Disclaimer: I do not own anything, Tolkien does.

Summary: After the death of his friend, Aragorn falls into depression and there may only be one person who can draw him out of it.

How Can I Survive

Chapter 10

Elrond closed his eyes tightly to try and block the tears that badly wanted to fall. He folded the letter back up and put it in his pocket. He then walked out of the room to go to his study. The lord sent one of the guards to go fetch his children and have them brought there as well.

Elrond sat in a chair and studied the letter again, as if reading it repeatedly would change what was written.

Finally his kin arrived and he bid them to enter. "What has happened adar?" Elrohir asked desperate to know what had his father this anxious. "I have bad news" he said, handing the letter to the three younger elves. They looked at it in dread, not wanting to believe it.

"It can't be" Elladan whispered. "It just can't. I didn't mean it." The elf said giving in to lamentation. Elrond draped a loving arm over the shoulders of his son, and grabbed the hand of his other.

Arwen still had not put the note down. She refused to cry. "Undomiel?" Elrond called nervously. "Its not the truth. Estel wouldn't do that" she denied. "Arwen…we will bring him back" "No Ada, he is never coming back" she yelled as she threw the letter to the ground and ran out the door, slamming it behind her.

The peredhil was about to go after her but was stopped. "No father let me go, she thinks it is my fault, I can feel it" Elladan interrupted as he pulled away from Elrond and followed his sister.

"Arwen" he called. She stopped halfway down the hall that she occupied and turned around to see her brother coming up from behind her. He halted as they were inches apart, staring each other down.

"Don't do this, talk to me" Elladan said as he put his hand on hers, which hung at her side. She snatched it back as quickly as he had put it there. "Don't touch me. You are the reason he left. Its because of you that he is gone" she relented.

He used his index finger to wipe away the tears that fell from his intense grey eyes.

He now knew how Aragorn must have felt when he blamed him for the death of Legolas, even if he didn't mean it. The elf knew it wasn't the man's fault, but he still said it and at this instant he was full of regret and self loathing.

"Your words were to cruel" she hissed. "I know, I shouldn't have said what I did, but recognizing that now will not change it."

"You should have been smarter" she shouted as she slapped him across the face, and continued to run back to her quarters.

Elladan shook his head because he knew she was right, and he had no right to be angry at what she said because that is exactly how he had acted towards Aragorn. He bit down so powerfully that it broke the skin and he could taste his blood on his tongue.

Elrond and Elrohir had witnessed the whole thing because they had left the study, just as the confrontation had begun.

Elrohir ran over to his twin and brought him into a loving enfold. Elladan's arms were still drooping at his sides and he was weeping. "She did not mean what she said just like you didn't" Elrohir said as he came away from his brother, still holding his forearms. "Even if she didn't, it doesn't change the fact that it is the truth" Elladan retorted.

"My son it is not your fault. He made a choice, you did not force him to make" the elven lord replied to his melancholy child.

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Aragorn had decided to take rest for the night. He set down his pack and sat down with his back against a tree. He quickly fell asleep, for he was very fatigued.

"What do you think you're doing?" the voice thundered causing Aragorn's eyes to snap open. "Elrond is going to be very mad" the figure jested. Estel couldn't believe his vision. "Legolas?"

Well what do you think? Does anyone know a good elvish translation site. If you do please tell me!!!!