It had been two days since the group left the Valley of the Andruin. Rainaiel's fever remained steady, even with the medicine to bring it down. The only time she woke during those days was when the medicine began to wear off. Elrond slowly began to clean the infected bite marks from the orcs' torture. Celeborn helped him by calming Rainaiel when she felt him touching her leg. He hated that he had to touch it because it hurt, but he did not want to see her sicker because it was dirty.
While the three were in the wagon, Aragorn rode beside the twins and Glorfindel outside. He had visibly relaxed since they crossed the river. The twins did as well, thankful that their niece was home again and was going to be safe. The Balrog slayer was happy too, but he also knew that Rainaiel would never be the same after that.
"Estel, what's wrong, you have been very quiet?" Glorfindel asked, looking over at the young ranger. "Nothing, just thinking." Aragorn replied, smiling over at the Eldar. "And what are you thinking about, little brother." Elladan asked. "The past few days and how much I have to be thankful for." Aragorn replied. The two smiled and agreed. "I agree with that Estel, we all should be thankful that we have Rainaiel back." Glorfindel said, "But you and I both know that this is not all over yet." "I do, that is what I am afraid of." Aragorn replied, looking down. "She will be changed, and I hope that it will be for the best…I think that if she knew how to defend herself, this may have ended differently." Glorfindel replied.
The ranger nodded and looked up and smiled when he looked ahead. He had never been so happy to see the Golden Wood in his life.
Meanwhile, Rainaiel had just begun to wake up. Celeborn and Elrond had been deep in conversation when they heard a quiet moan of pain. Rainaiel was uncomfortable and the way her leg was laying was not helping at all. The two elven lords frowned when they heard her and looked up.
"Ouch, this hurts." Rainaiel moaned, turning her head back and forth.
Celeborn looked up and frowned. He heard the pain in her voice and did not like it at all. Elrond had as well and didn't like it. The last time he gave her the medicine was almost an hour ago. Something was wrong and it was not good.
"Rainaiel, what hurts?" Elrond asked, wiping a ringlet from her face. "Everything, my leg hurts the worst." Rainaiel cried, trying to ignore the pain. Elrond frowned when he felt her forehead. Her fever had gone up and the medicine had been burned through her body too quickly. "Alright, I think we are just about there and I have run out." Elrond told her. Rainaiel's head fell back against the pillow as she whimpered in pain. "I know my little one, we are here now." Celeborn told her. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
Rainaiel stared up at the roof of the wagon. She was in pain and she wanted to get out of the wagon and in her own bed. Tears began to spill of as all of the emotions came to the top. She had finally broke and allowed herself to let it all out.
Celeborn and Elrond both were waiting for her to break down and let it all out. It also broke their hearts over her tears and her pain. Celeborn sat of the bed roll next to her and pulled her into his arms. He hated that he could not protect her from the pain that she endured a week earlier.
"Easy Rainaiel, everything is alright." Celeborn said pushing the long blood stained silver ringlets out of her face. Rainaiel turned closer to him as her cries turned to sobs. Elrond hated that he could not stop anymore pain and hated that he could not save her from orcs. "You are safe my little one, nothing is going to hurt you anymore. You are home." Celeborn told her.
She looked up into his blue eyes and then she looked over at her grandfather. Elrond nodded at her and smiled softly at her. His eyes told her that she was going to be safe with her family.
When the wagon finally stopped, she was greeted by her father coming over to the wagon. The ranger had no idea of her break down and was a little worried.
"Is she awake?" Aragorn asked, poking his head inside the wagon. "Yes, it seems she finally let go." Elrond replied looking at his foster son's worried face. "What do you mean by let go?" The ranger replied, looking over at the shaking figure of his daughter. "Due to her fever spiking again, the medicine went through her system too quickly and she is in a lot of pain. So the combination of that and her finally taking in everything that has happened in the past few weeks, she broke down." Elrond replied, as Celeborn looked up before he continued to consol his great granddaughter.
Meanwhile, Arwen and Galadriel were sitting in the family area of her talan when a hand maiden came and told her that the group had arrived. She thanked her and looked over at Arwen. The Evenstar was already nervous beyond belief and was ready to see her daughter for herself. Galadriel smiled down at her granddaughter and took her hand.
"Come, they are here." Galadriel said, taking Arwen's hand and making her stand. She looked at her grandmother and smiled softly as she stood to her feet. The evenstar followed her daernana out of the room and down to where her lover and daughter were waiting. The two quickly made their way down to the forest floor where their family was currently.
Meanwhile, Elrond and Celeborn gently moved Rainaiel out the wagon and into her father's waiting arms. The three had been able to get her calmed down enough for him to carry her to the healers. She felt safe in her father's arms and was happy to be home.
"Welcome home, Rainaiel." Celeborn said, once he and Elrond got out of the wagon. She smiled up at him as she laid her head on her father's shoulder. "I'm glad to be home." Rainaiel replied, her voice weak. Celeborn smiled and looked at her tired eyes. "You should rest my little one; you are going to need it." He told her as two new voices filled the wood.
"Rainaiel!" A voice cried, rushing over. The young peredhil looked up and seen her mother and great grandmother coming towards them. Aragorn turned his head to see his lover practically running over to them. "Arwen, I have missed you so." He said when she placed her hand on his cheek and lightly kissed him. "And I have missed you both, my love…Rainaiel, what happened to you!" Arwen exclaimed when she took in how her daughter looked.
"Orcs tortured me and tried to make me break but I was too stubborn." Rainaiel replied, looking at her mother, not really wanting to think about what happened. "I am so glad that you are home, safe." Arwen replied, as the healers came over. She gently kissed her daughter's forehead knowing that they were going to take her down the healing talan.
"My lord, we need to take her now." The head healer said, as he stopped in front the group. Rainaiel looked over at the healer and then her father before she clung to her father. Elrond watch the three before he stepped up, knowing that Rainaiel wasn't going to leave her father's arms any time soon. "I think that it would be best he came with her…as will I. She does not need to be away from her family right now." Elrond replied, stepping forward. "Of course my lord." The healer replied.
The head healer led them down the talan where they could properly look at Rainaiel's injuries. She was already half asleep in her father's arms and wanted to sleep. Elrond was thankful for that but also was worried because when they set the broken bones in her leg, she would definitely wake up fighting. Aragorn was staying because he refused to never leave her alone again when she needed him the most.
"Estel, you should leave, this is hard enough for me to be here as it is."Elrond told him, as he laid Rainaiel down on the padded blanket covered table. "No ada, I will not leave her again; not when she needs me the most." Aragorn replied, looking up at the man he called father for so long. "Estel, are you sure…she may wake up screaming when we reset the bone." Elrond told him, knowing that it was going to be very painful for her. "Yes, I need to be here with her…she needs me right now."Aragorn replied, standing his ground. The Lord of Rivendell nodded at him and pointed at the stool at the top of the table by Rainaiel's head. "Sit there, that way if she wakes up, she will hear your voice." Elrond told him. The ranger went to his respected spot by his daughter's head.
"Don't worry; I won't leave you…ever." Aragorn whispered in her ear softly and gently kissed her head.
Meanwhile, Arwen and the rest of her family sat in the main hall; all of them knew that they were all in for a long night. Celeborn, Glorfindel and the twins had quickly gone and changed their clothes before joining the ladies down in the hall. They were all worried about Rainaiel and her long road to recovery.
"Do you think that she will be alright?" Elladan asked, breaking the silence. Galadriel and Celeborn looked up at him and glared at him when they seen the fear flash in Arwen's eyes. "Yes, she will be just fine…or do I have to remind you of when she was two and her ear tips were cut off?" Galadriel replied, looking at her grandchildren. The evenstar looked up at her with hopeful eyes and smiled softly. "That is right, how could I forget, she surprised us all." Glorfindel said, looking up, "She will be just fine, our little trouble maker has always proved us wrong in her darkest moments of her life." Arwen smiled brighter this time, thinking of when her daughter and brothers had came back from the creek and how Rainaiel was covered in mud from head to toe. "Thank you Mellon, I have forgot that my daughter is fighter." Arwen smiled softly.
Meanwhile, back in the healing talan, Aragorn watched as his foster father and the head healer began to cut off the ragged and blood covered underdress that Rainaiel wore. He had to remember that the ellon beside Elrond was a healer and would not harm his daughter. Elrond seen the look in his eyes and smirked slightly. He knew how he felt and understood that he was feeling slightly protective of Rainaiel right now.
Aragorn watched as he began to gently wipe the blood off her body. The ranger worried that she was going wake up as he helped Elrond sit Rainaiel up so her could clean the wounds on her back. He had to swallow back the sick feeling when he seen the dirty open wounds covering his daughter's back. Aragorn was proud of his daughter for being so brave and putting up that front while she was in so much pain.
"She allowed us to carry her while her back looked like that?" Aragorn exclaimed, looking at the welts that covered her back. "Yes, she is very brave. I am very proud of her." Elrond replied, putting a healing salve on her back. "As am I, Rainaiel has been braver than any of us during this whole ordeal." Aragorn replied, gently supporting her neck while Elrond taken the bandages from the healer's open hand. He smiled softly and looked down at Rainaiel's sleeping form.
The elven lord quickly and gently wrapped her back before he reached for the shortened night gown. He had finished the difficult part and he really wanted to get the worst of her injuries taken care of before he washed the blood from her long silver hair. Elrond sighed when he looked down at her sleeping face.
"Estel, I am going to need you to hold her down gently while I reset the bone." Elrond told him, before turning to the healer, "Make sure we have something to use as a splint and extra bandages to wrap her leg." "Yes my lord." The healer replied, rushing off to get more bandages for Lord Elrond to wrap his granddaughter's leg. Aragorn nodded before taking a deep breath and gently pulled Rainaiel into his arms. Elrond looked at him and nodded when he had a secure hold on her. "Ready?" Elrond asked. "Ready." The ranger replied, looking in his eyes. Elrond nodded, before kissing Rainaiel's forehead gently. "I am sorry Rainaiel." Elrond whispered.
The elven lord gently took hold of his granddaughter's leg at the knee and ankle, causing Rainaiel to whimper slightly. He took a deep breath before having to do the one thing that he never liked doing. Aragorn tightened his grasp on his daughter; knowing what was going to come next. Elrond suddenly jerked her leg in the right direction, causing Rainaiel to wake up and tense.
Her eyes shot open as a scream of pain escaped her mouth when she felt her leg being put back in place. The crack of the bone going back to its normal position echoed throughout the room. The ranger cringed as he held her still, trying to calm her down.
"Easy, you're alright." Aragorn whispered in her ear. "Please…stop." She cried, jerking in pain. "Daerada is almost finished and then he won't touch your leg, Raina, calm down." Aragorn told her. She sobbed quietly as her father held her tightly against him. The young ranger felt horrible for having to hold her down while her grandfather set her bone.
Elrond looked down at her, feeling his heart breaking as he watched his granddaughter whimper in pain. He needed to finish her leg so she could get some much needed sleep. The other healer arrived seconds later with the splint pieces in his hand. The Rivendell lord took it from his hand and quickly began to wrap Rainaiel's leg.
"Is that better, Rainaiel?" Elrond asked, looking at her. She nodded, sniffling slightly and still shaking from the pain. He smiled softly and kissed her head. "I'm going to give you something for the pain and to help you sleep." He told her. Rainaiel nodded at him and took a deep breath.
After he gave her the medicine, Rainaiel began to fall asleep again. Elrond told Aragorn to gently lay her back onto the table so he could try to rinse the blood that was staining her silver hair out before they put her in her room.
"Estel lay her down; the blood needs to come out of her hair." Elrond told him, as he reached for a small tub and a pitcher of warm water. Aragorn laid her onto her back and held the small tub under her head. "Is she going to wake again from you doing this?" He asked. "No, I put a sedative in the medicine; she shouldn't wake again till dawn at least." Elrond replied, as he began to pour the warm water over Rainaiel's silver locks. "She done better than I thought…I expected her to take a swing at one of us."Aragorn replied, causing Elrond to smirk as he reached for a bottle of vanilla and roses scented oil soap. He knew that was Rainaiel's favorite scent and wanted her to be calm if she did awaken at any point. "As did I, though I am thankful she didn't." He replied, washing the filth from his granddaughter's hair.
He quickly finished doing that and began to towel dry her hair, making sure that she would not get a chill from her hair being wet. Once he was satisfied that her hair was dry enough, Elrond decided that it was time for to put Rainaiel in her room.
"Estel, go tell the others that I'm taking her to her room." Elrond replied, carefully lifting Rainaiel into his arms. "Yes ada." Aragorn replied, looking at his daughter. "Don't worry; you know she is safe with me." Elrond said, smiling at him. "I know, doesn't mean that I won't…not after all this happened." He smiled.
Meanwhile, Aragorn walked into the main hall where he found the others waiting for the news about Rainaiel. They were all very anxious to hear how she was.
Celeborn looked up and seen him coming, noticing the ranger looked rather tired. Aragorn nodded at him, silently telling him that she was alright.
"How is my little one, Aragorn?" Celeborn asked, looking at them. The others looked up and seen the ranger walking into the room. Arwen looked up and ran over to him. "Lord Elrond is bringing her up to her now." Aragorn replied.
"Is she going to be alright?" Arwen asked, rushing to his arms. "She is going to be just fine, but it is going take some time for her to heal." Aragorn replied, hugging her tight.
"Did she wake at all when Elrond set her leg?" Galadriel asked, knowing that was hard for her son in law to do. "Yes, she did…we were both worried that she was going to do so…he gave her something to help her sleep and the pain." Aragorn replied, looking at her. She nodded, smiling softly. "Can we go see her?" Elladan asked, hoping to see her. "No, I think it would be best to wait till morning. This is the first time in several days any of us have been back in our own beds and not in a dark forest." Celeborn replied, "Besides, I think that her parents would want to be with her for a little while." "I agree they need some time alone together." Galadriel added, looking at her granddaughter and future grandson in law.
"Thank you milady." Aragorn replied, bowing his head at her. "Thank you daernana, daerada." Arwen replied, smiling at them. "You're welcome…tell us how she is in the morning…as for the rest of you, I think it is time for you two to sleep." Galadriel said, looking at Elladan and Elrohir.
The twins immediately began to protest, not wanting to go to bed. They weren't elflings anymore.
"But daernana, we aren't elflings anymore" They complained in unison n. Celeborn laughed out right. "I beg to differ, you three are still elflings compared to some in this room." He said, causing them to complain more. "But, we aren't tired." Elladan said. "Oh but you two are…you've been going on a few hours sleep for the past two weeks since we left to get Rainaiel back." Glorfindel said, siding with Celeborn and Galadriel.
Just as the twins were about protest some more when Galadriel got a look in her eyes that silenced them instantly. They knew better than to push her great grandmother's patience. The two both knew that it was time to sleep.
"Yes daernana." They said, looking at her. "Thank you." She replied, as they both came over and said their goodnights to them and their sister.
Meanwhile, Elrond had reached Rainaiel's room. She stayed asleep even through him carrying her. She had a peaceful look on her face due to the pain reliever he gave a short time ago.
When he entered the room, Elrond found the fire place was going and the bed was made with fresh sheets and blankets from earlier that day. He walked over to the small couch by the fire place and set her down on it.
Then he walked over to the bed and drew back the covers. He needed to make sure she was comfortable and not hurting when he covered her up. Elrond returned to the couch and gently lifted her into his arms again before walking back over to the bed.
As he gently set her down, Rainaiel slightly tensed when his hand brushed over the welts on her back. He mentally slapped himself, forgetting that was also a tender area. She relaxed when she felt the soft sheets beneath her. Elrond smiled as he watched her relax. He reached over for the extra pillow and placed it long ways under her broken leg before he pulled the blanket over her tiny body.
Once he tucked her in, he sat down in a chair that was next to the bed and sighed heavily, finally taking in every that happened. He began thinking about a similar event that caused Rainaiel to not know her grandmother. Elrond fought back tears as he stared at his granddaughter. He realized that this could have turned out very differently if she had been able to fight off the orcs when they attacked.
Suddenly, Elrond began to feel a familiar pull as a vision began to take over.
Rainaiel was walking beside her father, wearing a darkly colored tunic and black leggings. Her long silver hair was bound in a simple braid and her face seemed dirty from not taking a bath in a while. With them was four small figures and a pony.
Elrond blinked back into reality and frowned slightly. Why was Rainaiel with her father and not in the safety of Rivendell? So many questions raced through his mind as he continued to watch her.
Suddenly a knock at the door caused him to look up and stand. He walked over to the door to see who it was. As he opened the door, a small smile crossed his tired features.
There stood his daughter and foster son, looking happy to see him and their daughter again.
"Ada how is she?" Arwen asked, as she hugged him. "She is well, sleeping right now." Elrond replied, hugging tightly before letting her go. "Has she made any sign of waking up?" Aragorn replied. "No, but she did tense up when I accidently touched her back while I was setting her down on the bed." Elrond replied, smiling at him. "She seems so peaceful." Arwen said, as the three walked over to the bed. She took her daughter's hand and held it gently. "Yes, well she was far from it a few hours ago." Aragorn replied, remembering when he seen Celeborn trying to comfort her. "Indeed, she has been through much." Elrond agreed, sitting down in a chair by the bed. "But she is home now; Rainaiel will recover better with her family around." Aragorn told them, sitting beside Arwen and brushing a extremely curly strand of hair from Rainaiel's face.
The three eventually moved to the couches and chair by the fire place and talked. As the night went on, they all fell asleep, wanting to stay close to Rainaiel, just in case she were to wake up.
Rainaiel was home again and her family was going to do whatever it takes to protect the young elleth.
AN: I know it has taken me a while to post this chapter. I have been extremely busy and helping my mom with my younger sisters. I hope that everyone likes this chapter and please tell me what you think. The reviews really make me smile because it lets me know that you all are liking my story.
