A/N: Here's the next part, and I'm going to try to get another part out
tomorrow, but don't flame me if I don't make it!! Aww heck, flame it all
you want. They're funny anyway. But, seriously, if you read this, please
review it for me! Especially if you have been following it from the
beginning! I need a little confidence boost to get me past finals!
Part 18:
Elladan lay on the couch, absently twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. He was feeling tired, but he didn't want to interrupt the festivities. The day was winding down, and soon the celebration would be brought inside the dining hall for feasting, and then to the Hall of Fire for song. He could excuse himself shortly after eating, or perhaps beg out of the feast completely and have a quiet dinner in his room.
At the moment, he relented to watch Legolas and Elrohir as they spun with the dancers on the grass. The matching floral wreaths glinted white and gold in the sunlight, drawing much attention to the pair. Suddenly the other end of the couch dipped with the weight of another. Elladan looked up to see an Elf he did not recognize sitting at his feet, smiling at him. The stranger had chestnut hair and blue eyes similar to Legolas's, though his features were far less fair than the Prince of Mirkwood.
"You are the son of Elrond?" the stranger asked.
"Yes," Elladan answered cautiously. "I am Elladan. Does my father seek me?"
"No," the other said. "I do. My name is Thalion, and I was told that you are the best guide in the household for those who are from strange lands and wish to see the full glory of Imladris."
Elladan's lips pressed into a thin line, though Thalion did not seem to notice the gesture of distress. "Forgive me, Thalion, but I am not in the position to give anyone a tour today. If you like I shall find Erestor, the seneschal of the house, and he can give you what you wish."
Thalion's eyes turned strangely dark, but the smile did not leave his face. "What I wish, I can find only in you," he nearly purred.
Elladan sat up quickly with a wince, but not before Thalion's hand slid up nearly the length of his leg. He pushed himself off the couch, one hand on the arm as his vision swam. "Do not presume that your advances are welcome, Thalion, for they are not!" he hissed loudly.
"I take no liberties that others have not taken before me," Thalion countered. "Perhaps you should not be so open with your dalliances if you wish to be left alone."
Elladan noticed the eerie quiet. He saw that the surrounding Elves and Men had seen the exchange clearly and were still watching them. His breath came in short gasps and he felt darkness crowding his vision. He was sure he was going to faint, but a strong hand closed around his arm, followed by another around his waist. He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, leaning into the other's strength.
"You forget your place while you are a guest in my father's house," a voice said, so similar to his own but with a deadly quiet. "I suggest you take your leave now, as you have already clearly noted that my brother is bound to another."
There was no answer from the stranger, and Elladan did not open his eyes to see him leave. He felt himself being helped back to the couch, and he sat gratefully.
"Elrohir," he whispered, tears leaking from his eyes. He shut them tight to prevent any further tears as Elrohir guided him to lay down, his head pillowed on his brother's lap.
"Hush," Elrohir soothed, resting his arm on Elladan's waist. "He's gone now. Are you hurt?"
"No," Elladan answered quietly. He opened his eyes again, as the tears stopped threatening to escape. No one was staring any longer, though he thought that he and his twin must have made a pretty sight.
Legolas came towards the couch balancing three glasses of wine. He should have just brought a bottle, he thought, trying to keep the ruby liquid off of his tunic. His face fell as he noticed that Elladan had fresh tear tracks on his cheeks.
"What happened?" Legolas asked.
"Nothing," Elrohir said. "Just too many of our guests imbibing without thinking on their actions."
Elladan sat up and took a glass from Legolas. He drained it quickly, though Elrohir tried to slow him. Legolas's eyes narrowed; Elladan was acting strangely again, and the evening was still long.
The dinner bells rang out, calling all to the feast in the dining hall. Glorfindel came springing up to them, but slowed as he saw the dark expressions on the young Elves' faces.
"Will you three be attending the feast?" he asked, glancing pointedly to Elladan who still clasped the empty wine glass.
"No," Elrohir answered. "I think we shall have dinner in our rooms tonight. But please, tell our father that we are sorry we are not attending."
Glorfindel nodded. "He will fully understand, but do not be surprised if he checks in on you this evening. I will have dinner sent up for you." He rubbed Elladan's shoulder in comfort and joined the crowds leaving for the Great House.
Elladan rose as the last of the guest filed through the archways. Elrohir reached to catch his arm, but Elladan shrugged him off.
"I am fine," he said. "It was but a moment of weakness, and it has passed."
Elrohir nodded and allowed his brother to make his own way to their rooms. Once they entered the stone and wooden chamber Elladan nearly collapsed on the bed. Legolas took it upon himself to help Elladan undress and Elladan did not fight him as he undid the clasp on the robe. By the time the food arrived, he was comfortably dressed in a worn, loose robe instead of the heavy and stiff formal ones.
The companions ate in silence. Elrohir kept pushing food at his brother, who merely picked at his meal. The sun sank below the mountains and Legolas rose to light the candles in the ornate stands around the room. The glow of candlelight was kinder to Elladan's tired eyes than the harsh sun of the day, and he felt himself relax. He stretched out in the bed, allowing the musical voices of the other two to soothe him to sleep.
Legolas turned to see Elladan's closed eyes and even breathing. He sighed in relief that Elladan could sleep easily; he feared that fell dreams would haunt him still. He gestured to Elrohir and they retired to the younger twin's room, though they left the door open in case Elladan awoke or fell into nightmares.
"I know not what to do," Legolas admitted to Elrohir. "I am afraid to touch him. He reacted badly at first, and I dared not try again. Now, I am not sure how he would react. Earlier today, I thought that he may be more comfortable with contact, but I suppose not after what you told me about the encounter with Thalion."
"Elladan did not know Thalion. You are no stranger to him. It is not a fair comparison," Elrohir reasoned.
"I would not forgive myself if I caused Elladan more pain," Legolas said, burying his face in his hands. "But I cannot stand being so close to him without knowing if my touch is welcome or not!"
Elrohir considered Legolas's words. "Your touch cannot erase the memories of the orcs, but I daresay that he needs to be reminded that there can still be joy found with another."
"I will think on the matter further before I decide how to proceed," Legolas said. Elrohir nodded. "I will not do anything to harm your brother, Elrohir," he reassured. "I would die of grief if that ever happened."
Part 18:
Elladan lay on the couch, absently twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. He was feeling tired, but he didn't want to interrupt the festivities. The day was winding down, and soon the celebration would be brought inside the dining hall for feasting, and then to the Hall of Fire for song. He could excuse himself shortly after eating, or perhaps beg out of the feast completely and have a quiet dinner in his room.
At the moment, he relented to watch Legolas and Elrohir as they spun with the dancers on the grass. The matching floral wreaths glinted white and gold in the sunlight, drawing much attention to the pair. Suddenly the other end of the couch dipped with the weight of another. Elladan looked up to see an Elf he did not recognize sitting at his feet, smiling at him. The stranger had chestnut hair and blue eyes similar to Legolas's, though his features were far less fair than the Prince of Mirkwood.
"You are the son of Elrond?" the stranger asked.
"Yes," Elladan answered cautiously. "I am Elladan. Does my father seek me?"
"No," the other said. "I do. My name is Thalion, and I was told that you are the best guide in the household for those who are from strange lands and wish to see the full glory of Imladris."
Elladan's lips pressed into a thin line, though Thalion did not seem to notice the gesture of distress. "Forgive me, Thalion, but I am not in the position to give anyone a tour today. If you like I shall find Erestor, the seneschal of the house, and he can give you what you wish."
Thalion's eyes turned strangely dark, but the smile did not leave his face. "What I wish, I can find only in you," he nearly purred.
Elladan sat up quickly with a wince, but not before Thalion's hand slid up nearly the length of his leg. He pushed himself off the couch, one hand on the arm as his vision swam. "Do not presume that your advances are welcome, Thalion, for they are not!" he hissed loudly.
"I take no liberties that others have not taken before me," Thalion countered. "Perhaps you should not be so open with your dalliances if you wish to be left alone."
Elladan noticed the eerie quiet. He saw that the surrounding Elves and Men had seen the exchange clearly and were still watching them. His breath came in short gasps and he felt darkness crowding his vision. He was sure he was going to faint, but a strong hand closed around his arm, followed by another around his waist. He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, leaning into the other's strength.
"You forget your place while you are a guest in my father's house," a voice said, so similar to his own but with a deadly quiet. "I suggest you take your leave now, as you have already clearly noted that my brother is bound to another."
There was no answer from the stranger, and Elladan did not open his eyes to see him leave. He felt himself being helped back to the couch, and he sat gratefully.
"Elrohir," he whispered, tears leaking from his eyes. He shut them tight to prevent any further tears as Elrohir guided him to lay down, his head pillowed on his brother's lap.
"Hush," Elrohir soothed, resting his arm on Elladan's waist. "He's gone now. Are you hurt?"
"No," Elladan answered quietly. He opened his eyes again, as the tears stopped threatening to escape. No one was staring any longer, though he thought that he and his twin must have made a pretty sight.
Legolas came towards the couch balancing three glasses of wine. He should have just brought a bottle, he thought, trying to keep the ruby liquid off of his tunic. His face fell as he noticed that Elladan had fresh tear tracks on his cheeks.
"What happened?" Legolas asked.
"Nothing," Elrohir said. "Just too many of our guests imbibing without thinking on their actions."
Elladan sat up and took a glass from Legolas. He drained it quickly, though Elrohir tried to slow him. Legolas's eyes narrowed; Elladan was acting strangely again, and the evening was still long.
The dinner bells rang out, calling all to the feast in the dining hall. Glorfindel came springing up to them, but slowed as he saw the dark expressions on the young Elves' faces.
"Will you three be attending the feast?" he asked, glancing pointedly to Elladan who still clasped the empty wine glass.
"No," Elrohir answered. "I think we shall have dinner in our rooms tonight. But please, tell our father that we are sorry we are not attending."
Glorfindel nodded. "He will fully understand, but do not be surprised if he checks in on you this evening. I will have dinner sent up for you." He rubbed Elladan's shoulder in comfort and joined the crowds leaving for the Great House.
Elladan rose as the last of the guest filed through the archways. Elrohir reached to catch his arm, but Elladan shrugged him off.
"I am fine," he said. "It was but a moment of weakness, and it has passed."
Elrohir nodded and allowed his brother to make his own way to their rooms. Once they entered the stone and wooden chamber Elladan nearly collapsed on the bed. Legolas took it upon himself to help Elladan undress and Elladan did not fight him as he undid the clasp on the robe. By the time the food arrived, he was comfortably dressed in a worn, loose robe instead of the heavy and stiff formal ones.
The companions ate in silence. Elrohir kept pushing food at his brother, who merely picked at his meal. The sun sank below the mountains and Legolas rose to light the candles in the ornate stands around the room. The glow of candlelight was kinder to Elladan's tired eyes than the harsh sun of the day, and he felt himself relax. He stretched out in the bed, allowing the musical voices of the other two to soothe him to sleep.
Legolas turned to see Elladan's closed eyes and even breathing. He sighed in relief that Elladan could sleep easily; he feared that fell dreams would haunt him still. He gestured to Elrohir and they retired to the younger twin's room, though they left the door open in case Elladan awoke or fell into nightmares.
"I know not what to do," Legolas admitted to Elrohir. "I am afraid to touch him. He reacted badly at first, and I dared not try again. Now, I am not sure how he would react. Earlier today, I thought that he may be more comfortable with contact, but I suppose not after what you told me about the encounter with Thalion."
"Elladan did not know Thalion. You are no stranger to him. It is not a fair comparison," Elrohir reasoned.
"I would not forgive myself if I caused Elladan more pain," Legolas said, burying his face in his hands. "But I cannot stand being so close to him without knowing if my touch is welcome or not!"
Elrohir considered Legolas's words. "Your touch cannot erase the memories of the orcs, but I daresay that he needs to be reminded that there can still be joy found with another."
"I will think on the matter further before I decide how to proceed," Legolas said. Elrohir nodded. "I will not do anything to harm your brother, Elrohir," he reassured. "I would die of grief if that ever happened."
