made sense now. "Elrond? You and the Carnelian Orc are one and the same?"
"Yes," he laughed manically.
"But I did not know until now. Why capture me? And how did you get this way? You have not been an orc our entire marriage, have you?"
"No."
"What drove you there?"
"Never mind that. Take her away." He pointed to his minions and they dragged her to the torture chambers. Her legs scraped against the rough stone floor, gashing them and leaving a thin trail of blood behind her. They threw her onto a table-like contraption and tied her to it. A large basin of water lay nearby and they placed her head closest to it. Before she knew what was happening, they tipped the table so her head submerged in the water. They held her under as she struggled, her lungs burning after a few moments from the water she inhaled and lack of oxygen. "Promise you won't breathe a word of this to that nasty mother of yours, not even telepathically?" they growled.
She coughed and gasped for breath, her face a bit blue and her body shivering from the cold water that had drained so much heat from her body. Still, her resolve was firm. "I can promise no such thing," she gasped out.
After about twenty minutes, Carnelian stopped in. "How much information has she given? Has she told anyone anything we should know?"
"She won't promise us anything, or tell us anything. But I think she has only just figured out whatever you think is dangerous for her to know, thus hasn't had the chance to tell anyone," a nervous guard stuttered.
"Take her to the next room," Carnelian growled.
The orcs roughly untied the ropes and dragged Celebrían away. Their black claws dug into her wrists, drawing blood. Her elf eyes, used to the sunshine of beautiful Imladris, could not make out much more than the dark forms that held a couple of lanterns to guide them in that dank, dark hole. They chained her to the wall, pulling on her already strained and overstretched muscles and tendons. The orcs laughed manically as they slashed her arms with rapiers, poking and prodding her. Her eyes filled with tears and she cried out in agony under the ceaseless torture, watching her own red blood drip onto the floor. However, the more she whimpered, the harder her tormentors would harm her.
Soon her arms bled profusely and the orcs moved on to another victim. Except one. He leered at her, then stabbed her side with a poisoned dirk. Her blood squirted out, but she used the last of her strength to kick him in a painful spot. He doubled over, holding himself, and glared at her, about to do worse except two certain twin elves rushed into the room. Elladan quickly sliced off his head while Elrohir ran to his mother's side and released her from her bonds. She fell into him, unable to stand up on her own. He grabbed some lamb's ear out of his pack, along with some athelas, and pressed them to her side, then picked her up. "Naneth! We have to get you out of here! Hold onto me!"
Celebrían nodded in agreement and wrapped her bleeding arms around her son's neck. Her strength waxed and a deep darkness settled in the deepest portion of her soul.
Elladan peered out into the hallway before motioning his twin to follow him. "Quickly! We have to get Naneth home to Rivendell!"
Elrohir wasted no time in hurrying his mother to safety, Elladan guarding their backs. They made their way back into the fresh and cool night air with no altercations, and a few minutes later the guards from Lothlórien met with them and all hastened away to Imladris. They had only lost two of their number while the orcs had about two dozen dead on their side. Nevertheless, they felt their losses bitterly.
Astride his gelding, Elladan held Celebrían close, sensing her fading. "Naneth, stay with us! Ada will heal you. Just hold on until we get there!"
"I'll try," came her weak reply as she closed her eyes and buried into her son's warmth. Suddenly, she shivered violently, a chill like none she'd ever experienced descending on her from the inside out.
"Quick, I need a blanket from you saddlebag!" Elladan instructed his twin.
Elrohir complied while they ceaselessly rode on and levelled his horse with his brother's. The blanket was successfully passed and wrapped around Celebrían.
It seemed to take forever to return to Rivendell, where Carnelian had used secret tunnels to arrive hours before they did. He disposed of his mask and orc clothes, exchanging them for his lordly elven robes. He appeared the worried husband as he gathered his wife into his arms and hurried her to the healing quarters, but both knew it was just a sham. The twins tried to follow them, but Carnelian, er, Elrond, glared at them. "Stay out until I summon you. I must be able to focus." He promptly shut the door and set Celebrían on a bed. "My orcs did a great job, didn't they?" he grinned wickedly.
"How could you do this? I thought you loved me!" she accused.
"I knew you would find out sooner or later. Now your only hope at survival is to go to the Undying Lands. I will heal you enough to get you there as long as you promise to never breathe a word of this to another living soul."
"Elrond, how could you? I can promise no such thing. Please, just kill me now!"
"Come, my pet, that is no fun. If you refuse to obey my wishes, the twins will be my next victims, followed by Arwen, and then your parents. I am going to rule all Middle Earth, and they all must go sooner or later."
"No!" she gasped in horror. "Fine, I shall obey your wishes as long as you spare my family."
"That's better!" he grinned in triumph. "Our children will be fine, as long as they do not refuse me."
Knowing her fate was sealed, Celebrían became braver. "Elrond, our children will not turn into orcs, will they?"
The look he gave her caused her to cringe, thinking she was stupid or something. "Celebrían, I was not mutated when we had our children. The only way they can turn into orc is if they take the same path I did."
"And just what was that?"
He glared at her. "You know I will never tell you. Besides, you know more than enough already. Remember, that's what got you into this mess."
"I suppose you are right. Although I am sure the Valar will explain everything once I reach them, even if that won't do anyone here any good."
Laughing manically, Elrond bound up her wounds and healed her enough that he could truthfully tell their sons that he'd tried to fix her. He summoned them in and Celebrían didn't breathe a word about his secret.
After remaining in Rivendell just a couple of days, Celebrían travelled to the Grey havens, whence she would sail away. Elrond did not accompany her, but the twins did.
As soon as the carriage was out of sight, Elrond grinned to himself. There, that was one elf out of the way. Now to figure out how to slowly rid Middle Earth of all but the evil…
Estel stared at the twins as they finished recounting their tale. After taking a few minutes to process the information, he finally spoke. "I understand why you two must take out vengeance upon this foe. I would do the same if it were my mother. I promise to help you find this Carnelian Orc and slay him."
"Thank you, Estel. You are like a brother to both of us. Naneth would have loved you," Elrohir smiled.
"But do not breathe a word of this to Ada. He still grieves over our mother and I know he wanted to spare you all the pain he could. He does not wish to burden you with our problems, since you have plenty of your own," Elladan cautioned.
Estel gave him a small grin. "I will keep it secret."
"One more thing: both of us are trying to prove our manhood to Ada. He treats us as elflings, like we can't care for ourselves."
Elrohir punched his brother's arm. "Hey, if you would quit playing practical jokes on people maybe Ada would have better faith in you," he teased.
The twins wrestled on the ground a minute, but stopped when Estel cleared his throat. "Tell me, does Arwen know of this?"
"Yes. She knows all that we do and hopes that we find that dreadful beast soon." The twins shared a knowing smile; she'd told them all about her meeting with Estel last year after his true identity as the Dúnedain heir had been revealed to him. They supported the union between the man and their sister, even if Lord Elrond refused to allow them to be together as of yet.
They kept a companionable silence and bedded down for the night. At first light, they began hunting for their fearless adversary yet again. A few hours into their search, they stumbled upon a small band of orcs. Both groups were mutually surprised and the foul beasts wasted no time in growling and grabbing their weapons, initiating the fight. With spears pointed at their chests, the two elves and man whipped out their swords and thrust themselves into the fray. It was over in a matter of moments, for all three were expert swordsman, even against a dozen orcs. Only one creature survived, which they took captive. Elladan held a knife to his throat while Elrohir tied his hands behind his back.
"Tell us all you know about the Carnelian Orc, how to get into his lair!" they demanded.
"No. Have you no idea what torture my Master puts such traitors through?"
"Yes, we do. He tortured our mother until the cold darkness that infiltrated her became too much. She is in the Undying Lands as we speak because of your 'master.' Surely you could tell us something to keep innocent females from enduring such a fate?"
The creature growled. "What do I care about your so-called innocent females?"
"Nothing!" Elladan spat, the knife cutting closer into the orc's flesh, causing a few drops of black blood to descend to the ground.
Wincing, their captive bore the pain and let out a small chuckle. "Exactly!"
Estel stepped up. "We have learned what we can from this beast. Let him go, mellon nîn."
The older twin stared at his friend. "We cannot release him. At the very least he should be locked in the dungeons of Rivendell."
Elrohir touched his twin's arm. "Estel is right, tôr nîn. We are elves, not orcs, and therefore cannot possibly kill even one of our enemies while he stands defenseless."
Elladan sighed. He always hated it when his little brother was right, even if he was only younger by ten minutes. Releasing his sworn enemy, he glared. "If I ever see you again, you are dead."
The orc nodded and ran off, disappearing into the forest and down into the dark depths of the goblin caves, leaving an upset Elladan to grovel around the camp. "Estel, next time I suggest you mind your own business if you wish to help us again."
Used to the sudden bristles, the man stood his ground. "But perhaps next time your conscious will yet again fail you. What would your mother say if she could see you now, about to kill something in cold blood?"
Elladan walked away, unable to bear the conversation any longer.
Turning to Estel, Elrohir looked grim. "He needs some space. He never has forgiven the creatures for what they did to Naneth. While I understand and still harbor a certain bitterness towards them myself, I would never kill one in cold blood. I always let them make the first move."
"I know. Orcs slayed my father before I really knew him, and mother never got through grieving his loss."
"Yes, I remember that."
The friends sat in silence while awaiting Elladan's return. He walked back into the camp fifteen minutes later and motioned for them to move on. They stayed out a few more days, then returned to Imladirs, once more feeling defeated.
The older elf knocked on the door of Elrond's study. "Come in," cams a slightly perturbed voice.
"Ada, I need to speak with you."
Sighing, Elrond let him in, secretly hoping his son wasn't about to confront him of his double identity. "What is it, ionnîn?"
Elladan glanced around the immaculately clean study, noticing the piles of papers lay perfectly aligned on the desk. He finally sat in the comfortable willow chair and looked into his father's tired eyes. "Ada, I know you have discouraged Elrohir and I from hunting the orcs down. But surely you crave justice for Naneth? Just as I do?"
The elf-orc took a deep breath. "Elladan, these orcs are ruthless. I think you would be better off if you gave up your pursuit and learned to accept that your Naneth is gone, just as I have done."
"But Ada! The orcs will continue to terrorize our people and our allies if they are allowed to roam free within the Misty Mountains. Surely you could send you entire army with us and we can defeat them once and for all!"
"No!" he bellowed. "You are to stop chasing the orcs. Your blood is on your own hands if you dare to fight them again. And I will not have to dragging your brother and Estel along with you!"
"Ada, you know both come willingly," Elladan glared and stared his father down.
"Fine. Just do not force them along, and for Ulmo's sake refrain from endangering Estel! You know now he is the heir to the Dúnedain kingdom and I have sworn to protect him."
"Yes, Ada. I tried to convince him this was something only Elrohir and I need to do, but he insisted on joining us."
"Well, I shall speak with him myself. Send him in."
Elladan sighed and let himself out, knowing that his father would speak no more on the subject. He ran into Estel and told him the news while Elrond sat in his study, breathing a sigh of relief. His secret was still safe.