Chapter 8

Each of the Twins were carefully lifted onto he pallets provided and were transported back to the castle. Elrond began to follow after his sons and Legolas when he realised that Thranduil hadn't moved from the market, he went back and gently began to lever him from the dusty floor. "Come Thranduil this day has been trying and we all need rest." Thranduil nodded and allowed himself to be led to the palace along with his son. Elrond could only think as a healer at this moment he needed to do something, Thranduil and Legolas were emotional wrecks, The twins were physically hurt. There was only Glorifindel and Laebon that seemed even remotely together.

Once inside the palace again Thranduil was handed off to Glorifindel who took over supporting the Elven king leading him through halls and corridors to Thranduil's assigned rooms. Sitting him on the bed he let Thranduil stay there while he fetch a quart of wine and a pair of goblet. Pouring a generous amount into one glass he thrust it in to Thranduil hands. "Drink" He commanded. Taking a long draft from he glass he swallowed, the motion was halting an jerky absent was the elven grace. "Glorifindel." He spoke quietly as if only realising that he was there. "My Lord." He then took in the room around him and noted that they were alone. "Where is my little one?" He asked suddenly, trying to stand. He only succeeded in slopping the wine messily over the filthy robes he was waring. Glorifindel placed his hands on the kings shoulders and forced him to still. "Legolas is well, He is with Elrond and the Twins" at the mention of the twins Thranduil blanched. The twins; he has tried to kill them, become kins slayer. He had nearly struck his little one with his blade in the process. Glorifindel realising where the kings mind would arrive at began to reassure him. "The Twins are alive and will heal. You did not strike Legolas, he does not blame you. Even I can see that what you did was heat of the moment anger at a horrid injustice done to your son. You are not evil and you would never become kin slayer." Thranduil looked at the golden warrior with sad eyes. "I truly meant to strike though, I started the swing." Glorifindel once again reassured him. "You underestimate your friends, we would have stopped you before your strike truly fell." Glorifindel spoke with false conviction for he knew that he and Laebon were never going to reach him in time, but he didn't need to know that. Thranduil was not a kin slayer, he was a father.

The pallets baring the twins were carried with care though the palace where many onlookers bowed their head and prayed for them. Legolas dashed to open the doors to his chamber where they were laid gently upon Legolas large soft bed and were stripped of there heavy robes to allow their father easier access. Elrond looked over his sons wounds and sighed with relief, Elladan's wounds were relatively minor after the glass had been removed and Elrohir's cheek bone was cracked but not displace along with his nose. Laebon was trying to get Legolas to sit down for more than three seconds, he was not having much successes. Elrond dressed the wounds and set the broken bone before administering a pain draught of poppy before he turned away from them to Legolas. The prince dashed forward and looked at Elrond eager for news. "Will they be well?" Elrond laid one long fingered hand over Legolas shoulder. "Yes Young one, they will heal swiftly. There will be no permanent damage." At this declaration all tension and adrenaline drained from Legolas body and he slumped where he stood. Elrond caught the prince as he slipped and held him tight. "Legolas!?" Laebon exclaimed with alarm taking a step forward. Elrond hoisted him up and placed him between his sons tucking him him after entwining their hands. "He is fine. It all became to much, he needs rest. Stay with them Laebon." Elrond gathered his healing supplies and was heading for the doors when he heard a soft tired voice calling to him from the bed. "Ada please go check on Thranduil make sure that he is well. We do not bare any animosity to him" Elrond smiled softly and nodded. He smiled and moved back to bed clasping Elrohir's free hand in his. "Of course my son." This drew a weak smile from Elrohir before he fell back into a healing sleep. Elrond left, he stayed in some quiet corridor for a while trying to collect his thoughts, Thranduil was in good hands with Glorifindel and would be alright for a while. Sitting on a bench he took the time to straighten out his own mind. Once sure in his mentality he stood and started heading in the direction of Thranduil's guest chambers.

Glorifindel had fallen into silence and was watching Thranduil from across the room as he sipped his wine. Hours had slipped by and it was now creeping into the late evening. Thranduil was doing much the same but staring straight ahead. Glorifindel was mildly surprised to hear the knock but Thranduil jumped and nearly dropped his glass. Elrond cracked the door open a slid in quietly. Thranduil just looked at him waiting for some hint of what he was going to do. Elrond spoke with a soft tone that was meant to calm and quiet the nervous king. "I came to check on you. Elrohir was quiet insistent that you should be cared for as well. He says also that they hold no ill will towards you." Thranduil relaxed fractionally but was still tense. Elrond placed his herb bag down and searched through it before pulling out a small pouch and handing it to Glorifindel who knew what to do. "Right Thranduil, You need sleep." Thranduil nodded and shrugged of his outer robe after removing the wine to a table. Elrond stood and carefully watched in case he got any stupid ideas. "You know Legolas is going to be quite livid when he wakes. My sons did not fight back and you went of one of you infamous rampages. He will be insufferable." Elrond tried to lighten the mood, Thranduil needed to see that he wasn't under judgement. He smiled at the though of his son. "Yes indeed he will. He always was tenacious in that regard." He was now down to only his legging and shirt. Elrond moved to the closet and pulled out sleep ware and handed it over. "Thranduil, I also bare you no ill will." Elrond stated as though it was an after thought, he froze in the middle of untying his leggings. "I am so sorry, I was not thinking. I would not truly wish to kill our sons." Elrond nodded, he was pleased that now Thranduil had calmed some what he could see that this was not truly what he wanted to do. "No I agree that would only aggravate Legolas. You had every right to be angry, you still do. I still am and I will be having a very one-sided conversation with them. A verbal maiming will do on my side. I knew that you would stop, you had to." Elrond spoke with conviction he could see everything from Thranduil eyes and felt he would have done that same had it been Arwen. He spoke again with a jovial tone "And anyway at least you haven't threatened the same as you did with that poor boy last time. I imagine that would upset Legolas immensely." Thranduil cringed "I do not need to think about my son in that way thank you." Glorifindel came back in then carrying a steaming cup. Thranduil climbed into the bed and took the cup that was handed to him. "A mild sedative with a muscle relaxant. Will help you get to a natural sleep. There will be time enough when everyone is whole and hearty to make apologies and accusations. Now drink" He made Thranduil lift the cup and swallow before he left the chambers and made his way to his.

Elrond dropped his bag on the floor of his chambers and turned to shut the door only to find it shut and Glorifindel stood in front of it. He looked shocked for a spilt second then asked "What are you doing here Glorifindel?" He laughed and stepped deeper into the chambers. "You have cared for your sons and Legolas leaving them in the care of ever capable Laebon, Thranduil is comforted and sedated by you. You have cared for everyone but who is left to care for you." It wasn't so much a question as a statement. Elrond smiled wearily and collapsed into a chair. "Yes I see, Thank You." Glorifindel sat opposite him and waited till Elrond had collected his thoughts before speaking again. "The way I see it you and Legolas have suffered the most here. Legolas has suffered the original hurt and pain, and yet today he had to decided between letting his father get revenge or saving his bonded and causing his father more pain. Cause no matter how much we tell him that it would have been Thranduil that had the blame he would have taken it himself. And then theres you. Your sons committed this act against one you call son and one you call gwador has taken a blade to your sons. Who do you side with? You took the side of a healer and saw it all from everyones eyes except your own. So tell me Elrond what do you feel?" Elrond stared at him with staring eyes then laughed softly. "Of course you can see this Glorifindel, you know your smarter than you look." Glorifindel frowned. "Stop avoiding the question? Answer!" Elrond nodded. "I am angry and disappointed at my sons, yet I do not know their side of the story. I am angry at Thranduil, yet I understand. As I said to Thranduil, I would do the same thing to Aragorn if Arwen was in Legolas position. And I want nothing more than to take all the damage that has been inflicted on Legolas and make it vanish. I am a healer Glorifindel that is engrained in my being and caring for others it how I deal with my self. Now I think I shall retire to my bed." Glorifindel's eyes narrowed then he laughed loudly. "Of course you feel that way. I should have guessed." he stood and made his way to the door. "Oh and Elrond." The lord turned. "Yes?" Glorifindel opened the door. "Drink the tea." He left. Elrond looked to the table and saw a cup of the same tea that he had given to Thranduil steaming on the table. He cocked an eyebrow before shaking his head and retrieving the tea.

Glorifindel also retired to his own chambers, de-robeing and slipping into bed he lay back and put his hands behind his head. He thought on the day, so much had happened and so close at hand yet it seemed days or weeks ago that it had happened. Letting his thoughts run over was was coming when everyone was well enough. For the twins that would be the day after tomorrow until they could leave the bed but after that it was a free for all, it was going to be chaos. It was only a matter of time until Legolas decided that he going to knock so sense into the three of them, he had a high tolorance threshold but even Legolas was going to reach the end of his rope soon. He smiled and though of Legolas, the prince was a feat of valar creation, beautiful and strong with such destiny before him. He let his eyes glaze over in elven sleep, his last though; the next few days were going to be interesting.


Gwador - sworn brother


There that seemed like a good place to stop for this chapter. I must say thanks to HelloDenmark and Teapot of transformation (love the name), for review near every chapter recently, great support. So follow this shinning example and review please! Thanks to all of those who do review, favourite and follow. Want to see anything, pm or say in your review. Thanks for reading.