Firniswin- [Jumps off Jessi and finds self in a large crowd of angry reviewers] Drat!

Reviewers- [takes rope and kidnaps Firniswin]

Firniswin- [muffled from beneath gag] Drat!!

Reviewers- You can never leave us hanging again. [evil laugh]

Firniswin- [muffled] [rolls eyes] Drat!

Chapter 7
Jump to Freedom

Glorfindel's feet lightly touched the ground as he ran, his eyes darted from side to side.

'Where can we go?' He looked around, they were coming to a dead end. Adenen fidgeted nervously in the older elf's arm.

Glorfindel stopped, his eyes widening at what he saw. He could go no further, if he did both of them would die. They stood at the edge of a cliff, a river twisted far below. It roared a warning of danger to those above. Behind the two elves was a troop of soldiers, coming after them, swords drawn and each carrying a rope to capture the fugitives.

"What do we do?" The blonde elf looked down to see teary eyes looking back up at him and small sobs of sorrow and worry wracked the child's small frame.

Glorfindel set the weeping lad down and began to think. His mind was hindered by many thoughts at that one moment.

' Jump.' one said, 'Death is freedom.' another said, but he quickly shook his head…..if it were his life only he would take the risk. But a child was here with him, an elven child he could not take such a precious immortal life away with one single decision. 'But what else is there?'

"Jump Glor."

He shook his head but then looked down when he realized that Adenen had said it.

"W-what?"

"Jump!" the boy said simply pointing over the edge. "I will do it with you."

The older eldar shook his head and snorted.

"It is all that we can do, Eru willing we will make it." Adenen looked up to the appearing stars, they shimmered offering hope to the two firstborns.

Glorfindel smiled at the knowledge the boy had, he was so young. Or so he looked, he would have to find out his age later, right now they had finish what had been started.

The blonde elf walked to the edge and looked down once more. He turned pain filled eyes on the child.

"R-ready?" he whispered broken heartedly.

"May the Valar be gracious." Adenen whispered back smiling as if he knew the outcome would be happy. But Glorfindel knew, he did not.

"Namarie nin mellon."

"Nay, friends never say namarie." Adenen looked up into the pure blue once more before closing his own. "I will see you on the bank."

And with that both dove downward into the watery canyon and as they did all fell into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~

The sun began to dawn, bright and beautiful. It's golden rays spread along the banks and fields. All was peaceful and the wind began to whistle a sorrowful tune down the river through the forests and all throughout the lands.

The healer known as Elrond sat on his gray elven horse trotting along the pathway briskly on his patrol with the rest of his king's patrol.

His silver eyes scanned the sun bathed banks. He halted his horse a moment as he noticed to large wet figures sprawled out on the beach.

"What in Eru's name?" he dismounted from Calebreth. "Alenae…….Corin!"

Two elven generals came forward, Alenae had hair of a bronze color. And Corin had jet black hair. Both were of Noldor descent.

"Yes milord?" Corin bowed, and then Alenae.

"Wait here, seat yourselves. I will call upon you if I have need." Elrond said as he started to walk towards the bank.

"Ye hir nin." they both nodded and then seated themselves on the ground. They knew that if he called them, it would be easy to get to him.

Elrond made his way swiftly yet cautiously towards the prone beings, whatever they were, they were either unconscious or asleep. That they had not moved since he started to come was a sign, but he could not see that they were breathing either.

He moved his legs faster, he knew it was a foolish move but he had to know what these things were.

The elven healer stopped short at the sight he saw, his eyes widening with terror and fright, he had never thought to see this.

Two elven bodies sprawled out on the bank, eyes closed in a merciful sleep, yet unconsciously shivering as water lapped up against their bodies. One of the bodies was that of a child, it was curled up in a ball, shivering and coughing as blood flowed freely with water from the many cuts on his body. His hair was tan.

He turned to see another elf right beside him, but this one was much larger….even more so than Elrond. He looked powerful and tall, his sleek blonde hair glimmered in the new morning sun. His arm and was sprawled in a position that looked very painful to the healer, dark bruises covered the collarbone and arm.

"Broken." Elrond murmured as he made his way closer to the larger eldar

He was also covered with uncountable scrapes and gashes that were bleeding, his breathing was shallow and he coughed every few moments then he would shiver.

"Alenae! Corin!" He cried out as he quickly took off his cloak and wrapped it around the child, "Stay with me tithen pen." he whispered in the boy's ear.

The two generals ran lightly atop the sand and stopped short when they saw the gruesome sight.

Elrond looked up to them as he cradled the boy in his arms and looked down on the blonde elf. "Make camp! Send three soldiers to help me with him." he pointed to the larger elf.

"Yes sir!"

With that they ran back to the troop.

Elrond sat quietly rocking the child back and forth singing an elven lullaby, he was jerked this by surprise when he felt a weak grip on his tunic. He looked down into pain dulled eyes. The lad coughed and gasped then stared up at him again.

Elrond felt the need to take the child's small mind off the pain. "What is your name lad?"

The boy shivered then spoke, his voice was weak and even Elrond had to strain to hear the words.

"A-denen."

"I'm watching over you Adenen."

With that the child smiled briefly then closed his eyes, he was not asleep but rather trying to go to sleep. He snuggled his quivering body into the larger elder's warm clothes.

TBC~

Firniswin- Hey [smiles and shrugs] It's not a cliffy this time. At don't think it is anyway.

Jessi- [neighs]

Firniswin- Don't tell them that, they will have to wait.

Jessi- [snort]

Firniswin-Anyway [coughs] Hannad nin mellons for helping me feel good about this story. Especially Celebrindal, ivorybrowneyes, and my long time reader and reviewer Arwen-Evenstar. Well at least it feels like it to me. Anyway, I hope I got all the majority reviewers, if I did not get you and you feel you are doing great at reviewing, I am sorry and I thank you for your helpfulness. Gotta go!