Disclaimer: Only the unknown characters are mine! Kirin is mine, but I'm letting Elendor borrow him. This chapter is in Sellen's POV, and he is 1000 but looks 17. Read 'When Eyes Meet Eyes' for clarification on these characters! Takes place before 'Little Stranger'! Unless otherwise marked, everyone is speaking in Elvish.

Unconditional Love

Chapter Two

On The Outside

I couldn't sleep…

I kept thinking of what Gyre had threatened to do to Kirin, and the anger had not left me yet. How dared that bastard imply- even think of doing something like that to Kirin? I silently looked across the room where he lay, not moving.

His soft, silvery hair hung freely around his pale face, except for where Father had slapped him, and his light blue eyes were open. He looked so frail, which had prompted the nickname I had given him- 'little one'.

"Kirin, are you okay?" I questioned finally, narrowing my own deep blue eyes. My golden hair was tucked behind me, in a long braid, to keep it out of my face.

He shrugged slightly, and I sighed, before I climbed out of bed and went over to him, lighting a few candles on the way. My soft, deep blue leggings brushed against me, as I sat next to where he lay, and my white shirt hung around me loosely. "Little one…" I murmured softly, touching the bruise on his face tenderly.

"I'm not little!" he automatically countered, before he started laughing quietly at the smirk on my face. "Aw, Sellen…" he protested, knowing that I'd done that to make him feel better. I loved the sound of his soft voice, which was whispery, very child-like. My own voice was a soft alto most of the time, until I grew upset. Then it deepened sharply.

I grinned at him, and Kirin sat up, pretending to be angry with me. One of my arms wound around his thin shoulders. "Kirin, don't let him get to you like that," I said, seeing the pain he tried so desperately to hide. "Gyre is nothing but a jerk." And if he dares to touch you, I'll kill him myself, brother or not, I silently added. Though I didn't really consider Gyre a brother…

An arrogant bastard, a selfish jerk; those were my words to describe Gyre. A spoiled brat who got everything he wanted, including love. No matter what he did, Father always approved of it. I was terrified that Gyre would carry out his threat to make Kirin his consort. Both of my arms wound around my smaller brother's waist, embracing him tightly, as if I could keep him safe by holding him close.

Kirin murmured, "I know…" He sighed, leaning against me slightly. I could feel the tension in him, though he tried to hide it from me.

Why was it our fate to be the outcasts, I wondered, as I held Kirin. What did we do to deserve this? I could not understand it, and I could not fight something I did not understand. I could only protect Kirin from Gyre, and I did not care how much he hurt me for it; I refused to let him hurt Kirin, who was more gentle than me.

Father only tolerated me because of my dreams… the dreams of the future, of what could happen. They scared me, because if Father didn't like what I saw, or if they did not match Mother's visions…

"It'll be okay, Kirin," I told him fiercely. At this moment, I didn't care about the baby Mother had given birth to this night, as I cradled Kirin against me. "Gyre wouldn't dare…"

"Father won't care," he told me softly.

I gritted my teeth and vowed, "If he dares to touch you, I'll kill him, Kirin, I mean it!"

Kirin gasps, "You can't! Father would kill you!"

I don't care about that right now, not when I see the fear in his eyes. "It would be worth it," I finally said, angry at Gyre for making Kirin afraid, and angry at Father for not caring at all. Couldn't he have given us away if he didn't want us? Why put us through this? What did we do to him to deserve to be treated like less than nothing?

He turned to face me, paling even more than his naturally pale skin. I know what he's going to say; I can't hurt Gyre, because then Gyre will hurt me. Or Kirin…So I gently place a finger on his lips and shake my head, telling Kirin without words that it doesn't matter what Gyre does to me; I will never stop protecting him.

We sit together for a while on Kirin's bed, content to just have silence. We have each other for the support we need, and that's all I need to survive. We don't need words to understand each other. We've been inseparable since Kirin was born centuries ago and he was handed to nurses to be raised, until I took over his care. I fed him his food, kept him clean and dressed, and even taught him to walk. My name was the first word he spoke, which infuriated our father greatly.

The door suddenly opened, and at first, I thought it was Gyre, coming for Kirin. Instead, some of the servants enter, carrying a wooden cradle, cloth diapers, and other baby items. Confused, I exchanged a look with Kirin, until one of the maids come in, carrying a cloth-wrapped baby.

With a start, I suddenly remember and realize that this is the baby Mother had earlier. I was stunned to realize that I'd forgotten all about it, in my concern for Kirin. Couldn't wait to get rid of him, could you, Father, I silently seethe. Why did he keep having children when he didn't love any of us, except for Gyre?

The maid holds the baby out to me, and he is wailing softly. I freeze, until I see Father stick his head into the room.

"Shut that brat up, or I'll silence him forever!" he snaps, causing the babe to cry harder.

I release Kirin and stand, before walking over to the maid resentfully. Yes, Father; I did such a good job raising Kirin, let me raise another brother so that you don't have to. I positioned my arms slowly, and the baby was placed in them.

Blue eyes streamed tears out as he softly cried, and instinctively, I rocked him, letting him suck on one of my fingers. Baby or not, Father won't be happy if he keeps crying. I'm both angry and sympathetic to him. Angry because I knew, from the way Mother had been acting, that this one would be her favorite. I sympathized, because now he was like me and Kirin; he was an outcast, another unwanted child, deprived of love.

The poor baby was probably hungry, I knew. He had just been born today, and already Mother was not allowed to feed him. I only hoped that he would survive, as Kirin had. I look at my second youngest brother, shrugging helplessly. There was little we could do about this. Rejected ones had to take care of their own.

After placing the cradle and other items down, the servants all left, except for the maid.

"His name is Legolas," she said suddenly. "I'll have the usual potion made for him and bring it here." She only glanced back once when she left.

A hiccup caught my attention, and I turned back to Legolas… my baby brother. Little wisps of golden hair, similar to my hair and Father's hair, covered his tiny, newborn head. His frail neck was carefully supported by my left hand, and the rest of him was easily held by my right hand, cushioning him against my chest.

Kirin had an unreadable look on his face, as I walked over and sat beside him once more, with Legolas cradled against me. Soon after, the maid returned, carrying a familiar vial of potion. After giving it to Kirin, she left, and did not return.

The potion was slightly thick cloudy, with little sparkles in it. This was what Kirin had been fed; a substitute for the nourishment that Mother should have given him. I looked at the potion bitterly, but knowing what had to be done. Silently, Kirin slowly opened the vial and held it out to me, scooting closer to me.

I shifted Legolas so that he was supported by my right arm, with his neck protected by the crook of my arm. With my other hand, I took the vial and began giving it to my baby brother with my fingers, not having anything else to use.

We sat in silence, the only sound being made by Legolas, as he sucked the potion off my fingers. Tomorrow, I would find something else to use, but for now, I used what I had. Kirin watched me wordlessly, until Legolas finished, yawned, and fell asleep.

I stood, and took him over to the smooth, carved wooden cradle, before I gently placed him in it. Legolas didn't stir at all, with one baby arm outstretched, and his tiny thumb in his mouth. After fussing with the blankets, I cleaned my hands off in the white basin of water on the dresser.

I knew that the potion would keep Legolas from being hungry and waking until morning; it was made of different herbs and other ingredients, and was intended for babies whose mothers died birthing them.

I sighed, and shook my head, making certain to venture over and lock the door, before I walked over to Kirin, for the last time this night. I placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Get some sleep, little one…" I murmured. "Gyre will not bother you this night."

Kirin countered, "Sellen!! I'm *not* little!" He sighed and nodded, before he snuggled back into his bed.

I blew out the candles, and sank into my own bed, feeling weary, but content with the knowledge that Kirin looked to me like no other.

I once again drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound of Kirin's deep breathing. And once again, I got pulled into another painful vision. Images of people I didn't recognize swirled around me, and I couldn't escape from it. Voices echoed through my mind, and I pressed my hands against my ears, trying to stop it.

An image… A tall, golden-haired Elf with blue eyes, standing next to an ebony-haired Elf, who had an impassive look on his face, though keen intellect shone in his eyes. I didn't know who they were, but as I watched, a figure dressed in black leapt out of nowhere and attacked them, slashing with a sword. Before my eyes, they were killed.

I was dimly aware of crying out, until I woke, gasping hard. Beads of sweat ran down my face as I panted, shaking slightly.

To be continued