A/N: This part is a little slow, but it's necessary. The next part will
probably be the New Year's celebration, and then back to the angst. I have
to give them a little fun break, don't I? ;)
GRATUITOUS SELF-PROMOTION: Pssst! Hey you! Yeah, you! Have you read my other stories? No? You should….. ;)
Sorry, had to put that in. On to the story:
Part 15:
It was a merry procession that wound its way down the mountain paths of the hidden valley of Imladris. Sunlight glinted off the golden tack of the horses as the tiny bells affixed to their headstalls jingled brightly. Sweet Elven voices sang to the tune of the bells and the percussion of hoof beats.
Elladan was able to make it down the stair under his own power, though Elrohir hovered slightly behind him, to ensure he did not stumble on the odd steps leading to the courtyard. Elladan waved him off briskly, but Elrohir shrugged and remained close to his side. They waited at the gate, standing serenely until the first horses appeared across the stone bridge. Their sister was in the lead astride her white palfrey, followed by her escort and various Lorien Elves who were interested in visiting Imladris for the changing of the seasons. One of the guards also led a great black stallion who was without tack or a rider.
Arwen dismounted and handed her horse off to a waiting groom before Elrohir swept her into a strong embrace.
"Elrohir!" she gasped, kissing his cheek.
Elrohir released her and she turned to Elladan, who was standing calmly to the side, smiling at his siblings' welcome to each other. She took his hands in both of hers and stared hard into his eyes. She noted the thinness of his face in comparison to his twin, and the slightly haunted look his eyes still held.
"You are well?" she asked for his ears only.
"Yes, sister," he answered, equally quiet. "You needn't worry."
Arwen nodded, but took his arm firmly as she turned her brothers back to the house. "Let us go find Father," she said. "I bring greetings from Lothlorien for you all."
The three siblings left for the house, leaving Erestor to care for the guests. No one commented if they noticed Elladan leaning slightly on his sister as they ascended the steps.
Legolas perched on the paddock fence, munching on an apple as he watched the Elven horses frolic in the new green grass. The Lorien horses had been turned out to pasture and mingled with the Imladris herd. Among them was a beautiful stallion that he found his eyes drawn to time and again. Bell- like laughter and soft steps tore him away from his observations. He turned to see the twins and Lady Arwen coming down the path to the pasture. Legolas jumped off the fence to greet the fair Lady properly.
"My Lady Arwen," he said, bowing to her. "I trust your journey from Lothlorien was safe?"
"Yes, Prince Legolas," she replied, clasping his arm. "I thank you for looking after my brothers when I could not."
Legolas glanced to Elladan with a questioning look. Elladan nodded slightly, but Arwen caught the gesture. "Do not worry, Legolas. Elladan has told me that you have stolen his heart, and I am happy for you both."
Legolas let out the breath he had been holding. "Thank you, my Lady." He grinned. "I admit, I almost feared for your reaction more than Lord Elrond's."
Arwen laughed, but pulled Elladan forward so he stood next to Legolas at the fence. "Look, brother," she said. "Do you see that stallion there? The black with the white star on its forehead?"
"Yes. It is a magnificent animal. Whose mount is he?" Elladan asked, leaning on the fence.
"He is a gift, from our grandfather Celeborn for you," Arwen said, her eyes shining in the sun. "He is a stallion, born of the King's line of horses in Rohan and crossed with the Elvish breeds kept in Lorien. Call him and he will come, for he is trained in the style of the elves."
Elrohir had climbed the fence by now, and he looked to his sister. "What is his name?" he asked excitedly.
"Mornel."
"Mornel," Elladan whispered. Then louder, "Mornel!" he called.
The black horse picked up his head and its ears swiveled in the direction of the voice. He obediently trotted over to the fence and bowed his head to regard the group of young elves. Elladan hesitantly put out a hand and the horse nuzzled it carefully. Mornel could sense something different about this young elf, though he looked so similar to the one sitting on the fence.
"Do you want to mount him?" Elrohir asked in his bubbly voice.
"I don't think I can," Elladan said. He hadn't been on a horse since the attack. Indeed, this was the most he'd been out of the house at all.
Legolas had stayed quiet, but he leapt over the fence with one fluid movement. He leaned up to whisper in Mornel's ear. The horse's intelligent eyes regarded Elladan again, studying him.
"Come," Legolas said, reaching out a hand to help Elladan over the fence. "I'll help you, if you wish."
Elladan frowned, but climbed over the low fence to stand at the horse's side. Mornel stood as still as stone, apparently trying not to startle the sick Elf who was his new master. Elladan reached up to grasp the thick mane in one hand and pulled himself onto Mornel's back as Legolas steadied him with strong hands around his waist. Legolas kept his hand on his knee until he was sure that Elladan was balanced properly. He stepped back, though Elladan gave him a startled look.
"He will not let you fall," Legolas assured him.
Elladan calmed as he noticed that the horse under him was indeed careful and seemed to understand his own nervousness. He patted the sleek neck and Mornel began to move off in a slow walk. Elladan kept his death grip on his mane as Mornel moved into a trot across the pasture.
"Well," he said to the horse as his ears flicked back at the sound of his voice. "I am Elladan. I am sorry if I am hard to carry right now, but--" Elladan's voice was cut off as Mornel sped off in a canter.
Elladan gritted his teeth and stiffened, but Mornel kept his gait smooth and steady. The grip on his mane loosened and Mornel whinnied in appreciation as Elladan relaxed. The horse took him on a long round of the pasture before stopping again in front of the other elves. The blond one—the one who had told him to be careful because Elladan was hurt and a little scared—was still standing on the grass waiting for them to return.
Legolas felt his racing pulse calm as Mornel halted smoothly in front of him. Elladan was laughing, though he was noticeably paler. Legolas reached up to guide him to the ground and Elladan stood unsteadily, shaking in Legolas's grip, but his eyes shone with a joy they had not seen for a long time.
Elladan turned to the stallion, laying his cheek against the soft nose. "Thank you, my friend," he said. "We will race together soon."
He turned the horse back out to the grass and climbed back over the fence. Arwen was watching him carefully, but she smiled when she heard him laugh again.
"Oh, how can something that hurts so much feel so good?" Elladan laughed.
Elrohir started towards him in alarm, but Elladan stopped him. "Nay, brother. I am fine. I have just been abed for too long."
"I have a feeling Father would not agree," Elrohir said, but let Elladan walk back to the house unhindered.
Legolas followed the family a few paces back, singing to himself and the horses as he walked.
GRATUITOUS SELF-PROMOTION: Pssst! Hey you! Yeah, you! Have you read my other stories? No? You should….. ;)
Sorry, had to put that in. On to the story:
Part 15:
It was a merry procession that wound its way down the mountain paths of the hidden valley of Imladris. Sunlight glinted off the golden tack of the horses as the tiny bells affixed to their headstalls jingled brightly. Sweet Elven voices sang to the tune of the bells and the percussion of hoof beats.
Elladan was able to make it down the stair under his own power, though Elrohir hovered slightly behind him, to ensure he did not stumble on the odd steps leading to the courtyard. Elladan waved him off briskly, but Elrohir shrugged and remained close to his side. They waited at the gate, standing serenely until the first horses appeared across the stone bridge. Their sister was in the lead astride her white palfrey, followed by her escort and various Lorien Elves who were interested in visiting Imladris for the changing of the seasons. One of the guards also led a great black stallion who was without tack or a rider.
Arwen dismounted and handed her horse off to a waiting groom before Elrohir swept her into a strong embrace.
"Elrohir!" she gasped, kissing his cheek.
Elrohir released her and she turned to Elladan, who was standing calmly to the side, smiling at his siblings' welcome to each other. She took his hands in both of hers and stared hard into his eyes. She noted the thinness of his face in comparison to his twin, and the slightly haunted look his eyes still held.
"You are well?" she asked for his ears only.
"Yes, sister," he answered, equally quiet. "You needn't worry."
Arwen nodded, but took his arm firmly as she turned her brothers back to the house. "Let us go find Father," she said. "I bring greetings from Lothlorien for you all."
The three siblings left for the house, leaving Erestor to care for the guests. No one commented if they noticed Elladan leaning slightly on his sister as they ascended the steps.
Legolas perched on the paddock fence, munching on an apple as he watched the Elven horses frolic in the new green grass. The Lorien horses had been turned out to pasture and mingled with the Imladris herd. Among them was a beautiful stallion that he found his eyes drawn to time and again. Bell- like laughter and soft steps tore him away from his observations. He turned to see the twins and Lady Arwen coming down the path to the pasture. Legolas jumped off the fence to greet the fair Lady properly.
"My Lady Arwen," he said, bowing to her. "I trust your journey from Lothlorien was safe?"
"Yes, Prince Legolas," she replied, clasping his arm. "I thank you for looking after my brothers when I could not."
Legolas glanced to Elladan with a questioning look. Elladan nodded slightly, but Arwen caught the gesture. "Do not worry, Legolas. Elladan has told me that you have stolen his heart, and I am happy for you both."
Legolas let out the breath he had been holding. "Thank you, my Lady." He grinned. "I admit, I almost feared for your reaction more than Lord Elrond's."
Arwen laughed, but pulled Elladan forward so he stood next to Legolas at the fence. "Look, brother," she said. "Do you see that stallion there? The black with the white star on its forehead?"
"Yes. It is a magnificent animal. Whose mount is he?" Elladan asked, leaning on the fence.
"He is a gift, from our grandfather Celeborn for you," Arwen said, her eyes shining in the sun. "He is a stallion, born of the King's line of horses in Rohan and crossed with the Elvish breeds kept in Lorien. Call him and he will come, for he is trained in the style of the elves."
Elrohir had climbed the fence by now, and he looked to his sister. "What is his name?" he asked excitedly.
"Mornel."
"Mornel," Elladan whispered. Then louder, "Mornel!" he called.
The black horse picked up his head and its ears swiveled in the direction of the voice. He obediently trotted over to the fence and bowed his head to regard the group of young elves. Elladan hesitantly put out a hand and the horse nuzzled it carefully. Mornel could sense something different about this young elf, though he looked so similar to the one sitting on the fence.
"Do you want to mount him?" Elrohir asked in his bubbly voice.
"I don't think I can," Elladan said. He hadn't been on a horse since the attack. Indeed, this was the most he'd been out of the house at all.
Legolas had stayed quiet, but he leapt over the fence with one fluid movement. He leaned up to whisper in Mornel's ear. The horse's intelligent eyes regarded Elladan again, studying him.
"Come," Legolas said, reaching out a hand to help Elladan over the fence. "I'll help you, if you wish."
Elladan frowned, but climbed over the low fence to stand at the horse's side. Mornel stood as still as stone, apparently trying not to startle the sick Elf who was his new master. Elladan reached up to grasp the thick mane in one hand and pulled himself onto Mornel's back as Legolas steadied him with strong hands around his waist. Legolas kept his hand on his knee until he was sure that Elladan was balanced properly. He stepped back, though Elladan gave him a startled look.
"He will not let you fall," Legolas assured him.
Elladan calmed as he noticed that the horse under him was indeed careful and seemed to understand his own nervousness. He patted the sleek neck and Mornel began to move off in a slow walk. Elladan kept his death grip on his mane as Mornel moved into a trot across the pasture.
"Well," he said to the horse as his ears flicked back at the sound of his voice. "I am Elladan. I am sorry if I am hard to carry right now, but--" Elladan's voice was cut off as Mornel sped off in a canter.
Elladan gritted his teeth and stiffened, but Mornel kept his gait smooth and steady. The grip on his mane loosened and Mornel whinnied in appreciation as Elladan relaxed. The horse took him on a long round of the pasture before stopping again in front of the other elves. The blond one—the one who had told him to be careful because Elladan was hurt and a little scared—was still standing on the grass waiting for them to return.
Legolas felt his racing pulse calm as Mornel halted smoothly in front of him. Elladan was laughing, though he was noticeably paler. Legolas reached up to guide him to the ground and Elladan stood unsteadily, shaking in Legolas's grip, but his eyes shone with a joy they had not seen for a long time.
Elladan turned to the stallion, laying his cheek against the soft nose. "Thank you, my friend," he said. "We will race together soon."
He turned the horse back out to the grass and climbed back over the fence. Arwen was watching him carefully, but she smiled when she heard him laugh again.
"Oh, how can something that hurts so much feel so good?" Elladan laughed.
Elrohir started towards him in alarm, but Elladan stopped him. "Nay, brother. I am fine. I have just been abed for too long."
"I have a feeling Father would not agree," Elrohir said, but let Elladan walk back to the house unhindered.
Legolas followed the family a few paces back, singing to himself and the horses as he walked.
