Elladan sat back, resting on his haunches, staring at the ugly red "M" which marred his twin's shoulder.
"This is humiliating," he growled. "We are the sons of Elrond, not slaves!"
"Peace Gwador," Aragorn murmured, "They b will /b find us! There is always hope."
"A fool's hope," Elrohir sighed, his gaze moving up to the ceiling, wishing he could see the stars, feel the cool night breeze against his face, "What do we do now?"
"We wait," Elladan's face hardened, "We wait for our chance to escape," he paused, and looked at both of his brothers, "And then we take our revenge."
Legolas stared at her, stunned, unable to take in what she was saying.
"That cannot be! It is impossible!" he protested.
"Mother? Is he gone?" Seamus came out of the back room, and gaped at the corpse.
"Do not look little one. Go back in and look after Fréa," Hazel said.
Seamus didn't move, "Is he dead?"
Hazel paused, "…yes," she admitted reluctantly.
Seamus grinned, "Hoorah!" then he looked back over his shoulder and frowned guiltily, "…Bran."
"Will not be as pleased about it as some people in this village will be," Hazel replied. Seamus nodded and slipped away.
The healer looked up at the blonde elf, whose eyes had not left the fallen corpse once in her conversation with her son.
"Mr Elf?" she asked tentativily.
Legolas jumped, his emerald eyes meeting her hazel ones, "Forgive me. I never meant to…"
"I doubt you did," Hazel replied tenderly, her heart brimming with affection for the elf. He had only been trying to protect her.
"Rethan?" Legolas frowned as he heard Niphredil calling for his best friend. He jumped slightly as he remembered he had taken on his best friend's name in this village.
"In here Nymph."
Niphredil appeared in the doorway. She paused, taking in the scene. Legolas gave her a guilty look, "What happened here?"
Legolas hastily explained, whilst Hazel, frowning, examined Cian's body.
As Legolas finished his tale, Hazel said, "I do not think it was you."
"Hm? What was not me?"
"Well…your punch was a contributing factor…a catalyst of sorts…but what actually killed him was heart failure."
"Thank the Valar," Legolas breathed, feeling as if a great weight had been removed from his shoulders.
Niphredil smiled, "That is good news…but what are we going to do with the body?"
"And how do I explain this to Bran?" Hazel sighed, and then added, "There is a garden around the back…the ground is soft; a grave could be dug there."
"I will dig it," Legolas offered immediately.
Hazel smiled, "That is very sweet of you. Come, the garden is this way…"
A light snow had started, and snowflakes landed on the cloaks of the three hooded figures who rode into the village. The people of the village watched them from their windows, muttering ominously about the amount of strangers passing through.
The three Elves dismounted outside the healer's. Libren looked through the misted window, but saw an empty room.
"Are you sure they are here?"
"They should be, this is where I suggested they try," Glorfindel raised his voice, "Nymph? Where are you?"
"Coming Findë!" Niphredil's voice came from inside, and she quickly appeared at the door. She opened it and beckoned them inside. They entered, leaving their horses with a firm command to stay where they were.
Niphredil closed the door, and glanced at the other door, checking it was closed, before murmuring, "We use false names here, it is safer. Your brother has already called you "Estel" Libren, so you are safest sticking to that. Rethan? Do you have a name preference?"
"Valir? My Adar's name?" Rethan spoke as if all emotion had been drained from him, although it was unlike the chilling soulnessness of when he had been Moril's victim.
"Perfect," she blushed red and purposely avoided their gaze, "Oh, and Estel, thanks to your brother we are now married," before they could say anything else, she added, "And he accidentally killed a drunk."
"Aiya! b this /b is why we do not let him leave the forest! Remind me to tell my Adar about this!"
"He marries you to Ellyth you have only met twice?" Rethan said, attempting to regain some of his good humour.
Libren rolled his eyes, "Yes Rethan, that is why," he said sarcastically.
"Findë, Valir, could you go and see if Lego…I mean Rethan needs some help?" Glorfindel nodded, placing a hand on Rethan's shoulder and steering him out of the room.
"Must you do that?" Niphredil asked, turning to Libren.
"Do what?" Libren asked innocently.
"Put him down all the time! He was only trying to cheer you up."
"His sense of humour is so…irritating. That is why he is Legolas' guardian and not mine."
Niphredil paused, summoning her courage to ask the question that was burning away on the tip of her tongue, "Did you find a replacement for Celeblas?"
Libren closed his eyes and grimaced as if the question pained him. Celeblas and he had grown up together…they had been more than just best friend's elder brothers…they had been gwadors…there could never be a replacement.
i
"We ride to our doom," Libren turned his head as his best friend spoke darkly.
They were letting the horses take a short rest before journeying to face Moril, the dark lady. The very name sent shivers down his spine, as well as the spines of the others who had seen her previous two-year reign of terror. But that had been before either Elrond's children or the other two children of Thranduil had been born.
"For Legolas and Rethan. Our brothers. Our b little /b brothers," Celeblas' lips twitched in an unwilling smile, "They are more than worth it."
Celeblas sighed, "I wish this had never happened." He continued, swiftly cutting through Libren who had given him an incredulous look and had started to interrupt, "I mean I wish we had met them," he waved his hand at Glorfindel, Elrond and Niphredil who were talking quietly together, "a different way."
"They are friendly," Libren commented, "But these sorts of situations do that to people. It may not mean anything. It may not mean peace."
"Stop being so pessimistic."
"'We ride to our doom?'" Libren imitated, raising an eyebrow, "Which one of us is the melodramatic pessimist?"
Celeblas laughed, "All right, fair point," he continued to watch the Imladris Elves. He sighed, "Aye, these situations do change people - I know for a fact in any other situation you would be chasing after blue eyes over there."
Libren turned to look at Niphredil sigh helplessly, give her father a sorrowful look and walk away to join Rethan and the twins. She gave Rethan a smile which Libren would have swiftly bet was faked.
"You disapprove," he murmured, sensing Celeblas' disquiet, "The trick."
"Of course I disapprove! He is my brother. I am meant to look out for him, not support tricking him! I hate all this lying and secrecy!" he sighed and closed his eyes in defeat, "But we do what is necessary." /i
And that was the last full conversation he'd had with his gwador. A few moments later they had saddled up and ridden off, to save Legolas and Aragorn…but to lose Amren and Celeblas.
"Do you mean as a guardian or a friend?" Libren asked bitterly.
"A guardian," she gave him a sympathetic look, "Forgive me, I did not mean to upset you."
"It is a delicate…difficult subject…I know you did not mean…it is just…hard. Very hard," he sighed, "Adar was impressed that an Elleth could protect two Ellon as well as you do," he glanced at her, hoping his comment hadn't caused undue offence.
She smiled, "A lot of people are surprised by me. The element of surprise is very important in battle."
Libren nodded, "He decided Rethan would have no trouble defending both Legolas and me. So we have been practically joined at the hip. Wherever they go, I must follow."
i b "Is that why you came with them to Imladris?" Was it his imagination, or did she seem the tiniest bit disappointed? He felt triumph rise within him.
"Partly. But seeing you again was not a chance I was going to willingly miss." /i /b
He wished…b prayed /b that she would say that…but she did not. Instead her eyes slid to the ground and she hugged herself, "I am not exactly a good guardian…Elladan, Elrohir, Estel…my Gwadors. They are captured, somewhere out there…Valar knows where. I…I failed. I did what I thought was right, but…I guess I made the wrong choice."
"What happened?" he wanted to move and embrace her, but his feet stayed rooted to the floor, afraid of her rejection to his open affection.
"They told me to take a break for a while, to spend some time with Lothwen…They promised me they would be fine, that they would take care of each other. I was fool, a thrice cursed fool to leave them!" she scowled, "It is that dark elf bitch (1) all over again! As soon as I turn my back-"
"-Moril was not an elf, she was a Maia," Libren cut in.
She sent him a slightly puzzled look, "I did not mean b her /b" she walked past him, offering no further explanation
Glorfindel grinned as the blaze of heat hit him. Whilst Elves may not feel the cold they could appreciate the warmth of a fire. The grave was filled in. Seamus was now excitedly asking Libren and Rethan questions, and Bran was shyly listening, his shock mostly worn off.
Fréa was talking softly to Legolas and Nymph, attempting to help them locate the missing sons of Elrond.
"Tea, Findë?" Hazel asked. He turned and accepted a cup from her. He took a sip, closing his eyes in pleasure at the sensation of liquid warmth running down his throat, "Will you be alright this winter? With two extra mouths to feed?"
Hazel sighed, "I will do my best. It is Cian's accusation which worries me."
"He is dead, what harm could he do to you?"
"That is how he is harmful. I am afraid the village b will /b suspect me of witchcraft," she ignored Glorfindel's sceptical look, "it is dangerous to be a healer in such times of suspicion and darkness."
"I am sure the people of Erech are sensible enough to tell the difference between someone in league with Sauron and a kind, caring healer."
She smiled, "Let us hope so."
Niphredil rose and joined them, "There is to be a slave market. That is where Marko, the leader of the slave traders, is planning to take our friends. It is in the Wold, by the South Undeep."
"They would have headed south," he closed his eyes in thought, "It would be too hard to take a wagon through the mountains swiftly…They will not be expecting pursuit…" he opened his eyes, his mind made up, "I think we should cut through the mountains and through the High Pass."
"Is that wise?"
"It will save time," Glorfindel said confidently, not feeling quite so certain on the inside.
"We will need hope…and 'Dan and 'Ro," Niphredil jested. Hazel stared at her, confused. Niphredil couldn't quite repress a laugh and she grinned at the healer's befuddlement.
"Thank you for everything," Glorfindel said, bowing low to the healer, "We will not forget you and the kindness you have shown us. We will return this way. If you need any help, we will be happy to give you assistance."
Hazel smiled, "Thank you sir!" She curtsied, her cheeks turning pink.
"Ellyn! And Elleth," he nodded to Niphredil, "We are leaving. We head for the High Pass!"
(1). Haha, preview of one of my other fics, which may be the next one I write! Got ya all guessing now!
Please review! Festive cookies! Look, I made gingerbread with a melted peardrop in the middle like a stained glass window! (I really need to make some physical ones...I REALLY want some now!)
And for today's star prize Holds out chocolate snowmen answer these questions; Who do you think Niphredil will get with based on what has happened so far? (Note: it says in the summary OC/OC pairing, but who says I'm talking about Nymph?) and who do you WANT her to get with? (Could be a CC or an OC...)
(Two totally different questions guys...although they sound similar. I kinda want her to get with censored but she can't. Shame. ;)
lol, anyone else loving the totally random title I just made up?
Disclaimer: I own is becoming stuck for ideas several candles? lol
Ok, this chapter contains a lot of characters with code names. Oops, my bad, I did something bad way back in chapter three. But it was Legolas' fault. Just blame the silly Mirkwood prince. I will try working out a way to have a grid with the names on, but hopefully you can work it out for yourselves. If not please review and I'll clear it up (Please review anyway )
Right, so we have a little of the twins and Estel and then back to Erech to conclude the scene. And then next chapter I have a plan! Mwaha! Don't know when the chapter will be up though, my homework and revision piles are about twice the size of mount Doom, no joke. Sighs Stupid school