-Half Blood-

-ElvenHope-

Chapter XIV

"Elladan? Elladan! Oh no! Elladan!" Elrohir shook his twin's shoulder harshly desperately fighting back tears. Tears of both sadness and relief; his brother was alive – he was breathing now – but he still wasn't in a very good state. "Elladan wake up!"

His mind was spinning still, frayed from seeing his twin suffocated; from the heart-rending panic that he might be dead. His brother's lips were tinged with blue and his face was a ghostly shade of pale, but his chest was rising and falling steadily. The younger twin swiped some of the matted hair clinging to his brother's face away as he tried to connect his thoughts into something coherent.

"Ada," the word was a whispered thought as he looked down at Elladan. "I've got to get you to Ada… need to tell him…"

Elrohir tried to stand and felt his legs give way; his body was too weak at the moment. Starved of air the younger twin sat very still for a moment waiting until he breathed air again instead of fire. He felt like he had just run a long distance and the adrenalin was slowly draining away whilst his heart skipped rapidly in his chest.

Once again trying to piece everything together – a little slower this time, trying to make sure everything was functioning properly. Breathing… he closed his eyes opened them again. He understood his twin's fear now, the blinding terror that Rael seemed to be able to inflict so easily – so carefully. He knew why Elladan had feared so much for the safety of Arwen and him, but at the same time he knew that he had to put an end to this now.

He shook his twin again – roughly – the sky was darkening; it would rain soon – and all he could do was sit here like an idiot whilst Elladan needed medical attention! Hauling himself to his feet he rested a second panting before trying to lift his twin.

It was nearly impossible. His twin was nearly his equal in weight, if not heavier than him and he could only stagger forward a few steps before toppling ungracefully back onto the rocks. He shielded his brother from the jagged stone and felt pain sear across his knuckles and dance up his arm.

He yelled as the bones jarred and blood ran down his fingers. His face screwed up into an expression of agony and he let his brother slid back onto the ground. This was hopeless! He would have to go for help, but he didn't want to leave Elladan alone! What if Rael came back and did Valar knew what?

Rain streaked it's way through the wind as the heavens burst open and Elrohir felt despair rising as he lifted his brother gently and hugged him tight. The blood from his shattered knuckles was washed into his twin's hair by the rain; the younger twin was too distraught to notice. The actual truth of what had just happened was nearly impossible for him to comprehend; and the realization that Rael could have so easily killed them both then was setting in. He remembered the vice like grip the boy had had on his throat – there would most certainly be bruises there; the elder boy hadn't thought about that he had simply lashed out. It would be near to impossible for Elrohir to hide what had happened even if he had wanted to. More than anything it was the light haired elf's words that would haunt him; there had been such conviction in them, such malicious truth Elrohir knew that it wasn't an empty threat.

Looking about him desperately he shuddered and a tear slipped down his cheek followed by a harsh sob. This was a nightmare. The gravity of the situation was sinking in. Elladan had been through hell these past days and all Elrohir had done was blame him for not telling the truth. Now he understood the terrible reality of it all… how could he tell their father with the burden of his sibling's safety preying on his mind? But no – he shook his head not really registering the action – that was what Rael wanted and he was not going to give into that so easily. He had to be stopped or the nightmare would simply continue.

Gazing helplessly up at the sky he was lost. What should he do? Cry out and hope that someone heard? He didn't want just someone to hear he wanted his father or Glorfindel; or even Arwen or Sidhe - just someone to stay with his brother whilst he went to get help. And some small part of him was still screaming to know why this had happened to them. The answer surfaced at the back of his mind like some ugly beast.

Half-blood.

His jaw clenched. Not good enough to be an elf… they were being punished for something they couldn't do anything about! Had their father suffered like this because of his heritage? He couldn't imagine his father in the situation he was in now. Elrond was strong; he'd have known what to do. He would know what to do now. If he could just wake Elladan they could move!

"Elladan!" He shouted over the wind in a desperate attempt to rouse his twin. "Elladn for Eru's sake please…!"

Elladan's body was limp in his hold his eyes closed, blood running from Elrohir's hand over the side of his face and down his neck. The younger twin tried to wipe the mess away but only managed to make it worse. Cradling the other against his chest he rocked slightly in an attempt to calm himself tears running down his cheeks. Everything was sinking in; all the terrible truth of what had happened and he couldn't take it in.

Just when he had given up all hope of being found before he passed out himself a voice drifted to him on the wind.

"Elrohir?"

He looked up slowly too tired and stiff to move fast; besides he knew the voice, knew it wasn't a threatening one. He was soaked to the bone and he shivered as he stared into the elder elf's cerulean eyes.

"Glorfindel," the world passed his lips as a relieved whisper; whipped away by the wind within seconds – and then all energy left him in that fleeting moment. He collapsed, sinking into oblivion before he hit the ground.

Glorfindel felt his heart clench as he took in his friend's expression. "I'm so sorry."

The words sounded useless to his own ears, but what else could he say? It had been his fault that he lost Elladan and now both of his friend's children were hurt.

"W-Where did you find them?" Elrond asked still unable to take his eyes from the drenched, limp forms of his sons. Glorfindel was cradling Elrohir gently in his strong arms; a guard who Glorfindel had abducted in a panic was holding Elladan looking uncomfortable.

Elrond finally snapped out of his stupor and noticed the guard standing there awkwardly.

"You can go Arath," Elrond said suddenly his voice oddly detached as he took his son from the elf.

The elf left quickly after nodding to the two Lords. Elrond simply stared at Elladan for a moment trying to take everything in before turning to Glorfindel. "They need to go to the healing wing, I can treat them there."

Glorfindel nodded; he should have probably taken the twins there in the first place and then come to get his friend. Some cowardly part of him had known that he couldn't tell his friend what had happened which was probably why he had done it this way around.

The journey was quick; Elrond's office had been built next to the healing wing because he was called there often and both elves were glad of it. Though neither of the twins looked as though they were in critical condition there was blood and both were pale; Elladan's lips were a pale blue!

The Elven Lord laid Elladan down on a bed carefully and quickly began checking him over. His wrists were bruised; had someone been restraining him? His brow furrowed as he tried to search for the source of the blood on Elladan's cheek and in his hair. When he couldn't find one he straightened up and glanced at Elrohir. It took him a few moments to notice the deep red stain running across his knuckles where the deep cut was.

"Where did you find them?" He asked checking Elrohir's arm – it was badly bruised but that seemed to be it. There were bruises around his neck like someone had tried to strangle him… Had the twins been brawling or had something else happened? He wouldn't put it past them at the moment, neither of them were acting like themselves.

"Through the woods a little way by the river," Glorfindel replied swallowing as he watched the way Elrond tenderly cleaned Elrohir's injury. The Elven Lord had not asked him why he had not been with Elladan at the time; had not blamed him. "Elrohir was conscious when I found them, though he appeared to be in a state."

Looking across at Elrond Glorfindel saw his friend's jaw tighten. This must be tearing Elrond apart; he could only imagine what it was like. He treated the twins like his own children and the twisting of his heart was painful, he couldn't comprehend what this must be like for his friend.

"Were they alone?" Elrond asked raising his head to study the other's expression.

Confusion passed briefly across Glorfindel's face as he wondered why Elrond was asking. He didn't think the twins had done this to each other did he?

He nodded then, "yes, but there must have been someone else there."

Elrond grimaced; he didn't know whether he wanted someone to be there or not. If there had been someone there then it was even more worrying. The idea that someone had done this to his sons in his own home was terrible; but if Elladan and Elrohir had merely been fighting…?

All thoughts vanished when Elrohir started. He lay still for a second eyes roving about as he tried to get his bearings. His mouth twitched and then he tried to speak, but no sound came out. Finally he got his tongue to work and he gasped throwing himself into his father's arms.

"Ada!" Elrohir clung on for dear life eyes screwed tight shut. He shoved himself out of the embrace again looking around wildly. "Elladan?" He peered over his father's shoulder and saw Elladan asleep on the bed opposite him. "Elladan!" He tried to shove his father out of the way, but Elrond caught hold of him and made him stay still.

"Elorhir," Elrond said softly trying to make the boy calm down.

"Ada Elladan he-"

"Ssh, Elladan's fine Elrohir," Elrond whispered shushing the boy. He was aware that he hadn't done as thorough a check on his eldest son than he would like, but Elrohir needed the comfort now.

"Glorfindel can you find Celebrían for me please?" Elrond asked and his friend nodded before hurrying out of the healing wing leaving them alone.

Elrond looked across at his son. "Now Elrohir tell me what happened."

A/N: First of all sorry for the late chapter, I got really into my Maximum Ride fic and well just kinda forgot... So the next chapter will probably be the end. It may not because I had intended on cleaning everything up in this chapter, but then I didn't because I needed to update. Thanks for all the reviews, and please help me break the 100 mark :)

-ElvenHope