I am back! I have moved into my new place safely and am adjusting to live in my new country!

I apologize for the amount of wait for this chapter but I feel excited again about this story! Expect the regular upload schedule to resume! Thank you for your patience with me and I hope you can enjoy it once again :)

In Times of Trouble

Scribbles-on-Parchment

September 25, 2021

Chapter 10 – Actions and Consequences

Elladan walked slowly down the hall and away from his ada's personal office. His mind was troubled and restless as he thought back over the short conversation he had just had with the elf lord. His ada had been quick to brush away his concerns and had seemed, overall, rather submissive to his relentless questioning. This had left Elladan to shut the door rather forcefully behind him after Elrond had requested him to go and check on his brothers. He had too many unanswered questions. He could tell that his ada was not simply doing this just to appease the council. The Noldo lord had a plan; it just frustrated Elladan to not know what it was. Elrond had never blocked him out in such a way as this – what had made him start now?

While Elladan neared the door at the end of the hall he heard a shout ring through the air. His head shot up and he quickly hurried the rest of the way down the passageway. As his hand gripped the door handle to pull it open he heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn.

In an instant, the eldest twin had jerked the door open with such force that it caused everyone in the great hall to look over at him in surprise. Yet Elladan did not pay any heed to this for he was too busy taking in the sight before him.

His youngest brother and twin were standing near a very irate-looking council member. However, this was not what worried him; what worried him was the sharp blade that was in Omalaern's hand pointed directly at Estel's chest. The sharp tip was so close to touching the human's tunic that Elladan feared one slight move and the man would be dead in an instant.

Narrowing his eyes, Elladan stepped out into the hall, his hand already reaching for his own sword. He did not trust Omalaern to not act foolishly and therefore wanted to be prepared to strike back at a moment's notice. Next to Estel, he could see Elrohir also place his hand on the hilt of his blade clearly sensing his twin's concerns.

"Omalaern," Elladan's voice rang out in the large room, "Pray tell why I have arrived just now to find your sword so close to my brother's chest. I will ask that you kindly lower your weapon. This is not the way to settle any disputes that you may have with him."

Omalaern's lips twisted into a smirk as he saw Elladan's hand resting on his sword hilt,

"I will not. This edan has accused me of treason and of blackmailing the Lord Elrond. I will not stand for this kind of humiliation by a mere human boy. He must pay for the insults that he has handed out so freely. Surely you understand this injustice."

"I will try to understand and listen to your reason," Elladan spat as he drew closer to Estel who stood seemingly frozen in place, "When you lower your sword. You should know that I will not hesitate to protect my brother's life should I think is in danger and I do not want to have to do that."

Omalaern narrowed his eyes, clearly perceiving the threat that was hidden in the Noldo's words. The council member's hand tightened on his sword and drew back but a hair's breadth. He was clearly trying to decide what he should do. Meanwhile, Elladan had come to stand next to Estel, his demeanor calm. The older twin placed a hand on the human's shoulder, not daring to look away from Omalaern for fear of a surprise attack. Elladan gently began to pull the edan back away from the sharp point of the elven blade.

However, even as Estel moved further away from the sword did Elladan notice that his brother was clutching the hilt of a dagger he had hidden in his belt under his tunic. At this realization, the eldar felt his heart drop. If the human should show any sign of aggression towards Omalaern even in an act of defense then Elladan was sure that things would quickly get out of hand and he was not ready to have to deal with a fight.

"Toron…" he whispered harshly to Estel, "Drop your hand. I do not want you to act out of any feelings you have at the moment, for any such performance will earn you nothing but trouble."

The edan must have heard his brother's words for his hand instantly dropped to his side. Elladan breathed a sigh of relief in the knowledge that whatever happened next would not be caused directly by Estel. Yet, this feeling did not last long for just as he felt that the human was out of harm's way did Omalaern's next words hit his ears.

"Elrondion, you may think that you act out of honor and that you seek only to protect those who are vulnerable but that is not so," Elladan's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out where Omalaern was going with this, "But your brother is now a man and can surely fight for himself. After all, it was his words that have brought about my anger, not yours."

Elladan groaned inwardly as he realized what the eldar wanted. He wished for Estel to fight him in hand-to-hand combat – a symbol of him defending his honor. Had this been Elrohir he would have agreed with Omalaern, for his twin was greatly skilled with a blade and had the fast reflexes that all Eldar possessed. Yet Estel did not have this. While yes the man could use a sword with mastery he did not stand a chance against an equally skilled and agile Noldor elf.

"No."

"No?" Omalaern raised a slender brow as he all but smirked at the two brothers standing before him.

"This argument does not have to be won by the use of swords. Just let your anger pass and let Estel's words to you be forgotten. We have more urgent matters at hand. This is not one of them."

Elladan watched intently as Omalaern seemed to think about what he had said before he slowly lowered his blade, dark eyes still glinting in anger. Thinking his words had knocked some sense into the elf, the eldar turned to face his youngest brother and made to guide him out of the room where he could cause no more trouble. However, even as he laid his hand on Estel's shoulder did he hear the telltale sign of the razor-sharp edge of a sword cutting through the air. He heard a warning shout from Elrohir and had only the time to push the edan into his twin's arms before he felt a sharp pain raced through his body as a sword was slashed across his back.

Elladan gasped in shock at the sudden attack before he spun around with a sword in hand, a thin line of blood beginning to stain his tunic. He frowned as he found himself facing Omalaern, his attacker. The elf leveled his blade at him,

"If that human has neither the courage nor skill to defend his actions and words then you shall have to do it for him."

Elrond set down his pen as he looked back over the letter he had just finished writing. A pang of sorrow cut across his heart as he read the name he had written across the top of the page – Tamír Haraníndirion. It had only been a couple of years since he had bid the Silvan farewell and given him his blessing to return home, yet he found himself missing the elf more and more as the days went on. Tamír had been by his side for many long years and his gentle and wise presence was missed by all.

The elf lord made sure the ink was dry before he carefully sealed the letter. Valar was willing his letter would be delivered soon to the dark forests of the Greenwood. He knew that any message he wrote to Thranduil would never reach the king's chambers so it was all he could do but hope that Tamír once more had the favor of the Sindar and could deliver his message.

Setting the letter down gently on his desk Elrond pushed his chair back and stood up, heading towards a door. All the while he could not stop seeing the look of betrayal on Estel's face in his mind when he had told the human what had been asked of him. He knew that his youngest had grown close to the Prince Legolas and was still irate that he had not been able to offer a farewell to the elfling. Elrond could tell that it still weighed heavily on his heart. The edan was worried that he, being Lord of Imladris, would not hesitate to engage in open war against Thranduil and his realm to satisfy the will of his counsel…

Elrond stopped dead as he stepped out into the hall and heard shouting echoing down the passageway. What in Eru's name? Without a second thought, the elf found himself racing down the hallway towards the door at the end.

Elrond stepped out into the great hall to see the entire place in an uproar. A group of elves was huddled off to one side shouting at two figures battling in the middle of the room. To the other side, the elf lord spotted Elrohir trying to hold back a struggling Estel who had a short dagger clenched in his hand. And there in the middle of the room dodging a deadly swipe of a sword was Elladan engaged in a heated duel with a council member.

Stepping into the room the Noldor placed a hand on his own blade as his voice thundered around the room,

"Stop this at once! I will not have this kind of violence in my halls!"

But either his words fell on deaf ears or the two elves were too caught up in their battle to heed his command Elrond could not tell. However, what he did know was that Elladan was currently sporting a long gash across his shoulder blades that had bled, staining parts of his tunic red. With a low growl, the elf lord drew his sword and headed towards the two fighting elves. Yet even before he had made it to them, Omalaern had knocked Elladan over backward onto the floor and stepped onto the ellon's sword arm, pinning it to the ground. This caused the already injured elf to let out a cry of pain. A grin spread over the council member's face as he realized his opponent's position. Omalaern brought his blade to deal the last blow just as Elrond moved into its path.

Meanwhile, the door to Elrond's office remained wide open, the letter sitting on the desk all but forgotten. The room was silent until a single figure walked quickly down the hall and came to a stop by the entrance to the room. Sending a quick glance down the hall the Noldor slipped through the door and went straight for the desk. This was just the chance he had been waiting for.

Elvish Translations:

ada - dad

hîr nín – my lord

toron – brother