Ch.3: Sacrifice
Elrohir felt his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth at Elladan's question. This wasn't how he wanted to tell his brother. Elrond sighed.
"Peace, Elladan. You brother is-" Elrond started, answering in Elrohir's stead.
"No, ada, don't make excuses for him," Elladan hissed through clenched teeth, "I asked him a question. I want to know why!"
Elrohir flinched at Elladan's murderous tone. He knew Elladan would be angry, but he still was unprepared for the confrontation. The older twin closed the gap between them with swift, furious strides. Elorhir fearfully shrunk back against Elrond's chest. Elrond tightened his grip on Elrohir just slightly.
"Answer me idiot!" Elladan demanded harshly.
Elrohir's mind went blank in the face of Elladan's wrath. Before Elrond could stop him, Elladan's hand darted out and grabbed Elrohir's collar.
"Why, Ro, why?" Elladan was practically shaking his twin at this point.
"I had to. I couldn't let you die," was all Elrohir could whisper, his blood-shot eyes meeting Elladan's narrowed ones. Elladan gave a scornful laugh.
"But forcing me to watch you die instead was a much more desirable outcome! Eru damn you Elrohir! Can't you ever think of anyone but yourself?"
"Elladan, I-"
"You are a coward, you know that right? You should have let me die! I hate you!" Elladan snarled before stalking out of the room. Elrohir let loose a soft moan as the door banged closed behind his twin. The pain in his fëa flared to life again at his emotional turmoil. Elladan was right. He selfish. Stupidly selfish. Elrond rocked him gently and murmured soft reassurances in his son's ear. Neither of them spoke to each other for some time. It was well into the night before Elrond made the first move.
"Get some sleep, Elrohir. You are exhausted. I will speak with Elladan and we'll work this out in the morning," Elrond promised as he attempted to settle his son back on the bed. Elrohir did not respond, he simply clung tighter to his father. Elrond gave a bittersweet smile; relishing Elrohir's touch, but knowing his son was exhausted. Elrond remained with his son until Elrohir fell to a restless sleep a little while later.
After pressing a kiss to Elrohir's warm brow, Elrond silently left the room. He steadied himself against the door jam for a moment, trying to regain his composure and hold back the traitorous tears. In one fell swop, Elrond feared that he would loose both his sons: one to mortality and the other to grief. Straightening his robes, Elrond decided to give Elladan some space and talk to him in the morning.
At some point during the next morning, Elrohir was jerked awake by a violent cough. He had woken once in the night and had known something was off but he was too emotionally overwhelmed to seek out help. In fact as he though about it, he decided that he didn't want to see anyone ever again. Elrohir had possessed just enough energy to stagger to the door and lock it before crawling back into bed.
Elrohir was now wondering if that had been such a good idea. Another rough cough was torn from his aching throat. It was an ugly, wet sound from deep in his chest. A third cough quickly followed, then a fourth. Soon, Elrohir was fully in the grip of a full blown coughing fit.
No matter what Elrohir did, the coughing wouldn't stop. He was finding it harder and harder to catch his breath. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to keep the room from spinning. It didn't help, he still felt immensely dizzy. He tried to set up and find help, but his muscles were too fatigued to be much use. He ended up sprawled on the floor, unable to get up. In his panic, he let out a feeble wheeze, a call for help to his twin:
"Luh'dan?"
He was greeted by silence.
Elladan did not come.
With a weak groan, Elrohir succumbed to his fevered dreams
Neither Elladan nor Elrohir appeared at breakfast or the midday meal. Elrond was a bit concerned, but decided to give both of his sons some more space. Elrond did stop by Elrohir's room the morning of the second day. The door was firmly locked. Elrond pleaded through the door, but he received no answer. Elrond also went to Elladan's room. His door was locked as well, but it was eventually opened by a fuming Elladan. The older twin had glared at his father before slamming the door in Elrond's face. The third day was no different.
On the fourth day, after begging and pleading at Elrohir's door for much of the morning without receiving any sign of life from within, a frantic Elrond had no choice. He summoned Glorfindel and the two of them set about breaking into Elrohir's room.
It was not a difficult task, but it required two people. Several well placed jabs with a lock pick and a forceful kick to the hinge saw the door swinging open, albeit slightly damaged. The sight within froze both Elves.
Elrohir was laying sprawled face first on the floor, breath coming in shuddering gasps. With a cry of dismay, Elrond rushed to his son's side. He gingerly turned Elrohir over and was shocked to find that Elrohir's whole body was slick with sweat. His face was ashen, save for the bright splotches of crimson high on his sunken cheeks. Elrond desperately tried to rouse his son. He tried gently calling to his son and gently tapping Elrohir's face. He even tried firmly rubbing his knuckles up and down Elrohir's sternum. Elrohir let loose a congested cough, but did not stir under his father's ministrations.
When it became clear that Elrohir was not going to wake, Glorfindel scooped him up and carried him to the halls of healing. Elrond scurried after him, dark thoughts crowding his mind. His youngest son was close to death and he had been oblivious to it. He should have forced his way into Elrohir's room sooner. He quickly shook his head. Now was not the time for recriminating thoughts. Elrohir needed him to be present and sane.
After depositing his burden in the closest bed, Glorfindel stepped back to let Elrond work. Other healers rushed over to help. It was clear that the young lord was very ill. Elrond, with help from the rest of the healers, did everything he could, but it hardly helped. While Elrohir's chest infection did not grow any worse, it also did not abate.
Elrond sat by his son's bed for hours, worried that Elrohir could very well slip away if his back was turned. With his Choice made, Elrohir no longer had the protection of the Elda's immune system. His declining health was just the beginning of a one-way, down hill slope. Elrond grimaced. He had yet to truly talk with Elladan after the confrontation in Elrohir's room. He felt Elrohir's clammy wrist, re-assuring himself that the faint pulse was still there.
Elrond sighed. Better now than never. He gave the limp hand a squeeze before leaving to have a talk with his first born. If Elrohir passed soon, he wanted to make sure that Elladan had a chance at reconciliation.
Elrohir lay in a daze. He had no idea where he was nor how he had gotten there. Faces drifted in and out of fuzzy vision, but he recognized none of them. In agitation he looked around for Elladan, but his twin was nowhere to be found. He cried in panic. Elladan, he needed Elladan, though he didn't know for what.
Someone finally managed to get through his delirium to tell him that Elrond had gone to talk with Elladan several hours ago and that they would be here shortly.
A cool cloth was laid across his brow.
Elrohir trembled as he watched the door, waiting for his twin.
Elrond finally appeared.
Elladan did not.
Elrond settled on the edge of the bed. For a long while, the lord of Rivendell just sat there, his lips pursed and his hand resting gently on Elrohir's knee.
Elrohir found he was having a hard time focusing.
He squinted at his father.
It didn't help.
Elrond re-dampened the cloth on Elrohir's forehead before speaking.
"I tried talking with Elladan. He is... angry," Elrond explained carefully, "He... He left a little while ago. I don't know when or if he will return. I'm sorry Elrohir."
At the news, Elrohir felt like someone had crushed his heart. The emotional shock drove him over the edge back into oblivion. The last thing he heard as his vision went dark was Elrond's desperate voice calling his name.