Brothers Forever
Berendel was in his little brother's room; his ada was holding Legolas's hand. The prince slept oblivious to the pain in his family's eyes.
"I should have been here,"
"Nay pennth, you have duties to perform; and frankly seldo nin I do not want to hear Glorfindel's mouth in my halls." Berendel ignored the joke, and began to undress his sick little brother.
"Salve please ada," Thranduil took a deep breath, his eldest was always all business. He was hard like Glorfindel, and was in tears the next minute like a child.
"Here pennth," the elf got to work on his job, this was where he needed to be, and where he was supposed to be now.
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Glorfindel sat on the swing outside in the garden. He sipped his wine, and looked at the dark sky, illuminated by stars. The elf did something he had not done in a while; he prayed. He prayed to Orohpor, and his own ada, and countless good elves and men gone in wars.
"Glorfindel," the elf turned, and went to his star warrior; the look in Berendel's eyes was ghostly; as if Sauron himself had possessed him.
" Tolo anin naur" Glorfindel whispered, leading the elf into the house by the arm; they made their way inside and nestled together. The twice born elf had work to do.
"Meleth nin, please stop blaming yourself," Berendel stiffened; it was not a request, it was a command.
"What are you talking about?" Glorfindel, in a moment of anger and fear for his best friend's children, took the younger elf's face in his hands.
"You know what I mean," Glorfindel' eyes narrowed dangerously; they were not joking.
"Glor I…" the young warrior stuttered, unsure of how he was going to get himself out of this with an explanation that didn't involve his blatant consumption of alcohol.
"You did nothing wrong melth nin; he is only 200 years old, you were mourning your parents at his age, and riding between us and here. He lost his nana, you had to be force fed," Berednel said nothing, he was choked up to respond. He hated when his parents dead, 1,000 years next month were brougt up.
"I…"
"You drink another glass of wine in front of me than I am banning you from my patrol; no Lorian, no Gondor, and, I will tell ada to remove you from the HRH until this stops." Glorfindle knew he was being overprotective but this was out of control. He also knew Legolas needed his big brother.
"You… you're always so hard on us," tears now slipped out of the dark eyes, Glorfindel wrapped his large arms around Thranduil's oldest son, rocking from side to side. Glorfindel put his lips to his hair, wiping away tears.
"Ssssshhhh, pennth ssssssssshhhhhh, do not cry pennth, I am here," the tears were now a river, but the elf lord knew it was exhaustion. He stood with Berendel in his arms, and carried him to Legolas's room, laying him down, putting his baby brother in his arms.
"Lo visto meleth nin, get some sleep, your baby needs you," Glorfindel whispered, he sat on the edge of the bed and began to sing the boys' favorite lullaby.
"Are… are you going to tell ada?"
"Yes love, it would be irresponsible of me as your trainer and head of command not to. You did not do this, he is coming of age, and lost his nana. You are your ada's representative with our allies, please stop blaming yourself." Berendel looked away, Glorfindel always told him the truth when he needed it.
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Legolas held his ada's hand as they came through the door to Elrond's study. The healer was the only one the king wanted to help his son. Plus the bond between his children and Elrond's was immense.
"I will be back soon pennth," he bent down, pulling his son close to him.
"OK…" Legolas held his ada tightly, everything was so unsure now for him.
"I will take good care of him mellon nin," the kindness and love in Elrond's eyes told him he was safe. Legolas sat on the sofa, biting his lip. The elf sat next to him, giving him an encouraging smile.
"Nana shouldnt have left, ada told her it was too dangerous." Elrond handed the prince some tea.
"No, you are right meleth nin, it was unsafe tht night. That is why he sent your brother to gran nana's with Glorfindel, and had you downstairs in the cellar."
"I.. I… feel like, I just… I can't stop it, it makes me feel better." Elrond, out of compassion for the child, pulled him close.
"Aye Legolas, you inflict pain on the outside to stop your heartache on the inside." Legolas let himself be held, one of his most favorite things was now just nothing to him.
"But… it feels good,"
"I know that, because your mind is playing tricks on you. Feeling good does not include cutting oneself penneth. Would you like to try something with me?" Legolas nodded, the elf lord reached into his pocket, and pulled out a frozen flannel, and put it to the prince's arm.
"How does that feel?"
"Good"
"Tell me why it feels good?" He moved the cloth to the other arm, running it up and down.
"Be… because I can, I…"
"Take your time meleth nin. There is no rush, take your time," the prince rested his head on Elrond's shoulder.
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Berendel walked arm in arm with his ada, the trees of Rivendell were in full bloom. Thranduil always kept the lines of communication open with his sons.
"He will be well again soon, I promise,"
"Aye, I know ada," he responded, letting his ada take his hand, the eldest of the pair was always hard on himself.
"I think the change of scenery did us all some good, meleth nin.. I am glad I chose this, it is important to be around loved ones in hard times.`` The pair sat down on a tree stump, Berendel rested his head on his ada's shoulder.
"Im mel cin ada," the warrior whispered, a soft hand came up and gently began rubbing his back.
"I love you too pennth, please, Berendel stop trying to be so perfect; you know that ada does not care for that, it is not realistic meleth nin."
"Am I in trouble?"
"For being irresponsible yes, but for being worried for your baby brother, no pennth. Haldir will take over your post, I am sorry pennth. You know I hate to be so strict, but I cannot see you being able to not be distracted in these times. Also, I want us to stay together, as a family." he watched his son's eyes close.
He thought back to the day when Berendel called him ada for the first time, and how he would end mettings early to tuck in his eldest son. The pair would walk the grounds, and wave to the guards, and of course summer training with Glorfindel was a must-do.
"Berendel nin, ada na- foeir hi," a soft kiss on the forehead told Thranduil's eldest he was safe.
"Ada's here meleth nin, always right here," he felt his son relax fully, he always told his advisors he was an ada first, that nothing came between duty and his children.
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Elrond was shifting around salves and herbs in his study when Legolas came in. He looked slightly better, in terms of weight, but he was still gaunt to Elrond's surprise.
"Are you OK pennth?" he whispered, not to startle the young elf. He knelt down and pulled his friend's son into a deep ada hug.
" Berendel cannot look at me," there was a defeated sadness in his voice as if he had damaged the relationship forever.
"Ai, meleth nin that is not true, he loves you more than life; he is just scared seldo. He is scared for your health pennth."
"Are you certain?"
"Aye, seldo I have treated any illnesses of the mind in men and elves; we are at war, that is the one true fact. Everyone deals with things like that differently. Does that make sense?" Legolas pondered this, while taking comfort in the warmth of the hug.
"Meleth nin, are you asleep?" a soft knock on his door made him stir at the voice of his brother.
"Nay, you can come in," the door opened gently, as the mighty warrior came in wearing his sleeping clothes. He sat on the bed, and pulled his baby brother into his arms.
"I am sorry pennth, I have not been there for you.. Our family needs to be united in these painful times, I… I am sorry Legolas. Im mel cin,"
"I know, I love you too. I should have gone to ada sooner, I… I let it get out of control."
"Shhhh, you are still young, no one can predict who will survive in this war and who will not. Nana was hard, she was raised to be, ada could have thrown himself in front of that orc, and she would still have it no other way."
"Is Glorfindel going to ban you?"
"No meleth nin, he has banned me. I am being replaced by Haldir, and he will not give me my weapons. Ada is not getting me out of this one,"
"He is ada, does Glorfindel not know that?"
"Yes, but he is my head of command here in Rivendell since I trained under him. Ada really has no say in it," Legolas rolled his eyes, grateful his brother was training him, and not Glorfindel. The warrior pulled his younger brother to him, and started humming their lullaby.
"He is right, my priority is you," Berendel murmured, kissing the top of his brother's head. He saw the rocking chair inviting a much needed cuddle session. He carried his ill sibling over, and gently sat down, the night sky of Imladaris shone with a few stars.
"Shhhhh, sleep penneth, sleep, you are in my arms safe and sound… I love you more than life. Please do not fade love, please," Thranduil's oldest son was fighting tears and losing, as his voice started cracking. He felt eyes on him, he looked up and Glorfindel was by the door.
"Hi na- whui cin are cannot tul- na Gondor." Glorfindel, sat on the large bed, across from his star shooter.
"Aye, I know," Berendel replied, staring down at the elfling asleep in his arms.
"Good, then do not forget it," the slayer whispered, running a hand over the sick prince. He placed a hand on the warrior's cheek, staring into the silver eyes. He had already been through so much; Glorfindel leaned down, and kissed Thranduil's oldest on the forehead.
"Hannon le,"
"Nay pennth, never thank me for that; you have not had it easy, do not think I am insensitive to that fact." the Slayer whispered, he gently pulled an extra blanket over the pair. Berendel, in a moment of needing his trainer, reached out, and grabbed Glorfindel's hand. The mighty slayer smiled warmly, taking in the message from him that he too, needed comfort.
"I should put you on house arrest more often," Glorfindel whispered, giving Legolas a gentle pat.