CONTENT WARNING: Rated M for Strong language and violence.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything created by Tolkein and Middle-Earth. This is for entertainment only.
A/N: Alright friends, time to see how we land after jumping off that cliff, I hope you guys enjoy it! This was a fun chapter to write.
- P
Song for the Chapter: "Kingdom Come" by The Civil Wars
Chapter 14 - Sibling Connections
Of all the ways to lose a person, death is the kindest.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It hit him so suddenly that he had dropped the dish he was pulling from the oven and it shattered on the ground; homemade lasagna spilling everywhere. It felt as if a hand had twisted around his lungs and blocked all the air out of them; accompanied by a searing pain that felt like his sternum had caught fire. He screamed in pain but as soon as the pain started it had left. He didn't know how long he had stayed kneeling on the kitchen floor trying to steady his breathing. Sweat ran down his face as he tried to understand the pain he had just felt and what could have caused it as a loud knock came to the door.
His legs trembled as he made his way over to the apartment door and took a long deep breath before opening the door. The sight turned the blood in his veins cold as his eyes darted between the two men at his doorstep.
"Augustus Merek?" One of them asked gravely and he silently nodded. "My name is Detective Statend; may we come in?"
Augustus stepped to the side as the two detectives walked passed and he closed the door behind him. He turned around to face the men and was barely able to choke out the question, "What's going on?"
"Mr. Merek," The other detective began, "There has been a situation at Merek Flowers involving your sister."
"Augustus!"
Legolas and Haldir crouched next to Augustus where he had collapsed to the ground. They watched as he screamed in pain and clung to his chest.
Haldir leaned in closer to his friend, "Augustus, what has happened?"
"Aurora…" Augustus panted, "Something's happened to Aurora."
He weakly rose to his feet looking at the other two and without another word sprinted towards Odin and jumped on his back.
"Augustus!" Legolas shouted behind him as the other two mounted their horses and took off after him. "What do you mean something's happened?"
They took off galloping towards the direction of camp and Augustus shouted over his shoulder, "I can't explain it fully. Whenever Aurora is in extreme danger I get this, this feeling."
"What happened to her the last time you felt this?" Haldir shouted back at him.
Augustus didn't look back to them as he whispered, "She almost died."
Whether their acute hearing had heard the answer he didn't know. All he knew was Aurora was in trouble and he needed to get to her. Fast.
Galadriel stormed from her tent a sword at her side. The King had never called out to her and now the smell of Orcs filled the air. Something had gone wrong. The encampment was bustling with activity as the soldiers readied themselves for battle, having smelled the foul creatures. Celeborn followed close behind as Galadriel mounted her horse and rode in the direction of the cave; cutting down any Orc or Warg that crossed their path.
Elves poured into the cave attacking the orcs within. Celeborn and Galadriel paused momentarily at the scene within. The mangled remains of several Orcs littered the floor of the cave. Thranduil was at the far end of the cave engaged in a fierce battle with two more large Orcs. His dual blades gliding around him in a fatal dance as one sliced the throat of one Orc; the other stabbing the final orc deep in his chest.
There was an eerie silence as the final orc fell to the ground and all the elves turned and took a long look at the King. A large gash ran across his right cheek, his skin and clothing drenched in thick black blood. There were 11 dead orcs in the cavern and it was clear that Thranduil had killed the majority himself before the other elves arrived. His eyes were enraged and wild as he quickly scanned all in the cave for the face he sought. His gaze met Galadriel's and his eyes seemed to refocus, comprehending what had happened.
"Boe anwen mened!" Thranduil strode from the cave; finding that an elf had already brought his Elk. "They could not have traveled far." Several elves quickly nocked arrows in their bows as the sound of pounding hooves came up behind them. Swords were lowered as Legolas, Haldir and Augustus halted their horses.
"Where is she?" Augustus demanded, glaring a Thranduil.
Thranduil could see the horror in his eyes because it reflected the feeling in his chest. His voice was low yet steady as he spoke, "We were leaving the cave when we were ambushed… They've taken her."
Augustus felt as if he were going to fall from Odin, after several moments he had to remind himself to breathe. He locked kept his gaze with the Elvenking for a long moment before looking to Galadriel as emerged from the cave.
"We saw a group of Warg-Riders in the distance, she is likely with them," Galadriel spoke calmly as she mounted her horse once more.
A blood-curdling scream filled the air and the world went black around Augustus. Aurora. He dug his heels into Odin's side and the horse took off at a gallop towards toe direction of the scream. There were shouts of protest from behind him but he didn't care. All that mattered was getting to her.
Suddenly Odin came to a halt, Augustus looked up to see that a large elk now stood in his path.
"I understand your fear, Master Augustus," Thranduil spoke with authority as he walked the elk towards Augustus, "But I must insist that you stay with everyone. You do not know these mountains as well as we do. I will not have you— "
Thranduil never finished speaking as a hand connected squarely with his jaw. He froze in shock for a moment at the audacity of what had just happened. Had this boy just struck him? Thranduil gripped the hilt of his blade once more as his eyes locked onto his and seeing the look on Augustus' face helped to quell his bubbling rage.
"She is all I have left and you allowed her to be taken." Augustus took several shallow breaths as tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "I will accept whatever punishment you see fit for my actions after she is safe."
His words stabbed at Thranduil's heart because he knew they spoke true. Thranduil was to blame for the situation that Aurora now found herself in. Had he been more attentive to the surroundings as they were leaving the cave he would've known something was wrong.
The rest of the group rode up on the pair and they looked away from one another. Augustus barely registered the sound of horses riding past him.
Haldir rode next to Augustus and spoke clearly, trying not to focus on the tears that clouded his friends' eyes. "Their path leads this way, they can't be too far ahead."
She was tied up.
The flames growing hotter around her as she pulled against the ropes that bound her arms. She looked down and could see the knife still protruding from her lower stomach. She desperately looked around and saw his silhouette standing in the corner, malice shining in his dark eyes as he watched her scream in pain.
"Now no one will want you."
Aurora snapped out of the flashback and was brought back to the current situation. She looked down again to assess the damage. It wasn't a knife sticking out of her stomach, rather it was an arrow sticking out of her calf. She didn't know how long she was running after she managed to jump off the Warg, but they had noticed her absence because the orc was now charging towards her as she ran, trying to ignore the blinding pain shooting up from her leg. She pulled her dagger from her boot as she saw one of the orcs reach out for her. She turned abruptly and stabbed the dagger into the orcs face, black blood splattering all over her face.
"You snaggle-toothed motherFUCKER!" She shouted and spat at the orc as it collapsed to the ground. She knew that she couldn't stay put for long and began hobbling as fast as she could once more. She found her way onto a trail and picked the direction that she thought they had come from. She wanted to yell out for help but she knew that would only allow the orcs to find her faster.
She risked a look back down at her calf. She could feel the arrow shifting between her muscles and knew that she was doing more damage by moving. She started to get light headed from the pain and braced herself against a tree.
The sound of shouts behind her had caused her to begin moving again and lost her balance and quickly felt her face smash into the rocks. She couldn't stand again, the pain was too much. She held her dagger tightly as a strong pressure turned her over and she swung her arm out.
Instead of feeling the dagger sink into flesh she felt a tight grip around her wrist.
"Do not stab me again."
The cool voice was the most beautiful thing Aurora had ever heard and her eyes shot open. His piercing blue eyes lit of the night around them. A mixture of fear and relief danced across his face.
"Thranduil!" She shouted and before she knew what she was doing she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "I thought they killed you! I'm so sorry! I should never have— "
He broke their embrace and place a finger to her lips. "Stop, Aurora." He put his forehead against hers briefly and held her face in his hands, "We are alright."
"AURORA!"
The pair broke apart as Aurora saw Augustus jump from Odin's back and sprint over to her. He collapsed to his knees where she sat and pulled her close.
"You're alive!" Augustus breathed into his sister's hair. Hardly believing that they had found her. "I thought I had lost you. Aurora I couldn't have…"
Thranduil stood and left the twins to have a moment alone. He walked over to his elk and gently touched his soft nose. He glanced back to see the pair still sitting on the ground, embracing each other and quietly sobbing. Thranduil glanced to the side as he saw Galadriel approach and stop next to him.
"She is safe." She let out a sigh of relief that she had been holding for the last few hours since the ordeal began.
Thranduil didn't look up at her as he muttered, "No thanks to me."
"Had you not been in the cave with her we would not have known she had been taken until
much later." Galadriel tried to soothe the Elvenking's distress although she knew it was futile.
Augustus and Aurora felt a presence surrounding them and looked around to see Thranduil, Celeborn, Galadriel, Haldir and Legolas standing over them.
"We must be on the move," Legolas spoke, "The orcs are still in the area."
Augustus stood offering a hand to help Aurora stand and she accepted it with a weak smile.
As she stood pain shot up her leg and she collapsed once more, this time into Haldir's arms as he moved to catch her fall.
"What is it, Lady Aurora?" Celeborn asked with an edge of concern.
"Fuck," Aurora hissed out in pain, "I forgot…"
Aurora stuck her leg further out in front of her for the others to see, "I got shot."
TRANSLATIONS:
*Elvish*
Boe anwen mened - We must go
